Lessons of Enlightenment

Preface

New Consciousness To Usher In The Millennium

The time has come to impart the Lessons Of Enlightenment,

for the ushering in of the New Millennium. The Lessons are
offered to facilitate the unfolding of the New Age which
symbolizes the restoration of humans to their intended
evolutionary pathway which allows for the maximum evolution
and expansion of Universal Consciousness. It is an era of
renaissance through which entities can awaken from the sleep-
inducing, dogmatic, and manipulative assertions of mankind
and realign with the divine source of universal knowledge
which lies within.

It is a time to celebrate the reconnection between the individual

and the totality of All That Is. It is a time to become receptive
to the Divine Grace, the love and faith that has been placed in
humankind. It is a time to honor the faith, to acknowledge and
reclaim the resources and abilities that empower humans rather
than allow them to remain mired and enslaved within their own
earthly illusions. It is a time for every soul to rise to the
challenge of realigning the spirit, the will, the mind and the
body. It is a time of joyous self expression.

The Lessons provide the light, but it is the task of the

individual to enlist the will and to actively choose the pathway
to receive the light. This requires the trust that each individual
was created with the innate capacity to know, to experience,
and attune to an inner guidance. This requires the courage to

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set aside those beliefs, and habits of thought and action which
now severely limit the soul, yet masquerade as the very truths
for which humans feel compelled to fight and to die. For the
feelings are indeed instrumental in such choices, but not
without the understandings to be imparted in these Lessons.

The Lessons Of Enlightenment will arrive like pearls of

wisdom, for each entity to assemble into an invaluable
adornment which can become an enduring talisman against
external manipulation and a symbol of the choice for, and
commitment to individual empowerment, soul development, to
individual, social and spiritual evolution, to love replacing fear,
to light replacing darkness, to the rejection of evil, and to the
unwavering faith in the Universal Divine. It is to be worn with
honor, legitimate pride---dignity, compassion and self respect.
It cannot be worn if there is insincerity, a refusal to question
existing beliefs, denial of spiritual impetus, denial of will
energy or violation or denial of others. For such denial not only
negates the soul, but also denies the Universal Consciousness
and each individual's rightful place in the connectedness of All
That Is.

The actions of the wearer will always defy any such attempts at
deception, for legitimate actions will always spring from a new
motivative source, demonstrating the understanding, the
awareness and the grace that the Lessons embody. The actions
of entities automatically provide testimony to the degree of
alignment between spirit, will, mind and body. Indeed, upon
grasping the understandings that the Lessons provide, human
essence, human nature, human behavior, human evolution and
human destiny will all become far less mysterious.

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This is likened unto a vessel of opportunity. This is a time of
great potential. This is a time for each entity to rise to the
challenge of participation in the turning of the tide and in the
laying of the groundwork for accelerated development. This is
the time to realign with the Universal Divine, the Love Force,
the Universal Consciousness of All That Is. The vessel of
opportunity has arrived.

Welcome aboard.

Page 1-8 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Alpha
Lesson One: Overview Of The Human Condition

Introduction

There is a great urgency for human beings to understand and

correct their current situation. Humankind is and has been
experiencing far more disconnection, disorientation, pain and
suffering than is necessary. This creates an interruption in the
flow of Universal Divine Love Energy and a virtual frustration
in the ever-expanding consciousness of All That Is. Each and
every earthbound entity is an apportionment of the Divine
Spirit and maintains a connective strand, a communicative
channel, through which inspiration, guidance and divine
intention can be experienced. Along with this information
channel came the innate ability to transmute Universal Energy
into physical form to create events and physical manifestations
pleasing to both the individual and the ever-expanding

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Universal Spirit. The power to intuit, the power to create, and
the freedom for willful action, are all far greater than humans
imagine---for they have become obscured, blunted and limited.

This information represents what has been described as the literal "Keys To
The Kingdom", a Kingdom that exists both within and without, as well as
independent of the time/space characteristics of this physical world we
elected to maintain as our reality. The barriers that exist between "It" and
our consciousness are maintained by our programmed, limiting beliefs. This
material can remove those barriers.

Communication and The Fluid Creative Reality

Since time was young, humans have had the challenge of

utilizing that power to create unlimited, ever-evolving tools
and methods to develop and express their soul potential in
earthly existence. Development and expression of Spirit was
the individual objective within the overall goal of continued
expansion of Universal Consciousness. Such tools have
manifested in the physical technologies, including everything
from stone carving tools to the Internet, as well as mental
technologies including knowledge, beliefs, cultural customs,
political systems, legal systems, social codes, religious and
worldviews that exist today.

The evidence of our innate creative ability is all around us, but it stands like
the trees which blind us from the all-prevailing forest of our possibilities.
Our blindness to the evidence has been well programmed into our thought
processes and is maintained by the mental tools placed under the control of
those who place power over wisdom and worldly rewards over spirituality.

These tools were originally to be developed by an individual

for that individual's personal use to accomplish the maximum
possible development, expression and expansion of his or her

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individual consciousness. The tools were intended to be
temporary, flexible transient and ever-changing---like cloaks to
be designed, worn and cast aside as new, more effective
versions were inspired and created. There was no "right" or
"wrong", no "good" or "bad" tools, no judgements or
limitations were placed upon the creations of man. The only
legitimate quality assessment was how well the tools and ideas
accomplished the development and expression of the soul
potential. The "reality" was highly individualized. It was
negotiated and created through the communication between
individual and universal spirit and the application of will
power. The action choices of entities were validated by the
spiritual responses experienced through the feeling system.

We are a species that has had to learn much about our true nature by the
process of trial and error. It is one of the consequences of the quality of Free
Will. It is when the consequences of "reward" and "punishment" are
applied to this process and the terms of "good" and "evil" were integrated
as control elements, that the barriers become erected between what we
instinctively "feel" is true and what we are taught to believe is "true", but
isn't.

Those tools that were most effective at meeting the expansion

goals of the spirit were pleasing to the spirit, and those that
were less so were not so pleasurable. Those that did not work
or lost their effectiveness over time would restrict, even
frustrate the spirit and the feelings would be not pleasing---they
became even unpleasant and painful.

The physical, mental and emotional pain we have come to experience are the
clues that should lead us to the enlightened conclusion that a course
correction to our continued state of being is in order.

These pleasurable or painful feelings were experienced within

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the individual as an ever-present reminder of the goals of the
spirit and of how well they were being attained. This was the
reality: an information exchange and feedback between the
spiritual, mental and physical realms, each working in concert
to maximize and expand individual and Universal
Consciousness. There was no mistaking that earthly reality was
fluid and within the constant control of the individuals, no
matter how "real" and valid the earthly creations and events
may have appeared in the physical realm.

The principal/system remains in place. It seems only to vary according to

our perception of physical reality, i.e. when we give power to outside
influences, to that degree, we ignore our innate ability to create our own
reality.

Disconnection & Rigid Physical Reality

But over time, humans began to believe more and more in the
validity of their creations and rely less and less upon the
internal communicative spiritual guidance. The methodologies
and beliefs began to take on a life of their own, to become
more real, as they were shared between individuals and
eventually passed along between generations. Such ideas
became real when adopted through willful choice---regardless
of whether or not that choice was a conscious one. In fact, most
humans empower beliefs without even realizing their choice,
since "facts", values and ideals are indoctrinated into them
from the moment they are born. Cognizant or not, humans
direct their will power into the belief, which then entraps them
within its limitations.

This is the metaphor and meaning of the fable of the Garden of Eden and
the eating of the apple by Adam and Eve. We chose to turn our ideas into

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our reality, and perpetuate that 'reality' by passing it along from one
generation to another. Free will then surrenders to belief and that is how our
reality becomes limited.

Not only did such limiting judgments become part of earthly

reality, but they actually have a physical counterpart that exists
in the form of energy fields wherein potential energy has been
frozen into habitual pathways that grossly limit the human
capability of selecting or creating alternate tools or ways of
thinking. The beliefs become physically empowered with the
human energy that is willfully invested in them. The more
times a particular "truth" is uttered and energized, the more it
takes on a physical reality that in turn limits the perception of a
myriad of other possibilities.

With our minds we create our physical reality, and with our belief systems,
we keep it in place by sustaining and limiting it. We are both the creators
and the victims of what we have been taught and what we will continue to
believe. Those who master us through fear, master us for life.

Instead of the evolution of many coexisting equally useful tools

of spiritual expression, certain ideas become dominant,
overarching and "the way" for all to be. Such limiting beliefs
and judgments have interfered tremendously with the natural
communicative pathways between embodied entities and All
That Is. They have greatly reduced the creative ability to
transmute Universal Energy at will, all but eliminated the
original fluidity of reality, and entrapped humans within the
very tools which were intended to empower them. The result is
that humankind has become mired within an illusory "reality"
of their own creation, cut off from the overarching reality,
guidance and direction of All That Is.

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By our own enamored state of self-importance, we have forced ourselves
away from the metaphorical Garden of Eden and into a state of reality
which excludes a clear line of communication between our physical/mental
selves and our spiritual nature.

The human condition is now such that the expression and

development of individual spirit, as well as the expansion of
Universal Consciousness, has been tremendously impeded.
This "misuse" of human freedom has become known as "the
Fall from Grace" in many existing origin stories and religious
doctrines. For with the self-imposed limitations due to having
bitten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, humans have lost
touch with those very facilities with which they were endowed
to protect and guide themselves.

While the story of the "Garden of Eden" carries the seeds of the truth
expressed above, it has been so distorted by religious institutions that we
have come to feel it is only appropriate that we continue to exist in a
degraded state with only the protection and guidance of those institutions as
our salvation. As we sought information from the "outer" world, we
abandoned the "inner" truths that once guided us toward spiritual
evolvement, it would seem.

Attempts At Re-Empowerment

In the course of human history, there have been many sages,

Avatars and wise "men of God" who have attempted to re-
empower humans. These seers incarnated with a clear destiny,
a broadened awareness and with better command of the innate
power that all humans were intended to possess. Their task was
to awaken humankind to the tremendous potential and power
that lies within their grasp, yet which remains unclaimed. For
every human being maintains that connective strand through

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which Divine Spirit Intention can be accessed and utilized,
offering vast benefits and direction for the restoration of
humanity to the intended evolutionary path. Their offerings
have made a positive impact; but there has also been a
tremendous amount of distortion of the teachings---perversion
and dogmatic assertions used for manipulation and control by
misguided, power-seeking humans, perpetuating the myth that
direction can only come from external forces and guides.

We are all familiar enough with the "sources" of these controlling

influences. Many of us rely on weekly contact with such in order to maintain
a socially comfortable position in our social settings. We surrender our
judgment and our spirit to those who tell us how to conduct ourselves. In
doing so, we elect to shrink our very natures.

The sages' message of re-empowerment was lost in the shuffle.

The ultimate result was the implanting of a nearly universal
belief that human beings are innately evil, rather than innately
good, and that with such evil nature they require external
control. The coming of the sages reinforced the belief that
some external Omnipotent intermediary has the sole
responsibility to create the events necessary for successful
human existence. And that since man was innately evil, that
unpleasant events were his "due" as retribution from that
almighty force. This further disconnected humans from their
inner informational feeling system, with the adoption of
conflicting ideas about feelings themselves. This created the
related belief that emotional suffering is an inevitable,
necessary and uncontrollable part of living.

We have surrendered the driving forces of our spiritual life to a "back seat
driver" and done so through a commitment of conformity.

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But the belief in the need for external control cannot change
the ultimate reality that the individual has, and will always
have, internal control. The belief itself cannot remove the
individual's capability and his or her responsibility to manifest
their own destiny. It does not in the least diminish the power
they possess, only the conscious control they have over that
power. The belief in externals cannot change the physical
transmutation process or alter the individual causal link
between energy and willful manifestation. It merely shifts that
power into the earthly illusions and conflicting beliefs which
become the external controllers. In adopting an external
intermediary, humans cast their power to the wind, rather than
honoring themselves as the creators of their own destiny.

We cheapen ourselves while at the same time, adopting a false attitude of

moral superiority over those who elect not to follow the crowd.

Many unexpected and undesirable events that occur in the lives

of individuals and those which evidence decay in societies
around the world, are a direct result of misdirected,
misunderstood human will power. Humans then scramble to
react to the oncoming events that seem random, chaotic and
meaningless, rather than creating the desired events as
originally intended. The information signals of human feeling
go unheeded allowing hurtful, limiting beliefs to take root and
flourish. The realm of human mind is now choked with many
such debilitating beliefs, most of which masquerade as highly
esteemed ideals and values. If the innate guidance had been
understood, there never would have been such a virulent spread
of misdirected energy. If the innate guidance had been
understood, humanity would now be master rather than slave.

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If we can objectively observe our environment, both as an individual and as
the race which populates the planet, we can see that there are collective
attitudes which contribute to unjustifiable levels of suffering. If we probe
those states to the origin of the problem, we can not but help arrive at the
above conclusions.

Regardless of the illusions, the reality of the human condition

is still that each individual has the power and the biological
capability to receive information and transmute energy directly
from the Divine Source. This is the originally intended inner
communicative flow of validating feelings of the spirit.
Humans are intended to use the conditions and events that they
desire. The information process has long gone unnoticed and
the lack of intuitive guidance has all but removed the
individual's capacity to create the reality that is most pleasing
to the spirit. As a result, the individual spirit is frustrated, as is
the Universal Spirit. When the spirit is frustrated and cannot
expand, this is made known through the feeling system of the
individual--- as has always been the case.

Prayer, especially the redundant type, is little more than a one-way

conversation which results in the speaker gaining little when he/she elects
not to listen, as well. If the majority of our Western religious institutions
emphasized the act of meditation as strongly as that of prayer, their
members might experience accelerated spiritual growth on a yet unimagined
scale.

The Feeling System - A Spiritual Safety Net

The feeling system is the one system that is not susceptible to

the realm of earthly illusion. Although belief can color the
feelings, they cannot deny the anger, fear, and sadness of a
frustrated spirit. The feeling system is the communicative

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strand that provides a safety net to keep humans attuned to the
Spirit regardless of the earthly illusions. The feeling system
also plays a major role in the transmutation of energy that
creates events, both desirable and undesirable. The
preponderance of negative events and frustrating experiences
in one's life is a direct result of the level of frustration of the
Spirit. Humans have also developed ways to escape the
haunting feelings of a frustrated spirit through escapism or
aggression or self deception. But true and lasting relief can
only come through the identification and rejection of those
beliefs that have been internalized, which frustrate rather than
develop and express the spiritual potential .

It would seem that these "feelings" serve as the energy form that converts
our "beliefs"s into our created reality. The stronger our particular beliefs,
the more expanded our creative results. Some would call this "simple faith",
but it is more complicated than that. We can successfully connect the two if
we are willing to make an honest evaluation of our inherited beliefs. Also, we
can drift far off course, but we can not sever the tethering line which keeps
us connected to Thee Spirit. Thus, with intent, we can reestablish a course
correction at any point in our existence.

These beliefs, and any others which limit human development

and expression, are no longer to be tolerated. The state of the
earth becomes less and less stable as more and more energy is
fed into the existing limited beliefs. Now is the time for the
piece-by-piece dismantling of the dense energy network that
stifles the spiritual, mental and physical evolution of the human
species. The dominant formative energies are fear, anger and
sadness, which spring from the grossly frustrated Universal
Spirit. Without direct intervention, these energies will continue
to create individual and social and eventually, physiological
and geological upheaval.

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Of particular danger to our physical reality are those "gloom & doom"
predictions of earth changes that many stand poised to accept. Those who
seek a brighter future for the human race have a heightened chance of
experiencing such. We can strengthen our physical world by connecting with
our spiritual nature. It's our choice .

The Task At Hand

It is to be the task of each and every earthbound entity to

reestablish a connection with the inner guidance that they
posses, and to regain understandings regarding the nature of
their own power and how best to use it. From there, they are to
identify and reject any beliefs they find within themselves that
are limiting to the Spirit. They are then to identify and to
participate in the active removal of such beliefs from the world
itself, from the realm of mass consciousness.

This is not a challenge for the faint of heart or those too old to visualize a
better world than the one they currently occupy. To meet such a "challenge"
will require a certain level of commitment. The needed energy will be
supplied.

With these direct actions, the energy can be disengaged, unit by

unit, belief by belief, and returned to the individual. This
energy can then be refocused to increase those positive,
uplifting, joy-inducing ideas and beliefs which facilitate
spiritual expression. The mass reality can ultimately be
restored to that state of fluidity wherein the tools and strategies
remain flexible, creative options for individuals to select, based
upon their ability to develop and express their unique spiritual
potential.

Once one becomes engaged in this river of revitalization, the meaning of

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"life" will become more pronounced than has ever been experienced. The
division between current status and spiritual potential will melt away.

These lessons will include the specific advice and

understandings necessary to restore the inner communicative
information channel within earthbound entities. They will
explain the nature of the human feeling system---an
unexploited sixth sense---and how it has become lost. They
will detail how to interpret the signals from the Spirit, and
exactly how to actively respond to the advice offered. They
will draw parallels to the feeling system and the misdirected
transmutations of power in the creation of events. Ultimately,
they can usher in the understandings that will replace the
myriad of debilitating beliefs that frustrate the Universal Spirit
and cripple the spiritual, mental and physical evolutionary
potential of humankind.

This is the promise of a "process" which, once launched, can not be run
aground – for it will free qualities deep within this vessel of body/mind
which can never again be reversed. We can and will become the Captains of
our own destiny. There is a "base-line" of Spiritual Guidance, individualized
to meet our respective needs, available upon request and confirmed through
feelings.

Just as sages and seers have appeared in the historical past,

there are active entities today working together to carry out
their group mission of restoring the inner guidance to
earthbound entities. There are many existing, enlightening
ideas in the realm of mass consciousness that can be assembled
and utilized. There are offerings from every realm, from the
arts, from the sciences, from religious, educational and political
institutions which all can contribute to the understandings that
these lessons embody. As the millennium progresses, there are

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ever-increasing inspirations, put forth like puzzle pieces to be
assembled by humankind. There is a building energy force,
toward a critical mass that fuels these inspirations, and makes
the necessary understandings more accessible to every human
being.

Our current technology need not be a detriment to our spiritual growth, but
rather a compliment and a vehicle of enhancement. These very words are
being spread through a means which has no end. From the proliferation of
"ideals" will come the "ideas" necessary for success.

It is now the challenge of each and every earthbound entity to

realign themselves with the Inner Guide, through which they
can be welcomed home.

The ultimate purpose of creating a "security based" economic system is to

enable humankind to rise above the mundane preoccupation with the
physical necessities of survival (food, clothing, shelter, etc.) and focus on the
mental and spiritual unfolding and reconnecting with the Universal
Consciousness as it moves forward in the evolutionary process.

Page 9 - 23 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Alpha
Lesson Two: The Spiritual Nature Of Humankind

Humanity As Spirituality As Divinity

From the moment of the creation, or what has become known

as the "Big Bang", the Universal Consciousness of All That Is

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fragmented Itself into a wide variety of physical, material
forms, so that It could gain self-experience and self-expansion.
As apportionments of this Divine Universal Spirit, human
beings are essentially spiritual beings.

While the "Big Bang" was a physical happening, it was first and foremost a
Spiritual Happening. As the physical portions of this expansion were mere
reflections of Spiritual intent, so we are the physical/mental segments of a
Greater Whole expressing its Dynamic Nature.

It has been a time honored tradition for philosophers, religious

leaders, poets, artists, scientists and politicians to ponder the
nature of man. Indeed, it is a motive of Divine Spiritual
Intention that humans understand their nature. The divinity
whispers within every human being, stirring self-curiosity and
the need to seek purpose and meaning. In answer to this inner
urging, throughout the ages the question has been asked: Is
man good? Is man evil? Perhaps a bit of both?

But the question that need not be asked is: "Is man?" For if man were not,
he/she would be incapable of expressing that doubt.

There is plenty of evidence leading directly and completely to

one conclusion: that human beings are indeed good. There are
many beliefs and judgments placed upon that evidence that
lead to quite another conclusion: that humans are wretched and
wicked. Thus, the answer has been quite difficult to find.
Instead, there now exist many conflicting thought systems,
generally within the religious realm, that describe the human
being as both good and evil. With each system comes an
elaborate set of understandings and rules. These rules are quite
specific in ordering the human being to make certain choices
which will ensure that he or she always stays on the "good"

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path---the straight and narrow---ever vigilant against the evil
impulse rearing its ugly head.

Such has become the justification for most religions. Each religion puts itself
ahead of the other and so each member of such religion regards
himself/herself better than the members of a different religion. In the name
of that presumption, a great deal of harm has been perpetrated.

The logical flaw within such thought systems is the premise

that human nature can be altered by human ideology. Humans
will be humans and will act human regardless of any dictates to
the contrary. Societies have no hope of ever successfully
controlling human nature if they insist upon working against it.
The very concept that human declarations can alter the
motivational essence of humanity is absurd. All humans
respond according to their nature. No matter what race or
culture, no matter what religious affiliation, no matter what
social or economic "station", no matter what physical, sexual
or intellectual orientation, no matter what errors or aberrant
behaviors have been chosen, no matter what level of success at
attainment of universal intention--- all human beings are one
and the same at their natural core. Each are apportionments
of the universal divine. All human beings are divine.

It may well be time that the human race make the necessary quantum leap
to get ahead of the current curve, beyond harsh judgment of itself and on to
a state of self-realization not yet imagined.

Although there are widespread beliefs to the contrary, the fact

is that humanity is spirituality and divinity in chemical
clothing. Humans are as divine as each and every deity. As
divine beings, the trust, faith and grace was placed in humanity
by All That Is, with the endowment of Free Will to manifest

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and control individual destiny. This divine freedom evidences
the "creator's" trust and assurance of human goodness.

Just as each wave contains the salty essence of the whole ocean, so each
human is endowed with the essence of All That Is. How could the "Whole"
not trust the nature of its parts?

This fact goes unnoticed, even minimized, with every passing

thought that human beings are any less than embodied divinity.
But such thoughts have been accepted time and again and have
become firmly imbedded attitudes and beliefs---even
justifications for misguided thought and action.

Divided by the concept of "good" and "evil", a constant struggle is

encouraged as a group which judges itself to be the "good" seeks to destroy
the other, which it judges to be the "evil". With very little manipulation, this
state of misconception can be kept ongoing.

The belief in evil is not completely unjustified, given the

historical evidence of vicious and heinous actions and
violations that humans have perpetrated upon one another.
Given these actions, it is understandable why there would be so
much confusion and suspicion cast upon human nature.

But evil is a perception more than an actual state of being. Those who
appear to be committing their "evil" justify it as being for the greater
"good".

But without exception, each and every "evil" act is the direct
result of miscommunication between spirit and mind. Humans
will act in predictable ways when the inner divine
communication breaks down. It is only when man-made ideas
overrule the innate guidance of spiritual wisdom that this
communication breaks down. When this happens, humans are

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in trouble. For all individual and social chaos springs from this
miscommunication. At present, humans are indeed, in very
much trouble. For their very freedom has wrought
imprisonment.

When we surrender our "inner guidance" to the control of those from

without who convince us that doing so is for our own good, we risk all that is
good about ourselves. In the truest sense, we know better.

The inner divine guide remains hidden within the many layers
of misconceptions, self imposed limitations, attitudes and
reactionary choices,--- but it remains. For the Universal Spirit
not only provides unlimited freedom and communicative
guidance, it also provides insurance that humans can never
completely stifle the spirit.

We are about to discover the "truth" of the above statement. We need only
open ourselves to a greater flow of information and a trust that lies within.

Frustrated Human Purpose and Evil

The ultimate purpose of human existence is for a given

spirit to develop and express its unique potential in physical
form. This translates within the body as needs which facilitate
self development and expression. As each individual achieves
personal fulfillment of this purpose, a corresponding
experiential expansion and fulfillment occurs within All That
Is.

If we begin with the statement that we are made in the image and likeness of
"God" or the All That Is, we can see that just as our experiences result in
our "expansion", so the same applies exponentially and ubiquitously.

The astronomical genetic uniqueness of each embodied spirit

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seeks release as an equally unique and necessary contribution
to human civilization. Each successful contribution joins the
totality in the manifestation of Divine Intention. Self
expression is the goal of the Creator. Regardless of what form
this expression takes, no matter how seemingly insignificant or
how substantial, no matter how public or private, no matter
how acceptable by human judgmental standards, each unique
contribution is an equal, valuable and necessary portion of the
whole. The spiritual impetus is so important that humans are
embodied with physical insurance that the needs of the spirit
will be expressed.

So we stand mid-point between the microcosm and the macrocosm, time

space being relative, each state of existence being a point of dynamic
evolution.

The opposite of expression is frustration. Spiritual frustration is

the antithesis of the Creator's intended purpose. It also signals
its own presence through the feeling system. Frustration is
acknowledged by unpleasant emotions. The spiritual insurance
against continuous frustration comes in the form of self-
preservationary reactions to unpleasant feelings which are
hard-wired into the body. Such reactions virtually override the
mind where the human limitations reside. The emotions
contain creative arousal energy which moves the individual to
corrective action. Such a force is the natural spiritual
aggression, yet missing the intentional focus. Such corrections
preserve the species, but since they lack intention, they do not
facilitate human purpose. At best, they buy time.

While "buying time" does not necessarily mean we own it forever, it does
enable us to expand our consciousness and continue to open our "spiritual"
eyes until we can eventually recognize the pattern and purpose of life's

20
meaning.

Evil springs from the impediment of Divine Intention. Evil acts

are self-preservationary acts, not those of self-development and
expression. One cannot both preserve and develop the self
simultaneously, can one? Self-preservationary reactions were
hardwired into the body as a last ditch safety net through which
humans can protect, even rescue themselves from their own
creations. The self preservation impulse ensures the
continuance of the species, but relegates humans to a minimal
existence.

Like the emergency brake in an automobile, it exists as a final preventative

to keep us from rolling backwards as we travel upward and onward, to
become too attached to "it" will get us nowhere.

The evil acts of humankind are nothing more than innate self-
preservationary reactions of the spirit crying out for
understanding. The symptomatic pain and anguish, fear and
violence shouts the frustration of spirit, but still it goes
unheeded. Humans have become so mired within their own
man-made ideas that they have severely altered the life
experience by grossly limiting their receptivity to innate
guidance. They are operating on half power at best and short
circuiting themselves at worst.

"Evil" then is little more than the decision to relinquish a willingness to

listen to the inner voice of our innate spiritual nature, a guidance system
which is so close and, yet, which we elect to place outside of ourselves.

Humans operating on such a base level of existence reflect the

sorry state of mass consciousness. And there is a predominance
of unnecessary suffering. The emotional symptoms will

21
eventually lead humans to wisdom for they will not go away
until the spirit is understood. But this is a harsh and
unnecessary course, tantamount to hitting rock bottom in order
to gain enlightenment. There already exist such severe
conditions both within individuals and societies that
understanding must now be facilitated. For human beings
cannot hope to begin to utilize their nature for the intended
purpose, if they cannot even grasp an understanding of it.

Hitting oneself on the head with a hammer is the more difficult way to learn
a lesson in physics. There are many more gentle and intelligent ways to gain
an education. The potential for discovering such is always there.

But regardless of this present state of sub-humanity, the divine

tie remains. When it is accessed and utilized, the evil acts that
have sullied the reputation of human nature will become less
and less frequent. The primary step toward this goal is the
reestablishing of the inner line of communication between
spirit, mind and body. When the feeling signals of the spirit are
interpreted accurately and acted upon optimally, the spirit
achieves the self expression it desires. When humans act
correctly upon these natural impulses, they cannot help but be
moral.

They cannot also but help to become smarter!

Natural Morality

The intended state is that humans operate from self-

developmental and self-expressive impulses. This state is that
of uninterrupted flow of spiritual Divine Love energy. When in
this state, humans access their innate, natural morality. Yes,

22
humans are innately moral---how can they not be as
apportionments of the Divine Spirit? Each and every
destructive act that has been cited as evidence of man's innately
evil nature is the floundering of a frustrated, disconnected soul
in self-preservationary mode. Evil is the absence of the life
force, as pain is the absence of the love force.

Based on simple reasoning, how could one not conclude that the source and
the result would be the same. There are those who might argue with it, but
does the wave have a different nature than the ocean? The only difference is
that that "wave" is not equipped with the gift of free will, which gives it the
right to alter its course and learn from its errors. That "gift" is but a greater
expression of the love of All That Is. It is said that "to err is human…", but
to err, to learn from that error and to be able to make a course correction in
the process of evolving, is truly a Divine Gift.

All actions which spring from self-developmental and self-

expressive impulses, spring from spirit. Regardless of what the
numerous ideologies of mankind have asserted, divine human
impulse operates upon the pleasure and pain continuum of
human feeling. Pain signals the frustration of spirit and
pleasure signals its expression. Humans are spiritual hedonists.
This is in the divine and "good" way. Pleasure is the experience
of the Divine Love force unimpeded.

Keeping in mind that we're talking about the concept of feeling, the pain
referred to is more emotional than physical. The concept of feeling "good"
or "bad" about our actions really expands the concept of conscience from
something that just bothers us when we do wrong, to that which links us to a
more expanded source of conduct and guides in a feeling way toward or
away from appropriate or inappropriate actions as a whole.

The word "Hedonism" itself has been sullied, just as has been
the reputation of human nature. But the pursuit of pleasure and
the avoidance of pain is a pure, simple and beautiful principle

23
that allows humans to know whether or not their spiritual
energy flow has completed its circuit. There are many
activities, pursuits and inclinations that have been deemed
"bad", selfish, immoral, unacceptable, even illegal within every
society. When in the spiritual sense, if they are what the spirit
requires for expression, they are, by divine dictate, necessary
and naturally moral. Many man-made judgmental dictates
impede rather than facilitate morality.

One example of this might be the "love-making" act between two people of
the same sex. One group might label it as a form of sodomy. Another might
regard it as nature's way of birth control. The point is that different groups
have different mores and guidelines that end up conflicting with each other,
because they are dependent upon cultural guidelines rather than Divine
Spirit.

This is not to say that humans should haphazardly cast all

caution to the wind and pursue self pleasure with gusto at the
expense of other humans. In fact, any act which violates
another is one of self preservation. The essence of natural
morality can be distilled to this golden advice: "Hurt not others
with that which pains thyself." This credo can be adopted
immediately. But before spiritual hedonism can fully operate as
intended, there are some additional, crucial understandings
necessary.

Natural and true relationships require that we consider the consequences

our actions might have upon another. We are, after all, a portion of a
collective whole.

The Civilized Planet

Although modern humans consider themselves quite savvy,

24
sophisticated and culturally astute, civilization does not in fact
occur until natural morality is understood and accommodated
within all social structures. Following misguided notions about
evil capacity, human social, religious, political, educational,
judicial and economic systems have attempted to control
human nature. As rigid rules and restrictions deny the spirit,
self-preservationary systems take over. The fear-based, win-
lose proposition of competition overtakes the joy-based, win-
win underpinnings of cooperation. As self-preservation
becomes the dominant motivator, individual and social chaos,
fear and aggression then become the norm. This is the present
condition upon the Earth. If this current course continues, the
violence resulting from fear and anger of frustrated spirits will
continue to erode civilization.

When a clear varnish of more enlightened guidelines is applied over a society

governed by the more unenlightened restrictions, as are referred to above,
the latter tends to show through and make the more spiritual guidelines
difficult to retain in predominance.

A primary goal of these "Lessons" is to impart the wisdom

which can reverse this course. Once the intricacies of human
hedonistic nature and how it has become effected by mass
consciousness are understood, the spiritual advisory connection
can be restored. Humans will have far more freedom than has
ever occurred and they will use it toward moral purposes. The
dominant motivators will be self-development and expression,
not the base, self-preservation impulses that now exist.

The community will have a vested interest in the success of each of its
members, for it will be realized that every success benefits the whole. It is for
this critical reason that these "Lessons" must not only be read and reviewed,
but must become the central essence of all who are exposed to them. They

25
may just be humanity's last, best hope.

Such spiritually directed actions are indeed hedonistic, as well

as moral in the highest sense. There is no need for external
codes, rules, mores or even laws, when humans are operating
up to their intended capacity. As individuals heed these
"Lessons" and act upon them, society will slowly begin to
restructure. There will be the removal of unnecessary
restrictions and the development of avenues of equal human
opportunity that do not yet exist.

Is it possible that common courtesy could replace traffic controls at

intersections? Yes, but many would argue that is not likely. But the
difference between possible and likely is only a degree of intent. For survival
purposes, the "possible" might be our only and final alternative. A
movement away from courtesy is a movement toward rage.

As freedom and opportunity are restored, the spiritual

connection strengthens, the spirit is allowed development and
expression. Creative mode will replace survival mode. Energy
directed into destructive acts and undesirable events will be
redirected into those that are productive and desirable. Humans
will get back the tremendous amount of power that now lies
dormant. Future generations will enjoy a less and less
constricted level of mass consciousness. And ultimately, mass
consciousness will evolve to accurately reflect Universal
Consciousness as it did In The Beginning.

Freedom of expression and action is a responsible quality that needs to be

nurtured and appreciated. Because most societies now operate from a fear
base, control is considered a necessity to avoid chaos. In fact, order is a
natural state that exists in the simplest life forms. Surely we can learn to
emulate that, for then we shall have paradise restored.

26
This is the direction. Now is the time to take the first steps. The
understandings are of critical importance, but will most
definitely conflict with many existing beliefs and tenets. It is
suggested for this reason, to open a new mental space to
receive this information to temporarily set aside---not
discard---but temporarily set aside existing beliefs, and to
actively, openly consider alternate ways of thinking and being.
Your spirit will tell you of the validity of any and all
information---once you understand how to listen to it. There is
no need to abandon existing beliefs completely, as this would
be far too painful. (As soon to be explained). Simply place this
new information in a special compartment, and keep it
together, without placing judgments upon it. You will begin
noticing how it manifests in your life.

It is not necessary to create a vacuum in order to experience fresh air.

Evolution is a process that creates less resistance than revolution and far less
anger. Education is simply the examination of new information and the
comparison of "it" to what we already believe.

Now, in order to understand the genesis of the

misunderstandings regarding the nature of humankind, as well
as to reverse them, it is necessary to begin back at square one,
discussing the nature and parameters of "spirit".

Human Spirit: Consciousness and Intention &

Consciousness (Itself)

Individual Spirit can be defined as that essence which

manifests Divine Consciousness and Divine Intention. The
individual spirit of a human being has also been termed "soul",

27
"entity" or "higher self" and these words can be used
synonymously with spirit. Consciousness, also known as
Awareness, is generally the definitive quality assigned to spirit
under common conceptions of the term.

When human consciousness can reach that point where contact with "Divine
Consciousness" has become clear and an automatic consequence of intent,
the Spirit State will be perpetual and totally satisfying. We are not that far
from experiencing this state right now. These "Lessons" help us to proceed
in increments.

It is generally understood that when a spirit is embodied within

human form, that form is alive, it is conscious of itself, it is
aware of its experience. The condition of death is marked by
the complete disconnection of the spirit from the body.
Although there are altered states of consciousness
(such as temporary unconsciousness due to physical trauma, or
the so-called "subconscious" dream states), the spirit is still
engaged within the body.

At times, our connection with our Spirit State is made when our normal
conscious state is dormant or more accurately, set aside. But it is when we
have reached that point when we can come to trust in our higher nature
when in a state of full consciousness, that real spiritual progress can be
made.

There is much to be learned through and about altered states of

consciousness, but humans are not yet able to achieve much
progress due to their entanglement within belief systems of
their own creation. Humans will learn far more about their own
consciousness and its abilities as they become more attuned to
their innate abilities. The first step to mining the riches of
spiritual consciousness is to learn the language of spirit and
begin its active liberation.

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It is the point and purpose of these Lessons to lead us on this journey of
discovering our inner selves and, in turn, supply us with those tools of
information which will liberate us from the confines of limiting beliefs.

Consciousness
For our immediate purposes, many of the existing concepts
regarding consciousness are in need of some clarification.
First, there is a wide-spread belief that there is some vast,
hidden, dark, inaccessible pool of information and impulses
within the human mind known as "the subconscious". The
belief in such a thing severely limits understanding, for it
provides a handy place for humans to divert any unexplainable
event or behavior. It provides an acceptable, even fashionable,
outlet of blame for outcomes of what are actually willful
choices.

It is a part of a pattern of belief and behavior which seeks to place

responsibility for the consequences of our actions in some hidden place or
upon some arbitrary source beyond our control. It is sort of a "The devil
made me do it" mentality which, when examined closely,can not be taken
seriously by rational minds. Even though Sigmund Freud, the father of
psychoanalysis, introduced the term "subconscious" to the field of
psychology, it was never meant to be regarded as the instigator of all mental
misdirection.

Instead, a replacement understanding is recommended. There is

no such thing within the realm of mind. All knowledge, beliefs,
attitudes, impulses and relevant experiences---even dreams
(with practice), are contents of the realm of mind and can be
accessed at any time. Of course, there is a limit to how much
information a given individual can ponder in the moment.

29
There is an immediate field of vision or spotlight of
consciousness known as short-term memory. This is the realm
where thought is being entertained in the present moment,
where the attention is directed. This spotlight is also known as
the "point of power" consciousness. The rest, which is known
as long-term memory, is simply a storage area of information
awaiting retrieval. There is no unreachable pool of
information in the mental realm.

"Short-term memory" in computer terms, could be referred to as RAM

(Random Access Memory) which, because it occupies physical reality, has its
limitations. What is also involved is a point of concentration or focus. The
"long-term memory" is describable as HD (Hard Drive Memory).
Computers are little more than limited reflections of our unlimited genius.

Even dream states are intended to be remembered and utilized

for the wisdom they contain---with one major qualifier:
Dreams exist not only in the mental realm, but in the spiritual
realm. When the spiritual realm is involved, there does exist a
pool of complete information likened unto the subconscious,
but this is a pool of Universal Consciousness. A critical
understanding is that the realm of spirit and the realm of mind
are distinctly separate "locations".

Dreams could best be described as bridges between our physical/mental state

of reality and our spiritual state. They can take us from the limited to the
unlimited. However, since Spirit speaks to us through a more sophisticated
medium than our native tongue(s), the trick is in learning to build the link.

Altered States of Consciousness

The present point of power consciousness travels to alternate

30
spiritual locations when in altered states. While the body is
asleep, for example, the consciousness of spirit is simply
attuned to a different vibratory focus, as evidenced by the
varying levels of brain wave activity. In fact, humans enjoy a
rich and varied existence in these dream realms and a great
deal of productive activity actually occurs therein. Since the
point of power has such mobility, humans command a great
deal of creative energy while they suppose they are
unproductive and "unconscious". Humans can---and many
do---effect physical bodily changes, promote health, plan and
create events, communicate with other entities (earthbound or
otherwise), as well as with past, present and future selves all
within the dream realm.

Apparently, the most productive part of one's day can be when one is asleep.
What "dumbcoffs" we are not to prepare ourselves better to utilize this
marvelous, built-in system. Why are we so slow to recognize an obvious
spiritual truth? Could it be that we are so programmed to only accept the so
called "proven" scientific information we carry around in our minds?
Because this so influences us that, consequently, we can't get beyond the
intellectual fog?

Dreams have become far less accessible due to the many

limiting beliefs surrounding them that exist in the realm of
mind. Because they are not understood and therefore are not
utilized, they are ignored and they eventually become less and
less significant. Dreams are not even acknowledged as useful
in most societies. But even with limited understanding, dreams
provide messages from the self to the self, from the spirit to the
mind. Control of this power can be tremendously
advantageous, but even as the mind and body lie sleeping,
dreams often spontaneously correct physical and mental
imbalances that save the very life of the entity.

31
Regarding our state of physical health, one has to wonder why many states
of physical discomfort, usually minor in nature, come into our lives and hang
around a few days or weeks and then leave, only to be replaced by some
other annoying discomfort. Could it be that such states of imbalance get
corrected when they become boring? More likely is that we are our own best
physician, with a master consultant standing by to assist us when called
upon.

This is the frustrated spirit at work, freed a bit, when the mind
is at rest. This is testimony to the tenacity of spirit in doing
what is necessary to circumvent the entangled mind and offer
its wisdom through vicarious routes. With conscious
understanding within the mental realm, the mind can assist the
spirit and body in accomplishing the benefits of the dream
process in ways now unimaginable. Dreams are, in fact, highly
spiritual, creative, significant and pure. As stated earlier, they
exist to bridge the gap between spiritual and mental realms.

Imagine, we can be either our own worst enemy or our own best friend. It is
and always has been our choice. The ancient or aboriginal cultures probably
had or have a better understanding of this than we modern sophisticates.
Could it be that the fulfillment is tied to an exercise of nothing more
complicated than a designed request?

But waking consciousness is focused in the mental realm.

Daily reality springs from mind. An essential preliminary
understanding, however, is that the mental realm is intended to
be fluid and not nearly so rigid as it has become. Memory, for
example, needs reinforcement and active use or it will fade. If
certain learning is not utilized, nor relevant, it will abdicate in
lieu of incoming information which is more current and useful.
Those who have experienced the study of a foreign language,
or higher mathematics, yet having never applied it in an actual

32
setting, can attest to this fact. This mental flexibility is the
intended state. Neurological connections in the brain strengthen
only if they are utilized. Useful tools are the only ones intended
to remain.

We tend to remember what we need to and as we get older we come to

realize that much of the information our memory is plagued with, is not
worth keeping, so we do the practical thing and forget it. Of course, "active
use" is a key to retaining what is worth keeping and we do usually find that
the quality of memory when used, is retained.

Consciousness and all mental abilities are mechanisms through

which the individual spirit can create his or her own reality.
Reality is intended to be highly flexible and individualized. In
fact, memory itself has very flexible qualities not generally
acknowledged. Created visions can easily become part of one's
experiential memory, whether or not the event actually
occurred. Imagined creative visions are accepted within the
mind and body as actual.

One of the advantages of this capability is that we can take an unhappy

experience and relive it as a happy one, with such feeling and focus that the
latter replaces the former and our lives can go on in a more pleasant state of
mind. Whole cultures have done this to the benefit of the collective
consciousness.

This ability is related to the mental and physical receptivity to

spiritual intuitive wisdom and guidance which often comes in
the form of creative imagination, inspiration, visions and
dreams. Taking this one step further, this mental flexibility
allows individuals to create intentionally desired events in the
physical realm. With these abilities of consciousness, we can
begin to see how consciousness and intention interact within
spirit.

33
Intentionally revising our history brings both a better state of mind in many
cases and also aids us in exercising our creative qualities. In turn, this
capability can be applied to our current needs and desires.

A summary of the consciousness component of human spirit

would be that consciousness makes possible the mental and
physical experience of being. It plays a role in the
development of the mental realm, in the reception of divine
direction, in the power to imaginatively create desired life
events, and in the transmutation of energy for physical
manifestation of those events.

All these qualities stand ready to be recognized, appreciated and improved

upon. We need only exercise our free will through intention. However, in
order to move in that direction it shall require some supplemental self-
programming. But even this can be accomplished in our "sleep state".

The Illusory Fragmentation of Spirit and Will

Still, the general idea of spirit having something to do with

consciousness is fairly well understood. But there have been
some distortions and misconceptions regarding the intentional
aspect of the spirit.

… distortions we can learn to live without.

For spirit not only has consciousness with which to know itself,
it also has intention through which it can experience, feel,
manifest and direct itself. This intention has become
disassociated from spirit in the realm of human understanding
to the degree that it now needs its own name. It has been

34
termed Divine Will. It is through this disconnection that so
many no longer experience the guidance of "Godly" intention.
It is through this disconnection that self preservation has
become the motivational norm. It is through this disconnection
that events seem to come out of nowhere, rather than to be
creatively designed and attracted by the individual through
willful choice.

Probably the most distorted and misused phrase in today's lexicon is the
utterance that it is "God's Will". Dragged to the fore at every unpleasant
experience in life, it is used to placate those who have adopted and accepted
the victimization mentality so nourished by the full spectrum of our
religious, political, economic and social institutions. Nothing could stretch us
further away from the obvious truth. Not only does it stamp out the
spiritualization of humanity, it reduces humans to some type of warped cogs
of an erratic wheel of destiny.

It is time to reclaim this aspect of spirit for a more complete

understanding of and participation within the human condition.
Although the term "Will" is utilized, it should be clear that it is
still part and parcel of every human spirit.

So many of the terms we use in daily life are tossed about with little
appreciation of their meaning and influence, but we can correct that. It
requires little more than quiet reflection and a willingness to connect our
words with those beliefs which bring about the consequences in our lives.

The purpose of human existence is for a given spirit to develop

and express its potential in physical form. This is also the
intention of Divine Spirit as carried out by Divine Will within
each individual. Both are manifested in body, with the spirit
experienced as consciousness and the will, experienced as
"feeling". Will power is raw emotional energy. Both aspects of
spirit are to remain in balance with each other as two halves of

35
a whole.

Consciousness and Will: Complimentary qualities in the process of human

life. We can only hope that this new millenium will bring a true
understanding of their value and utilization. When this comes about, we will
be more than we have been and more than we have ever hoped to become.
In a manner of speaking, spirit relates to light and will relates
to darkness. Consciousness is the fastest vibratory aspect of
spirit, and will is the slower more physical magnetic vibration
which exists as a porthole of sorts into physical existence.
Consciousness is the point of power and will is the focus of
that power. The will vibrates the darkness to receive the light
of spirit in the physical form. It is through this process that
imagined thought forms become physical objects and probable
events become actual physical events. Together, consciousness
and will create the desired intended reality.

Imagine a "porthole" below the waterline on an ocean liner. We can open

that porthole and the ocean will flow into our environment. We need only to
trust in our ability to control that "flow" in such a way that it can serve to
give us say, a comfortable shower. While this might be most difficult to
imagine, just think of all the technical miracles the human race has already
brought into its reality and how many more are in the process stage right
now. We have harnessed vast rivers to bring light into our nights, for
example. Now, a greater enlightenment awaits us.

It was the original intention that humans would live the

physical experience under the complete direction of spirit
carried out by magnetic will energy. Spiritual direction was to
be received and converted by will to the slower vibratory level
necessary to be actualized in the physical realm. When this
occurred, spirit and will remained in balance, and the human
could act spontaneously upon every feeling and the most
beneficial outcome would be attained. Each moment contained

36
a fresh challenge and new opportunity with which the spirit
could develop and express itself. The desires of the spirit were
manifested as desires of the body. If completely accepted and
allowed expression, such feelings would always lead to the
most fulfilling self experience.

Spirit and Will were not designed to be our enemies. They serve as our life
blood and the tools of our being. Used wisely, they can take us wherever to
do whatever. What pain we experience in their use serves only as the
guideposts of our personal evolution.

The acceptance and manifestation of all spiritual intention was

the task of the will. The will had freedom of active choice of
any method within the imaginative mind to give life to the
intention of the spirit. The choices would lead to physical
events and outcomes in which the needs of spirit were
accommodated. Once the complete expression of the feeling
had subsided, there would be certain understandings available
to the individual. This was to be a cycle of learning through
experience so that an array of mental strategies could
accumulate that which would provide choices for spontaneous
actions. Flexibility and spontaneity facilitated this cycle. The
cycle would be repeated with new, often surprising and
inventive situations created through magnetic will energy. Each
facilitating spiritual intention, and a contribution to the
expansion of All That Is.

This system remains in place, like a poorly operating vehicle in need of a

tune up. The purpose of these "Lessons" is to aid us in doing that "tune up".
As we learn by our experience, those experiences become a part of the data
base of the Divine Spirit/All That Is. In turn, because we are a part of this
All That Is, we also expand our own data base. Just as the database of our
personal computer can become a part of the Internet - so the Internet can
expand our personal database.

37
Together, spirit and will made Divine Intention or
predestination compatible with Free Will. With a balanced,
uninterrupted flow between spirit and will within body, events
were created from the inside out. This was the optimal
condition in which earthly events sprang from spiritual
intention. All such events were pleasing to the spirit if they
allowed for its development and expression in physical form.
The human experience of pleasure was reassurance from the
Divine Spirit that Its flow of Universal Love Energy had not
been disrupted. When the Divine Love flows unabated there is
a successful completion of the energy circuit between the
individual and the totality of All That Is. This was to be "The
Way". This was to be as the path of least resistance .

There is nothing standing in the way of what is described above becoming

ordained reality, other than our personal intent to make it otherwise. Time is
our illusion and, too often, our excuse. The next "time" the reader turns on a
garden hose and watches the sprinkler begin to spread water on the other
end, think about what can be when there is no disruption in between. If in
the course of traveling from the faucet to the sprinkler, the water had to
travel through a series of filters, blockages and just plain grime, by the time
it reached the sprinkler, it would not only be much reduced from the initial
pressure it began with, but it would probably have lost a great deal of its
purity. If we could cleanse the hose of its obstructions, what we would end
up spreading around would do our personal "Garden of Eden" a great deal
more good.

Human limitation frustrating the will creates obstruction and

resistance to The Way. Disconnection from intention allows
will energy to follow self-preservationary pathways. Reactions
that simply buy time, do not eliminate the obstruction nor
achieve the corrective balance. The limitation continues to
signal its presence with negative emotion. Will energy, either

38
positive or negative, still creates experience.

To put it another way: "Argue for your limitations, and they're yours." We
will ourselves to remain in a stagnant state and reaffirm that state with our
belief system. It is our limited beliefs (or contrived excuses we give ourselves)
which stifle our creative capacities. We even create negative consequences in
the false belief that doing so will bring us greater benefits at a later point in
our existence. For example: The more you suffer in this world, the greater
your reward in the next. This little gem of a rationalization keeps the
powerful and wealthy in a falsely elevated state of comfort.

Negative, painful experiences are attracted through the

negative emotion. The events are intended to draw attention to
the belief which frustrates spirit. But instead of understanding
this message, it simply appears to the human that "bad stuff" is
happening for no apparent reason. Events seem to come from
nowhere, from the outside in. This facilitates further limiting
beliefs and superstitions, which are designed to protect against
imagined evil, external controlling forces at work. To say the
least, disconnection from will is disempowering.

While we are told that we have the gift of Free Will, we are also led to
believe that we can only exercise this gift in a limited fashion and that we are
tethered to a controlling Being who is perpetually testing, rewarding and
punishing us in some arbitrary fashion. We are led to believe that this is a
"state" we can only hope to pray ourselves out of. Meanwhile, as the bumper
sticker states: Shit happens.

Upon examining the will as a separate entity to learn its

function, it is now necessary to conceptually place it back
within spirit where it belongs. Will is not separate from spirit.
It shall now be recognized as its feeling aspect. Feelings shall
now be respected for the spiritual intention that they
communicate. Feelings shall now be respected for the powerful
creative will energy that they contain. Feelings both

39
communicate intentions from spirit and magnetically bring
them into physical reality.

"Feelings" have a dual and equally valuable purpose. They serve both as a
guiding force and as a magnetic force. We have the capacity to bring into
our physical reality that which is in our best and higher interest. However,
as a result of the gift of free will, this "capacity" can also bring that which is
not in our best interest. With understanding and practice, we can acquire
the former and avoid the latter.

Thoughts empowered with emotional energy will be more

likely to become reality. Whether the thoughts are surrounded
with joyous expectation, or dread, worry and fear, they will
create events connected to the imagined mental scenario. The
mind does not know if an event has been good or bad, but the
spirit does. Spiritual intention has been accomplished in
physical reality when the feeling pleasure is experienced. If
there has been interference from the realm of mind and
spiritual intention has not been accomplished, a painful event
will result.

The question immediately arises: "How strongly do we feel about what we

desire?" Emotion is little more than raw energy waiting to be directed. It has
no sense of direction and relies upon the guidance of Spirit through mind to
achieve a manifestation of a reality experience.

Pleasure and pain, the spiritual judgmental pronouncement.

Make no further mistake: there is no other accurate judgment.

Imagine driving a car down a road with high curbs on each side. The more
we gyrate from side to side, the more we are knocked out of alignment. The
greater our speed and more reckless our judgment, the greater the damage
to our steering mechanism. On the other hand, the more attention we pay to
our driving, the safer our journey and the greater our progress.

40
Spirit is consciousness and intention, and is experienced as
thought and feeling. Uninterrupted spirit, aided by images of
mind, create desired physical experience. Pleasure is the
validation and reward of spiritual fulfillment. Through this
path, the Universal Spirit is allowed to sense Itself through
many widely varying experiences carried out by all the
physical forms. Each form, whether it is vegetable, mineral,
animal or human offers its unique portion of the totality of
experience by accomplishing its own expression. Indeed, every
unit of matter is imbued with conscious spiritual intention
following the pleasure/pain, attraction and repulsion
principle---including subatomic quanta .

When we envision a goal or destination and infuse it with strong emotion, we

will find ourselves progressing toward that destination with a minimum of
distraction and interference and as the journey continues, it will also bring
greater joy into our lives, for we attract to ourselves all the necessary matter
and energy to reach that "vision".

Forms less complex than humans enjoy the clearest channel to

spiritual intention with less interference from their own
experience. The behavior of animals, often highly organized,
intelligent and mathematically precise, exposes the
communicative clarity between spirit and will. But this clarity
goes largely unrecognized and is dismissed by humans as
"instinctive" behavior.

Presuming that they are in an obvious state of superiority, humans fail to

recognize and appreciate the more subtle forms of advanced spirituality
around them. Nature is the great and patient teacher, for it best represents a
state of the balance of Spirit. The higher up the evolutionary chain, the
greater the possibilities and responsibilities.

41
What these lessons seek to impart is that humans are also
attuned with such guidance in their own form of predictable,
organized and mathematically precise instinct. This is their
creative development and expression. This is their natural
morality. It should not be so puzzling that a colony of ants can
interact together as one conscious entity, with each individual
carrying out its part of the whole. This should be no more
mysterious than quanta operating in concert to form atoms,
than atoms operating in concert to form matter, than cells
operating in conjunction to form organs operating together to
form systems and systems operating together to form human
beings. Human beings interacting together to form civilization
should be at least as successful as ants---should they not?

It is humans who add to this picture the very qualities that drive them to try
to destroy what should be an ever-evolving cultural paradise. If we look
closely at the lowest form of cultural organization and observe its symmetry
and ask, "Why do they succeed so splendidly, when we are threatening to
destroy ourselves and our environment?" The answer to that question is not
so impossible to find.

Every unit of every thing is a unit of Universal Spirit. Every

unit has consciousness and intention. Every unit meets success
and fulfillment if there is no resistance. Every unit has a unique
experience through which the totality of All That Is can find
pleasure in experiencing Itself.

Every unit is susceptible to a more evolved state of being. We can be a part

of this process and accept our role of leadership or we can succumb to our
lesser instincts and suffer the consequences.

The difference with humans is that the path of least resistance

operates uniquely, for it now has to navigate through the realm
of "Mind".

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Q. "Wish to explore this further?" A. " Don't mind if I do!"

Page 24-33 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Alpha

Lesson Three: The Mental Nature Of Humankind

Enter: The Realm Of Mind

Far and away the main factor behind the illusory separation
from Spirit is the evolution of human mind. The mind has been
mentioned and its overall function is assumed, but what exactly
is "mind"? The mind must be singled out from such concepts
as spirit, body, will, brain, soul, ego, personality, self, etc., and
clearly defined. The mind, when understood, can be
humankind's greatest gift. If not understood, it can be our
greatest burden.

The first step is that of differentiation of mind from the brain, for it is not a
physical tool and/or a physical part of the body. It is often confused with the
latter and the terms are likely to be used interchangeably. Nothing could be
further off the mark. What follows will help to clear up some of this
confusion.

Due to the conflicting and imprecise information which exists

regarding human nature, attributes of the mind are often
confused with features of spirit, of body, of experience, or of
culture. But a precise definition of the parameters and functions
of mind is an important underpinning in the emerging

43
explanation of human nature.

To define is to place parameters on a subject. However, this is not to place

limitations, for mind has no limits other than those we select for it. That
said, we will now proceed with that limitation, strictly for the sake of
discussion and illumination.

Although spirit exists in every time and every space

simultaneously, mind is limited to the physical realm. Mind is
actually a focal point of consciousness, the seat of physical,
waking awareness. The mind is intended to be steward to the
spirit. The mind can be thought of as a specific location,
necessary for physical experience, while humans are oriented
to a slower, denser vibratory rate and less attuned to their
broader accelerated essence. The mind focuses experience
within time-space and creates dependence upon the physical
senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. Mental processes
are necessary to order and retain sensory information and to
creatively develop and utilize ideas which can accomplish the
purpose of self development and expression.

Does mind exist after physical death. It would have to, or we would not
experience a state of consciousness, nor have the ability to focus that
consciousness. There may be some dispute about "life after death" in some
circles, but there's some pretty persuasive evidence that it exists and is
universally experienced.

The mind can also be thought of as a receptacle, a tool kit of

sorts, housing ideas, memories, beliefs, attitudes and certain
aspects of the personality. Thus, the mind can be defined as the
collection of experience, the working knowledge, skills and
strategies, accumulated through the senses from the moment of
the entity's birth until the end of the lifetime. Any features of

44
personality that are a direct result of experience relate to the
contents of mind, as opposed to the enduring spiritual aspects
of personality.

Because the mind is a non-physical aspect of our make-up, it is literally

impossible to apply measurable qualities or physical technology to it. We can
observe the consequences of its activity by observing the functions of the
brain with instruments, but we can not even establish the confines of the
mind's state. For example, in an out-of-body experience, the mind leaves the
physical body and might travel to another room or another planet. It has no
limits.

The mind is also dynamic, like a computer. Its location and

receptacle aspects interact to allow for spiritual, imaginative
and sensory inputs; rational, analytical information processing;
data storage; and logical decision making outputs. All mental
processing capabilities and features exist to facilitate a fluid
spiritual existence in the physical realm.

It might be akin to watching a computer operate but being unable to

determine the presence of the operator of the computer or the programmer
who creates the software. This might be especially troubling if the
observation of the operator could not be determined through the use of our
five senses or instrumentation.

The mind operates then like a location, a receptacle and a

computer---which sounds a lot like a brain. The brain, of
course, is the organ in every human that houses the mind. But
the mind is far more than the objective brain. While the
normally developed brain is fairly similar among all humans,
as are computers that roll off the assembly line, the mind is
highly individualized. It is extremely personal and subjective.

Because the mind reflects the creative aspect of the human being and
because it is exposed to so much information which is individualized by time

45
and space, it is nearly unlimited when it comes to unique memories and
creative opportunities.

But it does not come that way. Just as a new body arrives with
each birth, a new mind is born for a fresh beginning. Each
human being arrives on Earth with a blank slate to be
impressed upon by human experience. A blank slate upon
which each individual can create their own desired reality.
Humans have complete freedom of will to determine what the
contents of mind are to be. With this feature, the mind is not so
much like a window to the world, or even a mirror of the
world, it is more like a canvas upon which the world can
manifest. Like an artist paints a picture, each entity can create a
mental landscape like a portrait through which he or she can
experience life. The mind holds pictures of the existing world,
and adds creative improvements as well. Thus, humans have
the fantastic mental agility to create as many unique realities as
there are unique human beings. This individualized mind is
intended to support and orient the embodied human upon his or
her particular destiny path.

The idea that we can build/create our own experiences in this reality and
thereby gain knowledge and wisdom is alien to our current societal outlook.
Fear and a victim mentality drive our system. The adverse consequences of
this state of mind are everywhere. There is an old Chinese proverb: "When
one is foolish enough long enough, he/she eventually becomes wise." There
are many reaching that point daily. As it was used in the above paragraph,
art is the metaphor for our spiritual evolution. We need only to learn to
appreciate it.

The mind also operates like a converter. The mind was

intended to assist in converting spiritual intention into earthly
experiences, events and technologies that could bring evermore
creative ways of expression. Not only does the mind create this

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reality within the consciousness of its owner, but it also assists
in the transmutation of spiritual
(will) energy into actual physical events. It is the mind's ideas,
visual creations, thoughts and beliefs which define and flesh
out the raw spiritual intention. Then, when powered with
emotional and physical energy, these subjective images and
events can become objective and actual occurrences. The mind
was intended to be temporary, fluid, highly personal, subjective
and dynamically evolving at the direction of the spirit.

Edgar Cayce called mind the builder and so it is. But it is the spirit which
points the mind in the direction of optimum growth and that which is most
spiritually beneficial. Mind can listen or ignore what spirit is suggesting, but
it can not fail to eventually make the link essential for the evolving process to
continue. Physical reality is the mirror which reflects our spiritual progress.
Recognition of this fact is essential for growth.

But this conversion aspect has some inherent limitations. It is

important to note that the communication between mind and
spirit is conditional. Although spirit is aware of everything in
the realm of mind, mind is only aware of spirit if specific
understandings are in place---or more to the point, if certain
limited beliefs are not in place. Such understandings need to be
deliberately inscribed upon the blank slate, to prevent
disempowerment. The conversion process goes on quite on its
own, whether or not the intention is present in the result. The
human ability to manifest events and transmute matter is far
more powerful than humans suspect.

In much of our current environment, it is the "limited beliefs" which are the
first things to be inscribed upon our personal slate. From that point, the
opportunity for controlling our life experience is relegated for a far longer
period than is beneficial. There are those being born into our physical reality
that are much more aware of this than previous generations and as a

47
consequence, these children will lead us out of our wilderness.

In summary, the mind is at once a location, a receptacle, a

computer and a converter. Mind contrasts distinctly with spirit;
while universal permanence, ubiquity, biological integrity,
primacy, and divine intention mark the spirit, the mind is
characterized by temporary transience; subjective, experiential
and cultural flexibility; creative imagination; and unlimited
growth potential. Both interact to achieve the maximum self
development and expression. Both comprise what is known as
personality and both comprise what is known as self.

In playing their respective roles, mind and spirit compliment each other,
while creating an environment of growth and understanding. There are so
many methods for enhancing this growth. The choices of which to utilize are
unlimited and equal in value. We need only to begin to appreciate the
dynamics of this complimentary potential to bring greater meaning to our
lives.

The Goal Of Mind

Spiritual Intention is reducible to two goals: 1) self

development and 2) self expression. The mind is the major
facilitator of self development. Its singular goal is to provide
tools to accomplish self growth. A scientist would describe
such growth as adaptation to one's environment. The more
adaptive tools one acquires, the more successful they can be in
an ever-expanding "turf" of various environments.

The mind has a tremendous potential for flexibility. It can learn quickly and
adapt to emergencies much faster than usually imagined. It has this ability
because one of its primary functions is to protect the physical body, for
without this "body", the mind could not occupy the physical environment in
a manipulative fashion, and it could certainly not carry out any type of "self-
expression".

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The word environment, in this sense, includes not only the
physical, geographic landscapes but also the social, cultural
mindscapes and established systems within which modern man
must now operate. This means that the broader and more
inclusive the person's reality, the more they can successfully
interact with other people and their own unique realities.
Without such development, successful expression is unlikely.
The overall developmental goal is to be completely free to
express the spirit in any and every physical and social situation
without hindrance.

One characteristic of a well-developed mind is one's ability to be at ease in

any type of situation. The intent of recognizing the positive qualities in
others and practicing a natural inquisitiveness about one's surroundings
(including other people) will reflect an honest appreciation for the spiritual
qualities of all human beings.

A scientist would call this personal growth an adaptive,

evolutionary process. A teacher might call this process,
learning or education. A psychologist might call this personal
growth becoming, self discovery, or self actualization . A poet
might call this process the unfolding of the petals of the soul. A
religious leader might call this transcending human limitation
and attaining the divine. A spiritualist might call this process
the individual contribution to the expansion of All That Is.
Each would be correct in their assertion.

The above expressed observation should make it clear that all truth is
directly connected to the quality of perception and that these varied
"perceptions" contribute to a better understand of the whole, providing that
these perceptions are shared in a positive and loving environment by the
perceivers. There is the illustration of the blind men examining the various
aspects of the elephant and describing such on the basis of what part they

49
were touching, i.e. the trunk, the tail, the leg, etc. Only in sharing their
personal conclusions of their respective examinations were they able to
develop a more complete picture of the elephant. So it is that truth evolves.

Thus, the mind has a very important task in the larger scheme
of things. The human mind is a tool kit of creative resources, as
well as a factory for their assembly. The mind is meant to be
filled with ideas and beliefs---mental tools---of an ever
improving nature to provide freedom and avenues of
opportunity to the individual. Experiences are to be analyzed,
mined for the learning, and significant skills and strategies
retained for future successes. Within the fluidity of mind, old
strategies are cast away as new improvements are discovered
that drive a constant mental evolution. With the contents of
mind, each human can envision and create whatever thoughts,
images and events that they find pleasing to the spirit.

In a dynamic universe, a dynamic mind is essential. A static mind is

equivalent to a state of reversal, which leads to uncertainty, which leads to
fear, which leads to anger and aggression. Close the mind and the world
around it soon dies, including the physical vehicle one occupies.

Mental Tools Can Be Double-Edged

The gift of mind came with some inherent risks. It was Divine
Spiritual Intention that the mind be an accouterment, a grand
toy with which humans could more realistically engage in the
game of physical existence. It would allow a crystallized
individual experience for each spirit in flesh to enjoy a unique
reality designed exactly to their desired specifications.

This is another validation that we can and do use our minds to create our

50
physical and social reality, including both our pleasurable and painful
experiences. If we create positive experiences for ourselves, we experience
the accompanying joy. If we create the opposite, we experience consequential
physical and emotional pain. If not misdirected by falsely contrived belief
systems, we can quickly learn and evolve in a trial and error system. (Or we
can exercise some of the logical qualities of the mind and avoid some of the
pain of error.) On the other hand, if we are taught that suffering in this
world will lead to greater happiness in the next, our natural learning process
becomes "short circuited".

But such boundless freedom can be seductive. The realities

created can become quite convincing. The tools can linger past
their point of effectiveness and create conflict---even become
hurtful. Limiting ideas can take on a life of their own, setting
the stage for separation from spirit. When the contents of mind
muffle the voice of spirit, the rational mind, the computer,
operates on incomplete information. The wisdom of spirit that
transcends space-time is not factored into the logical
calculations. Information that does not fit a nice physical linear
picture, is not allowed into consciousness. Events appear to
happen to individuals rather than to be created by them.

This is how the victim mentality gains preponderance in human activity.

Institutions which foster and feed limited belief systems offer solutions, but
on their terms. I was once told in an institution for higher learning that since
nations do not have souls, they only way they can be punished for collective
wrong doing is through war. Hence war, because of this belief system,
becomes essential and inevitable.

This is the seduction of earthly existence: when mental

creations that are intended to be subjective and fluid, become
utterly believable, enduring and entrenched objective
realities---this is known as being lost in one's own physical
camouflage (a major theme in Eastern religious traditions). In
Hinduism, for example, humans are under the spell of Maya,

51
the magical drama created out of the Brahman, the unifying
spiritual essence underlying the creations.

Religious philosophies and institutions that play down the ability of creating
reality from the list of human qualities, also play a major role in reducing
individual responsibility for one's actions. If a person is not responsible for
his/her own actions, someone or something else has to be judged and blamed
when things go wrong.

The seduction of physical reality can lead to the perception of

isolation. An enlightened Western philosopher once identified
the isolation potential through the assertion "cogito ergo sum"
or rather: "I think, therefore, I am". He points out that humans
define their very existence by their thought process, a statement
that historically attests to human entrapment within physical
camouflage. This is the condition wherein the mind believes its
reality to be the one and only, negating all spiritual reality
beyond the bound of its physical limitations. His next
progression of thought was that of a primal fear springing from
the isolated human notion that one could not be absolutely sure
of anything even existing outside one's own conscious mind.
An insidious, but perhaps inevitable, fear that he termed
Cartesian Doubt.

Eliminate the quality of "spirit" from human make-up and the existence of
everything that is observable comes into doubt. The only thing left to cling to
is one's own existence and that can only be kept through irrefutable logic
which went something like this: "I think, therefore I am. For if I did not
exist, I would not be able to doubt my existence, therefore I must be." But
what, then, are we? We are more than the obvious, the observable or the
consequence of logical reasoning. We are also spirit.

Isolation, of course, is not real in the greater, spiritual reality in

which all things are connected. That feeling from "connection"

52
provides the pleasurable faith and optimism which evidences
unabated love energy. But once this isolation has occurred, the
spiritual energy is frustrated and an unpleasant emotion will
occur. The predictable fear then arises in which undesirable
events of the past are projected into the future effecting it with
equally undesirable, yet perhaps impending, scenarios. (This is
the basic principle of karma in Eastern traditions, although the
term has become mired in limiting beliefs).

The very process of reliving the unpleasant memories of our lives in the
mindset that we were the victims of some arbitrary and capricious fate, or
worse yet, a enigmatic Deity with a human-type personality, can do much to
color the future we are constantly creating for ourselves. Whereas, if we
apply a true cause/effect formula to our existence, we can come to
understand that consequences are little more than learning experiences. A
test-in-time, if you will.

Thus, there were spiritual cautions that were offered with the
evolution of human mind. Cautions specifically regarding how
essential it was to remember that this earthly reality was
illusory and that any "knowledge" or "truth" of this realm
would only be so if it reflected Universal Knowledge and
Universal Truth. The rest were simply temporary, flexible, and
evolving tools chosen and used to achieve the most complete
earthly existence. There were specific cautions regarding the
illusory isolation, the seduction of the camouflage, and the
potential disconnection between universal and individual
consciousness, between spirit and mind. Still humans
immersed themselves in physical experience.

The history of life in this physical existence is perpetually open to

interpretation by those who review it. Without factoring in the spiritual
aspect of human nature and its true role in our development, the lessons to
be learned are seldom completely understood. Hence the reason why history,

53
with human error so apparent, tends to repeat itself.

The Biblical Fall From Grace

Humans enjoyed the freedom to create their own earthly reality

and went about it with relish. The spirit communicated through
a finely attuned will, using the tools, skills, strategies and
abilities of the mind to create any desired reality. The game
became so enjoyable that humans expanded their mental
empire, with the mind reigning supreme, and the illusions of
individual reality becoming utterly believable.

This was how is was in the beginning. It was a true paradise. Apparently it
was also an environment where it was easy to develop an expanded ego
which enticed us humans into believing that the "illusion" was the "real
thing" and that individual mind could supercede Spirit.

As the belief in "individuality" became more and more

powerful, the feeling of isolation began to creep into the human
existence. The Universal Spirit began to cry out through its
individual spirits for the reconnection that is its natural state. In
answer to this cry, humans took steps within their mental realm
to reconnect with other humans.

It was a case of becoming too self-absorbed. This led to a crevasse developing

between the mental and spiritual qualities. But it also led to an attraction
among all humans and the sharing that when followed brought about an
expansion of the whole.

They would share the ideas that they had created. They would
trade beliefs, creating a shared reality and enriching each
other's existence by doing so. They escaped isolation and
quieted their fear by negotiating a group reality. They began
teaching their mental strategies to their offspring and offering

54
them a head start toward building their own strategies of living.
They built languages, worldview, monuments and other mental
and physical vestiges of civilization to indoctrinate every new
human being into this shared existence.

They became, in a word, worldly in their orientation. As individuals

developed individual views and formed into colonies of these shared views, a
form of competition evolved and truth became that which was held by a
particular group.

As time passed there accumulated a tremendous amount of

shared knowledge, enduring ideas, strategies and tools that
existed in a common realm. This created an illusion of some
higher objective, truthful, reality that began to replace whatever
mental remnant of spiritual reality that had existed. This was
the first stirring of a mass consciousness, a group reality which
has become to be known as culture . Human culture is that
collection of energized ideas that takes on a physical reality of
its own. This lent further credence to the cause and effect
rational interpretation of random events that distanced humans
from their own creative freedom and fluid reality.

Today, we call this reality science, or religion or philosophy. It represents a

school of thought. These various "schools" evolved into various cultures and
even nations. As these varying cultures became convinced that their beliefs
were the only correct ones, differing views eventually escalated into physical
violence. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the 20th century and its
numerous World Wars. The 21st appears to be extending that mentality.

With the advent of human culture, came what has become

known in Western religious tradition as "the fall from Grace".
Human individuals, already partially separated from their
creator's guidance, became convinced that this group reality
was, in fact, the ultimate reality. An underlying assumption

55
was that there had once been a caring, loving creator, who
directed and enriched the lives of humans, but who had become
angered and no longer provided such services. "Right living"
would restore this relationship, but not until death could
humans enjoy the "Kingdom Of Heaven". In the context of
Eastern traditions, this same separation happened when the
Brahman then became lost in the Maya such that it was
unattainable without Karmic redemption.

In each case, religions sprang up. The concepts became institutionalized and
control of the masses became a subsequent consequence. The larger the
religions became, the greater the barrier erected to block the original
connection to spirit. Fear and guilt became tools of control and a vague and
a barely defined state following physical death became the justification for
accepting the confined thought process while still in physical reality.

Both traditions, for the most part, leave the power as well as
goodness, outside the hands of humanity. As the world now
exists, man-made belief systems virtually replace the remaining
strands of communication with All That Is. They promote
conformity, standardization, dependency, and ever increasing
separation between body, mind and spirit.

Once recognized, this status quo can be altered within. As these individual
alterations begin to multiply, the strength of the worldly power centers will
decline in influence. What will follow will be a return to a unification of the
above named qualities. And when that happens, there truly will be a new
heaven on earth.

Current Mass Reality: The Mind Of Man

What was intended to be a highly selective, subjective reality

within the mind of each human being, is now something far

56
more. It is externalized, public, and has taken on an "objective"
life of its own. This objective mass reality, can also be termed
the Mind Of Man.

The intended system went from individual to collective. This is not

necessarily a bad thing. While it has introduced an expanded element into
the relationship between body/mind and spirit, it has removed from the mix
the innate capability of humans to make a direct, unfiltered connection to
spirit. If and when this "direct connection" can be understood and utilized,
such can result in an anticipated expansion of consciousness.

For man is greatly affected by it in many ways. Energized

thoughts from every individual mind have created a dense
network of group thought which constitutes a group mind. As
this external reality is reinforced over time, it becomes the
dominant influence in human existence. With every passing
generation, humans are born into an ever narrowing realm of
possibility. So much exists as "truth" within the realm of mass
reality that it severely limits the blank slate situation that is
necessary for full and complete freedom for development of
individual mind.

Group mind and all that it entails is no match for Spirit and, rather serves as
a distraction and obstruction to that which is available to the individual. To
correct this situation, the individual must intend to remove the substituted
and limiting belief systems and replace them with that which is available
from within, i.e. Spirit Guidance. The practice of meditation might be a place
to start.

Choice itself becomes illusory as a large amount of the

contents of any individual mind are "chosen" inadvertently and
by default. So much information is imparted onto the blank
slate from the outside, that entities have little hope of even
becoming aware of the many alternative potentials that can

57
exist through the conscious attunement to the spirit. The
individual mind has largely given way to the mass Mind of
Man.

Imagine suggesting to a parent in today's society that the best road to true
knowledge and enlightenment of his/her child is to teach the child the art of
meditation and the practice of tapping into the wisdom of dreams, as an
alternative to the formal and accepted form of "education". It would take
some powerful and numerous examples of success before such a radical
format could even be considered. But there are some among us who are
living examples that this can be done. Many of them are socially ostracized
or institutionalized, but their unique qualities are beginning to be
recognized.

The situation that exists today within mass consciousness is

indeed severely limiting. Humans are so utterly caught up in
their mass reality that most no longer experience true freedom.
The conflicting and limited information that exists within the
social, political, economic, religious and educational
institutions of human culture severely limit the opportunity
humans have to design their own reality. They have little hope
of developing and expressing the spirit without basic freedom
and opportunity.

The qualities of basic freedom and opportunity still exist and each individual
in any society can exercise the right to think and envision any and all that
he/she wishes. Bringing that fact to the mind of humans may be the greatest
challenge. On the other hand, this very information is being passed along
from one to another via this utilized system. This internet, itself, may well
hold the key.

This is not simply a metaphoric situation. There is a physical

manifestation of mass consciousness. There now exist myriad
dense energy networks surrounding the planet that affect
human experience profoundly. As each human adopts and

58
empowers the individual belief in something, its validity in the
mass realm is strengthened by the energy. This energy network
interferes with the reception of spiritual insight. This energy
network also plays a major role in the events which human
beings draw to themselves, particularly the ones that seem to
come from outside. These are usually unwelcome experiences
that limit freedom and opportunity, while leaving the spirit
feeling frustrated.

The question is not whether or not creating one's reality is possible. We can
already observe that reality is being created and influenced. The question is:
Can humans recover their basic ability to realign that reality with the
highest Spiritual Principles while operating in an environment which is
contrary to such an intent. I would leave the answer and the challenge to the
reader to decide.

The Divine Spiritual Safety Net

It should not be so surprising that earthly existence is not what

most humans would like it to be, given that individual reality
has virtually given way to mass reality. The limits within mass
consciousness are self-fulfilling and self-perpetuating cycles.

It can be a bit overwhelming to a singular soul entering the realm of physical

reality, especially when the first essential information fed to this soul is that
which establishes a life of limitations.

The wonderful truth of the matter is, however, that humans still
create their own individual reality. For each spirit embodies the
form with hardwired signals which can provide a reality check.
This reality check ensures that spiritual intention is made
manifest. It ensures that the contents of mind include only

59
those items which facilitate self development and expression.

What is not revealed to humans is that there are tools of creation available
that are innate to their very being and that when tapped, can far exceed the
capability of our most sophisticated technology.

It is now up to the individual to honor the purpose of mind and

to restore humanity to the fluidity state that was originally
intended. It is time to sort through the contents of the mind to
sift and change those ideas that frustrate the spirit. This begins
with the examination of the contents of each and every
individual mind. Such house-keeping of beliefs, ideas,
attitudes, will facilitate the identification and rejection of any
and all which limit development and expression in any way.
Changes within each individual mind will create energy
changes within mass consciousness so that those limiting ideas
will become less and less influential.

This may be a slow process for humanity, but it can be a relatively quick
process for any individual who wishes to excel beyond his/her current state
of being. This material can help lead the way. It can open doors and pull us
through them into an expanded way of thinking. Of course, to do so, it has to
be read and integrated into one's being.

But mental changes alone will not suffice. Active changes are
also necessary. Appropriate communications of dissatisfaction
over specific limitations of the social, political or economic
systems within human cultures, must be expressed. Existing
mechanisms for social change,
(political activism, civil complaint processes, legislative
mechanisms), are those useful and positive tools within mass
consciousness. Even simple communication can create external
change and successfully champion human freedom and dignity.

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This is not to say that certain personal choices are to be foist
upon others; simply, that group limitations are to be removed
to make way for individual freedom and equal opportunity for
all humans to develop and express their spiritual essence.

How this can be done should be a matter of open discussion. No one

individual has all the answers. Nor should any one person be burdened with
bringing about the necessary changes. After all, the very founding of the
political freedoms we enjoy in this country was not brought by a particular
individual. It took the Founding Fathers acting with intent and
determination to alter the course of history. The result of their efforts can
still serve as an example to us all.

Many such positive actions already occur. They are motivated

by the urgings of a frustrated spirit. For the insurance policy
remains within the biology of every human being. It ensures
that spiritual intention will not be ignored without certain
symptoms becoming apparent. These are the symptoms which
present themselves as painful dissonant feelings within
individuals and societies.

If we feel pain and see examples of pain around us, we should note that such
is a service, a motivation to act. There would seem to be no shortage of such
"opportunities". It should also serve to show us that we are much more than
the total sum of our thoughts . We are also our feelings.

For the spirit is embodied in flesh, and despite the interference

of mind, it speaks that language of spirit---it speaks the
language of feeling. The rational powers of the mental realm
can be overridden by impulses of the physical realm.

The fact that spirit is embodied in flesh serves as evidence that the flesh need
not be weak when it comes to effecting the material world. We already know
that this can be done. Nothing man-made in our environment could have
come into existence without someone's flesh being involved in some manner.

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But of course, it has to begin with mind as the builder and spirit as the
motivator.

Pages 34-49 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Alpha

Lesson Four: The Physical Nature Of Humankind

Spirit As Self In Physical Form

With Lessons Alpha One and Two, a conceptual boundary

between mind and spirit has been established. It is now
possible to discuss certain aspects of man's physical existence
that have gone unnoticed, for it is the physical response of the
body that ensures the preservation of the integrity of the spirit.
It is essential to understand these physical processes, for they
underlie most of human motivation and behavior---including,
of course, those actions which wreak havoc upon civilization.

It is when we fail to experience physical/mental pain feedback that we are

truly cut off from Spirit. In a world where acts of violence are paraded
before us on a daily basis, there is likely to be a certain propensity to become
callous. With this comes the deterioration of the body/mind link with spirit.

The body is spirit in the flesh, and the body's prime directive is
to ensure the continuance of the physical form so that Spirit
can be developed and expressed. The body has a built-in
knowledge of what it is and what it is not. It operates upon a
self/not-self distinction, with a primary goal of self-

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preservation.

Some have termed this the instinct of survival, but this is usually interrupted
to apply to the limitations of the physical, not considering the ultimate point
of 'surviving' being the preservation of the environment necessary for the
spirit to function in physical reality. This "instinct" enables us to acquire
necessary survival information through and beyond our normal five senses.
For example, we can get warnings in dreams or hunches. Spirit makes every
effort to assist us.

The body has a tremendous amount of mechanisms that operate

toward the goal of self-preservation. Science has acknowledged
this fact as a basic foundation of evolutionary theories and
explanations. But lacking an overall framework with which to
interpret their findings, many highly important systems remain
misunderstood, resulting in confusion within the Mind of Man.
The spiritual nature of humankind, as well as the interference
effect of mind remain mysteries, and therefore obstacles to
human progress. Humans remain cut off from the very
biological process that can lead to their salvation.

Because humankind's attention is almost entirely outwardly directed, the

accelerated progress we have made in technology is not matched by the
necessary awareness of our inner nature. While psychology and psychiatry
have been important areas of study in the the 20th century, basic
presumptions of our spiritual nature have frequently been ignored or
rejected. I suspect that this is about to change.

Nevertheless, this spiritual safety-net is still quite successful at

keeping humans from complete befuddlement within their own
camouflage, for when the messages of the spirit fall upon deaf
ears, the body takes over. Unfortunately, when it operates
outside conscious understanding, the physical reactions can
compound problems until the spiritual message is finally

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heeded. It is now of central importance to understand the
spiritual defenses and how they operate in the body. When this
process is understood, humans can begin the evolutionary
journey that has thus far been postponed.

The writings of Louise Hayes, in their own way, bring across the suggestion
that our physical bodies are clearly tied to our emotional and spiritual state
of being and serve as reflectors of the divergence from our spiritual path.
When applied to the above paragraph, we begin to see that physical (and
even mental) suffering is not conditionally imposed upon us from an
arbitrary and capricious universe, but are rather the channel markers in
place to keep us moving along the course toward our individual destinies.
We are all destined for greatness, in our own good time.

Human Emotion: An Undiscovered Sixth Sense

The one process that crosses the spiritual, the mental and
physical realms is that of emotion---human feelings of pleasure
and pain. This is the singular, most powerful---yet equally
misunderstood---human system. Vast benefits lie dormant, and
unnecessary suffering results when this power is not harnessed.
Indeed, human emotion exists as an undiscovered sense, and
perhaps the most powerful of them all. Like physical pain,
emotional pain grabs the attention of the individual and cries
out for solution. But feelings remain profoundly
misunderstood.

If you have ever heard the admonition: "Don't lose your temper, use it!",
you are hearing the suggestion that anger is a legitimate form of energy and
when directed in a positive way, can accomplish a positive result. Likewise,
when anger is turned inward (stifled, if you will) it can do serious damage to
our mental and physical natures. Love, also an emotional energy, can drive
the saintly among us to inspirational achievements that make for a better

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world.

In describing this sense, it is helpful to contrast thoughts and

feelings, for the two are often confused. l) Thoughts identify,
organize and categorize information, always leading to other
thoughts. Thoughts exist within the bounds of mind. 2)
Feelings only arise when "the self" is involved. The self is the
spirit as it is experienced in the body. So unlike thoughts,
feelings involve the body as well as the mind, and they lead to
actions. Although they are related, feelings and thoughts are
completely different experiences. For example, it is one
experience to conceptualize the features of a bear with such
mental thoughts as: the bear is a member of the mammal
family, it's skin can be used to make warm rugs (when it's
dead---while alive, it tends to object), it lives in caves and eats
honey. There is quite again another experience when looking
such a beast in the eye, and thoughts turn to the fact that the
bear is likely to be dangerous to self-survival. Fearful feelings
and active responses, perhaps flight, will result. Thought is a
process, while emotion is a communicative and active sense.

Feelings sometimes transcend "thoughts" in the form of instinct or intuition,

suggesting a course of action that supersedes the rational process. Feelings,
being closer to our spiritual nature, would seem to tap into a broader (and
fortunately quicker) sense of awareness than is usual with the rational
thinking process. When we hear the crackle of a tree falling behind us, we
would not likely bother to make a mental review of the geometry of it's angle
of descent. We'd instinctively seek to be where the tree is not going to be,
and do so with great expediency.

As a sense, emotion not only offers sensory input, it has three

essential interacting functions: Human emotion is the l)
language of the body, as well as the 2) language of the spirit,
and is 3) intimately connected with the contents of the mind.

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For the spirit, feelings communicate intent and how well it is
being carried out. For the mind, feelings give feedback
regarding the suitability of mental tools at carrying out spiritual
intention. For the body, feelings motivate the person to actions
which carry out spiritual intention, and if frustrated, those that
accomplish self-preservation. Together, these three functions of
emotion drive human behavior.

Could it be that when we fail to carry out our "Spiritual" intention in a

timely manner, our bodies and minds experience physical and mental
discomforts? I think this material strongly suggests that to be the case. This
would explain and assure us that the reason we experience existence in this
physical realm, subject to the laws of time and space, is so that we have a
greater degree of motivation to make progress toward a refinement of
physical, mental and spiritual development, particularly the latter.

Without the intended flow of feeling communication, mind and

body can often work against each other. When this happens,
the spiritual self-preservation of body can override the goals
and intentions of mind. This is a last ditch effort to preserve the
needs of the spirit, but can serve to bring about results quite
unbecoming to the divine human.

I think we see this best reflected in those who suffer from severe mental
impairments while, at the same time, experiencing effective physical
processes. In the case of a mind with it's surroundings seen through a
perspective which lacks the spiritual qualities factored in, the body exercises
its own consciousness in a way that preserves its state of balance while the
mind goes out of balance. In other words, we mentally suffer from the
consequences of failing to integrate our full nature.

Such behaviors are intended to communicate that a level below

which the spirit cannot dip, has been reached. Instead, such
defensive maneuvers tend to become habitual and accepted as
inevitable, albeit undesirable, human behaviors. Not to mention

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that death can, and often does, result if mind and body continue
to oppose each other---the spirit simply chooses to vacate,
acknowledging a lost cause.

There is a line from Richard Bach's book, "Illusions", that goes something
like this: "There is a test to determine whether or not you have completed
your purpose in life---If you're still alive---you haven't". It might be
appropriate to add an addendum to that quote: "If it becomes clear that
your state of mind is preventing you from achieving that 'purpose' and
you're pretty intent on not changing, you might as well exit stage left and
audition for a new play.

This misunderstanding and miscommunication can no longer

be tolerated within the species of man. The events of the past
century show that self-preservationary acts can actually destroy
the planet. Humans intuit the spiritual way, and although it is
far afield from what they have created, they still desire to attain
it. This last five decades in history have been a wake-up call
that humans for the most part, have begun to answer. The key
to a turnabout course is the reestablishment of this inner
communication between spirit, mind and body.

During that period between the l950s and l998, the standard response to
international differences has been military conflict or preparation for same.
The in-depth reasons for this knee-jerk solution are just beginning to be
explored. It would seem that these 'Lessons' are a part of that exploration. It
may even be a part of an overall shift in perspective which will lead to a
much more peaceful and prosperous world culture. I am not speaking of
some New World Order of security at the price of freedom, but rather an
environment where freedom is the guarantor of security.

The secret to restoring the inner communication lies in

understanding the physical feeling system, listening to its
wisdom and learning to operate within its parameters. Only
then can humans return to their intended evolutionary course

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from which they have strayed. This begins with the
understanding that the emotional system is part of the physical
immune defenses.

The importance of the physical "immune system" has grown dramatically in

the past half century, to the point that the strengthening of the "system" is
regarded as our best deterrent to illness, or more positively, the preservation
of good health. There is also some convincing evidence around that how we
"feel" about ourselves does affect the state of our immunity. Is this another
link in the chain of evidence pointing toward the premise that we indeed do
create our own reality? It might seem so.

Feelings And the Human Immune System

Self-preservation is the goal of the human immune system. It

operates upon a highly sophisticated range of abilities and
features that distinguish self from that which is not-self. The
immune system is best known for its role in fighting disease
processes. It is poised to identify and eliminate any foreign
invaders which threaten the health and vitality of the self---the
body.

If the physical was the total extent of our nature, this "system" would
suffice. But since we know we are also mental and spiritual beings, it would
stand to reason that this same "system" would be naturally extended to the
other two.

For example, if a virus should enter and reproduce within the

body, the immune system springs to action. It elevates the local
temperature, organizes helper, killer and memory T-cell, enlists
macrophages to consume or "eat up" the invader. It then
produces antibodies so that future invaders of the same type
will quickly be recognized and eliminated. It accomplishes all

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this by recognizing the chemical difference between cells that
are part of the body and belong there and those that do not.
Antibodies mark invaders with the "non-self" red flag so that
they cannot reinfect the body. It is overall a very elegant bodily
system of self-preservation.

Again, the efficiency of the physical system is illustrated and serves to

reinforce the veracity of our total physical/mental/spiritual nature. As
mentioned earlier in these "Lessons", that part of us which keeps us on
course whenever, wherever possible in our path to growth, sees the dangers
of our misdirections and, using physical/mental experiences of pain and
discomfort, corrects us and erects the barriers to repeating our errors.

Scientists are finally awakening to the interrelations between

mind and body, and specifically how emotions affect physical
health. They know that inadequate emotional expression is
correlated with a heightened stress response, impaired immune
functioning, cardiovascular disease, psychosomatic illness and
a predisposition to develop cancer. But they have not yet made
the obvious conclusion that emotion is a part of the immune
defense system.

It seems that while they (scientists) are 2/3rds of the way to the total picture,
the inability to recognize the spiritual nature of human beings is their glass-
darkened barrier. Once this final aspect is factored into the picture, it is
likely that physical health will cease to be a significant factor in the course of
our lives.

As part and parcel of the human immune system, the emotional

system plays an immensely important role in human self-
preservation. It functions as the physical aspects of defense, but
it operates also within the realm of mind. Just as the cells of the
immune system signal invaders of the body, so do emotional
feelings signal "invaders" of the mind . Likewise, as the active

69
responses of the immune cells remove the invaders, the
hardwired reactive behavioral responses to human feeling are
intended to make corrective adjustments that include removing
invaders.

Our minds are being 'invaded' on a daily basis, the invasion coming from
parents, friends, media, educational and religious institutions and, attitudes
that reinforce limiting beliefs. This storm of emotionally supported
misinformation can't help but take its toll on our physical/mental/spiritual
stability. But, fortunately, our safety net remains in place.

This is the spiritual safety net in action. In the case of emotion,

the invaders are beliefs that are chosen and retained which do
not contribute to, but limit, self development and expression.
This is an ultimate reality-checking device that can ensure that
the portrait each human paints of reality includes the very
essential qualities necessary for the expression of spirit. Any
limiting beliefs are, in fact, invaders.

Planted in our earlier years, along with more spiritual beliefs, like carrots,
these "invaders" must be rooted up for the more positive beliefs to flourish.
Limiting beliefs, no matter what they are, have the consistent effect of
limiting our growth along spiritual/mental/physical lines. Certain diseases
are forewarned to most likely lead to death. Mental tests that allegedly
measure our intelligence, encourage us to limit our mental activities.
Spiritual experiences are conditional upon satisfying someone else's criteria
for truth. All such "arrows" point inward as the barrier to our expansion.

The feeling system is the long sought interactionary device

between mind and body, theorized by philosophers
uncomfortable with scientist's reductionism and mechanistic
view of human nature. (Humans are not merely machines
without free will, self-direction and intention. And the mind is
far more than simply "a brain"). Such a mind-body
communication device is the only escape from the mental

70
isolation (and imminent fear) of a mind set adrift from external
"reality", let alone spiritual intention. Mr. Descartes himself,
(our enlightened philosopher), suggested that human emotion
was the interactionary device between mind and body, yet he
was met with disdain due to the many limiting ideas within
mass consciousness.

Even today, there are still plenty of limiting ideas around. I have to wonder,
though, how the other so-called enlightened minds of his time could conclude
so easily that an inter-reactionary device could be absent between mind and
body or that whatever did link them could be so certainly devoid of feeling.
Had the masculine mentality of the time become so dominant that anything
other than rational thinking was out of the question? Considering the
"reasoning madness" the first half of the
20th century held for mankind (to the point of near annihilation), the
philosophical bent of the l9th century was clearly off the mark.

As a key defense then, emotion operates as a feedback device

which exchanges information between mind and body. The
goal is to keep the mind aligned to the needs of spirit which are
biologically encoded within the body. This system virtually
takes over when most spiritual communication with mind has
been interrupted due to limited beliefs. The spirit sneaks in the
back door, so to speak, through the feelings and reactions of
the body, to bring about the intended need fulfillment of the
spirit.

The phrase "biologically encoded within the body" suggests more to the role
of the DNA/RNA characteristics than we may yet appreciate. With further
understanding of this connection, we may be able to reprogram our physical
nature through acts of meditation and visualization to potentials yet
unforeseen.

This is not the easiest way to communicate, mind you. But it at

least makes some communication possible, when humans are

71
so completely enmeshed within their own mass creations that
they no longer have direct, conscious, mental communication
with their own spirit. This is the physically encoded
information that spirit will not let humans go without. It will
haunt them with individual and social pain until they finally
"get it".

The goal, at this point, would seem to be to transcend the limiting belief
system we are programmed with, recognize that we have within ourselves a
biological/spiritual connecting system that not only keeps us whole but can,
if understood and stimulated by our emotions, take us to physical, mental
and spiritual levels we can not yet even imagine.

Feelings Communicate Essential Spiritual Needs

What will haunt humans until they are met, are the essential
needs of the spirit. These needs are biologically impressed
upon the body to ensure a minimum of spiritual development
and expression within the physical realm. When these needs
are met, humans can successfully go about the business of self
development and expression. When they are not met, humans
flounder in frustration, bad feelings and misunderstandings.

No doubt, the material environment we occupy during our physical sojourn

is the predominant factor in the success or failure of our efforts to develop
and express ourselves. An essential step in creating our reality might begin
with creating a favorable environment in which to achieve those "needs".

There has never been any consensus in the Mind of Man

regarding essential human needs. Thus, with no official
recognition, acceptance or definition of them, it is not likely
that they are well accommodated within human civilization.

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Wherever the spirit is not accommodated, there will exist a
predominance of self-preservationary behavior.

The question might be: What are these essential needs? The answer will be
supplied in due course. Meanwhile, the "need" for an environment where
those can be met is predominant as essential for the new millennium. As the
18th century brought forth the birth of political freedoms to apply to the
governing of society, the 21st century will have to bring about birth of
spiritual freedoms to move the human race forward to the stars in a
metaphorical sense and, possibly, a physical sense.

Now is the time for simple, yet complete, acknowledgement

and acceptance of human spiritual needs. There are two main
categories of human need. l) The Individual Needs, and 2) The
Connection Needs. These needs exist within every human
being, they are inborn. Regardless of the widely varying
cultures and systems of living, the tacit goal of all social
structures is to accomplish need fulfillment. When the
individual's needs are met, they can share their effective
methods with the world. From these offerings rise social
structures.

These "needs" are no more evident then at the time of birth. The newborn
child has the obvious need for nourishment and, not so obvious but just as
essential, the need for human contact and connection with other human
beings. These needs continue throughout life and are an essential
compliment to the growth of humans on all levels. It is in the "sharing" that
we grow.

Those cultural institutions that have endured must contain

some successful need-meeting tenets, but for the most part,
mass consensus is choked with conflicting dictates due to the
lack of understanding of human needs. These "invaders" must
be purged from the individual and mass consciousness for
evolution to proceed unimpeded. This, of course, is not

73
possible without first understanding the needs themselves.

While the word "purged" may sound quite strong and arbitrary, it is exactly
what will have to be done in order to surmount the barriers that currently
confine our spirit. The connotations of this word might suggest some sort of
physical violence, but we know that true growth comes from the efforts of
mind and spirit, with the physical simply falling into line.

The Individual (Power) Needs

The individual needs take precedence over the group needs.

If individual needs go unanswered, the self-preservationary
reactions will occur. Such acts often go directly against other
individuals, or the mutual goals of group living, but are
intended to preserve the individual. For without individuals,
there can be no groups.

My first reaction to this paragraph was, "Well so much for the right of
Eminent Domain." I think the point here is that when you deprive an
"individual" of certain basic rights and freedoms, you create a frustration of
spirit that expresses itself in aggressive and negative ways against other
individuals. When applied to groups of individuals, wars can ensue. One of
the moral justifications for killing in time of war is that it is an act of self-
defense (self-preservation), but the flaw lies in failing to examine the
circumstances that lead to a person being in such a position. Killing each
other for the sake of self-preservation leads to a definite decrease in
"groups".

Although the need for group connection is very strong, the

need for survival is necessarily stronger. This way the spirit is
assured that although groups, even civilizations, will come and
go, the individual will always survive to create new ones. Thus,
it should be accepted that the individual needs will always take

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priority over group needs. It should then be no surprise that
when societies do not accommodate the needs of its
individuals, that they will act out against the obstacles. This is
inevitable. This is right. This is just, in the highest sense of the
word. This is spiritual intention."

It doesn't necessarily follow that the "act(ing) out against obstacles", has to
lead to violent action. Ghandi was able to lead a revolt against the
domination of another country by exercising a principle of resistance
through non-violence that avoided, for the most part, the physical violence
that usually accompanies massive revolution.

What are the individual needs? The human physiological needs

for air, food, warmth and procreation are already fairly well
understood. It's quite obvious what happens when the needs go
unmet. Therefore, most social structures are fairly successful at
accommodating them. But there are individual psychological
needs which are impressed upon the body by spirit and which
speak through the human emotional system. These are the
needs that are unrecognized, dishonored, denied and for the
most part, remain frustrated. But they are experienced in some
form within each and every human being the world over.

Because they "are impressed upon the body by spirit", they are destined to
be expressed at some point in the progression of human expansion. History
records these expressions in the past and in the present. Much of the violence
going on in the world today is linked directly to individuals
(as groups) struggling for expression of these higher needs.

The individual needs are about development and expression of

spiritual (or genetic) potential. They translate into the need to
explore , create, find meaning and successfully interact with
the environment, the need for power and equitable freedom to
control one's own destiny; and to ultimately contribute their

75
unique offering to humanity. Although there are many forms
through which these essential needs can be met, they are at the
core of human motivation and behavior. When an adequate
level of individual needs are being met, then the group needs
are experienced.

There is, I believe, a misconception being promulgated upon the planet's

population in the present era which suggests that an economic system can be
put in place that will furnish the material needs of individuals and nations,
assuming that peace and prosperity will reign universally in an orderly
fashion. Unfortunately, any "system" imposed from without, whether it be
an economic or political system, is inculcated with the very flaws that will
undermine it.

The Group (Connection) Needs

The group needs are essentially about maintaining an

awareness of the spiritual connection with All That Is. They
translate into the need to commune, affiliate and interact with
other humans and life forms, to be accepted and recognized as
unique, to love and be loved, and to experience a spiritual
connectedness with the world.

This appears to make the point of the unifying spirit that permeates all
forms of life, "like the ocean permeates each wave". We are, in essence, tied
together by the universal spirit that makes us what we are. We can not truly
ignore It and certainly can't function without It.

These needs interact, of course, and there are no hard and fast
rules about priority, other than that an adequate level of
individual need must be met or it's frustration will interfere
with the relational group needs. These needs and their
fulfillment are the biologically ordained translation of spiritual

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intention. They are the level of spiritual expression below
which humans cannot dip without emotional, physical, and
social repercussions.

This is how we know if a community is in harmony with Spirit. If its

members feel good about their group and themselves, this serves as
confirmation that they are in harmony with their spiritual nature. Also,
humans may drift, but they can't get totally lost without their spiritual
tether pulling them back within workable boundaries.

The feelings constantly report the spiritual need-fulfillment

status. This is the human insurance policy that prevents the
species from complete severance from spirit and complete
disorientation within their own camouflage. Humans should be
extremely thankful to their "good fortunes" that they are
endowed with such insurance. They should be highly reverent
of these needs, and the feelings that communicate them. At
bare minimum, they should be aware of them. Humans should
ensure that every society accommodates them fully and
equitably. For this embodiment of need, of course, is not
simply due to lucky stars, need fulfillment is the goal; it is
indeed spiritual intention.

If one's concept of the All That Is is highly personified, then the above
should make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside. If, on the other hand, one
views the All That Is in more abstract and ubiquitous terms, then this
concept brings justification for strengthening the emotional/feeling part and
understanding of our truly divine connection.

Human need is the principle upon which the information is

exchanged between mind and body when spirit is essentially
left out of the loop (as is now the case). Emotion is the
language. Human feelings signal need fulfillment, or lack
thereof, through the experience of pleasure or pain. It is an

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information exchange system---a feedback system---both
mental and physical .

As long as there are humans, this principle will remain in place. But, it will
be enhanced exponentially when we are able to factor in the spiritual part of
our nature and rely upon it as the ultimate guiding factor in our existence.

Feelings As Feedback Between Mind And Body

But what is feedback you ask? Feedback is an information

exchange system, that relates the status of two things and keeps
them at some preset level of balance. Feedback systems are
elegant and abundant in biological systems, from chemical
reactions within single cells, to complex ecological interaction
in the biosphere. It is one of nature's favorite systems to keep
physical forms in their required state of balance.

An example of such happening in the human body would be a state of

imbalance resulting from a virus running rampant in your system. Your
temperature increases and holds its higher level until the invader is brought
under control. It also sends an uncomfortable message to the brain alerting
it to the crisis. "Feedback" alerts the mind which instructs the brain to
stimulate the body to take the necessary action to overcome the invading
virus.

A feedback system compares two things, signals an imbalance,

then effects a corrective change to restore the balance. For
example, a home heating thermostat. The desired temperature
is compared to the actual temperature and when the balance is
upset, the heat clicks on or off to restore the balance.

Another example, in a more metaphysical sense, might be a dowsing rod, but

that's a separate area of exploration, in itself. The above is a good, practical

78
example and something most homes have today.

Spirit is experienced as emotion within human mental and

physical realms. (This is the disconnected "Will" aspect of
spirit). The feeling system is part of the immune defense
system. Thus the two things that are compared by this feedback
system are internal and external worlds---self and non-self.

I hope this becomes more clear in the next paragraph!

The human feeling system exists to mediate humans in their

physical world. If internal mental thoughts lead to external
actions that result in meeting the needs in new and creative
ways, the person becomes aware of this through positive, good
feelings. Likewise, if thoughts lead to actions which do not
meet needs, or external obstacles are encountered, this is
known to the person through negative or bad feelings. These
are the comparative and signaling aspects of the feedback
system.

There is almost always a "pleasure" obtained from doing something

creative. But the pleasure some might get from doing something destructive
(even in a creative way) can likely lead to a depletion of the spirit, if we sense
that it is not in the best interest, or complimentary to the spiritual quality of
humans.

The Hardwired Responses

The next step in the feedback cycle is the corrective action.

The emotion comes with physical arousal---body energy---that
is intended to motivate corrective responses. These corrections
can be mental adjustments or they can be physical actions. But

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they are intended to be corrective in the highest sense of the
word. They are the singular process preventing utter human
enmeshment within the Earthly camouflage. Emotional
reactions are the final vestiges of a vital, unbreakable, spiritual,
communicative tie.

Our society tends to discourage "emotional reactions", especially among

young males. Be strong, don't cry. Stay cool. What we develop in the young
is not just bravery, but ultimately, indifference and non-feeling. We, in
effect, handicap ourselves emotionally just a surely as if we took steps to
reduce the capacity of one or more of our five physical senses. Because we
are such conformists, this physical deterioration follows with age, but such
emotional deterioration may begin within youth.

If humans had come to earth and become completely enchanted

by their own early creations, they still would have had this
corrective safety net. If such enchantment had led them to
choices which endangered their very lives, they could fall back
on automatic responses that could rescue them. These "active
responses" follow emotional arousal and are often acted out
without much conscious thought or mental involvement. Or,
"they" are often acted out with highly creative mental
involvement. They base nearly every human action, yet their
nature is grossly misunderstood. Each and every evil act of
human beings, as well as most every individual and social ill, is
traceable to one of these self-preservationary responses or a
perversion thereof.

We are tied to our spiritual nature like an unbreakable rubber band. We

stretch it but as the "stretch" increases, the tension to bring us back to
origin, increases in like proportion. Often that very "tension" clouds our
judgement and we act out of fear and anger, in ways that are destructive to
ourselves and those around us.

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The two general categories of hardwired corrective response
are to approach and to avoid. It is the basic spiritual directive
to "approach" that which causes pleasure and to "avoid" that
which causes pain. The "approach" response accompanies good
feelings. It is intended to lead us in those same directions we
are going---those that are working, or improved directions that
meet needs in new and creative ways.

Again, creative activity brings pleasure to us like gravity pulled our sled
down a snow-covered hill, as a child or; as adults, pulls our creative impulses
out into physical action to view and experience with our physical senses.

The "approach" can be in the acquisition and implementation

of a creative idea, belief or strategy. It can be a repetition of an
existing strategy or a refinement following a pleasurable
outcome. It can be a simple physical approach to that which is
attractive in any sense. This is a "hard-wired" self
preservationary response that can also facilitate self-
development and expression. This establishes a cyclic
relationship wherein the pleasure becomes the goal, the
evolving beliefs and actions to attain it are finely honed, thus
verified by subsequent pleasurable successes. Although there
are some cultural complications, following positive feelings to
attain positive ends is quite intuitive. For the most part, it
happens very naturally and without too much mental
interference. For the positive feelings of joy are the resonance
of a satisfied spirit, and humans know this within every fiber of
their being.

When we say a "cheering" word to someone who seems depressed or not

feeling well, and watch a smile cross their face, we feel that spark of
momentary "joy" that joins us with that other person in something above
the mundane activities of our lives and, in doing so, we contact that spiritual

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quality.

The "avoid" responses can be quite a bit more complex. These

are the responses that get humans into a great deal of trouble.
They are generally known as the responses of fight and flight.
They exist so that the human can forcibly remove, or escape
from, an obstruction in the external world. The avoidant
responses can be productive and positive, or they can be
extremely destructive and debilitating.

Here is where our "feelings" play a strong role. Our society honors bravery
even when it costs our lives. We may feel guilt from doing nothing more
sensible than avoiding our physical destruction. Circumstances that put us
in situations that confuse our spiritual priorities are to be avoided, I would
think, whenever possible.

We will be discussing these responses at length, for they are

the core of self understanding and the place where positive
action, rapid growth and change, can occur, once they are
understood in their entirety. But first, it is necessary to have the
underlying conceptual foundation of the feedback system and
how it has been effected by the evolution of human mind.

We are in a constant state of "evolution", even though it may seem, at times,

that "regression" is more predominant. If we keep in mind that we are a
learning species, then even our mistakes (when we learn from them) are
positive experiences.

The Fully Functional Feedback System

The emotional feedback system is part of the physical immune

system. But, this safety net offers far more than simple self
preservation. When it is allowed smooth, unimpaired

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functioning, humans operate upon the hedonic principle of
approach and avoid. This follows spiritual intention and
motivates innately moral responses.

QUESTION: Would this be another way to referring to what we have

known as our conscience, a form of inner guidance that self-corrects us when
we act in such a way that runs contrary to spiritual nature? However, when
manipulated from an outside influence (or institution), it
(the conscience) can grow beyond rational proportions, to the point where it
can threaten our emotional stability and to where this guidance system is
ultimately abandoned.

Humans read the feedback feeling signals to understand the

nature of their relationship with the outside world, as well as
with the other humans they encounter. They use their feelings
to judge how well the contents of the mind are doing toward
creating a reality that meets an adequate level of human need.
They can continuously adjust the beliefs and other mental tools
so that they are afforded maximum self development and
expression. They can take external active communicative steps
to remove unnecessary cultural obstacles. They experience far
more pleasure than pain, they experience balance between
mind, body and spirit, and they experience glowing, vital,
energized, physical health. Civilizations can evolve based upon
the individual contributions without unnecessary restrictions
that inevitably reflect in social symptoms of fear, anger,
violations and despair.

Just as an automobile has an accelerator, brakes and a steering wheel--so we

have intellect and free will (along with a moral compass) to adjust to the
happenings around us. When we find ourselves in traffic situations that
continue to stifle our progress, we can seek out other paths to follow. If those
around us are likely to move in a fashion that proves a danger to our well-
being, we can elect to look for other means of transportation or even move to
an environment where such circumstances are minimal. Of course, we can

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also put energy into altering the behavior of those around us through
education or legislation, such as "Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
(MADD)". There is even statistical evidence that collectively practiced
Transcendental Meditation (TM) can have a positive effect on crime and
traffic accidents and the reduction thereof.

Thus, the feedback system can, at minimum, accomplish self-

preservation. At maximum, it can assure self development and
expression---and in doing so restore the inner spiritual
guidance that has so long gone unrecognized. When the
spiritual messages received through inner communication are
acted upon by individuals, humans will automatically begin
disassembling the rigid mental constructs which now inhibit
other spiritual communicative pathways. There will be an
unfolding of inner senses that existing beliefs flatly deny.

QUESTION: Could this suggest a state of mind, body and spirit that
transcends where we are today, to the point that awareness of our true
nature would be so permeating that institutional governing would become
obsolete or, better yet, evolve into a state of universal self-guidance? This
would suggest a recognition of the "spiritual" in all of us and "All That Is".

This is the path to the raising of human consciousness. This is

the first and direct path, for without understanding these core
features of human nature, free will is misdirected and the status
quo of self-preservationary actions will continue, and continue,
and continue, ad infinitum.

Imagine a system of personal guidance and expansion that does not require a
person, title or institution to make it work. All that would be necessary
would be an awareness of a state of inner knowing. We would exist in a
perpetual state, tapping an inner source and accepting that everything in our
environment is here to point and assist us in our individual and collective
growth.

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The Self, The Mind, The Body

History has been limited to this cycle because of the lack of

understandings that these Lessons seek to impart. They are
reasonably straightforward and elegant in their simplicity.
Indeed, many of the core ideas already exist as general
knowledge, but certain subtleties have allowed the bigger
picture to remain hidden.

What these Lessons seem to be attempting to do is fill in the holes in our

metaphysical piece of Swiss cheese. Once complete, the sense of partial
emptiness we now experience will fade away.

A major subtlety is the relationship between emotion and the

immune system. Another major subtlety is the confusion over
such concepts of mind, self, spirit, body, where one leaves off,
and where another begins. We have offered the very important
distinction between mind and spirit, and now must build upon
that understanding and define "the self". For these two
subtleties interact to create a major impediment to the fully
functionally emotional feedback system.

The above having been promised, what follows should be the fulfillment of
that promise. So far, these Lessons have not let us down.

We know that the human immune system is driven by a self

versus non-self distinction. So is the emotional system---with
some crucial differences. Within the immune system's
biological definition of self, everything inside the skin
constitutes self and everything outside the skin (in the outside
physical world), is defined as non-self. It is due to this rigid
biological definition of self that part of the communication

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system breaks down. For the biological parameter of self
makes no distinction between mind and spirit, for both are
considered as self, for both exist inside the human body.

It would seem that that which keeps us functional, is also that which has the
wisdom to ignore the distinctions that science has incompletely devised about
our nature. But even science is beginning to understand that our state of
mind directly effects our state of physical well being. It may soon follow that
the state of our spirit is also an integrated part of the whole picture.

Initially, when humans first donned the chemical cloak, there

was virtually no mind, merely straight-line communication
between spirit and body through inner senses which now lie
virtually dormant. This refers mostly to the receptacle aspect of
human mind, for ideas could ebb and flow like tides in and out
of physical consciousness. The feedback system compared
inside and outside worlds, just as it does for immunity. The
entire inside world is self-mind, body and spirit. Once the
individual mind and The Mind Of Man began to accumulate
and retain information, externals became the overpowering
controller, and the internal system became skewed. This was
"The Fall from Grace".

We now live in an environment where our belief system dictates that the
more knowledge we acquire from without, the more evolved we become.
QUESTION: Is the above paragraph suggesting that the acquisition of more
information from the outside world might be acting as an obstruction to the
reestablishment of our original link to our spiritual nature? Is the Garden of
Eden story an attempt to suggest that we are better served by remaining
closer to the innate lessons of nature around us than the multitude of belief
systems that are pumped into us from outside sources? It would seem such.

Mind now exists as an interloper, a monkey wrench of sorts,

smack dab in the middle of the feedback system. The problem
is that mind not only is part of the internal environment---the

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self---but it is also part of the external environment---not self.
The collection of man-made ideas that are passed down from
one generation to the next, come from the Mind of Man---the
outside environment, the not-self. They then become absorbed
into the self concept as they are accepted and retained within
each individual mind. The feedback system necessarily
compares self against not-self. Therefore the dual nature of
mind confounds it.

This is the true "duality" that confuses us as to our basic nature. It is also
the duality that leads us to divide every element of our reality in two and
judge one or the other as right or wrong. The difference between judging
and discerning is the difference between condemnation and observation, the
latter leading to greater understanding and growth.

This is the underlying reason why emotions are no longer

understood as motivator of desirable behavior, let alone
spiritual intent. They often seem to spur unwanted, even
destructive actions. Part of the reason for this is because needs
of the spirit are not understood and are often further obscured
and contradicted by the cultural dictates within the Mind Of
Man. Thus, the emotional signals seem random, chaotic and the
bane of human existence. For despite the association between
physical illness and lack of emotional expression, virtually
every society has rigid rules in place to suppress or control the
effects of "understanding" emotional human nature.

These "rules" are rules of conformity, compliance and adherence to

guidelines of behavior which psychologists and sociologists would tell us are
necessary for a smooth functioning society. Yet, the true progress/genius in
our society has usually come from those who press the envelope beyond what
is expected and into the realm of the creative. In the fields of art, music,
prose, theology and even science, it is those who connected with realms
beyond the "normal" who tapped into the more inspiring ideas.

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The rest of the reason is that humans do not understand the
nature of the corrective signals of the feedback system, nor the
most spiritually desirous way of responding to them. The
solution to this problem lies in a universal understanding of the
divisional boundary between mind and spirit.

Someone once defined the difference between prayer and meditation as the
first being the act of talking to God and the second being the act of listening
for a response. Most religions put a great deal of emphasis on the former
and very little on the latter. That habit carries over into how we relate to the
world around us.

This is why it is now crucial to understand and honor

boundaries and features of mind as distinct from those of spirit.
We know now that mind and spirit have very different
attributes, as well as virtually conflicting goals. Spiritual
intention is at minimum, self-preservation. It is, at maximum,
self-development and expression. (The spirit cannot be
expressed if it is not preserved.)

It would seem that staying alive in the physical sense is essential to evolving
in a physical world. The physical body being our primary tool, the mind
being the creative instrument and the spirit being both instigator and the
end result. The picture is that of an evolving feedback loop.

Even without the potential development, some expression is

better than none. Thus the self-preservationary goals are
hardwired within the body to at least ensure that humans have
vehicles for spiritual expression. But once they are there, they
have the goal of developing the mind in ways that maximize
such expressions. So there are conflicting goals within the
body---to both mentally self develop and to spiritually self-
preserve.

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This is a "conflict" that should resolve itself as we gain a greater
understanding of the importance of comprehending and appreciating the
valued role of each.

All emotional signals are based upon the self-preservationary

directive---without regard for the mind that evolved later. The
emotional system does not in and of itself consider mind at all.
It simply signals faithfully the message to self-preserve and
motivates certain actions which support that goal. The answer
to the dilemma now facing humans is to embrace the language
of emotion and realize that it requires one interpretation for
features of mind---to self develop---and the exact opposite for
features of spirit---to self preserve. This will resolve the
seemingly conflicting messages of human feelings and
reestablish the inner guide.

Hopefully, the Lessons that follow do much more to edify this conflict and
guide us toward that resolve.

To this end, we can now turn to a more specific focus upon the
emotional nature of humanity.

Pages 49-65 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Beta: The Feeling System

Lesson One: The Emotional Nature of Humanity

Reclaiming The Lost Emotional Sense

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With the understandings of the major spiritual, mental and
physical components of human nature, we can now rebuild a
most accurate conception of human emotion. For each of these
pieces of the human being affects the feeling system in very
significant and inescapable ways. With clear understandings of
the nuances of the system, humans can reclaim the tremendous
value that now lies outside their grasp.

This is a statement of significance in that it goes directly to the heart of

human potential. It is also a direct threat to the "victim" mentality that
allows us humans to lay aside our responsibility for our own circumstances.

Emotion is energy in motion. It is the very stuff that creates

physical events. When thought is enveloped in emotion, it
attracts a like experience. As long as humans continue to
misunderstand the nature of the emotional system and its
modern constraints, they will continue to live with
unintentional, but very real circumstances. Such a reality will
mirror the contents of mind. It will either rejoice and celebrate
with successful beliefs, or it will painfully reflect the problems
of limited beliefs. Before humans can truly begin to explore
this creative power, they must understand the nature of the
feeling system. For if it is not working toward human intention,
it will be working against everything but self-preservation.
This major problem lies in the realm of mind. It all hinges upon
the mind's contents, the belief systems chosen and housed
therein.

There are changes occurring in the political/economic realm that appear to

be altering the mindset of victim-hood. However, it seems that some of these
changes lack the necessary amount of compassion for those who are most
affected by these "changes" and without such, there can never be true

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growth.

We know now that humans each have unlimited freedom to

choose the contents of their mind. We know that the mind is
self-designed to create an accurate portrait of the world. We
know that mind is a storehouse of information drawn upon for
life's need-meeting challenges. We also know that certain
external ideas can be chosen inadvertently, that stifle self
expression, ignore individual need fulfillment and limit life to
the choices of others. We know now that the mind can become
frozen rather than the intended fluid state of continuous self-
development.

QUESTION: On the presumption that we can and do create our own reality,
is it also possible to create the reality of others without their acquiesce. I
would presume not and would further presume that the ability to do so
would only be in place by mutual agreement and as a consequence of a non-
awareness of true human potential. Would this be so?

We also know that the spirit has encoded the body with
feelings to identify beliefs and to distinguish those that work
from those that do not. We know that the feelings signal these
imbalances so that they can be acted upon with corrective
responses. We know now that if the mind doesn't make the
needed changes, the body will do whatever is necessary to
preserve itself, through fight or flight responses. We know that
the need for self development is in direct conflict with the need
for self-preservation. We also know now that for this reason,
humans are no longer attuned to the emotional feedback system
the way "The Creator" intended.

It is not just enough to survive. There has to be an emotional investment

made toward spiritual growth. Our worldly institutions perceive such an

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idea as a threat for it shifts the perception of control from outside ourselves
to within and to appreciation of our true nature.

We are beginning to understand how the mind as converter,

draws to us those events which our thoughts and beliefs
design . We are beginning to understand that emotion is the
energy which carries thought into physical reality. In any
individual's life, there will be a percentage of negative emotion
that directly corresponds to the percentage of his or her
destructive beliefs. Likewise that same percentage of
unpleasant experiences will be attracted into the life of the
individual. As long as the emotional signal is not allowed to do
its communicative job, its creative power keeps humans
trapped within a base level of existence a good percentage of
their life.

The bad news is: We create our own reality. The good news is: We create
our own reality. By our belief systems, we are entrapped and by our innate
and natural belief systems, we can set ourselves free.

In order to gain control at a higher level than base self-

preservation, the human task is threefold: 1) Humans must
learn how to clearly interpret the feeling signals; 2) Humans
must learn how to avoid inappropriate self-preservationary
responses; and 3) Humans must learn how to actively choose
the spiritually intended corrective response. Then, and only
then, will the feedback system of human emotion be allowed to
impart its spiritual wisdom. Only then can humans be restored
their birthright of all six senses. Only then will humans be re-
placed upon their intended evolutionary path. Only then can
humans begin to be fully human.

Here is the essence of the Lessons and the goal of their intent. It requires a

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"reprogramming" of the way we look at our own true nature. It requires a
stretching of our imposed envelope. It is a risk only in the sense that we will
begin to think in expanding ways and evolve in a world that offers little
support during our individual time of growth. But once we can put the
outside world's limitations aside, we will discover the strength that comes
from the primary source of All That Is.

The Interpretation of Emotional Signals

There are a few critical understandings necessary for accurate

interpretation of feeling signals. First, that feeling signals
always identify contents of mind which are not successful at
meeting human needs in the immediate situation. This
appears to be a straightforward statement, but truly grasping it
and acting upon it will require tenacity and commitment. For
there are an incredible number of well established beliefs that
are never even examined, since they are completely accepted as
fact. Many of them severely limit the choice of need-
fulfillment activities. In fact, many of the most cherished
religious dictates (with their misconceptions regarding man's
evil nature) do just that.

One that comes to mind is the suggestion that we are all born sinners
(flawed, in other words) and are doomed to eternal punishment if not
baptized, circumcised or whatever, and equally punished if we foul up in the
course of living our lives in this physical environment. Imagine a parent
putting a child under that kind of pressure from birth. "Mess up, kid, and
you're grounded until legal adulthood and beyond! Oh, by the way, you're
basically no good to begin with.

While feelings cry out that "the emperor is naked" the beliefs
continue to present him as adorned in his royal robes. At
present, beliefs are given supremacy. For there is a steadfast

93
belief within Mass Consciousness that ration and emotion are
opposing forces. It is common "knowledge" that emotion has
no place within a modern reasonable mind. But we know now
that ration and passion operate in concert and that one without
the other is severely handicapped. All the logic in the world
cannot accurately judge the contents of mind without the
emotional signal of spiritual intention. Until the role of
feelings, as well as the spiritual needs themselves, are well
known this will continue.

In a dualistic world, we are conditioned to choose between two opposites

instead of considering that both might be essential for balance. Imagine
having to decide which was more valuable to us, our left hand or our right,
our hands or our feet. Inner guidance (emotion) may have value for no other
reason than its singularity and pureness of source. Outside guidance (beliefs)
are often more accepted than considered and most of them are planted in us
before the age of reason, but many are later rejected on an emotional level.
There is nothing wrong with the concept of "beliefs". The point is whether
they are imposed from without or discovered within.

Humans have indeed been quite arrogant in their "logical"

assumptions and insistence that man-made dictates can
somehow overrule those of The Creator. Although the
individual and social pain continually points out these errors,
this ignorance continues. The logical flaw is the idea that
external dictates can ever overrule internal ones.

Again, too often religious personalities and institutions give us their

respective interpretations as to what "The Creator" wants. This suggests
that the almighty "Creator" doesn't have the wherewithal to communicate
to us directly but has to have a bureaucracy in place to spoon feed us into a
state of spiritual enlightenment.

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Validity and Judgment Of Knowledge

To be very clear upon the nature of internal and external

dictates, perhaps a discussion of epistemology,
(the study of knowledge), is in order. It is critical that humans
understand the difference between two types of knowledge.
First, there is natural knowledge which is a universal objective,
physical fact. This category includes the spiritual wisdom, and
factual information about the nature of man and the universe.
This type of knowledge is permanent and unchanging in its
validity. This type of knowledge exists within the
consciousness of All That Is, it is evident in the creation, and is
encoded within the human body. This type of knowledge is an
internal dictate.

This is the knowledge we tap into, I presume, when we meditate or make

contact through some form with the All That Is. It enables us to have
spiritual insights into our particular problems and challenges, or comforts
us in time of need.

Second, is man-made or cultural knowledge which is

subjective, local, consensual and subject to change. This type
of knowledge exists within the Mind Of Man. It is an external
dictate . Cultural knowledge is not true, valid or real in a
universal sense; it is relative, as time is relative. But cultural
knowledge is very useful for humans to agree upon doing
things in certain ways.

It is acceptable knowledge as long as it not only preserves our physical and

mental well-being, but also creates an environment where we can naturally
grow in these areas and also spiritually evolve.

For example, think of traffic patterns in most cities. It is quite

95
handy that everyone knows to stop at a red light. Drivers share
the knowledge that green lights mean to go, and that red lights
mean to stop. All (non-colorblind) drivers know the physical
difference between the colors red and green. This is natural,
internal knowledge, universal among humans due to their
visual sensory apparatus. But the fact that the green light
means to go, is purely consensual and contingent upon
learning. This is external, cultural knowledge. It is only by
agreement that this meaning exists.

In England, where they drive on the left side of the road, the government
decided to form a committee to study the process of switching to driving on
the right side of the road, in order to comply with the driving patterns of
most other countries. They decided to make the change in stages, starting
with trucks. Is it wrong to drive on the left and right to drive on the right?
That depends on which country you're in.

We know now that the emotional system feeds back

information to balance body and mind. The mind holds both
kinds of knowledge. Natural knowledge relates to body as
cultural knowledge relates to mind. The emotional signals in
effect serve to separate those aspects of cultural knowledge
which conflict with natural knowledge. It also means that with
the flexible nature of cultural knowledge, that some pieces can
conflict with others. Such conflicts become particularly
apparent as humans travel about operating within the many
diverse cultures that now exist.
(The experience of "cultural shock" results from such conflict).
Knowledge that might apply in one place may be quite useless
even detrimental, in another.

A country like the United States (and there is no other country particularly
like this) is made up of many diverse cultures. Europe also has many

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cultural diversities, but in the age of nationalism, this led to much conflict.
The consequence of emphasizing the negative aspects of the diversity of
cultural knowledge, has too often resulted in physical and emotional
suffering, not to mention out-and-out conflict. Natural knowledge does not
suffer from such consequences when spirit is involved in making us aware of
it. This is the difference between our inner wisdom and our outer
information.

Belief can be placed in any kind of knowledge, but generally

the difference between their natural and cultural essence
remains unnoticed---except to the watchful eye of the
emotional system. The reason these two types of knowledge
are pointed out, is to impart the understanding that cultural
knowledge is included in the flexibility and fluidity of the
mind---not as enduring and "sacred" as natural knowledge.

Because cultural knowledge comes from outside of ourselves, it can be

manipulated by the source; and beliefs can be instilled that allow the source
of the knowledge to introduce an element of control. Natural knowledge
includes an opportunity to exercise free will in a creative manner, with a
feedback system that guides us in our spiritual evolution.

Human judgments abound regarding which cultural knowledge

is the best, the moral, the Godly, the right way to think and act.
But Spirit totally disregards such human judgments and wholly
accepts all free choices. Indeed, free will is logically
inconsistent with a judgmental God. Spirit "judges not" what
humans choose to create as knowledge and belief. But it does
judge whether or not those ideas meet human need. Natural
dictate is the only legitimate judge and spiritual need
fulfillment is the law upon which its decisions are based.

If societies placed more emphasis on "natural knowledge" than is placed on

"cultural knowledge", there would be less need for societal controls and
human relationships within such societies would be more harmonious and

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pleasant.

Human judgments must be cast aside for the feedback system

to operate unimpeded. This new belief should be emblazoned
upon the sky. The only true quality determination or judgment
that can be placed upon any belief is the pronouncement of
Spirit communication through the feeling system. It has been
the relinquishment of power to external judges that has
perpetuated manipulation by others, brutal self-preservationary
acts and loss of personal freedom.

When we surrender our power to others, we surrender our lives and put
them in the hands of those whose belief systems may be quite in
contradiction to natural knowledge. If we surrender to Spirit, we retain our
free will and are encouraged to create our own reality along spiritual
guidelines. Is this latter not the quality we attribute to the noble among us?

Humans do not realize that they have free will to think

whatever they want to, or to actively manage that
responsibility. As a result, there is a tangle of both workable
and destructive pieces of "knowledge" within any given
individual. The most destructive beliefs are those which
attempt to defy nature through dogged faith in ideologies
which deny human needs. Less insidious but also destructive,
are those cultural beliefs which conflict with one another.
Conflicts can peacefully coexist as knowledge within the mind
until an external situation arises in which they are called into
the same context. But this peace is illusory, for in the
meantime, they have a powerful influence upon the limits of
thought, action and creation of life events.

I believe that as we grow in this awareness of "free will" and realize its
compliment to our creative capacity and responsibility, we move away from

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outside restrictions in our thinking and become more comfortable with our
inner guidance. This is a natural process and happens while we're hardly
aware of the subtle changes going on in ourselves and the world around us.
It happens while we're keeping our eyes on the prize and it's happening on
this planet now.

For example, if a person believes himself to be good in certain

of his beliefs, and evil in others, then he has conflicting
directives through which his Will Energy will create the life
events. He will have a mishmash of conflicting experiences,
that will take him one step forward and two steps back. He will
also be plagued with conflicting feelings that signal the
presence of these beliefs, and lots of negative emotion when
the intent to remove them is not carried out. As mentioned, this
is very common.

Much of the uncomfortable feelings we have in our lives arise when we try to
grow beyond our preprogrammed belief systems. All societies suffer from
mental inertia because a belief system at rest, tends to stay at rest. Most of
the members of the society devote a certain amount of energy toward
maintaining the status quo. So the strength for growth has to come from an
inner source.

If any of you recognize yourselves in this situation, and accept

this, regardless of any feelings of inadequacy, or personal guilt,
or tendencies to deny it, you have already taken a dramatic step
forward. And each step will be rewarded by your own
emotional system with feelings of joy. Acceptance , is the first
step, then, of course, to commit to a process of purging all such
beliefs from the system. It is critical to sort through the
contents of mind and separate the wheat from the chaff.

Some of this "sorting" can be done with more ease than we suspect. We open
ourselves to signals from our surroundings each time we examine a new
principle or belief. Ever buy a new or used car and suddenly begin to notice

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how many other cars of this make you see on the road? Our attention
becomes attuned to a new belief and examples of its merit crop up all over
the place. Eventually, the old "car" and the old "belief" are just memories
we recognize occasionally.

You will have the innate feeling guide to help you. This is the
gift of the emotional signal. You will also have ration(ality) to
help you see the cause and effect relationship between useless
beliefs and outcomes, so that you can discard them.
Ration(ality) will also identify conflicting but related beliefs
and help you assemble them all into one over-arching,
spiritually intended belief upon which you can successfully
operate. But without the fundamental understanding and
respect of emotion's judgmental function, its message is surely
lost and ration(ality) is left to run circles around itself.

Beliefs As Gems and Slivers

It is essential to understand that every painful problem boils

down to belief systems, pieces of knowledge that drive
thoughts and actions. There is no evil force, there is no need for
suffering, there is no karmic explanation necessary for when
bad things happen to good people. It is all brought about by
belief. Thoughts empowered by emotion create events. You get
what you concentrate upon ---there is no other accurate
explanation.

Up to this point, this is probably the most important paragraph in the

Lessons. It nails down the essence of our ability to create our own reality and
it eliminates much of the provincial wisdom of the day and the destructive
consequences.

The only thing that stands between the truly desired events and

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what actually does occur, are the conflicting ideas within the
realm of mind. This is why the rational examination and
housekeeping of the beliefs is an essential commitment. At this
point, it may be useful to coin terms for those beliefs which are
productive and good for the spirit and those that frustrate it.

This is why we all don't go out and walk on water, or heal the sick, or
multiply loaves and fishes. We may be convinced that such is within our
grasp to do so, but our early programming and current collective mindset
set up an ongoing "conflict" that thwarts our Spirit-given potential.

The negative debilitating beliefs act as slivers within the

system, festering until they are removed. They make their
presence known through emotional pain. Slivers are those
beliefs which deny human need, or those that conflict with
each other. Slivers are the necessary risk that comes with the
benefits of the free mind.

Had we not been created with a "free mind", we would simply be

programmed computers, capable of carrying out any directed task but
lacking the ability to expand our horizons. Our existence would be that of
limited bliss---sort of the state we are told we enter after physical life ends,
provided we were "good". Because we are more than "programmed
computers", we can and do experience emotional pain as a part of our
growth process, but eventually we will be capable of minimizing this as we
learn the pleasure of exercising our true, divinely instilled nature.

The other category defines the positive, productive, creative

tools which facilitate human spirit and successfully meet needs.
These are the gems. They are to be creatively mined,
safeguarded, shared, polished and occasionally, re-cut.
Creating and accumulating gems is the very reason for mind's
function as a receptacle. Gems are identified by the successes
they bring and the spiritual validation of pleasurable feelings

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All facts within the category of natural knowledge are gems.
But anything goes within cultural knowledge, the mind cares
not what you put into it. The gems are those ideas that do not
conflict with spiritual, natural knowledge. Or they are the local
consensual knowledge which are meant to undergo continuous
refinement.

You might even say that these "Lessons" are gems because they are
undergoing "continuous refinement". They are like foundation blocks upon
which to erect our particular states of expansion. Each of us is building our
"house" if you will, designing it, creating it with those materials we elect to
attract and adding additional rooms as our consciousness expands.

Slivers can be touted as grand gems within the mind of man---

and many are. As the world exists today, there are wonderful,
diverse gems of various cultures that are extremely successful
at meeting some of the human needs. But there are also many
conflicting and unnecessary slivers, often embraced as part of a
package, that thwart or deny other human needs. There are then
quite elaborate explanations and rituals devised to vent or vilify
the emotional frustration resulting from the inadequacies
within these packaged doctrines. (We will later be discussing
the individual and social symptoms at length).

Although not specifically described above, no doubt many of these "slivers"

are elements of control. After all, you can't maintain a "package" without
the bindings that keep the outer wrap in place. Our institutions (political,
religious, economic) maintain a constant vigil against a deterioration of our
"wrappings".

The task now is for each individual to separate the slivers from
the gems within their own life and to make the necessary
external contributions to mass consciousness The latter will be
the optimal way to use the self-preservationary response. As

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slivers are discarded within individuals, they will then make
active responses in an effort to remove them from social
systems. Political action, negotiation, persuasion, conflict
resolution, even simple communication are examples of such
responses. As the slivers are removed, freedoms are gained.
The self-preservation is then a healthy one because it preserves
spiritual need, not slivers. When the need for freedom and
control is validated, respected, and accommodated, the spirit
sings its approval.

It's always amazing how the light from a single candle can spread light
throughout an entirely dark room. It would suggest that the negatives in a
society would have little success in withstanding the spirit influences for very
long. That said, there is still the difficulty in lighting the candle when
darkness has become something we're so used to experiencing.

It is not necessary to reinvent civilization simply to remove the

obstacles that are presently imbedded. As this process unfolds,
there will be a renaissance within individuals and within
societies. Self preservationary responses will give way to
developmental and expressive actions. As the spirit achieves its
order, there will be a reacquaintance with many "latent" human
potentials and abilities.

The first area of change will be noticed within ourselves and as our
perspective begins to shift, we will tend to see instances of like-kind in our
surroundings. Those around us who are not experiencing this "shift", will
find more of a problem in relating to us in the present than they did in the
past. Consequently, our lives will change in more ways than we expect.

This is the task at hand. If it sounds simple, that's because it is.

But it does require a commitment through the acceptance of
judgment only as deemed by spirit---not by man. (This was the
central message of Christ, to "judge not"). This commitment to

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spiritual intent will ensure the restoration of Grace that has
been given humans by All That Is. The function of the
emotional feedback system is to assist each individual in the
process. The feelings---when fully understood---shall be the
inner guide. If the commitment is made to honor this internal
judge, above all others, our discussion can continue.

Why would it seem so difficult to trust that which we are the closest to, the
spiritual nature of our being? Could it be that we fear what we know the
least about? How far do we need to travel, in physical terms, to make that
reconnection? Not far at all. Yet, if that journey were a thousand miles, we
would know that it must begin with a single step.

The Effect of Mind Upon Emotional Signals

This is not to chastise humans for their continued, but

unnecessary, suffering. It is merely to highlight the problem so
that it can be corrected. For simply listening to and following
feelings is not quite enough. There still exists the interference
factor of mind, and its effects must be internalized as well.

It would be well to keep this first paragraph in mind as we read further.

Also, to keep in mind, is the apparent intent of this source, which is to free us
from our mental shackles and help us to soar.

Recall that the system compares internal and external worlds

(self and non-self). This means that essentially, it compares the
mind, which is the portrait of the outside world (the not-self),
with the body which is the vehicle of Spirit (the self). The goal
of this system is to ensure that the portrait of mind is an
adequate enough representative of the external world, so that
spiritual needs can be met.

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The primary point and purpose in taking on a physical existence is to assist
us in the acquisition of those experiences which will enhance our spiritual
growth and aid us in understanding our true spiritual potential.

The problem with interpretation of emotional signals to a

modern human, is that the mind is neither here nor there, but it
is also both here and there. The mind is both internal and
external. It is not only the internal portrait of reality, it is also
the external Mind Of Man---the collection of gems and slivers
that are handed down as knowledge, tradition and truth. (The
mind has become so external, in fact, that children are
indoctrinated with life-long beliefs from the Mind of Man
before they reach the age of ten years).

There is a particular religious order which brags that "if you give us your
children to the age of seven, they are ours." It suggests that a child can be
most easily programmed up to the age of reason and, thereafter, reason will
defend the foundational knowledge previously planted in his/her mind.

But to the physical defense system, the mind is definitely part

of the internal realm of self, and it treats it as such. Thus, it
seeks to preserve itself, and therefore any contents within the
mind will be defended just as it defends the cells and organs of
the body. Such defense is the exact opposite of the spiritual
goal of mind which is to continuously develop, adapt and
refine itself in accordance with external environmental change.
The emotional signals of pleasure and pain then give confusing
signals, since there is no clear boundary between internal and
external realms, between mind and body. It gives one set of
signals for two sets of circumstances.

Such, in fact, is a sort of mental immune system, fighting against those ideas
which would be considered threatening to the pre-established status quo.

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But the physical immune system preserves the physical body so that the
"Spiritual Goal of Mind" can have an environment to achieve its goal of
"continuous development.

The only solution to this problem is for humans to actively

make this internal/external distinction themselves. Then, and
only then, can they reclaim the understanding of the signals.
This can be done in one of two ways.

…which will follow shortly.

Mind & Spirit: The Twin Selves

The first, and perhaps the easiest, is to maintain a clear

distinction between the realm of spirit and the realm of mind.
This is why such emphasis was placed upon the difference
between them in Lessons Alpha 1 & Alpha 2. In this sense,
spirit is synonymous with body. If a clear understanding is
achieved, then emotional signals that spring from the spiritual
realm (the inside) will be interpreted in one way, and those
from the mental realm
(the outside) in another. This will restore the accurate
interpretation of the signals.

This is what is apparently meant from the bible admonition to "know thy
inner self".

The other way is to conceptually divide the internal realm (the

body, "the self") into two sections: an inside self and an outside
self. For within the defense system's self definition, there now
exist Twin Selves, that correspond to spirit and mind. They are
the Genetic Self and the Cultural Self, respectively. They also
correspond to natural and cultural knowledge. The Genetic

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Self---like spirit---includes all innate personality dispositions,
physiological functions, needs, instincts, intellectual aptitudes,
raw talents and everything else biologically inherent in the
individual. The goal of the genetic Self is to self preserve. It is
the intended beneficiary of the self-defense system.

Again, if the Spirit is to function within the physical, it must have a haven to
do so and a system that keeps this "haven" from breaking down during that
period of time the Spirit elects to remain in the physical state.

In contrast, the Cultural Self---as mind---is the collection of

mental tools, language, beliefs, attitudes, memories and skills
that are learned through experience. The goal of the Cultural
Self is to self-develop. The opposing goals of the Twin Selves,
will distinctly separate them. This understanding will allow
accurate interpretation of two distinct types of emotional
signals, even though the defense system only has one.

By connecting with our "inner selves"', we can become aware of the

difference between what is Universally/Spiritually true and what we have
been programmed to believe is "true". The former will lead us toward hope,
creativity and self-assurance; while the latter has led us toward fear,
insecurity and a victimized mindset.

Remember, all aspects of self will elicit the self-

preservationary emotional signal, if a need is not met. But
using this rational interpretation, each feeling can be traced to
its source, and acted upon accordingly. There will be
distinctly different choices for signals from each of the Twin
Selves.

What we will find ourselves doing, presumably, is letting our inner feelings
guide us toward those actions that are meant to evolve us Spiritually, and
away from those actions which do the opposite.

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In effect, the feedback system now signals balance between
each aspect of self. It compares the Genetic Self to the Cultural
Self and if the Cultural Self does not accurately reflect the
Genetic Self, the painful signal sounds. Or, it can be thought of
as comparing spirit and mind, or internal and external worlds.
The feedback cycle continues as it always has. But with the
rational distinction made between these two aspects of self,
humans can compensate for the simplistic nature of the defense
system. Although it only has one signal, humans can divide it
and recognize that it has two meanings.

An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is

nothing" on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it
correctly. The man wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing." The
woman wrote: "Woman, without her, man is nothing." The information we
see and hear, can have different meanings to each of us, depending upon our
perspective. As our perspective broadens, so does the meaning of our
existence.

If the signal springs from the contents of mind, or Cultural

Self, then a self-developmental act is in order.
(Quite often, even the simple recognition that the belief was
learned, communicates that mind is the source). Or on the
other hand, if the signal springs from spirit, or the Genetic self,
then a self-preservationary correction is needed. This is a
relatively easy distinction to make, once it is known how
necessary it is. Later, there will be an even easier way to make
this distinction, but for now this division between aspects of
self (or between spirit and mind, if you prefer) will suffice.

In most of our conscious activity during the day, our minds are preoccupied
with worldly decisions and reflections of those things immediately around
us. It is only in our quieter moments, when we are 'off guard' so to speak,

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that the valuable insights to a situation seep into our consciousness. To set
aside a particular time and place for the quieting of the mind would appear
to be a key to opening this most important door to our Higher Selves.

The Effect Of Mind Upon Motivational Responses

With the tool of the Twin Selves it will be quite natural to

accurately interpret emotional signals. It will be readily
apparent which aspect of self needs the corrective attention.
But there will still be only one set of hardwired responses to act
upon the two different spiritual directives. Recall that the
feedback system compares internal and external worlds to
signal imbalances. Whether it be an internal mental sliver, or
an external cultural restriction, both will signal a bad feeling
and motivate a corrective response. The correction will fall into
one of two possible arenas.

There is no question that there will be a signal to make a correction in a view

or an action. The system for initiating that signal in clearly in place. The
process only requires a commitment to listening with inner detection.

The action can either change the internal realm (the self), or it
can change the external world in some way. The imbalance
will always be an obstacle of some sort to need-meeting
efforts. We just learned that for accurate interpretation of the
signal, the mind is considered in the outside realm. But in the
response part of the cycle, the mind must be thought of as the
inside realm. For mental changes can only be made within the
mind; the spirit (the other inhabitant of the internal realm) is
unchangeable. External changes are effected to the outside
world, generally in responses of approach, fight, or flight.

Herein lies the significance of free will and our ability to create our own
reality. We exercise these qualities with our "minds" and are most in control

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when we are in a state of action within versus reaction to the "outside
world".

Originally, external responses were all that was needed.

Therefore, the body was limited in its hardwired responses. But
with the advent of mind, came the necessity for a new type of
response. Although it is not hardwired, it is easily within reach
through rational choice. For mind not only brought the
problem, it brought the solution.

Once we can develop the faith that our problems and their solutions are
interlinked, we can move more quickly to the resolution of those problems.
We can stop regarding ourselves simply as victims of outside circumstances
but instead the sculptors of our life experiences.

The Right Response

Indeed, since the advent of culture, there has been yet another
response that humans often intuitively choose instead of the
fight and flight self-preservationary responses--- a self-
developmental response. This is a post-mind response that
seeks an internal change. This response actively revises the
portrait of reality to accommodate new external conditions. It is
a mental shift, resulting in a purposeful addition to the
individual mind.

The consciousness of human mind is an evolving state, as is the quality of All

That Is. Being its image and likeness, human beings can elect to expand to
other alternatives which hold the promise of higher development.

We shall call this response "The Right Response." It can be

likened to the righting of a sailboat that has listed too far port
or starboard. One cannot always fight or take flight from winds

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of change, but one can always right oneself. This is the internal
corrective response, wherein a change occurs within the realm
of mind. The right response is, in effect, a learning experience.
It is an outgrowth of human mind, and a very necessary one at
that.

Using the analogy of the "sailboat", we can consider the "right" response as
a course correction which we can elect to make when we receive the
feedback feelings which are telling us that we are off our course from where
Spirit is trying to steer us. Each of us is equipped with a compass to keep our
individual ship of destiny on course. This compass is anchored in Spirit and
is an essential part of our being.

Each addition or revision of a mental tool, a belief, idea or

piece of knowledge is this right response. Like the fight and
flight responses, the right response directly follows emotional
arousal when the self is involved (in this case, the Cultural Self
or the mind). The term also has meaning in that an internal
shift is often the optimal, moral, responsible, and therefore the
"right" corrective choice.

There is a form of guidance going on here. It involves putting ourselves in

the place of someone else and exercising compassion, possibly. It might
involve the practicing of that "Golden Rule" of relating to another as you
would have them relate to you.

The root of most human problems lies in the fact that the role
and parameters of mind are not considered within the physical
defense system. Anything taken into the mind, becomes
associated with the self concept and the tools of self
preservation. So although a self developmental response is
needed, only self-preservationary responses are motivated.
Making a right response is exactly the opposite of the
motivational impulse, which seeks only to self-preserve. Thus,

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the reactions of body negate the very spiritual intentions they
seek to preserve.

The very act of "fighting" is an action that puts the body in jeopardy. Flight
exercises an act of fear and not just limitation but is withdrawal physically
and mentally. A response to a situation that reflects a higher form of
guidance can transcend both fight and flight consequences and lift the
individual into a higher state of being.

For this reason, with the birth of mind, came a corresponding

relationship born between learning and pain. Whenever a
learning experience is in order, it will signal the threat of self-
preservation through pain. This pain can range from mild,
almost imperceptible, anxiety to gripping fear. The more of the
self concept invested in the limitation, the more powerful the
feeling.

So long as we consider ourselves little more than evolved animal life, we will
be inclined to perform as such. However, once we accept the fact that we are
truly spirit beings operating in a physical/mental environment, we can feel
more comfortable in choosing alternatives that reflect a higher state of
consciousness.

It should be completely accepted that a small amount of pain

will accompany every discovery of the fact that mind needs
some fine-tuning. But with automatic responses, the motivation
instead is to escape it, to deny it, and defend the parameters of
present knowledge. A perfectly human response, yet
completely devoid of spiritual intention. This is how the
fluidity of mind becomes stifled and limited to certain versions
as dictated by external standards. This explains how slivers in
both individual minds and The Mind Of Man are allowed to
remain, and are actively defended, often to the death.

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Those moments of emotional pain, a feeling that what is accepted, proper
conduct is not quite right, are the signals which must be examined and
listened to, regardless of the "standards" one is expected to comply with. For
example, the refusal to take another human life when expected to, would be
acting out a belief which suggests current accepted practices are in conflict
with a higher spiritual qualities.

This insight is the major way to accomplish the number two

task at hand, learning how to avoid self-preservationary
responses when they are inappropriate. A small amount of pain
is perfectly bearable, even energizing, particularly if the signal
is understood while the problem is still small. And the pain
should be acknowledged as an indicator of a sliver, or the need
to polish or re-cut a gem. Its intensity will be in direct
proportion to the lack. With this strategy, the Right Response
can be immediately effected and the problem solved. Instead,
caveman-like avoidant responses happen, preventing the
needed change, and become accepted as an inevitable part of
human nature. Certain social codes and assumptions then pop
up which perpetuate the problem.

We know these "slivers" as pangs of conscience. They draw the attention of

mind to that of a feeling. They guide us to reconsider our thoughts and
actions. If we feel totally comfortable with this mild form of guidance, we
should act accordingly.

For example, human error has become something to be

ashamed of and avoided at all costs. This is contrary to the
learning cycle. For it is through the feedback of pain and
pleasure that all learning occurs. Mistakes should be greeted
with compassion to self and others who make them. They are
the simple message that the portrait of reality does not yet
match the requirements to meet an adequate level of the human
need in any given external situation. Instead of getting out the

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paints and making revisions, humans often seek to hide the
inadequacies and pretend to be perfect. Punishment is often
given for mistakes, both to self and others, and this is quite
backward. Compassionate guidance should be offered to add
the missing knowledge, belief or skill. Each such addition will
be rewarded by positive feelings.

Misdirected actions are little more than exercises of poor judgment. Such
actions are often based upon basic insecurities resulting from a lack of
knowledge of alternative actions. Punishment is the most basic form of
corrective action. It is more traditional than practical. It also tends to relieve
the frustrations of the punisher which are, in turn, based on a lack of
knowledge.

Such pain that accompanies learning should be welcomed and

acted upon with right responses as soon as the feelings are
detectable. This is an easy task once humans know the
difference between thoughts and feelings, and the parameters
and goals of spirit and mind. A concept such as "growing
pains" should be utilized in which humans realize that without
pain there is no growth. Or as the bodybuilders say: "No pain,
no gain".

Pain, in any form, should be considered a positive educational tool, an

indication of a need for a course correction. We need not punish the ship to
alter its course. We need only to develop the equipment to guide it safely and
gently through the threatening waters of life.

This is not to say that humans should endure higher levels of

pain than this small feeling of personal anxiety we now can call
a growing pain. Nor is this to say that making this right
response will always be the spiritually intended corrective
action. Indeed, there are still very valid reasons for both fight
and flight responses-but only under certain conditions and at

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certain times. We will be discussing these conditions at length,
but first, we turn to the result of these automatic avoidances,
which we shall call emotional boundaries.

It need not be a case of either/or (fight & flight versus right and light
actions). The guidance given here is meant to expand our thinking with
greater alternatives, not simply replace one attitude with its opposite.

Emotional Boundaries

Humans have lived for many thousands of years without

understanding their own nature. Thus, their emotional system
has worked against them in many ways. Most destructive has
been the tendency to preserve, when change is spiritually
desired. Self preservation and conservatism is always
appropriate when needs of the spirit are at issue. But it is never
appropriate in the realm of mind. Yet, one merely needs to look
around and one can see abundant evidence of incredible efforts
to defend cultural knowledge. Everywhere, and in every time,
one can witness passionate efforts to conserve that which is
actually personally limiting. Such efforts appear externally as
acts of communication, persuasion, political activism, violence,
and even war, that seek to narrow the freedoms of others in
order to validate the cultural choices of some.

There are 'Fundamentalists' in most realms, not just the religious. It is not
that this attitude is essentially wrong or bad, it is that without a broader
understanding of our spiritual nature, many retreat to the limits of belief
that were imposed in formative years - along with the "fear" doctrine that
dictates maintenance of the status quo.

For example, nearly every religion espouses to be the one true

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word of God and that all others are misguided at best and evil
at worst. Historical colonialism evidences how some groups
exert their power over others and force their choices upon
them. The holocaust was an extreme example of cultural
ideology enforced as natural law. Yet, in each of these cases,
many felt passionate in their beliefs and emotionally
empowered to live by them and carry our their dictates. These
feelings seemingly guided them to amoral even heinous,
actions. This is when feelings can be ineffective behavioral
guides.

Although 'colonialism' of the 18th and 19th century appears to have waned,
it, in fact, has simply changed form. New economic treaties have begun to
spread a financial net throughout the planet. Wealthy nations are creating
spheres of influence while keeping the planet's population in a greater state
of dependence through the instituting of 'easy credit' and 'mass
consumption'. Through getting people into a perpetual state of personal
debt, control automatically follows.

But this is due to a perversion of the natural system. These are

those very self-preservationary actions that directly conflict
with spiritual intention. These are actions that should have been
self-developmental, not preservationary. These are actions that
spring from passion without ration. Such emotions are
signaling that the contents of mind are not adequate and should
be changed. They signal that a boundary of the mind has been
reached, which needs expansion for spiritual expression.
Instead, this limitation becomes a defensible boundary of self,
and the actions then seek to carefully maintain these
boundaries as if they are sacred aspects of self.

There has to be some type of litmus test that alerts us when we are
floundering in the "self-preservationary" state, that helps us to make the
course correction necessary to get us back on track toward spiritual

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evolution. It might be when the collective conscience begins to feel less than
totally positive about the future, or when the examples of our appointed or
elected leaders are such that we feel uncomfortable with them.

These are actually boundaries of mind, but since they are

signaled only by emotion, we call them emotional boundaries .
It is crucial to understand the tendency to protect and maintain
emotional boundaries. It is equally crucial to resist the
temptation to do so. It is an easy out, for defending one's
ignorance is simpler and requires less effort than actually
effecting the Right Response.

"It says in the bible…". As long as we maintain the security of our emotional
wombs, we can not expand our potential. Just as nature requires physical
birth at a particular point of development and a mother bird literally pushes
its young from the nest, so we can only find true fulfillment in passing
beyond the edges of our emotional envelope. This requires a willingness to
take risk. The young take risks because they feel they are immortal. The old
take risks because they are sure that they have little to lose.

The concept of emotional boundaries should become a

permanent fixture within each individual mind. The boundaries
of self should be continuously expanded---never defended. On
the other hand, there should be compassion and respect for the
boundaries of others to the degree that many diverse choices
and levels of personal growth can coexist. But there should
never again be the mistake that boundaries of mind should be
preserved, nor that the boundaries of some are the correct
boundaries for all. The human mind is in a constant state of
evolution, as is the Mind Of Man. And this is as it should be in
the highest sense. For to limit the expansion of mind is to
frustrate the spirit and stymie the expansion of All That Is.

No religious, political, economic or social system came into being out of the

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mind that defended the status quo. No great work of art, music or sculpture
was achieved by someone who was satisfied with that which already existed.
It was only after these radical concepts became the norm, that they ended up
being defended by organizations and lost the essence of spirit. I believe it was
Pythagoras who said, "Organization is the death of an idea".

On the other hand, if the emotional boundary is one due to a

spiritual dictate or need relating to self expression, rather than a
mental belief relating to self development, then it is a boundary
that should be maintained and protected. These are the healthy
boundaries of self. These are the boundaries of Spirit,
necessary for the expansion of All That Is. These are the
minimum spiritual requirements below which humans cannot
dip without serious repercussions. Defending them is true self
preservation, as the spirit intends.

If our values are spiritually based, we need not and should not sacrifice them
for a new idea, unless we are confident that the "idea" will be a compliment
and boon to the "spiritual" principle.

But the majority of requirements and limitations that erect

defensible boundaries exist in the realm of mind. These should
be avoided so that the continuous expansion desired by spirit
can be attained. For true and lasting fulfillment, development,
and expression , the emotional boundaries of mind should be as
vigorously avoided as the emotional boundaries of spirit are to
be reinforced.

Probably the most dangerous term in any language is "ism", for once a
concept has been labeled with that description, it has become defined and
defended with moral authority by the very institutions whose "moral
authority" is in a state of decline.

With the understandings of the pitfalls to the emotional system,

as well as their corrections, we can now proceed to discuss the

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number 3 task of reclaiming the emotional sense. This is how
to go about choosing the appropriate responses to each of the
emotional signals.

Pages 66-82 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Beta

Lesson Two: The Emotional Behavior of Humanity

Emotional Motivation

Throughout human history, despite many sage offerings, the

mystery of human behavior remains just that. What motivation
could possibly underlie human behavior and explain the many
differences as well as the similarities? What could motivate the
orderly, cooperative, altruistic and moral behavior, as well as
the chaotic, competitive, heinous and the evil acts of humans?
Why humans do what they do seems unfathomable. This is
particularly true if one believes humans to be a good and
capable lot.

Maybe our problem is how we define the term 'good and capable', or rather
why we should presume that it is natural and normal for humans to arrive at
this state, without straying from "the path" in the process of learning the
value of being in this state. Nothing in our environment is created in a
perfect form. Not the clothes, the jewelry, the vehicles we drive, the children
we raise. Each starts with raw, unrefined material and ends up being the
consequence of much human effort.

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We now have certain understandings that hint at the truth. So
we shall go straight to the heart of the matter. All human
behavior springs from emotional motivation.

"emotional motivation" ...These two words describe energy and direction.

Both are essential ingredients of any type of progression.

The "good" behavior flows from spiritual intention. It is

purposeful in pursuit of self-development and expression. It
utilizes all human faculties for their intended purpose. The
"bad" behavior is absent of spiritual intention, except that of
basic self-preservation. It is undertaken without utilization of
human ration. It is the by-product of the misunderstandings of
the emotional feedback system. It is incidental, if not
accidental.

One of the great puzzles is how people who pride themselves on their state of
moral superiority, usually founded on attendance at a religious service with
consistent regularity, can still indulge in behavior that contradicts "spiritual
intention". The key might just lie in the word "pride", a sliver to the Mind
of Man.

If each and every human act is examined within the framework

of understanding that these Lessons impart, it shall become
apparent that emotion is at the very core. It will be fairly
obvious that humans approach that which brings pleasure, and
avoid that which brings pain. Of course, the avoidance of pain
has become the dominant motivator since very few countries
even claim to afford humans the right to the "pursuit of
happiness". Avoidance of pain is at the root of every act that
takes humans from their intended course, it is at the root of
every evil act. It can be extremely subtle in avoidant self-
deception, or it can explode upon the world in atomic rage---

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hardly an application of a rational self-preservationary
strategy.

Why do we indulge in and support military action against another group.

We usually act out of fear of losing something which would cause us
discomfort or "pain". It might be oil or real estate. It can even be abstract
things like self-image. Whatever it turns out to be, it is it usually based on
the fear of loss, which we feel emotionally, if not physically.

It is merely due to the lack of rational interpretation and

rational response to the emotional signal that self-preservation
has become the norm. With this understanding, humans can
examine their own behavior, identify the motivational feelings,
and trace them back to the gems and slivers upon which they
operate. They can readily see which behaviors were motivated
by self-development and expression, or those that were
motivated by self-preservation. This is rational use of the
emotional feedback. This is utilization of the undiscovered
sixth sense. This is living on purpose, in spiritual intention.

The development of our "sixth sense" would seem to be directly related to

our "feelings". As we become more aware of the value of this capacity, we
begin to see more harmony in our lives, more coordination in our
relationships and activities. It can be subtle at first, but it eventually
becomes more apparent, until it becomes the norm versus the exception.

Now is the time for humans to successfully live on purpose.

Until now there has been relative darkness. The light that
shines the way is human feeling. But in order for humans to
fully embrace this newfound ability, there are further
clarifications necessary. For it has become habitual to act
within the system in ways that grossly misuse it. And there are
many slivers within Mass Consciousness that accept, even
promote such misuses. The solutions to problems inherent in

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human cultures can only come from within individuals as they
remove the source from their own lives, inside and out. So the
individual subtleties of emotion that humans face must now be
examined.

This is the point of these Lessons, to examine a state of being, to define its
flaws and to move toward corrective action. In the end, it is only a shift in
perception that should result in growth in a more rewarding direction.

The subtleties yet to be discussed lie in the corrective response

part of the feedback cycle, the behavior itself. This is where the
rubber hits the road. Right use of emotional feedback can
provide lifelong, moment-to moment spiritual guidance. This
means that certain feelings will suggest certain behaviors. But
the benefits of such guidance are contingent upon effecting the
optimal corrective response. For optimal corrective responses
are within spiritual intention, and all others are merely self-
preservationary. Wrong use of the system is abundantly evident
in certain "evil" motivations. It's easy to see how angry violent
behaviors can wreak havoc. But some detrimental human
motivational habits are well disguised. To expose them, we
now turn to the responses as they operate in the modern world.

It would be possible to become as adept at living in a spiritually guided

manner as we who drive have become adept at moving about from point to
point in a vehicle, without doing harm to those around us and achieving our
point of intention without incident.

Recall that all corrective responses can be made to either the

internal or external realms. An internal change is applied to the
mental landscape. An external change is a behavior acted upon
the external world, the physical or social landscape. The
response choice is how humans effect evolution. Internal

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changes are how humans acquire culture. It is how they self-
develop, learn and adapt to their world. External changes are
how humans create culture and express their internal
contributions in the external world. Certain choices will be
optimal and empowering, others will be detrimental, causing
individual and social chaos and slides from the intended
evolutionary tract.

Again, I would apply the metaphor of operating a vehicle in a safe and

intelligent fashion. In fact, not only do humans keep refining the vehicle but
expanding our technology and aiming at more distant points in our
environment. Where we commit errors, we self-correct our behavior, in
most cases. Our intent is always to make ourselves more safe and surviving
in order to keep living and evolving.

Mistakes of response choice will create further symptomatic

pain. This is the spirit's way of calling attention to mistaken
choices of action and beliefs. We will now discuss the uses and
abuses of all responses in both internal and external realms.

The Approach Responses - Right & Light

The approach responses naturally follow positive emotional

signals and are very intuitive. It is quite natural to approach
that which feels good, to reinforce those ideas and strategies
that satisfy the spirit. It is inherently rewarding to promote
situations and relationships that are spiritually fulfilling. All
optimal approach responses result in self-development and
expression, as the spirit intends for them to be.

There was an expression out of California some years ago that went: "If it

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feels good, do it!" Moralists thought it was just a reflection of the loose life
style of the times. In some ways, I suppose it was, but on a deeper level, it
reflects the above paragraph as a guideline to our higher development.

Approach responses can also be in answer to painful, negative

emotions. In a modern world, approach responses are often
preferable to the self-preservationary avoidant responses which
are hardwired. The approach responses are about acceptance.
What they have in common is that each is an open approach in
acceptance of a situation without resistance. Approach
responses are the path of least resistance. There are two basic
approaches, they are the Right and Light Responses.

There are significant points in the history of mankind when the act of non-
resistance has had a greater impact for good than military action and
violence has ever had. These were moments when a portion of mankind was
at its finest.

We have already introduced the Right Response. These are

self-developmental approach responses that are effected by the
internal mental realm. Most Right Responses are approach
responses---all adaptive ones are. This is when current ideas,
skills and strategies are upgraded to provide maximum need
fulfillment. Self development is learning, but only learning in
ways that promote the needs of the spirit.

What we learn from actions that result in positive "self develop" can and
does become a part of our hard wiring, to the point that the course of our
lives becomes both smoother and broader.

Although the Right Response is very functional and optimal in

many cases, as with any response, it can also be abused. But
basically, the only mistake that can be made with the Right
Response results from the misinterpretation of an emotional

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signal. If there is no clear boundary between the spiritual and
mental realms, the person might "approach" an idea of mind as
if it were a directive of spirit. This is when cultural knowledge
is confused for (and is in conflict with) natural knowledge.
This is learning something that is limiting to the spirit, the
introduction of a sliver.

Any action that is a gem (rather than a sliver) is easily recognized by how
much natural joy it brings to those involved. If it is spiritually uplifting and
results in better relations between human beings, than it would likely be
spiritual in origin.

Another way of thinking about it, is the misuse of the Right

Response pits the Cultural Self against the Genetic Self. This is
illogical and will never work, for the Genetic Self represents
the embodiment of spirit and cannot---nor should not---change
its essence. The specific pains of this symptom will be fear,
self guilt, self blame, sadness and eventually depression.
Individual mental and physical ills ultimately result when this
mistake is allowed to remain.

We are burdened with many attitudes that exist in the "Cultural Self" and
originated in the religious, political and economic institutions as instruments
of control. To free ourselves to practice the "Right Response", we have to
examine the motivation behind those attitudes.

With this error, the sliver which has been introduced into the
mind further frustrates the spirit. This sliver will make its
presence known through increased emotional pain. In this case,
anger. Anger is indeed the signal of a frustrated spirit, stifled
from its expression. But as long as the person continues to
empower the belief, this in effect, turns the anger inward
against the spirit, causing increasing levels of anger. Then the

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person must find escapes or safe ways to vent the anger.

Anger unexpressed is like hot air in a balloon that continues to get hotter. At
some point, the balloon will destroy itself. By flipping our perspective (the
balloon) a full 180 degrees, we can allow the anger (hot air) to escape out
into the universe and refill our balloon with more stable (enlightened) air.

For example, one human culture has a truth regarding the

relative inferiority of women. This belief is interwoven
throughout many of the traditions of these people. This belief
serves to meet the power and control needs of men (who
generally lack such freedom as fringe members of a more
mainstream culture), by domineering the woman of their group.
This creates emotional dissonance within the women of this
group, for it denies the integrity of their spirit.

There are many areas in many cultures where one group exaggerates its own
importance at the expense of another group. It is only when it is accepted
that each human being is a reflection of divine spirit that this attitude and
this practice will fade from the current paradigm.

Being female is a choice of the spirit and one that cannot, nor
should not, be changed or minimized by any cultural dictate.
They react to this frustration with anger toward themselves
which further perpetuates the belief. This feeling is
experienced as shame and is even institutionalized as "feminine
shame" for their inherent "dirtiness". They have customs such
as washing men's clothing in separate pots so they are not
defiled by the "dirt" from female garments. They must also
cover their faces when men other than their husbands enter the
room.

The beliefs instilled in the minds of children are the most difficult to alter,
but once looked upon from the full understanding of the reasons they were

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so instilled, the pace by which they can be revised can accelerate.

The women of this culture are unhappy. But instead of

rejecting the belief, they have developed an outlet for the
continuing frustration. They have traditional poems which they
utter frequently whenever a negative feeling arises. These
poems communicate their hurt as well as their sanctimonious
religious standing from being such wonderful martyrs. Yet they
continue to perpetuate the very ideas that keep them frustrated,
for the slivers are deeply ingrained in their worldview.

There is a more common practice in our society, carried out with religious
zeal. It involves the saying of repetitious prayers in the conviction that the
more they are repeated the greater will be the reward in the next state of
being. Unfortunately, it only tends to compartmentalize one's spirituality,
while relationships with others are free to follow a less charitable course.

Placing a belief of mind above the dictates of spirit may seem

like a silly and unlikely option in more mainstream cultures.
But in every culture, there are ideas which ask just that of their
members. For there are many perfectly acceptable ways of
meeting spiritual needs that are deemed socially unacceptable
or even taboo. This is why it is crucial to understand that
correct use of the Right Response seeks only to change the
mind to accommodate the needs of spirit. Humans should never
respect or follow guidelines within any world view that rejects,
or worse, defiles a perfectly right and just spiritual need.

All institutions must capture and maintain the respect of its members if they
are to sustain an existence that compliments the spirit. Those which don't
are doomed to ultimate failure and decay.

Errors of this response are not likely, however, if the

distinction is clear between spirit and mind. And for the most

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part, the Right Response is a very good choice of approach. In
fact, it is the recommended first choice option to all emotional
signals. This approach ensures that ration has been applied to
the situation, that the entity has first examined the mind to see
if learning is necessary. Once this has been done, if there are
still negative signals within similar situations, then other
responses will then be appropriate. But this cannot be known
without first trying to effect these internal self-developmental
changes.

Any planned course of action or any commitment to belief will need to be

examined internally until the full acceptance is felt and our spiritual nature
is comfortable in its being.

The Light Response

The other kind of approach response seeks instead to change

the external world to restore the balance. Self expressive
approach responses are actions in the external world that seek
to share wisdom, creativity or otherwise contribute to the outer
environment. They are acts of simple communication,
persuasion, compassion, altruism, or any method of creative
expression. It is an act of taking who you are to the people. We
shall call this approach, the Light Response . For this is the
way humans offer their individual light to other spirits to which
they are connected.

We all have the opportunity to do this, each time we come into contact with
another human being. We can all be healers in a variety of ways. If we sense
that the clerk in the check-out line looks a little tired or depressed, a kind
word or a compliment can make a difference. It costs us nothing but it
makes more of a difference than a "money-valued" gift.

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Light responses are always offering the ideas, tools, skills
perspectives and help which promote the self-development and
expression of others. It is the exchange and sharing of gems. It
is the spiritual expression of the innate cooperative capacity
which reflects the fulfillment connection need. The underlying
assumption of this choice is that this is surely a cooperative,
win-win situation, where both parties can benefit from this
response. It is the exchange and sharing of feedback when one
person sees something in the other of which they are unaware
and would benefit from understanding. This is actually an
approach to a negative emotion, one vicariously experienced
within another. The Light Response is offered with respect and
compassion in the genuine desire to contribute to the well-
being and happiness of the received.

In a world environment of too frequent violence, it is apparent that

diplomacy is a "fig leaf"' upon the body of collective intelligence. We fail in
our efforts to resolve problems on an international scale because we have
such limited experience in communicating with each other on a local scale.
The same problems that stir the planet are macrocosms of those issues that
divide us as family, friends and neighbors. The above paragraph points to a
way beyond this. The "exchange" possibilities mentioned above are now
possible through this very median, for those who would elect to use them.

For example, a child observes another child during a baseball

game. He sees this child's frustration at the fact that he cannot
seem to strike the ball with the bat. The first child, who is
emotionally healthy and empathetic, feels this pain. He knows
he has some information that he has gained that can solve this
problem. His response to the feeling is the expressive
approach, the "Light Response". He feels the spiritual impetus
to offer his help. Thus, he approaches the child and respectfully

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suggests that he can give the child some pointers if there is
consent. If even one helpful idea is exchanged, both children
will experience a positive emotion. This pleasure will signal
that the receiver has accomplished spiritual development, and
the giver has accomplished spiritual expression.

Too often, the Little League parents will be so obsessed with making sure
that their own child stands out in performance of the needed skills that they
will fail to encourage their child to adopt this more charitable type of
conduct. With the monetary rewards of success in sport skills being so large,
a child that is particularly skilled at something is rather encouraged to
center upon himself and thus regard his teammates as possible threats to his
own success. What's wrong with this picture?

A key understanding is that the Light Response must only offer

ideas which remove existing limits. They must be consensual
and respectful of the existing emotional boundaries. This type
of approach basically communicates: "I feel your pain, can I
offer some light?" Although this may sound schmaltzy to the
modern mind, it communicates connection, respect,
compassion and an invitation for growth, without provoking
the defenses. For specific words to use, some alternative
suggestions: "I hate to see you struggling, can I offer some
help?" Or even, "Can I help here?

These are not complicated suggestions, and the consequences of such a

simple act can have exponential effects. It is akin to the metaphor of lighting
a single candle and the flame from that "candle" being passed along until we
have enlightened the whole world. There is no sacrifice on the part of any
"candle" which passes its flame along. Like the journey of a thousand miles
that begins with a single step, we each have an opportunity on a daily basis
to take that "step".

Of course, if the receiver does not desire your "light" and

permission is not granted, then your job is done. Whether or

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not the receiver is in a ready, receptive state, you have
achieved your needed spiritual expression. Emotional
boundaries which create the defensive, self-preservationary
responses must be compassionately respected. Regardless of
the receptivity, the gesture itself is spiritually desirable. At
minimum, it gives the person pause for thought and bolsters the
idea that humans are good and caring. A person who initially
rejects such offerings of light, will be all the more receptive to
the next expressive gesture. Each such gesture wears away at
maladaptive beliefs that hold humans to be less than
compassionate, caring, connected, trustworthy and "good".

In our initial efforts to step beyond ourselves and offer help to those around
us, we might be met with a non-response or, sometimes, open rejection. This
can be used as our excuse to refrain from further efforts. Maybe such a
gesture on our part, might be deemed by those who know us as being out of
character. (Trying it on a stranger may be safer.) But with time and
persistence, the other person, if not accepting of our offer of help, might be a
little more open to the effort of someone else. The response we get from those
who know us might be a more enlightening lesson than we are prepared for,
but it could be the most valuable lesson we need because it gives us a
valuable insight on how we are perceived by those who know us best.

The Light Response also works in the reverse. It is often highly

desirable to ask others to share their light, to seek advise and
counsel which can precede a Right Response. This is an
optimal combination of internal and external self expressive
and developmental response to emotional signals. Of course,
respect, consent and cooperation are still required.

God protect us from presuming that we have all the answers to everyone
else's problems. Who among us would presume to be so perfect. Those who
care about us (or even those who don't) could well have insights about our
habits and character that could end up being valuable gems in the crown of
our behavior. Also, it can be conceived as a compliment to someone when

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you ask them for their help.

There are also mistakes made when choosing the Light

Response. There are rampant examples of those offering
"light" when it is not desired, and when it, in fact, adds
limitation. Any true act of light broadens opportunity and
expands emotional boundaries. Many religious proselytizers
seek to change the world to meet their mental portrait instead
of the reverse. There is often an arrogant and self-righteous
attitude that lacks compassion, is disrespectful and downright
backward. The same is true for political parties. Humans
should always ensure that they take in as much light as they
seek to give out, lest they simply be maintaining their own
emotional boundaries rather than expanding them. This is the
reason why the world experiences social and political gridlock
and holy wars continue to be fought.

In a sense, this is why all wars are "religious" wars because they result from
a difference in belief systems, whether they be based on an interpretation of
the nature of God, or an economic philosophy, or a political style of
government or even a perceived threat to any of the above. The above
paragraph, when truly understood and accepted, could probably avert most
of the military confrontations on this planet.

We have only discussed the approach responses, and have

already encountered the source of many human ills. But for the
most part, approach responses are still fairly easy to use
appropriately. It is a good rule of thumb to go ahead and act
upon positive feelings, as well as compassionate negative ones.
For those approach impulses will lead to learning, whether or
not the road may be bumpy along the way. With honest
evaluation of the feelings, the feedback they provide, and a
timely corrective response, diversions from the intended path

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can be quickly rectified.

There are times when the only way we are able to learn the lessons we need
to learn is to experience the consequences of a negative act. It is the higher
part of ourselves that must lead us to polluted waters, so to speak, in order
for us to appreciate the "pure". This might seem cruel at times, but it is
intended to give us that experience necessary to correct our course. We
know this is true of children and certainly nearly all adults carry remnants
of childish behavior.

The more ominous aspect of the approach response is when

humans approach in order to avoid. If certain needs are not met
to an adequate level, it often becomes an automatic tendency
for humans to approach to create pleasure to escape pain.
When this is the case, we are no longer in the realm of
approach responses. We are no longer in self-developmental
mode, we are in the realm of self-preservation.

This could be akin to the all-too-well-known "one night stand". Seeking

pleasure on a momentary basis in order to avoid the emotional pain of being
unconnected. It is the equivalent of taking a drug to quell a physical or
mental need, be it an aspirin for a headache, caffeine for a boost, or
something stronger and taken to an uncontrollable degree.

We have just learned how mistakes in approach responses can

cause certain individual and social ills. But these mistakes of
self-development and expression are relatively harmless in
comparison to the mistakes of self-preservationary responses.
We can now turn to the most insidious of the response choices,
the avoidant response.

I can hardly wait!

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The Avoidant Responses

We have briefly introduced the Fight and Flight Responses, but

now we shall delve into their complexities. They are still valid
responses to specific circumstances at particular times. But for
the most part they are grossly over-used, resulting in nearly
every remaining individual and social ill experienced by human
beings.

To that degree, we are limited. But this limitation is by choice. We have

creative capabilities that are yet to be tapped and this material is designed to
do just that.

Avoidant responses are about resistance. They refuse to accept

a situation as reported by the emotional signal. Resistance to
objectionable ideas which defile or reject human needs is a
good and necessary response. Resistance is still a useful tool,
but one with a sharp double edge. In learning situations,
avoidant responses can wreak havoc and throw humans from
their evolutionary path.

There are ways to avoid "learning situations". It begins by avoiding human

contact wherever possible. Or one can be so self-absorbed that adverse
experiences have little impact on our personal growth. We all know people
like this and some of us have seen them in our mirrors.

In receiving the Light Responses from others, avoidance closes

doors to opportunity. But avoidance also fosters more sinister
and nearly universal human ills. Avoidance (not money) is
perhaps the root of all evil.

We can not experience what we choose to avoid.

Take particular note of this information, for recognizing and

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consciously controlling these responses in your behavior will
be tremendously liberating and greatly rewarding.

What follows are the particulars to the above admonition. It could carry us
to levels we haven't even considered before now.

The Flight Response

The Flight Response is that innate urge to run away from

danger. When humans experience fear, the body is filled with
arousal energy for movement away from the dangerous
situation. The underlying assumption for choosing this
response is that something very threatening must be avoided,
for this is a win-lose competition and the self would surely be
the loser. This is a very adaptive strategy when there is clear
and present physical danger. This was particularly true before
the advent of mind. For as we know, along with the mind came
the need to self-develop and the challenge of achieving
spiritual expression through its filter. We know now that even a
signal for self-development feels like one for self-preservation,
prompting avoidance and escape.

When we meet that bear in the woods, taking flight is still a very practical
course to follow. However, in modern life, we tend to avoid that experience
for less physically threatening ones. More often, our "bears" are the
mentally and emotionally threatening. How we relate to them requires a
different tactic.

Therefore, there are some particular sticky results from these

constraints upon the Flight Response. First, running away is
rarely appropriate. In fact, it should be a last ditch response
only when all other options have met with failure. This Flight
Response now takes the form of physically leaving an

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environment that does not accommodate need-meeting efforts.
This can be the retreat from a relationship, a marriage, a job, a
club, a religion, a country or even a life, if needs cannot truly
be met due to immovable obstacles. It can be a temporary
retreat to cool off, to regroup, to restrategize; or it can be a
permanent retreat to more free and opportune systems,
relationships or geographic locales. This is the only appropriate
form, and is a final option .

The action of "last resort" is often selected before other options have been
considered. It's the old proverb of the grass looking greener on the other side
of the fence. It's only after we spend some time in that other "grass" that we
come to perceive that it wasn't all that much greener. A "retreat" is a less
emotional action if it includes an intent to review and reconsider. The final
departure from a situation, in a certain sense, can be premature and a
lesson-avoiding experience.

The Flight Response is very automatic and shows up in very

subtle, yet insidious, ways. For example, with the advent of
mind there came the option of internal retreats---internal flights
from perceived danger. The word perceived is used because
this perception may or may not have an external validity, of
which we know the mind does not know or care. It operates as
if every content is actual and real, as is its job. Worse,
whenever a learning experience is necessary and a growing
pain is experienced, the first automatic and easiest response is
one of avoidant defense.

This is one of our tougher challenges in life, i.e. accepting unpleasant

"experiences" for their educational value. At the very moment we are in
them, they may likely seem of little value, but once completed and reflected
upon, they turn out to be pure gold in the economy of spiritual growth.

All mental flight responses are maladaptive, nonproductive and

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hurtful. They are rationalizations, placing blame, scapegoating
or otherwise finding alternative explanations for deficiencies.
They allow virtually anything except entertaining the
possibility that problems lie within the self. Each mental flight
is a psychological retreat---an act of self-deception. Such
escapism always slows or stops self-development and can be
quite damaging, yet such reactions are extremely common.

In a society where materialism is encouraged, we are conditioned to believe

that acquiring some "thing" will automatically bring us a greater level of
happiness. Why fix it when you can replace it. Just as this tends to rob us of
the opportunity to exercise our personal ingenuity, the flight from
unpleasant emotional situations tends to rob us of our ability to relate to our
fellow beings in more human terms.

Escapist actions are apparent everywhere. Humans seek mental

retreats from emotional pain through defense mechanisms,
withdrawal, avoidant tendencies, distractions, and compulsive
behaviors. Such mental escapism is all captured within the
umbrella concept of denial.

How many times have we heard the comment, "Oh. He's in denial." Or "She
isn't facing the reality of their relationship." Sometimes we tend to maintain
the status quo by mentally avoiding the obvious. This, too, is a form of
"retreat" from reality.

Denial is the tendency to avoid that which is staring one right

in the face. The information is avoided because its
acknowledgment would be painful. Denial can be a subtle
escape from (or avoidance of) any situation which could cause
the emotional signal. This includes even the minor anxiety of
growing pains. This means that learning experiences would be
avoided. This is not spiritually desirable, but the human
defenses are prone to do just that, without rational

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understanding of the feeling.

Our society is one that is founded on the Anglo-Saxon code of relationships.

We tend to maintain a certain distance from each other, a restraint seen in
most European countries such as England, Germany and the Scandinavian
cultures. Southern European countries have much less difficulty expressing
emotional relationships and, in fact, tend to be quite vulnerable to each
other, when carried to an extreme. This, too, can be a handicap.

In our baseball example, if the struggling child would not

admit his own need for assistance, a mental escape would
allow him to "save face". He could come up with any number
of ideas that would explain his lack of success at hitting the
ball. This is self-deception, but it offers relief from the
emotional signal by adopting an avoidant idea.

We suffer from the illusion that to "ask for" or "accept" an offer of help, is
an admittance of weakness. We males are more prone to this condition.
After all, what do we do when we're lost? First, we don't admit it and then
we avoid asking for directions as long as possible. Adults are often nothing
more than oversized children.

Humans are extremely resourceful in their denial. It is a subtle,

even subconscious, habit that must be guarded against. But
denial is not a lone avoidant strategy. For humans also have
many other creative diversions that successfully avoid and
quiet unpleasant feelings.

After all, with our physical, mental and emotional components, we are
rather complex beings. Complexity can be a plus, but only if the parts work
in unison toward a positive end.

Distraction is also a handy Flight Response. Humans distract

themselves from bad feelings by behaving in ways that bring
pleasure. They can escape into safe and fantastic imagined

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realms through books, television, films, or other entertainment;
they can focus intently on distracting or thrilling tasks, they can
eat, socialize, work or make love. Certain of these diversions
are harmless, even quite rewarding, in moderation.

It is when a "distraction" becomes an obsession to the point of shielding us

from our overall areas of growth, that it needs to be examined from a more
detached perspective.

But any such activity in direct response to (or avoidance of)

emotional pain, does nothing to resolve the imbalance. In
excess, they can even become neurotic compulsions and the
feelings will only get stronger. They will linger continuously,
smoldering just beneath the surface of consciousness,
prompting further mindless, non-productive, compulsive,
bizarre, or unhealthy actions. This cycle can continue
indefinitely until the basic underlying sliver is removed, or the
body wears out. This avoidant strategy would yield a painful,
hellish (and perhaps short) existence.

In a way, when a Flight Response becomes a clear avoidance from a reality

we should be facing, and becomes a sliver in need of removal, it has gone
beyond merely an educational experience. It has become a threat to our
natural progression. As we become more sensitive to the internal signals
designed to keep us on our intended course, we will also experience declines
in our tendency to digress from our intended path. An analogy might be our
experience when first learning to drive a car. Unsure of ourselves, we might
have over-corrected when steering our way down the road. In time, we felt
more comfortable and found that we hardly had to move the steering wheel
at all, much less focus all our mental powers on that specific act. A practice
once learned, is not forgotten. This is equally true of the creative thinking
process.

Another psychological Flight Response is the human practice

of actually altering the physical chemistry to relieve emotional

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dissonance through medicating the body with alcohol, nicotine
and other drugs. Of course, chemical manipulation of a healthy
emotional system can only rob humans of its advantages and
indeed, can cause irreparable harm.

There is a difference between taking a drink to relax and guzzling an

excessive amount in order to put a troubling reality out of one's mind. The
former can possibly enhance our health while the latter is a direct threat to
it.

One need not look far to see liberal, reckless use of the Flight
Response. But optimally it should be chosen with foresight and
exercised with caution. It does not resolve the conflict, nor
restore the balance, and it can desensitize one from their own
emotional signals, to the point where they deny the feelings
themselves.

We need not look far to find examples in our surroundings. Sometimes, no

farther than our bathroom mirror. But a great deal of our limitations were
planted in us at an early age by those well-meaning people who suffered
from the same type of programming. In fact, we too have done the same. We
need not expand that pattern. Free will is still our heritage.

In short, the Flight Response should be saved for a last-ditch

corrective option, and diligent efforts should be expended to
avoid this particularly tenacious, hardwired, avoidant response.

If the above material doesn't make that point - then experience will.

The Fight Response

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The other avoidant response is, of course, the Fight Response.
This is the active, expressive form of resistance in which
external force is used to overcome the danger or to change it in
some way. It is a relative (perhaps the evil twin) of the Light
Response, but without the acceptance of the situation nor the
spirit of cooperation. It is the competitive response to
limitation, obstacles, lack of resources or opportunity.

This is the glorified 'Response', the one we most often honor with statues and
speeches. For many, it is a sport - for others, it is an enterprise. Nations rise
and fall on the success or failure of this 'Response' and we build our
economy and culture around it.

The Fight Response seeks to correct or reshape the external

world so that it can better accommodate a need-meeting effort.
Initially, the Fight Response ensured that humans would
survive by meeting their needs through competitive brute force
when necessary. The assumption justifying this response is that
only one winner can emerge, that this is surely a competitive
win-lose proposition and a win is necessary to self protect.

Today, that mentality is used as a justification for working long hours,

putting up with treatment that humans should not have to tolerate. It
maintains the fear of being without as a result of not having a source of
income. We reward and glorify the winners and curse or forget the losers.
But there is a balance in nature that guarantees that all winners eventually
become losers.

Until societies fully acknowledge human nature and

accommodate the need-meeting choices of their citizens, this
response will still be appropriate, for resistance to any ideas or
codes which deny needs of spirit is what the Creator desires. If
this were not true, humans would not experience anger, the
self-preservationary aggressive response. Political resistance,

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even revolutionary actions, which stand up for human rights
are historically evident and understandably beneficial. If the
oppression is mighty, even war can be beneficial.

Differences that escalate from the opportunity to reason to the state of

combat, whether it be on the battlefield or the court room, are ultimate
proof that reasonable effort has failed. The final value of extreme
consequences is, hopefully, the lessons learned from the experience. That
should be why we study history.

However, this is merely due to the misunderstanding of human

nature and needs, and the miscommunication between spirit,
mind and body. Such limits continue to exist within societies,
but in an enlightened society, Light Responses are received and
assimilated which continuously expand freedoms and
opportunities. They ultimately evolve away from the need for
spiritual resistance.

Just as computers can be taught not to make the same mistake a second
time, so we can learn the value of a broadened approach to the normal
frictions of life. Someone once said that the words "Please", Thank You",
and "Excuse Me", were the lubricants of social interaction.

When such limitation still exists, the Fight Response is a

necessary choice. Of course, a modern version would be to
communicate the problem and your non-acceptance of it.
Doing this in a peaceful manner, within the acceptable avenues
of change already in place within ones society, is the best
method. This is why there are social, judicial or political
processes in the more enlightened societies for the resolution of
such conflicts. Usually, however, by the time a Fight Response
is necessary, the limitation is firmly entrenched and accepted
within the social order.

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When so-called "more enlightened societies" practice the use of these
"social, judicial or political processes" within their respective societies, but
revert to the "fight response" in dealing with other societies they have
differences with, they set an example that makes it more difficult for those
societies with less history and tradition in using the social, judicial and
political process, to follow the "enlightened" path. Example is the most
effective form of leadership.

There still exist many societies on earth wherein the credo is

"severity for those who resist". Such countries fail to recognize
the individual needs and the fact that they take priority over the
group needs within its members. There is much
institutionalized suffering as a result. Any country that feels it
needs a wall to contain its members has mistaken operational
directives, clearly not aligned with spiritual intention.

Of course, the walls are starting to come down. But when a physical wall
falls, it is only a metaphor for the intellectual and emotional walls that can
follow. But, if the mental attitude is still one of winner over loser, (or one
system claiming its superiority over another) then the struggle/conflict
atmosphere will remain in place.

Fortunately, the world has now evolved to the point that there
are countries that do provide escape from oppression, which
ensures that Flight Responses, when necessary, can be
effective. Eventually, those ideas that perpetuate the spirit will
win out, if enough interaction between cultures is allowed. But
progress could be increased exponentially with the
understandings which restore spiritual intention to the process.

The communication technology is expanding "exponentially" and making

the above more possible every day. This web/e-mail process is its own
example. Although these Lessons may not be traveling across borders, the
potential for them to do so is present. Of course, "borders" is also a term
that can be applied to each individual mind, as well as to geography.

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The United States is an excellent training ground for such an
exchange of ideas, through promoting values of freedom,
equitable opportunity and happiness. This country recognizes
both the individual and the group needs, in a world where it has
been traditional for societies to choose one over the other.
Although they have yet to attain the optimal balance between
the two, this is evolving well. With the worldwide
communication and mobility, many American ideals are
rapidly being spread throughout the world, some of which are
beneficial to global evolution.

It would be comforting to believe that our more spiritually oriented ideals

are spreading into other portions of the planet with the same zeal as our
economic practices, i.e. NAFTA and GATT. The success of the former would
be tied to a more enlightened motivation.

Rejection of resistance is also the basic premise within most

religions. Their method of oppression is through introducing
further slivers when any conflicts are exposed. They offer
bribes and threats to talk humans out of their basic needs,
rather than accommodate them The confessional booth for
example, often brings to light conflicts between human need
and religious dictate. Although it is unlikely that the priest will
take certain suggestions to the Pope, this is exactly what the
spirit---The Creator---is requesting. It is suggested that
individuals within any religious organization, make Right
Responses to reject any limiting dictate and keep only those
which satisfy the spirit, so that they can enjoy the benefits of
religion and without suffering the grossly misleading costs.

This may sound like the source is picking on organized religion and, in a
sense, it is. But spiritual institutions which represent spiritual ideals must be
willing to risk an alteration of the status quo in order to experience growth.

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If these "institutions" fail to grow, the whole process is handicapped. Then,
what growth does take place, has to come about in the form of Fight
Response types of action, more commonly known as revolution . This "r"
word is too often a "last resort" course of expansion.

Summary Of Behavioral Corrective Response

Each and every human behavior, be it thought or action, falls

into one of these categories. Each is motivated by a feeling.
Although many such feelings are subtle, there is a constantly
available, yet changing emotional energy underlying every
human motive to act. If each action is analyzed, it shall become
apparent that without exception, it will be motivated by either a
Right, Light, Flight or Fight Response. Within the feedback
paradigm, emotion is exposed as the crucial communicative tie
which either unites or separates, mind, body and spirit.

This suggests that "emotion" or feelings, not reason or logic, are the primary
motivators of action. How we feel about things and people governs how we
relate to them. Ultimately, it is probable that our perspective is strongly
influenced by our emotions and we conduct ourselves accordingly.

With this crucial information at the disposal of humans, they

can begin to monitor and utilize the essential messages of the
spirit. They can understand their behaviors by finding the
underlying feelings. They can identify the gems and slivers by
following them to their source. They can make reasoned
choices for their corrective responses to imbalances. These can
be optimal choices which contribute to individual and mass
evolution. They can even make plenty of human mistakes, but
they will be far ahead of the game with such a strategy. For this
inner gift will always be present to guide them even from the

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darkest, most painful moments back into the light.

When it becomes particularly obvious that some action we took has led to
less than positive consequences, we can now analyze it from a state of
detachment and determine what our original thought was that led us to
where we are and where we are going to be, if we continue along the same
direction:

Watch your thoughts, they become your words.

Watch your words, they become your actions.

Watch your actions, they become your habits.

Watch your habits, they become your character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS, THEY BECOME YOUR DESTINY.

Each such soldier of light can contribute to the wave of

consciousness expansion which shall soon crash upon human
shores. Even with minimal understanding of the subtleties of
the emotional sense, anyone can join this effort. They can do so
simply by following some elementary behavioral guidelines.
All it takes is a genuine commitment to self-development and
expression, honest self-analysis and logical order in the choice
of corrective response.

If we think of emotion as the power source and logic as the decision making
process, we can relate our actions to that of driving an automobile, again.
The fuel (emotion) drives the engine that propels us forward (or backward)
and is controlled by the accelerator and the brake (self discipline). The
steering wheel (reasoning mind) is used to make the necessary course
corrections as we proceed on our path of destiny. So much of our life is a
reflection of these simple principles of activity, without which societies would
not be able to function.

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Many scourges upon humanity are the direct result of humans
choosing the response choices in the wrong order. There are
certainly notable exceptions, but for the most part self-
preservation creates the "normal" urge to action in the
following order:

1. Deny feelings, take Flight from pain, (even growing pain)

2. Fight to maintain emotional boundaries

3. Right if unavoidable

4. Light when possible

Changing this pattern alone can create enormous and

immediate growth.

When we first begin to drive, we are more preoccupied with operating the
automobile than with getting from point A to point B. Eventually, we
develop more faith in ourselves and our vehicle, and the pleasure of the trip
increases. We move from fear and lack of confidence to joy and fulfillment,
as this new experience becomes a natural part of our living process.

Although there are more understandings to come, anyone

wishing to join the forces of light can simply follow this simple
strategy to guide their behavior and to experience tremendous
progress. To live within spiritual intention from this moment
forth:

1. Listen to feelings; resist denial of emotional messages.

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2. Right first.

3. If obstacles persist, cooperate and offer Light.

4. If obstacles persist, resist, compete and Fight.

5. If obstacles persist, take Flight.

It is amazing what a little focus and caring can do to smooth out the bumps
in life. As stated earlier, just as the words "please, thank you and excuse
me" can lubricate the communication between people. We all tend to
respond positively to being treated with respect, once we come to respect
ourselves and all those around us.

Each successful day of living within spiritual intention will

allow evermore complete understandings to unfold. With this
simple behavioral guidance, the spirit can begin to sing.

Not much can be added to that statement!

We can now press on to examine the specific feelings

themselves. Each understanding will assist in the full
restoration of the innate emotional sense, understanding of the
Language of Spirit---The Language of God.

Page 83-98 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Beta

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Lesson Three: The Six Basic Feelings

Emotions Of Spirit

With the understanding of the intended feedback function of

human emotion, the feeling signals become honored as crucial
communicators. Although the simple behavioral guidance for
choice of response is already a tremendous aid, full utilization
of the sixth human sense is assisted by heeding the specific
messages of each of the signals. For each emotional signal has
a specific purpose, related to a specific spiritual need, and each
calls for its own specific response.

This "sixth human sense" referred to above can probably best be tapped by
placing oneself in a light trance or a meditative state. We might also consider
tapping the dream state in sort of a question/answer routine in which
questions are put to our unconscious/spiritual nature before retiring and
answers are reviewed as soon as we awaken.

In the earlier discussion regarding interpretation of emotional

signals, the tool of the Twin Selves was offered to redefine the
boundary between mind and body, or internal and external
realms. This distinction allows humans rational interpretation
of their feelings so that they can choose the correct response.
During that discussion, it was hinted that there was an easier
way to tell the difference between mind and body to help
interpret emotional signals. This is because there are specific
emotions connected with each of the selves. There are specific
emotions which automatically suggest that the imbalance
springs from limitations in the realm of mind, and others that
communicate from frustrated needs of embodied spirit.

What will follow in this section is an examination of these various feelings.

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But first we will examine the difference between the emotions of body and
the emotions of mind.

Although the order of response is still as recommended, those

feelings which come from contents of mind will automatically
suggest self-developmental behaviors (Right Responses), and
those of body will suggest self-expressive or preservationary
(Light, Fight or Flight Responses). We can now examine the
feelings themselves and reacquaint ourselves with this most
wondrous, yet misunderstood spiritual communication system.

The Emotions Of Body

In the beginning, there was one basic emotion, joy. Joy, of

course, is the conscious experience of Divine Love. Joy is the
intended state of spirit. As we now know, when humans
donned the chemical cloak they became susceptible to
interruptions of spiritual intention. To ensure an ever-present
spiritual connection during the physical journey, the body (the
Genetic Self), was encoded with protective devices to save
humans from themselves. This is the homeostatic feedback
device which signals when spiritual intention is frustrated, and
motivates corrective actions to get back onto the track of joy.
In this system, feelings both signal the problem and motivate
the corrective responses.

There is more than just the instinct to survive buried within in us. There is
an innate self-awareness of what we truly are and what we must do to
continue to grow. These are the controls we exercise to progress along the
trip using our metaphorical brake, our accelerator and our steering wheel--
so to speak.

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Encoded within the body to do this job were two basic human
emotions. They were joy and fear. They equated simply to
spiritual expression or frustration, to the Divine Light or the
darkness in its absence, to pleasure and pain. Joy motivated a
human approach and fear motivated an avoidance. Fear was
intended to ensure the preservation of the species as a
corrective signal when needs were unmet as well as a
hardwired avoidant response that could over-ride the mind
when necessary.

In a complicated world, even then, there were challenges to the acquiring of

food and lodging, that even the best of environments offered. Threats to
survival stimulated the mind just as beauty satisfied the soul.

These two emotions, when interacting with the cognitive

abilities of the brain and the need-meeting actions of early
humanity, soon branched into the emotions of anger and
sadness. And then there were four.

Frustration at failing to meet a goal became "anger". Loss of a possession or

relationship became "sadness". In today's society, we have chemical drugs to
stimulate pleasure and reduce physical pain. We are less successful at
dealing with these latter two, but are moving in that direction, i.e.
tranquilizers and happy pills. Unfortunately, not only are such drugs
temporary but, in the long run, probably harmful on levels that are not
universally understood and appreciated.

Anger sprang from the human need for freedom and control.
Anger would grow from fear over memories of frustration and
future projections of concern over interference with efforts of
spiritual expression. It motivated active "fight" responses to
ensure that external obstacles were not to be tolerated. Sadness
sprang from loss experiences. Most specifically from losses of

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people and the severance of ties that satisfied the group needs.
Sad feelings were meant to motivate actions that promoted
new, replacement alliances and protected against further loss.

Anger and sadness, in themselves, aren't necessarily experiences to be

avoided. They can have value in our growth process if they don't lead to
physical and mental harm against someone else or ourselves. We can go
beyond these states when we elect to do so. It is part of exercising our
creative abilities.

Thus, we now have four basic hardwired emotions: joy, fear,

anger and sadness. They should be thought of as emotions of
the body or the Genetic Self. These hardwired feelings are
present at birth and displayed in early infancy. These are
universal emotions, experienced for the same reasons by all
humans regardless of culture. They should be understood as
indicators that self-preservation is truly the message. Joy
means that needs of the spirit have been fulfilled, while the
pain of anger, fear and sadness means that needs are frustrated
by obstacles which must be removed. These four emotions
motivate universal mental and physical responses of approach
or avoidance to ensure self-preservation.

Keeping in mind that we can not progress if we are not "preserved", it is

easy to see why these emotions are "hardwired" into our nature.

It is important to mention, that although these emotions spring

from body in the feedback situation, that they are filtered
through the perceptions and beliefs of mind. So for this reason,
the Right Response should always remain the optimal first
response choice. This would be a quick, non-resistant, (non-
defensive) accurate analysis of underlying beliefs about the
emotional-invoking situation. Any conflicts discovered could

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then be immediately resolved. This will ensure that objective,
rational assessment of the situation has been achieved and that
the obstacles are not internal, imaginary or self-created. But
once this has been ruled out, this feeling signal in a similar
situation can accurately be understood as indication of an
external obstacle that must be removed by an expressive
response.

There are many experiences that are self-generated and can just as easily
and quickly be altered when we realize the source and how the actions that
led to the situation can be corrected. In a truer sense, all experiences are self-
created and serve as stimulants for our true growth.

The Emotions of Mind

All other emotions are outgrowths of these primary emotions

and are secondary softwired emotions. Although they are
rooted in human biology, they are not present at birth; they
develop with age, interaction and experience. They develop
entangled with the culture values, knowledge, memories and
beliefs of the mind. They exist in the realm of the Cultural Self.
Their meaning can be as complex or simple, as straightforward
or convoluted, as supportive or debilitative as the human mind
in which they are experienced. They are directly related to
human experience---in other words, they are learned. They can
be attached to most any human idea that can exist within the
realm of mind. The summations and beliefs that invoke them
can very widely.

We are programmed at an early age and those "programs" become the

memories and beliefs of the 'Cultural Self'. Many of them govern our actions

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for the remainder of our physical lives. They even continue to damage us
(and those around us) long after we learn the adverse consequences of their
presence. Yet, because they are not hardwired into our being, they can be
"deleted" and replaced with beliefs that are more compatible with our true
spiritual nature.

The emotions of mind include guilt, shame, hope, pride,

embarrassment, remorse, confidence and any other subtle
shade of feeling not mentioned in the above category. They
relate directly to contents within the realm of mind---to the
gems and slivers---and indicate that self-developmental
responses are in order. These learned emotions of mind call for
learned responses of mind, Right Responses. We know now
that these are not hardwired. They must be actively chosen and
undertaken, often in the face of opposing urges toward
avoidance.

We often see governments projecting "knee-jerk" reactions to situations

considered threatening, often leading to military action, which incorporates
death and destruction, usually of the more civilian portion of a population.
Such governments presume they are reflecting the will of the public, but a
more enlightened course of action might reflect a deeper sense of the public's
true nature. That "nature" would likely turn out to be quite in contradiction
to what ruling institutions presume to know.

This key understanding will cast many situations into an

entirely different light. It will be shocking as it exposes rather
entrenched and universal emotional boundaries. But it is now
extremely necessary to shock humans back into understanding,
to break through the haze of denial and self destruction.

Time is running short for the mass of humanity to adopt a broader

paradigm. The responsibility for creating our own reality is now an essential
realization. Within this "realization" lies the hope of the world.

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For example, when a situation arises in which guilt is
experienced, this will now be understood as a message from
the spirit that some external dictate has been internalized which
has frustrated or limited a need. This is exactly opposite of
what most humans are taught about the experience of guilt. In
fact, this emotion has been utilized to inspire conformity to
external dictates at the expense of internal ones for thousands
of years.

Guilt has an essentially positive purpose, until it is used as a weapon of

control and punishment. Institutions seek control to sustain themselves. It
doesn't matter if they are governmental, economic or religious institutions,
they are all susceptible to falling into that pattern of behavior.

With such slivers, the first impulse upon the experience of

guilt, might be a trip to the confessional or some such action
which shares the concern and allows getting the issue off one's
chest. This is good, it can actually be an expressive Right
Response wherein one seeks external counsel, enlightenment or
understanding so that the internal changes can be effected. The
result would be a change in belief systems which would
prevent the same situation from being repeated, thus the feeling
signal would be quieted and would not arise again in similar
situations.

Those moments of guidance in the confessional could be truly beneficial in a

life-long sense. However, in order for this to occur, it would require a
willingness on the part of the religious institution to step back and trust in
the innate spiritual nature of people to come forth. Prayers of penance don't
do much to alter attitudes and behavior. Rather, they assuage the conscience
and allow behavior to remain basically unchanged.

But this is not an optimal action if it leaves the sliver in the

mind. No amount of cultural or religious appeasement will

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actually remove a need that has been stifled. The spirit will
diligently protest the sliver and the situation and its resulting
guilt will arise again and again. For as we know, slivers are
often conflicting ideas that humans believe, which give them
conflicting directives and create confusing impulses. Once
these conflicts are exposed and eliminated, the directives can
be those of the spirit, not those of a confused mind.

Confuse(d) mind(s) are essential to those who need to maintain control. A

clear mind governed by one's own innate spiritual nature has no need to be
controlled from without, and no need to seek assistance from institutions.
When this has become the new reality, these institutions will have to find a
different role to play in society, one that compliments the spiritual aspects of
humanity rather than stifles them.

For ultimately, humans will find that any action that brings a
feeling of guilt will be the result of a maladaptive response to
an emotion-invoking situation, driven by conflicting beliefs
and misunderstandings, or good old-fashioned laziness. There
is no evil, there is no inherently wrong act, unless it violates the
needs of the spirit. Guilt is not the only misconceived feeling;
each has become muddled and entangled with an incredible
amount of human "knowledge".

This last statement may sound anti-intellectual, but what we sometimes

interpret to be "knowledge" is really nothing more than ingrained belief
systems that are passed on from one generation to the next for the primary
purpose of controlling behavioral patterns from an outside source. True
"knowledge" can be tapped from within ourselves and is capable of a great
deal more infallibility.

Since there are so many misunderstandings regarding feelings,

we now turn to a careful analysis of each of the major
emotions. Together the emotions of mind and body now

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comprise six basic feelings which underlie every subtle
feeling. All of which are affected by contents of mind, two of
which are exclusive to the contents of mind. With clear
understandings of the six universal feelings, rational analysis of
each subtle experience can be attained.

These SIX now follow:

The Emotions Of Mind - Six Universal Feelings, i.e.

Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Envy & Guilt

1. Joy

Definition: A very glad feeling, happiness, delight; anything

causing this.

As children, we experienced this, even before we knew it had a name, or a

definition.

Range: Mild, pleasant contentment, to rapturous ecstasy.

Everything from a Grandmother's soft smile to a teenager's leaps of "joy".

Source: Genetic Self (body/spirit), in its drive for preservation

and expression; Cultural Self (mind) in its drive for
development.

In either category, it can be a plus experience.

Stimulus Conditions: Rewarding, situations. Hyper

accommodation of physical or psychological needs; getting

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better than expected results; creative and spiritual expression of
the Genetic Self, and development of the Cultural Self.

Much of Joy is relative to creative activity.

Instinctive Response: To approach; to recreate stimulus

circumstances to bring about the feeling again and again.

Some religions have taught that Joy is an experience to be shunned. This

may be because our concept of God seldom includes a joyous state of being.
But the natural state is a joyous state - even for God.

Intended Function: To accomplish self-preservation,

development and expression by identifying those experiences
which should be cultivated, reinforced and recreated. To
provide motivation to continue along paths which are
successful at spiritual need-fulfillment.

Once you have one joyful experience, you can build upon it until it becomes
a treasured structure.

Pitfalls: The possibility of creating artificial, escapist or

induced pleasure through compulsive actions or through
biological and/or pharmacological manipulation; Joy entangled
with reproductive drive (infatuation and other lesser forms of
love)---beware.

This is the danger of relying consistently on outside sources for the joy we
need in our lives. Such sources can exercise their free will and abandon us
and leave us vulnerable to self-destruction.

Recommended Course Of Response To Joy:

1. Any approach (developmental or expressive), behavioral

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responses which increase the stimulus and recreate the feelings
of joy, for genuine reasons, which expand goals, broaden
arenas, elaborate and improve strategies that are already
working, and sharing them with others. Joy leads to its own
reward.

Some cultures know greater levels of 'Joy' than others; and those cultures
are not necessarily the technologically superior.

2. If any negative emotions arise from such Right and Light

behaviors, analyze the stimulus conditions and proceed through
the recommended course for those emotions. They will expose
conflicts in belief that need resolution. Caution: joy is so
powerful that no one wants to lose a source of joy, even if that
source is also the source of great pain. This conflict spurs the
automatic Flight Response of denial (denial of the negative
aspects of the source in order to continue to enjoy the positive
aspects of the source).

Those involved in abusive relationships will often remain in those

relationships because of the accompanying moments of 'Joy' that are also
experienced.

Food For Thought:

"Be happy, it's one way of being wise". ---Colette

"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls".---Mother

Teresa

The Emotions Of Mind - Six Universal Feelings, i.e.

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Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Envy & Guilt

2. Fear

Definition: Anxiety caused by real or possible danger.

Range: Mild anxiety to blinding, heart-stopping panic.

Source: Genetic Self; in the drive for self-preservation.

Stimulus Conditions: Threatening situations.

1. Internal beliefs, thoughts, ideas, attitudes or memories which

cause perceived danger or potential threat to need fulfillment.

2. People, things, or situations in the external environment

which threaten health, safety or need fulfillment.

3. Emotional Boundaries of self cause mild anxiety in

developmental or learning situations (growing pains), since
development is a threat to self-preservation.

Instinctive Response: To take flight, to retreat or escape

Intended Function: To motivate the avoidance of, and the

escape from situations which threaten to diminish need
fulfillment opportunities or efforts, (and ultimately, threats to
survival).

Pitfalls: Imaginary threats can create very real fear feelings.

Fear prompts avoidant thoughts and behaviors quite naturally,

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but such denial fails to address or remove the underlying
source, perpetuating a cycle of fear and further avoidance as
well as narrowing mental emotional boundaries. Overly closed
ideological environments can promote paranoia, avoidance of
(and ultimately hate of) other different environments and their
members. Fear of the unknown and avoidance of growing
pains, can thwart self-developmental need fulfillment efforts
and stymie learning.

Recommended Course of Response To Fear:

1. Right Response: Examine beliefs and interpretations of the

fear-invoking situation to be sure that it is indeed a verified
threat, not an imagined or self-created one. Discard any
doctrines or beliefs which perpetuate irrational fear. Put valid
memories of fear-invoking situations in their proper historical
perspective. Seek knowledge. Often, knowledge alone can
replace fear of the unknown. Remind yourself that risk is the
necessary price of glory.

2. Light Response: Alter the situation to reduce the negative

component, if minimally threatening.

3. Flight Response: Get away from a truly threatening situation

long enough to evaluate strategies, to resolve or eliminate the
threatening situation; or retreat permanently if necessary.

Food for Thought:

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood".---

Marie Curie

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"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my
ship". ---Louisa May Alcott

Most fears are self-implanted and self-sustained. We give fear the power to
maintain itself within us or the power of others to hold it over us. Most
people who try to inflict fear on others, are susceptible to it themselves
---more even than those they are trying to influence. Therein lies its
weakness, for fear is no match against hope and resolve. There are some
physical situations that require immediate flight (such as a falling tree) but
our programmed instincts will stimulate us to take the appropriate action,
i.e. move out of harms way ASAP. The rest are pretty much of our own
making and can be "unmade".

The Emotions Of Mind - Six Universal Feelings, i.e.

Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Envy & Guilt

3. Anger

Definition: Hostile feelings because of an opposition, a hurt.

Range: From mild frustration to irrational, blinding rage.

Source: Genetic Self, in its drive for self-preservation; stifled,

confounded or unsatisfied individual needs for empowerment
and control over one's destiny.

Stimulus Conditions: Power/control loss situations. Frustrated

needs due to perceived external obstacles. The attributed
source can be either upon environmental obstacles or upon
shortcomings of the Cultural Self, both of which are external to
the core Genetic Self.

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Instinctive Response: The "Fight" response, outward
aggression.

Intended Function: To accomplish self-preservation by

generating active expressive behavioral responses which
successfully remove the obstacles from the external
environment.

PITFALLS:

In interpretation: Anger can be invoked by perceptions based

upon maladaptive beliefs, attitudes or mental Emotional
Boundaries. (This is invalid and contrived anger).

In response: Maladaptive, misdirected anger can result in

violence and destruction of self and others. (Negative outcomes
of these pitfalls can be avoided if response rules are followed:

RECOMMENDED COURSE OF RESPONSE TO ANGER:

1. Right Response: Evaluate beliefs, attitudes and expectations

that bring on the angry feelings. Look to self. Are outcome
expectations realistic and reasonable? If not, the anger is
contrived. Look to the world. Does the environment deny a just
and equitable opportunity for need meeting? If not, the anger is
contrived. In both cases, beliefs are to be altered accordingly.
This step will remove the mental source of contrived anger.

2. Light Response: If Right Responses have met with failure

and the obstacle is legitimate, it is time to effect external

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changes. Light Responses are behaviors toward the anger
source which can successfully alter or remove the obstacle so
that needs can be met. Respectful cooperative communication,
persuasion and self expression can accomplish this goal.

3. Fight Response: If respectful cooperation is not successful, it

is time to take a more aggressive, even revolutionary
expressive stance in honor of the spiritual need. Such actions
should be attempted within the established conflict-resolution
processes that exist, but should escalate in direct proportion to
lack of receptivity within the environment.

4. Retreat Response: If even after all expressive attempts, the

obstacle persists, a Flight Response is in order. It is then
necessary to leave the situation and find more free, just and
opportune surroundings.

Food For Thought:

"The size of a man can be judged by the size of that which

makes him angry".---Harry Truman

There is, I believe, such a thing as "righteous anger" that can be expressed
in such a way as to make clear one's feelings about a situation to those we
perceive to be responsible for our anger. If our state of mind is justified in a
spiritual sense, then those who hear our anger will more likely alter their
behavior to appease or, at least, respect our position. This would be the
beginning of the process of diverting this energy into a more positive
environment.

The Emotions Of Mind - Six Universal Feelings, i.e.

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Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Envy & Guilt

4. SADNESS

Definition: Having or expressing low spirits; unhappy,

sorrowful, causing dejection; sorry (broadly includes grief).

Range: Mild, unfocused "blues" to the depths of chronic, even

suicidal, depression.

Source: Genetic Self; in its drive for self-preservation.

Stimulus Conditions: Loss situations. The perceived

irretrievable loss of something need-fulfilling; be it a dream, a
goal, a belief, a person, a thing, a self-image or exception.
(Note: if the loss is impending but has not yet occurred, anger,
not sadness is cued, the loss is perceived as certain and
irretrievable when sadness is experienced).

Instinctive Response: To take flight, to escape or deny the loss.

Pitfalls: Lingering in state of denial that a loss has actually

occurred can perpetuate continuing anger. Failure to adapt to a
loss can result in long term depression. Loss can be purely
imaginary or falsely perceived, and sadness is cued
unnecessarily and unjustifiably; acceptance of such an
imagined loss (or personal lack) can lead to the adoption of
faulty and detrimental thought processes and self-defeating
behaviors.

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Recommended Course Of Response To Sadness:

1. First Right Response: Accept that the loss has occurred

when your external experience keeps telling you that it has. An
attitude change is necessary which shifts the object of the loss
(idea, thing or person) into a realm of the past. Although
memorial fondness can continue forever, the object, along with
its need-fulfilling gifts must be completely removed from
future expectations. This can, and does take time. But such
restructuring is necessary to usher in replacement strategies. If
anger is experienced during this process, it shows that the loss
is not yet fully accepted.

2. Second Right Response: Adopt replacements for the object

of loss. Find new beliefs, things or people to provide the
missing need-fulfillment.

3. Light Response: Actively make external changes in physical

or ideological surroundings which can accommodate the
adaptations suggested above. Extensive grief can be channeled
in vicarious, yet positive, need-fulfilling directions.

Food For Thought

"Adversity is the first path to truth". --Lord Byron

"Loss" is an essential part of life. The mere fact that we experience it is the
proof that we have found something or someone of value and enjoyed that
connection for a particular period of time. All of life is a gaining experience,
but a losing experience, as well. When we dwell for too long on the latter, we

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deprive ourselves of opportunities for further gain. Because the Universe is a
dynamic state, nothing can ever remain the same for very long - nor should
it.

The Emotions of Mind - Six Universal Feelings, i.e.

Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Envy & Guilt

5. ENVY

Definition: Discontent or ill will over another's advantages

possessions, abilities, etc., (broadly includes jealousy).

Range: Mild self-conscious discomfort, to open hostility

toward another.

Source: Cultural Self, in the drive toward self-development

(offshoot emotion, tempered by learning, but related to genetic
anger & sadness).

Stimulus Conditions: Negative comparison situations. When

self and others are compared on some scale, the self is assessed
with less of the desired qualities, skills, abilities, advantages or
possessions than the other.

Instinctive Response: To fight or take flight, to overcome or

avoid the object of painful comparisons.

Intended Function: To signal that the Cultural Self has not yet
developed to the point of full expression of the Genetic Self
and that further development is needed. This painful reminder
comes when one sees another who possesses or has achieved

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higher levels of some desired quality.

Pitfalls: Feelings can be misattributed. Personal lacks perceived

can be irrational, defiling or neglecting spirit; prompting
maladaptive, spiteful responses which attempt to lessen the
other instead of Right Responses which bolster the self. It is
often difficult to avoid Fight and Flight Responses.

Recommended Course Of Response To Envy:

1. First Right Response: Take self-developmental steps to

acquire skills, abilities, opportunities, etc., that are possessed
by the object of envy. (But such changes should only alter the
mind or Cultural Self).

2. Second Right Response: If the enviable ability or quality lies

in the realm of the Genetic Self or body (i.e., physical beauty,
strength, height, etc.), acceptance of corporeal limitation will
end pangs of envy over qualities which simply cannot be
changed. Instead, consider and work upon areas of strength
which can be or have been cultivated. Give self-credit where
self-credit is due.

Food For Thought:

"If it's painful to you to criticize your friends---you're safe in

doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the
time to hold your tongue". ---Alice Duer Miller

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As one Greek philosopher expressed it: "The greatest wealth in the world is
the ability to get along with little, for there is never want where the mind is
satisfied." There is no force more masochistic then envy. In the burning
desire the have what another has, our misery can have no limits. If kept in, it
becomes an infliction. If acted out, it becomes an addiction. The cultural
world plays upon it and attempts to ostracize those who decline to conform
to this weakness. Envy takes personal courage to resist, but that is true of
any weakness.

The Emotions of Mind - Six Universal feelings, i.e.

Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Envy & Guilt

6. GUILT

Definition: A feeling of self-reproach from believing that one

has done wrong; (broadly includes shame and embarrassment).

Range: Mild self-doubt to debilitating self-hatred.

Source: Cultural Self, (offshoot relative of fear).

Stimulus Conditions: When thoughts and behaviors fail to

match with some internal ideal self-image or accepted code of
behavior. Often guilt is experienced following a behavior
which fulfills some physical, spiritual need, yet which goes
against some learned ideology.

Instinctive Response: To take flight, retreat from negatively

assessed self qualities, actions or behaviors.

Intended Function: To direct attention to conflicts within

knowledge and beliefs, or to those which go against the needs

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of the Genetic Self.

Pitfalls: Guilt is learned and can be attached to almost any

behavior or thought, depending on the culture. Since it is a gut
feeling, it seems to come from some sacred place within, while
in actuality it springs solely from learned beliefs. It is common
to subordinate the needs of the Genetic Self to the rules and
codes of behavior dictated by one's culture. It is also illogical
and debilitating to do so.

Recommended Response To Guilt:

1. Right Response: Make sure your behaviors match your

conscience. Do what you say you will do---walk your talk. But
examine beliefs, alter or discard any which go against the
needs of the Genetic Self. Develop positive accommodating
attitudes toward every aspect of your Genetic nature.

2. Light Response: Use logic and persuasion to alter the

external cultural belief systems which deny any aspect of your
genetic nature. (Any such components are counter-evolutionary
and will hamper even the most intelligent, best fitting cultural
doctrines) .

3. Flight Response: If the external environment fails to

accommodate your nature, leave for better ideological or
physical locales.

Food For Thought:

"Guilt is the price we pay willingly for doing what we are

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going to do anyway". --- Isabelle Holland

"It's hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head". ---
Sally Kempton

"Sin is whatever obscures the soul". --- Andre Gide

It would appear that there is a correlation between the strictness of a

religion or enforced moral code, and the volume of guilt that was made to be
dealt with. Guilt is the ultimate instrument of control, enabling a few in
power to control the many. It succeeds because it is implanted in the mind
earlier in the developmental stage and kept in place by institutional means.
To escape its punishing intent, one often has to sever all ties with those who
were most important in one's earlier life. But then one comes to the true
meaning of the refrain: "Free at last, free at last. Thank God, I'm free at
last."

With clarity regarding the feeling system, how it works and

how it can be so easily misused, we can press on to discuss the
practical usage of this system.

Pages 99-116 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Beta

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Lesson Four: Summary: Emotion – The Sixth Sense

Heeding the Spiritual Directive

Despite thousands of years of humankind's quest for meaning

and self understanding, it has never been achieved. The slivers
from the Mind Of Man have perpetuated confusion and false
ideas which limit human power and defile human nature,
stripping away the birthright of Free Will. It is testimony to the
spiritual tenacity of human beings that they have evolved as
well as they have under such severe conditions. For since the
dawn of humanity, they have been struggling along without
benefit of a major sensory system---human feeling. With this
system, the spirit offers its directives for living in the light.

Clearly, there have been sparks of human "enlightenment" throughout our

history who have kept us from totally abandoning our innate spiritual
nature, which is hardly possible. It might be presumptuous to suggest that
with the introduction of this material, we could now be on the way to a
collective abandoning of our history of depravity.

Human survival can be attributed to the spiritual safety net of

self-preservation. They can operate upon rudimentary
hardwired responses to the feelings in approach and avoid
behaviors, which meet the minimal level of human need and
promote the perpetuation and survival of the species without
interfering with Free Will. But operating upon self-preservation
alone is only a slim percentage of spiritual intention and human
potential. As free will is utilized in ways that accommodate
spirit, humans evolve.

And we have "evolved". We may be able to think of a thousand examples of

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human conduct that suggests the opposite, but I believe we do continue to
progress in increments. At present, what is between those increments are the
influences of our fragmenting institutions, i.e., political, religious, economic,
etc. The communication revolution has led to the exposure of this
fragmentation and it has resulted in a certain numbness of our senses as we
adjust to the ultimate truth that our virtue must come from within ourselves,
rather than from without, which is what these Lessons are trying to get
across. Once that becomes clear to us, we will finally be able to exercise our
Free Will in a fashion which opens up to all the possibilities of creating our
own reality.

As humans evolve, the spiritual directive is no longer limited to

self-preservation. It becomes self-development and expression.
Acceptance replaces resistance, cooperation replaces
competition, and Right and Light responses become the norm.
Human civilization has now reached the point where living in
relative darkness can give way to enlightenment. With the
technological mobility, global communication and economic
interdependence of humans, there is no longer the isolation that
allowed competition to ensure survival. As worlds collide,
cultures clash, and religions wage war, the global community
should take note that survival now depends on cooperation.
There need not be losers.

We are truly living in a "New World", thanks to such technological

advances as that being exercised through this medium (e-mail, internet, etc.).
Unfortunately, many living this New World experience are still being guided
in their thinking by the "Old World" paradigm. However, it may not be
entirely perceptible, but this latter guidance is losing its influence. The
results of repeated efforts to bend wills to comply with other wishes, is
failing in an almost predictable pattern.

As always, the spirit awaits patiently within, to offer its clear

guidance for individual and social evolution. These Lessons are
designed to allow the rediscovery of this most wondrous gift at

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a time when human consciousness is ready for a great leap
forward---and it all begins with self understanding.

There are admonitions throughout our religious writings that give us clues
to our ultimate potential. One of these is: Know thy inner self. This suggests
that true "knowing" can only come when we are able to go within ourselves
and tap that source of universal knowledge and guidance that waits to share
itself with our conscious mind. Today in our society, many of us feel like we
are in a perpetual state of "scrambling", always on the go, creating activity
to fill the gaps of our empty lives. We even insist that our children follow our
examples, to the point that the playful portion of our early lives (the
imaginative and creative) is being almost intentionally eliminated. Against
this, there will certainly be an "inner-driven" revolt.

If these Lessons sound a bit esoteric and abstract, think about it

this way: Humans have achieved tremendous technological
creativity, with global marketplaces for the exchange of goods
and information. What if, perhaps, some inventor developed an
incredible new machine that could communicate directly with
the Creator, that could give moment-to-moment advice on how
to act to create the most pleasurable and fulfilling existence. A
machine that could greatly reduce pain, fear, anger and
suffering. A machine to accomplish great learning. A machine
that could enhance physical and mental health, as well as
provide enlightened guidance for development of evolved
civilizations A machine that could ultimately achieve world
peace.

Like most of our technological "toys", we invent them, manufacture them,

acquire them, improve upon them and, ultimately, discard them when the
fad has run its course. This pattern is an example of our innate inability to
sustain true interest in those things which come to us from our outside
world, be they gadgets, information or belief systems. Even a machine with
which we talk directly with God, would eventually become passe…unless, of
course, it was our personal creation and we were charged with the

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responsibility of maintaining it.

If such a machine were advertised, most humans would be

quite dubious indeed. They might scoff that such a thing might
be too good to be true. Or if it were, that it would come at a
price most could not afford to pay. It would become an
accouterment of only the rich and famous. It would also
challenge many cherished religious and scientific beliefs about
"man's place"---powerless within a vengeful, meaningless, or
chaotic universe. They might immediately resist and reject
such a possibility, driven by their beliefs.

"Beliefs" are like doors to our minds. They usually remain closed to outside
influences and new possibilities. Some even remain securely bolted.
Although we do have the keys to open these doors, when we use them it is
mostly to go out and obtain the material necessities of life and then retreat
back behind them as quickly as possible. We invite select portions of the
world into our "dwelling place", but only when these portions are in
alignment with our belief systems. Ideas and people who disturb our self-
designed tranquility, are seldom invited back. Yet, it is these experiences
that can have the most impact on our growth, even if it requires unbuilding
a resistance to them.

And they would be dead wrong. For not only does this
"machine" exist, it already belongs to each and every human
being. It is the supreme human gift and it is free for the taking.
Regardless of whatever human "station", or culture or financial
portfolio, it can be immediately activated to begin providing all
those services and many, many, more. This machine will be the
great equalizer and unifier; for it will allow the meek to inherit
the earth. Those that begin immediate activation of this force
will be the pioneers of human consciousness.

Isn't it amazing that such a paragraph ever got into print. It could be
considered by some to be one of the most dangerous writings of our time.

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Established institutions across the land should quake at the possibilities
suggested here. Collective mindsets should seek the source of this material
and destroy it, before it destroys them. Too late! It's out and about and it
can't be put back in the bottle.

Of course, this machine is the communicative feedback system

of human feeling. It is the understanding of the sixth human
sense--- the spiritual sense. It is the Creator's innate word and
judgement regarding human survival, human connection and
purpose, as well as moment-to-moment guidance in human
interactions. It can make the difference between resistant,
painful suffering, competition and base survival; and joyful
acceptance, cooperation, spiritual fulfillment. It should be
received and valued as if it had been purchased for millions
upon millions of dollars.

Alas, in our society, we too often value things on the basis of their price tag
when, in fact, our potential as human beings is priceless. Even the least
educated among us is more sophisticated than the best computer made, as
none of the latter are capable of the quality of free will or capable of creating
their own reality. Unfortunately, we sometimes treat our machines with
more care than our fellow human beings. In some cases, we make a virtue
out of killing our fellow human beings with our most sophisticated machines.
Aren't we odd!

These Lessons, for the first time in human history, have

offered a definitive portrait of human nature. A portrait that is
universal among all humans, regardless of the diverse cultures
that now exist. This "machine" belongs to everyone. The
feelings whisper the highest truth of human nature and purpose.

This gives a whole new meaning to the concept of Democracy. We truly are
all equal and valuable to ourselves and each other. Anyone has the capability
to achieve any higher spiritual state from wherever they are at the moment.

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The key lies in making the connection with the Divine Nature of our being.

Now is the time to activate this machine. Now is the time to

attune to the spiritual directive. Now is the time to begin the
experience of true humanity. To begin anew with a full
comprehension of what it means and how it works to be
human. No more guesses, no more assumptions of evil, no
more need for external control---none of this is, or ever has
been, necessary. No more will humans flounder in ambivalence
and conflicting directives. No more will free will run amok. No
more will humans be fooled by their own illusory creations.
They will at last be able to "judge not". For they will hear the
one true judge, the feelings which speak the wisdom of spirit.

We have always had this capability. A few have become aware of it. Now the
rest of us can and will.…

From there, new worlds can begin to open to humans as

institutionalized limitations are removed. New levels of
consciousness can be attained, new creative worlds, and new
levels of joy. Human potential has many surprises awaiting
those that answer the challenge of spirit.

This, truly, is an invitation to the Inaugural Ball. The great thing is, we don't
even have to get all dressed up to go, unless (of course) we wish to.

Not only can tremendous benefits be achieved, but equally

devastating disasters can be averted. The technological abilities
of humans have outstripped their understandings of themselves.
Resistance, competition and suffering are now the accepted
norm. Without self understanding, the basic (yet maladaptive)
responses of self preservation will continue; evolution will be
tremendously impeded as well as the ominous possibility for

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the self-destructive demise of the realizations which instigated
nuclear disarmament. The Light cannot help but spread if
chosen, obtained and lived within by each individual. Let peace
begin with Thee.

We are talking about possibilities here and the limitations to those

"possibilities" are merely self-created. Just as the potential of such is self-
created. We are Creators, each and all of us. "Where two or more are
gathered..." is where a spark can become a flame that, while burning off our
counter-productive beliefs, can allow us to become truly unlimiting.

To activate the machine, to choose the Light, is to completely

accept the fact that the Creator endowed humans with inner
guidance. It is to live the truth that the wisdom of "God" is not
limited to Holy texts or other external dictates, but to know that
it is possessed within. The Creator's purest word exists in
nature and any human translation is less than pure. Human
nature is no exception--- the answers lie within. This message
has always been inherent in every great teaching, albeit lost
within the cultural distortions.

Cultural institutions have always felt compelled to squelch this fact in order
to maintain control over its members, fearful that without control, there
would be chaos. Out of touch with their own true nature and presuming
everyone in their environment was as well, those suspected of being
otherwise, were eliminated for the threat they were perceived to be.
However, the cat is now out of the bag, so to speak. There is communication
going on right now that can no longer be controlled or even successfully
monitored. There are phone lines nearly everywhere and this is a positive
"virus" that can not be contained.

But what has always been missing from such teachings has
been: Exactly how to listen and react to this inner wisdom. It is
through the feeling system that this is accomplished. It is
through the feelings that the spirit can inform, develop and

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correct the mind. It is through understanding the difference
between automatic self-preservationary motivations to Fight or
take Flight, and the rational, willful choice of Right & Light
responses. It is through understanding of universal human
needs and in designing of political, religious, educational,
economic and social institutions which accept, value, honor,
and accommodate them.

This is why we are beginning to feel the influence of the female perspective
as we move into this spiritual progression. The male (psychologically) has
always tended to turn away from the "feeling" portion of his nature. It was
labeled as being unmanly. For men, this new paradigm will be most
challenged by overcoming this barrier to understanding. Meditation can
likely be a most helpful way of getting around this, if for no other reason
than it has a positive effect on one's physical health, while opening up
centers of understanding that currently lie dormant and ignored.

The Creator intended for humans to use this system to retain

the connection with the Spirit of All That Is, to be guided
toward the most fulfilled and joyous experience. Human joy is
the Creator's joy. Human suffering is also experienced by the
Universal Spirit. Its expanding consciousness, its joy and light
urge humans to eliminate these dark spots that they have
willfully (albeit accidentally) created. Despite the priceless
value, the only cost is the commitment to the spirit itself.

Much of the above paragraph is highlighted because I underlined most of it

when I read. it. The last highlighted sentence I underlined twice, because of
its perceived importance. We have a "Spiritual Directive" that we would
now ignore at our own peril. Ignoring this Divine invitation would not lead
to our demise. Rather, it would be like turning down an invitation to a party
and electing to stay at home and be alone.

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The Spiritual Commitment

Learning the mechanics of the feeling communication system

is the first and primary step. Understanding alone can allow the
natural spiritual impetus to become dominant within each
individual. In understanding their needs and the inevitable self-
preservationary impulses, each person can become aware of
their own habits of thought and actions. They can recognize
those activities that truly bring fulfillment, as distinct from
those that seek refuge from misunderstood feeling signals.
They can identify destructive need-meeting strategies that will
surely arise if constructive ones are not available. They will
enjoy a new awareness of life.

This seems to be the appropriate time to insert the following again:

WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS, THEY BECOME YOUR WORDS.

WATCH YOUR WORDS, THEY BECOME YOUR ACTIONS.

WATCH YOUR ACTIONS, THEY BECOME YOUR HABITS.

WATCH YOUR HABITS, THEY BECOME YOUR CHARACTER.

WATCH YOUR CHARACTER, IT BECOMES YOUR DESTINY.

When we can see the connection between our "THOUGHTS" and our
"DESTINY", we experience greater motivation toward paying attention to
what we think. It would seem that there are no accidents, just consequences.
This same principle could presumably apply to one's FEELINGS.

But awareness alone is only half the battle, and perhaps the
easy half. It falls to the individual to act upon the spiritual
impetus. This requires the commitment to actively choose and
carry out the optimal corrective responses desired by the spirit.

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The difference between thought and spirit is often attraction. By what we
think, I believe, we bring into our reality those experiences that provide the
opportunity to expand our perspective. Often those experiences are not
pleasant, but they should always be educational.

This will be a difficult directive to fully embrace, given the

historical dependence upon external codes, rules, counsel and
advise. As always, there will be an automatic tendency to
preserve ideas that have become comfortable strategies.
(Remember, the Cultural Self is born of human knowledge---
and all parts of self will seek preservation). One's very identity
is often shrouded within beliefs outside of spiritual intention.
There will be an automatic tendency to escape painful learning
experiences which may be necessary for self development.
There will be an automatic tendency for groups of people of
like mind to stand together and hold tight to their beliefs, even
if they are limiting instead of offering broader opportunity.
This can culminate in the urge to fight and even die for certain
traditional ideals.

Governments and religious institutions have known this for a long time and
have repeatedly used it to keep groups loyal and to war against each other,
when appropriate.

Thus, there is a certain commitment to Divine Intention that

will take courage and strength to unravel the many distortions
that exist as truths within the realm of mind. It will take
tenacity to handle those powerful emotional responses that will
expose the deepest, most enduring, cherished, yet spiritually
undesirable beliefs.

Take a close look at the people in the world who are suffering in poverty,
fear and ignorance. Those whose lives are being manipulated beyond their

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awareness; those whose only escape is often retreating into a mental
institution or even physical death. All these consequential realities are the
result of an unawareness of accepted mindsets that destroy us from within
while punishing us from without.

But this intensity will surely abate as progress is made. There

will also be verification from spirit every step of the way that
will resonate, validate and reward the committed efforts with
joyous feelings. This commitment marks the step up from an
animalistic competitive consciousness, into the human spiritual
cooperative of All That Is. It is several "giant steps" away from
the door of the cave where humankind now huddles.

Oddly, we look back upon caveman culture as being primitive when

compared to our technologically advanced state. Yet, when it comes to our
spiritual advancement, there are aboriginal cultures that are more in touch
with the natural laws of their environment than we can even dream of. In
fact, they refer to their state as being their "dream time".

This commitment will ensure that the person will then be

replaced upon a lifelong track of self development and
expression, which is the goal of the spirit. This is a highly
rewarding track to be upon, but it requires courage and faith in
the inner messages---particularly in the belief that the inner
messages should always take precedence over external ones.
When in doubt, you can find validation by identifying which
spiritual need is being fulfilled by any belief or action. For if
one strategy satisfies one need without violating another, then
that action or belief is valid and good in the highest spiritual
sense.

We read stories about people who say they heard a voice that directed them
to go out and shoot their mother-in-law, so they did it. Tempting as this may
be at times, the guiding principle has to be, Do No Harm. Any inner voice
that is Spiritual in origin, will adhere to that guideline.

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Living In The Light

We can now distill the understandings into a daily living

scenario which can be beneficial in bringing them down from
the abstract realm, for immediate application. Each day
forward can be life in the light as opposed to the previous
flashes within relative darkness. (Darkness of ignorance, self
preservation, and misdirected energy creating events that
mirror the limits of Mass Consciousness, rather than those
desired by spirit). A deliberate daily strategy wherein ration
and passion combine to direct and create life events will
accomplish the maximum growth and fulfillment.

Progress on this plane begins when awareness evolves into action. But what
usually follows this awareness are the windows of opportunity. Once we
begin to act upon these "windows" with sincere intent, the
feedback/consequence becomes reenforceable.

As humans awaken each morning, they do so to a newly

created world. They slip from one probability to the next
without so much as a blink. As consciousness expands, it will
become apparent how very much control each has over the
creation of the desired events in one's life, and how they
choose to actualize one probability over another. Certain
thoughts should be reinforced such as: "I create my own
reality" and "My spirit will guide me".

If we still have doubts about our ability to create our own reality, a little
reflection upon our lives can provide the opportunity to see much of the
consequences of our past actions, both in the positive things/experiences we
have created, as well as those negative things/experiences. We might be

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tempted to attribute much to luck or chance, but in doing so would be less
than honest with ourselves.

Each morning should be faced with reflections upon where

one's life is going and how to get there faster today. Knowing
that yesterday is gone, having been mined for its wisdom, that
the power is in the present and nothing from the past can in-
and-of-itself reduce it. Only belief in limitation can limit.
Humans can actually split apart from their past and recreate it
in the present with more supportive interpretations and beliefs
about it. Remember that the mind has many unrecognized
facets and tools, all of which can support spirit, or can limit it if
misused.

One of the characteristics of this era is the newfound awareness many of us

will be experiencing; the awareness that our minds are full of dormant tools
that can be brought into focus on the many opportunities to grow spiritually.
As these opportunities increase in number, our physical reality and our
relationships will begin to reflect such. We will eventually look back upon
this period as the most accelerated aspect of our lives.

Before actually arising, it is suggested that humans harmonize

to the spirit by engaging in a two-way communication. This
creates clarity and communion through focused attunement. As
the mind slows its vibration from dream consciousness into the
hypnotic nether-realm before full awakening, much work can
be done. The mind is most receptive and least effected by
beliefs in this realm. Lucid communication is a natural process
in which the messages and interactions from the dream realm
allow mind to intuit certain knowledge and ideas that can
bolster the spirit's goals. Conversely, after listening to the
wisdom offered, one can then answer, and communicate
individual intention back to spirit. These are the nuts and

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bolts of creative reality.

Creativity is a two-way street...an interaction process. While people who talk

to themselves are considered by most in our society to be a bit looney,
consider this: Who is better acquainted with us than ourselves. We can truly
be our own best friend. Considering that we talk to our pets and are usually
satisfied with the responses we receive, communicating with ourselves should
be no great leap. In fact, the better we come to understand ourselves, the
better we will likely grow to understand our pets and even the people around
us (in that order, of course).

Unbeknownst to humans, they create quite undesirable events

by concentrating the powerful Will Energy of emotion upon
beliefs and projections which they fear. Since emotion is the
two-way language of spirit, everything operates as if humans
are purposefully choosing such events. The spirit does nothing
to alter the process in any way. It simply creates that which is
concentrated upon and bathed in emotion. (The spirit does
judge them, however, through the emotions which will
accompany events and experiences when they are manifested
in physical reality.) To counteract these unconscious
directions of power that inevitably occur throughout the day,
one must actively, consciously, refocus the Will Energy upon
exactly what one desires.

This latter can be a challenge, particularly when so many of us have been

programmed with beliefs that encourage us to expect some kind of Divine
punishment on a regular basis. Many have been taught that the God of their
belief system is constantly testing them with punishments and rewards, and
they believe that whatever happens to them (or those around them) is simply
part of this ritual and not at all related to the belief system they surrender
their "will energy" to.

This is accomplished through the visualization of detailed

images regarding each of the major life areas, empowering the

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vision with emotional (will) energy. Each of the following
visuals will be flooded with positive joyous feelings of
gratitude As if they have already been actualized. The energy
communicates to the spirit what your mind intends to create,
and is a critical essential ingredient in creating physical events.
(The powerfully focused joy energy can negate other fearful
images that arise and are mistaken for desired events). As you
progress through the categories, upon completion, allow each
one to ascend into Universal Consciousness, letting it go
knowing that it will have made its mark.

Visualization is such a powerful (yet, generally unrecognized) tool in our

creative arsenal, that utilization of it requires more practice and familiarity
than any other habit of thought to which we are yet to be exposed. Because
the following material is so significant, I won't be making my usual (and
probably distracting) comments at the end of each paragraph, unless, of
course, I just can't resist "popping off".

The Daily Meditation

I. FIRST, focus ration and passion upon the areas of

Intellectual and Spiritual Development. Visualize yourself
freely receiving Light and becoming one with the Universal
Consciousness. See yourself learning, developing your mind to
include all the creative tools which allow the spirit to sing
freely. Visualize what the outcomes of such self development
would look like and feel like. They could be travels,
explorations, and adventures, physical, mental and/or spiritual.
Become completely caught up in the images and feelings, until
spiritual resonance and completion is experienced and the
event has occurred. (Completion is when the joyous emotional

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energy peaks and gratitude envelopes the image.) When this
vision is complete, send it forth, like a balloon into the
heavens, clearing it from your mind.

II. Next envision the Life Mission. This is about spiritual

expression once certain development has been attained. This is
the Destiny Path upon which you have embarked by designing
this specific incarnation. If you do not yet know what your
mission is, then focus upon a general completion of it without
the specifics. Feel the fulfillment of a complete and satisfied
spirit that has completed the Destiny Path. (In time, as you
notice opportunities and act upon them, your mission will
unfold to you).

If you already know, then focus upon exactly what that mission
would look like and feel like without any limitations
whatsoever placed upon what you can accomplish. (Beliefs
regarding limitations of time, of resources, of opportunity, or
self-ability often arise in this area. But not so much during this
altered, relaxed state of consciousness. Your spirit honors no
such limitations and its wisdom is much more clear in this
space). Visualize as if there is no limitation and energize this
image with feeling.

III. Third, envision the Professional Accomplishments desired.

This can be in any chosen field or aspired direction where one
makes a living as well as accomplishes spiritual expression.
Visualizing specific events as well as long term outcomes can
clarify intention, communicate and manifest desired events. If
there is not yet a professional direction, education often
substitutes. This need not be a salaried position, it can include

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home parenting, volunteerism, and such action that contributes
to an overall focus of life energy. It can be creating a salaried
position out of one's desired interests. The key in this area is to
capture an outlet for creativity and to not include any
limitations in the visions. The sky is not even the limit.

IV. When completion is attained, the fourth area of focus is

upon the Material Desires. This is the financial expectations as
well as specific accouterments, like a house, a car, a particular
book, a piece of clothing, etc. Anything that feels desirable is
worth shooting for. Specific artifacts can be quite pleasing to
the unique esthetic or tone of the spirit. There are no rights or
wrongs, simply what is pleasing to spirit. Be careful not to
think that to live a spiritual life, one must have an austere life
style. This is a silly and limiting, even manipulative belief.
(This belief was originally promoted to gain compliance and
control over serfs who might otherwise fight for their rights).
Envision in great detail a life filled with all the financial
abundance and material items spiritually desired, again
enveloping this image in joyous gratitude.

V. The next area of focus is that of Physical Health and vitality.

This is the area wherein specific body goals and maintenance
can be empowered, as well as healing and transformations.
Focusing empowered emotional energy upon any specific area
of concern can be of tremendous benefit. Envisioning peak
performance of all bodily systems and experiencing gratitude
for the incredible physical form can help counteract the barrage
of negative and limiting human "knowledge."

Be sure to envision the correct balance between an underactive

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(for cancer prevention) or overactive (for allergic reaction)
immune system. If it is underactive, envision little killer cells
attacking that which is not self and keeping things tidy and in
order. If overactive, tame those killers cells by showing them
that which is "self" which may have caused allergic response.
(Remember, this system thinks everything inside the body and
mind is "self" and should be preserved, fighting against
foreigner invaders. Food stuffs or other allergens should be
embraced as self and enveloped in emotional joy to
communicate and authorize your acceptance of them. Be very
specific, and of course, empower the visions with joyous
gratitude.

There lies much undiscovered power in this area, but one

caution is offered: do not be disappointed or discouraged if
dramatic, miraculous results are not achieved immediately.
This is the area where the most enduring and hard to dismiss
beliefs reside; indeed, years of human energy have been
invested in them. As individual and Mass Consciousness
expands to understand the energy dynamics of the human
body-mind, health and vitality will be far less elusive.

VI. Next, focus upon Relationships. This is a prime area to

satisfy the connection needs of spirit as well as general
development and expression. If a primary relationship exists (a
lifemate, husband or wife), then it can be envisioned in its ideal
form. If not, one can be created in which such mate will be
attracted into one's experience. Problems can be addressed and
clarified in face-to-face meetings with loved ones or work-
mates.

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Psychic communication between parents and children is quite
beneficial also. This need not be limited to the realm of the
living. If there exist issues that evoke negative emotions
regarding departed loved ones, recent grief or old issues can be
settled with face-to-face conversations, regardless of whether
or not that entity is currently focused in physical reality.
Envision an interaction which discloses hurt feelings and
evokes an apologetic or explanatory response. This can replace
resentment with compassion and forgiveness, allowing
emotional release and attitude change. No limits to the
imagination are necessary. Simply empower the vision with joy
and gratitude.

These six categories should cover the main areas of ones life,
but it is recommended to tailor and personalize your
meditation, making it your own. It also helps to envision a
special relaxed and beautiful "nature place" in which you can
mentally escape to perform such meditations. (This can be a
real place, or any combination of geographic features or natural
beauty that invokes spiritual peace and resonance.

Be as creative as you can be---no limits exist in your

imagination). In addition to the morning meditations, the effect
can be bolstered by being repeated during the day or evening.
(Deep breathing, about five deep connected breaths can help
calm the mind and settle into a similar relaxed and receptive
consciousness). The more creative energy the visions receive,
the sooner they will begin to manifest in your life.

The Meditation of the Clock

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This meditation is known as the Meditation of the Clock. It can
be envisioned with each category likened to a number on the
clock.(See illustration at the end of this section). Intellectual
Development at #4, Mission at #2, Profession at #12, Material
Desires at #10, Health at #8 and Relationships at #6). Having a
visual format such as this can make this easier to manage and
ensure that each major life area is allotted attention, focus and
energy.

This exercise can give you mental clarity. Perhaps you will be
surprised to realize how many goals you have, or did not really
think about. Do not worry if the goals seem incompatible with
one another. Simply dismiss any limiting ideas as they arise.
(Worry will be an important feedback clue, later on, to see how
well you actually did dismiss them) . Simply declare that which
you desire. The clarity will allow you to get acquainted with
your needs and how they manifest in your life. You will also be
able to determine a great deal about your beliefs when starting
from this place of clarity, for now your spirit has something to
work on and to relate to your experience. And now you know
exactly what your spirit is addressing through your
communicative feeling sense.

It is almost impossible to gain much from this exercise without focus and
clarity. It would be like writing a letter to someone without an idea of what it
is you want to convey. Of course, every letter has to begin with an intent.
Often, what we say, doesn't clarify itself until we begin the process. So, for
the best results, begin.

The Meditation Of The Clock ( For daily spiritual communication)

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The Daily Feedback

Once you have begun the daily meditation you will be ready to
watch for feedback from the spirit. It will seek balance between
your desires and your outcomes, your internal and external
worlds, between your spiritual intention and your physical
experience. And it will signal whenever corrections are
necessary.

This is simply the old-fashioned "feedback" system that alerts you through
your feelings when you are straying off course. When you drive a car down
the highway, you see with your visual sense when you are moving too close to
the boundaries of your travel lane, and you automatically move the steering
wheel to the degree necessary to keep you on your path. Eventually, you
reach your destination, although you may exercise the option of pulling off
the path for some need or adventure. So it is with the life process. Our
instincts guide us along safe passage while encouraging us to interrupt the
boredom of the trip.

Now it knows how you want to meet your needs, and it will do
its best to bring about every desired result. But it will only have
the freedom that your mind has afforded it. It will only have
the mental tools of beliefs, the gems and slivers, contained
therein. It can only operate upon your existing level of self-
development. It will try to achieve your goals in the existing
environment. To succeed, it will require mental skills enough
to overcome external challenges. And it will most surely bump
into your limiting beliefs. For it will create exactly that which
you believe most strongly will happen to you---good or bad.
You will feel the nudges of spirit when some event is not
within your spirit's desires.

Imagine a carpenter trying to build a house with only a chisel and a saw.
There might be some tasks that he could do with ease, such as cutting the

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lumber and notching it to fit in place. However, without a hammer and nails,
the task would be most difficult. When tools are like "beliefs", we sometimes
willingly elect to do a task in the most difficult way because we choose to
deprive ourselves of those "tools" that, if acquired, would make the building
of our lives so much easier.

Whether or not you do a daily meditation, your spirit already

attempts to create the reality you envision, working within your
mental boundaries. But mostly this is unconscious; and fear,
anger, and guilt are the primary creative feelings. They can
achieve certain levels of expression beyond preservation, but
they can also empower scenarios and attract events exactly
opposite to those that are truly desired. (The Creator allows this
so that eventually humans will make the connection between
what they reap and what they sow---between direction of the
Will into beliefs and the outcomes they produce). Now, of
course, is the time to understand the creative communicative
power of human feeling and to harness it forevermore.

Let's suppose that up until now, whenever you drove your vehicle, you were
in sort of a half-crazed state, angry and generally upset with the world
around you. You would manage to get to certain places, but you would be
very tense in the process and would broadcast that tenseness to the
passengers in your vehicle and others on the road, most of whom would
share your state of mind. There would be minor (and even major) accidents,
when the environment became too crowded or hectic. Systems would have to
be created to correct the consequences of those "accidents" and, eventually,
those "systems" would become dependent upon the confusion that created
this consequential environment.

Now that you know what the feelings mean and how to
respond to them, they can finally do their job. And they will
most certainly arise now that your intentions have clearly been
offered. Any belief, attitude, or developmental limitation that
stands between you and your envisioned goal will signal a

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negative emotion, so that it can be removed. As you go about
your daily business, closely attune to your emotions, and what
they are saying regarding your stated goals.

Emotions need no longer be the unpredictable acquaintances we are aware

of but elect not to totally trust. As we come to recognize their value in our
lives, we will begin to be more comfortable with them. That will lead to a
greater level of awareness and reliance. Eventually, they will become our
lifelong companions.

Your feelings will spring from your actions in the external

world, and how successful they are at meeting your inner
needs. As soon as you experience any emotion, stop and
analyze the situation. There will be an imbalance or obstruction
of some sort---either in the internal mental realm, or in the
external physical realm. The feeling will signal this fact and
motivate you to react correctively with either internal,
developmental or external, defensive or expressive responses.
(Of course you know now that you don't really want mere self-
preservation! So watch for those auto-defenses!)

Sometimes, the best signals to the misdirection of an action are the seemingly
unexpected obstructions that arise between ourselves and an intended goal.
If we heed these "signals", we take a second look at that goal and/or the
process by which we are intending to achieve it.

Good feelings signal situations and underlying beliefs which

support and add to your goals. Remember, all feelings signal
imbalance between mind and spirit. But this type of imbalance
is the kind humans like and are motivated to create as often as
possible. This is the imbalance that says, " This is working---
not just adequately---but wonderfully! What you are thinking
and doing is bringing even more spiritual expression than you
expected ---keep it up---keep it up---keep it up!!!!!'."

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At this point, you have connected with pure joy. Considering all the years of
past habits of thought, you may feel somewhat uncomfortable with this state.
Hang in there. It will pass and you will actually become a very joyful person,
to the point of being disconcerting to those around you. Pay little attention to
this. You have a responsibility now to spread the joy .

Correcting this imbalance is easy. It will be some sort of

developmental or expressive approach. This can be
accomplished by making Right Responses (mental updates) in
acknowledgement of good progress, bolstering successful
strategies, relationships, skills, and belief and even broadening
and expanding goals. This naturally bolsters self-esteem and
confidence, resulting in faith toward overcoming future
challenges--- this is empowerment. Light Responses (verbal
and physical expressions) in which further skill and success
can be offered to (and received from) others, are also effective
behaviors in honor of positive emotional signals. They reap
many fulfilling rewards.

Like a train moving from a crawl to its normal speed, one senses the
acceleration of the motion and, after adjusting to this "feeling" begins to
enjoy and find it comfortable. First, last and always, one is in total control,
both in exercising one's Free Will and in Creating One's Own Reality.

All other signals will be bad feelings which call for other, more
urgent corrections. These feelings are your spirit saying: "If
you truly want this to happen, then why are you believing or
doing this?" Or: "If you truly want this to happen, then this
must be fixed!' Although the most painful, these are actually
the most valuable feelings, for they expose the most
debilitating conflicts and beliefs. The most important reaction
to these feelings is to stay aware of them. As time passes, your
successful self-development will reduce the situations wherein

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you will experience negative emotion. As you no longer need
to blunt your feelings, your overall sensitivity will raise,
turning the volume up on all emotions since most of them will
be positive. As you clear away limiting beliefs, new creative
insights will become evermore accessible. This is
enlightenment and the expansion of consciousness.

The largest steps in our self-education will be the awareness of our own
inconsistencies in thought, word and deed. It is these "inconsistencies" that
we manage to hide from ourselves with such habitual skill. Once we crack
that "nut", we will discover a much smoother pattern of spiritual growth.

Remember, living in the Light means living in Spiritual

Intention---living on purpose toward self-development and
expression of your full potential. This is the "high road". The
low road is the self preservation, a mere shadow of true human
potential. (This level of existence often severs connective ties
in competitive defense, temporarily overcoming "an obstacle",
but in the long run further frustrating the spirit's connection
need).

This is going to feel somewhat uncomfortable at times, especially when we

feel that we are out-of-step with the reality of the world around us---that
which expresses the fear and self-preservationary mentality that permeates
the society we live in. If we can shift from our envelopment with this
"mentality" to a more detached and amusing view of it, we will gain strength
from our own perspective. The evening "news" will no longer manipulate us
with its latest concerns and we will come to enjoy the fiction of so much of it.

But the body will defend and self preserve. And the mind will
help it ---Until these understandings are fully internalized.
There may be many habitual, protective strategies in place to
keep bad feelings at bay, but each and every one of them must
be dismantled for the spirit to freely speak and do its job. Keep

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a vigilant guard against ineffective behaviors which compete,
stall, excite and distract, yet do nothing to accomplish
envisioned goals.

We are never more alive than when we are in the creative mode. To envision
something and then bring it into reality (whether it be the remodeling of the
basement or the painting of a landscape), it matters little. Creating reality is
what we are meant to do; and when mind and body are harnessed together
for this purpose, the Spirit sings.

The urge to self-preserve is quite powerful and habitual, also

arriving in the form of defensive anger, in which blaming or
any other skirting of the personal accountability for the
situation occur, nearly automatically, The two major directives
in such moments are to accept (resist not) your personal role in
the situations as reported by spirit and thus looking within to
seek improvements. (This is not to say that external ideas
which self-efface or denigrate the spirit are to be internalized or
tolerated. Once you have ruled out that deficits are in your
mind, self-expression, even preservation, is essential.) The
second is to operate from a stance of cooperation not
competition, in which there need not be a loser or blamee.

I fully realize that to suggest that putting "cooperation" over "competition"

as an ideal on the road to spiritual evolution, is to fly in the face of
conventional wisdom; since we are programmed to accept the latter as part
of the economic, political and social creed. After all, wasn't it communism
that finally defaulted. And didn't it fail because it couldn't "compete" with
the other system? Yes and no! The chapter is not finished yet and Spirit
would seem to always bring all flawed (non-spiritual) belief systems down.
Out of two extremes comes progress in moderation.

With cooperation, the connection need is always honored,

even if the connection is one of simple compassion for
ignorance of another. A hearty and mature spirit will always

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seek self-development regardless of how unenlightened the
external forces may be. The spirit will sing its pleasure
following this higher choice of action. This reward is far
greater than any temporary rush from revenge or one-
upmanship which may follow vented anger. The former springs
from self-development, the latter from self-preservation.

We prided ourselves on our civilized behavior following World War II, as

our occupying armies helped our defeated enemies recover from the ravages
of war. Then came the Vietnam War and our military conduct became
somewhat less than noble. We still tend to take advantage of the weak and
less educated in the world. Our self pride tends to get in the way of our
spiritual insight. But the weaker our fellow human beings become, the less
strength we are left with to help ourselves.

Cooperative acceptance can set the stage for the accurate

interpretation of the signal and choosing the appropriate
response. The tool of the Twin Selves can determine if the
belief that has frustrated the spirit exists in the realm of mind or
body. If the belief is learned (of Cultural Self or mind) then a
Right Response is in order. This is usually when there is an
immediate need for self-developmental learning. This happens
when mind needs to add skills or ideas to accomplish the need-
meeting challenge at hand. This is always the recommended
first choice. To look within and seek clarity and improvement.
Or instead, the feelings may spring from the frustrated need
itself (the Genetic Self or spirit), if the needed skills and ideas
already exist, so an external change is necessary. In this case, a
Light Response is in order, as an external expression to remove
the obstacle.

Whichever the chosen response of the two, it is bound to be a spiritually

elevating experience, not only for the person making the response but for the
recipient or witness, as well. The rising Ocean of Thought raises all the

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individual ships that float within it; and each contributor to that "Ocean"
benefits from the "rising".

In the simplest terms, if the imbalance springs from mind,

development is at hand, if the spirit, expression. (Remember
the rules: Right first; then Light; if obstacles persist, Fight; if
they still persist, take Flight). These simple spiritual directives
can guide your daily actions. If even a small percentage of
actions are within spiritual intention rather than self-
preservation, great progress can be made. There is no need to
beat yourself up if you catch yourself making an automatic
defensive response. Simply analyze it after the fact and find the
belief that allowed this, change it, and next time the results will
be different. Honor yourself instead for this newfound
awareness.

Sometimes, when we learn new information and elect to start putting it into
practice, we judge and grade ourselves on our performance. This material is
not the kind that requires one to be tested in the process. Rather, once
exposed to it, we begin to alter our behavior in ways that bring positive
results to our lives in ways that eventually become quite noticeable.

As you begin to become conscious of your choices and actions,

you will open an entire world of self understanding. You will
be able to see exactly why you have achieved certain successes
and why others have eluded you. You will begin to notice an
incredible tangle of conflicting ideas and directives through
which your spirit has been trying to carry out your wishes.
With reflection upon your personal history, you will later begin
to notice that your beliefs do create your reality. You will also
notice how your beliefs have been creating less than desirous
events. You may feel awed, even afraid, of your power. This,
like any other feeling, exposes the limited belief---in your

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powerlessness---which you now have proven to be obsolete. As
these limits melt away, you will embrace and delight in your
power.

"Power" is a key word here. This is a word that can be an ideal when
applied to ourselves. The recognized power to control our thoughts, leads to
the power to control our destiny. Unlike the "power" over other people (and
their lives), this self-recognized power can lead to development of the kind of
person that others gravitate toward, not out of fear, but out of hope.

You will notice your needs and how you have been meeting
them, in both constructive and destructive ways. You will
begin to become familiar with your own emotional boundaries,
expanding those of mind and standing firm in honor of those of
spirit. Your progress will rapidly accelerate as you
purposefully accept your personal accountability for each
situation, rather than resist it with denial. Your interactions
with others will change dramatically as you realize how much
more rewarding cooperation is than competition. You will
begin to approach the limits of the world with compassion, yet
achieve spiritual fulfillment by offering your Light.

From the bible come the words: "Know thyself." Now there is knowledge
that can be put toward a very positive cause.

Creating Community

Although living in the Light is perfectly possible without

sharing your new approach with anyone at all, finding others of
like mind is quite rewarding. The synergy of community is
very powerful. It is highly recommended to seek others who
have chosen enlightenment, cohorts with whom to share

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experiences, exchange wisdom and gather support. With even
one close friend with whom to share your experiences, they
will become much more meaningful and salient. Family units
can set aside particular times to discuss the understandings, and
the efforts and outcomes at creating desired reality.
Establishing focus groups with regular meetings can help build
community and build great networks for the Light.

Clearly, CAC has planted the seeds with the sharing of these "Lessons".
How they fare will, undoubtedly, depend on the soil in which they land. We
who till that "soil" could truly alter the course of history.

With these strategies in place, you can now begin to live within
the Light and allow life to unfold as your spirit desires. So
begin now, and you will never be the same again.

I can say, with honesty, that in my own case, this process has begun. The
ability to create one's own reality has always existed. It is recognizing that
we do it on a regular basis, that takes some extra willingness.

As you practice, your world will be affected by your newfound

insight. You will discover that these understandings act as a
small pebble tossed into a still pond. The implications will
ripple outward in concentric circles until they reach the very
boundaries of human existence---for the implications which
logically follow the understanding of human nature, impacts
every major area of life. It will be necessary to rebuild certain
primary understandings to support your expanding
consciousness. Thus, we can now turn the discussion to
creating new beginnings.

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Pages 1l8-132 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson One: New Tenets Of Human Existence

Existing Directives

Although many gems---successful, creative, spiritual inspired

ideas---exist within the realm of mass consciousness, the
slivers are far more significant and far less obvious. There is no
way to tell the difference between them, unless the spirit is
invoked. Until these Lessons, it has not been apparent how to
listen to spirit.

I suppose if the "slivers" were obvious to us, we would reject them out-of-
hand without hesitation. However, they are subtle and kept that way for
sustaining purposes. That is the key to control.

Thus, humans, their cultures and civilizations have evolved

without the critical understanding or benefit of their sixth,
emotional sense. Mind often stands between Spirit and body,
and mass consciousness now stands between spirit and its
physical expression. With these new understandings, mind,
body and spirit are at last reunited. Spirit can direct the
development of mind to achieve maximum fulfillment and
expression. Wholeness of experience can be achieved. The
Grace of internal guidance is restored.

Such a change in human nature opens up possibilities never before dreamed

of, and the consequence of this "opening" can result in a freedom of
opportunity that eliminates all the slivers of our environment.

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This is a grand step forward in human existence. It is a step
placing humans upon the intended evolutionary path, a higher
road than simply self-preservation. With this step comes
tremendous liberation. The very world expands when adding
this crucial puzzle piece to the picture of human existence.

Up until now, most revolutionary ideas, be they Christianity or

Communism, while evoking an ideal too often unattainable, have fallen short
or failed completely. This has usually happened because they have slid under
the control of organizations or bureaucracies. With this ideal (or expansion)
control lies within the individual, where it was always meant to be.

It brings a whole new world---a world far superior to the one

with which most are now familiar. Humans now need to look
about, to see their everyday surroundings in this new
enlightened perspective. Each facet of life must be reexamined.
This is where the inner work begins. Right Responses are in
order which redesign the mind to accommodate the language
and wisdom of spirit. New knowledge must replace old.
Spiritual directives must replace those of human origin.

It is the equivalent of what the Founding Fathers did in creating the

constitutional principles by which the United States was meant to be
governed. This "document" served as an inspiration throughout the planet.
The time has come again, for a revival of that creative spirit.

Upon redefining basic human nature, the next logical step is to

examine how humans operate within existing conditions and
directives. For it will be much easier to attune and respond to
the feelings of spirit if certain habits are first examined. New
strategies of acceptance, development, and cooperation will be
hampered by existing directives which predict and rely upon
resistance, defense, and competition, assuming that they are the

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only natural impulses.

Human nature cannot evolve from its current stage to the next stage,
without a full understanding of its present makeup, anymore than the
manufacturer could improve upon his automobile without a thorough
understanding of its current operation, or a composer could create original
works of music, without studying the subject matter.

Scientific & Religious Directives

We know now that many social structures are based upon

misassumptions of human nature. They recognize and facilitate
only self-preservationary behavior, and do not dare to presume
something as optimistic as a spiritual intention. "Modern"
human science pronounces the universe to be a machine, with
deterministic forces interacting, concluding that all life results
from a grand cosmic accident. It views the physical without
regard or hint of the spirit, the order, the beauty, or the
intention within. To scientists, humans are also theorized to be
machines, driven by the prime directive of survival as the only
human purpose.

The experience of getting lost while driving somewhere, is akin to where we

are as a human race. Being male dominated, it's tough to admit it in the first
place. Once accepted, the next difficult step is asking directions.

Scientific assumptions of selfish generic determinism also

underlie many physical and psychological health directives.
People are seen as hopelessly diseased and disordered, with
minimal control over the innate forces motivating them only
toward survival. Spirit is never considered nor even mentioned

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in such discussions. Of course, this assumption is partly true.
Without the mental conditions for the broader purpose of self-
development and expression, humans do innately respond
toward self-preservation. This is why evolutionary theory is
based upon "survival of the fittest". But survival is a minimal
spiritual directive to ensure physical forms continue---hardly
the whole story of human potential. Many directives from
health advisors must be reframed within the context of
universal human needs, reconnection to spiritual intention, and
the feeling system.

Scientists are the "high-priests" of the current state of western civilization,

that force which is most influential in the world today. They support the so-
called enlightened societies, while the religious institutions try desperately to
pile spiritual meaning on top of a skeptical world. If such a state could be
reversed, it would be the scientific community applying understanding to
what would be a universally accepted premise of spiritual reality.

In contrast, modern religions do have faith in, and focus upon

the spirit. They provide fulfillment for the spiritual needs for
meaning and connection. Religious experience can invoke
tremendous spiritual attunement and bliss. But more often than
not, religions assume spirit to be somehow separate and
unreachable except through beliefs (touted as unimpeachable
truths), through rituals and intermediaries ---some of which
have become very limiting, disempowering and dogmatic. And
each ensures an innate evil nature which will most certainly
dominate and lead humankind astray.

Like police departments, these religious institutions truly believe that they
preserve society and represent a line of defense between order and chaos.
They affirm that without religious directives to guide us, we would revert
back to savages. This is why laws (and lawyers) are so omnipresent in the
industrialized world. There is a presumption that without laws (religious

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and secular), we would all beat each other to death with "high-tech" clubs.

Such world views offer meaning at a high price indeed, often

defying ration. They are saturated with ideas, which separate
and maintain a distance between the Creator and the creations.
They often enforce the acceptance of mental slivers and
conflicting information. Such conflicts allow the reconciliation
between the logically opposing dictates of "Thou Shalt Not
Kill" and the practice of holy war.

Western civilization has set records in barbaric behavior toward itself and
non-Westernized societies. We profess the Christian principle of "Love Thy
Neighbor" in churches and then go off to slaughter for the justification of
the moment. This conduct reflects the disrespect we have for ourselves.

They also manipulate the emotional system in ways that are

counter to spiritual intention. They can instill guilt feelings
connected to any behavior deemed inappropriate in a given
doctrine, many of which are perfectly beautiful and good in the
eye of the Creator. When the mind is ordered to overrule the
spirit, this creates conflict and negative emotion in humans. If
the human accepts that order, the result is deprecation,
depression, and the "breaking" of the spirit. The faithful are
then limited to appeasing these feelings within the rules, rituals
and interpretations of the masters of their faith. They remain
forever in need of external direction.

Breaking the bond between "self deprecation" and self-love, can be the
greatest challenge most face today, for it requires turning away from the
practices of accepted society and the shunning that follows, and exploring
that inner compass which not only preserves us, but is there to direct us
toward our expansive spiritual nature.

Each and every such directive should now be analyzed against

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the wisdom of spirit. When feelings are given the freedom to
do their intended job, they offer the most valid and true
judgments.

At some point in the future, those who ultimately come to appreciate them,
will look back upon these Lessons as being quite elementary. Only then will
we know how far we had to travel and how short the distance was.

Political and Governmental Directives

Modern human political and legal structures also ignore spirit,

and assume humans to be innately evil. They produce laws and
codes that seek to control the self-preservationary impulses as
if they are only impulses. They create societies with limited
opportunities for humans to meet the spiritual needs, forcing
them to compete rather than facilitating the innate cooperative
impulse. For they are based upon scientific and religious
knowledge, also without any concept of innate spiritual
guidance. They also strive (albeit unconsciously), to meet the
human needs. But in not knowing exactly what they are, it has
been a trial and error learning process.

These "structures" are based on Old Testament Laws (the 10

Commandments) and a presumption that if "Laws" are good then more
"Laws" are better. Control is in contradiction to Spirituality, which includes
Free Will and Creating One's Own Reality. If caring about each other were
the guiding principle, laws of control would be much less necessary.

Those systems, laws, and codes that have endured, must be

meeting an adequate level of human need despite their inherent
flaws, or they would have been rejected by humans and left
behind as civilizations evolved. History is filled with external

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dictates that have been rejected in the most revolutionary of
ways by humans. Indeed, many such rejections are abundantly
evident in the world today. The most recent forms of
government which have evolved are perhaps the most
cognizant, accommodating and respectful of many human
needs. But even they still struggle through trial and error
approaches.

Most of the societies that exist with "laws" which predominate over the
principles of "freedom", are experiencing a state of deterioration. Societies
that encourage that trend, i.e. more law and fewer freedoms, are losing
respect for their governing bodies.

Still, like science and religion, every existing political body or

government contains assumptions that must be replaced with
accurate ideas about human nature. These ideas will spring
from the spiritual expression of individuals who are attuned to
their inner guidance. Such people will make the accurate
interpretation and response to their emotional signals. They
will make Right Responses to develop the mind. They will
offer Light responses to share their improved ideas with their
communities. They will Fight when it is appropriate to stand
firm for their spirit, never to deny its supreme wisdom again.
And they will take Flight if all else fails, to begin creating new
worlds that suit the spirit, steadfastly rejecting external control
and allowing themselves the empowerment that is their
birthright.

As long as there is freedom to communicate ideals and fresh ideas on how

they can be implemented, such societies will have more Right and Light
Responses and fewer Fight and Flight reactions.

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The Power Of The Individual

It is a common assumption that organizations lead and guide

individuals. Schools instill knowledge, governments instill
rules, religions instill morals and beliefs, each imparting
information into the individual---as if humans are like
inflatable balloons. Although such exchanges of information
are essential to prepare humans with the necessary mental tools
to succeed in physical experience, the external sources do not
hold the power.

The only "power" they hold over us is the power we give them. Just as
parents are (and should be) relieved of their power over the child when it
moves from childhood to adulthood; so the human race should begin to
consider its emancipation from the organizations that rule over it in the
progression toward spiritual maturity.

There are tremendous beliefs to overcome regarding the

powerlessness of the individual. In each of the human cultural
institutions, there are deeply ingrained beliefs that individuals
can only achieve knowledge and control from their institutions
themselves, from within the Mind of Man. Humans subordinate
themselves to the doctrines of their country, their faith, their
political party, their parents, their social pundits--- to anyone
except the wisdom of their own spirit. The generally accepted
idea is that human development comes from outside in.

This is, in part, encouraged by certain practices of our physical activity, such
as food, water, medicine, knowledge, etc., the things we take "in" in order to
maintain ourselves. Yet, when we do something creative or inventive, we
draw from within ourselves and bring it out into physical expression, i.e. a
painting, a poem, or even a stealth bomber. Even a cure for some physical
ailment could come from within someone's mind. Could we do this without
having been educated in these fields? Obviously, someone had to have

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knowledge somewhere, or the knowledge in those fields would not exist .

But within the new understandings, one can see that all
change---internal and external, individual and social---begins
within the individual. All individual and social evolution
springs from the inside out. No group could exist without the
creative vision, participation and expression of its individual
minds. There would be no mass consciousness without the
combined thought of each individual consciousness .

A society that forgets the importance of individuality and sacrifices it for the
sake of security, begins its journey down a slippery slope to tyranny. When
spontaneity becomes less valued than conformity, we begin to die. As one
Greek philosopher but it: "Organization is the death of an idea".

Yet societies have taken on lives of their own, due to the

limitations and misunderstandings within mass consciousness
regarding human nature. They often fight to maintain the status
quo, insisting upon the outside-in mode, and rejecting
individual contributions which may not fit with the existing
ideas.

The religious and political history of the 18th and 19th century stands as an
example of the rejection of the institutionalized control over the lives of
individuals. In a true sense, in rejecting the dictatorial control of the
religious institutions of western society, it ushered in a more spiritual
opportunity for all the members of that institution. This was true, as well, in
the movement from monarchy to democracy. Unfortunately, this movement
did not complete itself to the point where other controlling institutions
ceased to exist.

But human grouping that does not offer human freedom,

power, meaning, connection and creative opportunities in some
minimal form, cannot be successful in the long term. Spirit will
reject them. The spirit has been evident in its rejection of such

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external control through individual and social pains and acts of
self defensive violence. Individual members will Fight or take
Flight. Such actions, when viewed through the distorted lens of
Mass Consciousness, have only served to reinforce the
inaccurate belief that humans are inclined only toward selfish,
evil actions and that without external control, they will destroy
each other. Thus, the misguidance continues and still more
external control is attempted .

The military actions being carried out on the planet at this point in time are
almost all about groups defying control from without and attempting to
maintain control within the respective societies. The point of spiritual
expression is not considered in the attempts to arrive at permanent solutions
to the conflicts, at least not to the degree that it is noticeable.

History shows this cycle. Countries that have needed physical

or psychological walls to contain their members will ultimately
fail. Such controlling communities will be overthrown, or
other, more enlightened civilizations will attract their members.
For true power and control must spring from the individual. In
respect of this truth, communication channels and efficient
responses to input are essential in any organization, whether it
be a family, a religion, a scientific or political community, a
club, a company, or a country. It is the task of individual
members of every social institution to be receptive to the
expressions of the individuals, and allow the natural course of
evolution to flow unimpeded.

Once the value of the human spirit (and its innate creative nature) is
understood and accepted by a societal organization, then the needed
intellectual and emotional energy will flow freely and it will continue to flow
as its individual members continue to grow.

Now that the understandings and strategies for living in the

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light are in place, we can start exercising human power by
redefining the contents of mind. You have begun a lifelong
process of self-development, a redesigning of your mind, but
this time, under spiritual guidance. You will be examining and
sorting through your entire concepts and beliefs about life. You
are committing to search out and reject anything and
everything limiting to the spirit. This will require rethinking
your philosophies, your political, economic, social and
religious beliefs, and by reframing your life experiences in this
new enlightened context.

This need not be done under a compelling pressure to succeed,

accomplishing this within the confines of normal time and space. A lifetime
can be as long or short as we elect it to be. The exercise of free will applies to
everything in our physical environment, even ourselves. We are totally in
control of the above indicated process, and we have a tremendous ally to aid
us in this process, our individual, spiritual or higher self.

Be confident in the knowledge that the mind can be fooled by

its own illusions, but the spirit cannot. The Mind of Man, mass
consciousness, has become the respected source and supply of
truth at the expense of spiritual intention. External guidance
springs from mind and all outlets of external guidance must be
subrogated to spiritual internal guidance.

What does that mean exactly? I believe it means that we have an inner
guidance system that can keep us on course toward whatever destination we
elect to enhance our spiritual possibilities. Getting in touch with that "inner
guidance" is no more complicated than seeking guidance from our
conscience. It can be accomplished through such techniques as meditation or
a reflection on our dreams, when we give that part of our nature the
instructions to provide us with the appropriate insight.

This commitment is not disrespectful of your mothers, or your

teachers or your preachers. It need not diminish the wisdom

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imparted from the realm of mind in any way. Everything truly
good for you will be saved and valued as always, but now you
will have a way of knowing what is "good" in the highest
sense. You will feel such validity from inside out. You will be
utilizing your innate spiritual judge to tell you which ideas are
gems to be kept and polished or which are slivers to be
expelled. Your spirit will faithfully and tirelessly speak these
pronouncements through your feelings of pleasure and pain.

This is what "spirit" does best when given the opportunity. It is only a
matter of reestablishing that trust between our human nature and our
spiritual nature and reaping the benefits of going with the flow.

Restoring the Blank Mental State

It may be helpful to think of your mind as a house with various

rooms. As you "walk about" in this mental house, you will be
directing your consciousness into its various rooms. Your
mental house is already filled with many beliefs and ideas. But
the contents of every room must now be sorted and each idea
tested against the spiritual judge. With this vision, empty a
large room and place a sign upon the door which states:
"Gems According To Spirit".

The capability of compartmentalizing events in our lives is one that can be

used to our advantage. We have seen public figures exercise that capacity of
late, seeming to be immune from the consequences of their actions. However,
it is clearly not always the "gems" that are given a special room.

Then mark the door of an adjoining empty room with

"Incoming Information". Think of this as a receiving room, a
holding tank, where each and every incoming idea, belief or

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conclusion from experience will be loaded with potential
information. Some good, some silly but harmless, and some
quite hurtful. The feedback from your experiences provides an
endless supply of highly valuable input for this room.
Maximum mental development is contingent upon a continuing
source of new experience. This room is like an interim, limbo
room, where everything is welcomed and accepted, whether or
not it matches existing values, knowledge and ideas. This is the
room in which it is appropriate to "judge not". For this is the
room where each piece of information awaits its spiritual
judgement. But it is essential that everything must be allowed
in. All mental emotional boundaries should be removed from
the front of this door, to allow access to every meaningful
result of experience. Guarding against defenses such as
avoidance and denial will allow this room to function properly.

Filling our lives with prejudicial concepts is the equivalent to putting iron
bars in front of this "Incoming Information" door and eventually, the hinges
to this door become so rusted that the very concept of such a room becomes
lost, as does our potential for growth. On the other hand, an "open room" is
like an "open mind", essential for growth, which is the natural state of the
universe.

Adjoining this receiving room will be a special judgment room

where the actual spiritual determinations are made. The room
can be called the "Spiritual Advisory". This is a very special,
personal, even sacred room, wherein you can retreat to analyze
the incoming information that has caused emotional
dissonance. Use good, vivid mental imagery and create the
room to any specifications. Design and decorate it in any way
pleasing to your spirit.

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Keep in mind that anything we create for ourselves on a mental or emotional
level, is as real (and more so) as what we create on a physical level. Because
our physical existence is so governed by the concepts of time and space, tying
our spiritual development to these concepts can actually enhance the
progress we can make in this familiar environment.

Whenever a negative feeling is experienced, your

consciousness is being directed into the Spiritual Advisory,
bringing along a belief from the receiving room. Such feelings
will come and go throughout your day; the power is in
understanding what they are telling you. In this feeling
moment, the idea creating the feeling is "on the stand" in the
spiritual court. With your active participation in this process,
you can direct the belief where it belongs. Once a belief has
passed inspection in the Spiritual Advisory, it can be placed
within the Gem room. This process can take a quick moment of
reflection and a simple mental shift. Or for more deeply held
beliefs, you can mentally retreat into this room to focus intently
upon the situation, your feelings and reactions to figure out the
core belief. (The more powerful the emotion, the more
entrenched the belief, the more effort required to pry it loose.)

Life is sort of an emotional mirror, throwing back at us the consequences of

our beliefs. While the physical mirror image is a reverse to which we adapt
our thinking, the emotional reflection requires both courage and honesty to
deal with it. If those qualities can be brought into play, the benefits are even
more helpful than the results from using our physical mirrors to enhance
our image.

Of course, everyone's mental house is already filled with

existing beliefs and this is good. But each such room will also
now be treated as incoming information. Negative feelings will
direct your attention to these rooms as situations arise so that
you can assess and respond to them accordingly. Ultimately

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each room will be emptied and replaced with Gems, until every
room is filled with nothing but Gems. This will be the
Spiritually intended mental state.

In the end, your house will be an "abode of great peace", a sanctuary of

comfort. Those who become acquainted with it, will feel most comfortable
and uplifted.

Of course, even items in Gem rooms are always subject to

recall into this Spiritual Advisory as outside circumstances,
requirements and challenges change. They may need to be
updated. Revisions to many existing beliefs will be necessary,
gems can be polished and occasionally recut. Mental fluidity
ensures the maximum possible spiritual expression and most
rewarding, complete physical experience. Never fear, the
feelings will always call forth that which is in conflict with the
needs of spirit.

Our Spiritual Nature is that "final nature" which will never let us down.
Because it is our "true" nature, it consistently works to bring our loose
strands back to the source of our being; and because of our adventuresome
nature, our ventures and experiences contribute to the value of our Spiritual
growth. This is a natural process which, at present, is not encouraged by the
institutions which govern our lives. Many acts of liberation are considered a
threat to the protected status quo.

When conducting your mental housekeeping, you will find that

you need a removal system. There should be a garbage chute in
this mental house, wherein ideas can be discarded if they have
been proven by spirit to be limiting. This should be marked
with a sign "Slivers for Recycle." This might be easier than
assumed. If valid replacement beliefs have been chosen and
there are no other related beliefs, disposal is as simple as a
decision to do so. However, if there are relatives, they will

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resurface in future experiences. They can simply be put
through the process again. If disposal has been complete, there
will never again arise a situation in which that feeling is
experienced for the same reason. Adequate and continuous
disposal increases over-all positive experience for this very
reason.

Just as we work with our physical mirrors, perfecting what we want to see,
so we can work with our emotional state until those beliefs which are a
distraction to our growth, cease to be part of our nature.

The first step in living in the Light will be to place the new
understandings in the recently vacated rooms. The knowledge
of the spiritual communicative system should be the first and
only occupant in the Gem room. From the moment the inner
voice can be heard, each and every piece of information should
be measured against it. Even the messages within these
Lessons should begin as incoming information to be passed
trough the Spiritual Advisory. Living in the light means just
that, without exception.

Let's face it, if we are going to start making exceptions (i.e. these Lessons),
then anything can become an "exception", until the intention of the system is
compromised.

Any truth of mind which resonates with spirit can be

considered just that. Any truth of mind which is discordant
with spirit must be reexamined. Each act of mental
housekeeping is an active Right Response. Each acceptance of
incoming information ensures defensive Flight Responses are
not indulged. Each acceptance of mental accountability is the
owning of the experience, which minimizes the choices of
Flight Responses and other external blaming or resistance.

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With accurate interpretation and optimal responses, your
feelings will help you develop your mind and your world. The
house of mind can be an incredible edifice, a huge expanse of
gem rooms with tools for every situation, challenge and
environment. It can be a model of spiritual expression and
fulfillment.Or it can be a slum of frustration and suffering, with
rigid emotional boundaries that defend inadequate beliefs and
severely limit physical, social and spiritual mobility.

Frustration and suffering can be an addiction of mind that can only be

overcome with realization and an intent to find an alternative. These
recommendations are the piano keys of a new melody.

To begin this new strategy of mental housekeeping, the first

new ideas can now be received into your mental house. These
are to be some universal human tenets, which are logical
consequences springing from the now complete picture of
human nature. Your feelings will affirm each and every idea in
line with spiritual intention, no matter how far it may be from
your present state of understanding. Take each to the Spiritual
Advisory and test it out. See if it resonates with your spirit and
fits with your experience. Once validated by spirit and placed
within the Gem room, such ideas become the beacon for
human thought and action.

What follows is the Test of the Tenets!

The Tenets of Human Nature

1. Humans are innately "good" and moral when attuned to, and
purposely fully directed by spiritual guidance. (Concepts of

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evil are to be eliminated).

2. Humans are spiritually guided toward the purpose of

cooperative, self development and expression, wherein
experience expands and consciousness evolves.

3. Humans are driven by competitive self preservation if not

attuned to spiritual guidance. (Experience becomes reduced
then to mere survival, creating the illusion of evil, and
evolution is stymied).

4. Spiritual guidance is physically manifested in human needs

for freedom, power, connection, meaning and creativity. When
all are met, humans are naturally accepting and on purpose. If
not, they will revert to resistance and defensive self-
preservation.

5. The spirit speaks through the language of feelings,

motivating behaviors of "approach" and "avoid" in accordance
with needs and purpose.

6. Without understanding the difference between spirit and

mind, (Cultural self and genetic self), the spiritual feedback
system can appear to give mixed signals and motivations.

7. All Feelings are legitimate and are to be welcomed as

valuable communicative corrective informational signals, and
acted upon within the rules of response. (Right, > Light, >
Fight, > Flight).

8. The emotions of spirit (joy, anger, sadness and fear) indicate

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internal developments (Right Responses) and external
expressions (Light Responses) are in order.

9. The emotions of mind (guilt, envy, embarrassment, hope,

confidence, shame, etc.) indicate developmental Right
Responses are in order.

10. Fight & Flight Responses are necessary only when true self
preservation is at risk, evidenced by spiritual anger and fear.
Such defenses are to be understood as automatic reactions to
ensure base survival, and avoided as first choice responses.

Conclusion:

Human goodness and destiny lies in wait for spiritual guidance.

The Tenets of Human Existence

1. Human purpose is to develop and express spiritual potential.

2. Humans have been given complete power to create any

desired conditions to achieve their purpose, mediated through
the gift of human mind.

3. Humans have been graced with unlimited freedom to

ascertain contents of mind, with no restrictions whatsoever.

4. Humans use this freedom to create knowledge and belief

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systems containing gems, slivers, or both, and spirit does
nothing to interfere.

5. Slivers accumulate and interfere with spiritual

communication, separating humans from the totality of All
That Is, and creating the proverbial Fall From Grace.

6. Spiritual intention can be communicated through direct

creative inspiration only when mind is unfettered by slivers,
but is always communicated through human feelings of
pleasure and pain.

7. Although contents of human mind and mass consciousness

have severely limited the mental acquisition of spiritual intent,
mind can never successfully negate the feeling system.

8. The spiritual safeguard of mind is human feeling, to signal

the presence, and motivate the removal, of slivers and
ultimately bring a return to Grace.

9. As the mind is revamped under spiritual direction, physical

consciousness expands to receive increasingly direct spiritual
insight.

10. "The Creator" will not interfere in the physical realm to

rescue humans except in offering spiritual insight through the
feeling system of each individual. For the creator exists within.

11. Human destiny is to restore mental empowerment and

spiritual expression through attuning to spiritual wisdom.

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Conclusion:

For evolution of consciousness, to restore fluidity of mind and

to return to the spiritually intended path, each human must
listen and act upon feelings.

The Tenets of Creative Reality

1. The object of the physical "game" is to experience spirit in

form, totality within limitation, light within darkness. The more
expression, the better.

2. Physical reality is illusory, fluid, limited to time-space and

the realm of mind. Spiritual reality is consciousness seeking
expression and expansion. It is unlimited, universal, and
everlasting creative power.

3. Spirit needs mind to physically create. Humans create their

own physical reality by directing spiritual energy (will power)
through the images of mind. Mind converts willfully chosen
images into physical experience according to intention and
belief.

4. Intention is communicated by the language of feeling in both

directions, Spirit to human. Physically, Spirit guides
individuals through approach and avoid feelings. Mentally,
spiritual insights are received as direct thought, and spiritual
judgements about beliefs are indicated by pleasure or pain.

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5. Humans communicate intention to Spirit through mental
imagery, thoughts and feelings. (Feelings are the most
powerful communicators given the present state of mental
enmeshment).

6. Mind creates. Thoughts surrounded in positive emotion will

attract positive events. Thoughts surrounded in negative
emotion will attract negative events.

*We all get what we fear or hate, but also what we love and believe.

7. Fearing an undesirable event can keep it at bay, but fear

generated safety contracts experience, collapsing it and
frustrating spirit. Joy generates fulfillment and expands
experience, and promoting the expansion of All That Is.
(Eliminating conditions for negative emotional response, will
eliminate the attraction of negative physical events. Promoting
conditions for positive emotional experience, will attract
positive, desirable events).

8. There is no other creative source of experience. There is

no valid fatalism, no "bad karma", no evil force
manipulating human experience---no valid blame to be
placed. All events are created by individuals
themselves.
*The above is a significant paragraph!

9. Spirit exists beyond space-time, in past, present and future.

10. Some choices and destiny paths span lifetimes such that

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certain genetic and cultural conditions are created at birth to
facilitate that direction.

11. If negative events occur despite all attempts to follow

spiritual intention, spiritual destiny beyond mind can be
assumed. (Eventually, the positive outcomes will explain and
justify any seemingly "negative" interim necessities).

12. With spiritual intention and guidance, humans can create

desired events and never again be victims of their own
ignorance, nor be captive slaves within their own power.

Conclusion:

Humans have total creative freedom. Mind creates reality,

spirit empowers and directs.Desirable physical outcomes are
achieved in direct proportion to mental liberation and
accessibility to spiritual intention.

The Tenets of Social Structure

1. "Civilization" can only evolve if human nature is understood

and accommodated.

2. Existing civilizations are based upon a norm of competition

and self-preservation resulting from disconnection between
mind and spirit.

3. External dictates must be aligned with internal ones.

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4. Human needs for freedom, power, creativity, meaning and
connection must be honored as "Rights" with expressive and
developmental opportunities provided within social-political
groupings.

5. Standards of cooperation, acceptance and spiritually directed

responses must be implemented across human institutions.

6. Receptivity to Light Responses must be ensured in each.

7. No limitations should be placed upon self determinism,

free will, and personal choices which do not violate rights of
others.

8. Social sanctions should be placed upon unnecessary,

uncooperative, self-preservationary reactions which violate
others.

9. Individuals must ensure that their institutions do not resist

feedback and defend their own mass mental emotional
boundaries.

* When this happens, individuals must simply withdraw their support.

10. Alterations to existing systems must come in manageable

steps, without needless ripping of the fabric of society.

* This moves the action from "revolutionary" in nature to "evolutionary".

Conclusion:

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Individual contributions following reconnection between Mind
& Spirit, will motivate mass reconnection and social evolution.

With these first tenets passing into the house of mind and
taking their rightful place, we can now turn to discuss existing
habits, pitfalls of thought and action which have become
"normal" and acceptable. These habits, in spiritual actuality,
are anything but normal and are no longer acceptable.

Pages 133-142 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Two-A: The Power of Habit

A Gift of Mind

As we begin to reexamine each and every content of our

mental houses, it is critical to establish some preliminary new
ideas about the mind itself.

"...new ideas about the mind" has to lead to new ideas about ourselves and
the world around us. How these "ideas"' resonate with our spiritual nature
will be the test of their worth.

The mind, as we now know, is a truly incredible resource. It is

a separate entity from spirit, although they interact. The mind is
strictly a physical manifestation, an accouterment of the human

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physical experience. It has many functions, all of which are to
serve spirit. It operates as a location, to focus spiritual
consciousness in the physical. It serves as a receptacle, to
receive creative insight from spirit and to store any and all
mental tools (beliefs, ideas, and skills ---gems) which allow its
expression. It functions like a computer, connecting, processing
and organizing information to continuously refine the mental
tools. And finally, it operates like a converter to manifest in the
physical, those events, opportunities, and experiences which
are spiritually desirable.

The "Mind" observing itself, gains "insight" to itself. In doing so, it

illustrates that true knowledge is found with-in. There is a difference
between being occupied with just ourselves (i.e. our particular relationship
with the physical and mental world around us, including our physical bodies
and mental achievements) and a deeper understanding of our Spiritual
nature and reflecting through the use of our minds and bodies. The former is
a bit of a dead end, while the latter opens a door to unlimited possibilities.

We also know that the mind can inadvertently get in the way of
spirit and utilize any of its abilities against their intended
purpose. This is the price that comes with free will. Humans
have the choice of creating the mind in its entirety. Any reality
can spring from the position of mind. But such choice, for the
most part, is now lost as existing ideas from mass
consciousness are foist upon the mind in childhood which
severely limit its abilities by focusing it upon one declared
"true" reality. One of the most powerful ways that this happens
is through the computer-like function which creates
preprogrammed sequences of thought and action, known as
habit.

Just as we can program our computers to perform certain tasks

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automatically when we turn them on, so we are programmed by the society
which uses us to conduct our lives within the defined limitations. Institutions
exist to make sure that conformity is rewarded and non-conformity
punished. One might conclude that without such, there would be chaos. But,
in fact, one extreme is as inappropriate as the other.

Habit is a truly wonderful, mental capability. It is the ability to

store and repeat an effective tool, skill or strategy so that it can
be used time and again, rather than having to create a new
approach each time. Habits are developed through conscious
effort, through developmental learning experiences, just like a
computer programmer chooses what software and data to input.
(The programmed physiological responses and processes of the
brain that run the body, are not included in the category of
habit as it is being defined).

Just as our "habits" sometimes take us to places we don't intend to go, such
as when we plan to vary a pattern of travel but end up following the
established one instead. (We start to go to the grocery store but end up on
the road to the post office.) Changing a "habit" or ingrained pattern of
behavior, requires intent and attention and, above all, repetition.

Habits are choices, purposely added to mind and carried out by

the physical brain through its electrical chemical synaptic
activity. Habits are learned, being impressed upon the blank
mental slate from the moment of birth and throughout the
lifetime. Learning good habits is purposeful self-development
that facilitates spiritual expression. Ideally, habits should only
be created under the direction of spiritual intention and altered
the moment they diminish in their effectiveness.

Most of us have habits that we believe are beneficial to ourselves, even

though, when they are carried to excess, we are the last to recognize and
accept the fact. In examining our "habits" the guideline might be, "Does this
activity (physical or mental) do anything to enhance my physical, mental and

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spiritual well being?" When it is doing just the opposite, we should know it's
time to change.

Habits can be so well ingrained, certain functions can happen

simultaneously within the mind and consciousness need not
even be disturbed. This ability allows humans to do many
things at the same time, while focusing their attention upon that
which is necessary and allowing the mind to do other things on
"automatic pilot".

My son was recently trying to do just that when he made a left turn into an
oncoming vehicle. He and the other driver were alright, but his vehicle
(less aware of what the programmer was doing), suffered for it. His pride
had a few dents in it, also.

There are two main types of habits, mental and physical. A

mental habit is a sequence of thought, like a computer macro,
which rapidly goes through a series of steps to complete a
desired action, without the conscious involvement of the
operator at each interim step. One thought or feeling triggers
the pattern and consciousness is only aware of the result---if
even that. The result has to be above or below existing
expectation to elicit a feeling to focus the awareness upon the
habitual effect. If the mind paints a reasonably accurate portrait
of the external world, expectation is often met habitually so
that consciousness is bypassed entirely.

I remember reading somewhere that 80-90% of our thoughts in a day are

the same thoughts we had the day before. This seemed to be quite true. We
may see someone or something that triggers an established belief and the
thoughts associated with that belief/experience will run the memory, like a
cassette tape. It's only when we alter the content of that "tape", that our
thought experience will change.

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Mental habits automatically associate former experiences,
existing beliefs, expectations and information with incoming
information, to sort, classify, and find meaning in each
experience, quickly without much conscious effort. Humans
rely heavily upon mental habits to be versatile and successful
in need-meeting challenges in a wide variety of situations or
cultural environments.

It could be presumed that if our existing beliefs and expectations were of

high spiritual quality, not only would our view of our world be altered, but
the effect we have on our reality would also be improved.

Attitudes are mental habits. They are preformulated

judgements about incoming stimulus which can help
automatically classify and respond to incoming information.
Attitudes are intimately connected with the emotional system.
Attitudes connect existing beliefs to similar, previously judged,
experience. Attitudes which are in accordance with spiritual
intention are wonderful things to have. Attitudes that are not
aligned with spirit can be very detrimental. If left unexamined,
they can reinforce inaccurate information and behavioral
responses.

Ever heard the phrase, "You've got an attitude problem." It is usually

uttered by people who have "attitude problems" of their own. Attitudes are
like the expressions we wear on our faces. They almost immediately
broadcast our inner state of mind. If you don't think so, try walking a block
on a busy street with a smile on your face and the next block with a frown.
Watch the feedback you receive from those you meet. Like attracts like.

Choices of action are often based upon attitudes. For example,

the attitude that the world can be made into a wonderful, safe,
accommodating and just place will most likely motivate actions
which will ultimately make it that way. On the other hand, an

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attitude that is defensive, pessimistic, and competitive, will
most likely lead to actions that create further individual and
emotional chaos.

Could it be that simple? Whyyyy not! If we truly do create our own reality,
than the attitudes we bring into that state of mind will likely be the ultimate
governing factor.

Physical habits are motor skills which are patterns of muscular

movement that bring about a desired goal. Walking is a learned
series of balanced movements which becomes a habit. Playing
a musical instrument or excelling in athletics or dance are all
based upon the formation of physical habits. Each and every
such pattern of physical movement which creates spiritual
expression is a highly desirable commodity.

Some years ago there was a very popular book titled "Psycho-Cybernetics".
One of the points of this book was that the mere imagining of an activity
produces the same result as physically doing the activity. One could improve
ones physical skills by rehearsing them in one's mind. It would stand to
reason that this could work in both directions. Positive thoughts produce
"like deeds" and positive deeds produce "like thoughts."

Habits can greatly assist humans to take on tremendous

challenges and juggle many activities simultaneously. This can
allow for multiple outlets for spirit to maximize its expression.
For example, think about when you are driving to work, or to
some other environment in which you can satisfy your needs.
Perhaps your spirit finds pleasure in music so you are listening
to your radio. Your mind is thinking about a task that awaits
you at your destination. You are strategizing for the hours to
come, as well as reflecting upon events earlier in the day, you
are navigating traffic, and perhaps even drinking a cup of
coffee.

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Imagine what kind of concentrated power we could achieve if, instead of
indulging in all those diverse thoughts at the same time, we could be thinking
of just one desired goal or personal insight. Eureka!

Then suddenly, a particularly pleasing song from your past

comes on the radio and you begin to sing along with it. As you
are singing, you suddenly remember a project that you did not
finish the previous day. You then immediately begin thinking
about what you are going to do to complete the project as soon
as you get to work. But the mind is so adept in its use of habits
that you do not even skip a beat of the song you are singing as
these other thoughts intrude into your consciousness. Indeed,
your singing has gone on auto-pilot, as has your driving and
your consciousness is free to receive other insights and
thoughts. If someone should suddenly cut you off in traffic,
your consciousness would immediately be returned to the focus
of driving, allowing you to take defensive action. All this is
possible due to the mind's ability to operate through habit.

Amazing, aren't we!

Habits of Defense: The Self-Preservationary Impulse

We know now that the hardwired defense responses exist in the

body to ensure human survival. Defensive action which avoids
a car accident is an excellent example of when this response is
effective and appropriate. Defensive responses that honor,
protect and maintain the boundaries of spirit are essential and
many are hardwired into the body. But body defenses can
quickly generalize to mind, if the critical boundary between
mind and spirit is not recognized and scrupulously honored.

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Until now, the self has been a mishmash of mental, physical
and spiritual processes all lumped together. Defense responses
of mind have become an accepted part of human experience.
But they are not innate. They are formulated exclusively
through learning and reinforced through habit. They lie within
the realm of willful control and are resolvable.

Programmed belief systems can "defend" the mind against broader and
more enlightening concepts which, when allowed to become part of a new
paradigm, can lead to greater control over our own destiny. In other words,
when not initiated to think otherwise, we can override limiting concepts and
expand our reality to a far larger extent than is normally perceived. Even
when we have been so "initiated", we can reformulate ourselves through an
act of Free Will.

Humans do not need to concern themselves terribly much with

gaining conscious control over the hardwired defensive
responses that protect spiritual emotional boundaries; they will
come naturally when allowed. But, it is essential to guard
against habitual defenses. (Fight and Flight responses) that
protect boundaries of mind. For it is the ever-evolving habits
of mind that will direct and control the alternate, beneficial,
developmental (Right) and expressive (Light) responses.
Besides, any situation that is dire enough to invoke physical
survival responses probably warrants them anyway.

New mental and philosophical concepts that are automatically met with
Fight or Flight responses, are seldom given a fair hearing by our cultural-
minded nature and, consequently, we end up running in place for too much
of our physical experience in this plane.

It is the defensive habits of mind which now need to be

addressed with a more detailed focus. Since there has never
been an accurate understanding of the spiritual emotional

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sense, there have arisen many external dictates and ideas within
the Mind of Man which perpetuate the development of defense
habits of mind. We now know the goal of mind is to expand
and never to defend and preserve, yet defense is the hardwired
automatic motivation. The hardwired response, however, can
be overridden by purposeful habit development which
counteracts self-preservationary impulses whenever the true
need is to develop mind. These mental defenses, however,
cannot be counteracted until they are clearly identified.

Choosing outside information that only reinforces the Mind of Man

attitudes, only leads to mental stagnation. Along with the act of
reprogramming ourselves, comes the responsibility to do so with the full
opportunity for guidance by Spirit. To the degree that we are willing to trust
in our Spiritual nature, we will be able to expand the rest (physical and
mental part) of our nature. This is what is meant by "surrendering to the
Divine".

The basic defensive responses of Fight and Flight can take

many forms in the realm of mental habit. But there are several
clearly "human" patterns which can be readily observed. They
are counter to spiritual intention; they violate the response
rules; they keep the motivation and behavior in a mode of
competitive self-preservation; and they must be consciously
eliminated to restore maximum progress upon the Destiny
Path. They can now be known as the Eight Deadly Habits.

The Eight Deadly Habits

The eight deadly habits can be seen in actions throughout

human history---in wars, in political, judicial and social trends,

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in art forms such as literature, poetry, dramatic theater and
film. They can be seen as factors which underlie rules, codes,
mores, religious tenets and even laws. They each perpetuate
relationship breakdown, severing human connection. They
offer evidence of man's "innate immorality" and "sin" and
"evil" capacity. But they are not part and parcel of a spiritually
intended human nature. They are choices and mental habits
which are imparted without conscious intention and left
unchecked. Such habits almost always temporarily satisfy one
or more of the spiritual needs, but always at the expense of
another---creating further spiritual pain. They can and should
be reversed. Each of these patterns only occurs if the rules of
response are broken
(Right>Light>Fight>Flight). They occur when Flight and Fight
come before or in place of Right and Light responses. But since
they are so habitual, so prevalent and so accepted, they require
special mention.

Even our "classic" works of literature are founded upon these habits. It is
for this reason that their imitation is so habitual. The flawed precepts are
held as the ideal and until these precepts are fully examined, they can not be
corrected.

Resistance

The first four deadly habits fall into the broad category of
resistance. This is the wrongful tendency to preserve mind,
which springs from the rightful tendency and innate impulse to
preserve spirit and its body. Resistance disallows the mind to
even receive the spirit's incoming information necessary to
right itself. Resistance is tantamount to keeping the doors to the
mental house firmly closed, so that nothing ever comes into the

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receiving room, let alone the spiritual judgment room.
Resistance is essentially the Flight Response which seeks to
avoid or escape any incoming information which may cause
pain.

Maintaining the status quo is more comfortable than moving beyond the
confines of the familiar. But unless we are willing to stretch our minds
beyond these "familiar confines", we will remain child-like in a controlling
environment.

But as we know, such spiritual pain is a necessary signal

pointing to that which needs to be altered in order to
accommodate, develop and express the spirit. Humans are quite
hearty indeed when it comes to pain. But the highest levels of
fear and anger are only experienced when faulty ideas---
slivers---remain protected within the walls of the mental house
due to resistance. The small levels of necessary growing pain
are very easy for humans to handle. They can even be
invigorating. Unfortunately, through habit, all pain gets lumped
together and a defensive posture of avoiding all pain sets the
stage for resistance.

We're familiar with the phrase "Don't worry - Be Happy!" In our society,
happiness is defined as that which detracts from pain of any kind. Not that
"worry" contains the automatic solution to any pain we might be burying.
By itself, it seldom accomplishes anything. However, it does act as a signal
that the issue causing one to worry, has to be examined in depth, until it can
be resolved and proper responses can be contrived.

Resistance is the antithesis of open acceptance. It comes in

many subtle forms. We have already discussed the concept of
denial and how certain things are simply not admitted into the
consciousness. Denial, of course, is synonymous with
resistance. To truly communicate the depth of its insidiousness,

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we will point to some major forms of denial which may make
the concept more readily recognizable in everyday thought and
action.

Resistant Escapism

The most common form of resistance is escapism. Escaping the

challenging situation immediately removes the pain, for the
consciousness is quickly refocused. Of course, escapism is
often necessary and healthful, when willfully and rationally
chosen and utilized sparingly . For example, in the modern
world, humans scramble about directing their energies in many
different directions in order to juggle their need-meeting
responsibilities in a crazy man-made world ill suited for spirit.
This can be physically and mentally exhausting and certain
"down times" are necessary to maintain the physical health of
the body.

There are people in our society today who don't truly know the meaning of
"down times". We refer to them as workaholics and sometimes envy the
result (monetary profit) of their lifestyle. This is a short term view, as most
of them end up finding escape in ways that they neither contemplated or
desired.

In such cases, a little escapism into the physical and mental

realms of relaxation are good choices. This is why universal
patterns of work schedules have been adopted in varying forms
across human civilizations. Days off, break periods, and
vacations are commonly understood to be healthful and
necessary. The underlying reason is that spirit requires certain
changes in routine, alterations of experience, time to refocus
and reevaluate the goals and strategies of mind. Such periods

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should always follow times of intensity in order to maintain the
spiritual balance required and ensure physical health.

The Judeo-Christian Bible tells us that even God had the good sense to take
a break on the 7th day. My wife reminds me that I once said that doing
something different can serve as a relaxant, and usually finds something for
me to do on my day off.

Escapism is always driven by the self preservationary impulse.

When the mind and body are overtaxed, the spirit cries out
through its feelings that down times are necessary for health
and maintenance of the body---self preservation. Feelings of
exhaustion, distress and fatigue are all signs from the spirit to
slow down, relax and reflect. Remember, spirit is encoded in
body to safeguard and protect its physical and mental needs.
Spirit has ensured survival in this manner throughout the
history of humankind. Such urges from the spirit are to be
heeded immediately so that mind and body are given the care
they deserve.

When I was young (and maybe this still exists), there were devices placed on
school buses that prohibited the vehicle from being driven faster than a
certain speed, maybe 45 miles per hour. However, a clever bus driver
usually found a way to "slip the governor" and exceed the speed when
appropriate. Humans are clever at that kind of thing, sometimes to a fault.

Another very useful aspect of this retreat mechanism is to

ensure that the mind will not be overwhelmed by an
overpowering challenge. This is the innate tendency to deny
that which is exceptionally disturbing to one's sense of order,
justice and meaning. Any daunting task or challenge can be
approached with much more vigorous action if there is an
optimistic, but perhaps less realistic understanding of the
challenge at hand. In such cases denial allows the mind to

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parcel out a huge challenge or mental shift into smaller parts.
With this strategy, the mind can still utilize existing skills
while slowly conquering tremendous challenges. It is not
unheard of for a human to utter, "If I had known how hard this
would be, I never would have tried in the first place. But now
I'm glad I did". At certain times, shielding oneself from such
intensity motivates the courage necessary for monumental
accomplishments .

What I'm doing here is a good, personal illustration. Yet, how much would
ever be accomplished if we could see far enough into the future to encompass
all that might be involved in a task. For this reason "Ideals" must be
nebulous while 'ideas' are more specific.

These are the "good" types of escapism. They maintain and

protect spiritual boundaries. They are the kind necessary to
ensure that spirit in flesh can handle the pace and expectations
of the mind. Spirit will always direct these actions, in ways
that maintain fulfillment of all the needs, as well as the
protection of the physical form. The accurately interpreted
feelings of spirit will motivate appropriate escapes. This type
of self preservation will ensure that the mind does not get
overly ambitious and overtax the limitations of the body.

When in doubt, seek the insight of someone who is close to her/his feelings,
observe the person's life style and see what can be learned from it. Males
tend to have more difficulty getting in touch with their "feelings", but, there
are plenty of females around who are ready and willing to help.

The other type---the deadly type---those to be extremely

cautious about, are directed by mind. It is essential to be aware
of the difference between these two types of escapism.
Remember: Self-preservation, hardwired to protect boundaries

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of spirit, also generalizes to the boundaries of mind unless
humans specifically reinterpret certain feeling signals. Mental
escapism allows ideas to remain in the mind which limit the
spirit, setting the stage for huge life strategies to be built upon
faulty foundations. Escapism denies comprehension of
experience which opposes the existing framework of belief.
This occurs when items are in the "Gem Room" which have
never been willfully and consciously sent through the
"Spiritual Judgement" chamber. This is the type of escapism to
avoid altogether. But at a minimum to ensure it never becomes
habitual.

Put in a less convoluted way, we would be well served to reflect upon our
thoughts on a regular basis, to listen through meditation or reflection; to
examine the words that come out of our mouths---especially those habitual
expressions; to examine the reactions of others to what we say. Progress in
spiritual evolution should be as regular as eating and sleeping, and just as
habitual.

On the surface it may sound difficult to tell the difference

between good and bad escapism. But there are several ways of
distinguishing between the two. First, different emotional
feelings will be experienced. When spirit is asking you to slow
down and escape briefly, or to rethink a strategy into smaller
more manageable portions, the feeling will relate to unmet
needs. This will be clear. You will feel that some needs are
being met at the expense of others and that it is time to reflect
and reprioritize to ensure that you are on the best track for
maximum spiritual development and expression.

You may find yourself meeting the demands of your job while compromising
the emotional needs of your family. This might not be an easy realization to
come to. Don't rely on the world around you to lead you do that insight. Any
T.V. series that pointed that out would soon lose its sponsorship.

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These types of signals will be callings from your spirit to make
needed mental and physical changes. They will be the specific
feelings of spirit (anger, sadness, or fear) or the bodily feelings
of physical and mental fatigue. If the feeling is simply the
anxiety of a growing pain, or any of the emotions of mind
(guilt, shame, embarrassment, etc.) then escapism is not the
optimal response choice. This is also true of inaccurately
appraised spiritual feelings, when misperceptions of mind are
truly the source of the imbalance.

Spirit is a hound dog when it comes to tracking down and directing attention
to those thought-habits that are in need of correction. The hunter need only
trust and know that, in the end, the prey (responsible thought) will be found
and sufficient attention will be directed to it, especially now that we have
been given the benefit of these 'Lessons'.

The second way to tell, is that choosing escapism

inappropriately will bring additional negative feelings of spirit
after the fact, to indicate this wrongful choice. If escapism is
chosen to avoid necessary learning experiences then one's
world will contract rather than expand. For instead of
developing more and more ways for spirit to find expression,
this erects emotional boundaries of mind that narrow the
mental comfort zone. Such contraction is frustrating to spirit
and brings further dissonant feelings such as boredom and fear.
Boredom indicates spirit is confined and seeks new adventures
and experiences. Fear will be experienced at the thought of
environments and challenges for which adequate skills have
not yet been developed. Guilt is also experienced, as well as
envy, when others who have risen to such challenges, model
their successes and the self feels threatened by comparison.
Through these feelings, the spirit is saying: "You can do that

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too! Get busy!"

In a competitive environment where it seems like everyone is competing for

everything - even love, our feelings of self-worth are often allowed to become
distorted to the point where it seems that loving ourselves for our spiritual
values puts us in a less-valued state in our society. This is a "short-term"
view and, if allowed to play itself out, will become self-evident.

True resistant escapism is always in direct response to

emotional pain. It becomes habitual quite quickly, due to the
self-preservation mechanism and lack of human understanding
of how to heed the voice of spirit. When escapism is habitual, it
becomes quite unconscious and comfortable. Escapism can
become such an ingrained habit that potentially painful
situations are avoided altogether to maintain that comfort. Of
course, this means that instead of freedom and ever-expanding
arenas of activity, the world becomes narrow and limited to
existing environment and challenges that can already be met in
familiar ways. Resistant escapism frustrates the need for
freedom, development and expression. It can also frustrate the
need for spiritual connection if the tendency actually keeps
individuals from interacting with each other. There are far too
many individuals with habitual strategies of escapism. Many
band together in groups who stand firm against the world with
rigid "cultlike" mentalities which are closed to experimental
input.

We find these "cultlike" groups everywhere. They exist under the virtuous
labels of family, fraternity, culture, church, lifestyle, corporate, sexual
orientation, cooperatives, guilds, etc. Wherever there is the effort to organize
people in groups of like beliefs or values, there is the further tendency to
close down the minds of those in such groups and steel its members against
the views that tend to expand the limited view of the members.

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Just about anything can become a habit of escape. Even
positive pleasurable experiences if sought in direct response to
emotional pain can become habitual derailers. Any behaviors
which are pleasurable and fulfilling are ripe to become possible
escapist habits. These include: eating, working, playing,
making love, reading, watching television, hobbies,
computing---virtually anything. Then of course, there are the
more obviously insidious escapes into alcohol, nicotine, and
other drugs. Many obsessive, compulsive and addictive
behaviors are rooted in resistant escapism.

...and here we thought all those things we seem to enjoy doing so (too) much,
were really just our way of getting pleasure out of life. It turns out that when
we take those "pleasures" to excess, we are probably doing so because we
want to avoid another activity that might challenge us to face those things
and people that have defeated us.

The line can be drawn between healthy and unhealthy pleasure

by determining the spirit in which the choice is made to partake
of them and by watching for the subsequent emotions they
bring. If the response rules are always followed, such strategies
will be recognized and eliminated from the house of mind.
Resistance is an insidious habit. Resistance is the choice to
deny life and human experience. Its deadly pattern can take
root in several alternate forms.

Most of us live in an environment where there is so much of this type of

situation going on around us that we accept it as not just normal but natural
and, consequently, adaptable behavior. What we are also exposed to is the
consequences of this state. Once we begin to be able to see the connection
between the patterns and the negative consequences, we will start on the
road toward leading more enlightened lives.

This discussion will continue to expose the deadly habits, but

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resistant escapism can be well disguised. It is also the first
deadly habit which sets the stage for others to follow suit,
perpetuating a destructive cycle of self-preservationary action.
It is first suggested that you begin examining your daily actions
and expose each act of resistant escapism. This shall be a
beginning step along the path of developing replacement
habits.

Don't despair. Help is on the way.

Pages 143-153 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Two-B: The Power of Habit

Deadly Habits Of Self Preservation(cont.)
Resistant Defensiveness

The second deadly habit keeps important information on the

outside of mind by bouncing it back with defensive thoughts
and comments. These can take many forms. But each is
designed to minimize or deflect any emotional feedback
information which could be considered painful---even a minor
anxious, growing pain. This can become so habitual that nearly
all suggestions and offerings to Light are deflected and self-
development comes to a near halt.

This is not hard to spot. We all know people (maybe many of our friends)
who have developed a rather flippant attitude toward life in general. We can

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recognize this "characteristic" because we have developed a certain amount
of it in ourselves.

Many perspectives, although quite valid, can serve to stop

incoming information contrary to existing mindsets. Simple
acceptance of incoming information ensures that each piece
will have its fair hearing in the Spiritual Judgment room of
mind. Rationalizations are wonderful tools of deflective
defense. Self righteousness is a very successful defense, as is
suspicion, prejudice, justification, explanation and self-
deprecation. These are all seemingly innocent acts which are
forms of mental resistance that keep incoming information at
bay. They refuse to accept accountability of situations that
arise. They keep potentially painful information safely hidden
outside the walls of the house of mind, by insisting that the
source of the problem exists externally.

It has been observed that we truly see "ourselves" in the circumstances and
people around us. This reflection can often be rather painful. In an effort to
avoid that "pain", we begin to take a mental sedative in the form of altered
thinking habits. We practice on a mental level what much of society
practices on a physical level. We take a psychological "aspirin".

Mental receptivity is essential for self development. Allowing

in feedback information, no matter how painful, is the first step
to heeding and acting upon the voice of spirit---living in the
light. It is crucial to honestly observe your interactionary
behavior and carefully note whether or not any thoughts,
actions, or comments seek to deflect information rather than
allow it in. Resistance defense maintains mental boundaries by
keeping the conscious focus upon existing ideas so that
incoming information is simply not absorbed or even heard.
Such defense habits comprise a great deal of "normal" human

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interaction. They can be quite subtle but every bit as
detrimental as the most dramatic forms of escapism.

Of course, in a competitive (combative) world, this can seem like making

oneself vulnerable to the insensitive aggression of the less aware in our
environment. However, understanding what's going on, goes a long way in
helping us cope with the initial pain that comes with letting down one's
guard long enough to see the absurdity of the "game".

Resistant Self-Deception

By far the most insidious habit of resistance is that of self-

deception. This is the simple act of lying to one's self and
pretending that certain experiences are simply not occurring.
Self-deception keeps the bad feelings at bay by blatantly
denying the reality of the experience.

We might also call it "Selective Forgetfulness". It may sound odd to suggest

such, but what this characteristic comes from is a genuine lack of self-love. If
we cared about ourselves to the degree we should, we would apply our
greatest sense of honesty to ourselves, not in a harsh, punishing fashion, but
with the degree of love we know we deserve.

One of the most effective ways to deceive one's self, is to tell

lies to others. In fact, every act of deception, every spoken
falsehood, whether harmless or violent, is an act of self-
deception. At its source, a lie seeks to convince all concerned
that circumstances are not as they are. To bear false witness is
to exploit the vulnerability of human mind, both its unlimited
capacity to create reality and its helpless reliance upon external
sensory information. Deception is a violation of the trust
necessary for civilized, cooperative living. Of the broadly

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accepted religious commandments, this is the most spiritually
legitimate.

Governments and other social institutions often justify deception by

following the rationalization that "the end justifies the means". In the name
of this false presumption, many an organized society has descended the
slippery slope of immorality. When mistrust comes between the government
and the governed, chaos on many fronts creeps in.

Although the power of creative reality is such that creative

visualization can actually alter probable events, there is a huge
difference between creative thought and self-deception.
Creativity fully acknowledges the degree of challenge
necessary to obtain a desired result. It allows in all information
signals and utilizes them to build the best mental skills to make
it actual. Deception seeks to minimize the challenge or get
around it in a lazy sub-spiritual attempt to reduce the necessary
effort. Even "little white lies" are deceptive and dishonoring.
They ignore the impetus to honestly express and are best
converted to honest truths, couched in the most compassionate
and cooperative terms, and offered as Light Responses.

We are nearly all susceptible to flattery, to one degree or other and we are
all tempted to use it to make a good impression. The problem is that it
creates weak links in our social fabric when it has only a superficial intent.
When we truly care about others (and, again ourselves), we put more
thought and effort into our communications and, consequently, get more
lasting results.

All forms of resistance share the common goal of leaving the

incoming information outside the mental door so that any pain
can be avoided. These habits can bring human evolution to its
knees. But resistance is not the only problem. For information
can be allowed in, "truths" imparted directly into the gem

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room without having gone through the spiritual advisory.
This inserts slivers and allows them to drive the actions and
minimize the choices of its master. These slivers are allowed to
fester and bring the next class of deadly habit---resentment.

There are certain professions in our society that have managed to score high
in the arena of public contempt. I'll leave the reader to surmise what they
might be. Suffice it to say that the art of slipping half-truths in with
falsehoods, as Lincoln said, can not "fool all the people all of the time".

Resentment

Once the faulty ideas have been allowed into the mind, they
continue to frustrate the spirit. Like resistance keeps things out,
resentment holds them in. The beauty of the spiritual wisdom,
however, is that it responds to slivers pronouncing its negative
judgment upon them through feelings of emotional pain. So
even though these ideas have bypassed the conscious judgment
process, they are still subject to its safety-net effect. Thus, the
negative feelings will build into a new energy called
resentment.

The key to taking advantage of this "safety-net" is in establishing a

willingness to open oneself to these feelings and desire to become more aware
of them. This is simply an act of intent, one that will never be rejected by our
Higher Self.

This condition allows the individual to harbor ill will toward

the falsely identified source of his or her troubles, never
considering the possibility that a change within self is
necessary, nor utilizing their rightful power. This habit springs
from lack of understanding of the personal will power and the

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flexibility of mind. Resentment is counter to spiritual intention,
it is competitive and self-preservationary, so it creates further
pain. This energy builds and haunts the mind and creates
victim-like events to bring the slivers to the attention of the
master of the mental house.

With an understanding that we truly create our own reality, comes the
further awareness that "reality" is not the creation of someone or something
else. As this awareness becomes our reality, so also does our sense of
responsibility for what we are and what we experience.

Resentment is a lingering feeling of frustration which prompts

new ideas to counter them. Oftentimes, instead of removing the
first slivers, new ones are added like a scaffolding of mental
explanations for one's woes. Oftentimes other people or
situations are cited as responsible for the unpleasant events in a
given person's life. When there is a perception of an external
limitation, spiritual anger will be experienced. Resentment
allows the anger to stew inside when one insists an outside
source is responsible for an inside problem, bringing further
negative outcomes.

Breaking this ongoing pattern is essential to our spiritual growth and the
process begins with our understanding of it and ends with our realization
and practice of a more evolved approach to our life circumstances. This is a
natural process which we elect to put into motion. We progress at our own
desired pace, a pace which accelerates as we begin to see the benefits more
clearly.

Resentful Blame

Eventually this resentment will bring about mental changes.

But most often, it brings further faulty explanations for bad

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events and assigns distorted "meaning." This type of psychic
finger-pointing is another of the deadly habits. It is known as
blame.

For many people, when bad things happen, they immediately look around
for someone to blame. If anything suggests a "non-responsible" belief mode,
this does. It is the precursor to the greatest state of unhappiness.

Feelings of anger, guilt, envy, anxiety, or shame often motivate

a blaming response. The act of blame is a maladaptive Flight
Response in which the external realm is held accountable for
internal problems. To blame, is to think that it might be due to
Karma, or the weather, or the configuration of the stars, or the
secret government, that things are not going as the individual
plans. Such finger pointing can bring temporary postponement
of feelings but never true spiritual fulfillment. For the
underlying dissonance always remains, creating further
negativity in feeling and experience.

Once adopted as a habit of thought, there is no way out. Every experience in

potential or in fact, is already assigned to a "blame" culprit. The very
detachment from personal responsibility, detaches us from the awareness of
our creative capability. We become the ultimate victim.

The tone and personality of the habitual blamer, will be angry,

frustrated, impotent and often a martyred victim. There will be
ongoing helplessness, disempowerment and negative emotions
since the problems will never be adequately addressed. Modern
society often promotes blaming, with its fault-finding judicial
system and general misconceptions regarding the mind's
potential to create reality.

Not only does it promote it, it very often rewards the victim monetarily.
There is a whole industry built up around the concept of compensation for

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the unfortunate experiences of life. Yet, if these experiences were truly
examined, such would probably be found to be of one's own making.
Unfortunately, what that non-responsibility ultimately leads to is
irresponsibility.

In sum, resistant blame is counter-productive. It defends

internal limited mindsets by creating false external limitations.
The appropriate response to any true external limitation is the
Light Response, wherein cooperative alternations to the
situation are achieved. This could be through persuasion of
another person whose limited perspective does not honor nor
accommodate your needs. Blame, however, does nothing but
ensure further limitation.

Limitation is in contradiction to creative potential, the latter being the truly

spiritual quality of our nature.

Hostility

With continuing habits of resistance to incoming feedback,

resentment grows into contempt---and the next deadly habit
hostility . With this shift, a permanent assessment against
another person or situation is incorporated into the mind,
Eventually the energy will build to the point that genuine
hatred will be felt toward those who have been blamed. This
will allow the formation of certain strategies to counteract the
evil efforts of the agitator, no matter how unrealistic this
assessment is in the perspective of others.

How much buried hostility is there prevalent in our society today. Most of it
remains just below the surface and does most of its damage by imploding
upon the carrier rather than person against whom it is felt, because we live
in a so-called "civilized" society. Yet, it eventually does take it toll, if not

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against someone else, most certainly against oneself.

The harboring of ill will toward another does nothing but

channel that energy inward and disrupt the natural flow
necessary to maintain positive balance and physical health. But
the energy continues to build since the actual source of the
problem has never been addressed, ushering in the next class of
deadly habit.

Psychologists and clerical people may talk about the damage caused by
buried feelings of hostility, but the solutions for dealing with it usually aren't
offered until after it has caused us serious problems. That may be because
hostility, when harnessed and organized, can be quite beneficial in times of
organized conflict.

Revenge

When the lingering resentment and hostility builds to

unbearable proportions, some external outlet is necessary to
ensure self-preservation. The remaining deadly habits fall into
the category of external venting and seeking revenge upon the
blamee. Blaming and hostility lie in the mental realm---revenge
takes the Fight Response into the physical realm. To think it is
one thing, but to further act upon hostility is quite another.
Many reprehensible and evil acts follow the habitual motive to
get even.

The above gives motive to the admonition to "turn the other cheek", since
the "eye for an eye" suggestion usually serves to exasperate matters and
quite often leads to accelerating violent physical acts and the predictable
consequences.

Revenge often seeks to lower another to a less intimating level

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of comparison. Revenge is to inflict pain back upon the one
that has been assumed to have caused it. It is the urge born
from hurt to hurt back. When the spirit feels lowly and small,
trapped within its mental straight-jacket, the feelings can
prompt changes which bring others down to the low and small
position rather than elevating the self.

It becomes a matter of relativity, making oneself feel better by making

someone else feel worse. Hostility carried within for too long a period,
becomes a habit of thought that is reflected toward just about everyone in
one's immediate environment, to the extreme point that the environment
must become restricted to protect society.

Revenge always directly springs from anger which often grows

from unexamined and misdirected feelings of guilt, envy,
anxiety or shame. But this form of anger springs from the
limitations and expectations of mind, rather than any valid
external obstacle. As long as the human race continues, there
will always be plenty of opportunity for people to be hurt by
others. Whether the hurt is one from misconceived ignorance
or comes from a deliberate act of aggression, pain upon human
interaction is inevitable.

What, than, could change this? It would likely have to be something that
would "enlighten" this human race to the point of understanding that we
truly do create our own reality and are responsible for not only what we
think, but for the consequences that ultimately result.

Vengeful Gossip

Revenge can often masquerade as seemingly harmless acts and

comments. It starts with small external comments, remarks,
and suggestions, not directly focused upon the source. Gossip

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is a form of revenge. Often times when one is hurt by
comparison to another, no matter how mildly, it is often the act
of choice to belittle that person behind their back. This is an act
of cowardice which does not clear the air with the person
believed to be at issue, but rather allows the gossip to feel
escapist pleasure in the position of power that their words
assume. The initial painful feeling should have instead
motivated an inward reflection and the addition of a conscious
goal to either gain the desirable quality, or a mental shift to
truly accept the impossibility of doing so. With this type of
internal adjustment, future situations are not likely to invoke
the same feelings.

We are all susceptible to this temptation, probably because it is so prevalent

and easy to indulge in. We often poke fun of those who indulge in gossip to
an excess, but we encourage these people by listening to what they have to
say. The reaction to this type of behavior might start with an uneasy feeling
when we are exposed to it, followed by resistance and a disinclination to pass
the "gossip" along.

For example, a woman feels envy upon meeting another who is

a particularly beautiful and an accomplished artist. With this
feeling, the spirit within is suggesting "you can do that too!"
Instead of bad-mouthing the artist, the woman commits herself
to practicing and studying ways to express her own artistic
talent. Such an adjustment should not include trying to
convince herself of her own inferiority by comparison in the
beauty department. The physical embodiment is part of spirit
and cannot, nor should not, be changed, defiled, or rejected for
any reason. Certain physical forms are often chosen for specific
purposes aligned with the Destiny Path. Adopting the freeing
attitude of developing all those talents and abilities that can be
brought forth and accepting the physical form as is, is the most

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beneficial strategy. Remember, the spirit as well as its body, its
appearance, its needs and desires, cannot be changed by
anything mental. Only the mind can change by adding new
ideas, strategies, perceptions, values, and skills.

We are all examples to each other, for better or worse. How we react to
others with better looks or greater talents or higher paying jobs or larger
houses or more expensive cars, is directly conditional to our own sense of
worth and self-love. The greater the latter, the less we are threatened by
those who might have something we don't have. Knowing that we can and do
create our own reality, can spark an ambition that will reinforce that belief.

It takes particular strength of spirit to reject the many

judgmental ideas from mass consciousness regarding the
human form, its appearances and processes. Existing society
prompts many envious feelings. Certain unrealistic standards
are foist upon individuals and accepted, pitting mind against
spirit. Such an act always leads to further emotional pain and
self-depreciation and eventually depression. If such ideas are
not rejected, unrealistic comparisons are inevitable, eliciting
negative emotions. Such feelings when misunderstood,
motivate escapism and vengeance instead of the necessary self-
development (a Right Response).

In a competitive society, the need to "win" or be the best, carries with it the
brutal consequences of not being the best with the most. We have a choice.
We can either play by the rules that our particular society aims to impose, or
we can establish our own rules and sidestep the negative aspects and stresses
that lead away from spiritual evolvement, and begin to create a fuller life for
ourselves.

Eventually, even the most adept practitioner of vengeful gossip

will need a more direct outlet. The anger will continue to build
until it is expressed. The emotional system is such that the

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spirit will never be satisfied until the actual source of the
dissonance has been addressed. And, of course, the mind can
declare what that source is, depending upon its contents. It will
decide the source of dissonance, whether it be right (in
accordance with spiritual intention) or it be wrong (as
perceived through a distorted mental lens) due to continuing
resistance.

Awareness of a particular characteristic is the first step. Dealing with the

characteristic is the next and most crucial step. To make the positive choice
requires going within ourselves and tapping the guidance we know comes
from our "higher" selves.

But right or wrong, if the mind is utterly convinced in its belief,

the spirit will motivate external changes upon the source
directed in the Fight Response. Although this will perpetuate
survival, it is not appropriate unless the response rules have
been observed. In the situation of building resentment, all
behavioral motivations are based upon faulty information that
has never been fully examined, acknowledged or understood.

This is the ultimate challenge, establishing a perspective based upon as much

truth as one can uncover and deal with. This is also the road to compassion
and understanding and, of course, spiritual growth.

Vengeful Aggression

If the mental corrections are still not made, eventually the

energy will build into direct expression of anger against the
persons or situation believed to be at issue. This is known as
the deadly habit of vengeful aggression.

In recent history we saw an example of where "Deadly Habits of Self-

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Preservation", if not corrected, can lead. The young men who perpetrated
the crimes in Colorado were most likely subject to negative treatment which
resulted in their banding together and contemplating some vengeful reprisal.

Such aggression can take the subtle form of passive aggression,

or it can be more direct. But in each case, the anger is directed
outward before any internal work has occurred. For example,
in the case of the enviable woman, the envious one might make
some back-handed complement which actually insults or
judges the woman harshly. Such as, "Your use of color is
surprisingly sophisticated".

At this stage, the "aggression" is limited to words, but when such become
damaging weapons, an escalation is in progress. Where it leads is up to the
recipient as much as it is the perpetrator.

Vengeful aggression is successful at venting the emotion, for it

does indeed address the perceived source of the problem. But it
has violated the response rules; it serves only self-preservation,
and it is only a temporary fix. The true source of the problem
lies within the beliefs and limitations of mind, not in the
external other or situation. Nevertheless, with pent-up emotion,
humans will inevitably lash out at those whom they have
blamed.

When adolescents are stretching into adulthood, they are often mimicking
the patterns of behavior they have witnessed as children. For better or
worse, adults are the ultimate educators of the young through the use of
example. Adolescents are prone to see the negative and incur the wrath
incorporated within it, because of their need to be contrary at that age.
Thus, do they cling together and emphasize their rebellion.

These mini violations upon another generally remain in the

verbal realm. They are serious enough in their effects. But

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when enough emotional energy is accumulated, there will be an
external explosion in the physical realm of much greater
significance.

Alas, the violence we are seeing in schools is a reflection of a society in need

of greater self-examination. Unfortunately, what is likely to follow is only a
form of greater restriction and less communication and trust.

Vengeful Violence

This is the deadly habit of vengeance violence. It is due to

vengeful violations that laws and punishments have arisen. It is
the source of the human reputation for evil capacity. It has
become accepted as an inevitable human action, although it is
truly a habit born of ignorance within a misguided mind, that is
learned and can be unlearned.

One could write volumes about what has been happening in the news lately.
In eastern Europe, people are wreaking violence against those who are
wreaking violence against others. In Colorado, fantasy violence turned into
reality violence, carried to an extreme. But it is Capital Punishment which
serves as the most legitimate form of vengeful violence today. Examples
teach and behavior can be learned or, as stated above "unlearned".

When anger is vented physically upon another person or a

group of people, this is the ultimate maladaptive, anti-spiritual
human act. It obliterates any semblance of cooperation and
reduces everyone involved to self-preservationary stances.
What is truly evil, is that vengeful violation can be taught as
perfectly respectable and necessary. Beliefs can be instilled
which manipulate the emotional fight and flight responses to
gain certain ends. Fear and anger can be invoked and
marshaled by strong and charismatic leaders to gain

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compliance and participation in quite heinous acts.

Meanwhile, even a civilization that has been exposed to a spiritual

philosophy including such admonitions as "Love God with All They Heart
and Thy Neighbor as Thyself" and "When smitten on the right cheek, turn
the left also", or words to that effect, can easily be swayed to use the act of
violence in dealing with violence, as a first choice rather than a last choice.

This can be done with such effectiveness, that the anger may
not even be associated with the act itself. Instead, temporary
feelings of loyalty connectedness, and the fulfillment can come
from committing atrocities while following advice of such a
master. Thus it is essential to become a powerful master over
one's own mind.

Modern weapons of war allow those who use them to never see either those
against whom they are being used or first hand viewing of the consequences.
We have made violence such an abstract act that we have to create fantasies
to be imitated through movies and T.V. portrayals. The mind that blindly
follows is the most dangerous of all.

Not much needs to be mentioned about vengeful violation,

since human history speaks of its peril endlessly. But it is
essential to make the connection between mental resistance and
where it leads. It is also important to know that it is spiritually
necessary to vigorously defend one's self against such violation
by another. If Light Responses are insufficient, turning the
other cheek against a motivated violator will not suffice. This
is when a Fight Response for self preservation of spirit is in
order. Until civilization becomes just that, this will be the case.
In time, as more enlightened ideas are incorporated into mass
consciousness, there shall begin a trend of fewer and fewer
violations.

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There is a clear difference between violence to protect and preserve one's
physical existence and acts of random violence in reaction to damage to one's
ego or as dispute resolution as a first choice. We can and must transcend this
mentality for the benefit of all future generations.

In the current state of humanity, it is imperative to draw

attention to the fact that each of the deadly habits are just that,
unconscious, repetitive acts that bypass the consciousness and
wreak havoc upon individuals and humanity.

If this is not self-evident in today's world, it probably never will be.

The Cycle Of Resistance

What is most devastating to human purpose, progress and

evolution, is that the eight deadly habits combine together into
a vicious and self-reinforcing cycle of behavior. This is when
the emotional signal sounds, informing the mind that spirit is
frustrated. This signal is met with some form of resistance, in
which the feedback is not allowed into consciousness and the
message of the spirit is lost. When this is allowed to occur, the
original problem remains and the emotion lingers causing
further agitation and motivation to fight and take flight.

Through whatever technique is appropriate, time needs to be set aside to

contact the inner voice. It is only through a concerted effort to listen to our
spiritual nature that progress can be made in altering the "habits" that
permeate our society and lead to the least valued circumstances.

As long as the emotion remains blocked, the energy will build,

allowing the mind to haphazardly make assumptions that
assign meaning where none truly exists. The building emotion
is held as resentment, and eventually expressed outward in

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some form of vengeance against the assumed source of the
problem. Whoever is the target of the vengeance will, of
course, respond to it in some way. If this response is resistance
and the mind is not righted to accept the limitations of the
vengeful one, the habit would be to return the vengeful favor.
This second vengeful act will most likely be experienced as
negative feedback, provoking further emotional pain within the
original person. Again, the pain may be met with habitual
resistance, then resentment and with vengeance, cast back upon
the other.

Breaking this chain of action and reaction can only begin when society is
clearly led to understand how to put into practice those alternatives that
have been previously mentioned, beginning with the most spiritual and
adopting the least idealistic as a final alternative. This can be done.

The anger will bounce back and forth between the two like a
Ping-Pong ball in a deadly game of self-preservation. This is an
incredible expenditure of energy. It diverts the attention away
from stated goals and allows the entities to spin their human
wheels---to while away their potential and live in pain and
frustration, as well as allowing the creation of a hellish world.

We can witness the consequences of a game gone out of control simply by

turning on our television set in time for the evening news.

Sadly, this is how more humans operate than not. Civilizations

are based upon this cycle of behavior, in the "knowledge" that
this is the extent of human potential and that their only purpose
is one of self-preservation. This is why systems of external
control have arisen. From religious moral dictates, all the way
to lengthy legal codes, such external controllers of the evil
human exist in each and every grouping. These "truths" of

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mass consciousness continue to perpetuate the learning of the
habitual cycle of self-preservation. It is no wonder that humans
born into such structures learn to rely upon external control.
With such ingrained truths, the concept of internal control is
foreign, and the concept of internal guidance, innate morality,
and spiritual intention even more so. These "truths" are the
seeds that grow into habits of human disempowerment.

Also, sadly, there is evidence that when humans do weaken and do those
things that reflect a low sense of respect for others and themselves, it is used
as simply confirmation that unless external organizations gain a greater
degree of control, society will continue to deteriorate. In fact, just the
opposite is true. There are simply not enough weapons nor police to
maintain proper order if there is no inner recognition of the spiritual value
of ourselves and others.

To weed these habits from the mental garden is the first step to
re-empowerment. This cycle is learned. It can---and must ---be
unlearned. For it is essential to reconnect with the internal
guidance and begin to live as fully functional human beings.

While our public education institutions are prohibited from teaching a

particular religious set of dogmas, there is nothing to prevent them from
teaching self-love and respect and suggesting that students look upon others
with a like-minded attitude. I would be hard pressed to find such an ideal to
be in contradiction to the teachings of any religious organization.

To break the habits and stop the cycle, the answer is human
purpose. Resistance is learned and becomes habitual only
because there is no understanding of the message of emotion.
The self-preservationary impulse overtakes mind and body.
Acceptance is the antithesis of resistance. Acceptance based
upon clear knowledge and faith in human purpose is the
counterpart habit needed to replace resistance.

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It appears it is time for an "upgrade" in our collective attitude toward the
human race as a whole. This can begin individually and move out from
there. There are few, if any, human beings who are totally lacking in some
admirable quality. If we can find these qualities within ourselves, we can
find them in others. Given voice, these qualities can become stepping stones
to an advanced collective.

When a human being understands that the true purpose is self-

development and expression, each situation is interpreted
through this lens. Self preservation is seen for what it is---
limiting. Each daily occurrence becomes highly significant and
each piece of incoming information is welcomed with open
mental arms. For each moment of each day can allow the
opportunity to self-develop; to adjust the mind in concert with
the incoming information, rather than to resist its validity.

This is a tall order, but not an impossible achievement. Habits of thought are
simply those which begin with a single step and turn into a comfortable
stroll.

This continues to broaden its boundaries, adding gems to the

ever-expanding mental house. With each successful act of self-
development comes a counterpart potential for additional self-
expression. With each act of self-expression comes the
resonance of fulfillment in Universal Joy. This is living in the
light. This is living on purpose. This is the human experience
as the Creator intended it to be.

While this is near the end of this Lesson, it can be the beginning of a new
world.

Breaking the deadly habits will take serious effort, but progress
can flow quickly and naturally when the focus remains upon

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purpose. We can now discuss the more positive habits that are
developed in concert with spirit that foster the maximum levels
of human joy possible in earthly experience.

Pages 154-167 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson 3A: The Life-Giving Habits of Self-Development

Acceptance

The deadly habits spring from resistance to incoming

information. This touches off a cycle of struggle as humans
defend the inaccurate mental boundaries instead of identifying
and removing them. The experience is then one of fear, self-
preservation, and competition as prime motivators, and the
creation of chaotic, "random," and often unpleasant events
which seem to come out of nowhere. Resistance to incoming
information is resistance to experience, and ultimately
resistance to spiritual intention. Living from an operational
base of deadly habits has reduced the human condition to a
perpetual state of spiritual frustration---a state which is
screaming "FIX THIS!!!"

We all know people who seem to be caught in this cycle of frustration. Their
lives are filled with one crisis after another. Their solutions to the "crises"
seem to only bring on more of the same. It would behoove them to read the
above paragraph for a starter. Of course, the "Lessons" would be an even
better place to start.

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The solution is simple and profound. The answer is the
antithesis of resistance---it is acceptance. Acceptance reverses
the misplaced impulse to defend or self-preserve a limited
mind by opening it wide to experience. Open acceptance faces
the fear and moves through it, finding the belief source which
is festering in the mind. Acceptance heeds the message of the
fear and acts upon it correctively. Open acceptance allows the
Earthly experience to be evaluated by spirit, liberating it from
the judgments, physical illusion, and isolation of mind. When
unimpeded by resistance and respected as the messengers of
spirit, the feeling signals can at last be allowed to do their job.
Then--- and only then ---can purposeful, meaningful, fulfilling
experience begin.

Sometimes, even the "fear" of an experience can serve as a sufficient block

to prevent the value of it from coming to the fore. It would serve us well to
remember that Spirit in not intent on destroying us, rather it is our guide to
evolvement.

Once restored upon the intended path, the individual is then

reconnected with the Spirit and living in the Light. Human
feeling then takes its rightful place as the internal guide. Its
signals are carefully analyzed and acted upon, following the
response rules. This tremendously speeds progress, leads to the
intended joyous feeling state, the creation of desired
meaningful events, and fosters an ever-expanding arena for
spiritual development and expression. Fear becomes only a
casual visitor, and only when learning is in order. And
resistance is cast aside as a vestige of ignorance.

This is the promise of things to come, when Spirit begins to play a rightful
role in our learning process. Just as the happiest child is one in a state of
painless learning, so can we, as adults, reach that point (again) where mental

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and spiritual growth are a natural and joyous process.

Open acceptance creates a positive cycle of thought and action

that can become habitual to instantly deliver optimal responses
and experiences. Acceptance opens the door to each and every
incoming experience, regardless of whether it feels good or
bad. In fact, the earliest acceptance of the stuff that feels bad
affords the quickest response time. This allows levels of fear
and other pain to remain relatively minor and never to build to
the horrific proportions now routinely experienced by far too
many humans.

Ignorance feeds "fear" and too often exacerbates that which would remain a
minor sensation so long as we understand the reason for it and place a
higher value on the experience itself. We progress because we trust. This
gives broader meaning to the whole concept of Faith.

The Role of Judgment

The key to building the habit of acceptance lies in

understanding the nature of judgment. Many great leaders have
heralded the warning message of human judgment, but it has
not yet been correctly absorbed and applied. A clear
understanding of the problem must start with a review of the
capacities of mind.

Our propensity to "judge" others by a stricter standard than the one we

apply to ourselves, has led to harsh actions and reprisals which, in turn, has
lead to massive violence. We have labeled our actions as justifiable wars, but
they were clearly much less noble.

The mind is a tremendous gift with incredible capabilities

designed for the task of creating optimal spiritual expression in

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human experience. Mind as a receptacle acts as gatekeeper,
defining the bounds of individual self-identity. Mind as a
computer performs rational, informational processing to store,
classify, sort, merge and utilize ideas in incredibly useful ways.
Decisions and conclusions result from such processing, which
in turn, motivate thoughts and actions which are tested in the
world. These thoughts and actions are then evaluated against
the external results that they achieve. If the strategies behind
the actions are sound, they would meet with success in
fulfilling spiritual needs in the world. This success would be
signaled by good feelings. If mental belief strategies were not
adequate, they would meet with failure and bad feelings. Such
successes or failures then are remembered, and taken into the
self-identity of the human.

While history does make an effort to record facts, it does not always do a
very good job of recording and retaining the feelings that follow a particular
line of action, even though the action at the time, was based upon a process
that was considered most rational. In war, for example, it is usually the
winners who write the version of the events that led up to and justified their
actions. The alternative to "war" is seldom given adequate review because it
was not one of the consequences.

The evaluation step is where the confusion over judgment lies.

The mind is unlimited in what it can contain and how complex
it can become. It can creatively evaluate any scenario based
upon its beliefs---including rationalization, psychic blaming,
and even delusion--- virtually anything goes within the
powerful "brain". Mind has no way within its own boundaries
to determine the accuracy of its evaluation. Mind, by itself,
cannot measure the rightness or wrongness of its choices. It
requires the spirit; an understanding of its intention, and how it
speaks through the language of human feeling.

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To take "mind" to that next step requires a willingness to trust our spiritual
nature and to recognize that mind, alone, can not be the ultimate arbitrator
of our actions.

The dangerous kind of human judgment is that which allows

mind to perform the evaluation all by itself. This is a profound
point: Mind alone cannot---and therefore should not---judge.

To expand the term human judgement to its optimum meaning is to include

not only the functions of mind in the decision making process, but to
incorporate our feelings. If a decision is not followed by a deep satisfaction of
having done the truly right thing, then we are likely to have excluded Spirit
from the process.

Recall the problem of Emotional Boundaries. The purpose of

mental boundaries is to separate one human from another, to
provide a uniquely individual focus of experience, and to allow
that focus to freely direct and choose life events. Boundaries of
mind are intended to continuously expand as the purpose of
self-development is carried out. In contrast, boundaries of spirit
are those defined by the Creator and encoded within the body.
They must not be changed. They must be actively maintained,
protected and defended to ensure at minimum, self
preservation, and ultimately, the intended purposeful self-
expression. The mind must be as actively developed as the
spirit must be actively defended to accomplish the fully-
intended human experience.

The "Mind" spends a lot of time resisting that which the "Spirit" suggests
when, in fact, if the Spirit were not so often ignored, it would be able to play
a greater role in the Mind's decision-making process.

But motivation to defend spiritual boundaries can mistakenly

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direct the mind to stop developing and defend its current state.
This creates the problem of human judgment. A defensive
mind closes itself to experience and cuts itself off from the
necessary spiritual evaluation. For the mind cannot go outside
of itself to bring in new information without conscious
involvement of its master. It can only base its decisions upon
that which already exists as knowledge, belief, attitude or
habit. As we know, there are no garbage chutes in the house of
mind where the faulty ideas are automatically shuttled away.
Slivers can sit side by side with gems until they are noticed and
actively removed. They are noticed only through conscious
feeling experience. Such evaluative information must be
actively invited--- accepted---into the mind.

Probably, one of the most effective methods of setting ourselves up to

experience this sorting process, is to quiet the mind to a state of listening to
our inner voice and inviting our Spiritual nature to speak to us through that
"voice". This tactic is often referred to as meditation.

The feedback cycle is dependent upon action. Action, and the

feeling experience that follows, is the only way to invite new
evaluation information. Test actions invoke the spiritual judge
and allow feelings to determine how well the mind is equipped
to meet spiritual needs. Then corrective actions ---Right, Light
and Fight responses---follow the feelings which adapt the mind
or alter the world to facilitate spiritual expression.

This may seem like simply a trial and error process absent of any pre-
guidance, but it is the least we can do providing we factor in some degree of
reflection following our actions. Eventually, our Spiritual nature
incorporates our Mental nature and we have to spend less time apologizing
for our errors.

The judgment problem arises when the mind evaluates---

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judges---a situation by itself before active experience, in a
habitual sequence of thoughts that result in limiting action
choices. Such habit can allow the mind to direct actions which
avoid and resist the very experience for which the spirit cries
out. But since mind creates events, based upon its contents, it
will also attract unpleasant events which point out the same
inadequacies it is defending. Such a person will fall "victim" to
"bad luck," accidents," or "misfortunes"---all of which mirror
perfectly the limiting beliefs that create them. This is a
dangerous cycle of misdirected will energy and self-
preservationary impulse, which relegates humans to a brutish
and minimal physical experience now the norm on earth. This
is the condition which must be relieved. It is now time to heed
this timeless message: judge not.

When "bad" things happen to good people, these events can serve as
educational mirrors, designed (with the help of memory) to educate us in
altering the process of our lives. It is not our Spiritual nature that demands
that we suffer. It is, rather, our false pride that results in the consequences
that are meant to deter us from our wrongful thinking habits.

In short, the mind must accept---even seek out---experience in

order to keep itself aligned with spiritual intention. Mind
simply must be actively developed. It is a common
understanding that the human brain only uses one tenth of its
capabilities. This is simply due to the lack of adequate mental
self-development. Until the mind is harnessed, the feeling route
to spiritual intent must be fully utilized, for the actual
percentage of harnessed mind power is much lower. Humans
have not yet even imagined the mental potential which awaits
within.

Yet, there are no limits to what we can imagine!

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Clarity of Purpose

Building habits of acceptance rely upon clarity of purpose. The

only way to rise above the automatic, biological imperative of
self-preservation of body, is to actively focus upon the higher
purpose of self-development of mind for expression of spirit.
This is the true goal of the preservationary impulse---to keep
humans alive until they finally answer the jammed signal of
spiritual feeling and awaken to their intended purpose---the
Divine human purpose of self-development and expression.

This seems to suggest that we can purposefully continue to exist in the

physical so long as we choose to continue to focus our minds upon the higher
purpose of spiritual self-expression. In acquainting ourselves with our inner
being, this message should probably be reiterated habitually, if we wish to
preserve our mental existence in this physical environment.

It bears repeating that the human purpose is to fully express

spirit in the physical form. This requires first the development
of mind---the vehicle of expression in the physical experience.
Cultural, mental self development is the only route to physical,
genetic, spiritual self-expression.

It would be the intent and purpose of these "Lessons" to aid us in this effort.
It is for this purpose that I make this effort to express my reflections on the
information given and would encourage anyone else to do likewise. - Lloyd J.
Klapperich <mailto:klappl@cfw.com>

To focus with clarity upon purpose is to see beyond the

momentary impulse to self-preserve, compete, or violate. With
consciousness of purpose certain feelings automatically signal
the need for mental development. The mind can then seek and

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create strategies which broaden its boundaries under the ever-
present direction of spirit. Purpose is the shining beacon which
pierces the darkness, guiding humans toward spiritual reward.

We each have an obligation to develop ourselves to the fullest and, in doing

so, we teach others by example to do likewise.

Faith In Spirit

From purpose springs the next replacement belief---

foundational faith in spirit. Purpose points the way but faith
empowers the movement. Faith allows spirit to energize the
body and mind. Faith in individual spirit is faith in Universal
Spirit. Those who live in faith, bear life's challenges without
the draining heaviness of doubt and fear. Faith in spirit brings
optimism, energy, vigor, and vitality to every action.

When we say, "I am one with the Universe", we are acknowledging that our
spirit nature is a part of the Universal Spirit and that our experiences are a
part of the whole and, finally, that we are not alone in our challenges. To
that degree, we are like waves in an "Ocean of Being".

Faith in spirit already belongs to each and every human being.

Although it may be buried deep beneath the trappings of belief,
or the pains of fear and doubt, it is there. Recognition of spirit
is hardwired into the human body and it is "felt" in many
natural, universal, human experiences. It comes in a flood of
feeling---that swell of love and joy from within upon
connecting with Universal Spirit.

A parent feels it for his/her children and vice versa. We experience it in the
love for another or a connection with the nature around us. It is the opposite
of fear and anger and it becomes apparent to us at the most unexpected

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moments of our life.

This feeling may have been associated with any number of

experiences, but each held the common quality of resonance
with the Creator---that unmistakable feeling of divine joy upon
recognition and attunement to the ever-presence and intention
of All That Is. It is a feeling which begins in the solar plexus,
the energy center just below the heart, and washes through the
body-mind, bringing a peace-like contentment, and an
instantaneous unshakable knowledge of the meaning, wisdom,
beauty, order and rightness of the universe.

If we are fortunate to have it only once or twice in a lifetime, it is an

experience that we never forget. Ironically, it is an experience that, if we
were made aware of it being the normal part of our nature, we could have on
a regular basis.

This feeling may have accompanied an interaction with

nature's wonders of creation, in a moment of awe and
appreciation of a fawn in a thicket, a magic sunset, the
unfolding of petals of a flower, or a starry night sky. Or it may
have been associated with the unmistakable communion of
spirits, that deep connection experienced as love. It may have
been a moment where the soul was moved to tears by a
powerful, creative expression of another kindred spirit, be it
musical, artistic or poetic. Or it may have been experienced
through a moment of creative insight---a breakthrough in
understanding.

Whatever the experience might be, it is the personal recognition of what

Native Americans know as an expression of the "Great Spirit." It is, of
course, "All That Is".

It may have been experienced through a religious framework,

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wherein the presence of the Creator or other higher powers are
simply known and felt within each fiber of the being. The
unmistakable presence of spirit may have poured forth from the
eyes of a newborn child whose ancient wisdom and powerful
soul now lie swaddled within soft fresh pink flesh. It may have
come in the form of a miraculous event or the message of a
dream or from another altered state of consciousness. But the
spirit has been ever-present, and may be revealed through a
review of each and every life experience that has moved one to
tears in resonance with universal joy, with each recognition
strengthening the power of faith.

The "how's" and "wherefore's" are innumerable but secondary to the fact
that as a part of the Universal Whole, we can and should be experiencing the
Spiritual Nature of our created environment and appreciate the source of
the power which creates it.

The spirit is hardly a foreign concept---it is a familiar presence.

Each and every human being is already on some level attuned
to the presence of spirit, with a corresponding level of faith.

The variance in our state of enlightenment lies within our awareness of the
above.

This attunement must be identified, reinforced, and credited for

that which it is, for the faith to strengthen. Regardless of the
cultural trappings or disguises, spirit itself is the root source of
each incident of illumination, of raw joy, and of inspired awe.
When the trappings are stripped bare, particularly the ones
which carry religious dogma, a pure and deep concept of spirit
shall emerge. All faith in a God or Creator should be clearly
understood as faith in spirit---Universal Spirit in each of its
individual apportionments. Faith in spirit is the trust that

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spiritual knowledge lies within, not without. It is not dependent
upon any one thought system, religion, culture, political
perspective, leader, supernatural entity, or any other
intermediary. It is rightful, reachable, and ever-present within
each human being. Connecting to the Universal Truth is to
once and forever establish faith in spirit.

The only sacrifice necessary to attain this, is time. We need only set aside a
brief period every day to exercise an intent. If we need to do it in a
particular edifice or with a certain group, then so be it. But we need nothing
more than a place of comfort and a commitment to seek. The rest will follow.

To have faith in Spirit is to have faith in the Creator and the

Creations. It is to rest assured that chaos and suffering is an
aberration of the physical experience, not a naturally intended
condition. To have faith in spirit, is to know without doubt, fear
or hesitation, that there is meaning in each and every life event;
that each experience is a message from Spirit to mind that can
reveal its rightful intention. To have faith in Spirit is to search
for the spiritual wisdom in each physical event.

Nature gets a bad rap in times of chaotic events and is too often portrayed as
an enemy of the human race, acting irrationally and reeking havoc as some
mindless and callous force. Those steeped in religious fundamentals will even
attribute such dire consequences as an act of an angry God. Either attitude
is demeaning to the essence of All That Is. Once we can come to realize the
role we play in creating our own reality, we will be able to avoid all that we
currently fail to understand or fully appreciate.

Accountability & The Law of Attraction

Faith in Spirit leads to more ready acceptance of each and

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every opportunity to learn. It provides the courage to push past
the growing pain and into broader mental and physical
horizons. Acceptance is faith in the Spirit's presence within,
and feeling signature upon every physical experience. Faith in
Spirit recognizes the creative power of mind. Thus, acceptance
begins with a mindset that each and every experience is one
that has been attracted by that human being. Acceptance begins
with accountability for life's events.

By accepting the Spiritual part of our nature as innate to our being, we take
a step forward in understanding our role in the physical environment which
we have created and the experiences in this environment.

For indeed, the creative mind attracts experience which

perfectly reflects its beliefs and intentions. There are no
accidents, evil or mysterious forces that decide which probable
event will occur physically. It is simply mind creating that
which it thinks the person desires. It can only do this based
upon what it knows and believes. It can do no more or less.
One of the rare guarantees in life is that physical experience
will always accurately reflect the parameters of mind ---slivers
and all.

Thus, each experience is a portrait of our creation. The bad news is that we
create our own reality. The good news is that we create our own reality. The
only question we have to answer is the "why" we are having the experiences
we do. The obvious answer is that our beliefs are the governing factor.

Desire is the emotional spiritual force---the Will energy---

which has remained misunderstood. Thus, each emotion---
whether positive or negative---is interpreted by mind as
desire. Desire is intention and feelings communicate intention.
Emotion empowers the belief that signals it and creates that

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event. Given the fact that most mental contents have bypassed
the spiritual judge, many beliefs are not aligned with spiritual
intention. This means the events they create are not those
actually intended by Spirit, they will be unpleasant and will
bring emotional pain.

We can get beyond this situation by first examining our beliefs to determine
if they are aligned with "Spiritual Intention". Then we can adjust them (or
simply allow our minds to) until they do reflect this intention.

The mind is the controller; it holds the ideas, beliefs and values
to create experience. Feeling is the key to unlock the creative
power of mind. Thus, the mind will continue to create that
which it holds, pain and all, so that humans can recognize and
accept accountability for the cause and effect relationship
between belief and experience.

It is not the intention of Spirit that we should live our lives in pain, although
this "pain" can serve a positive purpose in giving us the necessary feedback
to alert us that our beliefs and our Spiritual nature are not in alignment.
Supplied with this information, we can "change" our mind regarding our
beliefs, until our experiences contain less pain.

Remember, once Spirit enters flesh it delegates the creation of

reality to the mind---the portal of individual human experience.
The pain of spiritual frustration exists to inform mind that its
contents need re-examination. Instead of understanding this
message, humans have created many wildly exotic---yet
faulty---beliefs to explain why "bad things happen to good
people". Superstitious meaning is assigned, external controllers
are identified and the internal power remains unclaimed. This
adds further limitation to mind, and sets up the cycle of blame
and victimhood. This is the norm of human consciousness at

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this time. Is it any wonder then, why humans only use a mere
one tenth of their mental capability?

We would rather come up with excuses why we have unhappiness in our

lives than consider the possibility that we are simply creating this
unhappiness by hanging on to limiting beliefs. When someone near to us
dies, we can mourn their passing to the point of a mental breakdown, or we
can rejoice for them as they step into a reality free of pain. Unfortunately,
since beliefs tend to continue for people as they go into their next
environment, much of the happiness they could be experiencing is being
postponed.

The following idea bears repeating---heed this crucial universal

truth: There are no accidents, evil or mysterious external
forces that decide which probable event will occur physically.
It is simply mind creating that which it thinks the person
desires. Desire is communicated through feelings. Feelings
spring from beliefs. Beliefs must be carefully selected under
the direction of Spirit, for mental belief creates physical
reality. This is the Law of Attraction.

...and it is our own mind (not someone else's) which is doing the creating.
The feelings of fear and anxiety are within ourselves, waiting for someone
who might fan the flame. But we supply the fuel and we control the fire. The
more negative our beliefs, the more smoke created to obscure our vision of
the guiding light within ourselves. Beliefs are like magnets. They draw to us
those experiences we think we should be having.

Individual mind is the creator of individual experience and

should be held accountable. With this ultimate truth, the most
beneficial mindset is to take immediate ownership and
responsibility for each experience so that it can be used to find
limitations of mind. This is the habit of accountability.
Accountability honors the incoming voice of Spirit by looking
to mind for answers. Accountability respects the Law Of

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Attraction. Accountability is seeking mental cause through
faith in spiritual effect. Accountability counteracts the psychic
blaming which creates the cycle of resistance, limitation and
pain. Accountability is looking to self for learning
opportunities. Accountability is the habit of mind that ushers
the Right Response to emotional pain. To be accountable is to
think and live by the credo: "I attract that which happens to
me."

If we find the mind's "limitations", we know that our respective beliefs put
them there. There is a point somewhere in everyone's existence when we
must lay down the cross of victimhood and pick up the cloak of
accountability. The time for this is overdue!

Accountability provides its own reward. For example: Recall

our person driving to work, relying upon many physical and
mental habits. Recall how another driver dangerously cuts in
front, grabbing our driver's attention for corrective action. This
situation would most certainly bring sudden emotional arousal
within our driver, first fear, and then likely anger. It would be
very easy and quite natural to direct the anger at the errant
driver, and perhaps a physical retaliation of fist shaking or
other such gestures.

Rude or thoughtless behavior, responded to with road rage, completes a

cycle. Breaking the cycle takes the experience to a new level. If we truly
believe that we do attract our experiences, then this is an experience so
dramatic, that its lesson can hardly be ignored.

Although this would have a certain valid justification, it gives

the power of the moment to the errant driver. This would
reinforce the belief that the world is full of idiots whose
ignorant actions can leave devastating effects upon innocent

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others---in this case a potential car "accident". There is utter
powerlessness in this belief, which will be echoed by anger
which might spoil an otherwise lovely day. Most competent
human drivers have experienced such a moment, and can
recognize how they have allowed such oafs to drive away with
their power. This is simply due to the unconscious, habitual
response of resistance and blame.

Whatever tactics we utilize to protect ourselves while driving a vehicle, be

they the use of a seat belt or something more metaphysical, such as
surrounding one's vehicle with a white, protective light, we can empower
this action by remembering that we are in the physical to learn how to create
our own reality and the Lessons of Life come to us only when they are
needed.

Now imagine instead, at the moment of the incident, our driver

uses the emotion to examine the existing beliefs.
Accountability is to think---the moment composure is
regained---"Whoa! What did I do to attract that into my
life???" Was I paying adequate attention to the road? Do I
believe that accidents can occur? Do I believe the "laws of
probability" I was taught in the school, that I must have a
certain number of accidents corresponding to number of miles
driven? Do I secretly want to get my money's worth out of my
insurance payments? Do I believe in karma? Did I wrong that
jerk in another life? Do I expect such things to happen
inevitably? Do I have adequate tolerance and compassion for
such people?"

The answer to any one of those questions is a step along the way to
broadening our perspective on our inevitable life experiences. It also can be
a step toward bringing more harmony into our lives, along with more peace
and abundance. Ultimately, it leads to recognizing and benefitting from our
creative potential.

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Any of these self-reflective thoughts can lead to mental
housekeeping. Even the slightest liberating mental shift is
highly beneficial. Looking to self for cause keeps the power
and uses the emotional arousal to develop the self, not preserve
self-limitation by blaming another. Perhaps our driver ended
the event by reaffirming the dominant mindset of compassion
for those less enlightened, and eliminating a lesser, but
conflicting, belief in the power of ignorance. The feeling of
fear or anger would cease and the day could continue as
planned, or perhaps with the energy retained and the mood
protected, it would unfold with even more positive events.

Sometimes, if we are willing to consider the possibility, nature itself (for

example, in the form of a bird flying across our path, an omen ), can supply
us with an alert to a negative experience that might be coming into our
reality, a wake-up call if you wish. We might slow down a bit, become a little
more alert and seek a blessing from our higher self, as we proceed along our
path. This may sound a little too esoteric, but these Lessons are esoteric.

The reward is the feeling that follows the accountable Right

Response. Not only does positive emotion reflect the success of
the accountable action, it also brings closure to the event and
frees the mind for its next experience. But the mind is now that
much less limited. Even very minor shifts can be quite
powerful, and they build upon one another with incredible
results. When enough such shifts have occurred, the mind is
allowed the freedom to quickly show the cause and effect
relationship between belief and action. This is what is referred
to as "the raising of consciousness." This is the ultimate
empowerment, because the mind can see more clearly and
create more spiritually desirable experience. Such a mind
creates a life that is, and feels, GOOD.

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The "rewiring" of our belief systems and habits of thought, does require
dedication to an intent. Negative habits atrophy when replaced by Positive
Habits. The clue is consistency.

Accountability is a very powerful mindset. It is the key strategy

of empowerment. Several habits of acceptance can bolster and
support this strategy. Breaking the habitual cycle of blame can
be quite a challenge; for Mass Consciousness teaches humans
limitation, judgment and blame at every turn.

However, the better acquainted we become with our inner selves, the less
influential the negative qualities of the outer world will tend to be.
Compassion

Genuine human compassion is a spiritual tool of acceptance. It

is a component of innate morality and counterpart of the
connection need. Despite the most successful attempts to look
within, there will be genuine times when an external limitation
is the source of your spiritual frustration. It is often the case
that prejudgment or the beliefs of another causes resistance
within them, in turn having a direct effect upon your need-
meeting efforts. This will be experienced as an external
obstacle and will prompt feelings of anger. In sum, internal
accountability needs an ally---external compassion.

This is when we are most challenged. The belief systems of others we care
about, block our attempts to achieve spiritual growth. Usually, these people
are parents or siblings, but they might be church officials or people whom
we would presume would be our allies in our quest. But instead of
encouragement, we are often met with threats and strong admonitions to
return to their reality.

Although the limitation is a genuine one, compassion

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recognizes and absolves the other for their limitations while
retaining the power to act and respond. To maximize
compassion, an essential mindset is the understudying that
change can only be accomplished with guaranteed results
within the self. The spiritual need of freedom to choose the
contents of mind is indeed every human's right. So ultimately,
it must be accepted that no matter how well-meaning, no
matter how uplifting, no matter how truly valuable, significant
and wonderful offers of Light can be, they may not be
accepted. This is right and good in the eyes of the Creator, for
it preserves the mental freedom that defines the individual
human experience.

To clarify, the only "change" we can guarantee is that which we make

within ourselves. We can not "change" another's way of thinking by willing
such. The best we can do is encourage and motivate by example. This applies
not to just our children, but all we are in contact with in our respective
environments. Again, the right to be "wrong" is a guarantee under
Universal Law and it is a right in universal entitlement. The freedom to
progress at one's own spiritual pace (or even to regress, if that is one's
choice), is sacrosanct. Free will can have no exceptions if it is to remain what
it is. No Divine Spirit can, or would, ever make anyone behave in a certain
fashion. Atheists who make the argument that if there were a God, how
could He/She allow so much suffering in the world, completely miss an
essential ingredient of what Spirit is. The truly great educational institutions
are the one's which allow the greatest freedom of thought. It is through this
quality of Free Will that we have the potential to exercise our most
promising creativity. This principle permeates our existence in the same
sense that the ocean penetrates a wave.

And with such freedom, rest assured unenlightened choices

will be made. This is the condition of ignorance . Ignorance
results from misunderstanding and misuse of the self-
preservationary impulse. It results from the habit of resistance
and of defending limited mental boundaries. The spiritual right

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of freedom to choose ignorance is why humans are in their
current predicament.

However, it is also why the potential for rising beyond this "predicament"
remains intact. The closer we get to understanding the Universal Spiritual
Truths of our nature, the greater is our spiritual progress exhilarated.
Preoccupation with what is wrong with our planet is only a distraction from
envisioning what can be right with it.

The best habitual response to the swell of anger and frustration

which follows an interaction with an ignorant one, is to
immediately understand and respect the right to self-develop at
one's own pace. Accept the other, warts and all, with human
compassion and empathic understanding of their experience.
Then use the emotional energy to develop skills and strategies
for dealing with them in ways that match their mental
environment. To stand in the shoes of the ignorant one and to
truly accept their present state of development, is to recall your
own time spent there. For an enlightened perspective has surely
sprung from having been in a similarly narrower state of
awareness at some point. Compassion is to accept and meet the
mind of the other and operate from the base of experience or
focus on reality. Compassion offers the challenge of learning to
express your suggestions to those at many levels of awareness.

There are obvious examples of "Compassion" in the later days of the life of
the personality, Jesus. Forgiveness and understanding were qualities that He
had to exercise to the extreme. But, what He did, we can and must do also,
especially at this critical juncture in our planet's existence, for it is the
physical reality we have created and continue to maintain for ourselves.

Compassion springs from spiritual recognition of the one-ness

and interconnection of each spirit. Compassion is the resonance
of respect for each individual journey of discovery.

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Compassion is not judgmental, condescending or patronizing,
it need not even be communicated to the other. It is simply a
mental tool to immediately accept the situation as is, to right
the self, and to channel the anger productively. Compassion
flows naturally from faith in the integrity of spirit---each and
every spirit, regardless of how tightly swaddled they might be
within ignorance.

Sometimes, the greatest "compassion" we can exercise is simply by being

silent. This simple act does not express approval and can often cause a
degree of inner reflection on the part of another on the journey.

Respectful compassion is also an essential ingredient for

offering successful Light Responses to others. Although
expression can always be rejected, offerings of Light will meet
with far less resistance within the resonance of compassion.
Each human responds to genuine compassion on a cellular
level. There can be no ingenuous manipulation, persuasion,
control, or even legal constraint over another without the
energy of genuine compassion in validation of their experience
behind it. Compassion is the very secret to sharing the Light.

The justice dealt out by our court system could benefit by a greater degree of
"compassion" for those whose lives eventually bring them to the point of
conflict with man-made laws. Systems are innately flawed and those who
operate them and those who are subject to them, are all a part of this flawed
process. This might explain why so much of the civilized world has done
away with the death penalty---it simply lacks the essential ingredient of
compassion.

Forgiveness

Another life-giving habit is that of forgiveness. Compassion

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for the ignorance and foibles of another can reach a limit, if
forgiveness does not follow. For ignorance can lead to the most
heinous and evil acts of violation by human upon human. This
is where the most powerful mental adaptations are necessary.

It would seem that "forgiveness" is an essential part of "compassion" and

that the latter can not be complete (sometimes) unless the former is also in
place. An example that stands out in my mind might be the Jews forgiving
the Nazis for the holocaust. Next to a museum of atrocities might be a
museum of "forgiveness". Now that would really be exceptional.

Take the example of murder. The anger that springs genuinely

from such evil violation is the true voice of spirit. Such acts are
truly inhuman and frustrating to spirit. Such feelings are not
based upon limited beliefs or faulty perceptions; these feelings
voice legitimate, righteous, spiritual anger. Anger shouts its
pain, declaring the violation of every human need when a life
itself is taken. It warns that ignorance is threatening the very
preservation of the species if such acts are permitted. It is the
anger that has moved mountains and defined "civilization".

There is such a thing as "righteous anger" and it does reflect our spiritual
qualities. The question is not whether "anger" is justified. It is how that
justification is carried out. Like behavior does little to assuage the situation.

But anger must be utilized in productive ways or it can eat

away at the soul of the violated one. This is where finding
compassion in ignorance and closure in forgiveness can restore
power. This is not always easy. For example, it is much easier
to find compassion for a man who commits murder from the
mindset of his mother, than it is from the perspective of the
mother of his victim.

In the first case, the tie is to the perpetrator and in the second, to the victim.

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While there is little personal loss in the first case, there is bound to be deep
emotional pain. In the the second case there is that, plus the loss of a child.

Forgiveness allows the anger to be converted into impassioned

energy that can be directed at the source of the true problem,
the limitations within Mass Consciousness that allow and
perpetuate such ignorance. The perpetrator himself is a
symptom. Thus, the victim will never be free until the
perpetrator is forgiven. Anger misdirected is the giving over of
the power. To retain the power is to forgive. To channel it
productively is to remove the beliefs and limitations within
human cultures which reduce humans to such sub-human
ignorant conditions. It is to build structures of enlightenment
within the educational, social, political, judicial and religious
institutions and traditions. It is to remove the lingering ideas
that perpetuate limitation, spiritual frustration and self-
preservationary ignorance.

In looking at the recent slaying in the high school in Colorado, we see that
the violence and killing carried out by these perpetrators (as well as other
children who have committed like crimes at other schools), should inspire a
deeper look into our society, not just at the violence we surround ourselves
and/or children with, but the mind set that draws us to this atmosphere of
violence. As Gandhi once said, "An eye for an eye and the whole world is
blind." The circle of violence and hate, only leads to a more encompassing
environment of violence and hate. Forgiveness is a way out of that
entrapment. For some, it may be the only way.

Competition Within Self

One final habit to develop and hone is a healthy, challenging,

internal competition. The habit of competing with others is
very rooted within individual and mass consciousness. Be they

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families feuding, Gladiators fighting, religions warring,
political parties arguing, even athletic opposition, human
history is peppered with evidence of the broad acceptance and
encouragement of external, win-lose competition.

At one point or another in our lives, we have almost all been involved in one
of the "competitions" mentioned above. Some have been more personal, i.e.
the feuding of families. Others have been more detached, i.e. the super bowl
(our modern form of Gladiator fighting). Regardless, the experience of this
involvement, while oftentimes rewarding, they are just as frequently losing
experiences that take their toll, especially in the area of personal
relationships.

Such competition springs, of course, from innate spiritual

purpose. This has translated into self-preservationary
directives, where humans must compete for "survival of the
fittest". But in an enlightened society, competition with others
wherein one must lose for another to win, is not appropriate.
Yet humans will always have the urge to compete, due to the
higher spiritual purposes of self-development and expression,
and they must be reinterpreted in that context. Thus a new
form of internal, personal competition should replace the old.

Our current economic systems would find a suggestion that competition is

"not appropriate", to be not only unacceptable but threatening. Yet, if
spiritual growth is to be a part of our future, then a revision of our present
mindset is essential.

With the most primitive directive of external competition,

individuals simply fight to forcefully overcome the challenges
of the environment in remedial caveman-like responses. By
placing the competition on the inside, humans can adapt
themselves to be successful within every kind of world, as well
as make positive changes upon them. Adaptations within the

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mind and corresponding creative actions in the world are the
stuff of human evolution and the only route to enlightened
civilizations.

When we make a personal commitment to overcome those elements in our

reality that are detrimental to our spiritual evolvement, and do so by
altering our own perspective, we may seem threatening to others
momentarily, but our long-term influence (if we have the patience to endure)
will bring positive change to those areas of our lives and the lives of others
that will ultimately be effective.

With the habit of self competition, the individual holds the

continuing challenge of personal betterment, with the goal of
attaining ever higher levels of skill, ever more valuable and
accommodating beliefs, higher levels of acceptance and
compassion, and a broader, more inclusive world view.
Winning is bettering the self and spreading the unique gifts far
and wide. And there can be no more deeply rewarding sense of
accomplishment.

I will conquer the person I was yesterday, with the person I am today.

Instead of measuring one's self against the successes or failings

of another, it is far more useful to pit them against earlier
versions of one's self. This simple mindset can profoundly
increase the human connection as well as empower individuals
to answer their higher purpose. No longer will it be necessary
to beat and humiliate one another in order to attain status or
regard. No longer will it be necessary to define rigid categories
of value that only honor and value a few. No longer will
humans experience the frustration of being measured on scales
irrelevant to their own spiritual inclinations, gifts and destiny
paths. No longer will humans give up altogether in the face of

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overwhelming competition. No longer will humans have to
elevate themselves by lowering another. No longer will one
have to lose for another to win. True cooperation means win-
win expressive scenarios for all involved.

Some might conclude that this would make life much more dull. In fact, as
we become more skilled in exercising the habit of self-evolvement along
spiritual lines, and begin to conquer our sense of limitation, we will find that
the satisfaction which follows will overwhelm the lack of temporary
enjoyment we might gain from our old patterns of thinking and feeling.

A daily directive of personal development and improvement

can provide an arena to meet all the needs within the context of
cooperation, compassion, acceptance and natural morality.
When humans finally break free from the illusion of necessary
competition, evolution can flourish.

Just as the experience of physical flight took humans to another physical

level of existence, the experience of spiritual flight will leave behind our
preoccupation with conflicts of a lesser level of existence.

So feel free to engage in mental and physical sparring, debates,

games and exhibitions of challenge and accomplishment, but
do so in the spirit of cooperation with humankind, and only in
true competition with yourself.

Truth is an evolving process resulting from the sharing of our expanding

perspectives. Just as in challenging ourselves, we can indulge in a truly
"friendly" competition.

With the life-giving habits of self-development discussed, we

can now turn to the life-giving habits that promote self-
expression.

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Pages 168-186 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Three-B: The Life-Giving Habits of Self-Expression

Acceptance

Although acceptance has already been discussed as a life-

giving habit of self-development , it is a habit with additional
value in the realm of self-expression. Acceptance within the
realm of self-development allows all incoming information to
be evaluated without resistance or limitation, to allow an
internal communication or dialog that results in learning,
gaining mental additions, shifts and alterations to belief
systems---Right Responses.

For acceptance to be truly effective, it requires us to get past our

programmed prejudices and review this incoming information with as open
a mind as possible. If this is not possible, then the next natural step is to
examine those beliefs for their origin and value.

In contrast, the realm of self expression is at its core, the arena

of external communication. The goal of self-expression is to
effect positive changes to the outside world and the people in
it---Light Responses. Spiritual expressions of human creativity
which help shape the world to better meet human needs, are the
fuel of human evolution.

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It is the difference between the outside world affecting us and we affecting
the outside world. Belief systems forced upon us before the age of reason can
have a detrimental effect on our ability to affect the outside world for the
greater benefit of Spirit. Whereas, creative thoughts and actions that
originate in Spirit and flow through us naturally into the outside world,
must bring about a positive result.

Acceptance in the realm of self-expression is the understanding

that people in the external environment have a unique mental
skill set and focus upon "reality" that may be grossly different
than your own. Acceptance means attempting a meeting of
minds with such a person, and respectfully working within the
existing mental framework to effect changes. A single change
within a human mind, provides the bedrock for the eventual
achievement of massive ideological changes within human
cultures and beliefs of mass consciousness. Empires can rise
and fall by the effective expression of but one human being. In
short, there is no other way for humans to evolve without the
capability of expressing themselves in thought and deed.

In order to have the above result, there has to be a willingness to open our
own minds, as well as the minds of those we might seek to influence. At the
very least, there has to be a willingness to understand another's perspective.

Understanding and acceptance of the requirements for self

expression will speed up all individual and group evolution.
This requires acceptance of: 1. The rightful uniqueness of each
human mind. 2. The power of free will and how it can create
limits; 3. The responsibility to empathize and understand one
another's perspective. 4. The spiritual imperative of voicing
one's insight; 5. The inevitable conflict and resistance that can
arise; 6. The responsibility to minimize the self-preservationary
impulse within self and others. These are the keys to
successful self-expression.

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In order for the Founding Fathers to bring into existence this country's
constitution, all of the above were essential to their understanding and
application. The results are "self-evident".

To accomplish the needed acceptance, one must simply not

deviate from the understanding of the interconnectedness of all
spirits. To gaze upon another, is to gaze upon one's self in an
alternate form, for indeed, "All Are One." To recognize the
kindred spirit, to extend compassion and patience with the level
of development they have achieved, regardless of where you
might be yourself, is to maximize your chances of broadening
their world as well as your own. Each interaction should be like
that of a loving parent imparting guidance to a child without
any sense of competition or resistance. (This has the
corresponding benefit from the receiving end to also listen
without resistance, with the trust and faith of a child in
receiving Light from the wisdom of loving parents. To trust
that there is some benefit in the offer, no matter how much
variation or distance between the two minds.)

Once an environment as described above is created, the ultimate benefit for

universal peace and progress is set upon a path that can never be reversed,
so long as Spirit within each and all is given full rein.

Acceptance and compassion can allow you to stand in the

shoes of your other and view the incoming information from
that perspective, so you can tailor it to fit that frame of
reference. To turn on the light of honor, empathy, cooperation,
and compassion in each interaction with another, is to be fully
human in the highest spiritual sense. This light can cut through
the darkness of the communication challenge with far more
intensity and success than can any fancy words. When one

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expresses from a truly spiritual level, the spiritual intention is
felt within the receiver and the doors of resistance
automatically respond.

There is an illusion taught in our educational institutions that if the right

words are expressed with the proper skill, the result desired will almost
always follow. The above suggests that "feeling" is essential to any
communication, both for the initiator and the recipient.

Even sworn enemies, following the dictates of mind, resonate

to each other's spirit. This is why a primary rule of combat is
not to fraternize with the enemy. Such human directives are
clearly outside of the spiritual intent of the Creator.
Communication without an underlying spiritual intent will
most likely be interactions with another who is resistant, driven
by fear rather than faith, and acting upon self-preservationary
impulses rather than self-developmental and expressive ones.
Most interactions considered ordinary between humans contain
a very high degree of resistance, and self-preservationary acts.

Cultures vary in particular ways when it comes to the effectiveness of human

relationships. More often, the attitude toward cooperation versus
competition can govern the ultimate life span of a particular society.

They are so abundant in human history that they have become

standards for entertainment. One need simply look to literature
and dramatic arts to find a trove of examples of humans
exhibiting the deadly habits of self-preservation. What
interesting tale does not contain the pain of betrayal of trust or
the joy of success. Instead, the simple attitude of acceptance
can allow your spiritual feelings to dictate exactly how and
when to offer Light, and how and when to respond when
resistance is encountered. Acceptance assures that your efforts

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will have been those dictated by spirit, regardless of the
immediate outcome.

The movies and T.V. shows that pander to the base interests of self-
preservation find greater acceptance in a decadent society. The challenge is
to create entertainment that appeals to the Spirit in individuals that can
override the former.

This brings us back to the habit of Faith in Spirit, for it also

will be a powerful tool in self-expression. For with faith, and in
understanding the time lag between mental change and
physical change, one can be patient and move through one
situation and onto the next, without lingering in frustration due
to the fact that the Light may not have been received in full.

...and with that patience in mind, we can now proceed.

Patience & Faith

The key to successful self-expression is to know when it should

be offered and how much is enough. It is to understand the ebb
and flow of the spirit, the continuous expansion of the mind,
and that the appropriate amount of light will be received for
that person at that time.

Our inner guidance is a reliable tool, once we become used to using it. In
fact, the more we use it, the more we can come to trust it.

Even the most resistant of humans cannot help but open to the
truly compassionate and spiritually intended offering. The
biology ensures this. But the mind has the rightful control and
the beliefs can be like a garden thick with weeds so that the
incoming seedlings of spiritual intention have a difficult time

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taking root. Faith and patience flow from the knowledge that
the seed has been planted and that is all that was required---that
the expression has been made, the Light has been offered. It
then can percolate within the mind of the receiving individual.
The feelings will most assuredly call the attention to it again
and again through the experience of this person. For if it is
truly Light, it cannot help but be validated by the emotional
system, the voice of the Universal Spirit .

One of the tests of the spiritual intent of the person planting the seeds of
"Enlightenment", is whether or not this "seed" ultimately takes root. For if
our efforts are less than compassionate and spiritual, the Universal Spirit
operating within the recipient will be inclined to reject our offering.

As each such feeling spurs this person to examine and

reexamine the beliefs and strategies, the seedling will blossom
to the full intent of the offerer. But this might take a lifetime.
And if immediate results are expected, then offers will be less
likely to occur. Faith in the Spirit will bring the accompanying
patience and understanding to allow you to let the Spirit move
you toward offering Light when you know it can be used and
trusting the universe to follow its natural course from there.

In a way, we are all like the mythical Johnny Appleseed when we elect to
travel through life offering our seeds of Light; and like that "Johnny", we
would tend to scatter them in an environment with some kind of chance of
their taking root. Also, this "tree farmer" would instinctively know that
patience is an essential part of achieving a successful growth.

For example, a young teacher feels moved to share personal

insights with a child she observes to be receiving very limiting
beliefs from her home environment. The child has been taught
to fear and suspect authority figures other than those who

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advise her at home. Religion has been used to intimidate the
child into conforming to the lifestyle and wishes of her family,
often against the wisdom of her own spirit.

This is an area to be very careful in. As a similar situation in reverse

example, when my son was delivering newspapers in the neighborhood, one
subscriber took it upon himself to give him a lesson in fundamental religious
teachings. Suffice it to say, I called this fellow and suggested he keep his
opinions to himself. I'm sure his intention was good, but he had crossed into
an area without invitation.

The child believes herself to be sinful for feeling an attraction

to friendship with a new classmate from a different culture and
an opposing religion, but she is happy despite being
"different". (Her spirit tells her that this person can offer new
ideas and beliefs which is good for self-development, but her
mind, through its veil of belief, tells her this is wrong and
signals a feeling of fear as this belief is reinforced).The child
wrestles with conflicting feelings and ends up bullying the
would-be friend. (The automatic response to the fear is to make
the outside world match the expectation of mind, by making
the child an enemy to match the belief. Then anger will be
experienced, but its message will go unnoticed. The rejection
of the spiritual signal results in a self-preservationary Flight
Response, a pattern of deadly habit).

We all know of adults who have taken umbrage at a suggestion which could
have broadened their spiritual outlook. When it comes from their children,
they tend to not only resist the ideas, but feel obliged to use guilt to try to
bring the child back into the fold of the adult's own belief system. This is
where compassion of the child to the parent is called for and needs to be
exercised. It may not be until the child reaches adulthood that he/she realizes
the need for this compassion but as soon as it is realized, forgiveness of the
parent is in order.

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The teacher recognizes what is occurring and decides to offer
her Light. She brings the two girls together and offers a story
of how she and a similarly "different" classmate joined forces
against an aggressor who had been picking on them both, when
she was a girl. This story allowed both girls to feel a similar
position, like sisters---the connection between spirits was
suggested and accomplished. The two girls responded
differently to this offering in later behavior. For although a
seed was planted, each attracted events which matched the
mental landscape.

This was good psychology on the part of the teacher. Keeping in mind that
one of the greatest Teachers in history, used a parable to illustrate a spiritual
principle, this can be a useful, while not a threatening way to suggest a
change in outlook.

The first, continued to needle and demean her classmate for a

short period of time, and then became withdrawn and angry.
Her family moved away shortly thereafter. The second
experienced a stronger connection and began to interact more
with other classmates and became accepted. The teacher felt a
sense of frustration at not having been able to get through to
the first girl, and a bit of her idealism was rubbed away,
keeping her from so freely offering her Light in future
situations and dropping a veil of sadness upon her.

The outcome of our efforts won't always be immediately satisfying. Things

won't necessary go as we hoped. Disappointment can damage our own
outlook if we place too much emphasis on achieving success. But sometimes,
the victory is not in the end result but in how we made the effort. And as
indicated earlier, sometimes it can take a lifetime to make a difference.

But if faith and patience had dictated, she would have instantly
known that the seed has been planted. Regardless of the short-

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term outcome, the frustration and sadness would not have
arisen to the point of misinterpretation of the experience, nor
would it have interfered with future self-expression.

Each experience, each idea, each piece of knowledge that enlightens, even
when not immediately accepted, serves as a foundation for that next event of
like kind. Nothing is ever totally forgotten, especially when it affects
Universal Spirit.

For the actual outcome was different. The first girl continued to
be heavily influenced by the conflicting dictates and limitations
of her family, and her mind created the same conflicting
situations reflected by evermore intense negative emotions.
During her adolescence, certain rebellions turned her anger
upon herself. She acted out her spiritual frustration in self-
destructive behaviors that were evermore unacceptable in her
family's limited viewpoint. Their mechanisms of control could
no longer work against the power of her spirit. Her misguided
actions to gain freedom landed her in the juvenile justice
system. She was resistant to every external counselor or
advisor. She even attempted suicide to "break free". Then she
had an encounter that changed her life.

On a level beyond her conscious state, she drew close enough to the edge to
see that her survival and destiny would ultimately bring her beyond her
deep confusion. When she was ready, a new teacher appeared.

She was appointed a probation officer who was truly

compassionate and exhibited faith in spirit. But most
importantly, she was of the same culture as the classmate from
her early years and touched the spirit, creating a connection
like the first teacher had. This person offered, for the first time,
alternate beliefs and world views that allowed the girl the

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freedom her spirit longed for, but the mind with its existing
limitations, would not allow. Had the seed not been planted,
this offer would also have met with resistance, but it had had
time to percolate and find its space among the many
debilitating ideas and beliefs which ruled her mind.

There are always "angels" ready to enter our lives at those moments they
are most needed. True Spirit is that All-Knowing force that can never let
ignorance of itself remain in place permanently.

The truth is that the spirit will always reign supreme, even
working within the most limited of mindscapes, and that the
timing of progress is insignificant in the grand scale. Faith in
spirit and patience will bring forth the best results and more
complete spiritual expression. Breaking free from the
limitations of mind is the challenge of each human , and
regardless of the timeliness or circumstances that bring this
realization, it will come in its own time to each human no
matter how many lifetimes it might take. Once the
enlightenment is gained however, it can never fully be
reversed. Humans are at various places of understanding and
even the slightest offering can become a base for a break-
through. Then the reclaiming of the incredible power of the
mind can begin.

There are six billion plus souls in the physical of this planet, each an
opportunity of growth in progress. If we can help but one in a lifetime, we
have also helped ourselves.

The simple attitude of faith and patience will assure that each
entity will act upon the spiritual directive to offer the Light---
no matter how much darkness it is attempting to pierce. After
each such offering has been made, the spirit will faithfully

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reward the entity with the loving feelings of divine resonance.
Thus acceptance, compassion and faith in spirit will provide
the foundation for the maximum avenues for fulfillment of the
human purpose of spiritual expression.

Amen, to that.

Gratitude

Another life-giving habit of self-expression is gratitude. Since

the feedback cycle depends upon a flow of energy from within
to without and back in again, it is essential for entities to
express back to others those actions and offerings that have
been beneficial---that have brought the spiritual feelings of
happiness and fulfillment.

It would also seem that to complete the cycle is to enhance the retention of
the material that is brought to the consciousness and thus, further
incorporate and apply to the outside world.

All too often, resistance and competition keep humans from

admitting when they have gained from the help of another, let
alone asking for it. Successful self-expression then includes
acknowledgment and recognition of those and their offerings.
This springs from the cooperative rather than the competitive
spirit, wherein credit is given where credit is due, even when a
mentally misguided attempt is made.

A simple "Thanks" will do --- and where the help is of a less spiritual
quality, a "Thanks, but No Thanks" is also appropriate. Once competition
begins to play a lesser role in our lives, our appreciation of others and levels
of helpfulness will be enhanced.

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Although individuals do not have a spiritual need for
recognition and acknowledgment, this does affirm the need for
connection and verifies publicly that self-expression has
occurred. It is through active, vocal gratitude that mass
consciousness can be altered to bring out self-expression, to
reward it rather than stifle or even punish those who dare to
follow the advice of their spirit. Expressions of gratitude for
even the slightest offerings should become habits
institutionalized within every human culture.

Hopefully, we will evolve into a society that not only tolerates diversity of
thought and creative expression but values the spirit which is expressed
through this process. Then the Creative Spirit will be celebrated in an
omnipresent fashion.

Humor

Another gift of spirit, and tool for successful self-expression, is

humor. Humor is that mysterious, yet ever-present capacity for
humans to experience fun and spontaneous spiritual creativity.
It is the Creator's directive to find new and creative
perspectives and meaning and to share them. Humor reframes a
mundane thought into something unexpectedly meaningful and
inexplicably delightful. The spirit experiences joy upon
creating, delivering and accepting the creative humorous
insight.

Unfortunately, humor has been downgraded by the puritan influence within

Christianity. It became associated with guilt as part of the enjoyment
mentality that was considered to be unholy. It took the influence of the non-
puritan immigrants to bring the country back into balance.

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Humor is a very pure form of spiritual expression. It relates
directly to the level of liberation experienced by Spirit and
reminds humans to think "outside of the box." Freedom and
spontaneity of spirit allows the humor and fun to flow. A spirit
relatively unfettered by mind, secure and exalted as the
valuable and ever-present driver, will be one capable of
spontaneous delightful humor. Genuine love and acceptance by
the outside world fosters this ability within each human being
and empowerment releases it.

Genuine humor can not exist without "spontaneity", nor should it. We can
appreciate the Spirit in each other when we can enjoy the quality of humor.
It is the unexpected that forces us to alter our addictive thinking patterns,
and brings us a sense of joy in the process.

Humor greases the wheels of acceptance. It is an avenue of

self-expression that is counterpart to the automatic Flight
Response relating to anger. Humor is the antithesis of the angry
expressive response. It can be developed to replace angry
expressions and deadly habits. Humor is also the ally of the
ever evolving mind. It allows acceptance and understanding of
temporary self-limitation so that learning can then be sought. It
is the innate gift of humility connecting humans at every level
or grouping. Humor is the great equalizer resonating within
each and every spirit.

As a result, we can become both "greasy" and "evolved". The former allows
us to slide out of difficult situations and the latter builds our confidence in
being able to do so in the future.

A human who meets resistance, rejection and frustration early

in life is less likely to develop the ability to express through
humor. Yet, it is a gift that lies well within the capacity of each

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and every spirit and one that can be a tremendous aid to self-
expression. As entities remove the internal and external
limitations that create fear and anger, they will open their
innate corresponding abilities to be humorous. Humor is to the
liberated spirit what anger is to the frustrated one. Humor is the
ability to view a frustration in alternate terms, to quickly
disarm a situation by reframing it creatively. Humor can
tremendously reduce resistance both from within and without.

If we have no sense of humor, the next best thing is to hang around someone
who does. It's the tuning fork principle. The higher vibration tends to bring
up the lower one and in an enjoyable way.

Humor can accomplish tremendous movement toward self

development, if it is used to remove the emotional boundaries
that often protect a limited mind. Humor can communicate the
humanness and commonalties that usher in the sense of
connectedness and cooperation. Humor can open the entity to
the continuous change that is mental evolution. To be able to
laugh at one's self is to be open to all necessary growth.

At last resort, one can always look in the mirror (and if necessary, make a
funny face). Humor is most appreciated when we do make fun of ourselves
and even invite others to do it for us. Now that does require mental
evolution.

Humor can also facilitate communication and self-

expression. It can soften a harsh message when the learning
need level is very high and the growing pain is intense. Humor
can persuade and eliminate resistance to offers of light. The
more internal and external mental limitations are removed, the
more humor can manifest in each and every individual, and
eventually pour forth to delight the world.

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People who can find a little humor in the most difficult of situations, are the
most needed on the planet.

But humor in those that are particularly gifted, can also become
a crutch to allow resistance and avoidance. Or it can be used to
communicate "passive-aggressively" if the consciousness is not
fully engaged. This is true of any human ability, it can either
work toward the human purpose or against it. This minor
caution should take its rightful place in the consciousness,
without minimizing or detracting from the truly incredible
power of humor.

The humor of Don Rickles comes to mind as an illustration of humor

delivered at the expense of others. On the other hand, the good natured fun-
poking at our exaggerated qualities can enhance our tolerance of our
differences and this too, evolves us spiritually.

Self Promotion

Another habit to cultivate is one of telling the world who you

are and asking for what you need ---the habit of self promotion.
This is not to be confused with self aggrandizement, egomania
or boorish narcissism, but it is an essential ingredient to
successful living in the Light.

It is simply knowing what you want and why you should receive; and it helps
you define and expand on your own being, physically, mentally and
spiritually.

It has been a habit for humans to hold for themselves a

standard of selflessness to counteract what they believe to be
an innate selfishness that will run amok without external

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control. This would be true if they were correct in the
assumptions that: 1. The only human purpose is self-
preservation and that "natural" competition will always reign
supreme over "cultural" cooperation; or 2. That humans are
naturally evil and need to be controlled by external dictates and
rules in order to live civilly; or 3. That humans are severed
from the guidance of the Creator and cannot act morally.

It is our disconnection from our spiritual nature that drives us to feel less
worthy. Two factors contribute to this: One is the guilt we are saddled with
at birth, based upon a mythical source of our origin in which our primal
parents betrayed the Supreme Spirit. The other is that the "so-called"
spiritual institutions have a need to keep us under control by down-playing
our true spiritual origin.

Although such ideas have helped humans through some

difficult times, they have been accepted to an extreme degree
that is no longer desirable. It has been carried to an extreme
known as martyrdom, wherein the needs of the self are
dramatically and self-righteously removed from the picture,
creating pious victim-like suffering. In this scenario, the martyr
denies and suppresses personal needs in order to attempt to
fulfill the needs of others. This is based upon the faulty
assumption that someone can better understand and meet your
needs for you than you can for yourself. They often suffer in
silence and frustration, motivated only by some promise of
eternal reward in the afterlife.

Religious orders that take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience are
setting up, as ideals, the very qualities that would demean us spiritually, if
we are to accept the content of the above admonitions of the Lessons.
Because such is contrary to our spiritual nature, the popularity of this
lifestyle must decline as the human race becomes more spiritually
enlightened. While these organizations do many good works for the poor,

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they do little to relieve the conditions which create poverty on all levels.

The martyr role has also become a weapon of resistance and

even not-so-subtle aggression. Pious selflessness is actually
used to generate guilt through which to manipulate others. The
underlying message is that if you martyr yourself, someone
else is now obligated to do the same for you. Or that your
beliefs, or your religious ideals, or your political views, reign
superior over those of the other whom you pretend to help.
This goes against the Creator's intent that each individual
develop a mindset for themselves without unnecessary external
intervention. It negates the gift of Free Will and frustrates the
need for freedom and self-determinism.

There appears to be a distinction here between "public" martyrdom and

"private" martyrdom. The former appears to be an act of manipulation
while the latter is simply an act of Free Will on a most personal level and is a
more true act of "pious" selflessness.

This also sets up the individual to experience continuing

emotional pain, due to the fact that they have cut themselves
off from the required spiritual need fulfillment. The silent
sufferer never voices or attempts to meet the needs themselves
and anger inevitably results. The martyr can then blame those
expected to reciprocate when they do an inadequate job of
guessing and satisfying the martyr's needs. The cycle of
resentment and revenge can ensue when the person the martyr
holds responsible to reciprocate does an inadequate job. This
prompts automatic defensive and self-preservationary
responses that are hardly in keeping with the original intent.

It would appear that the "martyrdom role" that is so revered in religious

history may not be all it's cracked up to be. At the very least, the role that

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many attempt to emulate by the making of sacrifices for others, may be little
more than a control tool. When giving is done without expectation of
reciprocation, it is closer to Spiritual connection.

The directive of "honoring others above self" should be

replaced with the understanding that self-needs cannot be
denied, nor second-guessed or filled by others; that cooperation
with others should always replace competition; that every other
self is indeed part of the totality of self---of All That Is. The
directive of "Honoring self while honoring others" is far more
aligned with Divine Intention.

The above does and should give new meaning to the admonition of "...love
thy neighbor as thyself." It doesn't suggest that putting others before our
own selves is that great a virtue. Rather, it suggests that we ALL have equal
importance in the All That Is. It gets beyond "competing" with each other to
valuing each other and "cooperating" for a higher purpose.

To reverse the trend of the martyr, humans must learn to

respect and honor the boundaries of spirit, those innate genetic
aspects of self that are right and good in the eyes of the
Creator. They must not only honor, but actively promote
themselves through Light Responses which remove obstacles
and increase opportunities to express and contribute to the total
human evolution. They must actively develop skill to
communicate their needs and to find and open doors of need-
meeting opportunity. They must speak and act upon their
spiritual truth, to develop the life-giving habit of self-
promotion.

We have not quite reached that stage in our mental development where we
can automatically read each other's minds. Consequently, we have to
exercise our verbal skills to strengthen the lines of communication amongst
ourselves. Thus, we can better understand each other and reach greater
levels of peace and harmony.

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This brings us to the third application of the Faith In Spirit
habit. The act of self-promotion can be likened to the
identifying and knocking on doors of opportunity. The more
expression, the more doors opened, the better. Surely not all
can open at the same time, nor could an earthbound human
possibly pass through them simultaneously, nor can every
opening match exactly the exceptions of mind. This is when
flexibility of mind is essential. This is when the mind must
adapt to the dynamic changes necessary to proceed through
unknown doors. This is when the mind must accept when a
door slams in the face of one's plans. This is the point at which
probabilities alter, sending a rigid mind into growing pain and
resistance.

The "Fuller Brush" salesman from past decades, made his living by
knocking on doors and selling his wares to the person who opened it. In
doing so, he also had to sell Himself. To sell "Himself", he had to love
Himself. In loving "Himself", he developed equal love and acceptance of
others and experienced the range of acceptance and rejection. In other
words, he became whole.

But such shifts in course often take the person far beyond the
original expectations. This is when Faith in Spirit is essential.
Faith in Spirit, following self-promoting, acknowledges that
life can unfold in delightfully surprising ways. This is the
letting go to a higher power. This is the trust that the mind has
the ability to create reality and the spirit will have a hand in its
direction that creates the courage to venture into uncharted
territory. Faith allows the letting go of long held goals with the
faith that something even better will surely result---for it will.

With "Spiritual" intent as the compass of our activities, self-promoting

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results in linking ourselves up with the spiritual nature of all others, while
uncoupling ourselves from that which limits us.

No matter how it may appear in the short run, the long term
outcome will be far better for Spirit than the plan of the limited
mind. Maximizing opportunity through self-promotion and
letting go and trusting, will allow the most complete and
rewarding life paths to unfold. Responding with acceptance
and effective learning (Right Responses), the mind can adapt to
match the new direction.

The "mind", like all the other aspects of our being, is a part of the All That
Is. When "reminded" of it's Spiritual nature, it can not let us down.

This can require great courage when enduring long-term goals

and dreams seem to be suddenly dashed by the winds of fate.
When marriages fail, loved ones die, jobs are lost, economies
collapse, and countries go to war, faith is the only salvation.
Faith in the Light will be a primary driver through even the
darkest hours. Rest assured that the combined strategies of self-
promotion, faith in Spirit and flexible Right Responses to
growing pains will ensure the maximum life experience. Spirit
will create that which is desired as long as you are doing your
best at self-promotion and mental development, but it may
come in forms beyond the limits of imagination, though sure to
be delightful and rewarding. Self-promotion can open worlds
far beyond your imagination---go with it in faith.

Like a fellow said to me once, "Cheer up - things could be worse!" So I

cheered up and, sure enough, things got worse!

Most of the habits discussed thus far have involved interactions

and communications with other humans, but there are other

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habits of self-expression that are also very beneficial and more
singular in nature. They can also be more immediately
rewarding, for they do not depend upon an external other
effecting change as a result. These are the physical, dramatic
and artistic creative spiritual expressions that make the world
go around. These are the types of spiritual expression that are
immediately rewarding to mind, body and soul---because they
perpetuate the intention of All That Is.

That's good, because human relations can be a real downer sometimes. The
essence of this particular topic appears to be equivalent to the suggestion
that we don't hide our lantern under a basket. We are, after all, a flame of
Divine Light.

Creative Artistic Expression

The Creator intended humans to pursue that which brought

pleasure and avoid that which brought pain, but not merely for
simple survival. For this method also determines what contents
of mind to choose in order to live the most complete and
fulfilling life. Pain and pleasure, when understood are the
essential learning tools of self development so that maximum
spiritual expression can result. Since humans have not yet
understood this simple truth, there exists far more pain than
was ever intended.

Just as a child learns the lesson of heat and fire by having the unpleasant
experience of touching them, and a mother knows that this is one of life's
lessons that inevitably must be learned, so we prefer to keep that kind of
lesson minimal. But suppose the mother said to her child, "Sweetheart, the
more you burn in this life, the less you'll burn in the next." What effect
might this have on children and their relationship to fire?

Yet, since the dawn of humankind, there have existed outlets

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for such pain, inborn escape hatches through which pleasure
can be experienced simply by resonating to the spirit within
others. For this reason, pleasure is automatically experienced
through the successful spiritual expression of others. Of course,
resistance and beliefs can always still get in the way, but this
ability to connect and resonate to the experience of others is
quite powerful. And this ability gives birth to what is known as
art in all of its forms.

Each time we see/hear and enjoy an "artist" expressing him/herself with

skill and dedication, we are recipients of that spiritual joy, because in our
creative moments, we know what they know.

Throughout the most painful of human eras, with violation,

war, fear and want, there have always been the arts. The basis
of art is when the individual connects with the spirit of the
moment allowing the divine spark to flow unabated, expressing
itself outward. It matters not whether anyone responds, or is
even present at that instant. Creative expression is a highly
personal act, yet leaves a legacy so that the divine spark
catches the spirit of all who witness it at some later point. This
is why the arts are found to be so enjoyable; they connect with
the kindred spirit within and affirm the universal validity of the
necessary expression.

How grand the world could be, were there more artists than soldiers. Indeed
there are, since we are all "artists" in one form or another.

Creative expression occurs when the mind temporarily steps

aside and allows the spirit to reign superior over the
consciousness. Creative expression is when the spirit-body is
alive without interference of the mind. It is an energy that
flows through the cracks of mind, winding its way through the

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dense network of limiting beliefs, like a river flows through a
thick forest to the sea. It is actually a slightly altered state of
consciousness that scientists are just now beginning to notice.
This state has been called the flow state. In this state, the mind
does not attend other stimulus; its focus is away from the
happenings of the world and honed in on the person's creative
expression. And in this state there is an unmistakable feeling of
pleasure.

Being creative is not a particular talent, it is a Universal Gift, as present in

nature as Spirit itself. It is more than just doing, it is being, which is why
time is lost when in the process.

Although the feeling is most powerful for the individual doing

the creative act, those witnessing such expression can also be
pulled into the spiritual flow. This is a wonderful, vital and
health giving ability. And it has rescued humans from the
depths of despair time and again--- for the Creator does not
intend such pain and suffering. It is only due to the human
choices, the slivers of mind, that lingering pain has become a
fact of life. But enlightened ones understand how pain is
merely a signal to be acted upon to right the mind to free the
spirit. And creative expression is a powerful liberator.

The Spirit, so apparent in nature, is equally visible in humankind. We need

only look, listen and feel to sense the beauty in even the most violent of
circumstances. As nature can be frightening and beautiful at the same time,
so humans, who should know better, can be also. The question is , which is
emulating the other?

Humans have an incredible flexibility with which they can

handle huge amounts of pain in their lives. But perhaps most
beneficial, is the fact that they can get by with a minimal

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amount of need fulfillment. They can channel the energy from
one unmet need into another for which they have developed a
successful outlet. They can use spontaneous creative
expression to give regular release to frustrated spiritual energy.

We truly are marvelous in our potential.

This is the reason why every cultural tradition has incarnated

some expressive form into its institutional framework. Be it
oration, music, singing, group movement, chanting, drumming
or any other form, it endures because it is aligned with spiritual
intention. But self-expression is not at all limited to such
traditions or activities.

In fact, part of the creative process is to develop new forms of music, art,
sport and non-conventional forms of thought and expression. While
"traditionalists" usually do not welcome such efforts, whether it appears to
enhance spirituality or not, it must be respected and allowed as a reflection
of spiritual nature.

In fact, any creative pursuit that involves using the hands to

manipulate matter and changes its external form to match
some internal vision is highly pleasurable and rewarding. Such
creative pleasure drives human evolution itself. For spirits in
flesh are intended to use the power of mind and the inspiration
of Spirit to design and create a physical world of their
choosing. Such creations do not have to be considered artistic
to be highly rewarding. Most professional pursuits allow
freedom of the creative impulse as well as provide the rewards
of connection and meaning.

A final measure of the true value of what we create may lie in the "feeling"
we experience upon making the effort and observing the result. When we are

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sensitive to Spirit we are automatically connected to the life forms around us
and how what we do affects that form.

The only caution is that human creations should flow from

spiritual intent, or they can create undesirable physical results.
Creations that follow cooperation, pleasure, and love will
endure and create further experiences of cooperation, pleasure,
and love. Creations that follow competitive impulse, fear and
anger will always create further competition, fear, and anger.
But no matter how long they are allowed to endure within mass
consciousness, they will eventually give way to more
enlightened forms of expression, as individuals, one by one,
learn to heed and actively express the Spirit within.

The above appears to draw a direct link between that which a society's
entertainment industry produces and the behavior of those who are subject
to it. It is when that "link" becomes apparent that the producer begins to
consider the consequences of the creation and alter it accordingly. That
realization has to come from within.

Unfortunately, this will not occur without the conscious choice

of humankind. For within consciousness lies the ultimate
freedom. The Creator gives all the necessary guidance through
the feelings of pleasure and pain and the mental ability to
create and actualize that which is chosen by mind. The
creations then reflect their level of need-meeting success
through resulting feelings of pleasure or pain. Thus, the cycle
of development and expression continues. Just as the inner
mind is developed within each individual, so follows the
external evolution of human mental and physical technology or
mass consciousness.

It may seem at times that society is not progressing on a spiritual path, but
the fact that we are becoming more aware of our shortcomings is evidence

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that we are progressing.

The life-giving habits of self-expression can bolster every other

effort toward living in the Light. Self-expression is the integral
step that unites humans within the physical realm. It is the
driver of experience and the mechanism to solicit feedback
from spirit regarding how well the mind is doing in its task of
continuous development and meeting its needs in the world.

We know that All That Is assists that which strives to express its nature. If
not, why are we here?

Touch

Creating with the hands brings us to another powerful life

giving habit of self-expression---that of touch . The energy that
flows through the hands in artistic creation, is that same energy
that can be exchanged between life forms through the laying on
of hands. The physical, emotional and therapeutic benefit of
touch is already fairly well understood within mass
consciousness, but basically only because humans find it
mysteriously pleasurable to touch one another. What is not
understood consciously, is the expressive value, spiritual
fulfillment and the physical exchange of energy that
accompanies human touch .

This does appear to give physical evidence that "feelings" are, in fact, a form
of energy as valid as the more obvious energy we deal with in the physical,
i.e. electrical, mechanical, etc. Understanding this is the next step to putting
it to practical use in our lives, in new and innovative ways.

Humans have discovered---in spades---certain pleasurable gifts

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of the flesh, such as human sexuality. The innate pleasure
centers that motivate procreation have become the fodder of
many limiting thoughts, beliefs, and systems of living that seek
to tame the wild beast within. But the sexual experience is also
a highly spiritual one wherein energies are exchanged between
truly loving entities. This creates a deeply spiritual connection
where energies meld again into one another, recalling the
consciousness to the fact that we are all intermingling energies.
There should be the highest respect for this act, and an
honoring of its spirituality, instead of the simply physical
excitements and releases. For this type of expression without
the presence of love can be spiritually frustrating and damaging
physically, psychically and emotionally, not to mention the
problem of procreation outside of the original spiritual intent of
loving interactive developmental connection.

This paragraph brings such clarity to the reasons for applying a discipline to
the sexual act. In a society that worships wanton pleasure for its own sake,
we have lost the meaning of the value of truly loving relationships and pay a
price for this loss in the many other ways we relate to each other. Crime and
violence have increased with narcissism, as the value of others declines
inversely to that of ourselves.

The benefits of touch, however, have far more applications.

This simple touch of the shoulder of one who is in distress can
communicate the empathic connectedness of spirit and loving
compassion quite healing to one experiencing pain. To stroke a
child or a pet is intensely rewarding to both parties. Overall
massage of the body also provides actual therapeutic benefit to
the cells as well as the energy system.

There are cultures that know and practice the art of physical
communication with lots of hugs and abrazoes. These cultures reflect an

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openness and happiness that is reflected in the life style. Just as those
cultures that refrain from physical expression are prone to produce an
environment that reflects the restrained attitudes. Nowhere is this more
evident than between northern and southern Europe.

As humans develop less limited mindscapes, they will become

attuned to the more subtle and powerful aspects of human
touch. For now, like many other natural gifts, touch speaks for
itself. Humans the world over are encouraged to exploit its
physical and emotional benefits as much as possible.

We seek to understand and utilize the subtle energies around us while failing
to notice that many of them are already in play.

Vocalizing

Self expression is about getting yourself out there, about telling

the world what you think, dream, and desire. Humans rely
mostly upon words---the gift of language, no matter what
tongue. But self expression is any action or utterance that
meets needs or shows gratitude when they have been met. It is
how the individual creates change in the environment, how
evolution proceeds. Thus, as part of the human natural
motivative system, it has some built-in features. The Creator
endowed humans with several kinds of innately rewarding
vocal methods of spiritual expression.

Talking is one of the more complicated means of expressing our state of

mind and emotions. The others that will follow give us an opportunity to
vent our feelings in a deeper, more spontaneous fashion. We often did this
readily in our youth, but became more restrained as we grew older. It may
be time to re-examine that decision.

The most rudimentary vocal form of self-expression is the

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ability to shed tears. Like every other inborn gift, the ability to
cry is part of the Spiritual safety net, wherein physical
processes take over and respond to spiritual frustration in
necessary ways. For example, take a newborn. Crying is the
first tool a human has to communicate distress and frustrated
needs. The parents relate emphatically to the distress and then
act in ways which solve the problem. Without such assistance,
helpless newborns could not survive. (The sound of an infant
crying is also innately aversive and humans are immediately
motivated to make it stop.) The parents must have a high
degree of attachment to the infant to respond to its needs, or the
spirit will vacate the body. Such inter-dependence of humans is
one of the physical requirements of the Creator.

One might say it is a "base requirement", that begins with our first entry
into the physical and grows in complexity as we grow in mental agility and
spiritual awareness. What we are not necessarily aware of is that this form
of expression need not necessarily be totally outgrown and cast aside. For
the reasons explained below, it has value to us throughout our lives.

Crying not only happens when self needs are frustrated, but it
also happens spontaneously when empathic pain of others is
experienced. And crying is not limited merely to negative
experiences, for humans can also weep with joy. Humans often
weep over deep and abiding human experiences, rights of
passage, and common situations of success and pleasure.
Humans often weep when they experience the deeper meaning,
or rhythms within daily living. For this system communicates
the connectedness and intent of the spirit when the experiences
of others touch the universal sameness and resonate with the
knowledge that All Are One.

There are times when we weep for ourselves, when we can't seem to make a

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clear connection with the world around us. But this, too, is of value as it
relieves some of the pressure to comply and conform with the situations in
which we are uncomfortable.

Crying is often associated with new beginnings, when the spirit

swells with faith, hope and optimism. Such milestones are
often marked with traditional ceremonies such as weddings,
rights of passage, graduations, promotions, births, etc., as the
spirit resonates, validates, and encourages movement along the
path of life. Tears can mark the final breakthrough of
consciousness into awareness of long held, yet denied conflicts,
self-doubts and beliefs. Tears often accompany such personal
rebirth, as spirit basks in enlightening self-development. Spirit
sings its song of hope through tears.

This shows that "songs" may be sung even though they are devoid of words
or music. There is a part of us that often "sings" with the other portions of
our physical bodies, an experience we can become aware of and appreciate.

Crying is often also associated with closure, in universally

human situations of endings---funerals, good-byes, relocations,
divorces, or any other transitions that mark the end of one
phase and the beginning of another. Tears punctuate the human
cycles of birth, death, and rebirth offering physical release in
lieu of clear understanding of the ever-evolving dynamic nature
of the mind and of life itself. When these understandings are
absorbed, crying will result less from resistance and more from
the acceptance of the connection and universality of spirits.
Humans shall instead cry tears of joy.

A true understanding of the cycle of death, in particular, will redefine the

nature of grief and, someday, may even bring us to the point that the tears
we shed in those circumstances, will be the tears of joy, knowing that the
person who leaves us is actually being reborn to his/her natural

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environment.

Crying continues to act as a human connector and a vent for

frustrations throughout the entire lifetime. Crying is a very
healthy activity, despite its aversiveness and corresponding
reputation within mass consciousness. Men in particular need
to learn how to understand and appreciate its benefits.

Men can begin to acquaint themselves with this activity from an intellectual
perspective, but what can naturally follow is a favorable attitude toward
participation when the positive aspects are clearly understood.

Allowing yourself to be carried away within a good cry is

tantamount to going into a healing altered state of
consciousness. The body takes over and allows the emotional
energy to pour forth in physical reflexive lurches and
uninhibited tears. Crying is psychically and physically
cleansing. It allows the body to cast off pent-up emotional
frustrations and right itself, regardless of the limitations of
mind which continually fuel the fires of frustration. The crying
response automatically calls forth the necessary hormones and
chemicals that actually wash away toxins and impurities that
contribute to physical stress and decay.

Who knows, this might be a factor that explains why women tend to outlive
their counterparts. If stress is truly the killer we are beginning to suspect it
is, then this might prove to be quite beneficial to a state of health and well-
being.

Thus, humans are encouraged to cry with abandonment. Seek

out opportunities---go to see sentimental movies, enjoy the
literature, and other art forms which bring on tears. Cry when
you are moving and dancing about, allow your spirit total

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liberation. Cry when you find yourself in deeply spiritually
pleasing places, when you meditate, or when you gaze upon
nature. Crying is the spirit resonating---so let the tears flow
freely. Of course, private personal crying will be easier to
accomplish than public releases. But let it be known that even
big boys should cry with reckless abandon to help affirm and
preserve their physical and spiritual boundaries.

It is probably time for the male species to get beyond the early
programming, find a nice private space (or comfort with someone you care
about) and let go. Do it as an experiment and pay attention to the results.
What's to lose?

Laughter is another of nature's gifts of vocal expression. It

relates to the mystery of humor as well as to the crying
response with equally cleansing and curative benefits. Laugh
loud and often. For laughter also sings the Spirit's song of hope
and oneness. Laughter speaks for itself.

Yes, I think we've shed enough tears for the moment. Surely, both sexes can
be comfortable in sharing a good laugh.

But it is all too easy for humans to become so entangled within

the limits of their own minds that they forget to laugh. It takes
conscious focus to remember to find the humor within, and to
respond to it heartily. Thus, humans should also seek out
opportunities to laugh, to find the fun in the unexpected and
note it with a hearty burst of laughter---no matter how
challenging life might be at any point. Laughter feeds the mind,
body and soul.

...and it's non-fattening! There are actually people who take their personal
health care so seriously that they forget to laugh about it. We know that the

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ability to laugh at ourselves is so essential to our emotional balance. We just
forget sometimes.

The final form of vocal expression is song. What human has

not felt the physical effects of meaningful tones and vibrations
upon the body? There is some form of uniform vocal
expression in each and every human culture, which evidences
its universal benefit. Song has been used throughout human
history to invoke spiritual resonance and to connect it with
religious teachings, political alliances, and community
groupings. To experience the harmony and passion of voice
raised in song, is to know in the fiber of our being the
tremendous accomplishments that humans can achieve with
cooperative expression. So, like laughter and tears, sing loud
and sing often. (And remember not to mentally judge how it
sounds!! Let the spirit squeak and howl freely.)

If one feels that his/her voice is not pleasing enough to be shared with others,
there's always the time-honored practice of singing in the shower. It's
exclusive and sounds pretty good, too.

For the sounds of song also have direct effects upon the energy
system of the body. The vibrations of certain tones correspond
with major energy centers within the body. There is much to be
learned in this area regarding physical transmutation and
manipulation of matter with the use of sound. As the many
limitations within mass consciousness are reduced one by one,
new creative insights and approaches will be allowed to unfold
in this area. At this time, suffice it to say that singing is
nourishment for the body, mind, and soul.

There seems to be a suggestion here that we might be able to sing, cry, laugh,
dance and whatever ourselves into a higher state of spiritual enlightenment.

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I suspect it's true.

In sum, all vocal expressions can serve positive purposes. Be

they words of kindness, or rejection of injustice. Be they tears
of frustration or joy. Be they laughter or song. Use them and
enjoy them, for they are the gifts of the Gods.

There are many who have overcome while singing about it.

Expressing Within The Creation

One final comment in the area of self-expression relates to

being at one in spirit with the Natural Creation. It is innately
pleasing to express through interaction with other life forms
within the creation. Creative expressions and art forms which
interact with other organisms achieve a special emotional
reward. To create with flora, to garden, landscape, or even
simply to walk among the trees of a forest, are actions which
strike a deep chord within the spirit in affirmation of the inter-
connectedness of every apportionment of spirit.

This is more difficult when one lives in an urban environment and an

alternative to the above suggestions in that case, might be to interact on an
intellectual or emotional level with spiritual writings or groups who explore
spiritual matters. Then, as often as possible, find an environment of pure
nature and wallow in it.

Interaction with animals is particularly pleasing, generating a

physical, mental, emotional and spiritual response universal to
all humans. Such forms of appreciation and interaction with all
of creation are innately rewarding.

This is a practical alternative where pets (dogs and cats) are allowed. The

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latter seem to serve that need particularly well when not demanding undue
attention or being an annoyance to others.

Thus, there is a counterpart responsibility for humans to ensure

that their own creative technological expressions are limited to
those within the cooperative spirit that does not infringe upon
any other form of life. This is a responsibility that should be
accepted and honored at its highest levels. Humans should
ponder this challenge and begin immediately to act upon it.

As we continue to expand as a species and take a greater share of space upon

this planet, the very least we can and should do is apologize to the other life
forms we displace. It's the honorable thing to do.

With the understandings in place to begin replacing the deadly

habits with life-giving ones, we can now turn the discussion to
the human needs themselves.

Page 187-196 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Four A: Universal Values & Needs

The Scientific Authority

Science is often considered the most acceptable source of

human knowledge. A reputation well deserved for the most
part. But scientists might teach you that the universe and all of
life is some sort of big cosmic accident. They might say that

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consciousness itself arose from the primordial soup only after
centuries and centuries of "evolution." Perhaps the worst
advice they offer is that there is no greater purpose than simple
self-preservation, that life at its core is brutish competition for
survival of the fittest.

We see the consequences of this philosophy most reflected by the medical

profession with physical life being preserved at all costs. This has
deteriorated into a form of "for profit" health care that keeps a portion of
peoples' consciousness trapped in their bodies long after their spirits have
moved on to a better place.

They offer such advice without acknowledging the

overpowering evidence that the universe and all of the natural
creation operates instead upon a directive of cooperation
toward a higher, divine purpose of self-development and self-
expression . Science is cautious in its assertions because it
holds to objective, empirical standards which seek to avoid the
limiting influence of existing subjective beliefs---a most noble
goal. For the existing beliefs within the cultural memory run
the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous. They declare
wildly conflicting truths and righteousness about human
values, purpose, and morality. Many place negative value
judgments upon human nature itself. There are no limits to
humanity's creative interpretations. Any such belief can be
entertained and passed down through the generations. Many
such limiting assumptions are passed along through religious
frameworks as unimpeachable and unquestionable truths.
Therefore, there are many conflicting, inaccurate beliefs that
need to be sifted and classified. Science seeks objective laws
upon which to base such subjective classification.

But in its efforts to do so, it often commits the same mistakes of infallibility

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that are adhered to by groups outside of the scientific community. It is in
this flaw that "most noble goals" can be subverted.

To this end, scientists look to the natural world to find evidence

that can explain life---but without assuming that a Creator
exists. Much to the chagrin of many atheistic scientists, this
approach will lead humans to the unmistakable, irreversible
conclusion that there does exist such a force with intention,
value, and divine purpose.

In nature, while hidden to some and obvious to others, lies the evidence of
the universal Spirit. Whether studying the human cell or a distant galaxy, a
thread of purpose runs through the dynamics of the essence of each. It is
what led the poet to observe that the universe could be found in a grain of
sand.

When scientists become acquainted with human nature and the

emotional system, they will have all the evidence they need to
conclude the presence of a higher intelligence at work. For
indeed, "God" is alive and well. The intention of the Creator is
evidenced in the creation with far more integrity, validity, and
truth than any human philosophical or religious rendering.
Indeed, any "truth" put forth that is not aligned with actual
human nature is simply inaccurate. For God does not play dice
with the universe. There is order, cooperation and intent.

What is so obvious in the natural world outside of ourselves, is even more

impressive when we begin to explore and understand the potential of our
inner natures. For the outer world is truly a reflection of the inner, and
therein lies our ultimate creative freedom.

Scientists are finally on the verge of discovering that the

emotional language unites the intuitive (spiritual) qualities and
the rational (mental) qualities. This has been the missing piece

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of human puzzle since time untold. Once recognizing this
natural, elegant mechanism, they will be led to higher and
higher levels of objective understandings. They might be
resistant at first, due to their own particular brand of dogma,
which seeks to fit evidence into overly narrow paradigms. But
those that heed the inner desire to know, more than they fear
where it might take them, will succeed.

As this principle would apply to scientists, so it would and should apply to

theologians when they are willing to abandon power and influence for true
spiritual enlightenment.

Much to the chagrin of religious zealots, these discoveries will

alter the face of God as they know it. Nonetheless, great
knowledge and guidance can then emerge which can influence
mass consciousness quite profoundly. And it will be
knowledge that provides far more fulfillment than any truths or
values which will have to be abandoned.

Scientists need only take what should be the obvious step from the absence
of Spirit to the ubiquitous nature of Spirit and be willing to lead
philosophers and theologians through a door of unlimited possibilities and
into greater alignment with All That Is.

Spiritual Intention Vs Human Mental Values

What they (scientists) will discover from finally coming to

understand the human feeling feedback system, is that there are
indeed certain hardwired, biologically intended, universal
values. Values are levels of quality which are desirable and
have intrinsic worth. Although virtually anything goes in the
realm of mind, the realm of spirit knows---and desires humans

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to know---inherent universal values.

This realization by the scientists of the world will give a boost to acceptance
that ALL humans are endowed with a spiritual nature so intrinsic that with
a little encouragement, the human race will be able to take quantum leaps
toward resolving many of its problem relationships. Peace on earth will be a
truly attainable reality.

Humans may place value upon any arbitrary traits, behaviors,

or objects as long as they are in agreement. Although human
values can come and go, changing with the times and varying
widely across cultures and human history, the spiritual values
are those that are non-negotiable, and everlasting. They have
always existed and they always will in their purely elegant but
simple form. The difference is that universal, spiritual values
are the same for each and every human being and perhaps
every form of life itself.

This is the concept that has always enhanced human dignity and led to forms
of government, for example, that defined human rights and established the
"principles" to protect those rights.

These universal values can be found underlying many cultural

traditions, rules and codes. Many human values are, in fact,
symbolic representatives of these spiritual values. For example,
dollars, ducats, francs, pesos, lyre, pounds, wampum, etc., are
all representatives of monetary value. The money itself has no
inherent value. But as an agreed upon medium of exchange, it
often provides power, freedom, and can bring fulfillment. The
only reason money succeeds as a human value is because it
hooks into the higher, spiritual values and brings emotional
rewards. On the other hand, if the human value conflicts with a
spiritual value, it will cause emotional pain. Many aspects of

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money do, indeed, conflict with certain spiritual values. The
relationship between human and natural values is captured in
the expression: "money cannot buy happiness."

Yet, money, when infused with a concept of spiritual value, can bring
opportunities for fulfillment of body, mind and spirit. The trick is in
keeping, it like anything else, in the proper perspective.

Thus far, many human values conflict with spiritual values, due
to our lack of understanding. Many teachings and world views
do not recognize all spiritual values and overemphasize some
at the expense of others. This creates conflict in experience and
bad feelings to such a high degree that humans think such
negative experience is normal. There is thought to be no sense,
meaning or order in the universe and that life itself is meant as
a torturous series of painful events, or that suffering is
somehow good for the soul. When in actuality, suffering
merely signals when human choices are hurtful, so immediate
corrections can be made, restoring the intended state of
enlightened bliss.

If we begin to detach ourselves sufficiently from the immediacy of life to

understand that this physical experience is meant to be a true educational
experience and a form of on-the-job training, we can accept the lessons of
life with greater appreciation, rather than wallowing in our personal self-
pity.

Spiritual Values Embodied In Human Needs

Such suffering is no longer necessary. Now, with

understandings of how the emotional language speaks the
intention of spirit, observing what happens emotionally when
certain conditions exist, reveals exactly what that divine

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intention might be. For the Creator's intention is hardwired into
the human being at the physical, mental, and emotional level in
what is called universal human need.

This is the great spiritual gift. We can explore indefinitely the distractions of
the "tunnel", but we can never completely ignore the "light" at the end.

Human needs are about human purpose. They are designed into
human nature to internally orient each upon the Destiny Path.
Each need plays its own unique role in the basic purpose of
self-preservation, as well as in guiding humans to their higher
purpose of self development and expression. Each need derives
from (and points to) the spiritual values of self worth, divine
joy, self expansion and cooperative unity. When human needs
are fulfilled in a balanced manner, the natural, divine human
morality emerges in every thought and deed .

It is the "all roads lead to Rome" concept. It is intended that, whatever our
perspective/path we may currently be traveling on, we have an unlimited
opportunity to utilize that uniqueness in our quest for our personal "Holy
Grail".

It bears repeating that these values are translated into

biological human needs. They have been previously
introduced in two categories of Individual (power) Needs and
the Group (connection) Needs. Now they can be examined
more closely. Understanding the needs themselves can explain
a great deal about human behavior and why certain actions
happen instead of others. They can provide key information
that helps accurately interpret feelings and identify the casual
beliefs that need to be altered. For oftentimes, the beliefs place
the needs in conflict with each other. Yet the impetus to fulfill
them is so powerful that it motivates choices often outside the

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conscious awareness of the individual. This is because the
spiritual needs, biologically impressed upon the human being,
play a very important role in the feedback information cycle of
the language of emotion. Listening to the language of feelings
will lead you to your chosen beliefs of mind, but they will also
lead to your inborn values of spirit experienced as the needs of
the flesh.

There are times when the decisions we make seem to defy our logical
process. Yet, on a level we hardly understand or appreciate at this point in
our history, we are making these "decisions" on the basis of an intended
spiritual form of growth and, ultimately, this is how things work out.

The Role Of Human Needs

There are many ideas and beliefs regarding human need. Many
such dictates and values spring from human culture, from mass
consciousness, rather than from spiritual validity. Which
means, of course, that there are many distortions put forth
about human need in general. One such distortion is that it is
considered a good thing for one person to "need" another. A
second distortion is that each person is supposed to fulfill the
needs of others, in selfless charity, while their own needs go
unmet. This only brings confusion, martyrdom, co-dependency,
unhappiness, resentment and conflict. For each individual is
intended to fulfill his or her own needs.

Now that might be a hard one to swallow. However, in the name of needing
each other, a lot of emotional damage is inflicted that could probably be
avoided if a little more detachment were practiced. It may also sound callous
to suggest that helping others is sometimes less than a noble act, but an
imposed obligation (exercised through guilt) to help someone else while one's
own needs are yet to be met, is simply a distortion of charity and is bound to

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bring on perverted consequences.

This spiritual directive is so non-negotiable, important and

powerful, that each human is born with preset biological self-
protecting reactions to ensure that they will be met. If self-
needs go unfulfilled, the emotional signal will sound. If the
corrective message is ignored, the emotional intensity will
continue to build, motivating the person to seek relief in any
way possible.

If we accept the principle that we can and do create our own reality, then
when we give strength to the role of victimhood, we discourage the true
capabilities of our existence.

This basic connection between need, emotion, and the urge to

act sets the stage for many actions which seek escape from the
painful emotions. This is the basis for nearly every
competitive, violent, aberrant, compulsive, or addictive
behavior perpetrated by mankind. Thus, it is imperative for
humans to understand their needs, be empowered to meet them
in any manner they so choose, and to listen to the emotional
signals for guidance and feedback.

Our true knowledge and power comes from within ourselves. When we
intentionally rely upon others to meet our needs, we do ourselves the
greatest disservice.

As we have become acquainted with the language of human

spirit, we have learned how the human feelings provide
continuous guiding feedback information. We know that the
goal is to compare and balance mind and spirit. At this closer
level, we can see exactly what gets compared. These needs are
the internal spiritual standards against which the emotional

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signals compare external results. These needs are the measures
against which the beliefs are evaluated. In short, the emotional
signal in any given moment tells us how well our needs have
been met by our beliefs. The feelings compare our needs with
our beliefs and constantly inform us which beliefs help meet
our needs and which frustrate them, so that corrections can be
made. Bear in mind that our needs flow from our destiny and
intuitive knowledge of spiritual intention---a source far wiser
than our minds. They drive us toward divine intention no
matter where the mind thinks it ought to go. This way, the
desires and actions will steer the mind in choosing the best
beliefs.

If we believe poverty is a virtue and we are unhappy in our state of

deprivation, we can realize that to alter our financial state, we will need to
examine and revise our beliefs.

The best belief systems, of course, are those built upon this
spiritual feedback. The best mindscapes will allow all needs to
be met in some balanced manner, without neglecting some to
meet others. In the course of the learning experiences, the
safety feature of the emotional system will motivate automatic
physical corrective actions, if the mind does not choose
successful ones. These responses will often occur before the
mind is even invoked. They are intended to ensure survival
long enough to ponder how and why such a situation came
about to foster mental correction. If no correction ever comes,
the human is reduced to a basic instinctive, reactionary level of
experience which does not utilize the rational capacities.

Because we are more than animals, we have more control over our state of
existence unless, of course, we buy into a contrary belief system.

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Thus, the universal needs are the basis for all directed human
action---whether consciously chosen or unconsciously habitual.
Emotion is the force that moves us to action, the need provides
the direction. When actions meet the needs in a balanced
manner, the "golden mean"---the intended state of balance,
decreed, desired and dictated by the Creator---has been
achieved.

We are all capable of achieving a state of balance in our spiritual

progression, just as surely as we can learn to ride a bicycle.

The needs are the Creator's delightful, ingeniously designed

insurance policy that humans would never completely distance
themselves from the guiding wisdom of their spiritual source.
The needs are designed to lead us to our highest purpose. No
matter how long humans may flounder in limiting choices of
belief, their feelings will urge them toward this state of
balance. No matter how ignorant the application of free will,
the inner guidance back to the light is always available. The
biological needs, empowered by frustrated feelings, will drag
humans---kicking and screaming if need be---in better
directions than the limited mind has been able to provide.

Eventually the Creator's love will overcome our own personal Self-
absorption, even when the only block to our evolvement is simply
stubbornness.

Only when all the needs are respected, and beliefs and
strategies are in place to get them met, are humans allowed to
be fully human. The course of human evolution will only move
toward this eventual outcome. The ultimate, truly civilized,
systems of living---those that will not self-destruct or suffer the
social symptoms of fear and anger---will recognize and provide

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a balanced approach where all of the needs are continuously
respected and met.

Once we realize the above expressed truths, we can begin working toward
the creation of a society which compliments the truly spiritual nature of
human beings.

The Dynamic Flexibility Of Needs

The wisdom of the Creator allows tremendous flexibility in

how humans choose to meet their needs. Free will means just
that. There are no rigid rules. The human needs can be met in
any number of imaginably creative ways. Simply looking to the
many diverse human systems of thought and living will attest
to the tremendous freedom the Creator allows humans to chart
their own course.

What follows belief systems are judgement systems that often show
disapproval of the manner in which some achieve their needs in comparison
to others. But on the basis of the above statement, all efforts are allowed, and
ultimate consequences are the governing factor.

The level of need fulfillment in a given individual or society

reflects the level of understanding of human purpose. To date,
most human civilizations and systems of living do not meet all
of the needs all of the time. In fact, some needs are not
recognized nor respected at all. Often, the individual needs are
pitted directly against the group needs, or one is ignored so that
the other can be emphasized. This sets the stage for failure,
emotional pain, and defensive self-preservationary responses
which seek to remove self chosen roadblocks. It is only
through creative, if not deviant, behavior that much fulfillment

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is accomplished at all. This is why science has declared, if not
relegated, human purpose to be that of mere survival or self-
preservation. (Religion, however, for all its mistakes, has kept
the faith of a higher human purpose alive until science can
catch up).

In adopting the "survival of the fittest" principle, science has ignored the
need for all to be winners and the need for all to survive. Most religions, on
the other hand, recognize the enduring spiritual nature of human beings.

For humans are a hearty species indeed. Temporary retreats can

help them survive intense amounts of mental and emotional
conflict and pain while they are finding their way. This human
tenacity can be credited to the wisdom of the Creator, who
offers timeless patience and faith in human nature. This inner
strength, resiliency, and self-protection was a gift to match that
of free will, giving humans the ability and strength to endure
while learning for themselves how to restore the inner
guidance.

Having taken the roughest road to enlightenment up until now, we can

finally begin to find the smoother and more expeditious way to our
prescribed intent.

But there are definite limits to any such flexibility. Although

feelings will always sound the alarm, they can be ignored for
only so long until the needs are neglected beyond even the
Creator's tolerance level. The self-preservationary reactions of
flight and fight occur when this limit has been reached. These
inborn self-preservationary mechanisms will ensure that a
minimum amount of need-meeting will happen, regardless of
how conflicted the realm of mind might be. These defensive
responses will ensure that some of the needs will at least be

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met all of the time, and that humans don't dip below the
minimum level, threatening preservation of the species. This is
why the self-preservationary impulses to fight and take flight
are so powerful. Humans are not intended to tolerate such
continuous pain and suffering. These responses ensure that the
individual will at least physically react to meet the needs
regardless of how well the mind or world honors them.

Someday we will stop making heroes out of the people who are the most
successful in killing their fellow human beings. When that time comes, we
will have taken a giant step toward true progress on the planet.

Like anything else, need fulfillment itself can be used as a

strategy of escape and denial of the bigger challenge at hand. It
is all too easy to seek refuge in the emotional pleasure of
meeting one need to soothe the frustration of another. This is
how need-meeting behaviors often become compulsions.
Impulses to overeat, drink or self-medicate nearly always
spring from unmet spiritual needs. As debilitating as this can
be, it is not without temporary benefit. For until the system is
understood, it is often necessary to seek refuge from overly
intense emotional signals.

The practice of seeking solutions outside of ourselves (even in the form of

mind altering substances) can only serve to postpone our awareness of the
solutions that lie within.

But all defensive responses are merely temporary fixes. As

always, the feelings---when understood---continuously ask for
permanent correction in any and all circumstances brought
about by limiting beliefs which have left needs unmet.
Hardwired responses only meet some immediate needs, while
rational, emotionally directed responses address all needs on a

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long-term basis. Self preservation is only a stage or stepping
stone to the higher, purposeful responses of self-development
and expression. Thus, it is essential to become very well
acquainted with each of the needs, so that the messages of
emotions can bring the maximum progress.

The full aggregate of our needs must be established and reviewed and this is
what these Lessons intend.

In sum, emotion moves action toward meeting needs. For

emotion addresses beliefs in relation to these needs. The need
lies under the feeling representing the voice of spirit, just as the
belief lies under the feeling representing the voice of mind. The
feeling then motivates the action. Thus, emotion is very
powerful and the primary force behind every human action,
with each feeling addressing one of six, core, rudimentary,
basic, spiritually ordained, and biologically imbedded human
needs. Understanding needs is the final piece of information to
ensure maximum use of the emotional message. The needs are
not complex, nor mysterious. In fact they are quite simple and
clearly recognizable, once we make their acquaintance. To this
end, we will now discuss, in detail, the needs themselves.

It is in reviewing these "needs" that we take the next step in preparing

ourselves for the journey toward a truly spiritual point.

The Need for Power

This is perhaps the most basic of all human needs. It is the

essential requirement that each human being be able to control
his or her destiny. Power is the unrestricted ability to act , and
to have the world respond to those actions. Individual

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empowerment is the divine conduit of free will. Each human
being must be able to act in ways which allow them to succeed
in getting what they need. Power in its most basic form
provides the safety of knowing that you can fend for yourself
and make your life work.

Without the power to exercise our "Free Will", it would soon atrophy.
Likewise, without "Free Will", there would be no purpose in exercising our
power. To the degree that we retain and utilize our "power", we create our
lives.

The need for power is perhaps the most basic, most

rudimentary and non-negotiable of the human needs. If the
power need goes unmet, all other needs will be subordinated
immediately to restore this most essential degree of control and
safety. The power need reflects the universal spiritual values of
cooperation, and self determinism. Without the cooperative
give and take between individual and environment, life simply
cannot happen.

The point here seems to be that "power" must be exercised with an

awareness of others in our lives. If not, it becomes corrupting. There are
ample examples in history that show what can happen when too much power
is concentrated in the hands of too few people.

Whenever human beings experience a lack in the power need,

they will feel fear . They will be physically motivated to
immediately remove themselves from that situation or to fight
to change it to ensure survival. The basic social conditions
must allow humans to have enough empowerment to act upon
their thoughts and feelings and be able to learn through their
experiences.

The greatest gift you can give another human being is to trust him/her with

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the necessary "power" to serve your needs in a creative way. Nothing can be
more complimentary.

From the very moment of birth, humans need to experience

their power and ability to control the environment. Even a
helpless infant exerts power by expressing the feelings through
vocal outbursts until a parent or caregiver comes to satisfy the
need. If no one responds to the crying, the infant simply does
not survive. If the crying is only successful some of the time,
the infant is not assured of its own power, and emotional
dissonance immediately begins, setting the stage for inadequate
emotional development. (Many disconnected souls spend their
lifetime seeking power in violent angry outbursts due to this
initial condition of questionable power within a non-
cooperative foster environment.)

If we could take the "angry" back to their early childhood and recreate
what might be a period of neglect, then we might be able to correct their
history and, hopefully, help them alter their own personality.

Power and personal control over one's destiny is often confused

with other trappings of power. Money, position, status, and
control over others often compensates temporarily for a lack in
the personal empowerment need. If someone does not feel safe,
then they might be motivated to find temporary escape or
pseudo-safety in any ways their distorted beliefs might dictate.
But such responses to emotional pain are simply flight
responses and not those that will ensure development and
expression. Adding knowledge which has passed emotional
muster is far more empowering. Knowledge is, indeed, power.

"Knowledge" is "power" because it gives us understanding and with

understanding we can acquire a greater degree of personal security.

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Consequently, we can relate in a more caring way toward those around us.
How many bosses would become more mellow with some added knowledge
of why they are the way they are. Hopefully, many!

The most important point about the power need is that it is an

essential need that opens doors to the meeting of all other
needs. The need for personal power and control over one's
destiny is simply non-negotiable. Individual empowerment is
the naturally ordained right of each and every spirit in flesh.
Thus, it is essential to honor this need and establish internal
beliefs and external social structures which allow the maximum
self empowerment. It goes without saying, of course, that with
such naturally ordained power, comes the corresponding
naturally intended responsibility for chosen actions. This is
why the life-giving habit of accountability is so important.

The American constitution is a beacon in the world and is so often emulated

by other countries because it contains the seeds of the empowerment
described above and establishes the "external social structures" to
guarantee and enhance the exercise of self empowerment.

Humans often give their power away due to misunderstandings

of the choices of belief. They often channel their power
indirectly through other people or through social structures that
severely limit their fulfillment. This error will be signaled by
anger, frustration, and eventually the sadness and depression of
self-loss. These feelings all scream for the power to be
restored, for the beliefs to be altered (with Right Responses)
from those that have allowed it to be given away. True
empowerment is reflected in beliefs which rarely invoke anger
or frustration. Power is not simply being able to control the
angry feelings; it lies in structuring the mind with beliefs which
restore control over the daily challenges, so that they are never

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even elicited. Instead, the threat to personal power often allows
the fight response to take over, regardless of what the best
response might be.

When vested interests replace the will of the public in representative

government, the public eventually turns cynical and indifferent. This state is
first evident in the "turn-out" figures at election time. Even while
government tries to blame the public for the indifference, it ignores or
protects its own indifference to those they are elected to represent and whose
power they are required to exercise.

Suffice it to say at this point, that the need for power will
overcome the other needs if necessary. For self-preservation
can only occur if the individual has the power to act upon the
environment and meet the innate needs. If conditions are such
that competition is necessary---"so be it" deems the Creator. It
is, indeed, the individual that will make changes in the world,
not the group. The group can never change or fully control the
individual in ways that prevent these innate human dynamics.
Evolution happens at the level of the individual, and thus, it is
imperative to ensure maximum empowerment of each. If
relative empowerment for safety and control is not achieved,
there will be chaos and eventual demise.

While the rights of the individual can not necessarily take precedence over
the rights of the group, the right of expression can and should be sacrosanct.
When offensive, such expressions can be ignored, but when productive, they
should be honored.

Page l97-206 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

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Lesson Four B: Universal Needs Continued

The Need For Freedom

Beyond the power to control one's destiny, lies the freedom of

movement and thought with which a human can both broaden
the mind and alter the world. One can have control, yet not
have the freedom to expand the internal and external worlds.
Once self-preservation is assured (the power need met) the
human is immediately motivated to begin self-development
with the urge to be free. But the urge to be free is also very
basic and non-negotiable. The human value of liberty embodies
both the power and freedom needs. The words: "Give me
liberty or give me death"...were deeply and spiritually accurate.
The need for freedom ensures that humans will be able to think
for themselves and decide how to design their mindscape to
best fulfill their innate value.

The very word "freedom" has almost become erased from our societal
lexicon, along with words like "liberty" and "honor". As these words fade
from use, so also do the principles for which they stand and the activity
which they inspire.

The need for freedom was the Creator's insurance that free will
would be honored and nurtured. Life is meant to be
experienced in the present moment, with spontaneity and
enthusiasm supported by constantly evolving, unlimited mental
structures. Learning is intended to be an individual experiential
trial and error process---and never to be replaced by a limited
or singular way of understanding and interacting with the
world. Although human education and the passing on of culture

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is very helpful for shared living, it has also, over time,
profoundly reduced other options of thought and action. Life is
not meant to be learned from the experiences of others. Divine
intention is that learning will occur only through the
experiences of the self acting upon the world in trial and error
behaviors, with the ever-present guide of human emotion
judging progress.

When we reward perfection and punish error, we discourage many from

involving themselves in the learning experience. Thus, those who might have
been able to inspire us to take the necessary chances to achieve those
physical, mental and spiritual goals that are held up as examples, instead let
our institutions intimidate us into believing that straying from established
criteria will only lead to being removed from those institutions. To put it
another way, if you want those "A's", you better buy into the curriculum,
else you flunk out.

The intention of the Creator is born out in the adolescent years

of developing human beings. What has become feared as the
inevitable, willful rebellion of teens is simply the Creator's
inborn desire for each person to learn for themselves through
their own experiences. This is why humans often reject the
advice of their elders, even good advice from those who are
very respectable. For the urge springs naturally from the right
and true, deep and abiding need for freedom of thought and
action. They must learn certain things for themselves, despite
all the frustrations of those who have already had similar
learning experiences. Thus, the need for freedom and
individual experiences must be honored, accepted and
accommodated within each individual mind and in all social
structures.

This is particularly difficult for parents seeing their children go through

their adolescent years. How much easier it would be to endure this period if

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our society placed greater emphasis on faith in Divine Spirit and trust in the
importance of emotional guidance.

This does not mean that all structured learning and education
should be thrown by the wayside. Instead, it should be tailored
to allow individuals experiential learning within the existing
structures to strike the needed balance. All "knowledge" should
be offered as flexible and consensual and treated as a
suggestion or a framework of reference from which individuals
can create and imagine bigger and better explanations. Nothing
should be offered as an unimpeachable "Truth," but instead as
a potentially useful tool for self-discovery. Education and
knowledge should be offered in the context of Socratic
questioning and discussion, along with situational dramatics
which honor, respect and facilitate each person's right to
experiential learning. (Situational dramatics and role-playing
are very powerful and underutilized tools for experiential,
precautionary learning. They can bring about vicarious, yet
painful, messages of emotion without the actual experience
itself, imparting wisdom without paying the price of learning
the hard way).

How much more emphatic would have been the consequences of prejudice
had the integrated classroom become an environment where the daily
prejudices were acted out so that both groups would have been placed on the
receiving end of discrimination, before the final step became the reality.

Simply put, societies that do not allow freedom for all of their
members, will not survive. Any human grouping which seeks
to contain and control its members by erecting mental and
physical walls, can never succeed in the long term. When
societies provide the right amount of freedom, there will be far
less violent rebellion, anger, fear and manipulation. For, when

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freedom is suppressed, the need becomes magnified to the
point of a compulsion. This can bring exaggerated defensive
responses which are not at all in the best interest of the
individual or the society.

This concept throws new light on the element of violence in our society.
Some might argue that such is the result of too much freedom, but the above
suggests just the opposite. It is a "concept" that bears further reflection.

The Need For Creative Expression

Once the need for freedom has facilitated movement, growth

and mental flexibility, the urge to self-express becomes readily
apparent. Although all of the needs are always present, the
power and freedom needs will come to the surface
immediately, usurping all others, should they become
frustrated in any way. Only when there is a minimum amount
of power and freedom can humans fully focus and become
conscious of other, higher needs. The word higher in this
context means merely that these needs are removed from the
automatic self-preservationary mechanisms and can relate more
to "higher" human purpose. For they will remain at the edge of
consciousness until the basics of survival are in place.

One circumstance that could well be beneficial to bringing forth the

opportunity for achieving mankind's "higher purposes" might be a greater
level of economic security. When the burden of eking out a living is reduced
to secondary importance, and greater importance is put upon security of
health and general well being, the mind can shift its priorities beyond mere
self-preservation toward greater development of the soul.

The need to create reflects the spiritual values of self-worth and

self-expression. Creativity is about making internal visions and

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dreams actual in the physical world. The creative need
motivates achievement, and the attainment of all goals. It is
about being the most complete form of your spiritual self and
acting it out upon the world in truly unique and valuable ways.
Creativity is an ability often thought to be limited only to
artists and musicians. But this is a far too narrow way of
thinking about creative self-expression. For each and every
action, each word, and each motion is an outward creative
reflection of the inner creative spirit. Those expressions that
reflect limits of mind, of course, will also be apparent. Any
such inadequacies, however, will in turn elicit the necessary
feedback, once the feelings are understood. Then, with accurate
interpretations of, and responses to the emotional signals, the
inadequate beliefs of mind will gradually give way to better
versions, such that each and every action becomes the creative
expression of true spirit.

If you consider what should be the obvious, i.e. that we are creating reality
at nearly every moment of our physical lives, then the very definition is
automatically broadened to a near unlimited point of appreciation. As
indicated above, even those creative ways of limiting ourselves, are proof of
our innate ability. We need but learn to appreciate the God-given feedback
system.

Creative expression melds the spiritual values of self-

development and expression into the motive to achieve bigger
and better results; to build a mindscape of knowledge, skills
and abilities to express and create in all realms or find success
in a wide variety of challenging environments. If creativity and
growth is stifled, boredom will surely set in as a spiritual
reminder toward continuous evolution and expression.

Boredom is a good example of the emotional feed-back system that alerts us

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that we are experiencing a state of stifled spirituality. It's a very simple
emotion and as valuable as it is common. Children are sensitive enough to
pick up on it almost immediately. In adulthood, we tend to think "it" is
normal and acceptable.

The creative expression of such a spirit would consistently

exhibit joyous, spontaneous, meaningful, cooperative and
exuberant thoughts, words, movements, actions and interactive
deeds. Any other types of expression still contain the effects of
a limited mindscape, with negative emotional experiences and
responses asking for the needed corrections toward this ideal
spiritual existence of creative expression in flesh.

"Well, if you're bored, I'm sure I can think of some work for you to do
around here", a mother might say to her child. Or she might say (as an
alternative), "Well, instead of me just giving you some mundane task to do,
why don't you come up with some ways to make our home run more
efficiently so that I have some extra time to play with you", and mean it!

Thus, each and every human being has the inborn need to
express one's self. This is experienced as an inner
understanding or knowingness regarding one's universal value.
It is also the irresistible urge to do whatever is necessary to
know that valuable self, to develop that self, and to go forth
and share that self with the world. The sense of committed
contribution springs from this urge to create. That inner
inspiration to achieve, to change the world, to make it a better
place, springs from the spiritual creative need. The work ethic
that has built civilizations is based on the need to create. The
need to create motivates individuals to go to work each day and
leave their unique mark upon the world. And each creation, no
matter how seemingly insignificant in human terms, holds
tremendous value and cosmic significance in the spiritual
realm.

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We can actually bring spirituality to our educational system without the risk
of violating our constitution, simply by moving from the quantitative
manner in which we measure intellectual progress to an environment where
creativity is not only encouraged, but rewarded.

The Need For Connection

The human individual needs are, indeed, very powerful

motivators, and they will come to the fore if they are not met,
to ensure self-preservation. But in order to truly and fully be
human, the need for group connection cannot be denied. This is
the need reflected in the urge to commune, affiliate and share
life with others. Indeed, the overwhelming feelings and urges
to love and be loved spring from the connection need.

When we live in an environment where connection declines (often a city or

suburb) and communication between even neighbors is almost non-existent,
human qualities tend to suffer. We may not notice it, but over time even our
other personal relationships are affected in an adverse way.

The connection need embodies the spiritual values of unity,

love, and cooperation. One can only find fulfillment in
temporary ways when seeking only to fulfill the individual self
needs of power, freedom and creativity. Such a soul would be
quite lonely indeed. Many such souls, motivated by fearful
competition, keep themselves from finding broader creative
fulfillment of true cooperation.

As we move toward a society that honors every effort to create, we will be

honoring the spiritual quality of any and all inhabitants who find and
express the divine spark within. What we learn in communication with each
other, forms the basis for a collective spiritual expansion.

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The need for connection ensures that great spiritual offerings
will meet with the highest and broadest levels of creative
expression, for more people will be around to help. A magical
thing happens when groups of people set out to achieve a
common goal, when the creative and connection needs merge
into a singular motive. The whole is often better than the parts.
A certain synergy is sparked wherein each person's creative
thrust adds to the original vision, making it far richer than first
imaged. In fact, the universe is designed for like energies and
entities to attract each other to intermingle and reconnect in
new and unique ways.

With this in mind, we might begin to fashion our prayers to instigate a

broadening of our desires. This could include visualizing greater group
participation toward building a society along the enlightened guidelines
suggested in these "Lessons".

Humans have a deep and abiding longing to love and to be

loved. This need springs from the connectedness of each and
every spiritual apportionment and speaks its truth through the
spark of human (and even animal) connection. When the
connection needs are denied, even in the best of individual
circumstances, the soul suffers its lonely sense of loss. This is
why the accepted strategy of competition should give way
immediately to the understanding of necessary cooperation. In
fact, most "competitive" win-lose human situations are actually
based upon agreed on, cooperative rules. Thus, the connection
need underlies any seemingly successful or fulfilling
competitive activity.

It would appear that even a successful form of competition is dependent

upon a base line of cooperation. However, you could not say the reverse is
true. Cooperation does not necessarily require competition.

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Nonetheless, the connection needs can be subordinated and
postponed for quite long periods of time if the survival need for
power has not been attained. Humans can be driven away from
one another, into violent competition when the rules for
connection become too steep. For the connection need can also
work in negative ways. For example, the martyr dutifully
strives to satisfy the needs of all the loved ones, oftentimes at
the expense of one's own hopes, dreams, and needs to
creatively express. The martyr then experiences frustration and
resentment, since their own needs are neglected. Such
frustration often results in passive-aggressive, back-door,
power-seeking dynamics.

A person involved in some humanitarian activity can exhibit a personality

that seems to contradict what we would presume to be a "loving" nature.
The resentment that bleeds through betrays the appearance of spiritual
dedication. Or a parent might constantly remind the offspring of the
sacrifices made on the child's behalf, while really using the tactic of guilt in
an act of manipulation.

For the individual needs must always come first. Resentment

often results, and subtle and then perhaps violent outbursts will
be played out upon the loved ones of the group if this
imbalance continues to exist. Warm fuzzies and recognition
from cohorts should not be accepted in lieu of basic power,
freedom or opportunities. Like every need, the connection need
must be honored, understood and respected without sacrificing
another.

When we surrender our "power" and "free will" to the needs of another, we
create an impairment to our spiritual nature that even praise from others
can not override.

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The connection need has its abuses as well. It can be used by
some seeking power over others. Relinquishment of freedom of
thought can be the price charged for admission into a "loving"
or "safe" group. Cult-like mentalities often result from humans
who huddle together in their own darkness rather than risk
being lonely. Yet, freedom and control is often traded away to
join such groups as well. This breeds yet another brand of
emotional problems, with such symptoms as paranoia, anger
and social disconnection. In any grouping where external
control seeks to replace internal control, you will always find
dissonance and maladapted individuals.

Cults are often only the extreme expression of fraternities that require
loyalty beyond the perimeters of respect for the human spirit. There are
times when uniting for the sake of carrying out a particular goal is
appropriate, but this condition should never be prolonged beyond the point
of necessity.

The power of love and attraction includes a hardwired urge to

nurture, to procreate and live communally. Oftentimes these
physical urges can be confounded by limited beliefs, leaving
humans in compromising positions which require need
tradeoffs. Solid relationships are based upon mutual
understandings which recognize and honor each of the self
needs and allow each member to meet them in ways they so
choose. Compromises between two conflicting perspectives
which make both sacrifice for some third middle-ground
alternative are not recommended, for no one's need is satisfied
with such a compromise. The connection needs must not on a
long-term basis, usurp the individual needs.

Those who elect to come together on a permanent basis, must recognize the
importance of each to be able to fulfill their respective spiritual needs and

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that of the other party. Any compromise that threatens such "needs" of the
other is a detriment to the relationship.

The connection need often serves as a refuge when other needs

are not met. Subcultures spring forth as defensive responses
from those who have not been allowed sufficient individual
freedom and empowerment within the accepted cultural
framework. Although often temporarily necessary, such
fractionating between peoples does not work well over time.
For, as with any need, it urges humans toward the truth of
universal values. Fragmenting humans into separate groups
only achieves disconnection that promotes hatred and violence
against one another.

When a particular group elects to break a connection with the whole, it

should serve as a signal that the majority needs to examine its value system.
An effort should be made to resolve the differences that led to the
disconnection to determine if spiritual values have been violated. Then
reunification and growth should follow.

The Need To Find Meaning

The urges to survive, to creatively express, and to love and to

be loved go a long way toward helping humans find their
higher course. But without a doubt, the need that will give
them the most rapid success in solving the secrets of the
universe and understanding the mind of the Creator, will be in
answering the inner urge to find meaning.

Blind faith stifles the effort to find "meaning", just as physical blindness
hampers the ability to move in any direction. A state of dissatisfaction with
what we know will keep us expanding ourselves.

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Again, the Creator was ingenious in encoding the chemical
cloak with the need to discover, to understand, to know, and to
make sense of the world. Humans are curious beings, born with
the desire to seek solutions, to solve riddles and puzzles. The
need to find meaning evidences the spiritual value of self-
development and expansion of human experience, as well as
universal order and meaning itself. Like any other need-
meeting experience, it brings a degree of emotional joy. When
humans learn their inner truths, they experience that
unmistakable resonance, a very pleasurable chord struck within
them that validates their finding. The need for meaning spurs
humans to know self, know their world, and know their place
in their world.

This process not only brings continuous satisfaction, it brings a surge of life
to our very being, described above as an "unmistakable resonance".

In the meantime, religion, science and world views provide

meaning in a seemingly meaningless universe. Science has yet
to connect the dots and see the greater order, wisdom, and
cooperation---the meaning within each and every physical
interaction from microbes to universes. Religion has yet to
realize the consensual nature of its chosen beliefs and to
understand that truly spiritual cooperation does not pit one
against another, nor hold a monopoly on truth, nor attempt to
defile or alter their GOD-given nature.

As science progresses toward a more "universal" appreciation of its

purpose, religion will grow to understand and appreciate the true nature of
its spirituality.

Yet, despite humans' struggle to attain enlightenment, they are

rallied each and every day when they find meaning in their

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deeds, the events, and the actions of their lives. They find
meaning in the order, value and beauty of nature. To gaze upon
a golden sunset evokes the resonant meaning or order and
validity of the universe. These tidbits keep us going until we
finally find what we are supposed to find. Until we finally
stumble upon the connection between our beliefs, our needs,
our feelings and the events that occur in our lives. Until we
finally live and breathe the Creator's intent.

The very physical law of cause and effect has its counterpart in our mental
and spiritual lives as well. Once apparent, the whole of existence begins to
make sense.

To date, humans experience frustration in wondering why

things happen. Particularly puzzling is why bad things happen
to good people. For the connection has not yet been made that
humans do, indeed, create their own reality, quite literally
attracting each and every event that they experience. Such
events actually reflect, with crystal clarity, the beliefs chosen
by the human being. Such reflections are intended to be acted
upon as feedback with feeling signals to address needs and
direct the refinement of beliefs to achieve more rewarding
results. This is the ultimate meaning that the Creator intends
the creations to embrace.

Each time someone appears to be about to influence the collective mind

toward the above stated truth, forces step in to close down the "light" of
understanding and retain the blinders firmly in place. But these props are
weakening and beginning to bend. They will eventually collapse.

When the light begins to shine, humans take great delight in

everyday occurrences, for they realize that each and every
event holds hidden meaning and perhaps opportunity to

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develop and express. They will begin to recognize how the
most surprising, unlikely and unexpected of events can open
doors that will greatly increase their own successes and move
them quickly toward their stated and envisioned goals. Each
day is filled with wonder and anticipation as events are
recognized beyond the confines of time as those specifically
requested by that spirit. With meaning, life becomes an
exciting and wonderful adventure wherein positive feelings
attract the entities to their highest experiences. Without it, life
is a cycle of misguided action, pain, and reaction to avoid
further pain. Events are created that seem chaotic, random and
pointless.

Just watch the evening news and you will understand easily why we are
where we are. Watch a sunrise and you will get a glimpse of where we can
be.

But humans can also misunderstand and abuse the need to find
meaning. Humans can create world views that explain why
things happen the way they do. Many such philosophies
provide meaning at the expense of other more urgent needs
such as control and freedom. The group goals can often
conflict with the individuals needs and the rules will ask for
individuals to sacrifice for the good of the group. This is
counter evolutionary and destructive.

The very phrase, "It's God's will", destroys the apparent nature of our own
free will and creative potential. Conformity is rewarded and non-conformity
discouraged.

The Need To Build Self-Esteem

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The higher purposes of self-development and self-expression
are attained through each of the basic needs. Bur perhaps the
most direct contributor to the balancing, growth and expansion
of self is the powerful human need to achieve self-esteem.

A key to open this door is the awareness of our spiritual nature and potential
for development that this understanding suggests.

The term "self-esteem" captures every such concept that

recognizes the value of the collection of beliefs, skills and
strategies that have been assembled and willfully chosen by a
given individual. Since the mind is also the Cultural Self, the
identity of the individual is intimately connected with the level
of efficacy the mind has attained in the world. Self esteem
naturally follows when a person knows that they can handle
life's challenges. When they know that they have worked hard
to learn from the world and to adapt themselves accordingly.

This is a quality that should develop along with the process of growing older.
When not appreciated or recognized, the society tends to bring undue
problems upon itself.

True self-esteem can only be earned by making the necessary

Right Responses and learning the lessons from life's
challenges. True self-esteem cannot be built upon empty
compliments, unfounded sentiments from others, or self-
deceptive beliefs. Self-esteem must be based upon actual
adaptations and expressions accomplished by that given
individual. Although the mind can adopt inaccurate, unrealistic
or skewed beliefs about one's self from such sources, the spirit
cannot be fooled.

We may be deluded by flattery, but it is a shallow delusion that fails in time

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of need. Knowing ourselves, for better or worse, is preferable to fooling
ourselves with unsubstantiated beliefs about ourselves.

The reward from each learning experience is felt through the

positive emotions. Each such experience adds to an ever
increasing level of self-esteem that both celebrates successful
interactions with the world and builds confidence in achieving
future successes. Indeed, the Creator gives the nod when the
high road has been taken by offering joyous emotional reward.

We experience that "feel good" feeling whenever we achieve something or

do something positive for our self or someone else. It can't be acquired
through false actions, it can only be known through our inner being.

It is also important to recognize how taking the low road to a

false elevation of self-esteem can also be a seductive trap. True
self-esteem is based upon successful self-development and
expression. But false or temporary self-esteem can also be
attained through self-preservationary responses as well. For
example, actions of retaliation for a wrongdoing, getting even,
or deliberately demeaning another can all momentarily give
one a sense of superiority over that person. This can bring an
accompanying good feeling of justice in having successfully
defended one's self against an aggressor. But superiority
assumes a competitive relationship, not one of truly rewarding
connected cooperation.

The ultimate revenge, if that is what is needed, truly comes in rising above
the negative experiences that others may impose, for this leads to the
development of those qualities that will eventually prove our superior,
personal worth.

When examined closely, many human interactions are based

upon the jockeying for superiority, and a great deal of energy is

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wasted upon self-preservation, when self-development is the
true desire of spirit. Many reactions are those that deny and
defend limited boundaries of mind, or strike out against the
bearer of the feedback message. Both reactions are of course,
the limited, self-preservationary responses of Flight or Fight.

Society sends many messages, particularly through our entertainment

industry, that getting even is more important than gaining wisdom. An
alternative message is desperately needed.

Thus, it is particularly important to understand the many

automatic responses that occur which use the esteem need in
this way. Each interaction with another human being pits one
mind against another, with each person experiencing emotional
signals about how well they stack up in that particular "world."
Choosing Right Responses which broaden the boundaries of
mind, automatically expands and strengthens the self. These
feelings about the self are a constant and powerful motivator,
usually residing just below the conscious focus, yet underlying
each subsequent action. Casting the conscious focus upon them
can avoid a great deal of unnecessary, hurtful human
interactions.

Remembering that we are Divine in nature, governs us in how we relate to

our fellow human beings whom we also recognize as being "Divine in
nature".

The need for self-esteem is quite powerful indeed. It ensures

that self-development and self-expression will occur. It reflects
the spiritual values of self-worth and the continuous expansion
of All That Is. Like all needs, it must be honored, understood,
and met in ways that do not compromise any other need, nor
settle for actions of mere self-preservation.

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Moving toward this goal is akin to moving toward our complete
development as humans and spiritual beings.

Summary Of Human Needs

These are the six basic human needs that lie within each human
being: The need for power, for freedom, the need to create, to
connect, to find meaning, and to build self-esteem. They all
ensure survival of the species. They all steer humanity toward
discovery of self-understanding and guidance toward their
highest purpose. They underlie all human action, whether
consciously chosen or habitually acted out. They are the
spiritual values and boundaries against which the emotional
message measures the success or failure of beliefs and
strategies of mind. They can be met in a wide variety of ways
and are quite flexible. They can be used to achieve peak
performance or they can be misused as mechanisms of
escapism and violation.

This makes it clear that as we polish and use these needs, we can enhance the
achievements of our lives in all areas, be they physical, mental, emotional or
spiritual.

It is imperative to recognize, honor, and respect each of the

human needs and design strategies of living that allow them all
to be met simultaneously. This is the true intention of the
Creator. Genuine happiness, fulfillment and growth can only be
experienced on a long-term basis when each need is honored.
The life-giving habits of self development and expression are
all based upon balancing these human needs, just as the deadly
habits of self-preservation spring from misunderstanding and

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denying them. The feeling signals themselves each address
these needs. The very universe itself rests upon the values they
embody.

The ability to balance these "needs" can be achieved through the use of our
"feeling signals", as has been previously indicated in the Lessons. The
"values" spoken of are both individual and universal.

Understanding the universal human needs completes the

information cycle of human spiritual communication. We can
now refine the understandings and address its implications
upon humanity--- for restoring spiritual guidance will forever
alter every area of mass consciousness.

With the end of this particular Lesson, we again go on to specific refinement.

Pages 1l8-132 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson One: New Tenets Of Human Existence

Existing Directives

Although many gems---successful, creative, spiritual inspired

ideas---exist within the realm of mass consciousness, the
slivers are far more significant and far less obvious. There is no
way to tell the difference between them, unless the spirit is
invoked. Until these Lessons, it has not been apparent how to
listen to spirit.

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I suppose if the "slivers" were obvious to us, we would reject them out-of-
hand without hesitation. However, they are subtle and kept that way for
sustaining purposes. That is the key to control.

Thus, humans, their cultures and civilizations have evolved

without the critical understanding or benefit of their sixth,
emotional sense. Mind often stands between Spirit and body,
and mass consciousness now stands between spirit and its
physical expression. With these new understandings, mind,
body and spirit are at last reunited. Spirit can direct the
development of mind to achieve maximum fulfillment and
expression. Wholeness of experience can be achieved. The
Grace of internal guidance is restored.

Such a change in human nature opens up possibilities never before dreamed

of, and the consequence of this "opening" can result in a freedom of
opportunity that eliminates all the slivers of our environment.

This is a grand step forward in human existence. It is a step

placing humans upon the intended evolutionary path, a higher
road than simply self-preservation. With this step comes
tremendous liberation. The very world expands when adding
this crucial puzzle piece to the picture of human existence.

Up until now, most revolutionary ideas, be they Christianity or

Communism, while evoking an ideal too often unattainable, have fallen short
or failed completely. This has usually happened because they have slid under
the control of organizations or bureaucracies. With this ideal (or expansion)
control lies within the individual, where it was always meant to be.

It brings a whole new world---a world far superior to the one

with which most are now familiar. Humans now need to look
about, to see their everyday surroundings in this new
enlightened perspective. Each facet of life must be reexamined.

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This is where the inner work begins. Right Responses are in
order which redesign the mind to accommodate the language
and wisdom of spirit. New knowledge must replace old.
Spiritual directives must replace those of human origin.

It is the equivalent of what the Founding Fathers did in creating the

constitutional principles by which the United States was meant to be
governed. This "document" served as an inspiration throughout the planet.
The time has come again, for a revival of that creative spirit.

Upon redefining basic human nature, the next logical step is to

examine how humans operate within existing conditions and
directives. For it will be much easier to attune and respond to
the feelings of spirit if certain habits are first examined. New
strategies of acceptance, development, and cooperation will be
hampered by existing directives which predict and rely upon
resistance, defense, and competition, assuming that they are the
only natural impulses.

Human nature cannot evolve from its current stage to the next stage,
without a full understanding of its present makeup, anymore than the
manufacturer could improve upon his automobile without a thorough
understanding of its current operation, or a composer could create original
works of music, without studying the subject matter.

Scientific & Religious Directives

We know now that many social structures are based upon

misassumptions of human nature. They recognize and facilitate
only self-preservationary behavior, and do not dare to presume
something as optimistic as a spiritual intention. "Modern"

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human science pronounces the universe to be a machine, with
deterministic forces interacting, concluding that all life results
from a grand cosmic accident. It views the physical without
regard or hint of the spirit, the order, the beauty, or the
intention within. To scientists, humans are also theorized to be
machines, driven by the prime directive of survival as the only
human purpose.

The experience of getting lost while driving somewhere, is akin to where we

are as a human race. Being male dominated, it's tough to admit it in the first
place. Once accepted, the next difficult step is asking directions.

Scientific assumptions of selfish generic determinism also

underlie many physical and psychological health directives.
People are seen as hopelessly diseased and disordered, with
minimal control over the innate forces motivating them only
toward survival. Spirit is never considered nor even mentioned
in such discussions. Of course, this assumption is partly true.
Without the mental conditions for the broader purpose of self-
development and expression, humans do innately respond
toward self-preservation. This is why evolutionary theory is
based upon "survival of the fittest". But survival is a minimal
spiritual directive to ensure physical forms continue---hardly
the whole story of human potential. Many directives from
health advisors must be reframed within the context of
universal human needs, reconnection to spiritual intention, and
the feeling system.

Scientists are the "high-priests" of the current state of western civilization,

that force which is most influential in the world today. They support the so-
called enlightened societies, while the religious institutions try desperately to
pile spiritual meaning on top of a skeptical world. If such a state could be
reversed, it would be the scientific community applying understanding to

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what would be a universally accepted premise of spiritual reality.

In contrast, modern religions do have faith in, and focus upon

the spirit. They provide fulfillment for the spiritual needs for
meaning and connection. Religious experience can invoke
tremendous spiritual attunement and bliss. But more often than
not, religions assume spirit to be somehow separate and
unreachable except through beliefs (touted as unimpeachable
truths), through rituals and intermediaries ---some of which
have become very limiting, disempowering and dogmatic. And
each ensures an innate evil nature which will most certainly
dominate and lead humankind astray.

Like police departments, these religious institutions truly believe that they
preserve society and represent a line of defense between order and chaos.
They affirm that without religious directives to guide us, we would revert
back to savages. This is why laws (and lawyers) are so omnipresent in the
industrialized world. There is a presumption that without laws (religious
and secular), we would all beat each other to death with "high-tech" clubs.

Such world views offer meaning at a high price indeed, often

defying ration. They are saturated with ideas, which separate
and maintain a distance between the Creator and the creations.
They often enforce the acceptance of mental slivers and
conflicting information. Such conflicts allow the reconciliation
between the logically opposing dictates of "Thou Shalt Not
Kill" and the practice of holy war.

Western civilization has set records in barbaric behavior toward itself and
non-Westernized societies. We profess the Christian principle of "Love Thy
Neighbor" in churches and then go off to slaughter for the justification of
the moment. This conduct reflects the disrespect we have for ourselves.

They also manipulate the emotional system in ways that are

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counter to spiritual intention. They can instill guilt feelings
connected to any behavior deemed inappropriate in a given
doctrine, many of which are perfectly beautiful and good in the
eye of the Creator. When the mind is ordered to overrule the
spirit, this creates conflict and negative emotion in humans. If
the human accepts that order, the result is deprecation,
depression, and the "breaking" of the spirit. The faithful are
then limited to appeasing these feelings within the rules, rituals
and interpretations of the masters of their faith. They remain
forever in need of external direction.

Breaking the bond between "self deprecation" and self-love, can be the
greatest challenge most face today, for it requires turning away from the
practices of accepted society and the shunning that follows, and exploring
that inner compass which not only preserves us, but is there to direct us
toward our expansive spiritual nature.

Each and every such directive should now be analyzed against

the wisdom of spirit. When feelings are given the freedom to
do their intended job, they offer the most valid and true
judgments.

At some point in the future, those who ultimately come to appreciate them,
will look back upon these Lessons as being quite elementary. Only then will
we know how far we had to travel and how short the distance was.

Political and Governmental Directives

Modern human political and legal structures also ignore spirit,

and assume humans to be innately evil. They produce laws and
codes that seek to control the self-preservationary impulses as
if they are only impulses. They create societies with limited

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opportunities for humans to meet the spiritual needs, forcing
them to compete rather than facilitating the innate cooperative
impulse. For they are based upon scientific and religious
knowledge, also without any concept of innate spiritual
guidance. They also strive (albeit unconsciously), to meet the
human needs. But in not knowing exactly what they are, it has
been a trial and error learning process.

These "structures" are based on Old Testament Laws (the 10

Commandments) and a presumption that if "Laws" are good then more
"Laws" are better. Control is in contradiction to Spirituality, which includes
Free Will and Creating One's Own Reality. If caring about each other were
the guiding principle, laws of control would be much less necessary.

Those systems, laws, and codes that have endured, must be

meeting an adequate level of human need despite their inherent
flaws, or they would have been rejected by humans and left
behind as civilizations evolved. History is filled with external
dictates that have been rejected in the most revolutionary of
ways by humans. Indeed, many such rejections are abundantly
evident in the world today. The most recent forms of
government which have evolved are perhaps the most
cognizant, accommodating and respectful of many human
needs. But even they still struggle through trial and error
approaches.

Most of the societies that exist with "laws" which predominate over the
principles of "freedom", are experiencing a state of deterioration. Societies
that encourage that trend, i.e. more law and fewer freedoms, are losing
respect for their governing bodies.

Still, like science and religion, every existing political body or

government contains assumptions that must be replaced with
accurate ideas about human nature. These ideas will spring

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from the spiritual expression of individuals who are attuned to
their inner guidance. Such people will make the accurate
interpretation and response to their emotional signals. They
will make Right Responses to develop the mind. They will
offer Light responses to share their improved ideas with their
communities. They will Fight when it is appropriate to stand
firm for their spirit, never to deny its supreme wisdom again.
And they will take Flight if all else fails, to begin creating new
worlds that suit the spirit, steadfastly rejecting external control
and allowing themselves the empowerment that is their
birthright.

As long as there is freedom to communicate ideals and fresh ideas on how

they can be implemented, such societies will have more Right and Light
Responses and fewer Fight and Flight reactions.

The Power Of The Individual

It is a common assumption that organizations lead and guide

individuals. Schools instill knowledge, governments instill
rules, religions instill morals and beliefs, each imparting
information into the individual---as if humans are like
inflatable balloons. Although such exchanges of information
are essential to prepare humans with the necessary mental tools
to succeed in physical experience, the external sources do not
hold the power.

The only "power" they hold over us is the power we give them. Just as
parents are (and should be) relieved of their power over the child when it
moves from childhood to adulthood; so the human race should begin to
consider its emancipation from the organizations that rule over it in the
progression toward spiritual maturity.

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There are tremendous beliefs to overcome regarding the
powerlessness of the individual. In each of the human cultural
institutions, there are deeply ingrained beliefs that individuals
can only achieve knowledge and control from their institutions
themselves, from within the Mind of Man. Humans subordinate
themselves to the doctrines of their country, their faith, their
political party, their parents, their social pundits--- to anyone
except the wisdom of their own spirit. The generally accepted
idea is that human development comes from outside in.

This is, in part, encouraged by certain practices of our physical activity, such
as food, water, medicine, knowledge, etc., the things we take "in" in order to
maintain ourselves. Yet, when we do something creative or inventive, we
draw from within ourselves and bring it out into physical expression, i.e. a
painting, a poem, or even a stealth bomber. Even a cure for some physical
ailment could come from within someone's mind. Could we do this without
having been educated in these fields? Obviously, someone had to have
knowledge somewhere, or the knowledge in those fields would not exist .

But within the new understandings, one can see that all
change---internal and external, individual and social---begins
within the individual. All individual and social evolution
springs from the inside out. No group could exist without the
creative vision, participation and expression of its individual
minds. There would be no mass consciousness without the
combined thought of each individual consciousness .

A society that forgets the importance of individuality and sacrifices it for the
sake of security, begins its journey down a slippery slope to tyranny. When
spontaneity becomes less valued than conformity, we begin to die. As one
Greek philosopher but it: "Organization is the death of an idea".

Yet societies have taken on lives of their own, due to the

limitations and misunderstandings within mass consciousness

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regarding human nature. They often fight to maintain the status
quo, insisting upon the outside-in mode, and rejecting
individual contributions which may not fit with the existing
ideas.

The religious and political history of the 18th and 19th century stands as an
example of the rejection of the institutionalized control over the lives of
individuals. In a true sense, in rejecting the dictatorial control of the
religious institutions of western society, it ushered in a more spiritual
opportunity for all the members of that institution. This was true, as well, in
the movement from monarchy to democracy. Unfortunately, this movement
did not complete itself to the point where other controlling institutions
ceased to exist.

But human grouping that does not offer human freedom,

power, meaning, connection and creative opportunities in some
minimal form, cannot be successful in the long term. Spirit will
reject them. The spirit has been evident in its rejection of such
external control through individual and social pains and acts of
self defensive violence. Individual members will Fight or take
Flight. Such actions, when viewed through the distorted lens of
Mass Consciousness, have only served to reinforce the
inaccurate belief that humans are inclined only toward selfish,
evil actions and that without external control, they will destroy
each other. Thus, the misguidance continues and still more
external control is attempted .

The military actions being carried out on the planet at this point in time are
almost all about groups defying control from without and attempting to
maintain control within the respective societies. The point of spiritual
expression is not considered in the attempts to arrive at permanent solutions
to the conflicts, at least not to the degree that it is noticeable.

History shows this cycle. Countries that have needed physical

or psychological walls to contain their members will ultimately

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fail. Such controlling communities will be overthrown, or
other, more enlightened civilizations will attract their members.
For true power and control must spring from the individual. In
respect of this truth, communication channels and efficient
responses to input are essential in any organization, whether it
be a family, a religion, a scientific or political community, a
club, a company, or a country. It is the task of individual
members of every social institution to be receptive to the
expressions of the individuals, and allow the natural course of
evolution to flow unimpeded.

Once the value of the human spirit (and its innate creative nature) is
understood and accepted by a societal organization, then the needed
intellectual and emotional energy will flow freely and it will continue to flow
as its individual members continue to grow.

Now that the understandings and strategies for living in the

light are in place, we can start exercising human power by
redefining the contents of mind. You have begun a lifelong
process of self-development, a redesigning of your mind, but
this time, under spiritual guidance. You will be examining and
sorting through your entire concepts and beliefs about life. You
are committing to search out and reject anything and
everything limiting to the spirit. This will require rethinking
your philosophies, your political, economic, social and
religious beliefs, and by reframing your life experiences in this
new enlightened context.

This need not be done under a compelling pressure to succeed,

accomplishing this within the confines of normal time and space. A lifetime
can be as long or short as we elect it to be. The exercise of free will applies to
everything in our physical environment, even ourselves. We are totally in
control of the above indicated process, and we have a tremendous ally to aid
us in this process, our individual, spiritual or higher self.

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Be confident in the knowledge that the mind can be fooled by
its own illusions, but the spirit cannot. The Mind of Man, mass
consciousness, has become the respected source and supply of
truth at the expense of spiritual intention. External guidance
springs from mind and all outlets of external guidance must be
subrogated to spiritual internal guidance.

What does that mean exactly? I believe it means that we have an inner
guidance system that can keep us on course toward whatever destination we
elect to enhance our spiritual possibilities. Getting in touch with that "inner
guidance" is no more complicated than seeking guidance from our
conscience. It can be accomplished through such techniques as meditation or
a reflection on our dreams, when we give that part of our nature the
instructions to provide us with the appropriate insight.

This commitment is not disrespectful of your mothers, or your

teachers or your preachers. It need not diminish the wisdom
imparted from the realm of mind in any way. Everything truly
good for you will be saved and valued as always, but now you
will have a way of knowing what is "good" in the highest
sense. You will feel such validity from inside out. You will be
utilizing your innate spiritual judge to tell you which ideas are
gems to be kept and polished or which are slivers to be
expelled. Your spirit will faithfully and tirelessly speak these
pronouncements through your feelings of pleasure and pain.

This is what "spirit" does best when given the opportunity. It is only a
matter of reestablishing that trust between our human nature and our
spiritual nature and reaping the benefits of going with the flow.

Restoring the Blank Mental State

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It may be helpful to think of your mind as a house with various
rooms. As you "walk about" in this mental house, you will be
directing your consciousness into its various rooms. Your
mental house is already filled with many beliefs and ideas. But
the contents of every room must now be sorted and each idea
tested against the spiritual judge. With this vision, empty a
large room and place a sign upon the door which states:
"Gems According To Spirit".

The capability of compartmentalizing events in our lives is one that can be

used to our advantage. We have seen public figures exercise that capacity of
late, seeming to be immune from the consequences of their actions. However,
it is clearly not always the "gems" that are given a special room.

Then mark the door of an adjoining empty room with

"Incoming Information". Think of this as a receiving room, a
holding tank, where each and every incoming idea, belief or
conclusion from experience will be loaded with potential
information. Some good, some silly but harmless, and some
quite hurtful. The feedback from your experiences provides an
endless supply of highly valuable input for this room.
Maximum mental development is contingent upon a continuing
source of new experience. This room is like an interim, limbo
room, where everything is welcomed and accepted, whether or
not it matches existing values, knowledge and ideas. This is the
room in which it is appropriate to "judge not". For this is the
room where each piece of information awaits its spiritual
judgement. But it is essential that everything must be allowed
in. All mental emotional boundaries should be removed from
the front of this door, to allow access to every meaningful
result of experience. Guarding against defenses such as
avoidance and denial will allow this room to function properly.

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Filling our lives with prejudicial concepts is the equivalent to putting iron
bars in front of this "Incoming Information" door and eventually, the hinges
to this door become so rusted that the very concept of such a room becomes
lost, as does our potential for growth. On the other hand, an "open room" is
like an "open mind", essential for growth, which is the natural state of the
universe.

Adjoining this receiving room will be a special judgment room

where the actual spiritual determinations are made. The room
can be called the "Spiritual Advisory". This is a very special,
personal, even sacred room, wherein you can retreat to analyze
the incoming information that has caused emotional
dissonance. Use good, vivid mental imagery and create the
room to any specifications. Design and decorate it in any way
pleasing to your spirit.

Keep in mind that anything we create for ourselves on a mental or emotional

level, is as real (and more so) as what we create on a physical level. Because
our physical existence is so governed by the concepts of time and space, tying
our spiritual development to these concepts can actually enhance the
progress we can make in this familiar environment.

Whenever a negative feeling is experienced, your

consciousness is being directed into the Spiritual Advisory,
bringing along a belief from the receiving room. Such feelings
will come and go throughout your day; the power is in
understanding what they are telling you. In this feeling
moment, the idea creating the feeling is "on the stand" in the
spiritual court. With your active participation in this process,
you can direct the belief where it belongs. Once a belief has
passed inspection in the Spiritual Advisory, it can be placed
within the Gem room. This process can take a quick moment of

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reflection and a simple mental shift. Or for more deeply held
beliefs, you can mentally retreat into this room to focus intently
upon the situation, your feelings and reactions to figure out the
core belief. (The more powerful the emotion, the more
entrenched the belief, the more effort required to pry it loose.)

Life is sort of an emotional mirror, throwing back at us the consequences of

our beliefs. While the physical mirror image is a reverse to which we adapt
our thinking, the emotional reflection requires both courage and honesty to
deal with it. If those qualities can be brought into play, the benefits are even
more helpful than the results from using our physical mirrors to enhance
our image.

Of course, everyone's mental house is already filled with

existing beliefs and this is good. But each such room will also
now be treated as incoming information. Negative feelings will
direct your attention to these rooms as situations arise so that
you can assess and respond to them accordingly. Ultimately
each room will be emptied and replaced with Gems, until every
room is filled with nothing but Gems. This will be the
Spiritually intended mental state.

In the end, your house will be an "abode of great peace", a sanctuary of

comfort. Those who become acquainted with it, will feel most comfortable
and uplifted.

Of course, even items in Gem rooms are always subject to

recall into this Spiritual Advisory as outside circumstances,
requirements and challenges change. They may need to be
updated. Revisions to many existing beliefs will be necessary,
gems can be polished and occasionally recut. Mental fluidity
ensures the maximum possible spiritual expression and most
rewarding, complete physical experience. Never fear, the
feelings will always call forth that which is in conflict with the

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needs of spirit.

Our Spiritual Nature is that "final nature" which will never let us down.
Because it is our "true" nature, it consistently works to bring our loose
strands back to the source of our being; and because of our adventuresome
nature, our ventures and experiences contribute to the value of our Spiritual
growth. This is a natural process which, at present, is not encouraged by the
institutions which govern our lives. Many acts of liberation are considered a
threat to the protected status quo.

When conducting your mental housekeeping, you will find that

you need a removal system. There should be a garbage chute in
this mental house, wherein ideas can be discarded if they have
been proven by spirit to be limiting. This should be marked
with a sign "Slivers for Recycle." This might be easier than
assumed. If valid replacement beliefs have been chosen and
there are no other related beliefs, disposal is as simple as a
decision to do so. However, if there are relatives, they will
resurface in future experiences. They can simply be put
through the process again. If disposal has been complete, there
will never again arise a situation in which that feeling is
experienced for the same reason. Adequate and continuous
disposal increases over-all positive experience for this very
reason.

Just as we work with our physical mirrors, perfecting what we want to see,
so we can work with our emotional state until those beliefs which are a
distraction to our growth, cease to be part of our nature.

The first step in living in the Light will be to place the new
understandings in the recently vacated rooms. The knowledge
of the spiritual communicative system should be the first and
only occupant in the Gem room. From the moment the inner
voice can be heard, each and every piece of information should

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be measured against it. Even the messages within these
Lessons should begin as incoming information to be passed
trough the Spiritual Advisory. Living in the light means just
that, without exception.

Let's face it, if we are going to start making exceptions (i.e. these Lessons),
then anything can become an "exception", until the intention of the system is
compromised.

Any truth of mind which resonates with spirit can be

considered just that. Any truth of mind which is discordant
with spirit must be reexamined. Each act of mental
housekeeping is an active Right Response. Each acceptance of
incoming information ensures defensive Flight Responses are
not indulged. Each acceptance of mental accountability is the
owning of the experience, which minimizes the choices of
Flight Responses and other external blaming or resistance.
With accurate interpretation and optimal responses, your
feelings will help you develop your mind and your world. The
house of mind can be an incredible edifice, a huge expanse of
gem rooms with tools for every situation, challenge and
environment. It can be a model of spiritual expression and
fulfillment.Or it can be a slum of frustration and suffering, with
rigid emotional boundaries that defend inadequate beliefs and
severely limit physical, social and spiritual mobility.

Frustration and suffering can be an addiction of mind that can only be

overcome with realization and an intent to find an alternative. These
recommendations are the piano keys of a new melody.

To begin this new strategy of mental housekeeping, the first

new ideas can now be received into your mental house. These
are to be some universal human tenets, which are logical

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consequences springing from the now complete picture of
human nature. Your feelings will affirm each and every idea in
line with spiritual intention, no matter how far it may be from
your present state of understanding. Take each to the Spiritual
Advisory and test it out. See if it resonates with your spirit and
fits with your experience. Once validated by spirit and placed
within the Gem room, such ideas become the beacon for
human thought and action.

What follows is the Test of the Tenets!

The Tenets of Human Nature

1. Humans are innately "good" and moral when attuned to, and
purposely fully directed by spiritual guidance. (Concepts of
evil are to be eliminated).

2. Humans are spiritually guided toward the purpose of

cooperative, self development and expression, wherein
experience expands and consciousness evolves.

3. Humans are driven by competitive self preservation if not

attuned to spiritual guidance. (Experience becomes reduced
then to mere survival, creating the illusion of evil, and
evolution is stymied).

4. Spiritual guidance is physically manifested in human needs

for freedom, power, connection, meaning and creativity. When
all are met, humans are naturally accepting and on purpose. If
not, they will revert to resistance and defensive self-

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preservation.

5. The spirit speaks through the language of feelings,

motivating behaviors of "approach" and "avoid" in accordance
with needs and purpose.

6. Without understanding the difference between spirit and

mind, (Cultural self and genetic self), the spiritual feedback
system can appear to give mixed signals and motivations.

7. All Feelings are legitimate and are to be welcomed as

valuable communicative corrective informational signals, and
acted upon within the rules of response. (Right, > Light, >
Fight, > Flight).

8. The emotions of spirit (joy, anger, sadness and fear) indicate

internal developments (Right Responses) and external
expressions (Light Responses) are in order.

9. The emotions of mind (guilt, envy, embarrassment, hope,

confidence, shame, etc.) indicate developmental Right
Responses are in order.

10. Fight & Flight Responses are necessary only when true self
preservation is at risk, evidenced by spiritual anger and fear.
Such defenses are to be understood as automatic reactions to
ensure base survival, and avoided as first choice responses.

Conclusion:

Human goodness and destiny lies in wait for spiritual guidance.

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The Tenets of Human Existence

1. Human purpose is to develop and express spiritual potential.

2. Humans have been given complete power to create any

desired conditions to achieve their purpose, mediated through
the gift of human mind.

3. Humans have been graced with unlimited freedom to

ascertain contents of mind, with no restrictions whatsoever.

4. Humans use this freedom to create knowledge and belief

systems containing gems, slivers, or both, and spirit does
nothing to interfere.

5. Slivers accumulate and interfere with spiritual

communication, separating humans from the totality of All
That Is, and creating the proverbial Fall From Grace.

6. Spiritual intention can be communicated through direct

creative inspiration only when mind is unfettered by slivers,
but is always communicated through human feelings of
pleasure and pain.

7. Although contents of human mind and mass consciousness

have severely limited the mental acquisition of spiritual intent,
mind can never successfully negate the feeling system.

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8. The spiritual safeguard of mind is human feeling, to signal
the presence, and motivate the removal, of slivers and
ultimately bring a return to Grace.

9. As the mind is revamped under spiritual direction, physical

consciousness expands to receive increasingly direct spiritual
insight.

10. "The Creator" will not interfere in the physical realm to

rescue humans except in offering spiritual insight through the
feeling system of each individual. For the creator exists within.

11. Human destiny is to restore mental empowerment and

spiritual expression through attuning to spiritual wisdom.

Conclusion:

For evolution of consciousness, to restore fluidity of mind and

to return to the spiritually intended path, each human must
listen and act upon feelings.

The Tenets of Creative Reality

1. The object of the physical "game" is to experience spirit in

form, totality within limitation, light within darkness. The more
expression, the better.

2. Physical reality is illusory, fluid, limited to time-space and

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the realm of mind. Spiritual reality is consciousness seeking
expression and expansion. It is unlimited, universal, and
everlasting creative power.

3. Spirit needs mind to physically create. Humans create their

own physical reality by directing spiritual energy (will power)
through the images of mind. Mind converts willfully chosen
images into physical experience according to intention and
belief.

4. Intention is communicated by the language of feeling in both

directions, Spirit to human. Physically, Spirit guides
individuals through approach and avoid feelings. Mentally,
spiritual insights are received as direct thought, and spiritual
judgements about beliefs are indicated by pleasure or pain.

5. Humans communicate intention to Spirit through mental

imagery, thoughts and feelings. (Feelings are the most
powerful communicators given the present state of mental
enmeshment).

6. Mind creates. Thoughts surrounded in positive emotion will

attract positive events. Thoughts surrounded in negative
emotion will attract negative events.

*We all get what we fear or hate, but also what we love and believe.

7. Fearing an undesirable event can keep it at bay, but fear

generated safety contracts experience, collapsing it and
frustrating spirit. Joy generates fulfillment and expands
experience, and promoting the expansion of All That Is.
(Eliminating conditions for negative emotional response, will

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eliminate the attraction of negative physical events. Promoting
conditions for positive emotional experience, will attract
positive, desirable events).

8. There is no other creative source of experience. There is

no valid fatalism, no "bad karma", no evil force
manipulating human experience---no valid blame to be
placed. All events are created by individuals
themselves.
*The above is a significant paragraph!

9. Spirit exists beyond space-time, in past, present and future.

10. Some choices and destiny paths span lifetimes such that
certain genetic and cultural conditions are created at birth to
facilitate that direction.

11. If negative events occur despite all attempts to follow

spiritual intention, spiritual destiny beyond mind can be
assumed. (Eventually, the positive outcomes will explain and
justify any seemingly "negative" interim necessities).

12. With spiritual intention and guidance, humans can create

desired events and never again be victims of their own
ignorance, nor be captive slaves within their own power.

Conclusion:

Humans have total creative freedom. Mind creates reality,

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spirit empowers and directs.Desirable physical outcomes are
achieved in direct proportion to mental liberation and
accessibility to spiritual intention.

The Tenets of Social Structure

1. "Civilization" can only evolve if human nature is understood

and accommodated.

2. Existing civilizations are based upon a norm of competition

and self-preservation resulting from disconnection between
mind and spirit.

3. External dictates must be aligned with internal ones.

4. Human needs for freedom, power, creativity, meaning and

connection must be honored as "Rights" with expressive and
developmental opportunities provided within social-political
groupings.

5. Standards of cooperation, acceptance and spiritually directed

responses must be implemented across human institutions.

6. Receptivity to Light Responses must be ensured in each.

7. No limitations should be placed upon self determinism,

free will, and personal choices which do not violate rights of
others.

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8. Social sanctions should be placed upon unnecessary,
uncooperative, self-preservationary reactions which violate
others.

9. Individuals must ensure that their institutions do not resist

feedback and defend their own mass mental emotional
boundaries.

* When this happens, individuals must simply withdraw their support.

10. Alterations to existing systems must come in manageable

steps, without needless ripping of the fabric of society.

* This moves the action from "revolutionary" in nature to "evolutionary".

Conclusion:

Individual contributions following reconnection between Mind

& Spirit, will motivate mass reconnection and social evolution.

With these first tenets passing into the house of mind and
taking their rightful place, we can now turn to discuss existing
habits, pitfalls of thought and action which have become
"normal" and acceptable. These habits, in spiritual actuality,
are anything but normal and are no longer acceptable.

Pages 133-142 Lessons of Enlightenment

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Section Gamma

Lesson Two-A: The Power of Habit

A Gift of Mind

As we begin to reexamine each and every content of our

mental houses, it is critical to establish some preliminary new
ideas about the mind itself.

"...new ideas about the mind" has to lead to new ideas about ourselves and
the world around us. How these "ideas"' resonate with our spiritual nature
will be the test of their worth.

The mind, as we now know, is a truly incredible resource. It is

a separate entity from spirit, although they interact. The mind is
strictly a physical manifestation, an accouterment of the human
physical experience. It has many functions, all of which are to
serve spirit. It operates as a location, to focus spiritual
consciousness in the physical. It serves as a receptacle, to
receive creative insight from spirit and to store any and all
mental tools (beliefs, ideas, and skills ---gems) which allow its
expression. It functions like a computer, connecting, processing
and organizing information to continuously refine the mental
tools. And finally, it operates like a converter to manifest in the
physical, those events, opportunities, and experiences which
are spiritually desirable.

The "Mind" observing itself, gains "insight" to itself. In doing so, it

illustrates that true knowledge is found with-in. There is a difference
between being occupied with just ourselves (i.e. our particular relationship
with the physical and mental world around us, including our physical bodies
and mental achievements) and a deeper understanding of our Spiritual

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nature and reflecting through the use of our minds and bodies. The former is
a bit of a dead end, while the latter opens a door to unlimited possibilities.

We also know that the mind can inadvertently get in the way of
spirit and utilize any of its abilities against their intended
purpose. This is the price that comes with free will. Humans
have the choice of creating the mind in its entirety. Any reality
can spring from the position of mind. But such choice, for the
most part, is now lost as existing ideas from mass
consciousness are foist upon the mind in childhood which
severely limit its abilities by focusing it upon one declared
"true" reality. One of the most powerful ways that this happens
is through the computer-like function which creates
preprogrammed sequences of thought and action, known as
habit.

Just as we can program our computers to perform certain tasks

automatically when we turn them on, so we are programmed by the society
which uses us to conduct our lives within the defined limitations. Institutions
exist to make sure that conformity is rewarded and non-conformity
punished. One might conclude that without such, there would be chaos. But,
in fact, one extreme is as inappropriate as the other.

Habit is a truly wonderful, mental capability. It is the ability to

store and repeat an effective tool, skill or strategy so that it can
be used time and again, rather than having to create a new
approach each time. Habits are developed through conscious
effort, through developmental learning experiences, just like a
computer programmer chooses what software and data to input.
(The programmed physiological responses and processes of the
brain that run the body, are not included in the category of
habit as it is being defined).

Just as our "habits" sometimes take us to places we don't intend to go, such

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as when we plan to vary a pattern of travel but end up following the
established one instead. (We start to go to the grocery store but end up on
the road to the post office.) Changing a "habit" or ingrained pattern of
behavior, requires intent and attention and, above all, repetition.

Habits are choices, purposely added to mind and carried out by

the physical brain through its electrical chemical synaptic
activity. Habits are learned, being impressed upon the blank
mental slate from the moment of birth and throughout the
lifetime. Learning good habits is purposeful self-development
that facilitates spiritual expression. Ideally, habits should only
be created under the direction of spiritual intention and altered
the moment they diminish in their effectiveness.

Most of us have habits that we believe are beneficial to ourselves, even

though, when they are carried to excess, we are the last to recognize and
accept the fact. In examining our "habits" the guideline might be, "Does this
activity (physical or mental) do anything to enhance my physical, mental and
spiritual well being?" When it is doing just the opposite, we should know it's
time to change.

Habits can be so well ingrained, certain functions can happen

simultaneously within the mind and consciousness need not
even be disturbed. This ability allows humans to do many
things at the same time, while focusing their attention upon that
which is necessary and allowing the mind to do other things on
"automatic pilot".

My son was recently trying to do just that when he made a left turn into an
oncoming vehicle. He and the other driver were alright, but his vehicle
(less aware of what the programmer was doing), suffered for it. His pride
had a few dents in it, also.

There are two main types of habits, mental and physical. A

mental habit is a sequence of thought, like a computer macro,

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which rapidly goes through a series of steps to complete a
desired action, without the conscious involvement of the
operator at each interim step. One thought or feeling triggers
the pattern and consciousness is only aware of the result---if
even that. The result has to be above or below existing
expectation to elicit a feeling to focus the awareness upon the
habitual effect. If the mind paints a reasonably accurate portrait
of the external world, expectation is often met habitually so
that consciousness is bypassed entirely.

I remember reading somewhere that 80-90% of our thoughts in a day are

the same thoughts we had the day before. This seemed to be quite true. We
may see someone or something that triggers an established belief and the
thoughts associated with that belief/experience will run the memory, like a
cassette tape. It's only when we alter the content of that "tape", that our
thought experience will change.

Mental habits automatically associate former experiences,

existing beliefs, expectations and information with incoming
information, to sort, classify, and find meaning in each
experience, quickly without much conscious effort. Humans
rely heavily upon mental habits to be versatile and successful
in need-meeting challenges in a wide variety of situations or
cultural environments.

It could be presumed that if our existing beliefs and expectations were of

high spiritual quality, not only would our view of our world be altered, but
the effect we have on our reality would also be improved.

Attitudes are mental habits. They are preformulated

judgements about incoming stimulus which can help
automatically classify and respond to incoming information.
Attitudes are intimately connected with the emotional system.

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Attitudes connect existing beliefs to similar, previously judged,
experience. Attitudes which are in accordance with spiritual
intention are wonderful things to have. Attitudes that are not
aligned with spirit can be very detrimental. If left unexamined,
they can reinforce inaccurate information and behavioral
responses.

Ever heard the phrase, "You've got an attitude problem." It is usually

uttered by people who have "attitude problems" of their own. Attitudes are
like the expressions we wear on our faces. They almost immediately
broadcast our inner state of mind. If you don't think so, try walking a block
on a busy street with a smile on your face and the next block with a frown.
Watch the feedback you receive from those you meet. Like attracts like.

Choices of action are often based upon attitudes. For example,

the attitude that the world can be made into a wonderful, safe,
accommodating and just place will most likely motivate actions
which will ultimately make it that way. On the other hand, an
attitude that is defensive, pessimistic, and competitive, will
most likely lead to actions that create further individual and
emotional chaos.

Could it be that simple? Whyyyy not! If we truly do create our own reality,
than the attitudes we bring into that state of mind will likely be the ultimate
governing factor.

Physical habits are motor skills which are patterns of muscular

movement that bring about a desired goal. Walking is a learned
series of balanced movements which becomes a habit. Playing
a musical instrument or excelling in athletics or dance are all
based upon the formation of physical habits. Each and every
such pattern of physical movement which creates spiritual
expression is a highly desirable commodity.

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Some years ago there was a very popular book titled "Psycho-Cybernetics".
One of the points of this book was that the mere imagining of an activity
produces the same result as physically doing the activity. One could improve
ones physical skills by rehearsing them in one's mind. It would stand to
reason that this could work in both directions. Positive thoughts produce
"like deeds" and positive deeds produce "like thoughts."

Habits can greatly assist humans to take on tremendous

challenges and juggle many activities simultaneously. This can
allow for multiple outlets for spirit to maximize its expression.
For example, think about when you are driving to work, or to
some other environment in which you can satisfy your needs.
Perhaps your spirit finds pleasure in music so you are listening
to your radio. Your mind is thinking about a task that awaits
you at your destination. You are strategizing for the hours to
come, as well as reflecting upon events earlier in the day, you
are navigating traffic, and perhaps even drinking a cup of
coffee.

Imagine what kind of concentrated power we could achieve if, instead of

indulging in all those diverse thoughts at the same time, we could be thinking
of just one desired goal or personal insight. Eureka!

Then suddenly, a particularly pleasing song from your past

comes on the radio and you begin to sing along with it. As you
are singing, you suddenly remember a project that you did not
finish the previous day. You then immediately begin thinking
about what you are going to do to complete the project as soon
as you get to work. But the mind is so adept in its use of habits
that you do not even skip a beat of the song you are singing as
these other thoughts intrude into your consciousness. Indeed,
your singing has gone on auto-pilot, as has your driving and
your consciousness is free to receive other insights and
thoughts. If someone should suddenly cut you off in traffic,

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your consciousness would immediately be returned to the focus
of driving, allowing you to take defensive action. All this is
possible due to the mind's ability to operate through habit.

Amazing, aren't we!

Habits of Defense: The Self-Preservationary Impulse

We know now that the hardwired defense responses exist in the

body to ensure human survival. Defensive action which avoids
a car accident is an excellent example of when this response is
effective and appropriate. Defensive responses that honor,
protect and maintain the boundaries of spirit are essential and
many are hardwired into the body. But body defenses can
quickly generalize to mind, if the critical boundary between
mind and spirit is not recognized and scrupulously honored.
Until now, the self has been a mishmash of mental, physical
and spiritual processes all lumped together. Defense responses
of mind have become an accepted part of human experience.
But they are not innate. They are formulated exclusively
through learning and reinforced through habit. They lie within
the realm of willful control and are resolvable.

Programmed belief systems can "defend" the mind against broader and
more enlightening concepts which, when allowed to become part of a new
paradigm, can lead to greater control over our own destiny. In other words,
when not initiated to think otherwise, we can override limiting concepts and
expand our reality to a far larger extent than is normally perceived. Even
when we have been so "initiated", we can reformulate ourselves through an
act of Free Will.

Humans do not need to concern themselves terribly much with

gaining conscious control over the hardwired defensive

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responses that protect spiritual emotional boundaries; they will
come naturally when allowed. But, it is essential to guard
against habitual defenses. (Fight and Flight responses) that
protect boundaries of mind. For it is the ever-evolving habits
of mind that will direct and control the alternate, beneficial,
developmental (Right) and expressive (Light) responses.
Besides, any situation that is dire enough to invoke physical
survival responses probably warrants them anyway.

New mental and philosophical concepts that are automatically met with
Fight or Flight responses, are seldom given a fair hearing by our cultural-
minded nature and, consequently, we end up running in place for too much
of our physical experience in this plane.

It is the defensive habits of mind which now need to be

addressed with a more detailed focus. Since there has never
been an accurate understanding of the spiritual emotional
sense, there have arisen many external dictates and ideas within
the Mind of Man which perpetuate the development of defense
habits of mind. We now know the goal of mind is to expand
and never to defend and preserve, yet defense is the hardwired
automatic motivation. The hardwired response, however, can
be overridden by purposeful habit development which
counteracts self-preservationary impulses whenever the true
need is to develop mind. These mental defenses, however,
cannot be counteracted until they are clearly identified.

Choosing outside information that only reinforces the Mind of Man

attitudes, only leads to mental stagnation. Along with the act of
reprogramming ourselves, comes the responsibility to do so with the full
opportunity for guidance by Spirit. To the degree that we are willing to trust
in our Spiritual nature, we will be able to expand the rest (physical and
mental part) of our nature. This is what is meant by "surrendering to the
Divine".

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The basic defensive responses of Fight and Flight can take
many forms in the realm of mental habit. But there are several
clearly "human" patterns which can be readily observed. They
are counter to spiritual intention; they violate the response
rules; they keep the motivation and behavior in a mode of
competitive self-preservation; and they must be consciously
eliminated to restore maximum progress upon the Destiny
Path. They can now be known as the Eight Deadly Habits.

The Eight Deadly Habits

The eight deadly habits can be seen in actions throughout

human history---in wars, in political, judicial and social trends,
in art forms such as literature, poetry, dramatic theater and
film. They can be seen as factors which underlie rules, codes,
mores, religious tenets and even laws. They each perpetuate
relationship breakdown, severing human connection. They
offer evidence of man's "innate immorality" and "sin" and
"evil" capacity. But they are not part and parcel of a spiritually
intended human nature. They are choices and mental habits
which are imparted without conscious intention and left
unchecked. Such habits almost always temporarily satisfy one
or more of the spiritual needs, but always at the expense of
another---creating further spiritual pain. They can and should
be reversed. Each of these patterns only occurs if the rules of
response are broken
(Right>Light>Fight>Flight). They occur when Flight and Fight
come before or in place of Right and Light responses. But since

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they are so habitual, so prevalent and so accepted, they require
special mention.

Even our "classic" works of literature are founded upon these habits. It is
for this reason that their imitation is so habitual. The flawed precepts are
held as the ideal and until these precepts are fully examined, they can not be
corrected.

Resistance

The first four deadly habits fall into the broad category of
resistance. This is the wrongful tendency to preserve mind,
which springs from the rightful tendency and innate impulse to
preserve spirit and its body. Resistance disallows the mind to
even receive the spirit's incoming information necessary to
right itself. Resistance is tantamount to keeping the doors to the
mental house firmly closed, so that nothing ever comes into the
receiving room, let alone the spiritual judgment room.
Resistance is essentially the Flight Response which seeks to
avoid or escape any incoming information which may cause
pain.

Maintaining the status quo is more comfortable than moving beyond the
confines of the familiar. But unless we are willing to stretch our minds
beyond these "familiar confines", we will remain child-like in a controlling
environment.

But as we know, such spiritual pain is a necessary signal

pointing to that which needs to be altered in order to
accommodate, develop and express the spirit. Humans are quite
hearty indeed when it comes to pain. But the highest levels of
fear and anger are only experienced when faulty ideas---
slivers---remain protected within the walls of the mental house

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due to resistance. The small levels of necessary growing pain
are very easy for humans to handle. They can even be
invigorating. Unfortunately, through habit, all pain gets lumped
together and a defensive posture of avoiding all pain sets the
stage for resistance.

We're familiar with the phrase "Don't worry - Be Happy!" In our society,
happiness is defined as that which detracts from pain of any kind. Not that
"worry" contains the automatic solution to any pain we might be burying.
By itself, it seldom accomplishes anything. However, it does act as a signal
that the issue causing one to worry, has to be examined in depth, until it can
be resolved and proper responses can be contrived.

Resistance is the antithesis of open acceptance. It comes in

many subtle forms. We have already discussed the concept of
denial and how certain things are simply not admitted into the
consciousness. Denial, of course, is synonymous with
resistance. To truly communicate the depth of its insidiousness,
we will point to some major forms of denial which may make
the concept more readily recognizable in everyday thought and
action.

Resistant Escapism

The most common form of resistance is escapism. Escaping the

challenging situation immediately removes the pain, for the
consciousness is quickly refocused. Of course, escapism is
often necessary and healthful, when willfully and rationally
chosen and utilized sparingly . For example, in the modern
world, humans scramble about directing their energies in many
different directions in order to juggle their need-meeting
responsibilities in a crazy man-made world ill suited for spirit.

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This can be physically and mentally exhausting and certain
"down times" are necessary to maintain the physical health of
the body.

There are people in our society today who don't truly know the meaning of
"down times". We refer to them as workaholics and sometimes envy the
result (monetary profit) of their lifestyle. This is a short term view, as most
of them end up finding escape in ways that they neither contemplated or
desired.

In such cases, a little escapism into the physical and mental

realms of relaxation are good choices. This is why universal
patterns of work schedules have been adopted in varying forms
across human civilizations. Days off, break periods, and
vacations are commonly understood to be healthful and
necessary. The underlying reason is that spirit requires certain
changes in routine, alterations of experience, time to refocus
and reevaluate the goals and strategies of mind. Such periods
should always follow times of intensity in order to maintain the
spiritual balance required and ensure physical health.

The Judeo-Christian Bible tells us that even God had the good sense to take
a break on the 7th day. My wife reminds me that I once said that doing
something different can serve as a relaxant, and usually finds something for
me to do on my day off.

Escapism is always driven by the self preservationary impulse.

When the mind and body are overtaxed, the spirit cries out
through its feelings that down times are necessary for health
and maintenance of the body---self preservation. Feelings of
exhaustion, distress and fatigue are all signs from the spirit to
slow down, relax and reflect. Remember, spirit is encoded in
body to safeguard and protect its physical and mental needs.
Spirit has ensured survival in this manner throughout the

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history of humankind. Such urges from the spirit are to be
heeded immediately so that mind and body are given the care
they deserve.

When I was young (and maybe this still exists), there were devices placed on
school buses that prohibited the vehicle from being driven faster than a
certain speed, maybe 45 miles per hour. However, a clever bus driver
usually found a way to "slip the governor" and exceed the speed when
appropriate. Humans are clever at that kind of thing, sometimes to a fault.

Another very useful aspect of this retreat mechanism is to

ensure that the mind will not be overwhelmed by an
overpowering challenge. This is the innate tendency to deny
that which is exceptionally disturbing to one's sense of order,
justice and meaning. Any daunting task or challenge can be
approached with much more vigorous action if there is an
optimistic, but perhaps less realistic understanding of the
challenge at hand. In such cases denial allows the mind to
parcel out a huge challenge or mental shift into smaller parts.
With this strategy, the mind can still utilize existing skills
while slowly conquering tremendous challenges. It is not
unheard of for a human to utter, "If I had known how hard this
would be, I never would have tried in the first place. But now
I'm glad I did". At certain times, shielding oneself from such
intensity motivates the courage necessary for monumental
accomplishments .

What I'm doing here is a good, personal illustration. Yet, how much would
ever be accomplished if we could see far enough into the future to encompass
all that might be involved in a task. For this reason "Ideals" must be
nebulous while 'ideas' are more specific.

These are the "good" types of escapism. They maintain and

protect spiritual boundaries. They are the kind necessary to

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ensure that spirit in flesh can handle the pace and expectations
of the mind. Spirit will always direct these actions, in ways
that maintain fulfillment of all the needs, as well as the
protection of the physical form. The accurately interpreted
feelings of spirit will motivate appropriate escapes. This type
of self preservation will ensure that the mind does not get
overly ambitious and overtax the limitations of the body.

When in doubt, seek the insight of someone who is close to her/his feelings,
observe the person's life style and see what can be learned from it. Males
tend to have more difficulty getting in touch with their "feelings", but, there
are plenty of females around who are ready and willing to help.

The other type---the deadly type---those to be extremely

cautious about, are directed by mind. It is essential to be aware
of the difference between these two types of escapism.
Remember: Self-preservation, hardwired to protect boundaries
of spirit, also generalizes to the boundaries of mind unless
humans specifically reinterpret certain feeling signals. Mental
escapism allows ideas to remain in the mind which limit the
spirit, setting the stage for huge life strategies to be built upon
faulty foundations. Escapism denies comprehension of
experience which opposes the existing framework of belief.
This occurs when items are in the "Gem Room" which have
never been willfully and consciously sent through the
"Spiritual Judgement" chamber. This is the type of escapism to
avoid altogether. But at a minimum to ensure it never becomes
habitual.

Put in a less convoluted way, we would be well served to reflect upon our
thoughts on a regular basis, to listen through meditation or reflection; to
examine the words that come out of our mouths---especially those habitual
expressions; to examine the reactions of others to what we say. Progress in

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spiritual evolution should be as regular as eating and sleeping, and just as
habitual.

On the surface it may sound difficult to tell the difference

between good and bad escapism. But there are several ways of
distinguishing between the two. First, different emotional
feelings will be experienced. When spirit is asking you to slow
down and escape briefly, or to rethink a strategy into smaller
more manageable portions, the feeling will relate to unmet
needs. This will be clear. You will feel that some needs are
being met at the expense of others and that it is time to reflect
and reprioritize to ensure that you are on the best track for
maximum spiritual development and expression.

You may find yourself meeting the demands of your job while compromising
the emotional needs of your family. This might not be an easy realization to
come to. Don't rely on the world around you to lead you do that insight. Any
T.V. series that pointed that out would soon lose its sponsorship.

These types of signals will be callings from your spirit to make

needed mental and physical changes. They will be the specific
feelings of spirit (anger, sadness, or fear) or the bodily feelings
of physical and mental fatigue. If the feeling is simply the
anxiety of a growing pain, or any of the emotions of mind
(guilt, shame, embarrassment, etc.) then escapism is not the
optimal response choice. This is also true of inaccurately
appraised spiritual feelings, when misperceptions of mind are
truly the source of the imbalance.

Spirit is a hound dog when it comes to tracking down and directing attention
to those thought-habits that are in need of correction. The hunter need only
trust and know that, in the end, the prey (responsible thought) will be found
and sufficient attention will be directed to it, especially now that we have
been given the benefit of these 'Lessons'.

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The second way to tell, is that choosing escapism
inappropriately will bring additional negative feelings of spirit
after the fact, to indicate this wrongful choice. If escapism is
chosen to avoid necessary learning experiences then one's
world will contract rather than expand. For instead of
developing more and more ways for spirit to find expression,
this erects emotional boundaries of mind that narrow the
mental comfort zone. Such contraction is frustrating to spirit
and brings further dissonant feelings such as boredom and fear.
Boredom indicates spirit is confined and seeks new adventures
and experiences. Fear will be experienced at the thought of
environments and challenges for which adequate skills have
not yet been developed. Guilt is also experienced, as well as
envy, when others who have risen to such challenges, model
their successes and the self feels threatened by comparison.
Through these feelings, the spirit is saying: "You can do that
too! Get busy!"

In a competitive environment where it seems like everyone is competing for

everything - even love, our feelings of self-worth are often allowed to become
distorted to the point where it seems that loving ourselves for our spiritual
values puts us in a less-valued state in our society. This is a "short-term"
view and, if allowed to play itself out, will become self-evident.

True resistant escapism is always in direct response to

emotional pain. It becomes habitual quite quickly, due to the
self-preservation mechanism and lack of human understanding
of how to heed the voice of spirit. When escapism is habitual, it
becomes quite unconscious and comfortable. Escapism can
become such an ingrained habit that potentially painful
situations are avoided altogether to maintain that comfort. Of
course, this means that instead of freedom and ever-expanding

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arenas of activity, the world becomes narrow and limited to
existing environment and challenges that can already be met in
familiar ways. Resistant escapism frustrates the need for
freedom, development and expression. It can also frustrate the
need for spiritual connection if the tendency actually keeps
individuals from interacting with each other. There are far too
many individuals with habitual strategies of escapism. Many
band together in groups who stand firm against the world with
rigid "cultlike" mentalities which are closed to experimental
input.

We find these "cultlike" groups everywhere. They exist under the virtuous
labels of family, fraternity, culture, church, lifestyle, corporate, sexual
orientation, cooperatives, guilds, etc. Wherever there is the effort to organize
people in groups of like beliefs or values, there is the further tendency to
close down the minds of those in such groups and steel its members against
the views that tend to expand the limited view of the members.

Just about anything can become a habit of escape. Even

positive pleasurable experiences if sought in direct response to
emotional pain can become habitual derailers. Any behaviors
which are pleasurable and fulfilling are ripe to become possible
escapist habits. These include: eating, working, playing,
making love, reading, watching television, hobbies,
computing---virtually anything. Then of course, there are the
more obviously insidious escapes into alcohol, nicotine, and
other drugs. Many obsessive, compulsive and addictive
behaviors are rooted in resistant escapism.

...and here we thought all those things we seem to enjoy doing so (too) much,
were really just our way of getting pleasure out of life. It turns out that when
we take those "pleasures" to excess, we are probably doing so because we
want to avoid another activity that might challenge us to face those things
and people that have defeated us.

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The line can be drawn between healthy and unhealthy pleasure
by determining the spirit in which the choice is made to partake
of them and by watching for the subsequent emotions they
bring. If the response rules are always followed, such strategies
will be recognized and eliminated from the house of mind.
Resistance is an insidious habit. Resistance is the choice to
deny life and human experience. Its deadly pattern can take
root in several alternate forms.

Most of us live in an environment where there is so much of this type of

situation going on around us that we accept it as not just normal but natural
and, consequently, adaptable behavior. What we are also exposed to is the
consequences of this state. Once we begin to be able to see the connection
between the patterns and the negative consequences, we will start on the
road toward leading more enlightened lives.

This discussion will continue to expose the deadly habits, but

resistant escapism can be well disguised. It is also the first
deadly habit which sets the stage for others to follow suit,
perpetuating a destructive cycle of self-preservationary action.
It is first suggested that you begin examining your daily actions
and expose each act of resistant escapism. This shall be a
beginning step along the path of developing replacement
habits.

Don't despair. Help is on the way.

Pages 143-153 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

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Lesson Two-B: The Power of Habit
Deadly Habits Of Self Preservation(cont.)
Resistant Defensiveness

The second deadly habit keeps important information on the

outside of mind by bouncing it back with defensive thoughts
and comments. These can take many forms. But each is
designed to minimize or deflect any emotional feedback
information which could be considered painful---even a minor
anxious, growing pain. This can become so habitual that nearly
all suggestions and offerings to Light are deflected and self-
development comes to a near halt.

This is not hard to spot. We all know people (maybe many of our friends)
who have developed a rather flippant attitude toward life in general. We can
recognize this "characteristic" because we have developed a certain amount
of it in ourselves.

Many perspectives, although quite valid, can serve to stop

incoming information contrary to existing mindsets. Simple
acceptance of incoming information ensures that each piece
will have its fair hearing in the Spiritual Judgment room of
mind. Rationalizations are wonderful tools of deflective
defense. Self righteousness is a very successful defense, as is
suspicion, prejudice, justification, explanation and self-
deprecation. These are all seemingly innocent acts which are
forms of mental resistance that keep incoming information at
bay. They refuse to accept accountability of situations that
arise. They keep potentially painful information safely hidden
outside the walls of the house of mind, by insisting that the
source of the problem exists externally.

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It has been observed that we truly see "ourselves" in the circumstances and
people around us. This reflection can often be rather painful. In an effort to
avoid that "pain", we begin to take a mental sedative in the form of altered
thinking habits. We practice on a mental level what much of society
practices on a physical level. We take a psychological "aspirin".

Mental receptivity is essential for self development. Allowing

in feedback information, no matter how painful, is the first step
to heeding and acting upon the voice of spirit---living in the
light. It is crucial to honestly observe your interactionary
behavior and carefully note whether or not any thoughts,
actions, or comments seek to deflect information rather than
allow it in. Resistance defense maintains mental boundaries by
keeping the conscious focus upon existing ideas so that
incoming information is simply not absorbed or even heard.
Such defense habits comprise a great deal of "normal" human
interaction. They can be quite subtle but every bit as
detrimental as the most dramatic forms of escapism.

Of course, in a competitive (combative) world, this can seem like making

oneself vulnerable to the insensitive aggression of the less aware in our
environment. However, understanding what's going on, goes a long way in
helping us cope with the initial pain that comes with letting down one's
guard long enough to see the absurdity of the "game".

Resistant Self-Deception

By far the most insidious habit of resistance is that of self-

deception. This is the simple act of lying to one's self and
pretending that certain experiences are simply not occurring.
Self-deception keeps the bad feelings at bay by blatantly

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denying the reality of the experience.

We might also call it "Selective Forgetfulness". It may sound odd to suggest

such, but what this characteristic comes from is a genuine lack of self-love. If
we cared about ourselves to the degree we should, we would apply our
greatest sense of honesty to ourselves, not in a harsh, punishing fashion, but
with the degree of love we know we deserve.

One of the most effective ways to deceive one's self, is to tell

lies to others. In fact, every act of deception, every spoken
falsehood, whether harmless or violent, is an act of self-
deception. At its source, a lie seeks to convince all concerned
that circumstances are not as they are. To bear false witness is
to exploit the vulnerability of human mind, both its unlimited
capacity to create reality and its helpless reliance upon external
sensory information. Deception is a violation of the trust
necessary for civilized, cooperative living. Of the broadly
accepted religious commandments, this is the most spiritually
legitimate.

Governments and other social institutions often justify deception by

following the rationalization that "the end justifies the means". In the name
of this false presumption, many an organized society has descended the
slippery slope of immorality. When mistrust comes between the government
and the governed, chaos on many fronts creeps in.

Although the power of creative reality is such that creative

visualization can actually alter probable events, there is a huge
difference between creative thought and self-deception.
Creativity fully acknowledges the degree of challenge
necessary to obtain a desired result. It allows in all information
signals and utilizes them to build the best mental skills to make
it actual. Deception seeks to minimize the challenge or get
around it in a lazy sub-spiritual attempt to reduce the necessary

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effort. Even "little white lies" are deceptive and dishonoring.
They ignore the impetus to honestly express and are best
converted to honest truths, couched in the most compassionate
and cooperative terms, and offered as Light Responses.

We are nearly all susceptible to flattery, to one degree or other and we are
all tempted to use it to make a good impression. The problem is that it
creates weak links in our social fabric when it has only a superficial intent.
When we truly care about others (and, again ourselves), we put more
thought and effort into our communications and, consequently, get more
lasting results.

All forms of resistance share the common goal of leaving the

incoming information outside the mental door so that any pain
can be avoided. These habits can bring human evolution to its
knees. But resistance is not the only problem. For information
can be allowed in, "truths" imparted directly into the gem
room without having gone through the spiritual advisory.
This inserts slivers and allows them to drive the actions and
minimize the choices of its master. These slivers are allowed to
fester and bring the next class of deadly habit---resentment.

There are certain professions in our society that have managed to score high
in the arena of public contempt. I'll leave the reader to surmise what they
might be. Suffice it to say that the art of slipping half-truths in with
falsehoods, as Lincoln said, can not "fool all the people all of the time".

Resentment

Once the faulty ideas have been allowed into the mind, they
continue to frustrate the spirit. Like resistance keeps things out,
resentment holds them in. The beauty of the spiritual wisdom,

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however, is that it responds to slivers pronouncing its negative
judgment upon them through feelings of emotional pain. So
even though these ideas have bypassed the conscious judgment
process, they are still subject to its safety-net effect. Thus, the
negative feelings will build into a new energy called
resentment.

The key to taking advantage of this "safety-net" is in establishing a

willingness to open oneself to these feelings and desire to become more aware
of them. This is simply an act of intent, one that will never be rejected by our
Higher Self.

This condition allows the individual to harbor ill will toward

the falsely identified source of his or her troubles, never
considering the possibility that a change within self is
necessary, nor utilizing their rightful power. This habit springs
from lack of understanding of the personal will power and the
flexibility of mind. Resentment is counter to spiritual intention,
it is competitive and self-preservationary, so it creates further
pain. This energy builds and haunts the mind and creates
victim-like events to bring the slivers to the attention of the
master of the mental house.

With an understanding that we truly create our own reality, comes the
further awareness that "reality" is not the creation of someone or something
else. As this awareness becomes our reality, so also does our sense of
responsibility for what we are and what we experience.

Resentment is a lingering feeling of frustration which prompts

new ideas to counter them. Oftentimes, instead of removing the
first slivers, new ones are added like a scaffolding of mental
explanations for one's woes. Oftentimes other people or
situations are cited as responsible for the unpleasant events in a

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given person's life. When there is a perception of an external
limitation, spiritual anger will be experienced. Resentment
allows the anger to stew inside when one insists an outside
source is responsible for an inside problem, bringing further
negative outcomes.

Breaking this ongoing pattern is essential to our spiritual growth and the
process begins with our understanding of it and ends with our realization
and practice of a more evolved approach to our life circumstances. This is a
natural process which we elect to put into motion. We progress at our own
desired pace, a pace which accelerates as we begin to see the benefits more
clearly.

Resentful Blame

Eventually this resentment will bring about mental changes.

But most often, it brings further faulty explanations for bad
events and assigns distorted "meaning." This type of psychic
finger-pointing is another of the deadly habits. It is known as
blame.

For many people, when bad things happen, they immediately look around
for someone to blame. If anything suggests a "non-responsible" belief mode,
this does. It is the precursor to the greatest state of unhappiness.

Feelings of anger, guilt, envy, anxiety, or shame often motivate

a blaming response. The act of blame is a maladaptive Flight
Response in which the external realm is held accountable for
internal problems. To blame, is to think that it might be due to
Karma, or the weather, or the configuration of the stars, or the
secret government, that things are not going as the individual
plans. Such finger pointing can bring temporary postponement
of feelings but never true spiritual fulfillment. For the

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underlying dissonance always remains, creating further
negativity in feeling and experience.

Once adopted as a habit of thought, there is no way out. Every experience in

potential or in fact, is already assigned to a "blame" culprit. The very
detachment from personal responsibility, detaches us from the awareness of
our creative capability. We become the ultimate victim.

The tone and personality of the habitual blamer, will be angry,

frustrated, impotent and often a martyred victim. There will be
ongoing helplessness, disempowerment and negative emotions
since the problems will never be adequately addressed. Modern
society often promotes blaming, with its fault-finding judicial
system and general misconceptions regarding the mind's
potential to create reality.

Not only does it promote it, it very often rewards the victim monetarily.
There is a whole industry built up around the concept of compensation for
the unfortunate experiences of life. Yet, if these experiences were truly
examined, such would probably be found to be of one's own making.
Unfortunately, what that non-responsibility ultimately leads to is
irresponsibility.

In sum, resistant blame is counter-productive. It defends

internal limited mindsets by creating false external limitations.
The appropriate response to any true external limitation is the
Light Response, wherein cooperative alternations to the
situation are achieved. This could be through persuasion of
another person whose limited perspective does not honor nor
accommodate your needs. Blame, however, does nothing but
ensure further limitation.

Limitation is in contradiction to creative potential, the latter being the truly

spiritual quality of our nature.

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Hostility

With continuing habits of resistance to incoming feedback,

resentment grows into contempt---and the next deadly habit
hostility . With this shift, a permanent assessment against
another person or situation is incorporated into the mind,
Eventually the energy will build to the point that genuine
hatred will be felt toward those who have been blamed. This
will allow the formation of certain strategies to counteract the
evil efforts of the agitator, no matter how unrealistic this
assessment is in the perspective of others.

How much buried hostility is there prevalent in our society today. Most of it
remains just below the surface and does most of its damage by imploding
upon the carrier rather than person against whom it is felt, because we live
in a so-called "civilized" society. Yet, it eventually does take it toll, if not
against someone else, most certainly against oneself.

The harboring of ill will toward another does nothing but

channel that energy inward and disrupt the natural flow
necessary to maintain positive balance and physical health. But
the energy continues to build since the actual source of the
problem has never been addressed, ushering in the next class of
deadly habit.

Psychologists and clerical people may talk about the damage caused by
buried feelings of hostility, but the solutions for dealing with it usually aren't
offered until after it has caused us serious problems. That may be because
hostility, when harnessed and organized, can be quite beneficial in times of
organized conflict.

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Revenge

When the lingering resentment and hostility builds to

unbearable proportions, some external outlet is necessary to
ensure self-preservation. The remaining deadly habits fall into
the category of external venting and seeking revenge upon the
blamee. Blaming and hostility lie in the mental realm---revenge
takes the Fight Response into the physical realm. To think it is
one thing, but to further act upon hostility is quite another.
Many reprehensible and evil acts follow the habitual motive to
get even.

The above gives motive to the admonition to "turn the other cheek", since
the "eye for an eye" suggestion usually serves to exasperate matters and
quite often leads to accelerating violent physical acts and the predictable
consequences.

Revenge often seeks to lower another to a less intimating level

of comparison. Revenge is to inflict pain back upon the one
that has been assumed to have caused it. It is the urge born
from hurt to hurt back. When the spirit feels lowly and small,
trapped within its mental straight-jacket, the feelings can
prompt changes which bring others down to the low and small
position rather than elevating the self.

It becomes a matter of relativity, making oneself feel better by making

someone else feel worse. Hostility carried within for too long a period,
becomes a habit of thought that is reflected toward just about everyone in
one's immediate environment, to the extreme point that the environment
must become restricted to protect society.

Revenge always directly springs from anger which often grows

from unexamined and misdirected feelings of guilt, envy,
anxiety or shame. But this form of anger springs from the

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limitations and expectations of mind, rather than any valid
external obstacle. As long as the human race continues, there
will always be plenty of opportunity for people to be hurt by
others. Whether the hurt is one from misconceived ignorance
or comes from a deliberate act of aggression, pain upon human
interaction is inevitable.

What, than, could change this? It would likely have to be something that
would "enlighten" this human race to the point of understanding that we
truly do create our own reality and are responsible for not only what we
think, but for the consequences that ultimately result.

Vengeful Gossip

Revenge can often masquerade as seemingly harmless acts and

comments. It starts with small external comments, remarks,
and suggestions, not directly focused upon the source. Gossip
is a form of revenge. Often times when one is hurt by
comparison to another, no matter how mildly, it is often the act
of choice to belittle that person behind their back. This is an act
of cowardice which does not clear the air with the person
believed to be at issue, but rather allows the gossip to feel
escapist pleasure in the position of power that their words
assume. The initial painful feeling should have instead
motivated an inward reflection and the addition of a conscious
goal to either gain the desirable quality, or a mental shift to
truly accept the impossibility of doing so. With this type of
internal adjustment, future situations are not likely to invoke
the same feelings.

We are all susceptible to this temptation, probably because it is so prevalent

and easy to indulge in. We often poke fun of those who indulge in gossip to

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an excess, but we encourage these people by listening to what they have to
say. The reaction to this type of behavior might start with an uneasy feeling
when we are exposed to it, followed by resistance and a disinclination to pass
the "gossip" along.

For example, a woman feels envy upon meeting another who is

a particularly beautiful and an accomplished artist. With this
feeling, the spirit within is suggesting "you can do that too!"
Instead of bad-mouthing the artist, the woman commits herself
to practicing and studying ways to express her own artistic
talent. Such an adjustment should not include trying to
convince herself of her own inferiority by comparison in the
beauty department. The physical embodiment is part of spirit
and cannot, nor should not, be changed, defiled, or rejected for
any reason. Certain physical forms are often chosen for specific
purposes aligned with the Destiny Path. Adopting the freeing
attitude of developing all those talents and abilities that can be
brought forth and accepting the physical form as is, is the most
beneficial strategy. Remember, the spirit as well as its body, its
appearance, its needs and desires, cannot be changed by
anything mental. Only the mind can change by adding new
ideas, strategies, perceptions, values, and skills.

We are all examples to each other, for better or worse. How we react to
others with better looks or greater talents or higher paying jobs or larger
houses or more expensive cars, is directly conditional to our own sense of
worth and self-love. The greater the latter, the less we are threatened by
those who might have something we don't have. Knowing that we can and do
create our own reality, can spark an ambition that will reinforce that belief.

It takes particular strength of spirit to reject the many

judgmental ideas from mass consciousness regarding the
human form, its appearances and processes. Existing society
prompts many envious feelings. Certain unrealistic standards

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are foist upon individuals and accepted, pitting mind against
spirit. Such an act always leads to further emotional pain and
self-depreciation and eventually depression. If such ideas are
not rejected, unrealistic comparisons are inevitable, eliciting
negative emotions. Such feelings when misunderstood,
motivate escapism and vengeance instead of the necessary self-
development (a Right Response).

In a competitive society, the need to "win" or be the best, carries with it the
brutal consequences of not being the best with the most. We have a choice.
We can either play by the rules that our particular society aims to impose, or
we can establish our own rules and sidestep the negative aspects and stresses
that lead away from spiritual evolvement, and begin to create a fuller life for
ourselves.

Eventually, even the most adept practitioner of vengeful gossip

will need a more direct outlet. The anger will continue to build
until it is expressed. The emotional system is such that the
spirit will never be satisfied until the actual source of the
dissonance has been addressed. And, of course, the mind can
declare what that source is, depending upon its contents. It will
decide the source of dissonance, whether it be right (in
accordance with spiritual intention) or it be wrong (as
perceived through a distorted mental lens) due to continuing
resistance.

Awareness of a particular characteristic is the first step. Dealing with the

characteristic is the next and most crucial step. To make the positive choice
requires going within ourselves and tapping the guidance we know comes
from our "higher" selves.

But right or wrong, if the mind is utterly convinced in its belief,

the spirit will motivate external changes upon the source
directed in the Fight Response. Although this will perpetuate

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survival, it is not appropriate unless the response rules have
been observed. In the situation of building resentment, all
behavioral motivations are based upon faulty information that
has never been fully examined, acknowledged or understood.

This is the ultimate challenge, establishing a perspective based upon as much

truth as one can uncover and deal with. This is also the road to compassion
and understanding and, of course, spiritual growth.

Vengeful Aggression

If the mental corrections are still not made, eventually the

energy will build into direct expression of anger against the
persons or situation believed to be at issue. This is known as
the deadly habit of vengeful aggression.

In recent history we saw an example of where "Deadly Habits of Self-

Preservation", if not corrected, can lead. The young men who perpetrated
the crimes in Colorado were most likely subject to negative treatment which
resulted in their banding together and contemplating some vengeful reprisal.

Such aggression can take the subtle form of passive aggression,

or it can be more direct. But in each case, the anger is directed
outward before any internal work has occurred. For example,
in the case of the enviable woman, the envious one might make
some back-handed complement which actually insults or
judges the woman harshly. Such as, "Your use of color is
surprisingly sophisticated".

At this stage, the "aggression" is limited to words, but when such become
damaging weapons, an escalation is in progress. Where it leads is up to the
recipient as much as it is the perpetrator.

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Vengeful aggression is successful at venting the emotion, for it
does indeed address the perceived source of the problem. But it
has violated the response rules; it serves only self-preservation,
and it is only a temporary fix. The true source of the problem
lies within the beliefs and limitations of mind, not in the
external other or situation. Nevertheless, with pent-up emotion,
humans will inevitably lash out at those whom they have
blamed.

When adolescents are stretching into adulthood, they are often mimicking
the patterns of behavior they have witnessed as children. For better or
worse, adults are the ultimate educators of the young through the use of
example. Adolescents are prone to see the negative and incur the wrath
incorporated within it, because of their need to be contrary at that age.
Thus, do they cling together and emphasize their rebellion.

These mini violations upon another generally remain in the

verbal realm. They are serious enough in their effects. But
when enough emotional energy is accumulated, there will be an
external explosion in the physical realm of much greater
significance.

Alas, the violence we are seeing in schools is a reflection of a society in need

of greater self-examination. Unfortunately, what is likely to follow is only a
form of greater restriction and less communication and trust.

Vengeful Violence

This is the deadly habit of vengeance violence. It is due to

vengeful violations that laws and punishments have arisen. It is
the source of the human reputation for evil capacity. It has
become accepted as an inevitable human action, although it is
truly a habit born of ignorance within a misguided mind, that is

418
learned and can be unlearned.

One could write volumes about what has been happening in the news lately.
In eastern Europe, people are wreaking violence against those who are
wreaking violence against others. In Colorado, fantasy violence turned into
reality violence, carried to an extreme. But it is Capital Punishment which
serves as the most legitimate form of vengeful violence today. Examples
teach and behavior can be learned or, as stated above "unlearned".

When anger is vented physically upon another person or a

group of people, this is the ultimate maladaptive, anti-spiritual
human act. It obliterates any semblance of cooperation and
reduces everyone involved to self-preservationary stances.
What is truly evil, is that vengeful violation can be taught as
perfectly respectable and necessary. Beliefs can be instilled
which manipulate the emotional fight and flight responses to
gain certain ends. Fear and anger can be invoked and
marshaled by strong and charismatic leaders to gain
compliance and participation in quite heinous acts.

Meanwhile, even a civilization that has been exposed to a spiritual

philosophy including such admonitions as "Love God with All They Heart
and Thy Neighbor as Thyself" and "When smitten on the right cheek, turn
the left also", or words to that effect, can easily be swayed to use the act of
violence in dealing with violence, as a first choice rather than a last choice.

This can be done with such effectiveness, that the anger may
not even be associated with the act itself. Instead, temporary
feelings of loyalty connectedness, and the fulfillment can come
from committing atrocities while following advice of such a
master. Thus it is essential to become a powerful master over
one's own mind.

Modern weapons of war allow those who use them to never see either those
against whom they are being used or first hand viewing of the consequences.

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We have made violence such an abstract act that we have to create fantasies
to be imitated through movies and T.V. portrayals. The mind that blindly
follows is the most dangerous of all.

Not much needs to be mentioned about vengeful violation,

since human history speaks of its peril endlessly. But it is
essential to make the connection between mental resistance and
where it leads. It is also important to know that it is spiritually
necessary to vigorously defend one's self against such violation
by another. If Light Responses are insufficient, turning the
other cheek against a motivated violator will not suffice. This
is when a Fight Response for self preservation of spirit is in
order. Until civilization becomes just that, this will be the case.
In time, as more enlightened ideas are incorporated into mass
consciousness, there shall begin a trend of fewer and fewer
violations.

There is a clear difference between violence to protect and preserve one's

physical existence and acts of random violence in reaction to damage to one's
ego or as dispute resolution as a first choice. We can and must transcend this
mentality for the benefit of all future generations.

In the current state of humanity, it is imperative to draw

attention to the fact that each of the deadly habits are just that,
unconscious, repetitive acts that bypass the consciousness and
wreak havoc upon individuals and humanity.

If this is not self-evident in today's world, it probably never will be.

The Cycle Of Resistance

What is most devastating to human purpose, progress and

evolution, is that the eight deadly habits combine together into

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a vicious and self-reinforcing cycle of behavior. This is when
the emotional signal sounds, informing the mind that spirit is
frustrated. This signal is met with some form of resistance, in
which the feedback is not allowed into consciousness and the
message of the spirit is lost. When this is allowed to occur, the
original problem remains and the emotion lingers causing
further agitation and motivation to fight and take flight.

Through whatever technique is appropriate, time needs to be set aside to

contact the inner voice. It is only through a concerted effort to listen to our
spiritual nature that progress can be made in altering the "habits" that
permeate our society and lead to the least valued circumstances.

As long as the emotion remains blocked, the energy will build,

allowing the mind to haphazardly make assumptions that
assign meaning where none truly exists. The building emotion
is held as resentment, and eventually expressed outward in
some form of vengeance against the assumed source of the
problem. Whoever is the target of the vengeance will, of
course, respond to it in some way. If this response is resistance
and the mind is not righted to accept the limitations of the
vengeful one, the habit would be to return the vengeful favor.
This second vengeful act will most likely be experienced as
negative feedback, provoking further emotional pain within the
original person. Again, the pain may be met with habitual
resistance, then resentment and with vengeance, cast back upon
the other.

Breaking this chain of action and reaction can only begin when society is
clearly led to understand how to put into practice those alternatives that
have been previously mentioned, beginning with the most spiritual and
adopting the least idealistic as a final alternative. This can be done.

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The anger will bounce back and forth between the two like a
Ping-Pong ball in a deadly game of self-preservation. This is an
incredible expenditure of energy. It diverts the attention away
from stated goals and allows the entities to spin their human
wheels---to while away their potential and live in pain and
frustration, as well as allowing the creation of a hellish world.

We can witness the consequences of a game gone out of control simply by

turning on our television set in time for the evening news.

Sadly, this is how more humans operate than not. Civilizations

are based upon this cycle of behavior, in the "knowledge" that
this is the extent of human potential and that their only purpose
is one of self-preservation. This is why systems of external
control have arisen. From religious moral dictates, all the way
to lengthy legal codes, such external controllers of the evil
human exist in each and every grouping. These "truths" of
mass consciousness continue to perpetuate the learning of the
habitual cycle of self-preservation. It is no wonder that humans
born into such structures learn to rely upon external control.
With such ingrained truths, the concept of internal control is
foreign, and the concept of internal guidance, innate morality,
and spiritual intention even more so. These "truths" are the
seeds that grow into habits of human disempowerment.

Also, sadly, there is evidence that when humans do weaken and do those
things that reflect a low sense of respect for others and themselves, it is used
as simply confirmation that unless external organizations gain a greater
degree of control, society will continue to deteriorate. In fact, just the
opposite is true. There are simply not enough weapons nor police to
maintain proper order if there is no inner recognition of the spiritual value
of ourselves and others.

To weed these habits from the mental garden is the first step to

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re-empowerment. This cycle is learned. It can---and must ---be
unlearned. For it is essential to reconnect with the internal
guidance and begin to live as fully functional human beings.

While our public education institutions are prohibited from teaching a

particular religious set of dogmas, there is nothing to prevent them from
teaching self-love and respect and suggesting that students look upon others
with a like-minded attitude. I would be hard pressed to find such an ideal to
be in contradiction to the teachings of any religious organization.

To break the habits and stop the cycle, the answer is human
purpose. Resistance is learned and becomes habitual only
because there is no understanding of the message of emotion.
The self-preservationary impulse overtakes mind and body.
Acceptance is the antithesis of resistance. Acceptance based
upon clear knowledge and faith in human purpose is the
counterpart habit needed to replace resistance.

It appears it is time for an "upgrade" in our collective attitude toward the

human race as a whole. This can begin individually and move out from
there. There are few, if any, human beings who are totally lacking in some
admirable quality. If we can find these qualities within ourselves, we can
find them in others. Given voice, these qualities can become stepping stones
to an advanced collective.

When a human being understands that the true purpose is self-

development and expression, each situation is interpreted
through this lens. Self preservation is seen for what it is---
limiting. Each daily occurrence becomes highly significant and
each piece of incoming information is welcomed with open
mental arms. For each moment of each day can allow the
opportunity to self-develop; to adjust the mind in concert with
the incoming information, rather than to resist its validity.

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This is a tall order, but not an impossible achievement. Habits of thought are
simply those which begin with a single step and turn into a comfortable
stroll.

This continues to broaden its boundaries, adding gems to the

ever-expanding mental house. With each successful act of self-
development comes a counterpart potential for additional self-
expression. With each act of self-expression comes the
resonance of fulfillment in Universal Joy. This is living in the
light. This is living on purpose. This is the human experience
as the Creator intended it to be.

While this is near the end of this Lesson, it can be the beginning of a new
world.

Breaking the deadly habits will take serious effort, but progress
can flow quickly and naturally when the focus remains upon
purpose. We can now discuss the more positive habits that are
developed in concert with spirit that foster the maximum levels
of human joy possible in earthly experience.

Pages 154-167 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson 3A: The Life-Giving Habits of Self-Development

Acceptance

The deadly habits spring from resistance to incoming

information. This touches off a cycle of struggle as humans

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defend the inaccurate mental boundaries instead of identifying
and removing them. The experience is then one of fear, self-
preservation, and competition as prime motivators, and the
creation of chaotic, "random," and often unpleasant events
which seem to come out of nowhere. Resistance to incoming
information is resistance to experience, and ultimately
resistance to spiritual intention. Living from an operational
base of deadly habits has reduced the human condition to a
perpetual state of spiritual frustration---a state which is
screaming "FIX THIS!!!"

We all know people who seem to be caught in this cycle of frustration. Their
lives are filled with one crisis after another. Their solutions to the "crises"
seem to only bring on more of the same. It would behoove them to read the
above paragraph for a starter. Of course, the "Lessons" would be an even
better place to start.

The solution is simple and profound. The answer is the

antithesis of resistance---it is acceptance. Acceptance reverses
the misplaced impulse to defend or self-preserve a limited
mind by opening it wide to experience. Open acceptance faces
the fear and moves through it, finding the belief source which
is festering in the mind. Acceptance heeds the message of the
fear and acts upon it correctively. Open acceptance allows the
Earthly experience to be evaluated by spirit, liberating it from
the judgments, physical illusion, and isolation of mind. When
unimpeded by resistance and respected as the messengers of
spirit, the feeling signals can at last be allowed to do their job.
Then--- and only then ---can purposeful, meaningful, fulfilling
experience begin.

Sometimes, even the "fear" of an experience can serve as a sufficient block

to prevent the value of it from coming to the fore. It would serve us well to

425
remember that Spirit in not intent on destroying us, rather it is our guide to
evolvement.

Once restored upon the intended path, the individual is then

reconnected with the Spirit and living in the Light. Human
feeling then takes its rightful place as the internal guide. Its
signals are carefully analyzed and acted upon, following the
response rules. This tremendously speeds progress, leads to the
intended joyous feeling state, the creation of desired
meaningful events, and fosters an ever-expanding arena for
spiritual development and expression. Fear becomes only a
casual visitor, and only when learning is in order. And
resistance is cast aside as a vestige of ignorance.

This is the promise of things to come, when Spirit begins to play a rightful
role in our learning process. Just as the happiest child is one in a state of
painless learning, so can we, as adults, reach that point (again) where mental
and spiritual growth are a natural and joyous process.

Open acceptance creates a positive cycle of thought and action

that can become habitual to instantly deliver optimal responses
and experiences. Acceptance opens the door to each and every
incoming experience, regardless of whether it feels good or
bad. In fact, the earliest acceptance of the stuff that feels bad
affords the quickest response time. This allows levels of fear
and other pain to remain relatively minor and never to build to
the horrific proportions now routinely experienced by far too
many humans.

Ignorance feeds "fear" and too often exacerbates that which would remain a
minor sensation so long as we understand the reason for it and place a
higher value on the experience itself. We progress because we trust. This
gives broader meaning to the whole concept of Faith.

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The Role of Judgment

The key to building the habit of acceptance lies in

understanding the nature of judgment. Many great leaders have
heralded the warning message of human judgment, but it has
not yet been correctly absorbed and applied. A clear
understanding of the problem must start with a review of the
capacities of mind.

Our propensity to "judge" others by a stricter standard than the one we

apply to ourselves, has led to harsh actions and reprisals which, in turn, has
lead to massive violence. We have labeled our actions as justifiable wars, but
they were clearly much less noble.

The mind is a tremendous gift with incredible capabilities

designed for the task of creating optimal spiritual expression in
human experience. Mind as a receptacle acts as gatekeeper,
defining the bounds of individual self-identity. Mind as a
computer performs rational, informational processing to store,
classify, sort, merge and utilize ideas in incredibly useful ways.
Decisions and conclusions result from such processing, which
in turn, motivate thoughts and actions which are tested in the
world. These thoughts and actions are then evaluated against
the external results that they achieve. If the strategies behind
the actions are sound, they would meet with success in
fulfilling spiritual needs in the world. This success would be
signaled by good feelings. If mental belief strategies were not
adequate, they would meet with failure and bad feelings. Such
successes or failures then are remembered, and taken into the
self-identity of the human.

While history does make an effort to record facts, it does not always do a

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very good job of recording and retaining the feelings that follow a particular
line of action, even though the action at the time, was based upon a process
that was considered most rational. In war, for example, it is usually the
winners who write the version of the events that led up to and justified their
actions. The alternative to "war" is seldom given adequate review because it
was not one of the consequences.

The evaluation step is where the confusion over judgment lies.

The mind is unlimited in what it can contain and how complex
it can become. It can creatively evaluate any scenario based
upon its beliefs---including rationalization, psychic blaming,
and even delusion--- virtually anything goes within the
powerful "brain". Mind has no way within its own boundaries
to determine the accuracy of its evaluation. Mind, by itself,
cannot measure the rightness or wrongness of its choices. It
requires the spirit; an understanding of its intention, and how it
speaks through the language of human feeling.

To take "mind" to that next step requires a willingness to trust our spiritual
nature and to recognize that mind, alone, can not be the ultimate arbitrator
of our actions.

The dangerous kind of human judgment is that which allows

mind to perform the evaluation all by itself. This is a profound
point: Mind alone cannot---and therefore should not---judge.

To expand the term human judgement to its optimum meaning is to include

not only the functions of mind in the decision making process, but to
incorporate our feelings. If a decision is not followed by a deep satisfaction of
having done the truly right thing, then we are likely to have excluded Spirit
from the process.

Recall the problem of Emotional Boundaries. The purpose of

mental boundaries is to separate one human from another, to
provide a uniquely individual focus of experience, and to allow

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that focus to freely direct and choose life events. Boundaries of
mind are intended to continuously expand as the purpose of
self-development is carried out. In contrast, boundaries of spirit
are those defined by the Creator and encoded within the body.
They must not be changed. They must be actively maintained,
protected and defended to ensure at minimum, self
preservation, and ultimately, the intended purposeful self-
expression. The mind must be as actively developed as the
spirit must be actively defended to accomplish the fully-
intended human experience.

The "Mind" spends a lot of time resisting that which the "Spirit" suggests
when, in fact, if the Spirit were not so often ignored, it would be able to play
a greater role in the Mind's decision-making process.

But motivation to defend spiritual boundaries can mistakenly

direct the mind to stop developing and defend its current state.
This creates the problem of human judgment. A defensive
mind closes itself to experience and cuts itself off from the
necessary spiritual evaluation. For the mind cannot go outside
of itself to bring in new information without conscious
involvement of its master. It can only base its decisions upon
that which already exists as knowledge, belief, attitude or
habit. As we know, there are no garbage chutes in the house of
mind where the faulty ideas are automatically shuttled away.
Slivers can sit side by side with gems until they are noticed and
actively removed. They are noticed only through conscious
feeling experience. Such evaluative information must be
actively invited--- accepted---into the mind.

Probably, one of the most effective methods of setting ourselves up to

experience this sorting process, is to quiet the mind to a state of listening to
our inner voice and inviting our Spiritual nature to speak to us through that

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"voice". This tactic is often referred to as meditation.

The feedback cycle is dependent upon action. Action, and the

feeling experience that follows, is the only way to invite new
evaluation information. Test actions invoke the spiritual judge
and allow feelings to determine how well the mind is equipped
to meet spiritual needs. Then corrective actions ---Right, Light
and Fight responses---follow the feelings which adapt the mind
or alter the world to facilitate spiritual expression.

This may seem like simply a trial and error process absent of any pre-
guidance, but it is the least we can do providing we factor in some degree of
reflection following our actions. Eventually, our Spiritual nature
incorporates our Mental nature and we have to spend less time apologizing
for our errors.

The judgment problem arises when the mind evaluates---

judges---a situation by itself before active experience, in a
habitual sequence of thoughts that result in limiting action
choices. Such habit can allow the mind to direct actions which
avoid and resist the very experience for which the spirit cries
out. But since mind creates events, based upon its contents, it
will also attract unpleasant events which point out the same
inadequacies it is defending. Such a person will fall "victim" to
"bad luck," accidents," or "misfortunes"---all of which mirror
perfectly the limiting beliefs that create them. This is a
dangerous cycle of misdirected will energy and self-
preservationary impulse, which relegates humans to a brutish
and minimal physical experience now the norm on earth. This
is the condition which must be relieved. It is now time to heed
this timeless message: judge not.

When "bad" things happen to good people, these events can serve as

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educational mirrors, designed (with the help of memory) to educate us in
altering the process of our lives. It is not our Spiritual nature that demands
that we suffer. It is, rather, our false pride that results in the consequences
that are meant to deter us from our wrongful thinking habits.

In short, the mind must accept---even seek out---experience in

order to keep itself aligned with spiritual intention. Mind
simply must be actively developed. It is a common
understanding that the human brain only uses one tenth of its
capabilities. This is simply due to the lack of adequate mental
self-development. Until the mind is harnessed, the feeling route
to spiritual intent must be fully utilized, for the actual
percentage of harnessed mind power is much lower. Humans
have not yet even imagined the mental potential which awaits
within.

Yet, there are no limits to what we can imagine!

Clarity of Purpose

Building habits of acceptance rely upon clarity of purpose. The

only way to rise above the automatic, biological imperative of
self-preservation of body, is to actively focus upon the higher
purpose of self-development of mind for expression of spirit.
This is the true goal of the preservationary impulse---to keep
humans alive until they finally answer the jammed signal of
spiritual feeling and awaken to their intended purpose---the
Divine human purpose of self-development and expression.

This seems to suggest that we can purposefully continue to exist in the

physical so long as we choose to continue to focus our minds upon the higher
purpose of spiritual self-expression. In acquainting ourselves with our inner
being, this message should probably be reiterated habitually, if we wish to

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preserve our mental existence in this physical environment.

It bears repeating that the human purpose is to fully express

spirit in the physical form. This requires first the development
of mind---the vehicle of expression in the physical experience.
Cultural, mental self development is the only route to physical,
genetic, spiritual self-expression.

It would be the intent and purpose of these "Lessons" to aid us in this effort.
It is for this purpose that I make this effort to express my reflections on the
information given and would encourage anyone else to do likewise. - Lloyd J.
Klapperich <mailto:klappl@cfw.com>

To focus with clarity upon purpose is to see beyond the

momentary impulse to self-preserve, compete, or violate. With
consciousness of purpose certain feelings automatically signal
the need for mental development. The mind can then seek and
create strategies which broaden its boundaries under the ever-
present direction of spirit. Purpose is the shining beacon which
pierces the darkness, guiding humans toward spiritual reward.

We each have an obligation to develop ourselves to the fullest and, in doing

so, we teach others by example to do likewise.

Faith In Spirit

From purpose springs the next replacement belief---

foundational faith in spirit. Purpose points the way but faith
empowers the movement. Faith allows spirit to energize the
body and mind. Faith in individual spirit is faith in Universal
Spirit. Those who live in faith, bear life's challenges without
the draining heaviness of doubt and fear. Faith in spirit brings
optimism, energy, vigor, and vitality to every action.

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When we say, "I am one with the Universe", we are acknowledging that our
spirit nature is a part of the Universal Spirit and that our experiences are a
part of the whole and, finally, that we are not alone in our challenges. To
that degree, we are like waves in an "Ocean of Being".

Faith in spirit already belongs to each and every human being.

Although it may be buried deep beneath the trappings of belief,
or the pains of fear and doubt, it is there. Recognition of spirit
is hardwired into the human body and it is "felt" in many
natural, universal, human experiences. It comes in a flood of
feeling---that swell of love and joy from within upon
connecting with Universal Spirit.

A parent feels it for his/her children and vice versa. We experience it in the
love for another or a connection with the nature around us. It is the opposite
of fear and anger and it becomes apparent to us at the most unexpected
moments of our life.

This feeling may have been associated with any number of

experiences, but each held the common quality of resonance
with the Creator---that unmistakable feeling of divine joy upon
recognition and attunement to the ever-presence and intention
of All That Is. It is a feeling which begins in the solar plexus,
the energy center just below the heart, and washes through the
body-mind, bringing a peace-like contentment, and an
instantaneous unshakable knowledge of the meaning, wisdom,
beauty, order and rightness of the universe.

If we are fortunate to have it only once or twice in a lifetime, it is an

experience that we never forget. Ironically, it is an experience that, if we
were made aware of it being the normal part of our nature, we could have on
a regular basis.

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This feeling may have accompanied an interaction with
nature's wonders of creation, in a moment of awe and
appreciation of a fawn in a thicket, a magic sunset, the
unfolding of petals of a flower, or a starry night sky. Or it may
have been associated with the unmistakable communion of
spirits, that deep connection experienced as love. It may have
been a moment where the soul was moved to tears by a
powerful, creative expression of another kindred spirit, be it
musical, artistic or poetic. Or it may have been experienced
through a moment of creative insight---a breakthrough in
understanding.

Whatever the experience might be, it is the personal recognition of what

Native Americans know as an expression of the "Great Spirit." It is, of
course, "All That Is".

It may have been experienced through a religious framework,

wherein the presence of the Creator or other higher powers are
simply known and felt within each fiber of the being. The
unmistakable presence of spirit may have poured forth from the
eyes of a newborn child whose ancient wisdom and powerful
soul now lie swaddled within soft fresh pink flesh. It may have
come in the form of a miraculous event or the message of a
dream or from another altered state of consciousness. But the
spirit has been ever-present, and may be revealed through a
review of each and every life experience that has moved one to
tears in resonance with universal joy, with each recognition
strengthening the power of faith.

The "how's" and "wherefore's" are innumerable but secondary to the fact
that as a part of the Universal Whole, we can and should be experiencing the
Spiritual Nature of our created environment and appreciate the source of
the power which creates it.

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The spirit is hardly a foreign concept---it is a familiar presence.
Each and every human being is already on some level attuned
to the presence of spirit, with a corresponding level of faith.

The variance in our state of enlightenment lies within our awareness of the
above.

This attunement must be identified, reinforced, and credited for

that which it is, for the faith to strengthen. Regardless of the
cultural trappings or disguises, spirit itself is the root source of
each incident of illumination, of raw joy, and of inspired awe.
When the trappings are stripped bare, particularly the ones
which carry religious dogma, a pure and deep concept of spirit
shall emerge. All faith in a God or Creator should be clearly
understood as faith in spirit---Universal Spirit in each of its
individual apportionments. Faith in spirit is the trust that
spiritual knowledge lies within, not without. It is not dependent
upon any one thought system, religion, culture, political
perspective, leader, supernatural entity, or any other
intermediary. It is rightful, reachable, and ever-present within
each human being. Connecting to the Universal Truth is to
once and forever establish faith in spirit.

The only sacrifice necessary to attain this, is time. We need only set aside a
brief period every day to exercise an intent. If we need to do it in a
particular edifice or with a certain group, then so be it. But we need nothing
more than a place of comfort and a commitment to seek. The rest will follow.

To have faith in Spirit is to have faith in the Creator and the

Creations. It is to rest assured that chaos and suffering is an
aberration of the physical experience, not a naturally intended

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condition. To have faith in spirit, is to know without doubt, fear
or hesitation, that there is meaning in each and every life event;
that each experience is a message from Spirit to mind that can
reveal its rightful intention. To have faith in Spirit is to search
for the spiritual wisdom in each physical event.

Nature gets a bad rap in times of chaotic events and is too often portrayed as
an enemy of the human race, acting irrationally and reeking havoc as some
mindless and callous force. Those steeped in religious fundamentals will even
attribute such dire consequences as an act of an angry God. Either attitude
is demeaning to the essence of All That Is. Once we can come to realize the
role we play in creating our own reality, we will be able to avoid all that we
currently fail to understand or fully appreciate.

Accountability & The Law of Attraction

Faith in Spirit leads to more ready acceptance of each and

every opportunity to learn. It provides the courage to push past
the growing pain and into broader mental and physical
horizons. Acceptance is faith in the Spirit's presence within,
and feeling signature upon every physical experience. Faith in
Spirit recognizes the creative power of mind. Thus, acceptance
begins with a mindset that each and every experience is one
that has been attracted by that human being. Acceptance begins
with accountability for life's events.

By accepting the Spiritual part of our nature as innate to our being, we take
a step forward in understanding our role in the physical environment which
we have created and the experiences in this environment.

For indeed, the creative mind attracts experience which

perfectly reflects its beliefs and intentions. There are no
accidents, evil or mysterious forces that decide which probable

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event will occur physically. It is simply mind creating that
which it thinks the person desires. It can only do this based
upon what it knows and believes. It can do no more or less.
One of the rare guarantees in life is that physical experience
will always accurately reflect the parameters of mind ---slivers
and all.

Thus, each experience is a portrait of our creation. The bad news is that we
create our own reality. The good news is that we create our own reality. The
only question we have to answer is the "why" we are having the experiences
we do. The obvious answer is that our beliefs are the governing factor.

Desire is the emotional spiritual force---the Will energy---

which has remained misunderstood. Thus, each emotion---
whether positive or negative---is interpreted by mind as
desire. Desire is intention and feelings communicate intention.
Emotion empowers the belief that signals it and creates that
event. Given the fact that most mental contents have bypassed
the spiritual judge, many beliefs are not aligned with spiritual
intention. This means the events they create are not those
actually intended by Spirit, they will be unpleasant and will
bring emotional pain.

We can get beyond this situation by first examining our beliefs to determine
if they are aligned with "Spiritual Intention". Then we can adjust them (or
simply allow our minds to) until they do reflect this intention.

The mind is the controller; it holds the ideas, beliefs and values
to create experience. Feeling is the key to unlock the creative
power of mind. Thus, the mind will continue to create that
which it holds, pain and all, so that humans can recognize and
accept accountability for the cause and effect relationship
between belief and experience.

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It is not the intention of Spirit that we should live our lives in pain, although
this "pain" can serve a positive purpose in giving us the necessary feedback
to alert us that our beliefs and our Spiritual nature are not in alignment.
Supplied with this information, we can "change" our mind regarding our
beliefs, until our experiences contain less pain.

Remember, once Spirit enters flesh it delegates the creation of

reality to the mind---the portal of individual human experience.
The pain of spiritual frustration exists to inform mind that its
contents need re-examination. Instead of understanding this
message, humans have created many wildly exotic---yet
faulty---beliefs to explain why "bad things happen to good
people". Superstitious meaning is assigned, external controllers
are identified and the internal power remains unclaimed. This
adds further limitation to mind, and sets up the cycle of blame
and victimhood. This is the norm of human consciousness at
this time. Is it any wonder then, why humans only use a mere
one tenth of their mental capability?

We would rather come up with excuses why we have unhappiness in our

lives than consider the possibility that we are simply creating this
unhappiness by hanging on to limiting beliefs. When someone near to us
dies, we can mourn their passing to the point of a mental breakdown, or we
can rejoice for them as they step into a reality free of pain. Unfortunately,
since beliefs tend to continue for people as they go into their next
environment, much of the happiness they could be experiencing is being
postponed.

The following idea bears repeating---heed this crucial universal

truth: There are no accidents, evil or mysterious external
forces that decide which probable event will occur physically.
It is simply mind creating that which it thinks the person
desires. Desire is communicated through feelings. Feelings
spring from beliefs. Beliefs must be carefully selected under

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the direction of Spirit, for mental belief creates physical
reality. This is the Law of Attraction.

...and it is our own mind (not someone else's) which is doing the creating.
The feelings of fear and anxiety are within ourselves, waiting for someone
who might fan the flame. But we supply the fuel and we control the fire. The
more negative our beliefs, the more smoke created to obscure our vision of
the guiding light within ourselves. Beliefs are like magnets. They draw to us
those experiences we think we should be having.

Individual mind is the creator of individual experience and

should be held accountable. With this ultimate truth, the most
beneficial mindset is to take immediate ownership and
responsibility for each experience so that it can be used to find
limitations of mind. This is the habit of accountability.
Accountability honors the incoming voice of Spirit by looking
to mind for answers. Accountability respects the Law Of
Attraction. Accountability is seeking mental cause through
faith in spiritual effect. Accountability counteracts the psychic
blaming which creates the cycle of resistance, limitation and
pain. Accountability is looking to self for learning
opportunities. Accountability is the habit of mind that ushers
the Right Response to emotional pain. To be accountable is to
think and live by the credo: "I attract that which happens to
me."

If we find the mind's "limitations", we know that our respective beliefs put
them there. There is a point somewhere in everyone's existence when we
must lay down the cross of victimhood and pick up the cloak of
accountability. The time for this is overdue!

Accountability provides its own reward. For example: Recall

our person driving to work, relying upon many physical and
mental habits. Recall how another driver dangerously cuts in

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front, grabbing our driver's attention for corrective action. This
situation would most certainly bring sudden emotional arousal
within our driver, first fear, and then likely anger. It would be
very easy and quite natural to direct the anger at the errant
driver, and perhaps a physical retaliation of fist shaking or
other such gestures.

Rude or thoughtless behavior, responded to with road rage, completes a

cycle. Breaking the cycle takes the experience to a new level. If we truly
believe that we do attract our experiences, then this is an experience so
dramatic, that its lesson can hardly be ignored.

Although this would have a certain valid justification, it gives

the power of the moment to the errant driver. This would
reinforce the belief that the world is full of idiots whose
ignorant actions can leave devastating effects upon innocent
others---in this case a potential car "accident". There is utter
powerlessness in this belief, which will be echoed by anger
which might spoil an otherwise lovely day. Most competent
human drivers have experienced such a moment, and can
recognize how they have allowed such oafs to drive away with
their power. This is simply due to the unconscious, habitual
response of resistance and blame.

Whatever tactics we utilize to protect ourselves while driving a vehicle, be

they the use of a seat belt or something more metaphysical, such as
surrounding one's vehicle with a white, protective light, we can empower
this action by remembering that we are in the physical to learn how to create
our own reality and the Lessons of Life come to us only when they are
needed.

Now imagine instead, at the moment of the incident, our driver

uses the emotion to examine the existing beliefs.
Accountability is to think---the moment composure is

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regained---"Whoa! What did I do to attract that into my
life???" Was I paying adequate attention to the road? Do I
believe that accidents can occur? Do I believe the "laws of
probability" I was taught in the school, that I must have a
certain number of accidents corresponding to number of miles
driven? Do I secretly want to get my money's worth out of my
insurance payments? Do I believe in karma? Did I wrong that
jerk in another life? Do I expect such things to happen
inevitably? Do I have adequate tolerance and compassion for
such people?"

The answer to any one of those questions is a step along the way to
broadening our perspective on our inevitable life experiences. It also can be
a step toward bringing more harmony into our lives, along with more peace
and abundance. Ultimately, it leads to recognizing and benefitting from our
creative potential.

Any of these self-reflective thoughts can lead to mental

housekeeping. Even the slightest liberating mental shift is
highly beneficial. Looking to self for cause keeps the power
and uses the emotional arousal to develop the self, not preserve
self-limitation by blaming another. Perhaps our driver ended
the event by reaffirming the dominant mindset of compassion
for those less enlightened, and eliminating a lesser, but
conflicting, belief in the power of ignorance. The feeling of
fear or anger would cease and the day could continue as
planned, or perhaps with the energy retained and the mood
protected, it would unfold with even more positive events.

Sometimes, if we are willing to consider the possibility, nature itself (for

example, in the form of a bird flying across our path, an omen ), can supply
us with an alert to a negative experience that might be coming into our
reality, a wake-up call if you wish. We might slow down a bit, become a little
more alert and seek a blessing from our higher self, as we proceed along our

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path. This may sound a little too esoteric, but these Lessons are esoteric.

The reward is the feeling that follows the accountable Right

Response. Not only does positive emotion reflect the success of
the accountable action, it also brings closure to the event and
frees the mind for its next experience. But the mind is now that
much less limited. Even very minor shifts can be quite
powerful, and they build upon one another with incredible
results. When enough such shifts have occurred, the mind is
allowed the freedom to quickly show the cause and effect
relationship between belief and action. This is what is referred
to as "the raising of consciousness." This is the ultimate
empowerment, because the mind can see more clearly and
create more spiritually desirable experience. Such a mind
creates a life that is, and feels, GOOD.

The "rewiring" of our belief systems and habits of thought, does require
dedication to an intent. Negative habits atrophy when replaced by Positive
Habits. The clue is consistency.

Accountability is a very powerful mindset. It is the key strategy

of empowerment. Several habits of acceptance can bolster and
support this strategy. Breaking the habitual cycle of blame can
be quite a challenge; for Mass Consciousness teaches humans
limitation, judgment and blame at every turn.

However, the better acquainted we become with our inner selves, the less
influential the negative qualities of the outer world will tend to be.
Compassion

Genuine human compassion is a spiritual tool of acceptance. It

is a component of innate morality and counterpart of the
connection need. Despite the most successful attempts to look

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within, there will be genuine times when an external limitation
is the source of your spiritual frustration. It is often the case
that prejudgment or the beliefs of another causes resistance
within them, in turn having a direct effect upon your need-
meeting efforts. This will be experienced as an external
obstacle and will prompt feelings of anger. In sum, internal
accountability needs an ally---external compassion.

This is when we are most challenged. The belief systems of others we care
about, block our attempts to achieve spiritual growth. Usually, these people
are parents or siblings, but they might be church officials or people whom
we would presume would be our allies in our quest. But instead of
encouragement, we are often met with threats and strong admonitions to
return to their reality.

Although the limitation is a genuine one, compassion

recognizes and absolves the other for their limitations while
retaining the power to act and respond. To maximize
compassion, an essential mindset is the understudying that
change can only be accomplished with guaranteed results
within the self. The spiritual need of freedom to choose the
contents of mind is indeed every human's right. So ultimately,
it must be accepted that no matter how well-meaning, no
matter how uplifting, no matter how truly valuable, significant
and wonderful offers of Light can be, they may not be
accepted. This is right and good in the eyes of the Creator, for
it preserves the mental freedom that defines the individual
human experience.

To clarify, the only "change" we can guarantee is that which we make

within ourselves. We can not "change" another's way of thinking by willing
such. The best we can do is encourage and motivate by example. This applies
not to just our children, but all we are in contact with in our respective
environments. Again, the right to be "wrong" is a guarantee under

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Universal Law and it is a right in universal entitlement. The freedom to
progress at one's own spiritual pace (or even to regress, if that is one's
choice), is sacrosanct. Free will can have no exceptions if it is to remain what
it is. No Divine Spirit can, or would, ever make anyone behave in a certain
fashion. Atheists who make the argument that if there were a God, how
could He/She allow so much suffering in the world, completely miss an
essential ingredient of what Spirit is. The truly great educational institutions
are the one's which allow the greatest freedom of thought. It is through this
quality of Free Will that we have the potential to exercise our most
promising creativity. This principle permeates our existence in the same
sense that the ocean penetrates a wave.

And with such freedom, rest assured unenlightened choices

will be made. This is the condition of ignorance . Ignorance
results from misunderstanding and misuse of the self-
preservationary impulse. It results from the habit of resistance
and of defending limited mental boundaries. The spiritual right
of freedom to choose ignorance is why humans are in their
current predicament.

However, it is also why the potential for rising beyond this "predicament"
remains intact. The closer we get to understanding the Universal Spiritual
Truths of our nature, the greater is our spiritual progress exhilarated.
Preoccupation with what is wrong with our planet is only a distraction from
envisioning what can be right with it.

The best habitual response to the swell of anger and frustration

which follows an interaction with an ignorant one, is to
immediately understand and respect the right to self-develop at
one's own pace. Accept the other, warts and all, with human
compassion and empathic understanding of their experience.
Then use the emotional energy to develop skills and strategies
for dealing with them in ways that match their mental
environment. To stand in the shoes of the ignorant one and to
truly accept their present state of development, is to recall your

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own time spent there. For an enlightened perspective has surely
sprung from having been in a similarly narrower state of
awareness at some point. Compassion is to accept and meet the
mind of the other and operate from the base of experience or
focus on reality. Compassion offers the challenge of learning to
express your suggestions to those at many levels of awareness.

There are obvious examples of "Compassion" in the later days of the life of
the personality, Jesus. Forgiveness and understanding were qualities that He
had to exercise to the extreme. But, what He did, we can and must do also,
especially at this critical juncture in our planet's existence, for it is the
physical reality we have created and continue to maintain for ourselves.

Compassion springs from spiritual recognition of the one-ness

and interconnection of each spirit. Compassion is the resonance
of respect for each individual journey of discovery.
Compassion is not judgmental, condescending or patronizing,
it need not even be communicated to the other. It is simply a
mental tool to immediately accept the situation as is, to right
the self, and to channel the anger productively. Compassion
flows naturally from faith in the integrity of spirit---each and
every spirit, regardless of how tightly swaddled they might be
within ignorance.

Sometimes, the greatest "compassion" we can exercise is simply by being

silent. This simple act does not express approval and can often cause a
degree of inner reflection on the part of another on the journey.

Respectful compassion is also an essential ingredient for

offering successful Light Responses to others. Although
expression can always be rejected, offerings of Light will meet
with far less resistance within the resonance of compassion.
Each human responds to genuine compassion on a cellular

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level. There can be no ingenuous manipulation, persuasion,
control, or even legal constraint over another without the
energy of genuine compassion in validation of their experience
behind it. Compassion is the very secret to sharing the Light.

The justice dealt out by our court system could benefit by a greater degree of
"compassion" for those whose lives eventually bring them to the point of
conflict with man-made laws. Systems are innately flawed and those who
operate them and those who are subject to them, are all a part of this flawed
process. This might explain why so much of the civilized world has done
away with the death penalty---it simply lacks the essential ingredient of
compassion.

Forgiveness

Another life-giving habit is that of forgiveness. Compassion

for the ignorance and foibles of another can reach a limit, if
forgiveness does not follow. For ignorance can lead to the most
heinous and evil acts of violation by human upon human. This
is where the most powerful mental adaptations are necessary.

It would seem that "forgiveness" is an essential part of "compassion" and

that the latter can not be complete (sometimes) unless the former is also in
place. An example that stands out in my mind might be the Jews forgiving
the Nazis for the holocaust. Next to a museum of atrocities might be a
museum of "forgiveness". Now that would really be exceptional.

Take the example of murder. The anger that springs genuinely

from such evil violation is the true voice of spirit. Such acts are
truly inhuman and frustrating to spirit. Such feelings are not
based upon limited beliefs or faulty perceptions; these feelings
voice legitimate, righteous, spiritual anger. Anger shouts its
pain, declaring the violation of every human need when a life
itself is taken. It warns that ignorance is threatening the very

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preservation of the species if such acts are permitted. It is the
anger that has moved mountains and defined "civilization".

There is such a thing as "righteous anger" and it does reflect our spiritual
qualities. The question is not whether "anger" is justified. It is how that
justification is carried out. Like behavior does little to assuage the situation.

But anger must be utilized in productive ways or it can eat

away at the soul of the violated one. This is where finding
compassion in ignorance and closure in forgiveness can restore
power. This is not always easy. For example, it is much easier
to find compassion for a man who commits murder from the
mindset of his mother, than it is from the perspective of the
mother of his victim.

In the first case, the tie is to the perpetrator and in the second, to the victim.
While there is little personal loss in the first case, there is bound to be deep
emotional pain. In the the second case there is that, plus the loss of a child.

Forgiveness allows the anger to be converted into impassioned

energy that can be directed at the source of the true problem,
the limitations within Mass Consciousness that allow and
perpetuate such ignorance. The perpetrator himself is a
symptom. Thus, the victim will never be free until the
perpetrator is forgiven. Anger misdirected is the giving over of
the power. To retain the power is to forgive. To channel it
productively is to remove the beliefs and limitations within
human cultures which reduce humans to such sub-human
ignorant conditions. It is to build structures of enlightenment
within the educational, social, political, judicial and religious
institutions and traditions. It is to remove the lingering ideas
that perpetuate limitation, spiritual frustration and self-
preservationary ignorance.

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In looking at the recent slaying in the high school in Colorado, we see that
the violence and killing carried out by these perpetrators (as well as other
children who have committed like crimes at other schools), should inspire a
deeper look into our society, not just at the violence we surround ourselves
and/or children with, but the mind set that draws us to this atmosphere of
violence. As Gandhi once said, "An eye for an eye and the whole world is
blind." The circle of violence and hate, only leads to a more encompassing
environment of violence and hate. Forgiveness is a way out of that
entrapment. For some, it may be the only way.

Competition Within Self

One final habit to develop and hone is a healthy, challenging,

internal competition. The habit of competing with others is
very rooted within individual and mass consciousness. Be they
families feuding, Gladiators fighting, religions warring,
political parties arguing, even athletic opposition, human
history is peppered with evidence of the broad acceptance and
encouragement of external, win-lose competition.

At one point or another in our lives, we have almost all been involved in one
of the "competitions" mentioned above. Some have been more personal, i.e.
the feuding of families. Others have been more detached, i.e. the super bowl
(our modern form of Gladiator fighting). Regardless, the experience of this
involvement, while oftentimes rewarding, they are just as frequently losing
experiences that take their toll, especially in the area of personal
relationships.

Such competition springs, of course, from innate spiritual

purpose. This has translated into self-preservationary
directives, where humans must compete for "survival of the
fittest". But in an enlightened society, competition with others
wherein one must lose for another to win, is not appropriate.

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Yet humans will always have the urge to compete, due to the
higher spiritual purposes of self-development and expression,
and they must be reinterpreted in that context. Thus a new
form of internal, personal competition should replace the old.

Our current economic systems would find a suggestion that competition is

"not appropriate", to be not only unacceptable but threatening. Yet, if
spiritual growth is to be a part of our future, then a revision of our present
mindset is essential.

With the most primitive directive of external competition,

individuals simply fight to forcefully overcome the challenges
of the environment in remedial caveman-like responses. By
placing the competition on the inside, humans can adapt
themselves to be successful within every kind of world, as well
as make positive changes upon them. Adaptations within the
mind and corresponding creative actions in the world are the
stuff of human evolution and the only route to enlightened
civilizations.

When we make a personal commitment to overcome those elements in our

reality that are detrimental to our spiritual evolvement, and do so by
altering our own perspective, we may seem threatening to others
momentarily, but our long-term influence (if we have the patience to endure)
will bring positive change to those areas of our lives and the lives of others
that will ultimately be effective.

With the habit of self competition, the individual holds the

continuing challenge of personal betterment, with the goal of
attaining ever higher levels of skill, ever more valuable and
accommodating beliefs, higher levels of acceptance and
compassion, and a broader, more inclusive world view.
Winning is bettering the self and spreading the unique gifts far
and wide. And there can be no more deeply rewarding sense of

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accomplishment.

I will conquer the person I was yesterday, with the person I am today.

Instead of measuring one's self against the successes or failings

of another, it is far more useful to pit them against earlier
versions of one's self. This simple mindset can profoundly
increase the human connection as well as empower individuals
to answer their higher purpose. No longer will it be necessary
to beat and humiliate one another in order to attain status or
regard. No longer will it be necessary to define rigid categories
of value that only honor and value a few. No longer will
humans experience the frustration of being measured on scales
irrelevant to their own spiritual inclinations, gifts and destiny
paths. No longer will humans give up altogether in the face of
overwhelming competition. No longer will humans have to
elevate themselves by lowering another. No longer will one
have to lose for another to win. True cooperation means win-
win expressive scenarios for all involved.

Some might conclude that this would make life much more dull. In fact, as
we become more skilled in exercising the habit of self-evolvement along
spiritual lines, and begin to conquer our sense of limitation, we will find that
the satisfaction which follows will overwhelm the lack of temporary
enjoyment we might gain from our old patterns of thinking and feeling.

A daily directive of personal development and improvement

can provide an arena to meet all the needs within the context of
cooperation, compassion, acceptance and natural morality.
When humans finally break free from the illusion of necessary
competition, evolution can flourish.

Just as the experience of physical flight took humans to another physical

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level of existence, the experience of spiritual flight will leave behind our
preoccupation with conflicts of a lesser level of existence.

So feel free to engage in mental and physical sparring, debates,

games and exhibitions of challenge and accomplishment, but
do so in the spirit of cooperation with humankind, and only in
true competition with yourself.

Truth is an evolving process resulting from the sharing of our expanding

perspectives. Just as in challenging ourselves, we can indulge in a truly
"friendly" competition.

With the life-giving habits of self-development discussed, we

can now turn to the life-giving habits that promote self-
expression.

Pages 168-186 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Three-B: The Life-Giving Habits of Self-Expression

Acceptance

Although acceptance has already been discussed as a life-

giving habit of self-development , it is a habit with additional
value in the realm of self-expression. Acceptance within the
realm of self-development allows all incoming information to
be evaluated without resistance or limitation, to allow an

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internal communication or dialog that results in learning,
gaining mental additions, shifts and alterations to belief
systems---Right Responses.

For acceptance to be truly effective, it requires us to get past our

programmed prejudices and review this incoming information with as open
a mind as possible. If this is not possible, then the next natural step is to
examine those beliefs for their origin and value.

In contrast, the realm of self expression is at its core, the arena

of external communication. The goal of self-expression is to
effect positive changes to the outside world and the people in
it---Light Responses. Spiritual expressions of human creativity
which help shape the world to better meet human needs, are the
fuel of human evolution.

It is the difference between the outside world affecting us and we affecting

the outside world. Belief systems forced upon us before the age of reason can
have a detrimental effect on our ability to affect the outside world for the
greater benefit of Spirit. Whereas, creative thoughts and actions that
originate in Spirit and flow through us naturally into the outside world,
must bring about a positive result.

Acceptance in the realm of self-expression is the understanding

that people in the external environment have a unique mental
skill set and focus upon "reality" that may be grossly different
than your own. Acceptance means attempting a meeting of
minds with such a person, and respectfully working within the
existing mental framework to effect changes. A single change
within a human mind, provides the bedrock for the eventual
achievement of massive ideological changes within human
cultures and beliefs of mass consciousness. Empires can rise
and fall by the effective expression of but one human being. In
short, there is no other way for humans to evolve without the

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capability of expressing themselves in thought and deed.

In order to have the above result, there has to be a willingness to open our
own minds, as well as the minds of those we might seek to influence. At the
very least, there has to be a willingness to understand another's perspective.

Understanding and acceptance of the requirements for self

expression will speed up all individual and group evolution.
This requires acceptance of: 1. The rightful uniqueness of each
human mind. 2. The power of free will and how it can create
limits; 3. The responsibility to empathize and understand one
another's perspective. 4. The spiritual imperative of voicing
one's insight; 5. The inevitable conflict and resistance that can
arise; 6. The responsibility to minimize the self-preservationary
impulse within self and others. These are the keys to
successful self-expression.

In order for the Founding Fathers to bring into existence this country's
constitution, all of the above were essential to their understanding and
application. The results are "self-evident".

To accomplish the needed acceptance, one must simply not

deviate from the understanding of the interconnectedness of all
spirits. To gaze upon another, is to gaze upon one's self in an
alternate form, for indeed, "All Are One." To recognize the
kindred spirit, to extend compassion and patience with the level
of development they have achieved, regardless of where you
might be yourself, is to maximize your chances of broadening
their world as well as your own. Each interaction should be like
that of a loving parent imparting guidance to a child without
any sense of competition or resistance. (This has the
corresponding benefit from the receiving end to also listen
without resistance, with the trust and faith of a child in

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receiving Light from the wisdom of loving parents. To trust
that there is some benefit in the offer, no matter how much
variation or distance between the two minds.)

Once an environment as described above is created, the ultimate benefit for

universal peace and progress is set upon a path that can never be reversed,
so long as Spirit within each and all is given full rein.

Acceptance and compassion can allow you to stand in the

shoes of your other and view the incoming information from
that perspective, so you can tailor it to fit that frame of
reference. To turn on the light of honor, empathy, cooperation,
and compassion in each interaction with another, is to be fully
human in the highest spiritual sense. This light can cut through
the darkness of the communication challenge with far more
intensity and success than can any fancy words. When one
expresses from a truly spiritual level, the spiritual intention is
felt within the receiver and the doors of resistance
automatically respond.

There is an illusion taught in our educational institutions that if the right

words are expressed with the proper skill, the result desired will almost
always follow. The above suggests that "feeling" is essential to any
communication, both for the initiator and the recipient.

Even sworn enemies, following the dictates of mind, resonate

to each other's spirit. This is why a primary rule of combat is
not to fraternize with the enemy. Such human directives are
clearly outside of the spiritual intent of the Creator.
Communication without an underlying spiritual intent will
most likely be interactions with another who is resistant, driven
by fear rather than faith, and acting upon self-preservationary
impulses rather than self-developmental and expressive ones.

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Most interactions considered ordinary between humans contain
a very high degree of resistance, and self-preservationary acts.

Cultures vary in particular ways when it comes to the effectiveness of human

relationships. More often, the attitude toward cooperation versus
competition can govern the ultimate life span of a particular society.

They are so abundant in human history that they have become

standards for entertainment. One need simply look to literature
and dramatic arts to find a trove of examples of humans
exhibiting the deadly habits of self-preservation. What
interesting tale does not contain the pain of betrayal of trust or
the joy of success. Instead, the simple attitude of acceptance
can allow your spiritual feelings to dictate exactly how and
when to offer Light, and how and when to respond when
resistance is encountered. Acceptance assures that your efforts
will have been those dictated by spirit, regardless of the
immediate outcome.

The movies and T.V. shows that pander to the base interests of self-
preservation find greater acceptance in a decadent society. The challenge is
to create entertainment that appeals to the Spirit in individuals that can
override the former.

This brings us back to the habit of Faith in Spirit, for it also

will be a powerful tool in self-expression. For with faith, and in
understanding the time lag between mental change and
physical change, one can be patient and move through one
situation and onto the next, without lingering in frustration due
to the fact that the Light may not have been received in full.

...and with that patience in mind, we can now proceed.

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Patience & Faith

The key to successful self-expression is to know when it should

be offered and how much is enough. It is to understand the ebb
and flow of the spirit, the continuous expansion of the mind,
and that the appropriate amount of light will be received for
that person at that time.

Our inner guidance is a reliable tool, once we become used to using it. In
fact, the more we use it, the more we can come to trust it.

Even the most resistant of humans cannot help but open to the
truly compassionate and spiritually intended offering. The
biology ensures this. But the mind has the rightful control and
the beliefs can be like a garden thick with weeds so that the
incoming seedlings of spiritual intention have a difficult time
taking root. Faith and patience flow from the knowledge that
the seed has been planted and that is all that was required---that
the expression has been made, the Light has been offered. It
then can percolate within the mind of the receiving individual.
The feelings will most assuredly call the attention to it again
and again through the experience of this person. For if it is
truly Light, it cannot help but be validated by the emotional
system, the voice of the Universal Spirit .

One of the tests of the spiritual intent of the person planting the seeds of
"Enlightenment", is whether or not this "seed" ultimately takes root. For if
our efforts are less than compassionate and spiritual, the Universal Spirit
operating within the recipient will be inclined to reject our offering.

As each such feeling spurs this person to examine and

reexamine the beliefs and strategies, the seedling will blossom
to the full intent of the offerer. But this might take a lifetime.

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And if immediate results are expected, then offers will be less
likely to occur. Faith in the Spirit will bring the accompanying
patience and understanding to allow you to let the Spirit move
you toward offering Light when you know it can be used and
trusting the universe to follow its natural course from there.

In a way, we are all like the mythical Johnny Appleseed when we elect to
travel through life offering our seeds of Light; and like that "Johnny", we
would tend to scatter them in an environment with some kind of chance of
their taking root. Also, this "tree farmer" would instinctively know that
patience is an essential part of achieving a successful growth.

For example, a young teacher feels moved to share personal

insights with a child she observes to be receiving very limiting
beliefs from her home environment. The child has been taught
to fear and suspect authority figures other than those who
advise her at home. Religion has been used to intimidate the
child into conforming to the lifestyle and wishes of her family,
often against the wisdom of her own spirit.

This is an area to be very careful in. As a similar situation in reverse

example, when my son was delivering newspapers in the neighborhood, one
subscriber took it upon himself to give him a lesson in fundamental religious
teachings. Suffice it to say, I called this fellow and suggested he keep his
opinions to himself. I'm sure his intention was good, but he had crossed into
an area without invitation.

The child believes herself to be sinful for feeling an attraction

to friendship with a new classmate from a different culture and
an opposing religion, but she is happy despite being
"different". (Her spirit tells her that this person can offer new
ideas and beliefs which is good for self-development, but her
mind, through its veil of belief, tells her this is wrong and
signals a feeling of fear as this belief is reinforced).The child

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wrestles with conflicting feelings and ends up bullying the
would-be friend. (The automatic response to the fear is to make
the outside world match the expectation of mind, by making
the child an enemy to match the belief. Then anger will be
experienced, but its message will go unnoticed. The rejection
of the spiritual signal results in a self-preservationary Flight
Response, a pattern of deadly habit).

We all know of adults who have taken umbrage at a suggestion which could
have broadened their spiritual outlook. When it comes from their children,
they tend to not only resist the ideas, but feel obliged to use guilt to try to
bring the child back into the fold of the adult's own belief system. This is
where compassion of the child to the parent is called for and needs to be
exercised. It may not be until the child reaches adulthood that he/she realizes
the need for this compassion but as soon as it is realized, forgiveness of the
parent is in order.

The teacher recognizes what is occurring and decides to offer

her Light. She brings the two girls together and offers a story
of how she and a similarly "different" classmate joined forces
against an aggressor who had been picking on them both, when
she was a girl. This story allowed both girls to feel a similar
position, like sisters---the connection between spirits was
suggested and accomplished. The two girls responded
differently to this offering in later behavior. For although a
seed was planted, each attracted events which matched the
mental landscape.

This was good psychology on the part of the teacher. Keeping in mind that
one of the greatest Teachers in history, used a parable to illustrate a spiritual
principle, this can be a useful, while not a threatening way to suggest a
change in outlook.

The first, continued to needle and demean her classmate for a

458
short period of time, and then became withdrawn and angry.
Her family moved away shortly thereafter. The second
experienced a stronger connection and began to interact more
with other classmates and became accepted. The teacher felt a
sense of frustration at not having been able to get through to
the first girl, and a bit of her idealism was rubbed away,
keeping her from so freely offering her Light in future
situations and dropping a veil of sadness upon her.

The outcome of our efforts won't always be immediately satisfying. Things

won't necessary go as we hoped. Disappointment can damage our own
outlook if we place too much emphasis on achieving success. But sometimes,
the victory is not in the end result but in how we made the effort. And as
indicated earlier, sometimes it can take a lifetime to make a difference.

But if faith and patience had dictated, she would have instantly
known that the seed has been planted. Regardless of the short-
term outcome, the frustration and sadness would not have
arisen to the point of misinterpretation of the experience, nor
would it have interfered with future self-expression.

Each experience, each idea, each piece of knowledge that enlightens, even
when not immediately accepted, serves as a foundation for that next event of
like kind. Nothing is ever totally forgotten, especially when it affects
Universal Spirit.

For the actual outcome was different. The first girl continued to
be heavily influenced by the conflicting dictates and limitations
of her family, and her mind created the same conflicting
situations reflected by evermore intense negative emotions.
During her adolescence, certain rebellions turned her anger
upon herself. She acted out her spiritual frustration in self-
destructive behaviors that were evermore unacceptable in her
family's limited viewpoint. Their mechanisms of control could

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no longer work against the power of her spirit. Her misguided
actions to gain freedom landed her in the juvenile justice
system. She was resistant to every external counselor or
advisor. She even attempted suicide to "break free". Then she
had an encounter that changed her life.

On a level beyond her conscious state, she drew close enough to the edge to
see that her survival and destiny would ultimately bring her beyond her
deep confusion. When she was ready, a new teacher appeared.

She was appointed a probation officer who was truly

compassionate and exhibited faith in spirit. But most
importantly, she was of the same culture as the classmate from
her early years and touched the spirit, creating a connection
like the first teacher had. This person offered, for the first time,
alternate beliefs and world views that allowed the girl the
freedom her spirit longed for, but the mind with its existing
limitations, would not allow. Had the seed not been planted,
this offer would also have met with resistance, but it had had
time to percolate and find its space among the many
debilitating ideas and beliefs which ruled her mind.

There are always "angels" ready to enter our lives at those moments they
are most needed. True Spirit is that All-Knowing force that can never let
ignorance of itself remain in place permanently.

The truth is that the spirit will always reign supreme, even
working within the most limited of mindscapes, and that the
timing of progress is insignificant in the grand scale. Faith in
spirit and patience will bring forth the best results and more
complete spiritual expression. Breaking free from the
limitations of mind is the challenge of each human , and
regardless of the timeliness or circumstances that bring this

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realization, it will come in its own time to each human no
matter how many lifetimes it might take. Once the
enlightenment is gained however, it can never fully be
reversed. Humans are at various places of understanding and
even the slightest offering can become a base for a break-
through. Then the reclaiming of the incredible power of the
mind can begin.

There are six billion plus souls in the physical of this planet, each an
opportunity of growth in progress. If we can help but one in a lifetime, we
have also helped ourselves.

The simple attitude of faith and patience will assure that each
entity will act upon the spiritual directive to offer the Light---
no matter how much darkness it is attempting to pierce. After
each such offering has been made, the spirit will faithfully
reward the entity with the loving feelings of divine resonance.
Thus acceptance, compassion and faith in spirit will provide
the foundation for the maximum avenues for fulfillment of the
human purpose of spiritual expression.

Amen, to that.

Gratitude

Another life-giving habit of self-expression is gratitude. Since

the feedback cycle depends upon a flow of energy from within
to without and back in again, it is essential for entities to
express back to others those actions and offerings that have
been beneficial---that have brought the spiritual feelings of
happiness and fulfillment.

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It would also seem that to complete the cycle is to enhance the retention of
the material that is brought to the consciousness and thus, further
incorporate and apply to the outside world.

All too often, resistance and competition keep humans from

admitting when they have gained from the help of another, let
alone asking for it. Successful self-expression then includes
acknowledgment and recognition of those and their offerings.
This springs from the cooperative rather than the competitive
spirit, wherein credit is given where credit is due, even when a
mentally misguided attempt is made.

A simple "Thanks" will do --- and where the help is of a less spiritual
quality, a "Thanks, but No Thanks" is also appropriate. Once competition
begins to play a lesser role in our lives, our appreciation of others and levels
of helpfulness will be enhanced.

Although individuals do not have a spiritual need for

recognition and acknowledgment, this does affirm the need for
connection and verifies publicly that self-expression has
occurred. It is through active, vocal gratitude that mass
consciousness can be altered to bring out self-expression, to
reward it rather than stifle or even punish those who dare to
follow the advice of their spirit. Expressions of gratitude for
even the slightest offerings should become habits
institutionalized within every human culture.

Hopefully, we will evolve into a society that not only tolerates diversity of
thought and creative expression but values the spirit which is expressed
through this process. Then the Creative Spirit will be celebrated in an
omnipresent fashion.

Humor

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Another gift of spirit, and tool for successful self-expression, is
humor. Humor is that mysterious, yet ever-present capacity for
humans to experience fun and spontaneous spiritual creativity.
It is the Creator's directive to find new and creative
perspectives and meaning and to share them. Humor reframes a
mundane thought into something unexpectedly meaningful and
inexplicably delightful. The spirit experiences joy upon
creating, delivering and accepting the creative humorous
insight.

Unfortunately, humor has been downgraded by the puritan influence within

Christianity. It became associated with guilt as part of the enjoyment
mentality that was considered to be unholy. It took the influence of the non-
puritan immigrants to bring the country back into balance.

Humor is a very pure form of spiritual expression. It relates

directly to the level of liberation experienced by Spirit and
reminds humans to think "outside of the box." Freedom and
spontaneity of spirit allows the humor and fun to flow. A spirit
relatively unfettered by mind, secure and exalted as the
valuable and ever-present driver, will be one capable of
spontaneous delightful humor. Genuine love and acceptance by
the outside world fosters this ability within each human being
and empowerment releases it.

Genuine humor can not exist without "spontaneity", nor should it. We can
appreciate the Spirit in each other when we can enjoy the quality of humor.
It is the unexpected that forces us to alter our addictive thinking patterns,
and brings us a sense of joy in the process.

Humor greases the wheels of acceptance. It is an avenue of

self-expression that is counterpart to the automatic Flight

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Response relating to anger. Humor is the antithesis of the angry
expressive response. It can be developed to replace angry
expressions and deadly habits. Humor is also the ally of the
ever evolving mind. It allows acceptance and understanding of
temporary self-limitation so that learning can then be sought. It
is the innate gift of humility connecting humans at every level
or grouping. Humor is the great equalizer resonating within
each and every spirit.

As a result, we can become both "greasy" and "evolved". The former allows
us to slide out of difficult situations and the latter builds our confidence in
being able to do so in the future.

A human who meets resistance, rejection and frustration early

in life is less likely to develop the ability to express through
humor. Yet, it is a gift that lies well within the capacity of each
and every spirit and one that can be a tremendous aid to self-
expression. As entities remove the internal and external
limitations that create fear and anger, they will open their
innate corresponding abilities to be humorous. Humor is to the
liberated spirit what anger is to the frustrated one. Humor is the
ability to view a frustration in alternate terms, to quickly
disarm a situation by reframing it creatively. Humor can
tremendously reduce resistance both from within and without.

If we have no sense of humor, the next best thing is to hang around someone
who does. It's the tuning fork principle. The higher vibration tends to bring
up the lower one and in an enjoyable way.

Humor can accomplish tremendous movement toward self

development, if it is used to remove the emotional boundaries
that often protect a limited mind. Humor can communicate the
humanness and commonalties that usher in the sense of

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connectedness and cooperation. Humor can open the entity to
the continuous change that is mental evolution. To be able to
laugh at one's self is to be open to all necessary growth.

At last resort, one can always look in the mirror (and if necessary, make a
funny face). Humor is most appreciated when we do make fun of ourselves
and even invite others to do it for us. Now that does require mental
evolution.

Humor can also facilitate communication and self-

expression. It can soften a harsh message when the learning
need level is very high and the growing pain is intense. Humor
can persuade and eliminate resistance to offers of light. The
more internal and external mental limitations are removed, the
more humor can manifest in each and every individual, and
eventually pour forth to delight the world.

People who can find a little humor in the most difficult of situations, are the
most needed on the planet.

But humor in those that are particularly gifted, can also become
a crutch to allow resistance and avoidance. Or it can be used to
communicate "passive-aggressively" if the consciousness is not
fully engaged. This is true of any human ability, it can either
work toward the human purpose or against it. This minor
caution should take its rightful place in the consciousness,
without minimizing or detracting from the truly incredible
power of humor.

The humor of Don Rickles comes to mind as an illustration of humor

delivered at the expense of others. On the other hand, the good natured fun-
poking at our exaggerated qualities can enhance our tolerance of our
differences and this too, evolves us spiritually.

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Self Promotion

Another habit to cultivate is one of telling the world who you

are and asking for what you need ---the habit of self promotion.
This is not to be confused with self aggrandizement, egomania
or boorish narcissism, but it is an essential ingredient to
successful living in the Light.

It is simply knowing what you want and why you should receive; and it helps
you define and expand on your own being, physically, mentally and
spiritually.

It has been a habit for humans to hold for themselves a

standard of selflessness to counteract what they believe to be
an innate selfishness that will run amok without external
control. This would be true if they were correct in the
assumptions that: 1. The only human purpose is self-
preservation and that "natural" competition will always reign
supreme over "cultural" cooperation; or 2. That humans are
naturally evil and need to be controlled by external dictates and
rules in order to live civilly; or 3. That humans are severed
from the guidance of the Creator and cannot act morally.

It is our disconnection from our spiritual nature that drives us to feel less
worthy. Two factors contribute to this: One is the guilt we are saddled with
at birth, based upon a mythical source of our origin in which our primal
parents betrayed the Supreme Spirit. The other is that the "so-called"
spiritual institutions have a need to keep us under control by down-playing
our true spiritual origin.

Although such ideas have helped humans through some

difficult times, they have been accepted to an extreme degree
that is no longer desirable. It has been carried to an extreme

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known as martyrdom, wherein the needs of the self are
dramatically and self-righteously removed from the picture,
creating pious victim-like suffering. In this scenario, the martyr
denies and suppresses personal needs in order to attempt to
fulfill the needs of others. This is based upon the faulty
assumption that someone can better understand and meet your
needs for you than you can for yourself. They often suffer in
silence and frustration, motivated only by some promise of
eternal reward in the afterlife.

Religious orders that take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience are
setting up, as ideals, the very qualities that would demean us spiritually, if
we are to accept the content of the above admonitions of the Lessons.
Because such is contrary to our spiritual nature, the popularity of this
lifestyle must decline as the human race becomes more spiritually
enlightened. While these organizations do many good works for the poor,
they do little to relieve the conditions which create poverty on all levels.

The martyr role has also become a weapon of resistance and

even not-so-subtle aggression. Pious selflessness is actually
used to generate guilt through which to manipulate others. The
underlying message is that if you martyr yourself, someone
else is now obligated to do the same for you. Or that your
beliefs, or your religious ideals, or your political views, reign
superior over those of the other whom you pretend to help.
This goes against the Creator's intent that each individual
develop a mindset for themselves without unnecessary external
intervention. It negates the gift of Free Will and frustrates the
need for freedom and self-determinism.

There appears to be a distinction here between "public" martyrdom and

"private" martyrdom. The former appears to be an act of manipulation
while the latter is simply an act of Free Will on a most personal level and is a
more true act of "pious" selflessness.

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This also sets up the individual to experience continuing
emotional pain, due to the fact that they have cut themselves
off from the required spiritual need fulfillment. The silent
sufferer never voices or attempts to meet the needs themselves
and anger inevitably results. The martyr can then blame those
expected to reciprocate when they do an inadequate job of
guessing and satisfying the martyr's needs. The cycle of
resentment and revenge can ensue when the person the martyr
holds responsible to reciprocate does an inadequate job. This
prompts automatic defensive and self-preservationary
responses that are hardly in keeping with the original intent.

It would appear that the "martyrdom role" that is so revered in religious

history may not be all it's cracked up to be. At the very least, the role that
many attempt to emulate by the making of sacrifices for others, may be little
more than a control tool. When giving is done without expectation of
reciprocation, it is closer to Spiritual connection.

The directive of "honoring others above self" should be

replaced with the understanding that self-needs cannot be
denied, nor second-guessed or filled by others; that cooperation
with others should always replace competition; that every other
self is indeed part of the totality of self---of All That Is. The
directive of "Honoring self while honoring others" is far more
aligned with Divine Intention.

The above does and should give new meaning to the admonition of "...love
thy neighbor as thyself." It doesn't suggest that putting others before our
own selves is that great a virtue. Rather, it suggests that we ALL have equal
importance in the All That Is. It gets beyond "competing" with each other to
valuing each other and "cooperating" for a higher purpose.

To reverse the trend of the martyr, humans must learn to

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respect and honor the boundaries of spirit, those innate genetic
aspects of self that are right and good in the eyes of the
Creator. They must not only honor, but actively promote
themselves through Light Responses which remove obstacles
and increase opportunities to express and contribute to the total
human evolution. They must actively develop skill to
communicate their needs and to find and open doors of need-
meeting opportunity. They must speak and act upon their
spiritual truth, to develop the life-giving habit of self-
promotion.

We have not quite reached that stage in our mental development where we
can automatically read each other's minds. Consequently, we have to
exercise our verbal skills to strengthen the lines of communication amongst
ourselves. Thus, we can better understand each other and reach greater
levels of peace and harmony.

This brings us to the third application of the Faith In Spirit

habit. The act of self-promotion can be likened to the
identifying and knocking on doors of opportunity. The more
expression, the more doors opened, the better. Surely not all
can open at the same time, nor could an earthbound human
possibly pass through them simultaneously, nor can every
opening match exactly the exceptions of mind. This is when
flexibility of mind is essential. This is when the mind must
adapt to the dynamic changes necessary to proceed through
unknown doors. This is when the mind must accept when a
door slams in the face of one's plans. This is the point at which
probabilities alter, sending a rigid mind into growing pain and
resistance.

The "Fuller Brush" salesman from past decades, made his living by
knocking on doors and selling his wares to the person who opened it. In

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doing so, he also had to sell Himself. To sell "Himself", he had to love
Himself. In loving "Himself", he developed equal love and acceptance of
others and experienced the range of acceptance and rejection. In other
words, he became whole.

But such shifts in course often take the person far beyond the
original expectations. This is when Faith in Spirit is essential.
Faith in Spirit, following self-promoting, acknowledges that
life can unfold in delightfully surprising ways. This is the
letting go to a higher power. This is the trust that the mind has
the ability to create reality and the spirit will have a hand in its
direction that creates the courage to venture into uncharted
territory. Faith allows the letting go of long held goals with the
faith that something even better will surely result---for it will.

With "Spiritual" intent as the compass of our activities, self-promoting

results in linking ourselves up with the spiritual nature of all others, while
uncoupling ourselves from that which limits us.

No matter how it may appear in the short run, the long term
outcome will be far better for Spirit than the plan of the limited
mind. Maximizing opportunity through self-promotion and
letting go and trusting, will allow the most complete and
rewarding life paths to unfold. Responding with acceptance
and effective learning (Right Responses), the mind can adapt to
match the new direction.

The "mind", like all the other aspects of our being, is a part of the All That
Is. When "reminded" of it's Spiritual nature, it can not let us down.

This can require great courage when enduring long-term goals

and dreams seem to be suddenly dashed by the winds of fate.
When marriages fail, loved ones die, jobs are lost, economies
collapse, and countries go to war, faith is the only salvation.

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Faith in the Light will be a primary driver through even the
darkest hours. Rest assured that the combined strategies of self-
promotion, faith in Spirit and flexible Right Responses to
growing pains will ensure the maximum life experience. Spirit
will create that which is desired as long as you are doing your
best at self-promotion and mental development, but it may
come in forms beyond the limits of imagination, though sure to
be delightful and rewarding. Self-promotion can open worlds
far beyond your imagination---go with it in faith.

Like a fellow said to me once, "Cheer up - things could be worse!" So I

cheered up and, sure enough, things got worse!

Most of the habits discussed thus far have involved interactions

and communications with other humans, but there are other
habits of self-expression that are also very beneficial and more
singular in nature. They can also be more immediately
rewarding, for they do not depend upon an external other
effecting change as a result. These are the physical, dramatic
and artistic creative spiritual expressions that make the world
go around. These are the types of spiritual expression that are
immediately rewarding to mind, body and soul---because they
perpetuate the intention of All That Is.

That's good, because human relations can be a real downer sometimes. The
essence of this particular topic appears to be equivalent to the suggestion
that we don't hide our lantern under a basket. We are, after all, a flame of
Divine Light.

Creative Artistic Expression

The Creator intended humans to pursue that which brought

pleasure and avoid that which brought pain, but not merely for

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simple survival. For this method also determines what contents
of mind to choose in order to live the most complete and
fulfilling life. Pain and pleasure, when understood are the
essential learning tools of self development so that maximum
spiritual expression can result. Since humans have not yet
understood this simple truth, there exists far more pain than
was ever intended.

Just as a child learns the lesson of heat and fire by having the unpleasant
experience of touching them, and a mother knows that this is one of life's
lessons that inevitably must be learned, so we prefer to keep that kind of
lesson minimal. But suppose the mother said to her child, "Sweetheart, the
more you burn in this life, the less you'll burn in the next." What effect
might this have on children and their relationship to fire?

Yet, since the dawn of humankind, there have existed outlets

for such pain, inborn escape hatches through which pleasure
can be experienced simply by resonating to the spirit within
others. For this reason, pleasure is automatically experienced
through the successful spiritual expression of others. Of course,
resistance and beliefs can always still get in the way, but this
ability to connect and resonate to the experience of others is
quite powerful. And this ability gives birth to what is known as
art in all of its forms.

Each time we see/hear and enjoy an "artist" expressing him/herself with

skill and dedication, we are recipients of that spiritual joy, because in our
creative moments, we know what they know.

Throughout the most painful of human eras, with violation,

war, fear and want, there have always been the arts. The basis
of art is when the individual connects with the spirit of the
moment allowing the divine spark to flow unabated, expressing
itself outward. It matters not whether anyone responds, or is

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even present at that instant. Creative expression is a highly
personal act, yet leaves a legacy so that the divine spark
catches the spirit of all who witness it at some later point. This
is why the arts are found to be so enjoyable; they connect with
the kindred spirit within and affirm the universal validity of the
necessary expression.

How grand the world could be, were there more artists than soldiers. Indeed
there are, since we are all "artists" in one form or another.

Creative expression occurs when the mind temporarily steps

aside and allows the spirit to reign superior over the
consciousness. Creative expression is when the spirit-body is
alive without interference of the mind. It is an energy that
flows through the cracks of mind, winding its way through the
dense network of limiting beliefs, like a river flows through a
thick forest to the sea. It is actually a slightly altered state of
consciousness that scientists are just now beginning to notice.
This state has been called the flow state. In this state, the mind
does not attend other stimulus; its focus is away from the
happenings of the world and honed in on the person's creative
expression. And in this state there is an unmistakable feeling of
pleasure.

Being creative is not a particular talent, it is a Universal Gift, as present in

nature as Spirit itself. It is more than just doing, it is being, which is why
time is lost when in the process.

Although the feeling is most powerful for the individual doing

the creative act, those witnessing such expression can also be
pulled into the spiritual flow. This is a wonderful, vital and
health giving ability. And it has rescued humans from the
depths of despair time and again--- for the Creator does not

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intend such pain and suffering. It is only due to the human
choices, the slivers of mind, that lingering pain has become a
fact of life. But enlightened ones understand how pain is
merely a signal to be acted upon to right the mind to free the
spirit. And creative expression is a powerful liberator.

The Spirit, so apparent in nature, is equally visible in humankind. We need

only look, listen and feel to sense the beauty in even the most violent of
circumstances. As nature can be frightening and beautiful at the same time,
so humans, who should know better, can be also. The question is , which is
emulating the other?

Humans have an incredible flexibility with which they can

handle huge amounts of pain in their lives. But perhaps most
beneficial, is the fact that they can get by with a minimal
amount of need fulfillment. They can channel the energy from
one unmet need into another for which they have developed a
successful outlet. They can use spontaneous creative
expression to give regular release to frustrated spiritual energy.

We truly are marvelous in our potential.

This is the reason why every cultural tradition has incarnated

some expressive form into its institutional framework. Be it
oration, music, singing, group movement, chanting, drumming
or any other form, it endures because it is aligned with spiritual
intention. But self-expression is not at all limited to such
traditions or activities.

In fact, part of the creative process is to develop new forms of music, art,
sport and non-conventional forms of thought and expression. While
"traditionalists" usually do not welcome such efforts, whether it appears to
enhance spirituality or not, it must be respected and allowed as a reflection
of spiritual nature.

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In fact, any creative pursuit that involves using the hands to
manipulate matter and changes its external form to match
some internal vision is highly pleasurable and rewarding. Such
creative pleasure drives human evolution itself. For spirits in
flesh are intended to use the power of mind and the inspiration
of Spirit to design and create a physical world of their
choosing. Such creations do not have to be considered artistic
to be highly rewarding. Most professional pursuits allow
freedom of the creative impulse as well as provide the rewards
of connection and meaning.

A final measure of the true value of what we create may lie in the "feeling"
we experience upon making the effort and observing the result. When we are
sensitive to Spirit we are automatically connected to the life forms around us
and how what we do affects that form.

The only caution is that human creations should flow from

spiritual intent, or they can create undesirable physical results.
Creations that follow cooperation, pleasure, and love will
endure and create further experiences of cooperation, pleasure,
and love. Creations that follow competitive impulse, fear and
anger will always create further competition, fear, and anger.
But no matter how long they are allowed to endure within mass
consciousness, they will eventually give way to more
enlightened forms of expression, as individuals, one by one,
learn to heed and actively express the Spirit within.

The above appears to draw a direct link between that which a society's
entertainment industry produces and the behavior of those who are subject
to it. It is when that "link" becomes apparent that the producer begins to
consider the consequences of the creation and alter it accordingly. That
realization has to come from within.

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Unfortunately, this will not occur without the conscious choice
of humankind. For within consciousness lies the ultimate
freedom. The Creator gives all the necessary guidance through
the feelings of pleasure and pain and the mental ability to
create and actualize that which is chosen by mind. The
creations then reflect their level of need-meeting success
through resulting feelings of pleasure or pain. Thus, the cycle
of development and expression continues. Just as the inner
mind is developed within each individual, so follows the
external evolution of human mental and physical technology or
mass consciousness.

It may seem at times that society is not progressing on a spiritual path, but
the fact that we are becoming more aware of our shortcomings is evidence
that we are progressing.

The life-giving habits of self-expression can bolster every other

effort toward living in the Light. Self-expression is the integral
step that unites humans within the physical realm. It is the
driver of experience and the mechanism to solicit feedback
from spirit regarding how well the mind is doing in its task of
continuous development and meeting its needs in the world.

We know that All That Is assists that which strives to express its nature. If
not, why are we here?

Touch

Creating with the hands brings us to another powerful life

giving habit of self-expression---that of touch . The energy that
flows through the hands in artistic creation, is that same energy
that can be exchanged between life forms through the laying on

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of hands. The physical, emotional and therapeutic benefit of
touch is already fairly well understood within mass
consciousness, but basically only because humans find it
mysteriously pleasurable to touch one another. What is not
understood consciously, is the expressive value, spiritual
fulfillment and the physical exchange of energy that
accompanies human touch .

This does appear to give physical evidence that "feelings" are, in fact, a form
of energy as valid as the more obvious energy we deal with in the physical,
i.e. electrical, mechanical, etc. Understanding this is the next step to putting
it to practical use in our lives, in new and innovative ways.

Humans have discovered---in spades---certain pleasurable gifts

of the flesh, such as human sexuality. The innate pleasure
centers that motivate procreation have become the fodder of
many limiting thoughts, beliefs, and systems of living that seek
to tame the wild beast within. But the sexual experience is also
a highly spiritual one wherein energies are exchanged between
truly loving entities. This creates a deeply spiritual connection
where energies meld again into one another, recalling the
consciousness to the fact that we are all intermingling energies.
There should be the highest respect for this act, and an
honoring of its spirituality, instead of the simply physical
excitements and releases. For this type of expression without
the presence of love can be spiritually frustrating and damaging
physically, psychically and emotionally, not to mention the
problem of procreation outside of the original spiritual intent of
loving interactive developmental connection.

This paragraph brings such clarity to the reasons for applying a discipline to
the sexual act. In a society that worships wanton pleasure for its own sake,
we have lost the meaning of the value of truly loving relationships and pay a

477
price for this loss in the many other ways we relate to each other. Crime and
violence have increased with narcissism, as the value of others declines
inversely to that of ourselves.

The benefits of touch, however, have far more applications.

This simple touch of the shoulder of one who is in distress can
communicate the empathic connectedness of spirit and loving
compassion quite healing to one experiencing pain. To stroke a
child or a pet is intensely rewarding to both parties. Overall
massage of the body also provides actual therapeutic benefit to
the cells as well as the energy system.

There are cultures that know and practice the art of physical
communication with lots of hugs and abrazoes. These cultures reflect an
openness and happiness that is reflected in the life style. Just as those
cultures that refrain from physical expression are prone to produce an
environment that reflects the restrained attitudes. Nowhere is this more
evident than between northern and southern Europe.

As humans develop less limited mindscapes, they will become

attuned to the more subtle and powerful aspects of human
touch. For now, like many other natural gifts, touch speaks for
itself. Humans the world over are encouraged to exploit its
physical and emotional benefits as much as possible.

We seek to understand and utilize the subtle energies around us while failing
to notice that many of them are already in play.

Vocalizing

Self expression is about getting yourself out there, about telling

the world what you think, dream, and desire. Humans rely
mostly upon words---the gift of language, no matter what

478
tongue. But self expression is any action or utterance that
meets needs or shows gratitude when they have been met. It is
how the individual creates change in the environment, how
evolution proceeds. Thus, as part of the human natural
motivative system, it has some built-in features. The Creator
endowed humans with several kinds of innately rewarding
vocal methods of spiritual expression.

Talking is one of the more complicated means of expressing our state of

mind and emotions. The others that will follow give us an opportunity to
vent our feelings in a deeper, more spontaneous fashion. We often did this
readily in our youth, but became more restrained as we grew older. It may
be time to re-examine that decision.

The most rudimentary vocal form of self-expression is the

ability to shed tears. Like every other inborn gift, the ability to
cry is part of the Spiritual safety net, wherein physical
processes take over and respond to spiritual frustration in
necessary ways. For example, take a newborn. Crying is the
first tool a human has to communicate distress and frustrated
needs. The parents relate emphatically to the distress and then
act in ways which solve the problem. Without such assistance,
helpless newborns could not survive. (The sound of an infant
crying is also innately aversive and humans are immediately
motivated to make it stop.) The parents must have a high
degree of attachment to the infant to respond to its needs, or the
spirit will vacate the body. Such inter-dependence of humans is
one of the physical requirements of the Creator.

One might say it is a "base requirement", that begins with our first entry
into the physical and grows in complexity as we grow in mental agility and
spiritual awareness. What we are not necessarily aware of is that this form
of expression need not necessarily be totally outgrown and cast aside. For
the reasons explained below, it has value to us throughout our lives.

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Crying not only happens when self needs are frustrated, but it
also happens spontaneously when empathic pain of others is
experienced. And crying is not limited merely to negative
experiences, for humans can also weep with joy. Humans often
weep over deep and abiding human experiences, rights of
passage, and common situations of success and pleasure.
Humans often weep when they experience the deeper meaning,
or rhythms within daily living. For this system communicates
the connectedness and intent of the spirit when the experiences
of others touch the universal sameness and resonate with the
knowledge that All Are One.

There are times when we weep for ourselves, when we can't seem to make a
clear connection with the world around us. But this, too, is of value as it
relieves some of the pressure to comply and conform with the situations in
which we are uncomfortable.

Crying is often associated with new beginnings, when the spirit

swells with faith, hope and optimism. Such milestones are
often marked with traditional ceremonies such as weddings,
rights of passage, graduations, promotions, births, etc., as the
spirit resonates, validates, and encourages movement along the
path of life. Tears can mark the final breakthrough of
consciousness into awareness of long held, yet denied conflicts,
self-doubts and beliefs. Tears often accompany such personal
rebirth, as spirit basks in enlightening self-development. Spirit
sings its song of hope through tears.

This shows that "songs" may be sung even though they are devoid of words
or music. There is a part of us that often "sings" with the other portions of
our physical bodies, an experience we can become aware of and appreciate.

480
Crying is often also associated with closure, in universally
human situations of endings---funerals, good-byes, relocations,
divorces, or any other transitions that mark the end of one
phase and the beginning of another. Tears punctuate the human
cycles of birth, death, and rebirth offering physical release in
lieu of clear understanding of the ever-evolving dynamic nature
of the mind and of life itself. When these understandings are
absorbed, crying will result less from resistance and more from
the acceptance of the connection and universality of spirits.
Humans shall instead cry tears of joy.

A true understanding of the cycle of death, in particular, will redefine the

nature of grief and, someday, may even bring us to the point that the tears
we shed in those circumstances, will be the tears of joy, knowing that the
person who leaves us is actually being reborn to his/her natural
environment.

Crying continues to act as a human connector and a vent for

frustrations throughout the entire lifetime. Crying is a very
healthy activity, despite its aversiveness and corresponding
reputation within mass consciousness. Men in particular need
to learn how to understand and appreciate its benefits.

Men can begin to acquaint themselves with this activity from an intellectual
perspective, but what can naturally follow is a favorable attitude toward
participation when the positive aspects are clearly understood.

Allowing yourself to be carried away within a good cry is

tantamount to going into a healing altered state of
consciousness. The body takes over and allows the emotional
energy to pour forth in physical reflexive lurches and
uninhibited tears. Crying is psychically and physically
cleansing. It allows the body to cast off pent-up emotional

481
frustrations and right itself, regardless of the limitations of
mind which continually fuel the fires of frustration. The crying
response automatically calls forth the necessary hormones and
chemicals that actually wash away toxins and impurities that
contribute to physical stress and decay.

Who knows, this might be a factor that explains why women tend to outlive
their counterparts. If stress is truly the killer we are beginning to suspect it
is, then this might prove to be quite beneficial to a state of health and well-
being.

Thus, humans are encouraged to cry with abandonment. Seek

out opportunities---go to see sentimental movies, enjoy the
literature, and other art forms which bring on tears. Cry when
you are moving and dancing about, allow your spirit total
liberation. Cry when you find yourself in deeply spiritually
pleasing places, when you meditate, or when you gaze upon
nature. Crying is the spirit resonating---so let the tears flow
freely. Of course, private personal crying will be easier to
accomplish than public releases. But let it be known that even
big boys should cry with reckless abandon to help affirm and
preserve their physical and spiritual boundaries.

It is probably time for the male species to get beyond the early
programming, find a nice private space (or comfort with someone you care
about) and let go. Do it as an experiment and pay attention to the results.
What's to lose?

Laughter is another of nature's gifts of vocal expression. It

relates to the mystery of humor as well as to the crying
response with equally cleansing and curative benefits. Laugh
loud and often. For laughter also sings the Spirit's song of hope
and oneness. Laughter speaks for itself.

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Yes, I think we've shed enough tears for the moment. Surely, both sexes can
be comfortable in sharing a good laugh.

But it is all too easy for humans to become so entangled within

the limits of their own minds that they forget to laugh. It takes
conscious focus to remember to find the humor within, and to
respond to it heartily. Thus, humans should also seek out
opportunities to laugh, to find the fun in the unexpected and
note it with a hearty burst of laughter---no matter how
challenging life might be at any point. Laughter feeds the mind,
body and soul.

...and it's non-fattening! There are actually people who take their personal
health care so seriously that they forget to laugh about it. We know that the
ability to laugh at ourselves is so essential to our emotional balance. We just
forget sometimes.

The final form of vocal expression is song. What human has

not felt the physical effects of meaningful tones and vibrations
upon the body? There is some form of uniform vocal
expression in each and every human culture, which evidences
its universal benefit. Song has been used throughout human
history to invoke spiritual resonance and to connect it with
religious teachings, political alliances, and community
groupings. To experience the harmony and passion of voice
raised in song, is to know in the fiber of our being the
tremendous accomplishments that humans can achieve with
cooperative expression. So, like laughter and tears, sing loud
and sing often. (And remember not to mentally judge how it
sounds!! Let the spirit squeak and howl freely.)

If one feels that his/her voice is not pleasing enough to be shared with others,

483
there's always the time-honored practice of singing in the shower. It's
exclusive and sounds pretty good, too.

For the sounds of song also have direct effects upon the energy
system of the body. The vibrations of certain tones correspond
with major energy centers within the body. There is much to be
learned in this area regarding physical transmutation and
manipulation of matter with the use of sound. As the many
limitations within mass consciousness are reduced one by one,
new creative insights and approaches will be allowed to unfold
in this area. At this time, suffice it to say that singing is
nourishment for the body, mind, and soul.

There seems to be a suggestion here that we might be able to sing, cry, laugh,
dance and whatever ourselves into a higher state of spiritual enlightenment.
I suspect it's true.

In sum, all vocal expressions can serve positive purposes. Be

they words of kindness, or rejection of injustice. Be they tears
of frustration or joy. Be they laughter or song. Use them and
enjoy them, for they are the gifts of the Gods.

There are many who have overcome while singing about it.

Expressing Within The Creation

One final comment in the area of self-expression relates to

being at one in spirit with the Natural Creation. It is innately
pleasing to express through interaction with other life forms
within the creation. Creative expressions and art forms which
interact with other organisms achieve a special emotional
reward. To create with flora, to garden, landscape, or even

484
simply to walk among the trees of a forest, are actions which
strike a deep chord within the spirit in affirmation of the inter-
connectedness of every apportionment of spirit.

This is more difficult when one lives in an urban environment and an

alternative to the above suggestions in that case, might be to interact on an
intellectual or emotional level with spiritual writings or groups who explore
spiritual matters. Then, as often as possible, find an environment of pure
nature and wallow in it.

Interaction with animals is particularly pleasing, generating a

physical, mental, emotional and spiritual response universal to
all humans. Such forms of appreciation and interaction with all
of creation are innately rewarding.

This is a practical alternative where pets (dogs and cats) are allowed. The
latter seem to serve that need particularly well when not demanding undue
attention or being an annoyance to others.

Thus, there is a counterpart responsibility for humans to ensure

that their own creative technological expressions are limited to
those within the cooperative spirit that does not infringe upon
any other form of life. This is a responsibility that should be
accepted and honored at its highest levels. Humans should
ponder this challenge and begin immediately to act upon it.

As we continue to expand as a species and take a greater share of space upon

this planet, the very least we can and should do is apologize to the other life
forms we displace. It's the honorable thing to do.

With the understandings in place to begin replacing the deadly

habits with life-giving ones, we can now turn the discussion to
the human needs themselves.

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Page 187-196 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Four A: Universal Values & Needs

The Scientific Authority

Science is often considered the most acceptable source of

human knowledge. A reputation well deserved for the most
part. But scientists might teach you that the universe and all of
life is some sort of big cosmic accident. They might say that
consciousness itself arose from the primordial soup only after
centuries and centuries of "evolution." Perhaps the worst
advice they offer is that there is no greater purpose than simple
self-preservation, that life at its core is brutish competition for
survival of the fittest.

We see the consequences of this philosophy most reflected by the medical

profession with physical life being preserved at all costs. This has
deteriorated into a form of "for profit" health care that keeps a portion of
peoples' consciousness trapped in their bodies long after their spirits have
moved on to a better place.

They offer such advice without acknowledging the

overpowering evidence that the universe and all of the natural
creation operates instead upon a directive of cooperation
toward a higher, divine purpose of self-development and self-
expression . Science is cautious in its assertions because it
holds to objective, empirical standards which seek to avoid the

486
limiting influence of existing subjective beliefs---a most noble
goal. For the existing beliefs within the cultural memory run
the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous. They declare
wildly conflicting truths and righteousness about human
values, purpose, and morality. Many place negative value
judgments upon human nature itself. There are no limits to
humanity's creative interpretations. Any such belief can be
entertained and passed down through the generations. Many
such limiting assumptions are passed along through religious
frameworks as unimpeachable and unquestionable truths.
Therefore, there are many conflicting, inaccurate beliefs that
need to be sifted and classified. Science seeks objective laws
upon which to base such subjective classification.

But in its efforts to do so, it often commits the same mistakes of infallibility
that are adhered to by groups outside of the scientific community. It is in
this flaw that "most noble goals" can be subverted.

To this end, scientists look to the natural world to find evidence

that can explain life---but without assuming that a Creator
exists. Much to the chagrin of many atheistic scientists, this
approach will lead humans to the unmistakable, irreversible
conclusion that there does exist such a force with intention,
value, and divine purpose.

In nature, while hidden to some and obvious to others, lies the evidence of
the universal Spirit. Whether studying the human cell or a distant galaxy, a
thread of purpose runs through the dynamics of the essence of each. It is
what led the poet to observe that the universe could be found in a grain of
sand.

When scientists become acquainted with human nature and the

emotional system, they will have all the evidence they need to

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conclude the presence of a higher intelligence at work. For
indeed, "God" is alive and well. The intention of the Creator is
evidenced in the creation with far more integrity, validity, and
truth than any human philosophical or religious rendering.
Indeed, any "truth" put forth that is not aligned with actual
human nature is simply inaccurate. For God does not play dice
with the universe. There is order, cooperation and intent.

What is so obvious in the natural world outside of ourselves, is even more

impressive when we begin to explore and understand the potential of our
inner natures. For the outer world is truly a reflection of the inner, and
therein lies our ultimate creative freedom.

Scientists are finally on the verge of discovering that the

emotional language unites the intuitive (spiritual) qualities and
the rational (mental) qualities. This has been the missing piece
of human puzzle since time untold. Once recognizing this
natural, elegant mechanism, they will be led to higher and
higher levels of objective understandings. They might be
resistant at first, due to their own particular brand of dogma,
which seeks to fit evidence into overly narrow paradigms. But
those that heed the inner desire to know, more than they fear
where it might take them, will succeed.

As this principle would apply to scientists, so it would and should apply to

theologians when they are willing to abandon power and influence for true
spiritual enlightenment.

Much to the chagrin of religious zealots, these discoveries will

alter the face of God as they know it. Nonetheless, great
knowledge and guidance can then emerge which can influence
mass consciousness quite profoundly. And it will be
knowledge that provides far more fulfillment than any truths or

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values which will have to be abandoned.

Scientists need only take what should be the obvious step from the absence
of Spirit to the ubiquitous nature of Spirit and be willing to lead
philosophers and theologians through a door of unlimited possibilities and
into greater alignment with All That Is.

Spiritual Intention Vs Human Mental Values

What they (scientists) will discover from finally coming to

understand the human feeling feedback system, is that there are
indeed certain hardwired, biologically intended, universal
values. Values are levels of quality which are desirable and
have intrinsic worth. Although virtually anything goes in the
realm of mind, the realm of spirit knows---and desires humans
to know---inherent universal values.

This realization by the scientists of the world will give a boost to acceptance
that ALL humans are endowed with a spiritual nature so intrinsic that with
a little encouragement, the human race will be able to take quantum leaps
toward resolving many of its problem relationships. Peace on earth will be a
truly attainable reality.

Humans may place value upon any arbitrary traits, behaviors,

or objects as long as they are in agreement. Although human
values can come and go, changing with the times and varying
widely across cultures and human history, the spiritual values
are those that are non-negotiable, and everlasting. They have
always existed and they always will in their purely elegant but
simple form. The difference is that universal, spiritual values
are the same for each and every human being and perhaps
every form of life itself.

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This is the concept that has always enhanced human dignity and led to forms
of government, for example, that defined human rights and established the
"principles" to protect those rights.

These universal values can be found underlying many cultural

traditions, rules and codes. Many human values are, in fact,
symbolic representatives of these spiritual values. For example,
dollars, ducats, francs, pesos, lyre, pounds, wampum, etc., are
all representatives of monetary value. The money itself has no
inherent value. But as an agreed upon medium of exchange, it
often provides power, freedom, and can bring fulfillment. The
only reason money succeeds as a human value is because it
hooks into the higher, spiritual values and brings emotional
rewards. On the other hand, if the human value conflicts with a
spiritual value, it will cause emotional pain. Many aspects of
money do, indeed, conflict with certain spiritual values. The
relationship between human and natural values is captured in
the expression: "money cannot buy happiness."

Yet, money, when infused with a concept of spiritual value, can bring
opportunities for fulfillment of body, mind and spirit. The trick is in
keeping, it like anything else, in the proper perspective.

Thus far, many human values conflict with spiritual values, due
to our lack of understanding. Many teachings and world views
do not recognize all spiritual values and overemphasize some
at the expense of others. This creates conflict in experience and
bad feelings to such a high degree that humans think such
negative experience is normal. There is thought to be no sense,
meaning or order in the universe and that life itself is meant as
a torturous series of painful events, or that suffering is
somehow good for the soul. When in actuality, suffering
merely signals when human choices are hurtful, so immediate

490
corrections can be made, restoring the intended state of
enlightened bliss.

If we begin to detach ourselves sufficiently from the immediacy of life to

understand that this physical experience is meant to be a true educational
experience and a form of on-the-job training, we can accept the lessons of
life with greater appreciation, rather than wallowing in our personal self-
pity.

Spiritual Values Embodied In Human Needs

Such suffering is no longer necessary. Now, with

understandings of how the emotional language speaks the
intention of spirit, observing what happens emotionally when
certain conditions exist, reveals exactly what that divine
intention might be. For the Creator's intention is hardwired into
the human being at the physical, mental, and emotional level in
what is called universal human need.

This is the great spiritual gift. We can explore indefinitely the distractions of
the "tunnel", but we can never completely ignore the "light" at the end.

Human needs are about human purpose. They are designed into
human nature to internally orient each upon the Destiny Path.
Each need plays its own unique role in the basic purpose of
self-preservation, as well as in guiding humans to their higher
purpose of self development and expression. Each need derives
from (and points to) the spiritual values of self worth, divine
joy, self expansion and cooperative unity. When human needs
are fulfilled in a balanced manner, the natural, divine human
morality emerges in every thought and deed .

It is the "all roads lead to Rome" concept. It is intended that, whatever our

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perspective/path we may currently be traveling on, we have an unlimited
opportunity to utilize that uniqueness in our quest for our personal "Holy
Grail".

It bears repeating that these values are translated into

biological human needs. They have been previously
introduced in two categories of Individual (power) Needs and
the Group (connection) Needs. Now they can be examined
more closely. Understanding the needs themselves can explain
a great deal about human behavior and why certain actions
happen instead of others. They can provide key information
that helps accurately interpret feelings and identify the casual
beliefs that need to be altered. For oftentimes, the beliefs place
the needs in conflict with each other. Yet the impetus to fulfill
them is so powerful that it motivates choices often outside the
conscious awareness of the individual. This is because the
spiritual needs, biologically impressed upon the human being,
play a very important role in the feedback information cycle of
the language of emotion. Listening to the language of feelings
will lead you to your chosen beliefs of mind, but they will also
lead to your inborn values of spirit experienced as the needs of
the flesh.

There are times when the decisions we make seem to defy our logical
process. Yet, on a level we hardly understand or appreciate at this point in
our history, we are making these "decisions" on the basis of an intended
spiritual form of growth and, ultimately, this is how things work out.

The Role Of Human Needs

There are many ideas and beliefs regarding human need. Many
such dictates and values spring from human culture, from mass

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consciousness, rather than from spiritual validity. Which
means, of course, that there are many distortions put forth
about human need in general. One such distortion is that it is
considered a good thing for one person to "need" another. A
second distortion is that each person is supposed to fulfill the
needs of others, in selfless charity, while their own needs go
unmet. This only brings confusion, martyrdom, co-dependency,
unhappiness, resentment and conflict. For each individual is
intended to fulfill his or her own needs.

Now that might be a hard one to swallow. However, in the name of needing
each other, a lot of emotional damage is inflicted that could probably be
avoided if a little more detachment were practiced. It may also sound callous
to suggest that helping others is sometimes less than a noble act, but an
imposed obligation (exercised through guilt) to help someone else while one's
own needs are yet to be met, is simply a distortion of charity and is bound to
bring on perverted consequences.

This spiritual directive is so non-negotiable, important and

powerful, that each human is born with preset biological self-
protecting reactions to ensure that they will be met. If self-
needs go unfulfilled, the emotional signal will sound. If the
corrective message is ignored, the emotional intensity will
continue to build, motivating the person to seek relief in any
way possible.

If we accept the principle that we can and do create our own reality, then
when we give strength to the role of victimhood, we discourage the true
capabilities of our existence.

This basic connection between need, emotion, and the urge to

act sets the stage for many actions which seek escape from the
painful emotions. This is the basis for nearly every
competitive, violent, aberrant, compulsive, or addictive

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behavior perpetrated by mankind. Thus, it is imperative for
humans to understand their needs, be empowered to meet them
in any manner they so choose, and to listen to the emotional
signals for guidance and feedback.

Our true knowledge and power comes from within ourselves. When we
intentionally rely upon others to meet our needs, we do ourselves the
greatest disservice.

As we have become acquainted with the language of human

spirit, we have learned how the human feelings provide
continuous guiding feedback information. We know that the
goal is to compare and balance mind and spirit. At this closer
level, we can see exactly what gets compared. These needs are
the internal spiritual standards against which the emotional
signals compare external results. These needs are the measures
against which the beliefs are evaluated. In short, the emotional
signal in any given moment tells us how well our needs have
been met by our beliefs. The feelings compare our needs with
our beliefs and constantly inform us which beliefs help meet
our needs and which frustrate them, so that corrections can be
made. Bear in mind that our needs flow from our destiny and
intuitive knowledge of spiritual intention---a source far wiser
than our minds. They drive us toward divine intention no
matter where the mind thinks it ought to go. This way, the
desires and actions will steer the mind in choosing the best
beliefs.

If we believe poverty is a virtue and we are unhappy in our state of

deprivation, we can realize that to alter our financial state, we will need to
examine and revise our beliefs.

The best belief systems, of course, are those built upon this

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spiritual feedback. The best mindscapes will allow all needs to
be met in some balanced manner, without neglecting some to
meet others. In the course of the learning experiences, the
safety feature of the emotional system will motivate automatic
physical corrective actions, if the mind does not choose
successful ones. These responses will often occur before the
mind is even invoked. They are intended to ensure survival
long enough to ponder how and why such a situation came
about to foster mental correction. If no correction ever comes,
the human is reduced to a basic instinctive, reactionary level of
experience which does not utilize the rational capacities.

Because we are more than animals, we have more control over our state of
existence unless, of course, we buy into a contrary belief system.

Thus, the universal needs are the basis for all directed human
action---whether consciously chosen or unconsciously habitual.
Emotion is the force that moves us to action, the need provides
the direction. When actions meet the needs in a balanced
manner, the "golden mean"---the intended state of balance,
decreed, desired and dictated by the Creator---has been
achieved.

We are all capable of achieving a state of balance in our spiritual

progression, just as surely as we can learn to ride a bicycle.

The needs are the Creator's delightful, ingeniously designed

insurance policy that humans would never completely distance
themselves from the guiding wisdom of their spiritual source.
The needs are designed to lead us to our highest purpose. No
matter how long humans may flounder in limiting choices of
belief, their feelings will urge them toward this state of
balance. No matter how ignorant the application of free will,

495
the inner guidance back to the light is always available. The
biological needs, empowered by frustrated feelings, will drag
humans---kicking and screaming if need be---in better
directions than the limited mind has been able to provide.

Eventually the Creator's love will overcome our own personal Self-
absorption, even when the only block to our evolvement is simply
stubbornness.

Only when all the needs are respected, and beliefs and
strategies are in place to get them met, are humans allowed to
be fully human. The course of human evolution will only move
toward this eventual outcome. The ultimate, truly civilized,
systems of living---those that will not self-destruct or suffer the
social symptoms of fear and anger---will recognize and provide
a balanced approach where all of the needs are continuously
respected and met.

Once we realize the above expressed truths, we can begin working toward
the creation of a society which compliments the truly spiritual nature of
human beings.

The Dynamic Flexibility Of Needs

The wisdom of the Creator allows tremendous flexibility in

how humans choose to meet their needs. Free will means just
that. There are no rigid rules. The human needs can be met in
any number of imaginably creative ways. Simply looking to the
many diverse human systems of thought and living will attest
to the tremendous freedom the Creator allows humans to chart
their own course.

496
What follows belief systems are judgement systems that often show
disapproval of the manner in which some achieve their needs in comparison
to others. But on the basis of the above statement, all efforts are allowed, and
ultimate consequences are the governing factor.

The level of need fulfillment in a given individual or society

reflects the level of understanding of human purpose. To date,
most human civilizations and systems of living do not meet all
of the needs all of the time. In fact, some needs are not
recognized nor respected at all. Often, the individual needs are
pitted directly against the group needs, or one is ignored so that
the other can be emphasized. This sets the stage for failure,
emotional pain, and defensive self-preservationary responses
which seek to remove self chosen roadblocks. It is only
through creative, if not deviant, behavior that much fulfillment
is accomplished at all. This is why science has declared, if not
relegated, human purpose to be that of mere survival or self-
preservation. (Religion, however, for all its mistakes, has kept
the faith of a higher human purpose alive until science can
catch up).

In adopting the "survival of the fittest" principle, science has ignored the
need for all to be winners and the need for all to survive. Most religions, on
the other hand, recognize the enduring spiritual nature of human beings.

For humans are a hearty species indeed. Temporary retreats can

help them survive intense amounts of mental and emotional
conflict and pain while they are finding their way. This human
tenacity can be credited to the wisdom of the Creator, who
offers timeless patience and faith in human nature. This inner
strength, resiliency, and self-protection was a gift to match that
of free will, giving humans the ability and strength to endure
while learning for themselves how to restore the inner

497
guidance.

Having taken the roughest road to enlightenment up until now, we can

finally begin to find the smoother and more expeditious way to our
prescribed intent.

But there are definite limits to any such flexibility. Although

feelings will always sound the alarm, they can be ignored for
only so long until the needs are neglected beyond even the
Creator's tolerance level. The self-preservationary reactions of
flight and fight occur when this limit has been reached. These
inborn self-preservationary mechanisms will ensure that a
minimum amount of need-meeting will happen, regardless of
how conflicted the realm of mind might be. These defensive
responses will ensure that some of the needs will at least be
met all of the time, and that humans don't dip below the
minimum level, threatening preservation of the species. This is
why the self-preservationary impulses to fight and take flight
are so powerful. Humans are not intended to tolerate such
continuous pain and suffering. These responses ensure that the
individual will at least physically react to meet the needs
regardless of how well the mind or world honors them.

Someday we will stop making heroes out of the people who are the most
successful in killing their fellow human beings. When that time comes, we
will have taken a giant step toward true progress on the planet.

Like anything else, need fulfillment itself can be used as a

strategy of escape and denial of the bigger challenge at hand. It
is all too easy to seek refuge in the emotional pleasure of
meeting one need to soothe the frustration of another. This is
how need-meeting behaviors often become compulsions.
Impulses to overeat, drink or self-medicate nearly always

498
spring from unmet spiritual needs. As debilitating as this can
be, it is not without temporary benefit. For until the system is
understood, it is often necessary to seek refuge from overly
intense emotional signals.

The practice of seeking solutions outside of ourselves (even in the form of

mind altering substances) can only serve to postpone our awareness of the
solutions that lie within.

But all defensive responses are merely temporary fixes. As

always, the feelings---when understood---continuously ask for
permanent correction in any and all circumstances brought
about by limiting beliefs which have left needs unmet.
Hardwired responses only meet some immediate needs, while
rational, emotionally directed responses address all needs on a
long-term basis. Self preservation is only a stage or stepping
stone to the higher, purposeful responses of self-development
and expression. Thus, it is essential to become very well
acquainted with each of the needs, so that the messages of
emotions can bring the maximum progress.

The full aggregate of our needs must be established and reviewed and this is
what these Lessons intend.

In sum, emotion moves action toward meeting needs. For

emotion addresses beliefs in relation to these needs. The need
lies under the feeling representing the voice of spirit, just as the
belief lies under the feeling representing the voice of mind. The
feeling then motivates the action. Thus, emotion is very
powerful and the primary force behind every human action,
with each feeling addressing one of six, core, rudimentary,
basic, spiritually ordained, and biologically imbedded human
needs. Understanding needs is the final piece of information to

499
ensure maximum use of the emotional message. The needs are
not complex, nor mysterious. In fact they are quite simple and
clearly recognizable, once we make their acquaintance. To this
end, we will now discuss, in detail, the needs themselves.

It is in reviewing these "needs" that we take the next step in preparing

ourselves for the journey toward a truly spiritual point.

The Need for Power

This is perhaps the most basic of all human needs. It is the

essential requirement that each human being be able to control
his or her destiny. Power is the unrestricted ability to act , and
to have the world respond to those actions. Individual
empowerment is the divine conduit of free will. Each human
being must be able to act in ways which allow them to succeed
in getting what they need. Power in its most basic form
provides the safety of knowing that you can fend for yourself
and make your life work.

Without the power to exercise our "Free Will", it would soon atrophy.
Likewise, without "Free Will", there would be no purpose in exercising our
power. To the degree that we retain and utilize our "power", we create our
lives.

The need for power is perhaps the most basic, most

rudimentary and non-negotiable of the human needs. If the
power need goes unmet, all other needs will be subordinated
immediately to restore this most essential degree of control and
safety. The power need reflects the universal spiritual values of
cooperation, and self determinism. Without the cooperative
give and take between individual and environment, life simply

500
cannot happen.

The point here seems to be that "power" must be exercised with an

awareness of others in our lives. If not, it becomes corrupting. There are
ample examples in history that show what can happen when too much power
is concentrated in the hands of too few people.

Whenever human beings experience a lack in the power need,

they will feel fear . They will be physically motivated to
immediately remove themselves from that situation or to fight
to change it to ensure survival. The basic social conditions
must allow humans to have enough empowerment to act upon
their thoughts and feelings and be able to learn through their
experiences.

The greatest gift you can give another human being is to trust him/her with
the necessary "power" to serve your needs in a creative way. Nothing can be
more complimentary.

From the very moment of birth, humans need to experience

their power and ability to control the environment. Even a
helpless infant exerts power by expressing the feelings through
vocal outbursts until a parent or caregiver comes to satisfy the
need. If no one responds to the crying, the infant simply does
not survive. If the crying is only successful some of the time,
the infant is not assured of its own power, and emotional
dissonance immediately begins, setting the stage for inadequate
emotional development. (Many disconnected souls spend their
lifetime seeking power in violent angry outbursts due to this
initial condition of questionable power within a non-
cooperative foster environment.)

If we could take the "angry" back to their early childhood and recreate
what might be a period of neglect, then we might be able to correct their

501
history and, hopefully, help them alter their own personality.

Power and personal control over one's destiny is often confused

with other trappings of power. Money, position, status, and
control over others often compensates temporarily for a lack in
the personal empowerment need. If someone does not feel safe,
then they might be motivated to find temporary escape or
pseudo-safety in any ways their distorted beliefs might dictate.
But such responses to emotional pain are simply flight
responses and not those that will ensure development and
expression. Adding knowledge which has passed emotional
muster is far more empowering. Knowledge is, indeed, power.

"Knowledge" is "power" because it gives us understanding and with

understanding we can acquire a greater degree of personal security.
Consequently, we can relate in a more caring way toward those around us.
How many bosses would become more mellow with some added knowledge
of why they are the way they are. Hopefully, many!

The most important point about the power need is that it is an

essential need that opens doors to the meeting of all other
needs. The need for personal power and control over one's
destiny is simply non-negotiable. Individual empowerment is
the naturally ordained right of each and every spirit in flesh.
Thus, it is essential to honor this need and establish internal
beliefs and external social structures which allow the maximum
self empowerment. It goes without saying, of course, that with
such naturally ordained power, comes the corresponding
naturally intended responsibility for chosen actions. This is
why the life-giving habit of accountability is so important.

The American constitution is a beacon in the world and is so often emulated

by other countries because it contains the seeds of the empowerment

502
described above and establishes the "external social structures" to
guarantee and enhance the exercise of self empowerment.

Humans often give their power away due to misunderstandings

of the choices of belief. They often channel their power
indirectly through other people or through social structures that
severely limit their fulfillment. This error will be signaled by
anger, frustration, and eventually the sadness and depression of
self-loss. These feelings all scream for the power to be
restored, for the beliefs to be altered (with Right Responses)
from those that have allowed it to be given away. True
empowerment is reflected in beliefs which rarely invoke anger
or frustration. Power is not simply being able to control the
angry feelings; it lies in structuring the mind with beliefs which
restore control over the daily challenges, so that they are never
even elicited. Instead, the threat to personal power often allows
the fight response to take over, regardless of what the best
response might be.

When vested interests replace the will of the public in representative

government, the public eventually turns cynical and indifferent. This state is
first evident in the "turn-out" figures at election time. Even while
government tries to blame the public for the indifference, it ignores or
protects its own indifference to those they are elected to represent and whose
power they are required to exercise.

Suffice it to say at this point, that the need for power will
overcome the other needs if necessary. For self-preservation
can only occur if the individual has the power to act upon the
environment and meet the innate needs. If conditions are such
that competition is necessary---"so be it" deems the Creator. It
is, indeed, the individual that will make changes in the world,
not the group. The group can never change or fully control the

503
individual in ways that prevent these innate human dynamics.
Evolution happens at the level of the individual, and thus, it is
imperative to ensure maximum empowerment of each. If
relative empowerment for safety and control is not achieved,
there will be chaos and eventual demise.

While the rights of the individual can not necessarily take precedence over
the rights of the group, the right of expression can and should be sacrosanct.
When offensive, such expressions can be ignored, but when productive, they
should be honored.

Page l97-206 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Gamma

Lesson Four B: Universal Needs Continued

The Need For Freedom

Beyond the power to control one's destiny, lies the freedom of

movement and thought with which a human can both broaden
the mind and alter the world. One can have control, yet not
have the freedom to expand the internal and external worlds.
Once self-preservation is assured (the power need met) the
human is immediately motivated to begin self-development
with the urge to be free. But the urge to be free is also very
basic and non-negotiable. The human value of liberty embodies
both the power and freedom needs. The words: "Give me
liberty or give me death"...were deeply and spiritually accurate.
The need for freedom ensures that humans will be able to think
for themselves and decide how to design their mindscape to

504
best fulfill their innate value.

The very word "freedom" has almost become erased from our societal
lexicon, along with words like "liberty" and "honor". As these words fade
from use, so also do the principles for which they stand and the activity
which they inspire.

The need for freedom was the Creator's insurance that free will
would be honored and nurtured. Life is meant to be
experienced in the present moment, with spontaneity and
enthusiasm supported by constantly evolving, unlimited mental
structures. Learning is intended to be an individual experiential
trial and error process---and never to be replaced by a limited
or singular way of understanding and interacting with the
world. Although human education and the passing on of culture
is very helpful for shared living, it has also, over time,
profoundly reduced other options of thought and action. Life is
not meant to be learned from the experiences of others. Divine
intention is that learning will occur only through the
experiences of the self acting upon the world in trial and error
behaviors, with the ever-present guide of human emotion
judging progress.

When we reward perfection and punish error, we discourage many from

involving themselves in the learning experience. Thus, those who might have
been able to inspire us to take the necessary chances to achieve those
physical, mental and spiritual goals that are held up as examples, instead let
our institutions intimidate us into believing that straying from established
criteria will only lead to being removed from those institutions. To put it
another way, if you want those "A's", you better buy into the curriculum,
else you flunk out.

The intention of the Creator is born out in the adolescent years

of developing human beings. What has become feared as the

505
inevitable, willful rebellion of teens is simply the Creator's
inborn desire for each person to learn for themselves through
their own experiences. This is why humans often reject the
advice of their elders, even good advice from those who are
very respectable. For the urge springs naturally from the right
and true, deep and abiding need for freedom of thought and
action. They must learn certain things for themselves, despite
all the frustrations of those who have already had similar
learning experiences. Thus, the need for freedom and
individual experiences must be honored, accepted and
accommodated within each individual mind and in all social
structures.

This is particularly difficult for parents seeing their children go through

their adolescent years. How much easier it would be to endure this period if
our society placed greater emphasis on faith in Divine Spirit and trust in the
importance of emotional guidance.

This does not mean that all structured learning and education
should be thrown by the wayside. Instead, it should be tailored
to allow individuals experiential learning within the existing
structures to strike the needed balance. All "knowledge" should
be offered as flexible and consensual and treated as a
suggestion or a framework of reference from which individuals
can create and imagine bigger and better explanations. Nothing
should be offered as an unimpeachable "Truth," but instead as
a potentially useful tool for self-discovery. Education and
knowledge should be offered in the context of Socratic
questioning and discussion, along with situational dramatics
which honor, respect and facilitate each person's right to
experiential learning. (Situational dramatics and role-playing
are very powerful and underutilized tools for experiential,

506
precautionary learning. They can bring about vicarious, yet
painful, messages of emotion without the actual experience
itself, imparting wisdom without paying the price of learning
the hard way).

How much more emphatic would have been the consequences of prejudice
had the integrated classroom become an environment where the daily
prejudices were acted out so that both groups would have been placed on the
receiving end of discrimination, before the final step became the reality.

Simply put, societies that do not allow freedom for all of their
members, will not survive. Any human grouping which seeks
to contain and control its members by erecting mental and
physical walls, can never succeed in the long term. When
societies provide the right amount of freedom, there will be far
less violent rebellion, anger, fear and manipulation. For, when
freedom is suppressed, the need becomes magnified to the
point of a compulsion. This can bring exaggerated defensive
responses which are not at all in the best interest of the
individual or the society.

This concept throws new light on the element of violence in our society.
Some might argue that such is the result of too much freedom, but the above
suggests just the opposite. It is a "concept" that bears further reflection.

The Need For Creative Expression

Once the need for freedom has facilitated movement, growth

and mental flexibility, the urge to self-express becomes readily
apparent. Although all of the needs are always present, the
power and freedom needs will come to the surface
immediately, usurping all others, should they become

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frustrated in any way. Only when there is a minimum amount
of power and freedom can humans fully focus and become
conscious of other, higher needs. The word higher in this
context means merely that these needs are removed from the
automatic self-preservationary mechanisms and can relate more
to "higher" human purpose. For they will remain at the edge of
consciousness until the basics of survival are in place.

One circumstance that could well be beneficial to bringing forth the

opportunity for achieving mankind's "higher purposes" might be a greater
level of economic security. When the burden of eking out a living is reduced
to secondary importance, and greater importance is put upon security of
health and general well being, the mind can shift its priorities beyond mere
self-preservation toward greater development of the soul.

The need to create reflects the spiritual values of self-worth and

self-expression. Creativity is about making internal visions and
dreams actual in the physical world. The creative need
motivates achievement, and the attainment of all goals. It is
about being the most complete form of your spiritual self and
acting it out upon the world in truly unique and valuable ways.
Creativity is an ability often thought to be limited only to
artists and musicians. But this is a far too narrow way of
thinking about creative self-expression. For each and every
action, each word, and each motion is an outward creative
reflection of the inner creative spirit. Those expressions that
reflect limits of mind, of course, will also be apparent. Any
such inadequacies, however, will in turn elicit the necessary
feedback, once the feelings are understood. Then, with accurate
interpretations of, and responses to the emotional signals, the
inadequate beliefs of mind will gradually give way to better
versions, such that each and every action becomes the creative
expression of true spirit.

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If you consider what should be the obvious, i.e. that we are creating reality
at nearly every moment of our physical lives, then the very definition is
automatically broadened to a near unlimited point of appreciation. As
indicated above, even those creative ways of limiting ourselves, are proof of
our innate ability. We need but learn to appreciate the God-given feedback
system.

Creative expression melds the spiritual values of self-

development and expression into the motive to achieve bigger
and better results; to build a mindscape of knowledge, skills
and abilities to express and create in all realms or find success
in a wide variety of challenging environments. If creativity and
growth is stifled, boredom will surely set in as a spiritual
reminder toward continuous evolution and expression.

Boredom is a good example of the emotional feed-back system that alerts us

that we are experiencing a state of stifled spirituality. It's a very simple
emotion and as valuable as it is common. Children are sensitive enough to
pick up on it almost immediately. In adulthood, we tend to think "it" is
normal and acceptable.

The creative expression of such a spirit would consistently

exhibit joyous, spontaneous, meaningful, cooperative and
exuberant thoughts, words, movements, actions and interactive
deeds. Any other types of expression still contain the effects of
a limited mindscape, with negative emotional experiences and
responses asking for the needed corrections toward this ideal
spiritual existence of creative expression in flesh.

"Well, if you're bored, I'm sure I can think of some work for you to do
around here", a mother might say to her child. Or she might say (as an
alternative), "Well, instead of me just giving you some mundane task to do,
why don't you come up with some ways to make our home run more
efficiently so that I have some extra time to play with you", and mean it!

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Thus, each and every human being has the inborn need to
express one's self. This is experienced as an inner
understanding or knowingness regarding one's universal value.
It is also the irresistible urge to do whatever is necessary to
know that valuable self, to develop that self, and to go forth
and share that self with the world. The sense of committed
contribution springs from this urge to create. That inner
inspiration to achieve, to change the world, to make it a better
place, springs from the spiritual creative need. The work ethic
that has built civilizations is based on the need to create. The
need to create motivates individuals to go to work each day and
leave their unique mark upon the world. And each creation, no
matter how seemingly insignificant in human terms, holds
tremendous value and cosmic significance in the spiritual
realm.

We can actually bring spirituality to our educational system without the risk
of violating our constitution, simply by moving from the quantitative
manner in which we measure intellectual progress to an environment where
creativity is not only encouraged, but rewarded.

The Need For Connection

The human individual needs are, indeed, very powerful

motivators, and they will come to the fore if they are not met,
to ensure self-preservation. But in order to truly and fully be
human, the need for group connection cannot be denied. This is
the need reflected in the urge to commune, affiliate and share
life with others. Indeed, the overwhelming feelings and urges
to love and be loved spring from the connection need.

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When we live in an environment where connection declines (often a city or
suburb) and communication between even neighbors is almost non-existent,
human qualities tend to suffer. We may not notice it, but over time even our
other personal relationships are affected in an adverse way.

The connection need embodies the spiritual values of unity,

love, and cooperation. One can only find fulfillment in
temporary ways when seeking only to fulfill the individual self
needs of power, freedom and creativity. Such a soul would be
quite lonely indeed. Many such souls, motivated by fearful
competition, keep themselves from finding broader creative
fulfillment of true cooperation.

As we move toward a society that honors every effort to create, we will be

honoring the spiritual quality of any and all inhabitants who find and
express the divine spark within. What we learn in communication with each
other, forms the basis for a collective spiritual expansion.

The need for connection ensures that great spiritual offerings

will meet with the highest and broadest levels of creative
expression, for more people will be around to help. A magical
thing happens when groups of people set out to achieve a
common goal, when the creative and connection needs merge
into a singular motive. The whole is often better than the parts.
A certain synergy is sparked wherein each person's creative
thrust adds to the original vision, making it far richer than first
imaged. In fact, the universe is designed for like energies and
entities to attract each other to intermingle and reconnect in
new and unique ways.

With this in mind, we might begin to fashion our prayers to instigate a

broadening of our desires. This could include visualizing greater group
participation toward building a society along the enlightened guidelines
suggested in these "Lessons".

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Humans have a deep and abiding longing to love and to be
loved. This need springs from the connectedness of each and
every spiritual apportionment and speaks its truth through the
spark of human (and even animal) connection. When the
connection needs are denied, even in the best of individual
circumstances, the soul suffers its lonely sense of loss. This is
why the accepted strategy of competition should give way
immediately to the understanding of necessary cooperation. In
fact, most "competitive" win-lose human situations are actually
based upon agreed on, cooperative rules. Thus, the connection
need underlies any seemingly successful or fulfilling
competitive activity.

It would appear that even a successful form of competition is dependent

upon a base line of cooperation. However, you could not say the reverse is
true. Cooperation does not necessarily require competition.

Nonetheless, the connection needs can be subordinated and

postponed for quite long periods of time if the survival need for
power has not been attained. Humans can be driven away from
one another, into violent competition when the rules for
connection become too steep. For the connection need can also
work in negative ways. For example, the martyr dutifully
strives to satisfy the needs of all the loved ones, oftentimes at
the expense of one's own hopes, dreams, and needs to
creatively express. The martyr then experiences frustration and
resentment, since their own needs are neglected. Such
frustration often results in passive-aggressive, back-door,
power-seeking dynamics.

A person involved in some humanitarian activity can exhibit a personality

that seems to contradict what we would presume to be a "loving" nature.
The resentment that bleeds through betrays the appearance of spiritual

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dedication. Or a parent might constantly remind the offspring of the
sacrifices made on the child's behalf, while really using the tactic of guilt in
an act of manipulation.

For the individual needs must always come first. Resentment

often results, and subtle and then perhaps violent outbursts will
be played out upon the loved ones of the group if this
imbalance continues to exist. Warm fuzzies and recognition
from cohorts should not be accepted in lieu of basic power,
freedom or opportunities. Like every need, the connection need
must be honored, understood and respected without sacrificing
another.

When we surrender our "power" and "free will" to the needs of another, we
create an impairment to our spiritual nature that even praise from others
can not override.

The connection need has its abuses as well. It can be used by

some seeking power over others. Relinquishment of freedom of
thought can be the price charged for admission into a "loving"
or "safe" group. Cult-like mentalities often result from humans
who huddle together in their own darkness rather than risk
being lonely. Yet, freedom and control is often traded away to
join such groups as well. This breeds yet another brand of
emotional problems, with such symptoms as paranoia, anger
and social disconnection. In any grouping where external
control seeks to replace internal control, you will always find
dissonance and maladapted individuals.

Cults are often only the extreme expression of fraternities that require
loyalty beyond the perimeters of respect for the human spirit. There are
times when uniting for the sake of carrying out a particular goal is
appropriate, but this condition should never be prolonged beyond the point
of necessity.

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The power of love and attraction includes a hardwired urge to
nurture, to procreate and live communally. Oftentimes these
physical urges can be confounded by limited beliefs, leaving
humans in compromising positions which require need
tradeoffs. Solid relationships are based upon mutual
understandings which recognize and honor each of the self
needs and allow each member to meet them in ways they so
choose. Compromises between two conflicting perspectives
which make both sacrifice for some third middle-ground
alternative are not recommended, for no one's need is satisfied
with such a compromise. The connection needs must not on a
long-term basis, usurp the individual needs.

Those who elect to come together on a permanent basis, must recognize the
importance of each to be able to fulfill their respective spiritual needs and
that of the other party. Any compromise that threatens such "needs" of the
other is a detriment to the relationship.

The connection need often serves as a refuge when other needs

are not met. Subcultures spring forth as defensive responses
from those who have not been allowed sufficient individual
freedom and empowerment within the accepted cultural
framework. Although often temporarily necessary, such
fractionating between peoples does not work well over time.
For, as with any need, it urges humans toward the truth of
universal values. Fragmenting humans into separate groups
only achieves disconnection that promotes hatred and violence
against one another.

When a particular group elects to break a connection with the whole, it

should serve as a signal that the majority needs to examine its value system.
An effort should be made to resolve the differences that led to the

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disconnection to determine if spiritual values have been violated. Then
reunification and growth should follow.

The Need To Find Meaning

The urges to survive, to creatively express, and to love and to

be loved go a long way toward helping humans find their
higher course. But without a doubt, the need that will give
them the most rapid success in solving the secrets of the
universe and understanding the mind of the Creator, will be in
answering the inner urge to find meaning.

Blind faith stifles the effort to find "meaning", just as physical blindness
hampers the ability to move in any direction. A state of dissatisfaction with
what we know will keep us expanding ourselves.

Again, the Creator was ingenious in encoding the chemical

cloak with the need to discover, to understand, to know, and to
make sense of the world. Humans are curious beings, born with
the desire to seek solutions, to solve riddles and puzzles. The
need to find meaning evidences the spiritual value of self-
development and expansion of human experience, as well as
universal order and meaning itself. Like any other need-
meeting experience, it brings a degree of emotional joy. When
humans learn their inner truths, they experience that
unmistakable resonance, a very pleasurable chord struck within
them that validates their finding. The need for meaning spurs
humans to know self, know their world, and know their place
in their world.

This process not only brings continuous satisfaction, it brings a surge of life
to our very being, described above as an "unmistakable resonance".

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In the meantime, religion, science and world views provide
meaning in a seemingly meaningless universe. Science has yet
to connect the dots and see the greater order, wisdom, and
cooperation---the meaning within each and every physical
interaction from microbes to universes. Religion has yet to
realize the consensual nature of its chosen beliefs and to
understand that truly spiritual cooperation does not pit one
against another, nor hold a monopoly on truth, nor attempt to
defile or alter their GOD-given nature.

As science progresses toward a more "universal" appreciation of its

purpose, religion will grow to understand and appreciate the true nature of
its spirituality.

Yet, despite humans' struggle to attain enlightenment, they are

rallied each and every day when they find meaning in their
deeds, the events, and the actions of their lives. They find
meaning in the order, value and beauty of nature. To gaze upon
a golden sunset evokes the resonant meaning or order and
validity of the universe. These tidbits keep us going until we
finally find what we are supposed to find. Until we finally
stumble upon the connection between our beliefs, our needs,
our feelings and the events that occur in our lives. Until we
finally live and breathe the Creator's intent.

The very physical law of cause and effect has its counterpart in our mental
and spiritual lives as well. Once apparent, the whole of existence begins to
make sense.

To date, humans experience frustration in wondering why

things happen. Particularly puzzling is why bad things happen
to good people. For the connection has not yet been made that
humans do, indeed, create their own reality, quite literally

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attracting each and every event that they experience. Such
events actually reflect, with crystal clarity, the beliefs chosen
by the human being. Such reflections are intended to be acted
upon as feedback with feeling signals to address needs and
direct the refinement of beliefs to achieve more rewarding
results. This is the ultimate meaning that the Creator intends
the creations to embrace.

Each time someone appears to be about to influence the collective mind

toward the above stated truth, forces step in to close down the "light" of
understanding and retain the blinders firmly in place. But these props are
weakening and beginning to bend. They will eventually collapse.

When the light begins to shine, humans take great delight in

everyday occurrences, for they realize that each and every
event holds hidden meaning and perhaps opportunity to
develop and express. They will begin to recognize how the
most surprising, unlikely and unexpected of events can open
doors that will greatly increase their own successes and move
them quickly toward their stated and envisioned goals. Each
day is filled with wonder and anticipation as events are
recognized beyond the confines of time as those specifically
requested by that spirit. With meaning, life becomes an
exciting and wonderful adventure wherein positive feelings
attract the entities to their highest experiences. Without it, life
is a cycle of misguided action, pain, and reaction to avoid
further pain. Events are created that seem chaotic, random and
pointless.

Just watch the evening news and you will understand easily why we are
where we are. Watch a sunrise and you will get a glimpse of where we can
be.

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But humans can also misunderstand and abuse the need to find
meaning. Humans can create world views that explain why
things happen the way they do. Many such philosophies
provide meaning at the expense of other more urgent needs
such as control and freedom. The group goals can often
conflict with the individuals needs and the rules will ask for
individuals to sacrifice for the good of the group. This is
counter evolutionary and destructive.

The very phrase, "It's God's will", destroys the apparent nature of our own
free will and creative potential. Conformity is rewarded and non-conformity
discouraged.

The Need To Build Self-Esteem

The higher purposes of self-development and self-expression

are attained through each of the basic needs. Bur perhaps the
most direct contributor to the balancing, growth and expansion
of self is the powerful human need to achieve self-esteem.

A key to open this door is the awareness of our spiritual nature and potential
for development that this understanding suggests.

The term "self-esteem" captures every such concept that

recognizes the value of the collection of beliefs, skills and
strategies that have been assembled and willfully chosen by a
given individual. Since the mind is also the Cultural Self, the
identity of the individual is intimately connected with the level
of efficacy the mind has attained in the world. Self esteem
naturally follows when a person knows that they can handle
life's challenges. When they know that they have worked hard
to learn from the world and to adapt themselves accordingly.

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This is a quality that should develop along with the process of growing older.
When not appreciated or recognized, the society tends to bring undue
problems upon itself.

True self-esteem can only be earned by making the necessary

Right Responses and learning the lessons from life's
challenges. True self-esteem cannot be built upon empty
compliments, unfounded sentiments from others, or self-
deceptive beliefs. Self-esteem must be based upon actual
adaptations and expressions accomplished by that given
individual. Although the mind can adopt inaccurate, unrealistic
or skewed beliefs about one's self from such sources, the spirit
cannot be fooled.

We may be deluded by flattery, but it is a shallow delusion that fails in time

of need. Knowing ourselves, for better or worse, is preferable to fooling
ourselves with unsubstantiated beliefs about ourselves.

The reward from each learning experience is felt through the

positive emotions. Each such experience adds to an ever
increasing level of self-esteem that both celebrates successful
interactions with the world and builds confidence in achieving
future successes. Indeed, the Creator gives the nod when the
high road has been taken by offering joyous emotional reward.

We experience that "feel good" feeling whenever we achieve something or

do something positive for our self or someone else. It can't be acquired
through false actions, it can only be known through our inner being.

It is also important to recognize how taking the low road to a

false elevation of self-esteem can also be a seductive trap. True
self-esteem is based upon successful self-development and
expression. But false or temporary self-esteem can also be

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attained through self-preservationary responses as well. For
example, actions of retaliation for a wrongdoing, getting even,
or deliberately demeaning another can all momentarily give
one a sense of superiority over that person. This can bring an
accompanying good feeling of justice in having successfully
defended one's self against an aggressor. But superiority
assumes a competitive relationship, not one of truly rewarding
connected cooperation.

The ultimate revenge, if that is what is needed, truly comes in rising above
the negative experiences that others may impose, for this leads to the
development of those qualities that will eventually prove our superior,
personal worth.

When examined closely, many human interactions are based

upon the jockeying for superiority, and a great deal of energy is
wasted upon self-preservation, when self-development is the
true desire of spirit. Many reactions are those that deny and
defend limited boundaries of mind, or strike out against the
bearer of the feedback message. Both reactions are of course,
the limited, self-preservationary responses of Flight or Fight.

Society sends many messages, particularly through our entertainment

industry, that getting even is more important than gaining wisdom. An
alternative message is desperately needed.

Thus, it is particularly important to understand the many

automatic responses that occur which use the esteem need in
this way. Each interaction with another human being pits one
mind against another, with each person experiencing emotional
signals about how well they stack up in that particular "world."
Choosing Right Responses which broaden the boundaries of
mind, automatically expands and strengthens the self. These

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feelings about the self are a constant and powerful motivator,
usually residing just below the conscious focus, yet underlying
each subsequent action. Casting the conscious focus upon them
can avoid a great deal of unnecessary, hurtful human
interactions.

Remembering that we are Divine in nature, governs us in how we relate to

our fellow human beings whom we also recognize as being "Divine in
nature".

The need for self-esteem is quite powerful indeed. It ensures

that self-development and self-expression will occur. It reflects
the spiritual values of self-worth and the continuous expansion
of All That Is. Like all needs, it must be honored, understood,
and met in ways that do not compromise any other need, nor
settle for actions of mere self-preservation.

Moving toward this goal is akin to moving toward our complete

development as humans and spiritual beings.

Summary Of Human Needs

These are the six basic human needs that lie within each human
being: The need for power, for freedom, the need to create, to
connect, to find meaning, and to build self-esteem. They all
ensure survival of the species. They all steer humanity toward
discovery of self-understanding and guidance toward their
highest purpose. They underlie all human action, whether
consciously chosen or habitually acted out. They are the
spiritual values and boundaries against which the emotional
message measures the success or failure of beliefs and
strategies of mind. They can be met in a wide variety of ways

521
and are quite flexible. They can be used to achieve peak
performance or they can be misused as mechanisms of
escapism and violation.

This makes it clear that as we polish and use these needs, we can enhance the
achievements of our lives in all areas, be they physical, mental, emotional or
spiritual.

It is imperative to recognize, honor, and respect each of the

human needs and design strategies of living that allow them all
to be met simultaneously. This is the true intention of the
Creator. Genuine happiness, fulfillment and growth can only be
experienced on a long-term basis when each need is honored.
The life-giving habits of self development and expression are
all based upon balancing these human needs, just as the deadly
habits of self-preservation spring from misunderstanding and
denying them. The feeling signals themselves each address
these needs. The very universe itself rests upon the values they
embody.

The ability to balance these "needs" can be achieved through the use of our
"feeling signals", as has been previously indicated in the Lessons. The
"values" spoken of are both individual and universal.

Understanding the universal human needs completes the

information cycle of human spiritual communication. We can
now refine the understandings and address its implications
upon humanity--- for restoring spiritual guidance will forever
alter every area of mass consciousness.

With the end of this particular Lesson, we again go on to specific refinement.

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Page 207-218 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Delta

Lesson One: Implications For Self Concept

Introduction

The wisdom within these Lessons is self-evident, upon a bit of

experimentation. Yet, due to the many limiting ideas that exist
within the Mind of Man, it is essential to point out each and
every implication of having access to the voice of spirit. For
until this time, humans have been left to their own devices and
the creativity resulting has left a jumble of conflicting
factioned groupings which need to be reassembled into the
Family Of Man. Thus, each individual within the world, each
and every belief system, each institution within each culture,
need now be cleansed with the knowledge that comes from the
voice of spirit.

This may sound like a horrendous challenge. In fact, it need not be. We have
at our disposal a system in place that would allow us to carry out this
process in a collective manner, in a more effective way than in any time in
known history.

This global cleansing is the challenge of each Earthbound

entity. It is not to be accomplished with darkness or violation
of any type. It cannot be accomplished with competition,
battles, or Holy Wars, It can only be accomplished through the
cooperative, developmental efforts of individuals redefining
the mental landscape under the direction of the spiritual guide,

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followed by expressive efforts to alter the cultural landscape
accordingly, to accommodate the nature of humankind. The
task is a daunting one, yet the time, the energy, and the human
receptivity to internal guidance is at a peak point. The patterns
of resistance, competition, and self-preservation have been
repeated so many times throughout human history that the
futility and negativity of such a course is now apparent to all.
Humankind now experiences en masse the effects of lack of
evolution, the effects of disconnection from the spirit within,
the effects of separation from the Creator, and is now trapped
within the gross limitations of their own creations. Such a life
of pain, guilt, and futility is hardly the intention of the Creator.

There are two ways to look at the state of Humankind. One can presume
that this state is the result of some built-in flaw that can only be corrected by
association with some religious or governmental institution or personality.
The other is to presume that such an observed "flaw" is really the result of a
faulty communication system – the system between the lesser self and the
greater self.

Thus, the spirit urges from within, through feelings of

frustration, signaling the need for individuals to rise to the
challenge at hand. In response to the inner feelings, civilization
can now be accomplished through each individual effort---and
even the slightest, most seemingly insignificant successes
impact the energy far more than might be suspected. Indeed,
world peace can be accomplished through the accumulation of
such efforts. The seeds planted now by the enlightened ones
will flourish, and in time the garden now choked with weeds
can return to its original Edenlike state of creative freedom and
spiritual fulfillment.

We are the gardeners whose plots are limited in size and influence only by

524
our respective imaginations. Whether our intent is to change an individual
habit or alter the course of history for the better, we can plant our seeds,
fertilize them with positive feelings and watch in amazement as they come to
fruition.

All accomplishments of self-development and expression rest

upon the ability to rise above the self-preservationary reactions
that now hold most humans captive. Understanding the self
will reconnect humans with the universal values so they no
longer must argue over which political, economic, religious,
educational, social, and ethical ideas and approaches should be
pursued. With mind, anything goes. Minds will always
disagree until spiritual values are understood and invoked.

We have been taught that maintaining opposing views in some legal/peaceful

fashion is one of the virtues of our form of government, but it is what we can
unite about and cooperate in that moves us toward accomplishments in
every area of our lives.

With spirit, there is a correct, purposeful course---one deemed

so by the very Creator. It is written on the wind, evidenced
throughout all physical nature and encoded within each cell. It
presents itself as innate needs which cannot be left unmet. It is
evidenced by the natural repercussion from biological
safeguard systems. It follows the pleasure and pain principle,
the approach and avoidance action impulses clearly observable
in every physical unit, from human beings to subatomic
particles.

All aspects of our environment strain to give us illustration of the influence

of Spirit as an ongoing instructor. We but need stop, look, listen and reflect
upon what we experience to find that road more easily traveled.

Tremendous progress can be made. A true and empoweringly

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great leap forward can be made, but there is a particular
sequential order to this global transformation. Thus, the first
step is to attain the total and complete understanding of the
"Self". For it is the many muddled ideas about the self that
keep humans from claiming their spiritual birthright. To this
end, we will now pull together and discuss existing concepts of
self.

Much of what we believe about ourselves is based upon what we have been
mistaught by others and the institutions that support those teachings. It is
our inner being which can help bring us to a more correct state of
awareness. These "Lessons" can play a major role in that effort.

We have acknowledged the problem of how all beliefs become

associated with the self-identity and signal the feeling system.
We provided the solution to this problem by establishing the
crucial division between mind and spirit, and of how different
feelings relate to these different aspects of self. With these
understandings in place, it is now useful to add the body back
into the mix.

In this physical reality, our body is the immediate bio-feedback tool. It is our
essential vehicle and must be included in any effort to expand our
Consciousness.

It's crucial to remember that the mind still holds the focus upon
the physical realm and can greatly distort the perceptions and
restrain incoming information, skewing the impressions of the
physical world. It's also essential to know that the energy of
spirit contains all information from both mind and body. But
now, clarifying within the self concept the exact role of body,
can usher in less abstract understanding of the self-
preservationary impulse. For although it is disruptive when

526
misunderstood, it is the basic, safeguard system, level of
human purpose.

The Self and Human Purpose

The human is actually comprised of a trinity of self. The spirit

is the energy, the life force which carries information between
the twin physical and nonphysical realms. It has access to all
available information from both realms. The mind is the
vehicle of free will through which the individual can design the
life accouterments to their liking and to best fulfill their destiny
path. The mind has the express purpose of self-development.
When the mind does its job, the spirit can meet its purpose of
self-expression in ever-expanding areas of experience.

This might sound like a duality rather than a "trinity", but the physical
"self" makes the third part and is the essential quality of solidifying the
progress we make in the other two roles. From the energy of Spirit, the mind
can convert the non-physical state into the physical state of being and does
so continuously. This is something that is obviously observable.

With adequate information exchanges and feedback between

these "Twin Selves" humans can enjoy the maximum most
rewarding physical experience. The life giving habits are all
designed to meet these higher purposes.

As we progress along our mental and spiritual lines of development, we will

naturally benefit at the physical level as well. These "selves" are not
independent or unaffecting of each other.

Unfortunately, the mind has complete free will and can

develop itself with slivers that can take humans in less

527
rewarding directions, should the communication with spirit
somehow breakdown. This is the risk of physical existence and
the downside of free will. This is why the wisdom of the
Creator has been imbued into the body itself. This is the safety
feature that can save humans from themselves by keeping them
oriented upon a purposeful path. The body contains the needs
to move humans forward, and its physical responses of fight
and flight to move them back when they stray from their
intended course. The body's basic purpose is to self-preserve so
that the human is kept alive long enough to discover and act
upon its higher purposes. Thus there is a trinity of purpose
swirling within humans at their present level.

Imagine driving your car down a winding, hilly road with guard rails on
each side, traveling faster than one should and using a steering wheel with
too much play in it. Hopefully, the journey can be completed before the
damage to the car causes too much disability. If we can tighten our steering
and slow our speed, we have a chance at arriving at our destination in much
better shape.

The human race has not yet reached sufficient self-

understanding necessary for the cooperative level of existence
which they now are faced. They remain at cross purposes
within themselves because the emotional self-signals have
three distinct meanings which need to be understood. The
feelings tell body to self-preserve . They tell mind to self-
develop in ways to ensure the body's purposes are met. They
speak the truth of spirit for its purpose of self-expression.

You might say that the human race is still in that teen-age driver state,
learning through the process of trial and error.

Local Self Distinctions

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So it is now useful to recognize the trinity of self, to best
understand each feeling signal as it is experienced at this quite
primitive level of human existence. Thus, all other terms used
to capture any concept or portion of self will fall into one of
these three simple self-categories of body, mind and spirit. It is
essential to define this trinity of self to decipher the language
of human feeling.

The most difficult part of this "defining" will be the redefining that will be
necessary. Establishment supported knowledge is the most challenging to
redefine. Those who profess to know the most are the last to admit that they
might not "know it all".

There has been a tendency for humans throughout their history

to theorize and dissect the human self and declare certain
portions to have specific functions. Although incomplete or
inaccurate, many have been quite elaborate, and have created
further confusion. This tendency has been rooted in the very
real distinction between body, mind, and spirit, yet was always
clouded by the knowledge of the day, mental judgments and
the perspective of the theorist.

Like most opinions, they are often passed on without testing them against
our inner compass, without weighing them against the context of the
spiritual nature of our being. As someone much more wise than I once said,
"Those things not worth remembering, are preserved in books."

Many theorists identified three major categories, but there was

so much fuzziness and overlap that the role of feeling signals in
the spiritual self-regulation system could not reveal itself.
Many of what was supposed to be higher divine values, were
simply the passing fancies within mass consciousness. As we

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know now, any such belief taken from the cultural storehouse
of mass consciousness, is freely and willfully chosen and
maintained by its owner.

In the physical world, what we own tends to eventually decay. This can
apply equally in the mental world when the exercise of creative free will is
not fully appreciated and encouraged.

For example, the historically accepted Freudian distinction

between Ego, Id and Superego. The Ego represents the
individual's conscious mind. the Id, which he defined as an
inborn, unconscious, impulsive portion of the personality,
represents the body. The Superego, which was thought to be a
sort of conscience or higher inner guide, was a combination of
external social dictates, mores, and rules from the realm of
mind, mixed together with a vague concept of inborn internal
spiritual directives, inaccurately entangling them into a third
fuzzy category. Such is also the case with the early philosophy
of Plato, with his rational (mind), spirited (spirit) and appetitive
(body) portions of the human self that based (were the basis
for) the later Freudian thought.

While Plato at least gave credit for the existence of "spirit", Freud, affected
by his own Darwinian times, felt compelled to reinvent the metaphorical
wheel of man by rearranging and replacing some of the spokes.

The result has been a great deal of terms, each used to describe
various portions of the human psyche. With the precise clarity
of redefining each aspect of self, cleansed of its cultural
judgments, the feelings can begin to take on their purposeful
meaning. To this end, each term now must be relegated to the
proper category of Body, Mind or Spirit to further cement this
critical distinction. Thus, the following is offered:

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BODY: MIND: SPIRIT:
(Inborn qualities) (Learned, developed qualities) (Enduring divine qualities)

Purpose: Self Preservation Purpose: Self Development Purpose: Self Expression

Physical Genetic Self Mental Self Nonphysical Self

Id/Superego(internal, natural rules) Ego Superego(divine rules)

Unconscious(hardwired drives) Conscious Focus Collective Unconscious

Mass Consciousness (info beyond space/time)

Unconscious Soul

Appetitive Rational Spirited

Evolving Self

Actual Self

Ought Self Ideal/Destined Self

Intellectual Intuitive

Natural Knowledge Beliefs/Cultural knowledge Truths/Divine Knowledge

Plans/Expectations Divine Intention/Mission

Temperaments Attitudes/Mood Divine Exuberance

Talents Skills Soul Development

Drives/Needs Goals Destiny Path

Physical/Natural Influences Nurture Influences Spiritual/Influences

CONCLUSION:

Each and every aspect of a human being that is learned and

changes after birth resides in the realm of Mind. Each and
every aspect that is innate and hardwired belongs in the realm
of Body. Each and every aspect that is enduring, divine and life
giving belongs in the realm of Spirit.

If we can keep this straight and enhance our understanding of "IT " by

531
constantly reviewing the above chart, we have a good chance of "psyching"
ourselves into the new millennium.

Other terms commonly used to describe aspects of self, often

combine and overlap between these realms causing further
confusion. Examples include: personality, character, mentality,
psyche, and even brain. The term personality for example, is a
combination of innate spiritual tendencies acted upon by the
specific experiences and beliefs held in mind which shape
behavior choices. The word brain is a uniquely confusing
word. For of course, all aspects of self are manifested within
the physical structures. The brain is clearly part of the body. It
comes with its own abilities and temperaments and talents. But
the brain can then be expanded upon and developed through
experience. Quite literally, as humans learn and have
experiences, the brain structures themselves change and grow
in ways specific to that individual's experiences. But it is the
energy of spirit that pulses the brain with life, giving rise to
mind.

"Personality" for example, is a fluid quality that can be refined as we bring

forth the qualities of our spiritual nature and expand the mental information
of what we truly are. If we can think of the brain as the computer, than we
can accept mind as the programmer.

Interpretation of Feelings And Attribution

An instantaneous recognition between the purposes of body,

mind and spirit is crucial to the accurate assessment of the
feedback offered by the Spiritual adjudicator, the emotional
information system. The feelings take on the three distinct
levels of meaning to the enlightened mind. But without

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adequate understanding of the separate functions of each aspect
of self, the system falls into automatic mode to ensure survival.

Consequently, when we make ourselves aware of the true value as well as the
sophisticated scope of our nature, we automatically begin to move toward a
new level of growth, giving ourselves greater purpose than the instinct to
simply survive.

In this mode, (automatic mode) the system operates upon the

self/not-self distinction with body, mind, and spirit lumped
together motivating actions toward a singular goal of self-
preservation. Self preservation of mind creates limitation and
emotional boundaries and stifles the spirit's purposeful
expression. Evolving humans must rise above the automatic
cycle by mindfully intervening and rising to the higher
purposes of self-development of mind and self-expression of
spirit. Thus, it is essential to correctly understand which
portion of self any specific feeling addresses.

We are truly astonishing creatures, more complex than we have been led to
believe, but more understandable than we have anticipated. The clue lies in
our intent to achieve full cognition. Without the inspirations of "intent",
there can be no growth.

This is a process called attribution. Attribution is the part of

the Right Response which acknowledges the specific portion of
self which has elicited the feeling signal being interpreted. This
is a relatively simply task when one understands the difference
between body, mind, and spirit, and will eventually become
virtually automatic for enlightened ones. But what happens
without such information, is that the entire self gets credit or
blame for each and every feeling, and automatically seeks to

533
preserve itself by avoiding situations that invoke bad feelings,
or automatically approaching those that bring pleasurable
ones---oftentimes not at all the best choice of action.

Again, we have the capability to differentiate between this trinity of

qualities, but the first step has to be one of awareness of the "completeness"
of the humans that we are and always have been.

Actions which meet one need at the expense of another provide

a benefit of momentary relief from bad feelings or pleasure
from good ones, but at a cost of future problems. Lacking this
ever-present boundary and the correct attribution of the feeling
signal, the message of Divine Intention is far less accessible,
and the human needs can become mental enemies instead of
spiritual allies. If the feelings are mis-attributed or unexamined
they can work against the spiritual goals by helping instill
slivers rather than removing them. Partial, temporary, or
artificial need fulfillment can perpetuate misconceptions that
set the stage for future pain.

Something that feels good physically, may be quite damaging mentally or

spiritually, especially when the action does not take into consideration the
long term effect, or the result one's action might have on someone else.

For instance, the need for Self Esteem. Self Esteem and the
feelings of joy, hope, trust, honor, pride, faith, and the
confidence it brings, are the spiritual rewards for successful
developmental and expressive responses. They are the
validation that willfully developed beliefs, skills, and strategies
of mind that have allowed the spirit to shine upon humanity.
But such feelings must be attributed to their correct source, or
confusing, conflicting, and inaccurate beliefs and ideas can
result. Such slivers, in turn, create future situations which will

534
signal far less pleasant emotions.

This is one case where feeling good about one's self can be trusted to be from
a spirit source. If there are "second thoughts" which tend to contaminate
that blissful feeling, an examination of one's belief system (as it relates to the
particular experience) might be in order.

For example, a spirited young girl of eleven tender years

dances into the living room of her parents, displaying adept and
imaginative choreography. Even as she dances, she experiences
joyous emotion for the creative expression she is achieving.
Her spirit sings its happiness as she meets this essential need,
to which she rhythmically and energetically responds. The joy
is intensified due to the fact that she is also meeting her
connection need by performing for others. When her
performance is complete, her parents give raves and applause,
and again her spirit soars in reward for her skillful
accomplishments, and her sense of self is strengthened.

This is an example of pure joy, a completed action that results in the kind of
uplift that can have long-enduring benefits. As we move into adulthood, we
begin to meet the blend of the misguided around us.

But among the praise for her creative expression, her tenacity
in practicing, and her innate talent, come other, perhaps more
sinister, praises: "What lovely golden curls, you are so
beautiful, just like a lady!" Or comparisons might be made:
"You're so much better than your cousin Jane!" The positive
emotion that accompanies such a glowing review prompts an
automatic response, where these new concepts of self,
"beautiful," "ladylike" and "better" are added to the tools of
mind. This is also known as conditioning or positive
reinforcement. Like all needs, the esteem need ties directly

535
with the feedback system and its objectives to identify things
that are good or bad for self. Without conscious mental
intervention, all portions of self will be included in any
situation of positive reinforcement. Recall that true self esteem
is based upon self-development (of mind) and self-expression
(of spirit), both of which are purposeful, individual actions. But
recall also that esteem needs can be met in other temporary or
artificial ways through self-preservation of existing ideas or
mindsets. There are several potential problems in this situation:

What follows is self-explanatory and is designed to alert us to a negativity

that we might not necessarily be aware of until we examine it a new
perspective.

Positive Feelings & The Self

This example brings to light how positive emotions play their

role in the learning cycle. Although the negative emotions are
the most problematic, it is essential to understand the subtleties
of the positive ones as well. Since all feelings can be attracted
to contents of mind or self concept, the pursuit of pleasure is
also wrought with potential self-preservationary responses .

Keeping an "eye on the prize" and a positive attitude works as a sort of a

mental magnet is bring about the experiences that generate the growth
sought. This also weakens the influence of those negative slivers that we are
constantly exposed to and will then naturally reject.

We have discussed in detail how each of the emotions speak

from different aspects of self, how the primary emotions of joy,
anger, fear and sadness spring directly from a frustrated or

536
expanding spirit which brings bodily safeguards into play. But
joy is also intimately connected with any contents of mind that
have met with success previously. And joy takes on many
subtle shadings in the form of the learned emotions such as
pride, confidence and even hope that operate in the mind.
Although temporary and misleading, it is far easier to retain
slivers which bring pleasure than those that bring pain.

This is where a refined filter system comes into play. We develop this
"system" by attuning ourselves to the thoughts and attitudes and, more
importantly, the feelings we find ourselves experiencing in relation to the
world as we move through it.

Thus, to be just as cautious in understanding the positive

emotional signals is to be truly enlightened. The best advice is
to think about the incoming positive feedback and scrutinize
just what belief it is suggesting or what need it is fulfilling, like
the young lady in our example. As you go through this process,
pay particular attention to any bad feelings that arise, for they
will expose limitations to the incoming or proposed "gem." If
the pleasure does not allow denial or an escape response from
something that causes pain, if it doesn't compromise one need
to meet another, or if it shows promise of a truly better
approach, let it in. Let it become associated with your sense of
self---in full awareness that this is the mind which is always
purposefully seeking change and improvement. For the beauty
of the spiritual adjudicator, is that if it is truly a sliver it will
create future negative feelings such as anxiety, fear, frustration,
guilt, or sadness, which will then expose it for removal or
alteration.

There is a built in propensity to believe that that which is for our spiritual
betterment will sustain and be retained, while that which is the opposite will

537
become painfully evident, which is the tool of encouragement that should
lead to rejecting such. Consequently, that which we desire to be will
naturally become us.

In sum, each incoming feeling, good or bad, and the experience

or incoming feedback information that spurred it, should be
pondered and applied to its correct source. With a few
conscious interpretations and attributions, these thought
processes will soon become as unconscious as the ones which
now automatically attribute every feeling to the entire self.

In other words, we need merely change our "habits" of thinking and once
accomplished, the new habits will carry us forward to the unlimited
possibilities these "Lessons" promise. It's really as simple as that.

Each feeling, indeed, springs from an aspect of self and should

be recognized as such. For mind is the pinnacle of physical
existence, but it also stands directly between spirit and the
body in its physical world, placing the responsibility upon the
mind to resolve its own complications. All humans simply
must apply this knowledge to each and every feeling as soon as
it is experienced. If the source is mind, the best response is to
adapt beliefs and learn. If the source is body or spirit, the best
response is to honor the need, express the higher ideal, faithful
in the wisdom of spiritual intention. Of course when the mind
is enlightened to the degree that it can direct actions within all
three purposes, such conflicts do not arise.

This last sentence is the ideal toward which we strive.

Other Self Goals

There are also other terms regarding the self and its goals

538
tossed around which can be clarified as well. Some examples
are: self-efficacy, self actualization, self-love, self-hatred, etc.
At this point applying them to the correct aspects of self should
be relatively easy. As long as the understanding is in place
between the developing and enduring qualities, interpretations
of self become the proverbial piece of cake.

Presumably this is in reference to the common cliche to "have one's cake

and eat it too". This should become more clear as we proceed.

For example, self efficacy is defined as the effectiveness or

ability of an individual to make things happen. It is related to
self-esteem and belongs in the realm of mind. Self
actualization, on the other hand, is about allowing the spirit to
fully express its gifts upon the physical realm. It speaks of
something that already exists within the body that needs to be
developed and actualized or made apparent in the world. This
of course is the spirit. But without development of mind,
without skills and strategies with which to express spirit, self-
actualization is not as likely to occur.

Let's say that a person has a particular gift that comes forth when he/she is
put in a position to build someone else's sense of pride, such as a teacher.
Yet, because the person believes that he/she is not intelligent enough to enter
such a profession, the "gift" is never allowed expression.

Self love should always be above spirit. Self love is about

valuing that which you are despite the illusions of the physical
realm, the slivers of mind, the limitations of body, and the
judgements and injustices of mass consciousness. Self love
marks faith and trust in the Spirit and in its higher wisdom. It is
strengthened by the absolute certainty that spirit is one with the
Creator and All That Is. Self love is not conditional upon

539
anything that might rest in the realm of mind, or body. Love for
self and others flows naturally when the needs are met.
Patience, compassion, humor and self-acceptance regarding the
body, the mind and its developmental progress are also such
expressions of self love.

When we truly love ourselves for what we are, then it automatically follows
that we will love our spirit and recognize that it is a part of a greater Spirit
that encompasses ALL, including all others who are and will be a part of our
being.

Self hatred should never exist. But it is an easy tendency when

blaming is a chosen strategy. As we now know, any legitimate
negative feelings about the self, point to deficits within the
realm of mind and beg for learning experiences and corrections
of conflicting beliefs. Many cultural systems instill such
conflicts by asking individuals to believe things that go against
their spirit and their natural bodily inclinations. Guilt almost
always is the result of such conflicting information and
external dictates. When spirits choose their own actions which
do not agree with the mind's chosen religious tenets or moral
view, they experience guilt and self-loathing.

So many of us have been taught that we are basically sinners, doomed to

everlasting punishment, without the help of our religious institutions. This
sets the stage for discouragement of free will and plays down any
appreciation of our spiritual nature, resulting in all the negative experiences
that follow.

It must be completely accepted by the mind that the spirit, the

body, and all of its inherent nature, are good and beautiful and
natural as defined by the Creator. They should be loved and
celebrated and placed as superior to any man-made ideas or
methods which deny, defile, control, or attempt to overcome

540
the spirit's nature.

A close look at Nature itself, reinforces the apparent truth of its perfect state
of balance, regardless of how mankind may attempt to improve upon it. So it
is with humans, who are already perfect in our own nature, if allowed and
encouraged to connect with our true spiritual essence.

Feelings of guilt and self-loathing should automatically be

examined to find the underlying slivers which pit mind against
body or spirit, and demand that nature bend to the ideas of
mind. This is an affront to the Creator, and this is why it is a
violation of the response rules. It never works, for the spirit
will continuously offer its message of disapproval through the
subsequent negative feelings. This is as close to "sin" as
humans can come---to deny the Creator's intention. True
doctrines which celebrate spirit do not even attempt to legislate
natural behavior, instead they attempt to understand the
wisdom of the Creator by honoring the creation and
accommodating each of its natural working systems.

Would that this concept be adopted by the religious institutions. In place, it

would lead mankind back to our intended relationship with All That Is.

In sum, the distinction between the trinity of self is the basic

foundational understanding which can unlock the complex
meanings contained within each emotional signal. It can
demonstrate how all three purposes are suggested within each
feeling. It can show how each feeling suggests the sequence of
specific internal or external corrective actions set forth in the
appropriate response rules. It can unlock the mystery of how
the safeguards of body are forced into action when the mind is
not sufficiently developed to lead humans along the destiny
path. It can expose the folly of such concepts as evil and sin.

541
It is, at this point, time to review this "trinity" once again, with the intent of
fully grasping the value of what we are meant to be and become.

It can acknowledge the existence of the spirit and its special

functions and divine wisdom. It can give the spirit credit as the
ever-present life force that communicates information from all
physical and nonphysical realms. It can acknowledge how the
spirit provides the insights and inspirations from the wellspring
of universal consciousness, once humans unblock the mind. It
can hint of a grander more purposeful level of existence than
that which now exists.

In other words, it can open all our "physical senses" and unlock our mental
and spiritual potential far beyond what we can presently perceive.

This first level of self understanding provides the foundation

for further implications upon personhood, as we now turn to
the process of learning culture.

Page 219-237 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Delta

Lesson Two: Implications For Childrearing

The Parental Responsibility

The implications of spiritual reconnection have profound

542
impact upon how humans treat their offspring. Each interaction
between parent and child will be a formative one, from the very
moment of conception, throughout the first several decades of
life. In the womb, the emerging spirit will be slipping on the
chemical cloak which can be severely influenced by the actions
of the host mother. Later, upon birth, the spirit's dependence
upon the state of the body will be compounded by its complete
reliance upon the caregivers to instill the preliminary contents
of the mind. If that weren't enough for concern, the entire
emotional relationship with the world will depend upon the
early relationship the infant has with the caregivers.

If there is a single example of "oneness" for any and all to observe, THIS IS
IT. From the very beginning of a person's existence, the relationship
between parent and child is of critical and constant importance.

At present, conditions for an incoming spirit are far from

optimal. Confused parents have no universal guidelines and are
left to fall back upon patterns from their own upbringing---both
good and bad. Most parental missteps are self-preservationary
fight and flight responses: The venting of emotional
frustrations in explosive outbursts; or the attempt to exert
control through fear and violent punishment; or the escape
from parental pressures through denial, compulsive activities,
substance abuse or outright abandonment. Sadly, many parents
do not even exercise free will in the decision to become a
parent. Many seek to fulfill connection and esteem needs
through sexuality, resulting in unwanted pregnancies. Just as
many more start a family simply because it is expected of
them. The enlightened approach is for parents to fully embrace
and to purposefully commit to their responsibility for the
physical, mental, and emotional development of their children.

543
Even Dr. Spock's book on child care does not clearly explore the spiritual tie
between parent and child before the moment of birth. Nor does it explain the
true importance of getting beyond the mere survival of the relationship. The
broadened view of these "Lessons" starts the act of parenting before the
very moment of conception and continues as long as appropriate, stretching
the limit of our understanding far beyond our own experiences and into the
realm of spiritual growth.

The Parental Choice

The first optimal condition for bringing forth life is when the
role of parenthood is purposefully chosen by two loving,
bonded entities, who have made prior preparations of mind and
body. The mind is prepared by enrichment with prevailing
wisdom, evaluated of course against the wisdom of spirit. Prior
to conception, the body can be prepared by fortification,
fitness, and enriched nutrients within both mother and father,
as well as a period of abstinence from any debilitating activity
or substance. Such conditions are continued by the mother
throughout the pregnancy and duration of lactation.

The preparations for parenthood are no less important than the preparation
for any other career in life. Except in this case, one is preparing to create the
environment for another life to go from spirit to physical reality. There is
hardly a more important role.

There is, fortunately, a tremendous amount of spiritual

resilience and a level to which the incoming spirit can directly
influence the physical development, despite a lack of
preparation on the part of the parents. Many spirits work
behind the scenes, making deals with familial entities on other
levels of consciousness to ensure a destined conception will

544
occur, and imparting feelings within both parents to make the
parental choice, as well as to impart urges for the mother to eat
or do certain things that will help the developing form. But the
level of parents' receptivity to such actions dictates the level of
success, and is dependent upon their own level of
enlightenment. The influence of the incoming spirit can range
anywhere from a complete and total cooperative effort between
parents and child, to a complete competition between parasite
and host.

It should be clear that a society that values new life will provide the best
possible environment for that life to be born into. Life is sacrosanct – new
life particularly so.

In the latter case, the free will of the mother is primary and a
choice to discontinue any pregnancy should remain within the
realm of option. For even a mother who chooses to offer an
unplanned infant for adoption after birth, has a tremendous role
in its proper physical development. This means a committed,
cooperative effort at least through the duration of pregnancy to
ensure a normally developed body for each incoming spirit.
Anything less would be a violation upon the child as well as
upon unsuspecting adoptive parents.

There is nothing mentioned in the above paragraphs about the benefits to

the unborn child which might result from an abortion. The emphasis would
appear to be on those acts which would make the child's environment as
friendly as possible.

The choice to parent is clouded with many limiting beliefs and

myths which unnecessarily challenge nontraditional families.
Despite such obstacles, there are many variations upon the
family unit that can meet with equal success in childrearing.

545
Assumptions that only the biological parents should raise a
given child are inaccurate and limiting. As long as a support
network is in place wherein the child has the opportunity to
learn from many loving adults, it matters not what style of
family is involved. The cooperative nature of conception
between mother and father and again between mother and child
evidences the Divine intention of cooperation in general, and
the desirability of both male and female influences, not
necessarily that they are to be the only potential parents to the
incoming spirit.

The opportunity to be a loving parent to any child outweighs any lesser role
in a society. Other vocations might result in discovering some solution to a
collectively serious health problem for example, but nothing can exceed the
importance of giving another human being a loving environment in which to
evolve spiritually.

The power of procreation should be highly respected, with the

right to choose, the accountability and responsibility of the
choice widely available to all involved. Should the potential
parent not yet be ready to take on that responsibility,
replacements can and should be made wherein one abdicates to
another who offers a full commitment. In such cases, the earlier
the chosen parents participate, the better, to ensure adequate
physical development of the child. The best case scenario is to
provide wisdom, assistance and support and make the
pregnancy a cooperative effort within the host mothers and
minimize the chance of careless activities which could
adversely affect the developing child. In short, if a child is to
be invited into the physical realm, the biological mother must
be willing and able to fully commit to the needs of the child
within throughout gestation. Anything less justifies ---and
indeed justly requires---the option of abortion.

546
In other words, a developing child existing in an environment which can
have a seriously adverse effect upon his/her future existence in the physical
realm, should be allowed to exit that state and find another opportunity of
better conditions. When nature steps in to terminate the process, it is called
a miscarriage.

The Parental Role - Physical Development

The conditions of gestation must ensure the presence of an

adequate amount of nutrients and the absence of toxic
substances within the maternal system. There is no need to go
too far in the opposite direction in an attempt to improve the
internal conditions, flooding the body with excessive amounts
of vitamins or other "enhancing" substances. This would be the
mind, again attempting to second guess the wisdom of body
and spirit, wherein the best of intentions can actually backfire.

It's the old adage of too much of a good thing becoming a bad thing. We see
much evidence of this today, particularly in the area of exercise. Those prone
to excess become workaholics, marathon runners, overachievers, etc., until
their lives begin to fracture and their relationships break apart. Moderation
in all things is still a wise guideline. Based on the above paragraph, the
propensity for excess might just be laid much earlier in our lives than we
suspected.

With an adequate chemical balance, nature's miracle of

reproduction unfolds quite naturally, but its inherent biological
projections cannot prevent external chemical assault caused by
the mother herself. To date, many infants are born with
compromised bodies and brains due to self-destructive
tendencies of the mother. Many toxic substances are routinely
ingested which create weakness and developmental delays and
disallow the spirit a full and complete chance at physical

547
viability. Drug and alcohol abuse create insurmountable
conditions and often irreversible effects, underscoring the
crucial commitment to the child beginning with conception.

In a drug oriented society, too much emphasis is placed upon achieving

solutions to our problems through the ingestion of substances outside of
ourselves. This can range from something as immaterial as beliefs to
something as materially destructive as heroin. As previously related, this is
our orientation and the above is too often the consequence. It's not that we
are taught to take illegal drugs at an early age (although "example" can be
very educationally effective), it's that we give our children legal medical
drugs so readily that, come adulthood, the lines of common sense become
blurred.

In addition to a balanced chemical environment, the incoming

spirit can also be benefitted by mental, visceral, and verbal
expressions of love while still in the womb. The brain itself can
be developmentally reinforced by external stimulation from the
parents. Activities such as creating or listening to music,
speaking soothingly, and reading to the developing fetus can all
bolster the brain development. Visualization of future family
harmony and subjective communications wherein love energy
is directed toward the incoming spirit are also very powerful.
The love energy spans space-time, it beacons and welcomes,
attracting those with chosen destinies matching the conditions
offered. Adoptive parents can also interact in these ways during
gestation to begin spiritual and emotional bonding.

Yes, talking or reading to the unborn child can and does have a positive
effect. Oh, that the evening news would announce the entire above
paragraph to be, at the very least, likely "true". Of course, in our
competitive world, some parents would be prone to "overdo". Overall,
though, the above paragraph is probably one of the most important pieces of
guidance in these Lessons.

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After birth, the parental responsibility for the child's physical
development will continue in the form of lifestyle choices.
These choices include nutritional support through intelligent
approaches to diet, the physical safety through instructional
awareness of environmental hazards, and musculoskeletal
vitality through regular creative movement.

In other words, find a good "motherly" example, and follow it! Review the
material of these "Lessons" and meditate on it. Trust in the All That Is and
find joy in the parental role...and if your parental role is behind you, never,
ever say to yourself, would that I knew what I know now.

Most parents have access to information through the health

care professions that can allow a fetus and infant adequate
physical development. The bottom line is to ensure a normally
developed body, followed by providing the necessities to meet
basic survival needs. The lesser understood and more
challenging parental responsibilities lie in the realm of mental
and emotional development.

Here is where the information which follows will be most helpful.

The Parental Role - Mental Development

There is substantial overlap between physical brain

development and mental development. Brain development is
synonymous with mental expansion and is tremendously
influenced by the people who comprise the foster environment.
Brain cells bud and branch forth as mind expands. Scientists
are correct when they note that memory nodes exist which can
by physically manipulated influencing the state of mind. But
they are incorrect to assume that consciousness arises from

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brain tissue alone. For mind is far more than brain tissue, it is
alive with the voice of spirit which spurs it toward purposeful
development. Thus, children are far more capable of
understanding and decision-making than most parental myths
might suggest.

They did an experiment in which they placed a variety of baby foods in front
of a child of six months and watched to see whether he would go for the
vegetables or the fruits, etc. The child, familiar with all the foods, went for
the better tasting choices and it was presumed that if, given the free will to
choose, would continue to eat nothing but that which was pleasing to the
pallet. However, it soon became apparent that this was not so as the child in
due course, ate all of the foods and naturally consumed a perfectly balanced
diet. How many mothers wish they had known that when they were trying to
get Johnny/Jannie to try the mashed peas when the child clearly didn't want
to try them.

In order to fully accommodate free will, the brain will expand

or contract upon the chosen contents of mind. It will be
stretched to accommodate the most technologically complex
mental scenarios, or it could be prepared for a far simpler
approach to life. The mind, of course, is the constellation of all
contents of belief, knowledge, and strategies learned
throughout the life which characterize an individual. This
mental flexibility ensures that any lifestyle choice, worldview,
or culture can be chosen as the primary focus of a given life.
The brain is primed to absorb a great deal of information as
early as possible to set the primary mental stage. But there is a
limited window of opportunity during this period, a window
which narrows after the initial mental stage is set. This fact of
biology evidences the Creator's intention for each spirit's
choice to enter and focus within a particular space-time cultural
scenario and the Divine effort to facilitate their particular
destiny path.

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There is a point in a person's life when decisions have to be made as to what
direction the mind will focus for the maximum opportunity for spiritual
growth. From this point, intent follows this freely arrived at decision. This
does not prohibit the later decision to go in a different direction, if
knowledge and circumstances dictate. Free Will always remains in place.

Thus, early mental development depends upon stimulation.

Despite notions to the contrary, the child can take in and
understand far more, if challenged than when being shielded
from anything "too complex." The best rule of thumb for
parents is: the more early intellectual stimulation, the better.
There are neural circuits in the brain that will quite literally
shut down if they are not stimulated during the early years.
Providing a rich array of sensory stimulus can switch them on,
and allow them to branch forth into complex neural networks
that can later be utilized for more complex thought.

The tendency in current societal beliefs is that if there are signs of above
average intelligence, then stimulation should follow. Too often, a parent will
form a false judgment about the mental inferiority of a child and,
consequently, elect to withhold the needed stimulation. Mental development
comes in a variety of forms and challenges the parent to determine what
form it has taken.

The more direct complex communication, the sooner language

can be acquired. (Each parental expression of "baby talk"
actually robs the child of an opportunity to grasp adult
language). Reading aloud throughout childhood is a powerful
positive interactive activity, to stimulate imagination and
diversity of thought as well as to facilitate language skills.
Likewise, subjective imaging, dream interpretation and
manipulation, meditative visualization, and telepathic exercises
and games can develop neural networks and mental abilities

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now largely dormant. Any such activity that exercises the
mind's ability to focus in altered states of consciousness can
ignite many hidden inner mental abilities. This is not to say that
a child should be over-stimulated. Following a child's cues and
allowing the natural curiosity to blossom in individual pursuits
will ensure the necessary balance.

The key word here is "challenge". With a slight shift in our presumptions
with regard to the universal mental capabilities of children, we can begin to
serve as the best possible thing that can happen to a child, when it comes to
natural development. No one can show more love for a child than its parents
and no one is in a better position to optimize that love.

Beyond these implications upon brain development, lie the

equally important implications of the parental role upon
imparting the specific contents of mind: the artifacts of culture,
the beliefs, truths, and traditions that are imparted from one
generation to the next. The parents cannot help but pass along
their own cultural wisdom and values to the child. The child
observes the caregiver's actions and each will model and
display their mental strategies---complete with each gem and
sliver. But it is a dangerous myth that only one set of ideas is
the best and only to be offered. Or, that children can be
protected from the realities of a cruel world, sheltered within a
family or religious cocoon. For to under-stimulate or under-
expose a child can do more damage than good.

If children are to be given the opportunity and encouragement to exercise

their Creator's gift of free will and furnished with the tools to make the most
direct contact with their Spirit natures, then a parent must accept that the
children will not (and should not) become just a cloned copy of the adult. We
would hope that the opposite would be true since there is so much "slivered"
material in human society today. Those teachings that are in alignment with
spirit will be surely accepted and those that are not should be rejected,

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regardless of their source.

In the complex world that exists today, mass consciousness has

an inescapable effect upon children. The mind of man is the
complex mass reality, the cooperative product, that humans
have created and are quite literally limited within, until they
design it to be free of all limitation. The challenge to each
incoming spirit is to develop the mind to work within the
existing limitations and achieve individual expressions which
remove unnecessary limitations. The illusory trap of mass
conscience as a singular unavoidable reality, often mires the
mind to the degree that it loses touch with its very free will.

The first step on the road to "enlightenment" is to see the world as it is, with
all its virtues and shortcomings and then, with the guidance of spirit, make
those changes within oneself (and ultimately wherever opportunity takes us)
which will propel us toward our collective optimum potential.

But humans are indeed in creative control over defining the

earthly experience. The cultural creations---the mental and
physical man-made technology---now overrule many natural
processes. Humans have devised a phenomenal technological
capacity to share information. They share through newspapers,
magazines, televisions and computers, bringing mass
consciousness to the doorstep of many who were once isolated.
Ideas, actions and truths from many conflicting perspectives
now bombard and confuse. Humans are often unaware of their
own free will to accept or deny such information, and are
continuously stressed with conflicting feelings and information
overload.

Opportunities of communication are covering the planet like a fine-meshed

blanket, thanks to this thriving new idea called the "internet". The downside

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of this age of communication and interchange of information is the threat of
"overload" and subsequent closing down of our mental systems. The fact is
we don't have to absorb it all. On the contrary, a great deal of it is
redundant. However, that said, it would be hoped that this "Lessons"
material does capture a primary level of attention, as it is most certainly
essential to our optimum growth in all areas of life.

This is not to condemn the human ability to share information,

but to point out that it has replaced much of the interaction with
the world that is necessary to impart individual beliefs tailored
to the unique spirit. Human technology has empowered mass
consciousness often at the expense of individual consciousness.
As well as offering confusion, it can perpetuate a singular,
limited worldview rather than facilitating the diversity of
thought, belief, and choices of living that are optimal for
earthly spirits.

Particularly through the medium of television, vast numbers of people are

being exposed to beliefs and patterns of thought without being given the
opportunity to raise questions about the wisdom of the information.
Hopefully, this particular medium which these Lessons are being
transmitted through, i.e. the web site, will enable those exposed to it to
indulge in an ongoing dialogue, even to the point of enhancing the full
understanding and appreciation of All That Is being imparted.

Children---now more than ever---must be taught to utilize the

internal spiritual adjudicator in order to sift through the
mountains of existing choices to design a mental landscape that
matches the desires of spirit. Instead, mass consciousness
presently sets forth values, views, assumptions, and activities
which become cultural norms with which individuals feel
compelled to conform. These norms close the mind to other
values and ways of thinking and acting, many of which are far
more desirous by spirit. Many such norms hold unrealistic
standards of appearance, morality, and behavior which defy the

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standards and diversity of nature. A mind that attempts to adopt
ways that go against its natural leanings is doomed to create
emotional pain, as the slivers signal the ongoing disapproval of
spirit.

Our present society is laced with much evidence of the emotional pain that
results from beliefs and practices that our spirit nature finds to be in
contradiction to the truths it attempts to lead us toward. We create our
consequential problems and then spend nearly incalculable hours attempting
to solve them via less than spiritual means. We make "war" on poverty,
ignorance, drugs, and assorted "isms" of politics, economies and religions,
using the weapons that ultimately create old and new enemies, which exist
within ourselves.

The parental task is to ensure the exposure to many ideas---

resisting the fear-driven temptation to control information or to
shield the child---and instead to help the children to enlist the
emotional system to guide their willful choices. Ultimately
human technology, when utilized under the direction of spirit,
can be tremendously valuable in imparting universal
understandings and focusing humans upon group goals. When
the species has reached this level, the corresponding feelings of
joy and happiness will replace the present emotional pain and
stress that accompanies complex technology.

The point made here is a valid one. Technology is not a threat to spirituality,
but rather a tool of optimum expression, one which when properly utilized,
can enhance and broaden our whole being.

But until then, this poses the unique challenge to parents of

instilling a breadth of understanding and the importance of free
will, yet realistically balanced within the existing limitations,
structures, and rules of mass consciousness. It is to teach them
how to utilize the inner system to adapt to existing conditions

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in order to be successful and to make individual spiritual
expressions which creatively change the world for the better.

The parent is to achieve this ideal with the help of his/her own spirit, once
he/she can reestablish that element of trust. Putting into practice those
things which are explained and advocated herein is an important step in that
direction.

Thus, an essential offering from parent to child is the

understanding that all incoming information is conditional
upon validation of the emotional adjudicator. When
knowledge is offered, for example, a parent might preface it by
saying: "This is what I have learned, and works best for me,
and you might find it helpful." and follow it by saying: "How
do you feel about it?" Or when watching TV, "This is what the
creators of this program have found to be true for them. Try it
on for size and see if it feels like it fits." This approach sets the
mental stage for the child to understand the complex
intermingling realities, the flexibility and power of mind, the
essential evaluation role of spirit, and to maintain individual
choice in all situations.

The greatest challenge will be in helping children deal with peer pressure,
since other parents may not be as aware and enlightened. The child should
come to know the true meaning of "being in the world but not of it",
maintaining that degree of detachment that is essential for balanced success
in dealing with and creating one's reality.

Questioning and debate should then be encouraged and

facilitated in many forums. An open, flexible mind should be
assumed and perpetuated at all times. It is critical to understand
that the parent is simply assisting in the choices of free will for
the child until the child is capable of doing so for his or her
self. The purpose of self-development of mind should permeate

556
the life and traditions of all within the family community.

Guidance can replace autocratic control where there is mutual respect for
the spirit within each human being, be they child or parent. When this
environment is maintained, the spirit thrives.

Drawing the child's attention to how each situation feels,

relating it to the chosen beliefs which guide the actions, is to
bring awareness of the importance of the voice of spirit. Any
incoming information that is natural, enduring, and spiritual
will be validated by the internal voice of spirit through the
feeling system. Likewise, any cultural knowledge that is
helpful toward meeting needs and is consistent with other
beliefs, will also be validated by the emotional system as long
as it remains effective.

The really significant part of this process is that children are naturally closer
to their feelings and will be able to sense their spirit guidance without all the
baggage their parents have been loaded down with from their outer
environment.

An enlightened lifestyle is one which also incorporates open,

regular, communication in which the expression of dreams,
goals, thoughts, feelings and experiences creates discussion,
reflection, and the sharing of insights among loved ones. This
type of activity facilitates the development of individuals as
well as the development of family and group goals. The dinner
hour already provides a group forum where daily activities are
shared. Adding self-knowledge, feedback feelings and what
they mean can foster connection, understanding, social skill
enhancement, fulfillment, and family cohesion. Drawing
connections between daily actions, feelings, outcomes, and
needs can tremendously empower a child. Examining daily

557
events wherein the actions of others seek to manipulate the
emotions or seek self preservation can bolster understandings
and identify effective strategies for interacting with less
enlightened others. Parents can point out and safeguard against
the deadly habits of resistance, resentment and revenge, as well
as their effects upon the spirit. Reflecting upon unacceptable
anger-invoking events with humor, compassion, tolerance, and
forgiveness can instill life-giving habits.

Would that such a family environment could be created, even as a fictional

setting such as a regular television series, broadcast by a major network, but
set in present times with current challenges addressed. Now there's a
challenge!

Parents who begin an early practice of such analysis of

feedback cues, the identifications of source beliefs which bring
emotional signals, and suggesting improved strategies for
reducing painful feelings and increasing joyous ones, set the
stage for continuous internal self-analysis within a healthy
child. Such an approach can quite quickly attune an individual
to the spiritual information cycle such that even without a
group forum, the child will automatically conduct the self-
analysis to constantly live under the direction of spirit. Each
daily experience can be analyzed to mine spiritual wisdom to
achieve the maximum self development and expression. The
child is then prepared to understand, adapt, and succeed within
diverse environments, as well as to build solid, supportive,
enlightened, rewarding relationships with others, and share his
or her light with the world.

Once children begin to attend formal schooling and bring their experiences
home at the end of the school day, the importance of a parent's presence in
the home is almost impossible to calculate.

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An enlightened family lifestyle also provides broad and open
physical boundaries and many opportunities for experience
outside the comfort of the home environment. Just as the mind
is stimulated by ideas, the spirit is stimulated by a wealth of
experiences. Once the cycle of internal thought, external
action, external result and internal feeling feedback is
embraced, the more external experiences the better. Every child
should be traveled so that they are apprised of conditions
existing in many diverse environments. These include anything
and everything from work places, museums, shops of
commerce, artistic events, halls of academia, halls of justice,
places of religious worship, political forums, community action
events, multi-cultural systems of living, diverse ethnicities and
world views, distant geographic locations, places of natural
beauty, and even the positive and negative groupings which
represent the successes and failures of group mind. the
footsteps of experience should meander into all walks of life.

I once read the definition of a well-educated person describing same as "one

who is at ease in any situation". This would seem to be able to come about
only through a broad range of education and experiences of all kinds.

This external exposure provides a mechanism wherein the child

can reconcile the differences between the ideal and the actual,
between the family environment and those with any disparity
outside the door. The idea that a child can be sheltered, or
isolated from the shortcomings of the world is an antiquated,
misguided, fear-driven practice, and one that can leave a child
ill-equipped. Optimistic realism is the key. Exposure can also
bring understanding, tolerance, and appreciation for the broad
choices available to humans, as well as the effects and

559
limitations of such choices. It can offer opportunities to
recognize and fend off efforts of others to control or to
emotionally manipulate. Broad experience will greatly reduce
fear and increase courage. For invalid fear inducing beliefs will
naturally give way to more spiritual knowledge as the
emotional system faithfully and accurately reports the positive
and negative aspects of any given situation, and the mind
correctively responds.

It is the fear of the unknown and imagined threats that get the greatest grip
on us, for we end up fighting our own imagination without our "knowing" it
as a reliable ally.

In sum, the parental role in mental development is to create as

many opportunities as possible to take in, analyze, and discuss
various beliefs, strategies, and actions. This will maximize
formative brain growth and set the mind on a life-long course
of self-development.

We, who have gone beyond the years of parenthood, are the transitional
generation. To us falls the responsibility of regaining the role of "wise
elders", so that what we are learning from this material can be passed on to
the next generation, both by word and by example.

The Parental Role – Emotional Development

Even within existing limitations, development of body and

mind are already far less mysterious to parents than the
development of spirit. Despite the best intentions of the
religious community, spiritual development is not about
church, rules, and holy books. Spiritual development remains a
mystery due to the predominant misunderstandings about the

560
voice of spirit, the emotional system. Thus, spiritual
development begins with emotional development.

It is for this reason that the parental role should be predominantly one of
protection and restrained guidance. By encouraging greater contact and
acceptance of the innate spirit wisdom available to each child, we can
ultimately create a more spiritual world.

The spirit, from the moment of birth, already knows what is

best for itself. If caregivers provide a stimulating and
accommodating environment, the child can safely experiment
with the growing knowledge, heeding the feelings as a guide.
They can test skills and beliefs in the world and constantly
refine and build upon them. Within this framework, the child
can come to know the individual needs as they naturally unfold
as motivators to action. But none of this is possible unless
emotion is allowed to play its proper role. And very specific
experiences must occur for the emotional system to fully
engage.

The goal of the parent should be to provide a free, stimulating environment

of multiple choices, with an atmosphere of physical needs and protections,
balanced in an environment of love and trust.

Engaging The Emotional System

The secret to understanding emotional development begins

with the basic cycle of need, feeling, expression and feedback
from the world. For example, if the infant child (a boy perhaps)
is hungry, lonely or unduly constrained, his needs are not being
met momentarily. Thus, his spirit is frustrated and the
emotional signal sounds. He feels bad, so he uses his innate

561
expressive response to those bad feelings; he cries. His
behavior of crying acts upon the environment, and generally
the caregiver responds by satisfying the need. When his
survival needs are satisfied, all is well again, the child feels
good. This cycle is repeated many times in a given day. With
each successful cycle, he gains confidence in his own abilities
to meet his needs and control his destiny.

I remember seeing a segment on African family village life. The moderator

pointed that the children of the village were always attended by whoever was
available, if not the mother, up to a certain age. At that point, they put aside
their need for this attention and began to explore their world with the full
confidence that their curiosity would be satisfied. American parents often
place their children in the care of strangers with too many children to take
care of. Emotional needs go unmet and in the later stages of development,
emotional problems are evident. But, of course, any study which verified
such evidence could not be well received, at present.

When the cycle is consistently successful and the infant's

actions create the desired changes, he will begin to recognize
the cycle (and it can be pointed out directly by the parents
when language is in place). The parents can talk about needs,
connecting them with the child's actions, and how they feel
when satisfied. They can casually, yet consistently, refer to the
child's mind, or to the spirit, or to the body, so that he will
grow up with the natural understandings of the division
between these aspects of self. As the child becomes more
sophisticated, the parents can clarify the three purposes and
connect them to the needs and the behaviors, so that the child
understands the whys, the hows, and the whats of being human.

This can be guidance without guilt, fear and anxiety. The results have got to
be better than what is so often produced in today's society. Also, if violence

562
in parenting can be reduced, it's attraction for younger minds will also,
become more popular.

Such development of emotional understanding engages the

spiritual adjudicator, and allows the higher purposes their
rightful place in motivation. Thus, emotional development
depends upon this cycle and the child recognizing and
embracing all that it means. A child with adequate emotional
development will be prepared to undergo the lifelong
development of emotional intelligence that characterizes an
evolved human being.

If there is a concern that this might produce a less "manly" male because of
the greater attention paid to emotional aspects of human beings, it would be
well to consider that young males devoid of feelings are capable of atrocities
that end up on the evening news. We are losing more young people to
violence in this country than we are losing in our "wars" overseas, by far.

Unfortunately, a more normal state of affairs on Earth at this

time is one in which humans are inadequately emotionally
developed, unable to tap the wisdom of spirit, and are separated
from the higher purposes. They are then limited only to the
basic purpose of self-preservation of body, imprisoned within
predominately painful emotional signals of fear and anger, and
their choices driven by competitive fight and flight reactions
which perpetuate individual and social chaos. Such a state is
separation from Divine will and loss of individual will and
purposeful application of power. This is why the parental
attention upon emotional development is now essential. For
there are profound implications and painful outcomes of
inadequate emotional development at the root of most "evil"
human actions.

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If the above paragraph does not make the point clear, I'm not sure what can,
except maybe, being a victim of the negative qualities that currently
predominate.

Attachment, Trust & The Learned Emotions

A crucial understanding for anyone taking on the parental

challenge is to recognize that without adequate emotional
development, certain feelings will never fully arise. Complex
emotional signals are learned and must be purposefully and
carefully instilled. Recall that the primary emotions of spirit,
(i.e. joy, fear, anger, and sadness) combine and mingle with the
local customs and beliefs to develop the learned emotions of
mind. The emotions of mind include all other subtle shades of
emotional feeling (i.e. guilt, confidence, hope, envy, pride,
shame, remorse, etc.) These feeling signals are learned through
experiential interactions with the world.

This speaks to the idea of getting married and becoming a parent at an age
when full control of the emotional qualities has not yet been mastered. What
is taught to the child, especially at an early age, is most often that which is
best remembered.

The emotions of mind come quite naturally when the child's

needs are accommodated, so there is no huge task involved
other than setting up the proper conditions. The conditions
mentioned above are optimal, but in any environment where
there is reasonable freedom, need-meeting opportunity, and
exposure to ideas, these emotions will arise. This is why so
many humans with widely varying cultural traditions have
successfully learned these feelings despite the many obstacles.

When two people from differing cultural backgrounds come together to rear
a child, that child is being exposed to what can and should be the best of

564
both "worlds", providing the parents are intent on passing on the best their
respective cultures have to offer.

However, it is also why many have not. This is why some

humans have not learned hope, confidence, or remorse. This is
why there are often artificially created feelings of shame and
guilt that drive humans to hate themselves. It is also why there
are artificially created feelings of false pride, envy, fear, and
anger which create emotional boundaries between groups and
drive humans to hate and violate one another. Certain mental
and criminal conditions spring not fully engaged. Mistrust and
disengagement comes when the world does not consistently
allow the needs to be met, or the feedback cycle to return to the
state of fulfillment.

Parenting is probably our least taught skill. Because of the propensity to

emphasize the diversity in our religious and philosophical views on morality
and because of the false pride taken in those beliefs, a defined base line of
child rearing is most difficult to arrive at. Yet, were the intent to be shifted
to what is best for the child versus what is important to the parent, much
progress could be made in this area.

The critical concept here is trust. It shouldn't seem

unreasonable for an infant to expect to be able to trust the
words and actions of those in the family home or foster
community, nor for loving parents or caregivers to consistently
deliver. The dependent nature of humans upon one another is
the Divine way. Trust is the understanding and faith in the
cooperative nature of the world. This is why without a
cooperative, trustworthy early environment, the spirit will
simply vacate the body. Those that are born to chaotic worlds
where a minimum level of cooperation does not exist, will die.
Those that are not fed will starve. Those that are not handled,

565
loved and stimulated will fail to thrive and die of loneliness.
Those who must constantly compete for basic survival will lose
to the "fittest" competitor.

It is said that "death finds an excuse". Sometimes those "excuses" are of a

subtle, emotional nature, which we humans are yet to fully understand and
appreciate.

Thus, a basic trust that the world will respond to one's efforts is
part of the Divine plan. Unfortunately, trust can be
compromised and not allowed to fully develop due to
inconsistent actions of parents or caregivers. Consistency is the
key. Ideally every interaction would build trust, and every
cycle would end with fulfillment, with only an occasional
lapse. But when the cycle ends in repeated frustration more
often than fulfillment, trust is compromised. Trust is also
compromised when parental strategies include physical
punishment for ordinary learning errors rather than corrective
feedback. Violent punishment is rarely necessary within the
enlightened approach. Simple removal of freedoms, time-outs,
and consistent restrictions, can allow a child to recognize quite
quickly that the amount of freedom and power depends upon
the amount of responsibility and accountability to that freedom.
Violent punishments can only emotionally confuse, negate
trust, and invoke survival defenses.

Here, again, parents are prone to repeat the patterns of behavior they were
subjected to as children. Those who have conducted themselves in less than
enlightened ways during the child rearing period of their lives can only know
regret. However, if they can impart this information on to those who are
about to, or are now involved in child rearing, recompense can be made.

Once trust is compromised it is very difficult to fully restore.

566
The body will not let the mind forget anything that has
threatened it. Without a sufficient level of trust, the individual
is condemned to a life of dysfunctional relationships of a
singular existence wherein self-preservationary motives
undermine cooperation, communication, and intimacy. The
worst outcome, however, is that a lack of trust does not allow
the emotional system to fully engage, and the voice of spirit
remains inaccessible.

In a society that thrives on mistrust, insecurity and fear, this conditioned

lack of trust is most difficult to overcome. However, if the society can realize
the value of altering itself to the benefit of those who threaten it the most,
positive change can evolve.

Many anomalies of human behavior spring from this basic lack

of emotional attunement and development. Scientists have
already recognized that there is an essential attachment period
wherein an infant bonds with caregivers and learns to trust.
This period falls within the window of opportunity of brain
development to establish the relationship with the specific
cultural world. Trust must enter through this window or forever
be questionable or conditional. Trust is the foundation for all
cooperative impulses and the precursor to hope, confidence,
pride, self esteem, and faith in spirit. Trust is the assurance that
one's actions will have a predictable impact, on the world. It is
the foundation upon which human intimacy, communication,
and cooperation exists. Without trust there can not be hope.

Trust in family, trust in businesses, trust in government are all essential to a

well functioning society; and behind all of this "trust" must ultimately be
truth.

The attachment period facilitates the successful learning

567
experience wherein the cycle of action and reaction is
established, and predicts each success for future interactions. It
is where one is assured of the rightful power to control and
influence one's world. It is where one is assured of the Divine
meaning and spiritual connection within existence. Attachment
occurs through a process of repeated successful interactions
between the infant and the caregiver, wherein each responds to
the other's words, cues, and actions. When parents consistently
respond to the needs, over time, the child begins to experience
a deep, affectionate, close and lasting tie. This loving tie
evidences spiritual fulfillment and the trust that the
environment will continue to provide opportunity for this type
of need satisfaction.

The rule should be obvious. Early experience in attachment leads to lifelong

attachment, so long as a parent makes himself/herself available in times of
need. The trick is to maintain the love while giving up the control.

Over years and years of successful trust-building interactions,

the child develops a healthy connectedness to the caregivers
and other people that constitute this community, as well as
hope for the future. Trust becomes interwoven with all mental
beliefs and strategies. Eventually this connectedness will
generalize to all humans. This sense of connectedness
perpetuates what we generally call "a conscience," which
makes us accountable for our actions upon our loving others. It
instills the understanding that we are all part of a greater
spiritual whole. With conscience, a violation upon another is
equal to a violation upon the self. Valid, natural guilt is when a
person feels the very pain they have inflicted upon another,
experiencing remorse, resolving to never repeat the violation.
The mind that violated did not yet know, and the remorseful

568
mind has learned a better approach. A mature conscience needs
no external controllers whatsoever. Such a conscience is the
Divine innate seed of natural morality lying dormant within
each human, desired by the Creator to bloom forth.

The difference between contrived guilt and natural guilt is in whether the
source of the guilt is self-created or imposed upon us from an outside source.
Guilt can be used as a weapon by one person against another, as well as a
method of control. But positive guilt is that which comes from within and is
in triggered through empathy with those whom we have offended.

Conversely, if a child survives being raised in a chaotic,

neglectful, rejecting, or abusive environment, the message
received will be that cooperation is not to be expected or relied
upon. It breeds the fear-driven belief that needs cannot be
consistently fulfilled, control is only intermittent and the spirit
is disempowered, even violated. Since the child is powerless to
alter these conditions, the spirit will continue to shout its
message through feelings of anger. Since the child can not yet
interpret the anger and choose a developmental or expressive
response, the anger is utilized by the body to ensure self-
preservation through primitive versions of the fight or flight
responses. (Remember, the body will bypass the mind if it does
not hold beliefs that will ensure survival.) Competition for
scarce resources, for opportunity, for need fulfillment, and for
love, will dominate each thought and deed. The higher
purposes of mental development and spiritual expression will
always take the back seat to physical preservation. The
conscience of such an individual will motivate a morality of
"every man for himself."

With the above paragraph in mind, we might want to give some closer
reflection to the competitive system in which we live. If cooperation creates

569
trust and distrust creates anger (and violence), would we, as a society, not
benefit by encouraging the former and reducing the latter?

Just as competition will be the main motivator in such cases,

the predominant feeling will be anger. The anger can be
expressed in one of two directions. The child can turn it inward
toward himself, by choosing to accept the limitations of the
world, effacing the spirit and losing touch with his needs.
Strategies of self-deprecation, learned helplessness,
martyrdom, and self-hatred can become enduring personality
traits. Such a choice can lead to an ultimate state of depression
or even dissociation and the dependence upon escapism from
the ongoing spiritual pain. Compulsions, addictions and self-
destructive behaviors can then occur. Suicide is the ultimate act
of internally directed anger.

The road between internally directed anger and ultimate self-destruction is

usually long enough for most people to observe and correct it.
Understanding the source of this anger is a first step in that process of
correction.

The other option is for the child to reject the conditions and
turn the anger outward in explosive or violent acts that can be
quite anti-social, if not pathological. He might never develop
trust, conscience, remorse, nor connectedness to his fellow
human beings. Never being able to achieve intimacy or love
outside the family, or to build support networks, this child (and
eventually this adult) will be quite capable of acts that
effectively cultured people would perceive as unconscionable
or evil. Most such acts would be misguided competitive
attempts to meet needs in some manner or simply express the
pent-up anger. Murder is the ultimate act of externally directed
anger. The effect upon the world of such an individual will be

570
most damaging. The effect upon mass consciousness of such
individuals will be the mass belief that humans must be
controlled by society. Thus, all social controls (i.e. rules,
mores, religious dictates, laws, and prisons) have arisen due to
this condition.

Each time a violent act (such as murder) is committed, society feels obliged
to stifle it's own freedom of expression. Eventually, the decision to substitute
total security for any degree of freedom will lead to tyranny. Examining the
roots of aggressive anger can help us to understand and avoid a destiny of
spiritual decadence.

It is essential for individuals and societies to understand the

critical nature of this early period and to accommodate and
ensure paternal efforts to adequately complete this bonding
period. For a child who is not attached to others, cannot fully
hear the voice of spirit. Such a child will suffer continuous
emotional problems and lack the compunctions of conscience,
necessary in a cooperative world. Anything less will breed
criminals and other social outcasts, doomed to a future of
alienation, isolation, retribution, and pain. Creating trust-
building conditions is not a difficult task. In fact, it takes quite
a bit to disallow the trust to develop, yet far too much neglect
and abuse still exists.

In the past, welfare regulations established an environment that penalized

recipients who allowed a parent (usually the father) to occupy the same
household, while rewarding the other parent (the mother) for having more
children. This often reduced the time the mother could devote to each child,
while being deprived of the assistance of the other parent. The consequences
of this "state" are coming increasing evident as we continue to construct
more prisons.

In sum, if the foster environment does not provide opportunity

571
for its individuals to meet their needs, human beings cannot
properly develop. Such a tragedy is quite avoidable, yet its
results can drive humans to quite inhuman acts against one
another. Scientists are not convinced that such misalligned
people are redeemable. Yet the power of spirit can heal all
wounds if given its proper voice. In fact, there are some very
enlightened spirits who even, in childhood, enlist self-love,
compassion, tolerance, and forgiveness who can overcome
quite severe conditions of neglect and abuse. The voice of
spirit is loudest and most clear in such hearty children even if a
minimal connection is allowed. But once disconnection occurs,
an effort to reverse the condition requires intensive long-term
restructuring of the entire mental realm.

It may turn out that the best environment for correcting this wayward
course of life, lies in the prisons we continue to place these alienated people
in, and the best people to help with this correction are those who are,
themselves, the inhabitants.

However, this is not to say that children should be molly-

coddled and that parents should jump at their every whim.
Indeed, there is a very important difference between needs and
wants. If the environment is unchallenging and over-
accommodating, the child will be robbed of developmental
opportunities. Emotional signals of boredom and contrived
annoyance will then arise. Or, if the freedoms offered or
challenges undertaken are more than the child is equipped to
handle, anxiety and fear will be elicited. Both broad and safe
boundaries must be defined and maintained.

The act of simply loading down a child with every stimulating toy the child
asks for or the parent is motivated to buy, can result in the opposite result as
that which is intended. There are times when parents have to say "No", for

572
the sake of their children and their own pocketbooks.

In this case, other kinds of emotional problems will result.

Such unrealistic expectations can become firmly rooted
maladaptive beliefs which also generate feelings of anger. This
would be the case of the "spoiled brat" who lashes out in
tantrums against a world that is not immediately
accommodating all whims and wants. Indulgent conditions can
instill false pride, vanity, envy, and hubris. Such a child has
developed a very unrealistic view of the world, which may set
them up for a big fall in other, more challenging or dangerous
environments.

There is a difference between unlimited freedom to have everything one

wants and intelligent expression of desires. The former leads to eventual self-
destruction. The latter leads to growth and fulfillment.

Essentially, parents could achieve a balance by providing

opportunity to accommodate all human needs, and offering the
tools to the child to develop skills to attain his or her wants.
With age, the children should be increasingly responsible to
meet their needs themselves. Genuine pride and esteem are the
natural rewards for such developmental successes.

This is the positive guideline which, in the end, contributes to the benefit of
society, as a whole.

Cultural Manipulation of The Emotional System

The latter example calls attention to the fact that culture can
taint feeling. It is crucial also for parents to understand how the
emotional system can become entangled with the local values,

573
truths, and activities of the culture. All emotions---even the
emotions of spirit---can be affected and elicited simply by the
contents of mind. (Remember, feelings help the mind to learn.
Any cultural truth will work unless it violates a natural one or
conflicts with another). This is why the rules of response
require looking first to mind before looking to the outside
world for needed changes. Anything the mind chooses to
believe goes, and takes on positive emotion as a gem, until it is
proven otherwise by spirit. As conditions change in the world,
such beliefs are meant to give way to improvements. Instead,
they can linger and cause pain. If not discovered, similar slivers
will be added, building upon the faulty foundation, creating
complex belief systems which ensure disempowerment. An
imagined limitation is every bit as emotion-invoking as a real
one. Imagined demons can elicit powerful self-preservationary
responses upon innocent others.

Dogmas of religion, for example, that tend to put limitations upon free will,
are able to slip in as slivers when the established content of our beliefs is
completely turned over to the outside world. This is known as blind faith and
once control is accepted by one institution (such as religion), other
institutions (such as government) will move to take advantage of the easily
controllable.

Thus, the most important implication is that parents understand

that what they teach will take on emotional flavor. The primary
challenge is to turn on the inner voice of spirit within the child.
The secondary challenge is to minimize the passing on of any
beliefs which go against spirit. Instead of being understood as
an internal control and advisor, emotion has often been used by
parents in ways intended to impart external advice and control.
Parents should avoid such emotional manipulation in every
way. Although punishment remains a primary strategy of

574
parenting, it should now be apparent that fear and anger
should not be motivators while parenting. Adjusting the
boundaries of freedom and level of parental intervention to
match the level of responsibility and accountability is the key.
But one emotion in particular has been used as a time-honored
tool of such manipulation and deserves special mention.

Making this shift of behavior will require most humans in parental roles to
move beyond the beliefs they were taught by their own parents and make
that paradigm leap to a new level of understanding. The whole process of
doing this has been outlined earlier and the motivation, if not previously
explained to sufficiency, will most certainly follow.

A Word About Guilt

This is the emotion of guilt. It is a common practice in many, if

not all, social systems to set behavioral rules and codes to
which a member must conform. A connected and healthy
individual will then experience guilt if their actions do not
conform to the rules.

So we can conclude by the above, that "guilt" is an essential quality of a

society that imposes its rules of behavior upon its members. This, of course,
is guidance from a source outside of ourselves. Once we are able to shift to
internal guidance, guilt should go the way of error.

Guilt is intended to help the mind find conflicting beliefs that

go against the needs and workings of spirit. It is intended to
point out where the action choices have not aligned with the
beliefs and values. It is intended to be used to elevate the needs
of spirit above the unnecessary limits of local tradition. Guilt is
not necessarily indicative of an active conscience. People can

575
learn to attach guilt to virtually any activity judged to be
unacceptable by their local society. Guilt often exposes an
inner motivator that is simply more powerful than the external
controller. The intended message of guilt is to straighten out
the priorities and to drop any rules that are limiting to the needs
of spirit---often exactly the opposite of its culturally implied
meaning.

The difference between what "guilt" is intended to do and what it ultimately

results in, is evidence of what can go wrong when such an emotion is placed
in the hands of those more enamored with power than spiritual
development. But when in place as an internal guide, it can alert a person to
the spiritual impropriety of adopted rules and practices. Had German
citizens been listening to their inner guidance, the holocaust might have been
prevented.

But guilt has become a powerful manipulative tool which pits

humans against their nature to the end of perpetuating certain
cultural traditions, mores, and rules. Guilt is one of the most
powerful tools of religion. Thus, feeling guilty has become a
routinely accepted part of human existence. An enlightened
mind never accepts external dictates, ideas, or "truths" which
dishonor or reject internal (physical and spiritual) needs.

Sometimes, even nationalism, when robbed of the institutional rules that

guarantee the responsible exercise of free will, will become akin to pseudo-
religion. Governments than lay "guilt trips" upon citizens who decline to
support a particular policy, i.e. an immoral war.

Yet guilt is rampant and often compounded by another emotion

of mind---shame. Guilt and shame are often associated with
normal bodily drives and functions. Some local traditions adopt
extremely limiting and rigid beliefs which institutionalize
shame. For example, a belief exists known as "feminine

576
shame" wherein an entire sex is taught to be ashamed of their
very bodies. A web of customs is built around the "dirtiness" of
being female, complete with body coverings, subservient
behavior, and a rank status below that of males, and even the
acceptance of violation and abuse---a web which entraps and
disempowers any spirit born into a female form. Each tradition
is empowered by institutionalized guilt.

To greater or lesser degrees, this condition exists in most, so called, civilized

societies today. In societies where "feminine shame" did not exist,
westerners sent missionaries to establish it.

A more generalized guilt has been established throughout many

local communities regarding sexuality. Human sexuality is a
Divine gift, the ultimate act of mental, physical, and spiritual
connection between humans in the flesh. It is such a powerful
force that almost every society believes that external control
must be placed upon humans lest all sexual hell break loose.
Sex has taken this bad rap due to the self-preservationary
responses. Like any joyful or pleasurable experience, it can
become a compulsion if used as an escape, or a violation if
used to seize power or vent aggression. But like any natural
process, when allowed to work in concert with all three
purposes, human sexuality needs no external limits. Instead,
children should enjoy an open, respectful, anticipatory
understanding of the natural beauty and divinity of sexuality---
in whatever form the spirit has chosen---balancing the joys of
spiritual, physical pleasurable communion of flesh with the
responsibilities of health and procreation.

The puritan influence present in the establishment of the country is still

firmly in place, to the point of invoking punishment upon those whose
conduct strays beyond the legal boundaries of proper sexual mores and

577
choices, even into the privacy of one's own bedroom.

The bottom line is that most guilt and shame is unnecessary.

Parents must pay particular attention to guard against the
perpetuation of any cultural directive that pits the mind against
the needs and purposes of body and spirit. The only durable
cultural truths are those that allow all purposes to work
together. A child should be made aware of the Divine nature of
the body, its processes, and its needs, and never to feel guilt or
shame over the physical form. Any such cultural assumptions
should be soundly rejected. (This goes for any and every
religious dictate that instills guilt over any naturally ordained
Divine process. Any such assertion defies the intention of the
Creator it claims to serve).

Struggling out of an established environment of decadent practices will

likely result in pitting one generation against another, as those freeing
themselves from burdens such as "guilt" will also move beyond the
institutions that have for so long used such methods of control.

And finally, parents must resist the temptation to utilize guilt as

a mechanism of control. Such a strategy is not only doomed to
failure, but it perpetuates needless pain. Mechanisms of
external social control are not necessary when the social
system has been designed according to the voice of spirit.
Forgiveness is the key in learning situations. Errors signal
opportunity to learn. Any actions of the child which elicit
feelings of remorse should be interpreted as those of spirit
asking for integrity, accountability, and consistency between
thought and action. Parental faith, compassion, and forgiveness
allow any missteps to be kept in proper perspective and the
child to use this information to further develop the mind.

578
A child raised with the best of guidelines listed above, will naturally
gravitate toward an environment where the consequential qualities will
blossom and have a positive effect on the world around him/her.

Such a parental approach will foster the faith, compassion and

forgiveness of self that are necessary for any human to thrive
and creatively express self in the chaotic world of daily trial
and error learning. Indeed, it will be those who reconnect with
spirit and follow its urgings who will change the very world.
Thus, it is essential for each enlightened one to ensure the
enlightened perspective is carried forth throughout subsequent
generations. Therefore, the paternal role in inculcation is a
particularly important one.

For those of us who are beyond the parental stage in life, it behooves us to
recognize the spiritual value of what has been conveyed in these Lessons and
be prepared to share the information when an opportunity presents itself, as
it surely will.

In sum, the role of parents can profoundly influence the

incoming spirit. Thus, some primary conditional prerequisites
for anyone choosing to be a parent are: the understanding of
the importance of the parental role, the lifetime commitment to
the child, the ability to provide a safe, accommodating
environment, essential need-meeting opportunities, enlightened
self-understanding, a network of family and community
support, the faith in the integrity of the spirit, a faith in the
divinity of life's natural thrust, and a wellspring of pure
spiritual, unconditional love. Once adequate inculcation has
been attained, the human is then ready to pursue a lifelong
course of development, which we can now discuss.

579
Page 238-256 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Delta

Lesson Three: Implications for Human Development

The Developmental Responsibility

The implications of spiritual reconnection also have impact

upon how humans view the developmental cycle. Although the
body goes through a recognizable growth pattern and most
societies deem an age of "adulthood," there is no magic point
where the development stops. Never. Indeed, mental
development continues on a daily basis throughout each day of
the entire life.

This should lay to rest the myth that age is a deterrent to mental and
spiritual development or that there is some point in our lives where we have
reached a spiritual peak. The point and purpose of physical existence is to
enhance the process by which we evolve spiritually. Further, it can be
presumed, our spiritual evolution should have a positive impact on our
mental and physical progress, as well.

But the growth cycle that continues does not do so

automatically. It happens deliberately at the direction of the
human being---for it is growth within the realm of mind. The
true mark of adulthood is the acceptance of, the accountability
to, and the active participation within one's own continuing
mental developmental processes. Each human being has the
power to expand the mind and hone it to the maximum
fulfillment of spirit, or to resist change altogether and maintain
narrow boundaries of mind. Of course, the latter choice will

580
lead to further emotional pain, for it will delay the desired
spiritual expression.

As the world around us appears to be changing at an accelerating pace,

there is a strong temptation to react and retract, keeping those ideas we are
comfortable with and declining to consider those which don't fit with our
lifelong belief system. The decision to do so will not only stifle the
possibilities of spiritual growth, but will result in the "emotional pain" of
isolation, with all of its ramifications.

It is crucial to recognize that a choice of resistance to mental

development, will lead to discomfort in any arena outside the
boundaries of mind. Such a person will be imprisoned within a
limited familiar home-base locale, where routines and
distractions mediate experience. Outside the boundaries of
habit and routine, there will be stressful life experience. A
static mind will prompt feelings of being out of control and the
anxiety of not knowing how to handle situations and events.
The feelings will be subtle or quite dramatic, but they will
drive actions from just beneath the awareness. There will be
pain of sadness, guilt, shame, anger, fear and any other subtle
shades of unpleasant feeling tone. If these signals are
continuously ignored, it becomes too painful to even venture
about in the world. The personality can harden into habits of
thought and action that defend, retreat, and reject other human
beings. There will be no mistaking the less spiritually fulfilled
human beings, for they will not be happy nor attractive. Their
pain will be difficult for others to be around.

Some of us may have the unfortunate experience of knowing the type of

people described above. They live as examples in our lives of what can result
from mental stagnation.

It is also crucial to recognize how mind, complete with its

581
boundaries, will create the life events to match its contents. A
reality conducive to each and every limitation will most
certainly manifest, along with the painful signals to point them
out. If not corrected, such events will prompt further actions of
flight and escape, in a self-perpetuating cycle which further
narrows experience. Creating the illusion of escape from
spiritual pain is only that---an illusion.

We create our own reality, even (and especially) when that reality is our own
illusion. Once created, we are bound to live within its limitations until or
unless we voluntarily elect to do otherwise.

Even if defending mental boundaries narrows the world so that

all people are avoided, a completely solitary life is nearly
impossible in the modern world. And even interacting with one
person with broader mental boundaries will challenge the limits
and signal a subtle negative feeling and motivate further
avoidance. Such avoidance is an act of body wherein the mind
has abdicated its choice and even its conscious awareness of its
own motivations, since its existing beliefs are insufficient, yet
considered otherwise. Of course, rather elaborate resistance
strategies can exist wherein nearly everything is rationalized to
exist within the limitations of mind, but the feelings will never
go away. Nor should they, because they reflect the integrity of
spirit and its intentional contrast between the actual physical
arena of successful expression and the unlimited one that is
divinely desired. Creating a mental fantasy about one's physical
level of expression is simply that---a fantasy.

While a 'fantasy' may have the power to hold us within the confines of our
beliefs, it does not have the power to make us feel good about it. In fact, the
power to make us feel uncomfortable about it lies within our true essence,
our spiritual nature.

582
Although resistance can become a lifetime strategy, the spirit
yearns for self-expression. And the more the better. The level
of individual spiritual expression achieved will relate to the
overall expansion of universal Spirit. The spiritual path is far
more rewarding than the temporary relief from pain the
avoidance provides. For just as pain from spiritual frustration
will linger, the rewards of spiritual expression are
everlasting. In fact, the more the spiritual expression, the easier
the physical experience will be in current as well as alternate
lifetimes, past, present, and future. The resonance of spirit
within flesh is a feeling that will be clearly recognizable within
alternate existences, helping that individual to reconnect with
inner guidance and to find fulfillment.

The key to breaking the hold of self-imposed restrictions of our spiritual

growth, may well lie in any form of creative activity. It can open one up to
greater possibilities of expression while boosting our very thought patterns
to new horizons.

Development and "Karma"

There are many beliefs within mass consciousness that set forth
conditions of an afterlife complete with elaborate declarations
about the meaning within "serial lifetimes". They often seek to
explain mysterious unexpected events, or justify the unjust, by
drawing cause and effect relationships between the current and
"previous" lifetimes. In doing so, they often mistakenly declare
that the control lies outside of the human mind.

Each time we observe a system of thought that suggests that our conduct is a
result of astrology, genetics or (in this case) past life karma, we are seeing an

583
encouragement toward non-responsibility for our current actions and a
disparagement of free will in the creation of our own reality. These
"systems" are engineered to appeal to the emotionally immature level that is
fading out of our collective paradigm.

The Law Of Karma can be better understood not just as the

force that creates the outcomes of divine evaluation and
spiritual justice---but as a force that lies within, and can be
utilized to the advantage of an enlightened mind. The mind
creates life events and experiences through its present beliefs,
which are constantly evaluated by spiritual feeling signals . If
its beliefs promote disunity within self and disconnection with
All That Is, the life will be reflected as such---complete with
ever more powerful painful signals so that corrections can be
chosen. The term karma captures the inevitability of repeated
cycles of creating frustrations until understanding the nature of
ones own creative power is attained. Development in its
grandest sense is learning to harness the creative power of will
energy.

Thus, "karma" becomes simply a part of the installed feedback system that
operates in our daily lives, but when ignored, is extended to our next
experience in the physical.

The crucial understanding is that beyond space/time, the

moment of all correction is in the present moment, with the
goal of divine balance met through eliminating any pain-
inducing belief structures. When such changes are affected by
any given portion of the entity, emotional energy surges are felt
within all aspects of the entity. Each physical incarnation will
experience "good luck" and joyous floods of insight and
spiritual resonance. Thus, "what goes around" emotionally
"comes around" to all aspects of the entity, for joyous

584
resonance and full creative empowerment is the way of Divine
Justice. It is only because of the lack of understanding within
any given mindscape that such events are thought to come from
outside of the self, or as some form of external judgmental
punishment.

Part of comprehending this principle involves understanding the complete

ramifications of our nature by placing ourselves outside the box of
"time/space" and realizing that each of our incarnations is existing on the
same parallel with the other.

The stronger the presence of spirit has been within a given

physical existence, will make it correspondingly less likely to
become mired within the limits of illusory reality and Mass
Consciousness for any aspect of the entity. Thus, those that
postpone the fulfillment of spirit and resist the needed
development of mind, will continue this postponement in
alternate physical existences. There is no escaping the nature of
spirit to seek fulfillment and expansion---no matter how many
life experiences it takes.

Because we elect to operate in an environment of time/space, we must accept

the illusion as functional reality. However, the closer we get to connecting
with our spiritual nature, the more free we become of the physical laws, i.e.
action and reaction.

On the other hand, if acceptance, accountability, faith in spirit

and personal empowerment are the main life strategies, life
becomes an ongoing learning process. The entity is challenged
to attain the maximum number of strategies and skills to allow
spiritual expression in as many environments as possible.
Rising to the challenge is rewarded by the spirit's joyous
feelings. The better equipped the mind, the more active

585
expression can happen. Imagine a mind expanded as far as the
physical horizon, as far as the eye can see. A mind filled with a
rich collection of ideas and finely honed strategies for
interaction with spirits with all variations of mental expansion
in all arenas within that boundary. Imagine further, a mind as
wide as the earth, wherein comfort is experienced in any and
every location, any imaginable group, with any imaginable
doctrine. Such a mind is indeed enlightened, aglow with spirit
and the predominant feeling in each interaction is joy.

This would seem to be our true destiny, to grow mentally and spiritually, not
only to the limits of all that this earth has to offer, but to unlimited
boundaries of the existence, itself. Once we get the hang of what these
Lessons have to offer, that goal becomes not only imaginable, but attainable
as a God given right.

Such a person enjoys tremendous mental, physical, and

emotional freedom. There would be no culture-shocking
experiences that could not be handled while meeting all three
proposes. Such a person would exhibit very few self-
preservationary actions or deadly habits. Instead, the life-
giving habits, the rich and numerous skills, the human
compassion, and humor would be used to minimize creating
pain for others, and light would exist in every human
interaction. Such a mind clearly focuses and best utilizes its
will energy attracting and creating events matching the breadth
of mind. Such a mind can create far more rich and rewarding
events than most humans now imagine, as well as recover its
own untapped abilities. As mind expands, life expands in kind.
As each life expands, universal spirit expands and fulfills
Divine Intention.

If we can grasp this picture and make it our own, we can and will become all

586
that it promises. The pace of progress toward this end is ours to set.

It will be easily recognizable when such expression has been

achieved, both from the inside and from the outside. From the
inside, joyous resonance with spirit is experienced consistently,
life is meaningful and filled with loving, productive
interactions. From the outside, there is a distinct glow of
spiritual presence within the eyes, and actions which show the
fearless loving bond with each and every human being. Such a
person recognizes each day, indeed each moment, as an
opportunity to further refine the mind and to live and act in
ways that leave the personal expressive mark upon the world,
their unique spiritual expression. The world notices the
departure of such entities, for it recognizes their valuable
contributions and even Mass Consciousness feels its own lack
by comparison.

We know of such people. We have seen religions built around them. We are
such people, in potential.

Development and Divine Judgment

Human concepts of life assessment by deities are also related to

the developmental responsibility. If there are to be any after-
life judgmental processes, they will relate directly to the level
of spiritual fulfillment and expression rather than any
conditions that human religions have set forth. It would be far
more useful to embrace the fact that this judgment is ongoing
throughout the life course ---for indeed this is the case. It
would be far more pleasing to the Creator if free will were
utilized in each moment, in ways that meet all three human
purposes, than for humans to limit themselves within rigid

587
man-made doctrines and guidelines. For the spirit speaks its
evaluations through feeling signals of pleasure and pain each
moment of every day, leading humans to divinely intended,
purposeful actions.

Because it is so tempting to do so, I am going to return to the analogy of

driving the car. Suppose that instead of making course corrections with the
steering wheel of our auto on a moment-by-moment basis as we drove down
the road, we make those corrections once a week or at the end of the trip.
Under the latter conditions, driving would become much more problematic.
It would stand to reason that when we are "steering" our way through
physical life, we would want to utilize a system that was as immediately
responsive as possible, would it not?

Anyone wishing to know the evaluative judgment upon

themselves from the Creator can have it at any time, simply by
acknowledging their level of pain. Anyone wishing to please
the Creator, or to do "His work" can readily do so by designing
a mind which reduces pain and actively expresses the spirit in
ways that reduce pain for others as well.

We now have satellite technology that allows us to know where we are in our
automobiles at any given moment. Knowing where we are spiritually at any
given moment, is an inherent "technology" that has been in place at least as
long as we have been in "this" place.

Thus, the responsibility for human development falls to the

individual. Instead of waiting for development to happen as
automatically as a body maturing, the mind needs active,
purposeful, hands-on application of free will. It requires
unfailing self-honesty, heeding the voice of spirit, and
understanding of the trinity of human purpose. It requires
designing strategies for daily living that allow all three
purposes to be fulfilled within each action.

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It requires bringing us into the modern world in a much broader sense than
we have done, so far, technologically. It does not require the acquisition of
any new, expensive equipment. It simply requires an understanding and
appreciation of what we already have.

It's Never Too Late

The beauty of the natural system is that no matter how long a

human being has lingered in resistance and emotional pain,
each day brings a new opportunity to totally redesign the life.
There is no need for any human being to suffer in darkness
even one moment longer, once they possess the self-
empowering knowledge of the spiritual light within.

The above is a reflection of the resilience of human "spirit" and how, with a
combination of knowledge and intent, we can alter the patterns of thought
that can remake us into what we wish to be.

There have been amazing examples of humans who have had

life changing experiences and have undergone dramatic
alterations in personality. Complex, house-of-cards belief
systems, defended and strengthened by years of resistance, can
come tumbling down with liberating, enlightening purposefully
chosen changes of mind. Many limited minds have
unknowingly created dramatic illnesses, personal crises, even
near-death experiences for themselves to reconnect with spirit.
But such drama is not necessary. Nothing is set in stone except
that which is chosen, yet lies outside the owner's conscious
awareness. The spirit constantly points to such slivers with
feeling signals that beg for learning more wholly successful
strategies.

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As we acquire this "future-altering" knowledge, we can put into motion a
process within ourselves that will result in an openness to change. This can
be done with a simple, but sincere request to our spiritual nature, our higher
selves, if we wish. We can open the door to our new existence and absorb the
information at whatever pace we feel comfortable with. We have already
started opening that "door" when we opened our minds to this information.

Indeed, cosmic awareness begins with internal awareness. It

connotes the broadening of the mind to become aware of the
meaning within each moment of life experience. It means
freely choosing to sculpt the mind until it can direct the actions
which can best express the spirit. Once the limitations are
removed from mind, many yet untapped abilities can begin to
emerge. Once awareness of the meaning has been attained, the
individual can set about immediately making the desired
changes to create the life events that will bring the maximum
level of self expression. The mind has just begun its possible
expansion. Tremendous empowerment awaits the species as
entities develop mind so that it reflects spiritual intention.
Dormant brain functions can open wide to the mind's true and
astounding potentials. This is the most direct route from here to
there.

Just as the computer opened possibilities of efficiency that had hardly been
dreamed of a century ago, so the potential of the human mind is capable of
this kind of progress and a great deal more. "As we conceive, so we achieve"
may sound trite, but the fact is, most of the profound guidance given to
humans has been expressed in the simplest of terms, ex. "Love God with all
thy heart and they neighbor as thyself". What better formula for optimum
human relations.

Indeed, the human examples of directly accessing universal

consciousness continue to dwindle. Those pioneers, seeking
wisdom through adventures in consciousness that set aside

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individual mind, cannot help but be stymied by the interference
of mass mind. For the energy networks of mass consciousness
permeate in ever increasing densities, as humans continue to
produce cultural creations without the direction of spirit.
Instead of accessing universal consciousness as directly as
some cultures have in days gone by, the density is now much
more difficult to permeate by spirit without the help of mind. It
is now imperative to actively access universal consciousness
through developing the individual mind at the direction of
spirit as divinely intended.

This may sound like an overwhelming challenge, considering the near

omnipotent force we appear to be up against. However, this "force" is not
built on spiritual truths and, as such, is most internally weak. To alter the
program of a secure system, you sometimes must find the built-in back door.
These Lessons are that "back door".

Armed with the knowledge of these Lessons, humans can begin

active development immediately. Each moment becomes an
opportunity to identify slivers and remove them. Free will can
never fully operate as long as slivers exist within the realm of
mind. Slivers must be removed first from individual minds.
Then the clear thinking, unlimited spirits can offer light
responses which can remove them from mass consciousness.
Once this finally occurs, newcomers to the physical experience
will enjoy far less limitation and pain, and a far more instant
and lasting connection with the direct voice of spirit.

Using the computer as an example, again, built into the program of

Microsoft Office (and in particular 'Word') is the ability to check one's
spelling mistakes and not only correct them but to plant that "correction"
into the system so that the next time one makes the same mistake, the
computer will correct it automatically, without the user even being aware
that it is being done. We also have that capability and much more.

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Self Evaluation - Getting Started

To get started it is essential to know the learning cycles and get

comfortable with each part. In brief summary: We know now
that the Divine Spirit desires both biological destiny of body
and free will of mind for a full and complete human
experience. We know that individual spirit is not separate from
Divine Spirit. Individual spirit communicates divine intentions
to both mind and body through human feeling signals. We
know now that at every moment the actions are driven by
motives of mind and body relating to their specific purpose and
are mediated through human needs.

As we better know and understand the above, our actions on all levels are
carried out with a greater degree of confidence. We "know" that as we
continue to act, what we are learning is to improve the quality of our actions.

The needs are the divinely designed, unchanging motives of

body and need never change or even be questioned. But the
motives of mind---the basic knowledge and understandings of
life, the strategies for action, the plans and expected
outcomes---are based upon the current mindscape which must
constantly change. The feelings which accompany each action
inform the individual of exactly how well that action, and its
underlying beliefs, have accomplished the purpose of spirit.
Having knowledge of the needs and purposes provides a
context within which to analyze each feeling signal and know
which correction it suggests. If the right response is needed, the
mind can then identify and rethink the beliefs and strategies,
remove slivers, add skills, and try again. It can purposefully

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react in corrective ways that meet all purposes, not simply
those survival purposes of body. If the sliver lies in mass
consciousness, then a light response is needed in which it is
rejected and actively removed from the world.

The heart needs to pump as our internal organs need to carry out their
responsibilities to keep our physical being running smoothly. These
involuntary actions need not require the attention of our consciousness.
However, our mental functions are the ongoing activity that guides us in an
ongoing fashion, to refine our course of activity with new awareness of our
effect upon the world we live in, with the further understanding of our
creation of that world.

With enlightenment, comes the awareness of this cycle and the

sensitivity to feel the most subtle of feelings in self and others.
With this level of sensitivity, corrections can be made at the
very seed of a limitation, solving it before it even takes root.
But best of all, as slivers become fewer and fewer, this level of
sensitivity brings joyous feelings and positive, purposeful
movement along life's path.

There are many women (and many fewer men) who are talented in relating
to the world in ways that express the content of the above paragraph. Add to
this the confidence (the male contribution) that comes with knowing that we
can and do create our own reality, and a sense of peace and natural
happiness is bound to follow.

The best starting point to assess the current level of

development is to take a look at how well things are going in
general. The rule of thumb for evaluating one's development, is
to note the level of pain in one's life. The level of negative
emotion experienced is the best measure of how well the spirit
is faring in its physical existence. For emotional pain reflects
its level of frustration and lack of movement.

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This is where emotional pain (like physical pain) can serve the positive
purpose of educating us along the road of evolution. If we can accept that
this "pain" is nothing more than a learning tool and use it to our best
advantage.

True adulthood is to maturely embrace the developmental

responsibility by recognizing, becoming accountable to, and
making corrective changes for each and every bad feeling
experienced. Adulthood is the ability to accept and adapt to the
events that occur, and to ultimately take accountability for their
creation. It is to ensure that the purposes of body do not
override the intentions of mind with its hardwired responses of
fight and flight, which cause disconnection and violation. It is
to actively self-correct through right responses and to actively
express its empowering discoveries through light responses in
the physical world. Adult behavior is to allow each human
being the respect and dignity of evaluating themselves in a like
manner, without judging their progress or comparing it to the
progress of others. With these commitments, one can then
embark upon the continuous examination of how well the
needs of body are being met at any given point by the strategies
of mind.

We are meant to feel good about ourselves and the world around us. We
were not placed in this physical environment to suffer so
that we can be happy later. That is a planted sliver. Our next
responsibility is to rise beyond "judgement" to "discernment" in how we
view ourselves and other human beings of all walks of life.

Awareness of Needs

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A crucial component to developing inner awareness is
becoming familiar with one's needs. The universal needs
present themselves uniquely in each person's life. To
understand exactly how each is played out upon life's stage will
be a tremendous aid in identifying the exact source of
emotional pain. The choices of partners, profession, and
recreation all provide clues to how beliefs are currently
meeting needs, as well as shedding light on those needs which
are less fulfilled. Even better indicators, are those choices and
habits that might not be good ones by external definition---the
compulsions, the addictions, the habits that feel good in the
moment, but prevent humans from meeting their long-term
goals. These are the need-meeting action choices which are
driven by faulty beliefs that are often outside the conscious
awareness, or those driven solely by bodily responses.
Identifying needs can be accomplished then from both good
and bad experiences and can allow adults of any age to
understand and take control of their current developmental
challenges.

This might appear to be somewhat confusing and difficult, but by keeping in

mind that whatever action we take out of habit or choice, carries with it an
experience of joy, or an absence thereof, we can begin to come to terms with
our gems and slivers.

We know now that the human needs drive humans to serve

their three purposes. Beliefs are formed based upon need-
meeting experiences. Nothing should be in the mind except that
which has helped to meet the needs. However, this does not
mean that every belief ever adopted is worth having.
Developing the mind is like building a wardrobe. Beliefs are
like clothing that suit the occasion, the climate and the tasks at

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hand. The moment the belief is no longer sufficient, it will
elicit emotional pain when it is worn in public. Likewise, any
belief that is a classic, that serves all three purposes, will never
go out of style by eliciting emotional pain in any environment.
These are the gems to collect and share with the world. The old
outdated beliefs never reused can simply rot away on old
hangers in the mind for lack of use. Memory is very flexible
this way.

In order to fit in socially at a particular age, in a particular environment, we

might elect to adopt a belief that is not the best for our long term interest.
Because it is momentarily, socially acceptable, we enjoy the pleasure it
provides. Later, when we come to realize that this "belief" is less accepted,
we have difficulty putting it aside. Teenage smoking could be an example of
this.

But any garment of belief can be donned at any moment,

depending on the need-meeting requirements of the situation.
The enlightened adult will automatically tailor the beliefs as
needed. A belief may have been adopted that was useful in
some past situation that is no longer applicable, served a
purpose at the expense of another, or is could be a piece of
cultural knowledge that limits or rejects some aspect of human
nature. Any of these kinds of beliefs become slivers, red-
flagged by emotional pain. The needs themselves, when
examined at any point upon the life path, will provide patterns
to assist the tailor in all such mental redesign.

A racial attitude that served one well in one decade, might cause
embarrassment in another. Just as we shift the type of clothing from one
period in our life to another, so we shift our beliefs from one stage to
another, even though the shift may be a difficult one to make.

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Accessing Core Beliefs

We have just discussed how early enculturation can set the

mental stage, in both good and bad ways. The early learning
experiences will fill the mind's closets with garments of belief.
Any painful belief still employed from childhood, will offer a
potentially dramatic opportunity for learning and self
empowerment. There is a common myth that access to these
beliefs is difficult, if not impossible, without advice and
counsel from therapists.

A myth no doubt fostered and encouraged by those established in the trade.

It follows in the footsteps of the "fire brigade" mentality of the medical
profession. These "Lessons", if taken seriously, might be considered a threat
to many established professions.

But this myth has endured not because such beliefs are truly
inaccessible, but because they are often carefully defended and
protected from examination. These core issues are at the center
of very complex edifices of belief and lie hidden from the
conscious awareness by years of resistance and defensive
habits. It is simply that if the mind has certainty about any
belief, it no longer needs to look at it. Certainty is not a
desirous aspect of a dynamic ever-changing mind. Simply
looking at those steadfast certainties with newfound self-
understanding will be very enlightening. It is not necessary to
spend hours upon a psychoanalyst's couch revisiting childhood
to find these sources, particularly if there are slivers within the
belief systems of such therapists, or if they seek to create a
market for dependence upon their services.

A closed mind is also a stagnant mind, which is at total variance to the

dynamics of everything we observe in the physical universe. With proper

597
intention, we have the full capability of getting to know ourselves to a much
better degree than anyone else, even those in a professional capacity, trained
and skilled in doing so. These "dependence upon...services" as a part of our
social-economic complex is a subject that much could be written about.
However, in this particular context, I will refrain from elaborating. Suffice
to say that a goodly portion of how most of us make our living is (or has
been) tied to a mindset that does not wish to upset the status quo.

This is a misguided approach, unless the therapeutic helper is

offering self-liberating and empowering information such as
that contained in these Lessons. Far more damage than good
can come from delving into the supposed dark recesses of one's
"subconscious" mind for hidden and repressed experiences and
memories, or covering emotional pain with chemical
prescriptions. For any problem that exists, any sliver held in the
mind, will surely present itself in daily living. Any garment
that is not needed will never be taken from the closet and will
naturally fade from memory. More enlightened therapeutic
approaches already embrace this universal truth, and look to
the present life events for clues of the faulty contents of mind.
What they do not yet know is how easily the accompanying
emotional cues lead to these sources.

These "Lessons" are no quick and easy solution to what may ail us in the
three categories we are discussing. Anyone who has read this material so far,
should agree with that statement. But this material is setting us up for a
more willing acceptance of the help we can provide for ourselves.

When humans begin to embrace the voice of spirit, they

reclaim an internal guidance counselor far superior to even the
most revered doctors of mind. All the information they need
will come straight from the signals of spirit, through the
feelings of pleasure and pain. From there, they will
immediately examine the situation that has just occurred and

598
see which needs and which belief systems are involved. The
logical, organizing, and deductive powers of mind can be
utilized to think through new strategies which can replace the
old. Recognizing the meaning of emotional signals alone can
immediately bring awareness of strategies that deny, defend, or
resist the reality of a given situation---many of which create the
problems that arise in daily living.

There is a spiritual admonition to "Know Thy Inner Self". There is no

further instruction to go outside of ourselves and find others to carry out
this directive, because such "instruction" is not necessary. It would be like a
pianist finding someone else to play the keys of his own piano.

A good starting place is to first examine the daily life events

for any situation that invokes the feeling of joy. We know now
that joy is the spirit's song telling us that plans worked out even
better than we had expected. It is the signal from spirit that
needs have been met at even higher levels than we'd hoped.
This feeling tells the mind that something just worked, and
worked very well. It asks the mind to do more of this, and to
come up with other similar strategies that allow this feeling to
come more and more often. The feeling of joy can relate to any
of the needs. Identifying and establishing a lifestyle filled with
healthy pleasures can reduce pain levels substantially, as well
as reduce the motivation toward unhealthy momentary escapist
pleasures.

So many of the "pains" of life are dealt with through the use of the "escapist
pleasures" that it is not difficult to spot those in our society who are in the
most emotional discomfort.

But the most revealing and urgent feelings will be those that
hurt. Each will be connected to one of the innate needs of body.

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Many unnecessary limitations exist within every cultural
tradition which deny legitimate human need-meeting choices.
It is important to keep in mind that truly adult choices of mind
do not accept unnecessary limitations placed upon the desires
of spirit, no matter how convincing and culturally accepted.
The choices for some may not be the choices for others, and
the Divine right of free will is the gift of the Creator. To date,
many activities which are judged as unacceptable, or morally
wrong by some are, in fact, very legitimate choices according
to spirit. Any activity or lifestyle that meets all three human
purposes without violation of another is a perfectly acceptable
choice. It will prove itself as such by not invoking painful
feelings.

If it makes you feel good (doing no harm to anyone else) and continues to do
so, even after you've completed it, such would suggest that spirit finds no
fault in the activity. Traditional moralists might take issue with such a
statement, but constricting codes of morality are examples of a static state of
mind and, again, in contradiction to a dynamic universe.

The positive and negative emotional cues will paint a picture of

how well the needs are currently being met. The key to the
most broad and inclusive development is to maintain a balance
between and among the various needs. Some can be
postponed for long-range goals, while others come to the fore.
But in a larger sense, all must be met in a balanced way, or
there are likely to be telltale signs in patterns of behavior. We
now know of the meaning within events that are attracted and
the challenge of finding the limiting beliefs which empowered
them. And of course, the telltale feeling signals of spirit
accompany each such experience, so that we can make
corrections.

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If we attract what we fear, it is a necessary part of the process to encourage
us to conquer these "fears" by seeing them for the slivers that they are.

Needs And Life Stages

The universal human needs drive actions and the actions result
in learning experiences. A learning experience imparts
something into the mind of the learner, right or wrong, good or
bad. Some vestige of the experience stays behind in memory to
provide information for future strategies. When these pieces of
lingering information are not passed before the spiritual
adjudicator, they become foundations for related beliefs,
creating quite complex ways of thinking and acting, which may
very severely limit the spirit. The earlier the sliver is allowed
in, the more important it will be to find it and remove it and all
of its relatives. When such basic foundational beliefs/slivers
are removed, there can be quite dramatic life changes, all
resulting in additional enlightenment and empowerment.

There is a process in place and operates in the general course of living one's
life. How we use this "process" to best benefit ourselves is a choice we can
make at any moment, and do.

They will each relate to needs, and will correspond to what

have been called life stages. There have been many ideas set
forth about the stage of human development beyond the early
years, the most famous of which is the inevitable "mid-life-
crisis". The age-groups for stages offered here are very loose
and general, for there are no truly universal patterns. The
progress of each individual is solely dependent upon the free
will and choices of mind. Also, the human body can live a
great deal longer than is currently the expected norm.

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There is a tendency to judge people and decide where they should be at a
particular stage in life. Parents are most prone to do this with their children.
We forget that there are no absolutes in the process of growth. Economic
success, for example, can exist alongside of emotional failure and vice versa
in another period of one's life.

But looking to the milestones of life for relational patterns can

greatly increase self-understanding and development. Most
important is the common thread between them---how they
relate to human needs. By grand design, fulfilling the needs of
the body is the stepping stone to purposeful living. The needs
will motivate all three purposes, yet the beliefs of mind may
only allow them to be partially met. In such cases, body might
take over with self-preservationary responses to meet the needs
temporarily in ways that go against long-term goals or other
needs. For an adult body cares less about connection than it
does freedom and power, if the prevailing conditions for
connection compromise them. Oftentimes, choices of mind
force the body to choose and its prime directive is simply
survival.

The mind may wish to take a certain risk in order to gain its concept of
freedom and/or power, but the body (concerned with survival of the
physical) will override the minds decision with the emotional override of
fear, altering the decision to take an unnecessary risk.

All needs will be apparent at every life stage, but over the
lifetime, there are periods where certain needs take center
stage. They are punctuated by periods of self-reflection which
are meant to foster corrective action for debilitating patterns
that have emerged over time. The individual is intended to be
able to notice patterns of frustration, long-range moods,
learning personality traits and attitudes which bring emotional
pain that has emerged from slivers that have not yet been

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corrected. There is a spiritual significance in the number four.
There are four-day, four-month and four-year cycles in which
the spirit will allow certain building up of frustration, and then
a necessary venting. These cycles are intended to draw
attention to the cycle of human action, the feeling signals and
how the beliefs are at the core of any problem. Each cycle
offers a pattern that the need for meaning motivates the
individual to notice and explore .

This might take the concept of a "leap year", which occurs every four years
and reduce it down to the "month" and "day" periods, making it a normal
part of the natural cycle of things, adding credence to this suggested system.

For each day provides a chance for a new beginning, and the
needs interact over the life course to bring conscious awareness
of the developmental challenge. We will now discuss each of
the needs and how their frustration presents itself in certain
patterns and life experiences. This information can further
assist in the individual's development process, with additional
methods to find and correct mental slivers.

There is no period in our lives that does not allow us the opportunity to
explore and expand our nature, on all three levels.

Earliest Years: Trust & Connection

The first to consider is the connection need . We have just

discussed the infant vulnerability, the enculturation process,
and the early developmental challenges. The earliest of
developmental milestones includes the primal connection with
the world and trust that it will accommodate efforts by the
individual. If the child survives neglect or abuse, there will be

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incompletions and lingering doubts about the depth of a loving
connection. They will manifest in situations of fear, mistrust,
and a lack of faith. This sliver will be built into the very
definition of the intimate relationship, affecting
communication, cooperation, and intimacy. Not all such
humans will become criminals and outcasts, but all subsequent
relationships will be affected to some degree by such slivers.

When children bear children and begin the rearing process without the
emotional development and support necessary to practice the type of
dedication that a parent owes a newborn child, the consequences are long
term and difficult to reverse. The status of parenthood needs to be elevated
in every society, to the point that the society supports and favors the same
highest possible level of support for all its citizens.

The unmet need for connection will become a prime

motivation, even exaggerated in ways that a neediness and fear
of abandonment will drive the individual to neurotic actions to
keep such things from happening. Strategies of deception,
people-pleasing, and avoidance will replace the faithful and
trusting intimacy necessary for communication and love. Yet
the very beliefs that base the fears, will motivate actions that
will most surely manifest abandonment and loss situations.

No amount of superficial financial aid can replace a deep appreciation for

and broad understanding of those values that make for complete and
natural parenting. Without the latter, the former is simply ineffective.

Thus, life situations that arise can provide additional clues to

expose the underlying beliefs. There are no accidents. Each
event will accurately reflect the beliefs of the mind that called
it forth. Events which affect relationships are likely signs to
examine the strategies for meeting the connection need.
Divorces, breakups of partnerships, scrapes with the law, even

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very dramatic, complex loss situations will be manifested---all
so that the connection need can be noticed and met within all
three human purposes.

In an ironic fashion, those negative experiences that we have in our

relationships with other human beings are the signposts along the way that
can direct us in our struggle to overcome the handicaps given to us in the
earliest stage of our lives. We need only begin to appreciate them for what
they are.

Fear, ranging from mild anxiety to blinding fright will

characterize this unsatisfied developmental need. Fear of
vulnerability and abandonment might be buried quite deep
within layers of avoidant strategies, bravado, or image, but it
will surely be there, interfering with each and every intimate
relationship. It will also interfere with normal day-to-day
cooperation among humans. For underneath the surface beliefs
will be the nagging "truth" that others will take advantage of
you if you choose to fully trust and cooperate. Evasive actions
will be taken to ensure the vulnerability is never exposed, or
angry explosive rejections will create chasms between "us and
them". But, of course, true connection and intimacy and the
joyous loving rewards of spirit will remain at bay.

Because the understanding of our world, as presented by our media, is so

saturated with stories of those who take advantage of the trust people place
in others, the effort to alter the atmosphere of cynicism will take more than a
recognition of the problem.

Ages 1-20: Freedom & Power

Another early formative belief is how one views their freedom

of movement and personal power. A faulty belief structure

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regarding one's freedom will result in angry rebellion and a
lack of ability to adapt and cooperate within normal, non-
threatening constructions and guidelines. Slivers regarding
one's power will result in a motivation to over-control self or
others, or to resist any form of control placed upon themselves.
Slivers can spring from early life experiences that lack freedom
or opportunity to learn that one's destiny is their own. Over-
controlling parents, rigidly limiting worldviews, and lack of
just and equal opportunities, can all convince a human that one
must compete and win, lest someone dominate and control
their choices. This strategy sacrifices true connection and
cooperation, and limits life's purpose to that of self-
preservation.

The well-meant tendency to protect children can result in a parent believing

that if something bad happens to a child, he/she will be regarded as failed
parents. Thus, the greater the control of the child, the greater adherence to
self-preservation, which eventually passes on to the child's view of the world,
along with all its consequences.

Instead, the early learning experiences must deliver the gems

that each individual is the sole determinant of their life
experience. First, there must be a healthy separation or sense of
individual identity within the context of connection with
others. This is a healthy sense of self value and respect offered
by the world, a rightful assurance of mental and physical
freedom. Second , there must be a sense of accountability for
one's actions, with the understanding that one takes the
initiative to make things happen and then takes responsibility
for what has happened. And third, that the effort to honor the
inner destiny is always put forth to live fully, to create and
express their unique gift.

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Freedom, responsibility and the capability of creativity are the linchpins that
form the foundation of true adult behavior later in life.

Together, these gems meet power and freedom needs and

manifest into a strong sense of self-purpose, a solid work ethic,
and an inner reward system to allow efficient success in
purposeful living. Without them, there will be feeling
experiences of doubt, guilt, shame, inferiority, and lack of self-
esteem. The events and patterns of life will be those of
dependency, blaming, lack of faith, resistance to learning, an
exaggerated longing for external approval, and a general lack
of self-sufficiency.

If one looks at the lives which reflect the latter "events and patterns",
described above, and examines the life of these individuals from early
childhood to adulthood, the environment of their growth should be
connected to their current state of mind, in most cases.

These primary needs for connection, freedom, and power are

best accommodated by developing successful strategies of
mind during the first two decades of life. This is the period that
is normally considered childhood, adolescence, and the teen
years, which mark the successful transition into adulthood.
This period varies, depending upon the complexity of the
culture, with some systems instilling the basics much earlier.
Disruptive, chaotic and non-accommodating experiences will
leave need deficits, faulty beliefs and strategies, and their
telltale actions and feelings.

It would seem that the more complicated the lives of the parents, the less
attention given to the rearing of children. When a lack of care and guidance
evolves, so also does a lack of understanding of self along the line of the three
categories listed in an earlier paragraph.

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When one is seeking enlightenment and empowerment, looking
to these fundamental needs can be a most beneficial approach
to ongoing development of mind. For most every human being,
born of the modern world cannot help but be influenced by the
many slivers held within mass consciousness. It can be
extremely beneficial to look to problems in areas of intimacy,
control and self-confidence to identify and correct any limiting
contents of mind.

The earlier in one's life that this effort is made, the more easily the
corrections of mind can be put in place. The younger the branch, the more
easily it bends. Grandparents who have come to these new realizations have
a greater opportunity of planting the proper gems than parents, involved in
the responsibilities of economic support, so seemingly required in today's
society.

Independence, Creativity & Early Adulthood

In early adulthood, the 20's and 30's, each of these fundamental

need-meeting strategies will be called upon during the primary
choices of partnership, professional direction, and the starting
of a family. Dreams are declared, plans are made and alliances
are formed. Problems and issues that arise during this time
period can call to light the early slivers. Parenting one's own
children offers a second chance to purposefully instill the most
rewarding mental landscape as previously discussed.

In other words, young adults can endeavor to identify the virtues and
shortcomings of their parents and vow to live the best possible lives they can,
as well as exercise and pass on the gems they have identified.

But parenthood also provides an opportunity for a rebirth of

sorts. A mature commitment to self-development can allow the

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young adult to analyze and recreate within their own
mindscape those desirable traits they seek to offer their
children. If there are any emotions connected with the parents
of those now parenting themselves, these can be excellent clues
for the need to address these issues. This time period can
provide an opportunity to review the early years with
compassion, forgiveness, and faith in spirit.

In the most natural of settings, parents of different generations can compare

perspectives, exchange views and, where it is agreed that mistakes were
made, find a healing that will surely benefit the next generation to follow.

Then, toward the end of early adulthood, there will come a

time of settling into making conscious choices and
productively creating. The plans will be carried out during this
period. The need for creativity will come to center stage. The
spirit will yearn for purposeful living and producing something
lasting and meaningful. This will be the time when the urge to
start a family will come to the fore, if it has not already.
Biological clocks will begin ticking and life will be examined
for additional outlets for creative impulses. The urge to make
something of one's life will dominate.

At this point, young men and women will marry, settle down and begin to
create future versions of themselves, in a secure environment where both are
devoted to the making of a better world. Also, at this point, their parents will
sound a great sigh of relief.

If creativity is stifled within the lifestyle choices, the need will

manifest in other ways. Hobbies and artistic outlets can be
helpful when added to the primary profession, as long as they
don't become escapes themselves. Any strong compulsion to do
something shows that it is meeting a need. If the creativity need

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(or any need for that matter) is stifled, that emotional energy
might be channeled into any other type of need-meeting or
escapist activity.

Adopting that which will serve as an outlet for the creative need, making
time for it and keeping it as one's own, can serve as a stabilizing force in the
day to day burdens of responsibility.

This stage of life is a good time to ensure that balance is

attained between and among all needs and purposes. A telltale
sign of emotional frustration will be any one activity or
tendency that takes more time than its products might warrant.
Of course, the destructive activities are already acknowledged
as those to eliminate, but some positive ones can also begin to
go beyond their own needed purpose if balance is not achieved.
An analysis of one's daily time schedule measured against its
effectiveness for meeting each need and serving each purpose
can be an excellent way toward improving balance.

There is a temptation in modern society to invest an excessive amount of our

time in the source of our income, in other words, too many of today's young
and middle aged adults are evolving into work-alcoholics. While the
monetary and prestige rewards result, the spiritual loss down the road will
be most difficult to retrieve.

Midlife Evaluation: Meaning & Esteem

Then will come a period of self-reflection and life analysis.

During the 40's, 50's, or even the 60's, the inner urge for
meaning will come to the fore to analyze and evaluate the first
half of life. Emotional frustration in many areas will become
less tolerable as the spirit yearns for purposeful living. Feelings
of sadness, loss of hopes and dreams, and general discontent

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will motivate new beginnings. If continuous self-development
has not been occurring, the level of spiritual frustration will
build until perhaps some crisis event forces the issues to center
stage.

The conventional term for this condition is "mid-life crisis". It's usually
described as that point in one's life when one realizes that he/she is not likely
to realize that earlier ambition because the price was too high. These are
usually materialistic goals because spiritual goals do not have this type of
defined limitation.

A revisiting of early dreams and an assessment of what went

wrong are now in order. Self esteem and confidence should be
propelling one along the destiny path at this point. Life
revolves around successful relationships, professions,
community leadership roles, active parenting and other creative
pursuits. If the professional avenues are not creatively
rewarding, new challenges might be assumed. This will be a
time when mental and physical tolerance for unhappiness is
particularly low, and conscious, purposeful changes must be
made.

We reach that certain stage in life when we realize that the opinions that
others have to offer about us and what we want to achieve are not anywhere
as good as what we know internally. This is when we begin to develop
greater faith in our own judgment and, more importantly, our instincts.

In fact, physical malady and illness might present itself as the

body's way of expressing its emotional frustration of any unmet
need. The body can assume exaggerated or weakened immune
responses, create tumors, or otherwise scuttle itself if emotional
frustration has become a daily reality. Special care and
attention to the maintenance and respect of the body is
particularly important. Such physical clues can also shed light

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upon the underlying belief sources and need deficits.
Information of this nature is readily accessible, should humans
choose to analyze their own needs, their strategies for meeting
them and how well they feel they are being met.

Our physical bodies do communicate with our mental and spiritual natures
on a regular basis. Anyone who has ever read the writings of Louise Hayes is
familiar with this concept.

The Golden Years

Upon retirement from workaday activities, there will come a

time for reflecting. Although it is never too late to make
dramatic changes in one's life, with the Golden Years comes a
certain acceptance about how the life has unfolded. The spirit
still yearns for development and expression, but it relaxes a bit.
It recognizes the inevitable ending to the life and accepts the
inevitability of certain limitations of mind, yet it desires a great
deal of reflection at this point. This will be a time to find
patterns of meaning, the gleaning of wisdom from the life
experiences and expressing them in new ways.

At such a milestone in a life, one can choose to wind down and turn off, or
like any other milestone, i.e. graduation, marriage, parenthood, it can serve
as a beginning of a renewed adventure, with certain limitations and certain
earned comforts.

The Golden Years are a time of peaceful reflection and sharing

of wisdom. They enjoy the maximum level of remembered
experience, wherein generations can be seen and the major
patterns of life lie before the mind of experience. It will be a
time for tremendous connection with loved ones and with the

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world. It will be a time of powerful leadership, wisdom and
guidance for the most spiritually fulfilled. There may never be
an official period of retirement, yet the activity level and
participation takes on a more guiding rather than driving role.

This would result in a period of adjustment both for the one in this new
environment and for those who have not yet reached that point, as each
views the other with revised feelings.

Or, it will be a time of pain and despair, if deadly habits have

survived this long. There will be a necessary isolation from
humanity, even misanthropy if a measure of spiritual peace has
not been attained. The stereotype of the crotchety old person
captures such a path. The particular patterns of emotion will
still offer a wealth of self-evaluative information, and it will
spill over onto others as the elders become ever more
dependent. This is a time when younger generations can play
active roles in the reopening of minds and fostering purposeful
living in their own parents.

The role that the "older" will play in relation to the "younger" can be one of
positive example and one of negative dependency. With more leisure time on
hand, dormant interests can now get the attention they deserve. On the other
hand, self pity can make one most unattractive to be around. Free will is still
in place.

Death & Dying

The final stage of life is the transition from the physical realm
and is known as death. Human beings are meant to be aware
and in control of the time to let go of life. An enlightened mind
will intuit the coming event and allow sufficient time to wind
down and achieve closure on any life projects. (When the

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species evolves in its mass enlightenment, death itself will take
on new meaning.) In the present world, this final stage is a time
of the most profound need for meaning, and of attaining a
spiritual connection.

We will come to understand that there is no "death", in the sense that we

now view it. It will be regarded more as a transition experience, not
frightening or threatening, but as a "birth" into another state of being.

The death process need not be fearsome or painful, or resisted.

Yet, limiting beliefs and misguided cultural traditions and
technologies of prolonging life at all costs, have virtually
redefined it. Instead, the process can be a joyous culmination of
the life experiences, the opportunity for accomplishing a final
and everlasting connection with loved ones, replete with any
ceremonial, ritualistic or traditional trimmings imaginable by
the individual.

The perfect death would be one that can be planned for and can include
those connections and conversations that bring closure to that which might
need healing or awakening before one's final departure. It should be a
chance to make the experience as painless for those to be left behind as is
possible.

The final period of life will offer a mental flexibility in ways

likened to the plasticity of consciousness upon the birth. The
dream-world will become more significant as the mind
experiments with altered states of conscious focus. Individuals
who practice and become comfortable and gain a degree of
conscious control during dream adventures can aid their
transition. The mind might slip in and out of its normal focus
quite often, as the spirit flexes and alters its vibratory rate, in
preparation for its journey home.

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Those less enlightened souls remaining in the physical might view the
departing person's state as being delusionary when, in fact, it is simply part
of a preparatory experience designed to aid in the transition. It can also be
regarded as a "window" into the next state of being, valuable to both the
departing and the remaining.

The current mass consciousness in most cultures promotes the

denial of the death experience altogether. Etiquette books
suggest pretending that health will be restored in even the
gravest of cases. But such advice wastes a powerful
opportunity for humans to reach out and to achieve closure and
reconnection, and especially to heal old wounds with
compassion and forgiveness. This provides emotional rewards
to all involved, for if such is not achieved, the ones left behind
are to linger in guilt, fear, anger and sadness noting their
spiritual frustration. The entity passing on, however, will leave
behind the limitations of mind that created the life experience.
The experience will broaden as consciousness becomes
reoriented. The spirit returns to its unrestricted arena beyond
time/space, but in which spiritual wisdom and feeling tone
remains everlasting. Communications expressed to the dearly
departed enveloped in love energy will most certainly be
received.

Knowledge about the next stage of "life" is so poorly explored that the fear
connected with the "death" concept is bound to remain. Were the subject
more accepted, it is likely that those remaining in the physical would be
experiencing more contact and helpful communication from those who have
gone on.

Loved ones left behind experiencing any lingering pain can

attain closure by promptly utilizing verbal or visualization
techniques enveloping the communications and images within

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love energy. Faith in spirit, compassion and forgiveness can
allow each and every painful memory to be replaced by more
spiritually desirous understandings and interpretations of
interactions with the departed one.

We, in this physical state, have daily opportunities to resolve unfinished

"business" with those who have gone ahead of us. We need simply make
such our intent, utilizing our senses to express that which we feel, toward
that end.

The essence of each stage of human development is the

challenge to attain life strategies and activities that allow
purposeful living. At every point in life, embracing
developmental responsibility and all that it implies will keep
the individual upon the Destiny Path. Understanding the unique
purposes of body to survive, of mind to learn and create, and of
spirit to express, can guide each decision to consciously,
purposefully and cooperatively act rather than unconsciously,
indiscriminately, and competitively react. Understanding how
the six universal needs move the body and mind toward
purposeful choice of thought and action can provide
information in each moment that will allow for maximum
happiness and spiritual fulfillment.

Knowledge brings us the power to create with intelligent and compassionate

purpose. We are most content when we are exercising our free will in this
creative posture.

The life-course, however meaningful to its owner, beyond

time/space has its own brand of significance. The past, as
humans think of it, matters not to spirit in the grandest scheme.
It matters not how the early development proceeded, even if
there were serious violations, injustices and lacks of freedom

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and opportunity, that the urgings of spirit could not correct at
the time. For each entity has the power in every moment to
develop and even re-invent the mind. It matters not to spirit the
prior levels of frustration and pain, the amount of misguided
thoughts and actions, or even the enduring personality patterns
that have emerged from such limitations. Development and
renewal awaits in every moment.

What does not matter to "spirit" should not be of primary importance to us

either. What is past is truly past and each new day in this physical
environment is a first day in our ongoing existence.

What does matter is that spirit is eventually heard. This can

occur at any point along the life path. To begin immediately to
allow the feeling signals to lead the mind to its most ingrained,
foundational beliefs for an audience with the spiritual
adjudicator, is to reclaim the willful design of mind and to
honor the spirit. The spirit patiently awaits its opportunity to
begin to live.

All this should give new meaning to the Christian prayer: The "Our Father"
However, it does require that we understand that the "Father" referred to
is, in fact, our own spiritual nature, waiting to be expressive. One has to
presume that since "spirit" exists outside of the confines of physical time,
patience is a virtue that is much more easily exercised.

Accepting developmental responsibility can offer just that.

With understandings in place regarding what it means to be
human, we can now proceed to discuss, what it means to be
human among other humans in Earthly experience.

Page 257-272 Lessons of Enlightenment

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Section Epsilon

Lesson One: Implications For Morality

Introduction

The implications of spiritual reconnection have profound

impact upon how humans think of morality. Morality is that
which seeks to distinguish the right from the wrong and the
good from the bad, so that right and good actions can be
chosen, and wrong and bad actions can be avoided. Morality is
a virtue that operates as an inner behavioral guide.

We sometimes refer to this as our conscience, but it is more than that

because, if I understand these lessons correctly, "conscience" is that which is
developed by what we are taught from an outside source, while spiritual
guidance is an innate part of us because of our spiritual nature as beings and
is uniformly the same, as spirit is the same as it relates to human beings.
While "spirit" is a constant – conscience is a variable and dependent upon
societal guidelines.

Although morality should spring from within, human

groupings have devised rules, codes and laws which set forth
externally controlled morality. Privileges, perquisites and
promises of spiritual reward are offered to those who follow
the moral path. Likewise, punishments are doled out for
breaches of conduct ranging from the painful disconnection of
shunning to the vengeful act of capital murder. But this human
form of carrot and stick, bribe and threat morality has only
been necessary since humans have not yet understood how to
connect with their inner natural morality. Indeed, humans are
born equipped with an innate morality predicated upon a
unison between the purposes of body, mind, and spirit. The

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voice of spirit endows humans with an innate morality,
complete with safeguards, which is far superior to any human
attempt at defining external behavioral controls or guidance.

Morality should spring from "within" because it is spirit driven, as

previously indicated. When externally driven, it carries a great deal of
unnecessary baggage with it and usually fails in the effort to lift human
beings to a higher spiritual potential. Because "controls" are essential to
institutions and also justify their existence, encouraging people to self-govern
themselves would only lead to a dissolution of these institutions and is, thus,
considered threatening to them.

The external moral and legal rules conflict with one another in
the modern interconnected world, and can wreak havoc upon
the emergence of the necessary global consensus. But worse
yet, behavioral dictates which ignore, deny, or judge any aspect
of human nature, will interfere with the biological legislation of
human nature. Moral codes which are based upon inaccurate
declarations about humanity, masquerading as cultural "truth",
only further erode the connection between body, mind, and
spirit.

Just as the puritan influence formulated a great deal of legislation over the
history of our own country, so other countries have been influenced by
predominant religious philosophies, causing more moral confusion than
guidance, especially in a country made up of people of such varying cultural
backgrounds as ours.

In doing so, they continue to pit humans' minds against their

own bodies and short circuit the emotional communication
between them, ensuring that the bodily safeguards will rule
human action. Until humans achieve understanding of the inner
guidance, they are doomed to a never-ending cycle of
inappropriate self-preservationary actions that keep them at a

619
moral level far beneath their potential. Unenlightened
behavioral codes set in motion a cycle which guarantees
purposeless, amoral actions in the truest sense of the word.

Where moral guidance is not consistent, "amoral" action is consequential.

Also, moral teachings which are at odds (i.e. drinking alcohol in moderation
is alright vs. drinking any alcohol at all is a sin), tend to create confusion and
social conflict where none need exist.

Morality is ultimately about judgment, and as we now know,

only the spirit with its knowledge of divine intention can
accurately judge. It is simply a matter of restoring the self-
understandings which reunite body, mind, and spirit and align
the purposes in each action. Phase one of this restoration will
be the removal of any inaccurate, judgmental beliefs about
human nature. One particularly damaging assumption about
humanity deserves first mention in the moral discussion.

There are always those who suffer from a false sense of moral superiority
and "they" are the most prone to harshly judge their fellow human beings.

Biological Hedonism

The English word hedonism has become tarnished by dogmatic

assertions of religion. So much so, that its original enlightened
offering is now lost. But those that coined the term, had
captured a universal truth. That which feels pleasant is
intrinsically good. These original ethical philosophers had
embraced the idea that the Creator knew best how to orient
human beings, and endowed the human creation with pleasure
and pain as guidance. They had an intuitive awareness of an
intentional, biological, divine predestiny despite the heavy

620
misconceptions of external morality offered in their day.

Even though the admonition, "If it feels good, do it!", seems to smack of a
form of social decadence, it reminds us that we need not feel guilty simply
because what we're doing makes us happy. To do so would be to throw us
back into the "Puritanism" mentality that made even laughing a near sin.

They understood that emotion was somehow meaningful.

Unfortunately, they did not yet understand the divisions
between body, mind, and spirit, nor the potential conflicting
purposes, enough to explain the self-preservationary impulse.
Pleasure and pain seemed instead to only motivate selfish,
competitive, basal pursuits which did not bode well with the
social order. Thus, their work was largely rejected for the less-
challenging concept of sin. It was easier to explain pleasure
and pain within a universe of good and bad forces, evidencing
a flawed nature wherein humans succumb to the temptations of
evil. But as should be clear, human actions follow pleasure and
avoid pain---without exception. Until this is accepted,
evolution will be stymied.

Imagine the constraints on evolving if this natural form of guidance did not
exist. The very term "human" would represent a creature that conducts
himself/herself solely on the basis of defined, dogmatic restraints. Impulse to
stray from the established code would be consistently punished and
creativity would cease to be allowed. Societies that have come close to
adopting this rigidity have nearly destroyed the world.

The word hedonism should take on its rightful and just

divinity. For it is the mechanism which provides an unerring
guide toward purposeful self-discovery, yet without interfering
with complete freedom of will. It is only in freely bringing the
mind to this understanding that the guidance can emerge.
Mindfully observing the meaningful patterns, the hardwired

621
reaction of body, coupled with the mental analytical abilities,
and the spiritual need for meaning, will lead eventually to the
messages within these Lessons. (For each of the Creator's
systems comes complete with its own evolutionary wisdom and
balancing thrust, either leading to its purpose, or a cleansing to
start over).

In other words, the road to recovering our spiritual nature leads either
toward that goal, or if detoured, loops back to try again and again until time,
as we know it, ceases to exist.

The basic impulses toward the good and away from the bad
provide the most supreme guidance, regardless of what laws or
Holy books might declare. Hedonism merely follows the six
basic human needs, calling humans to approach that which
feels good and to avoid that which feels bad. These forces will
lead to the discovery of the higher purposes, and to the
recognition that all amorality springs from action strategies that
do not meet all three purposes.

In the final analysis, we can not be permanently deterred from evolving

physically, mentally, and spiritually regardless of how many institutions we
may create to stifle this natural impulse.

Psychological---indeed biological---hedonism is the essential,

first foundational principle upon which any social grouping
must be built. In fact, it was one of the primary reasons for the
unit of the United States, which now exists as a microcosm for
the global community. This particular community arose with
the express goal of avoiding the historical limitations of forms
of government that prevented the necessary freedom and
empowerment of its people. Therefore, the official legal
documents set forth the intention for life, liberty, and the

622
pursuit of happiness. This has been the unrecognized basis for
most of this country's successes, although much progress is still
needed.

One can hardly argue with the basic principles upon which one's own society
is founded without confounding one's very patriotism. It's hard to argue
with success.

Multiple Meanings of Emotional Signals

The validity and divinity of hedonism has remained elusive

because the role of emotion has not been discovered. Since the
signals themselves have been falling upon deaf ears, their
complex messages have not been able to provide their
purposeful guidance. The message is only complex to the
degree that it addresses all three purposes. It is not difficult to
understand them, unless it is unclear that they have specific
meanings for body, for mind, and for spirit---all of which must
be considered to guide any action choice.

The reception of emotional messages does require a certain cultivation of

mind, a willingness to consider the possibility of such a system being in
place. Before one gets to that point, one has to accept that he/she is a
spiritual being, first and foremost and that this physical existence is an
intended experience with a purpose.

We know now that the emotional signals mean to body: "Act in

ways that will self-preserve." We know that the emotional
signals tell the mind: "Act in ways that will self-develop." And
that they urge from spirit: "Act in ways that self-express within
the world." Although this is fairly straightforward, there are so
many limiting ideas set forth about emotion, human nature, and
the need for external controls, that it is no surprise that this

623
fabulous gift from the Creator has gone unnoticed.

To preserve self, to develop self and to express self have to represent the
essence of our nature and purpose. To quiet ourselves sufficiently to listen is
the challenge of our age. While we may act in an instinctive way to preserve
ourselves physically, we tend to use our mental messages to simply enhance
our self-preservation and our spirit guidance is too often diverted to the
same end.

There now exist so many conflicting behavioral directives

about how to go about the pursuit of happiness, that the United
States is crippled within its own confusion. Hedonism, is but
one of many whirling, swirling, conflicting, judgment calls
within mass consciousness--- cultural "truths" about human
nature. They are more accurately described as spiritual
falsities that perpetuate this self-limiting cycle of infighting
and self-preservation. The result is another emotion laden
concept. For this cycle creates the illusion of "evil."

While "New Age" types and "Fundamentalists" are busy looking down their
self-satisfied noses at each other, major religions and philosophies are
preoccupied in exaggerating their differences and scaring their members
into believing that some other belief system is really a "threat" to all that
they hold dear.

The Concept of Evil

Evil springs from the valid idea of purposeless or backward

living---even the word live spelled backward becomes evil.
Evil is simply the outcome of when something prevents the
natural morality from leading humans upon their intended life
course. Evil is anti-progressive, and anti-purposeful living,
nothing more, and nothing less. There is no evil force that

624
doles out rewarding good feelings for bad actions. Good
feelings always serve some intended purpose. But they can
motivate violations upon self and others unless all levels of
purpose are considered simultaneously. There is no room for
the concept of evil when the body, mind, and spirit work
together in each action. It becomes as obsolete as the stone
knife, for it is but a temporary bridge to the higher
understanding of natural morality.

Evil not only has no purpose in our lives, it has no power other than that
which we give it by adopting belief systems that institutions use to
manipulate us. When we are in touch with our true spirit, there need be no
fear that we will err, so long as we devote ourselves to preserving, developing
and expressing ourselves.

The concept of sin is its counterpart, which captures any

behavior that violates the purposes of self or others. Sin, of
course, is nothing more than a self-preservationary action
outside of the higher purposes. Many humans think themselves
to be sinful, weak, flawed creations, who must throw
themselves on the mercy of some higher power simply for
being what they are. Any hope of learning or purposeful self-
development then falls to rigid forms of external control which
further confuse and short-circuit the feeling system, leaving
such humans virtually disempowered. The concept of sin itself
is far more evil than any action labeled as such.

It is when we stray from purposeful living that we are tempted to think of

ourselves as lesser beings. Those who capitalized upon this self-deprecation
are simply using that state of mind to control us further. When we elect to
weaken ourselves internally, we make ourselves vulnerable to outside
control.

625
Excitement And Morality

Sin has been attributed to many of the most basic of human

processes which operate upon the principle of pleasure and
pain. Thus, hedonism has taken the rap for the inevitable
pitfalls which spring from misunderstanding the emotional
system. The emotional system is indeed the intended guide to
natural morality, but its arousal and action components have
drawn human suspicion since time untold. For it is often the
excitement of body that dictates behavior when the mind is not
purposefully engaged, throwing fear into the hearts of those
who seek to control human action.

Spontaneous expression is considered almost more threatening than an

uncontrolled nuclear reaction. Institutional control will not fade until there
is greater trust and faith in the innate goodness of human beings both in
others and in ourselves. Then, pure joy will truly be appreciated for its
"pureness".

Humans love the thrill of excitement. This is the energized,

alive feeling that accompanies emotional arousal. Whether it is
great love, great anger, great joy, or great fear, the body revs up
for action. The heart races, the hormones flow, the endorphins
surge, and the muscles receive energy to act. The experience
itself can be quite intoxicating and rewarding. This is why
there have arisen so many activities for thrill seekers, and just
as many aspersions cast upon excitement itself.

When misused in the hands of political or religious institutions, whole

populations can be aroused to feel hate toward other populations and/or
their respective leaders. From this can follow military action and the setting
up of an eye-for-an-eye saga that can go on for generations.

626
Throughout the world, the universality of human excitement
can be seen, from artistic and literary offerings for vicarious
passion and excitement, to daredevil exhibitions and roller-
coaster theme parks. There are entire industries based upon
thrilling competitions, from the early arenas of the gladiators to
the modern sports stadiums brimming with emotional
spectators. With the technology of today, television and
computers bring all types of vicarious interactions right into the
home.

The passion for one's team can be so pronounced that households can
become divided and genuine feelings of anger can be misdirected with little
justification. In a larger sense, people have been known to die over the
outcome of a "sporting" event.

Excitement itself has become associated with the confusion

about feelings. This is because of the inaccurate interpretations
of feeling and the inevitable self-preservationary reactions that
follow. Accurate understanding of feelings is the only way out
of this dilemma. Indictment of the arousal system or
excitement in general is foolhardy. There shall be no moral
judgments cast upon any such activity, so long as it does not
violate another, just the required awareness of what is actually
occurring.

There is nothing wrong with having one's emotions aroused so long as

"arousal" does not lead to the passions that, when carried to the extreme,
result in physical or emotional harm to another. A greater inner awareness
leads to an equally greater understanding of ourselves and the world around
us.

In addition to the problem of interpretation, creating vicarious

excitement also amounts to manipulation of the emotional
system. For it creates an emotional response outside of the

627
purposeful interactions in which they are intended to have the
most meaning. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. Indeed,
any such activities can offer emotional refuge from a world not
yet ready for enlightened ones. These activities often allow for
the vicarious venting of emotional energy and the necessary
and welcome, but temporary, escape from overly stressful
environments and situations. They can make the difference
between faithful perseverance and giving in to fear and defeat.

In a world where the very act of making a living can put one in an
environment where being made to feel inferior is regarded as a proper way
for some to succeed, the frustration of not being able to counteract this
treatment must find a safe outlet and "vicarious venting" serves that
purpose. Until truly enlightened management techniques dominate the
workplace, stress-relieving activities of the above nature will remain.

The key to keeping exciting events within the realm of moral

behavior is to ensure they are mindfully chosen within the
context of all three purposes. This means that they do not take
the place of actual connections and external expressions or
violate the needs of others. This will also ensure that they are
kept within a supplementary area, in designated times of
relaxation and leisure within the daily routines, and never to
become time-bandits which rob precious moments of physical
existence from the purposeful destiny path---or worst of all,
become compulsive or additive mechanisms of escapes from
the spiritual challenges. Like any other physical pleasure,
excitement can become an escape response in order to avoid
emotional pain, or a pale substitute for truly rewarding
purposeful activities.

One of the more common sources of humor is the frustration of one gender
with the sports-preoccupation of the other, but beyond this humor is a level

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of resentment cultivated by the practice of ignoring opportunities to
communicate and share in life's other opportunities.

It is helpful to make a conscious distinction between temporary

and divine pleasure. All pleasure is good, but the temporary
excitement of short term pleasures which might potentially
have long term pains, should be kept in their proper
perspective. They serve best as temporary bridges to more
long-term purposeful paths, and should be respected for their
allure as well as their potential to thwart higher more divine
pleasures. These are often the "guilt pleasures" we choose
knowingly which do not hurt others, but might not be the best
long-term choices for ourselves.

The suggestion here would seem to point to a social activity of immediate

gratification without a more permanent emotional commitment, a practice
described colloquially as the "one night stand".

All concepts of morality should shift to accommodate the

inevitability of the manipulation of the emotional arousal, and
relax any judgments against it. Humans should feel no pangs of
self-reproach when indulging within most any activity, as long
as violations of self and others do no occur. All concepts of
morality should then instead facilitate accurate understandings,
interpretations and responses to the three messages contained
within each feeling.

In other words, does the activity preserve one's physical integrity, develop
one's mind and encourage the expression of spirit. An activity that does not
compliment these three areas, should be reexamined.

Guilt and The Human Conscience

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Pangs of self-reproach bring us to the next aspect of morality---
human conscience. Acting purposefully, is acting morally, is
acting within conscience. To act within one's conscience is
nothing more than to listen to the voice of spirit and to act upon
it within all three purposes.

In other words, to act to 1) preserve one's body 2) develop one's mind and 3)
express one's spirit should be in line with the dictates of one's conscience.
Pure conscience, when not obstructed by the culturally implanted slivers, is
our most reliable compass. Part of the role of these Lessons is to help us in
that "re-purification".

Breakdowns only occur when the feeling signals are

misunderstood, leaving confusion and conflicting impulses
between body, mind, and spirit. Any action which ignores or
denies any one of the divine purposes is truly amoral. Self-
preservationary reactions based upon fear and anger are amoral
for they place body above mind. They choose to fight to
change the world to match an undeveloped, distorted, or
unbending mindscape, instead of allowing the mind its moral,
purposeful, and necessary self-development. The result is a
"loner" strategy that frustrates spiritual expression. It is fairly
easy to see how fear and anger can lead to violations upon self
and others. But the more insidious and potentially hurtful
emotion of moral concern is the feeling known as guilt ."

We bear witness, almost on a weekly basis, of people whose anger has

resulted in injury and death to one or more other people. Would that those
who do such could have been exposed to the principles spelled out in these
Lessons.

Although guilt is commonly thought to be the emotion most

linked with conscience, this is simply not so. Most events
which elicit guilt are in fact amoral, but for entirely different

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reasons than might be suspected. They spring from amoral
mental shifts which incorporate ideas into the mind which
place mind above the body . This is when a learning
experience, a right response is chosen, but one which lets in a
sliver.

Guilt is too often a part of the mind that can be used to manipulate others,
but only for a temporary period until the user has succeeded in getting what
one wants. The "mother/daughter relationship" is a good example and
should be examined further in light of the above.

Instead, guilt has become a much misunderstood and

overworked emotion. Guilt has become a favored and powerful
tool of manipulation by mass consciousness, particularly in the
realm of religion. Once humans instill the idea of sin and evil,
"the devil" gets in the door. Then they attach many natural
drives and bodily functions to the concept of evil, pitting mind
against body, setting the stage for the bodily safeguards to
dictate seemingly evil behavior. This is self-fulfilling prophecy
at its worst. The irony is that humans have the audacity to
second-guess the Creator, and in His name, create and
manipulate guilt feelings within their adherents. And then to
reinforce the slivers by utilizing the very guilt signals they
produce, as a constant reminder of the weakness and
"amorality" of the person.

The too frequently used threat that "God will punish you for...whatever", is
mass control at it's worst, reflecting moral arrogance by those who claim to
know what God wants, but spend too much time talking to God and too little
time listening to the Spirit within.

But in reality, any directive that elicits guilt remains in the

realm of mind and has solely to do with cultural trappings

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which are learned. Mind should no more be elevated above
body than body should be elevated above mind. Both must
work in concert in order to serve spirit. The instillation and
manipulation of guilt is a heinous, power-stealing practice,
which misses the message of emotion entirely.

It is designed to replace emotion and self-direction, while retaining control of

others under the guise of spiritual development. In fact, "spirit" is not given
its due, but rather relegated to the "back of the bus" while someone else
does the driving.

Humans should pay particular attention to any idea which

invokes guilt feelings and identify the underlying needs which
are at issue. The concept of a guilty conscience should be
changed to the more accurate guilty mind. Then they should
wholeheartedly reject any doctrine or idea that does not
embrace the divinity of their God-given nature. Humans are no
more meant to experience lingering guilt, than they are meant
to experience lingering anger, fear, or sadness. Acting
purposefully upon all emotional signals can allow humans to
remove the limitations that created the signals so that they can
attain the intended lingering state---that of joyous loving
spiritual fulfillment.

Guilt, when lumped in with "anger, fear or sadness" is keeping company

with those qualities that were never meant to be a part of a human's
experience in this physical environment or anywhere else. Once this is
realized and accepted, the true role of body, mind and spirit can proceed
unhindered.

Learning Error vs Sin

Guilt, like all emotional signals, should be recognized for its

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role in the learning cycle of self-development. Sin is simply an
error in trial and error learning wherein feeling signals
evaluate action outcomes. Course correction begins with
feeling signals that follow mistakes or successes.

I'm not sure why one would need to make a "course correction" following a
"success", but the point of the above is that one need not take an error
(especially a sin) so seriously that the accepted consequence would be eternal
punishment. The point of life is to learn and develop, not to serve as the focal
point for some sadist, especially One who is regarded as a Supreme Being.

The flexibility within natural morality, complete with the

Grace of the Creator, ensures that humans can easily recover
from the inevitable mistakes. Even humans acting within all
three purposes can easily perpetuate minor violations upon
themselves or others, simply because they are in need of
further self-development. If each individual greets the actions
of others with humor, faith, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness,
and expressions of light, the learning error is quickly overcome
and all concerned are restored to the purposeful track.

If we can grant the same open-mindedness to our fellow human beings as we

would like them to grant to us when we err, as we surely do, then
progression toward perfection can be much less painful.

Purposeful self-development will break the cycle of self-

preservationary violation and liberate humanity from such
limiting self-concepts such as evil and sin. All sin is simply
learning error, on the road to strategies that satisfy all three
purposes simultaneously.

There is currently a generation in place that was brought up under the

guidelines of "sin & punishment" and all the trappings that keep this
mentality in place. Those who have rejected the illogical mindset of these

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dictums have been left with little else to turn to except indifference or
"cultism".

Sin is simply a misstep from which important learning can be

attained. It is not an inherent flaw within the design of the
human being, for which any relative deity must die in order to
save souls. Such terms as sin and evil arose only because they
served the limited purpose of providing temporary meaning.
They offered believable explanations for when humans choose
hurtful behavior. But they evidence a great distortion of the
early messages, wherein the message became the answer, not
the message of self-understanding itself.

Thus, what was meant to be the creation of a system of understanding and

enlightenment, deteriorated into a personality cult, with control integrated
into a sophisticated system of wealth and power. Such were the patterns
woven into a blanket of security. Crawling out from under this "blanket"
has been particularly difficult until now.

The Power Of Apology & Forgiveness

The religious message that humans who follow divine dictates

will be "forgiven for their sins" carries this distortion. On the
other hand, it also has spiritual utility, for forgiveness does
indeed mesh with divine intention. But it is not the religious
dictates that make this true, it is because forgiveness brings
powerfully positive feelings both to the forgiver and the
forgivee. Forgiveness is a right and purposeful strategy because
it brings divine pleasure. It is a life-giving habit.

Those who ask for "forgiveness" are in need of returning a state of balance
created by error. Those who grant "forgiveness" when asked for it, sense a
touch of their own divine nature. Hence, the old saying: To err is human -

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To forgive is Divine.

But forgiveness does not mean that humans can do any old
thing, and rest on their laurels because they can forgive
themselves and others for any indiscretion. This attitude toward
forgiveness only breeds further feelings of self-reproach, for it
is the lazy man's way to the light. Apology and forgiveness
take on very powerful meaning in the context of
accountability. Most any learning error, even violation can be
redeemed when apologies contain an expressive, active effort
to restore the one violated to his former state or to one even
better. Cultural forms of restitution flow from this truth, yet
they include anger and retaliation rather than true forgiveness
and restoration of grace.

When we err against another, we create a state of emotional imbalance in

the offendee, a state that requires correction for the offender and the
offendee to return to their prior relationship. To improve that relationship,
which should be the goal of all humans in "relation" to other humans, an
opportunity for "betterment" is at hand. We are moving in that direction
when we ask criminals to consider an apology to their victims.

True expressions of regret spring from the higher state of

understanding, from the learning that followed the violation;
they come from the heart. The receiver knows when this is the
case, for they will resonate to the apology and offer
forgiveness. Not only is the offender accountable to
expressively apologize to the offendee, but the offendee is also
accountable to receive these expressions as if he sought
forgiveness himself. True connection with another recognizes
the pitfalls of humanity and does not assume evil intent; for the
learning error is inevitable and the shoe will soon be on the
other foot. If all humans embrace the nature of trial and error

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learning and utilize the life-giving habits, then all will be
forgiven and can quickly restore themselves upon the destiny
path. Rest assured, far fewer violations will occur when this is
the normal state of humanity.

Another consequence of this "giant step for mankind" will be an escape

from in the guilt-fear-hate-anger box we've created for ourselves.

The Historical States Of Moral Interaction

It is helpful to instill universal forgiveness for human frailty

upon understanding that certain stages of moral development
dictate different moral actions of their day. Competition was
once the moral choice, for biological predestiny utilizes
competition to effect human evolutionary movement. We will
later discuss this in detail, but for now understand that the only
true original sin is in lingering within early stages of human
moral development.

Where once life was a struggle for the survival of the human species, it has
evolved to a point where fighting for one's daily food is no longer a sole or
even primary activity.

Biological predestiny is hardwired into all species as an

orienting mechanism, each interacting in the overall
evolutionary process. The essential dynamic is how an
individual organism is moved from within to survive in any
given environment. This movement might come from generic
predisposition or adaptive mutation in other organisms, but in
humans, it comes from free will. With all humans buzzing
about with everyone pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain, there
are bound to be some bumping into one another. When this
happens they can willfully choose to either interact

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competitively or cooperatively. Free will is meant to be guided
by the innate morality within the wisdom of spirit, which
means to operate within all three purposes, and act upon the
emotional signals in their multiple levels of meaning.

When a great number of people occupy a dance floor, each couple can start
competing for available space by banging into other couples OR all couples
can start coordinating their movements so that contact can be reduced to a
minimum and not considered to be threatening behavior. Only in a square
dance is it necessary to have a source of outside control.

There is then a natural moral progression from the singular

self-concept to the plural connected self-concept. At each stage
of moral development there will be certain needs coming to the
fore, as well as an evolving understanding of the meaning of
the emotional signals. Until humans awaken to the power of
free will, they are safeguarded against their ignorant choices of
mind by the self-preservationary reactions of body---serving
the first stage of human purpose.

As technology advances and weapons of war become more sophisticated, the

need for resolving the proverbial "bumping into one another" in an agreed
upon fashion, becomes increasingly essential to self-preservation. Clearly,
the old guidelines of inter-relationship will not suffice.

Caveman Morality

At this first stage, humans respond exactly like other animals,

influenced first and foremost by emotional memory and
hardwired instinctual responses. This relates to the human pre-
cultural "caveman" level of morality. Humans at this stage are
likened unto singular, lone wolves, competing against one
another for scarce resources, be they food, land, power, money,

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etc. With competition, there is a win-lose outcome: one will get
all of the resource, and the other will get none. At this stage,
fear and anger are the predominant motivators, fight and flight
are the common actions, as the stronger often overpowers the
weaker to the victor goes the spoils. At this level self-
preservation is the singular purpose, the level of conscience
now known as "selfish".

There are still many (too, many) in our society today whose conduct would
have a certain commonality matching the above described characteristics. In
fact, the corporate mentality would likely come the closest. On a singular
level, many women might recognize a former or current suitor.

At this early, pre-cultural stage, competition is the right and

good choice of action, due to the fact that the individual needs
take precedence over the group needs. The emotional signals
are interpreted to ensure survival and that the basic individual
needs for power, freedom and creative expression are honored.
Once these needs are accommodated in the mind and world of
such humans, then the other needs can come to the forefront of
consciousness and motivate further evolution.

Thus, in some ancient but more sophisticated cultures, even though

technology had not come close to what we have today, there grew a very in-
depth understanding of the arts. The Greeks had finely tuned the mind and
what followed then served as testimony to what could be accomplished, when
leisure was achieved. Unfortunately, a certain level of social "slavery" was
necessary to maintain that state of leisure for the selected few.

For competition is not the only choice when humans interact.

The resource can go to one, or to another, or it can be shared by
both. The sharing is known as cooperation. The emergence of
cooperation is inevitable, for the need for interconnection is
built into the human system in many other ways. For example,

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the cooperation necessary for procreation becomes an
immediate hint of the higher, more rewarding approaches.
Images of pre-cultural females dragged into the caves conjure
still valid emotional signals that simply could not have allowed
the lone wolf lifestyles to continue for long.

Thus, was born the "romantic" concept which still serves as a mystery to
many of the male species.

Cooperative Morality

In answer to the connection need, humans begin to develop the

mind to include others in the self-concept. This ushered in the
secondary cooperative level of conscience wherein self-
development and right responses became the moral action
choice, in lieu of fight and flight. Thus, the earliest forms of
cooperation began to flourish, resulting in shared culture that
would bring a lasting condition of interdependence. With
cooperation, there is a win-win outcome. Although neither will
get all, both will get half. The trade-off of receiving only half
the spoils comes from the emotional reward of connection, and
in the increased ability to gain through subsequent cooperation.

In fact, what tends to evolve from cooperation is not only the sharing of what
is, but a realization that the whole of society can be more than the sum of its
parts, providing that the spirit is an invited ingredient.

At this stage, the higher "group needs" are considered in

addition to the basic individual needs. Emotional signals begin
to take on the added meaning of self-development of mind and
to embrace the group connection need, the need for meaning

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and the need to achieve esteem-building expressions among
others. Loving connection, and the fulfillment from
meaningful, creative expression become the dominant
motivations as right and light responses become dominant
action choices.

Getting beyond the mere acquisition of material items and worldly titles
leads to an appreciation of nature, knowledge and the spiritual qualities of
other human beings. When allowed and encouraged, this can bring the
proverbial heaven down to earth.

Before this stage is fully attained, some will still choose to

compete, while others begin to cooperate. At this transitional
state, there is both the chance to win-lose, or to negotiate a
win-win. When some trust others to cooperate, and those others
breach the trust and compete, win-lose and disruption occurs.
In this stage, cooperation is the right and good, the correct
moral choice, and those who compete at the expense of the
cooperative other are thought of as cheats. Thus, external rules
and laws to protect the cooperators from cheats become
necessary.

In that delicate stage when the "cheaters" are on the wane but still in control
of most of the wealth and power, those who make the rules will favor them.
And so long as the methods whereby the "rule-makers" attain and hold their
positions are stacked in favor of the wealth/power group, the "cooperators"
will be required to make an end-run to tip the balance in their favor. But,
eventually, the "100th monkey" principle will prevail, for it is a principle of
Universal Law.

The third and ultimately necessary stage is wherein all

competition between humans gives way to true cooperation: all
self-expression is accomplished in the context of cooperation.
This is truly civilized morality. All emotional signals are

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interpreted within all three purposes, and all six needs are
accommodated. All major motivations spring from the
approach emotional signals and the avoidant ones are rare,
corrective and evolutionary signals. In this final stage, each
emotional signal is fully understood within the connection
between all. To hurt another would equally hurt the self, this is
the complete and mature state of moral development. This is
the healthy conscience. Violations need not be controlled,
because they simply occur only as learning missteps and are
met with tolerance, compassion and offers of light.

There are many places in existence right now where much progress has been
made toward the above-described ideal state. But these settings are often
more rural than urban and the population is much less condensed.

But transition to this stage is not yet complete. The movement

away from fear and anger toward hope and trust is now
occurring. Human groupings have not sufficiently embraced
the self knowledge, and even enlightened individuals are
stymied in their cooperative efforts by a world that embraces
and declares competition to be "the way." Spiritual frustration
is experienced at every turn. To end this cycle and embrace
cooperation, one must understand the necessity of moving from
fear, to trust.

...and I very much look forward to the next title: The Role Of Trust.

The Role of Trust

This macrocosm of humanity can be reduced to the microcosm

of moral interactions between two human beings. Interactions
will be motivated by pain until pleasure takes its rightful place.

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Fear is the dominant motivator in the stage of competition.
Moving from competition to cooperation is based upon mutual
trust. Trust is a necessary perquisite for cooperative moral
action. For the cave woman could just as easily have slit the
man's throat with his stone knife while he slept, as she could
have arisen early to build him a comforting fire.

But, in order for the relationship to survive, it was essential that some level
of trust be maintained. Along with this "trust" was the accepted
presumption that each cared about the other, sufficiently to maintain the
relationship and procreate, going on to establish that trust as a pattern for
their offspring to learn and accept.

Trust is a touchy thing, for in a win-lose competition, one who

violates the cooperative trust can nearly always emerge victor
of the spoils. Thus, there is always room for violation to exploit
vulnerability inherent in trust. It is very easy to take advantage
of the trust of another. Yet, it always comes with the price of
living in fear, isolation and loneliness, not to mention facing
the wrathful anger of the violated one. Fear and the self-
preservationary impulse alone never brings true fulfillment
until the body's needs are fulfilled in the context of spiritual
connection. Despite this fact, those who retain a singular
concept of self, and choose to compete and endure such
feelings will certainly lose out when competing with groups
choosing cooperation. Fear driven strategies will ensure a
hellish fearful existence.

The untrusting, lone-wolf personality will never successfully compete with

those who know the value of trust and can make it a productive part of their
lives. Not only does it lead to cooperation but, more importantly, to an
acquaintance with the feeling aspect of human character.

Until the pleasurable path of trust can be truly embraced,

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humans are relegated to the transitional stage between fearful
competition and faithful cooperation, between self-preservation
and self-development, between the purposes of mind and body,
with conflicts resulting both internally and externally.

The good news is that while we are still in that "transitional" period we
appear to be moving toward "trust" and away from "fear". However, this
trend will only continue so long as our faith in the divine nature of all things
continues to grow.

A major influence upon this condition has to do with the

economics of scarce resources. When there are insufficient
resources to be shared, fear will motivate competition.
Resources are most scarce when there is overpopulation, or
when communities do not have equitable systems for the
freedom and empowerment of their members. Moral progress
can also go backwards---when resources are scarce,
cooperation gives way to competition. (Since humans have
become the dominant species and exercise free will in cultural
transformation upon the ecosystem, they have taken on the
responsibility to ensure fair allocation of resources to any
embodied spirit, of all species, or they will feel the competitive
results).

It is only through cooperation that resources can be shared in a way that

reduces the competitive atmosphere and reduces the fear and mistrust that
tend to creep into relationships. The law of abundance is simply
confirmation that nature is in place to supply all of our needs, whether they
be material or spiritual.

Tit-For-Tat Morality

Thus, morality is inextricably entangled with opportunity, and

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these predictable stages can point to the social changes
necessary. Until adequate opportunity occurs, however, there
will be a rather fixed state of affairs. This state brings a
correspondingly predictable stage of morality. One in which
there is a stand-off between the negative, competitive and the
positive, cooperative impulses where many animal species, and
the majority of humanity, is now poised. This pattern can be
seen through the entire animal kingdom, wherein varying
stages of competitive and cooperative efforts yield the most
success for the species.

It is the less spiritually developed of the human species who take their cue
from the animal species most preoccupied with the competitive strategies,
hence the colloquial expression: "It's a dog eat dog world!" This belief
reinforces the type of behavior least admired in humans.

This pattern is a mish-mash of both, wherein a moral rule of

thumb is as follows: First, attempt cooperation. If the other
cooperates, then both can win. Next, if the other chooses to
break the trust and compete against you, you will lose to him.
But your task is to then withdraw your cooperation with him
and deal with another (more honorable) fellow, and the first
will lose your help, becoming isolated. Eventually he will
come calling again, following a learning experience. Trust
again, and if he has truly learned, he will cooperate. The
feeling signals all around will reward this more purposeful
path, and the group effort will be stronger than any one isolated
effort.

This is a good "rule" but not always an easy one to follow, as many will
regard this as a weakness on the part of the one who is taken advantage of
by the one who has broken the trust. But trust is a two-way street and
patience is essential to educating the untrustworthy to the ultimate value of

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it.

This pattern is also apparent in the animal community, but they

do not have the mental abilities of humans to remember and
plan interactions as thoughtfully. The body alone, via the
feeling system, guides their choices. In this case, the animal
has memory enough to recall only the emotional outcome of
the previous interaction. It is very common for such mindless
violators to come around again with every intention of
perpetuating another violation, for the previous winning of all
the spoils felt great. But the duped one also recalls his own
emotional outcome, one of sadness over the loss and anger
over the violation. He then plans on doing the same himself,
perpetuating a violation back upon the violator, in an "I'll show
you how it feels" retaliation.

This is where emotion must eventually be put aside or overridden in order to

break the eye-for-an-eye rule that can only deteriorate into an environment
of never-ending conflict.

This is called the tit-for-tat strategy that works best when

competition has not been completely overcome. In this case,
the violator comes calling with an offer of a second
cooperation and trusts the first. The first in this case, violates
the trust and wins the spoils for himself. The second round
often reinforces the soundness of the cooperative choice within
the original violator and promotes cooperation in future
interactions. Otherwise, fear and anger drives a perpetual cycle
of getting even---a deadly habit among humans. Tit-for-tat
means simply: First cooperate, and then in any subsequent
interaction, do the same as the other formerly did to you.

The best you can say for this strategy is that it has the potential for being

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educational for those who are in need of learning the value of cooperation
from an emotional experience. The danger in it is that the violator may not
get beyond anger to a more enlightened state.

Although tit-for-tat has its place, humans are intended to

discover their higher moral guidance. They are not simply
limited to the emotional memory of the experience, they can
invoke the mind. If the higher purposes are heeded, trust
outweighs fear, the connection is preserved, and winning
half---plus the emotional reward of connection---brings
repeated cooperation that yields far more long-term benefit for
all concerned. The less cooperation among all species, the
more fear and self-preservation will be apparent. The more
spiritual connection that exists, the more trust and cooperation
can be observed, and more faith and personal fulfillment is
experienced.

Sometimes, a group is encouraged to cooperate in order to exercise and take

a competitive and unfair advantage of another group. This moves a less-
than-virtuous activity from a singular to a plural mindset and, in doing so,
only strengthens a non-spiritual form of conduct.

Understanding the patterns of competition and cooperation can

help individuals determine the moral course of action when
dealing with others who are driven by competition alone, as
well as underscore the most spiritually rewarding choice of
cooperation. It should be readily apparent, however, that
humans who keep to their fear-driven competitive level of self-
preservation are no more evolved than the animals over which
they claim superiority.

When "competition" becomes such a virtue in a society that it is an end in

itself, than the only resolution of such an outlook is for the system to have a
major breakdown. Because material success is often regarded as the

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ultimate end and key to happiness, the hardwired qualities in humans lead
them to such a consequence on a major scale.

The Golden Rule

With these historical interactions in perspective, we can now

see how they led to early forms of moral guidance. This first
step from competition to cooperation was captured in the early
moral directive: "As ye would that men should do to you, do to
them likewise." This reflected the tit-for-tat strategy of the
animal kingdom and the human desire to overcome the cycle of
retaliation. For to follow this directive, both would initially
cooperate rather than to go through a wasteful series of
competitive retaliations. This directive is still inherent in most
major religions, commonly known as the Golden Rule. It has
also been restated:

"Do unto others, that which you would have them do unto
you".

This moral advice has endured because it dovetails with many

elements of innate natural morality. The Golden Rule assumes
that there are some universal right and wrong behaviors, clearly
understandable by all humans---which there are. It assumes
that all humans can recognize "rightness" within others and in
themselves---which they can through their feeling system. It is
right-minded, basing morality upon the emotional evaluation of
the act, and the purposeful pursuit of happiness.

It also appeals to everyone's self interest and, thus, ties one's well being to
one's own actions. But, one hopes that the other person will agree to and
accept the same Code of Conduct.

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But this rule is only part of the picture, and its use as a moral
directive is limited. For it assumes that everyone has the same
values, which is never the case in a multicultural diverse world.
It does not embrace the free will given to each human being to
design values and beliefs according to their individual spirit.
(What brings happiness to a member of one culture, might
bring great unhappiness to a member of another.) It embraces
the contrived emotional boundaries which result from lack of
continuous development of mind. It honors only those with
similar, local values, and does not embrace the entirety of
connected humanity. (It is quite easy to do horrible things unto
others, if one does not consider certain humans as "others"---
witness the Holocaust).

One of the first steps in doing harmful things to another is to dehumanize

the other person. Governments are usually very successful in doing this in
times of war. It makes it much easier to accept the idea of killing the
"enemy" if he is accepted as a "chink" or a "gook". It has made the practice
of racism easier when people formed support groups to terrorize segments of
the population. Even parts of the bible can be used to justify hate and
worked well in many minds for quite some time until "higher" laws
prevailed.

Nonetheless, with some simple variant twists, it can be a far

more useful moral tool at the current state of the moral
development of the species. The first twist would be to
recognize it in the context of all humans, indeed to every
spiritual embodiment, not just humans within any specific
spiritual grouping. This fully honors the connection need,
bringing all spirits together in the self-concept, making it a
truly universal dictate.

An example of this might be the acceptance that "All life is sacred." This

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could lead to a higher level of respect for both humankind, as well as all of
nature. Once this connection was made, threats to the environment would
become manageable and life on the planet would be more valuable and
enjoyable.

This brings the next essential universal twist which adds far
more sweeping application. This flips the rule around to utilize
avoidant impulses as universal guidance, using what humans
don't like as a guide. Although a wide variety of diverse ideas,
strategies and choices, can bring pleasure, it is the truly
universal limitations and frustrations of spirit that bring pain.
With these added understandings, this golden advice becomes
far more useful in the form:

"Do not do unto any others that which pains thyself."

This most simple of moral guidance allows humans to know in

any moment what not to do and it frees the feelings of spirit to
lead them toward actions to which they are morally invited---
indeed divinely destined.

One need only imagine how one would feel as the recipient of any
contemplated action against another, and allow that "feeling" to guide
his/her actions henceforth.

The final word about natural morality is that it suggests that far
fewer controls need to be placed upon human beings. Instead,
energy and resources should be invested in ensuring that there
is adequate opportunity for each member to meet needs without
competitive impulses coming to the fore. Humans can simply
let go of all ideas about what is right and wrong and allow
their spirits to guide them. The self-righteous ones must step
aside, taking their cultural judgements with them, and allow

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each human the dignity, the privacy, and the freedom to pursue
happiness in their own way. For vitality and behavior, when
chosen within all three purposes, which does not frustrate any
of the essential needs, nor intend to consciously violate
another, and is chosen within the response rules, is moral in the
eyes of the Creator.

We are all familiar with a four-way intersection, controlled by a stop sign at

each corner. Each driver waits his/her turn and trusts that when he/she
starts into the intersection, it will be safe to do so. Now suppose that the
"stop signs" were removed and the rule of common courtesy was in place.
Would the system not work just as well? It would be a small step but
essential to the building of a less abrasive society.

With these essentials of right action in place, we can now look

more closely at human to human personal interactions.

Page 273-290 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Epsilon

Lesson Two: Implications For Interpersonal Relationships

The Cooperative Level of Existence

The implications of spiritual reconnection have profound

impact upon how humans think about, and interact with, one
another. Once humanity has been reconnected with the inner
moral guidance, the next step is to build cooperation, intimacy,
and community with others.

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This is a quality that was apparent in more historical cultures and can still
be found in many rural environments. The urban world has much difficulty
maintaining such an atmosphere, a state that encourages fear and anxiety on
a daily basis.

As humans successfully interact and connect with one another,

they begin to take each other further into their own self-
concept. They begin to respond to each other's thoughts,
feelings and actions as if they were their own. For once the
connection need is discovered and honored, there can be no
turning back to the conditions of isolation. Indeed, a new stage
of existence unfolds, one which coincides with embracing the
higher purpose of self-development.

A state of trust leads to a state of greater intimacy and vice versa. Like grape
vines in the process of producing fruit, the more people become connected to
each other, the more unlikely the connection will be broken.

At this stage, not one, but two purposes are accommodated

with thought and action. Each emotional signal not only tells
the body to self-preserve, but it also now tells the mind to self-
develop in ways that now and forever consider the pain of all
others before each action. At this stage, each human
relationship is based upon the understanding of the interrelation
and inescapable spiritual interconnectedness that is The Way.
Strategies of competition and violation are simply outdated
ways of thinking when one truly embraces the spiritual
connection. Actions which hurt another are felt as painfully as
hurt to the self and become outdated vestiges of an uncivilized
past.

People begin to move from the self-absorbed state to the altruistic state, with
an awareness of and empathy with others in our environment. As we move

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from the material to the spiritual stage in our development, the wealth
developed in a competitive system becomes less important compared with
more evolved pursuits and values.

This self merging is a necessary accomplishment for the divine

path to unfold. The complete individual self, the mind, body,
and spirit, must be brought together first and foremost, and
then melded with the purposeful motion of each and every
other mind, body, and spirit for true progress to occur. This
was the intended message of the earlier wisdom offered, but its
meaning became distorted. Self-melding should now replace
any mutated ideas about self-sacrifice, martyrdom, and rising
above self. With self-development, nothing need be lost, and
everything can be gained.

Discovering our inner spirit is probably what was meant by: "To love God
(our own divine nature) with all thy heart, mind and being; and to love thy
neighbor (seeing the divine in him/her) as thyself." Once we know and
appreciate our own true nature, we can naturally move on to relating to
others in the same way.

When this transition has been successful, the dominant feelings

become trust and faith which motivate the higher actions. The
grander, larger sense of time and meaning begin to come to the
fore as the chaotic, fear-driven life of self-protecting isolation
is overcome. Reclaiming the meaningful messages within each
emotional signal, will direct the choice of actions within all
three purposes. As mindscapes are further refined, fewer
distress signals are necessary---because life is working as it
should be. This is a state of unimpeded energy flow within and
between all spiritual embodiments and brings its own
emotional rewards.

This is an intended and natural process that has been subverted by those

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who were intent on establishing control over others and who still maintain
that control by extolling the fear of evil and violence so readily tied to
particular personalities, be they the devil or some foreign leader. Even
within a society, there are always those who are eager to blame whatever is
seen as wrong with society on those in charge of it at the moment or those
who should be in prison. Fear as the tool, is effective only as long as inner
guidance is ignored.

Intimacy & Community: The Gift of Sharing

There are tremendous individual and group benefits at this

level of existence. Two heads can do far more than one, and the
more they interact the more progress can be made. Cooperation
is the most basic level of interpersonal relationships, and the
next is called intimacy.

We forget, sometimes, that we are a collective, separated by our

individualized personalities, our individual free will and our capability to
create our own reality, but a "collective" all the same. Because of this, we
have an unlimited opportunity to cooperate with each other and, in doing so,
to reap the rewards of such effort.

World peace rests upon international community. Community

rests only upon the strength of cooperative intimate trust
between its individual members. It is easy to cooperate with
another human being toward some common goal; yet it is quite
another matter to remove all defenses, share your darkest
secrets, and bare your soul before another. The more successful
this melding of spirits, the more trusting and intimate the
relationship can be. The more intimacy, the more potential
information for self-development and expression of both
parties involved.

In a world where allies and enemies change roles from one decade to the

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next, and there have been juxtapositions of contradiction during even the
same time period, and countries have had nuclear missiles pointed at each
other while promoting cultural and student exchanges. In fact, it's a rule of
social relations that the more people learn about what they have in common,
the more difficult it is to remain at odds. When both sides are moving
toward establishing areas of trust, cooperation is likely to follow.

Intimacy means far more than the commonly accepted

definitions which capture the physical component. It is the
condition wherein there has been a meeting of two individual
minds, or more accurately, building of a common-ground third
cooperative mind, thought of as "us." This is the basic building
block of all mass consciousness, which is the culmination of all
such common-ground agreements within all communities of
humans. Intimacy can be thought of as "into-me-see." It is
about honesty, integrity and of opening one's self to the view of
another.

A world that moves toward "intimacy" is a world full of fewer "me's" and
more "us's". A world where the "whole" is greater than the sum of its
"parts", and is a natural result of spiritual evolution.

Intimacy can be built within any relationship. Building

intimacy begins with perspective taking. It begins with
standing in the other person's shoes and becoming acquainted
with their particular unique worldview and mental lens. It
involves the connection to another without resistance, pretense,
power games, or false image. For it involves the open, trusting,
compassionate, and faithful understandings of true spiritual
connection.

The Native American knew that to understand another person required a

period of time (a moon cycle) of walking in that person's shoes to truly
understand that person's perspective. They just put it in less contrived
terms. Once the complexities of relationships are removed, life becomes

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much less stressful. That alone should serve as sufficient motive.

Universal love energy itself bases the connection which

completes a circuit. Once loving connection is established, it
can never be severed, regardless of any temporary violations or
limiting conditions. Such a connection exists regardless of
minor disagreements or even mistakes and self-preservationary
actions which reduce the flow. Such a connection can be---and
should be---remembered in each moment. Intimacy is the
condition which allows the most freely flowing spiritual energy
between two entities. The more complete the energy flow, the
deeper the connection and the greater the benefit.

Without getting too "gushy" about it, we can expand our circle of loved
ones, one person at a time. Naturally, we'll tend to gravitate toward the most
loveable first, but eventually we will begin to try to understand the others in
our environment and realize that what they really lack is a true affection for
themselves.

The Energy Dynamics of Intimacy

Specifically, when the body, mind, and spirit within any two
individuals are aligned in a singular purpose, there is maximum
expression possible by both. The mind contains the gems that
allow the spiritual its free expression. When the two are united
in a relationship, a common goal, or even a simple
conversation, there will be a circular flow of spiritual energy
exchanged between them. Spirit itself is energy; energy which
contains information that when adequately expressed becomes
part of mass consciousness. Or in other words, to the degree
that common understandings are attained, that energy is
manifested as a physical cultural condition. Such energy

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networks form the basis of all spiritual expression in the
physical realm.

What transpires between two people, be they intimates or just good friends,
is that energy which defies mere words. To experience it is to understand it,
but to describe it is to limit it, and yet being aware that such exists is an
essential step toward seeing the "spirit" quality in all things.

This flow can be likened unto a circulating river of spiritual

energy. As the purposeful expressions of one are received by
another, it is clearly resonant and recognizable in joyous
pleasure. This is the spiritual validation of true connection and
meaningful expression. This river can be slowed down or sped
up depending upon the amount of expression and receptivity of
both parties---determined solely by the beliefs of mind.

Once again it is suggested that our "beliefs" serve as the governors of our
understanding and appreciation of the spiritual aspect of our environment.
This material suggests quite clearly that spirit is complimented and
enhanced by the mere sharing of ourselves with another.

To those fear-driven entities that seek to hide from the

vulnerability of open intimacy, let it be known that there is no
such escape. Spiritual energy that is put forth is unmistakable
to the feeling systems of others. The energy put forth cannot be
falsified, it either flows freely or is prevented. It flows freely
bearing the information of all combined beliefs of mind and
needs of body. The more enlightened the entities, the more
conscious awareness and sensitivity to this energy
correspondingly develops. But regardless of conscious
awareness, the emotional system will move the body to
respond to what energy is put forth.

Those who know this energy and know the importance of reflecting and

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expressing it, have the satisfaction of enjoying the free flow that results, even
if the reciprocation is not immediately forthcoming. All things considered,
reaching that state of knowing was probably also slow in becoming.

Conflict

When either party has a sliver, or any strategy that is not within
all three purposes, it will invoke resistance that can slow the
flow until it is discovered and removed. When the expression is
slowed, limited or reduced in any way, feelings of frustration
will naturally result. This is the external manifestation of
conflict. The same type of conflict can exist between mind and
body, or within the mind of any one individual; but this is the
external manifestation of conflicting beliefs which lie between
two people. The negative feeling signals remain exactly the
same, as do the optimal responses.

Conflict, then, becomes an educational tool, to alert one or both to the

presence of something that needs to be examined internally, so that this
"sliver" can be identified and removed. Of course, it takes both to make this
search and a willingness to accept that the "fault lies not with our stars but
with ourselves", to quote Shakespeare. Of course, if it's the other person
with the "sliver," a good friend will help him/her find and resolve it.

But the body's common response to such fearful or angry

frustration is to invoke the urge to fight or to take flight. With
both parties feeling the frustration, there are twice as many
chances for unhealthy reactions. These urges bring about
resistance and the deadly habits which are the enemies of
intimate connection and the antithesis of spiritual intention.
The physical result is the shutting down of the energy flow,
causing backlogs which must be then expressed in some other
way. Such resistance and closing off to one another is the basis

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for most all forms of distancing, conflict, arguments, and losses
of intimacy, as well as a great deal of unnecessary emotional
pain. The innate natural morality that arises from mindscapes
designed to honor all human needs and purposes can direct
actions which can avoid disconnection.

The "conflicts" that take place in our homes and on our streets, are but
microcosmic reflections of what is observed and often indulged in on an
international level. When those who profess to be the leaders of their
respective societies resort to resolving differences through the exercise of
violence against another group (or a particular leader of a group), it
establishes a pattern of behavior, reinforced through our entertainment
industry, in which the "fight" solution is glorified as being not the
"acceptable", but the only solution.

Resolving these external conflicts requires the same

examination of the events, the existing beliefs and the
identification of the conflicting ideas. Then, and only then, can
resolution occur. There can be respectful ways of approaching
such conflicts, but communication and resolution must occur if
the energy flow is to be restored and progress is to continue.
Following the rules of response, having faith and invoking the
life-giving habits can mediate conflicts quickly and clearly and
keep all such connections strong. These guidelines will allow
the innate, natural morality to emerge and dictate action
choices.

In a small country in Central America (Costa Rica), there exists (or did once
exist) something called "The University For Peace". Its area of study
consists of teaching the tactics of conflict resolution to young people who
would master them and return to their respective countries to seek
opportunities to put them into practice. In Caux, Switzerland every year,
people from a vast array of countries and walks of life gather to face their
national opponents and speak frankly and openly about their differences, in
an honest sincere attempt to better understand their fellow human beings.

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These are some of the "gems" that await greater polishing and serve as hope
for a world of peace.

Although natural human morality is the same in every

interaction, intimacy is more of a selective choice. The choice
for an intimate relationship will relate to the spiritual
fulfillment and longevity found in the friendship or union.
There are levels of intimacy that one can choose, depending
upon the nature of the relationship. The same actions and
choices would not necessarily be the best ones at different
levels of intimacy. Less intimacy is necessary for temporary,
distant, public, or professional relationships, while the deepest
intimacy would be called for in a loving, committed union.
There are four basic classes of relationships, each with its own,
most effective, level of intimacy.

"Intimacy" can be as formal or as informal as we choose it to be. Once the

mutual understanding is reached as to the perimeters of a relationship,
progress can begin and a goal can be visualized.

The Fellowship Relationship

This is the broadest, perhaps least personal or intimate

relationship of the physical realm, yet it is the one that exists
between fellow spirits. The enlightened approaches to this most
basic of relationships, are those set forth within these lessons.
Enlightened interactions and choices are those that consider all
humans within the sense of connected self. One that does not
limit the sphere of self-fellows to anything less than one that
contains each and every human being. One that does not resist
or deny rightful human respect.

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It is connecting with those who are strangers that often serves as the greatest
challenge. The "fear of the unknown" combined with an environment where
most of the people we come into contact with are "unknowns", as a daily
experience, leads us to often regard the world as a cold, unfriendly place.
This tends to be more true in urban areas, but it can also be found in small
towns where everyone knows everyone else and outsiders are regarded with
suspicion.

There need not be any direct interactions within the fellowship

relationship. In fact, related fellows need never even cross
physical paths. But they do affect one another. All actions and
expressions which become part of the external world can affect
human fellows. The energy contribution alone will have its
effect upon everyone physically encountered. With connection,
a sneer from a bitter, angry, isolated human is felt as keenly
and understood as keenly by a passerby as is a friendly smile or
kind word. But this is particularly true for humans whose
destiny paths have taken their expressions into the public
spotlight. These will be the most influential contributors to the
mass mind.

Sometimes, the most disturbing experiences one can have with another
human being is when we encounter hostility from those we don't even know.
The opposite is also true, a kind word or smile from a stranger can make
one's day. A friendly compliment directed toward a store clerk can have a
reciprocating effect on down the line, as that person adopts a cheerful
attitude and affects the next person he/she deals with. We need not
necessarily have a strong bond with someone to affect their life in a positive
way. Of course, those most visible in society can also have the most influence
on how society relates to itself.

With this influence comes the responsibility to put forth

expressions in keeping with enlightened, connected,
cooperative humanity and away from those of the limited,
competitive, survival level of existence. Expressions--- whether

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they be words, songs, books, poetry, stories, news, counsel, or
legislation---should promote all universal spiritual values. They
should advocate maximum freedom for choice of cultural
values, and establish the most possible need-meeting
opportunities, and exchange of spiritual resources. Those that
set forth expressions, opinions, and values which promote
resistance, division, or remove freedoms or opportunities from
others do dishonor to their fellow humans.

They also do "dishonor" to themselves, and if they are public figures, they
do it in a most public way. But whether we are public or private individuals,
we carry with us the duty to promote the quality of spirit in whatever walk
of life we find ourselves. In doing so, we grow along with the collective
consciousness.

The Professional Relationship

This is the least intimate of the direct personal relationships. It

encompasses what is termed an "acquaintance," wherein the
paths have crossed for any particular reason, yet no intimate
action has occurred. But generally at this level, humans have
come together united for some group purpose, whether it be a
business corporation, a political group, an educational goal, a
public event, an artistic effort, or one of religion. But at this
level, there is not much intimacy at all, there is no need to
share as many aspects of self. Nor is much necessary, as long
as it is understood that the rules of emotional response should
always be honored, and all life-giving habits utilized.

Here is an opportunity to put into practice some of the guidelines spoken of

in these Lessons, while withholding a full emotional investment in the
outcome of events. If the other party with whom we are involved does not
share the same view and values, it will soon become apparent and either the

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relationship will improve or it will dissolve. However, on a professional level
it can still be maintained for practical purposes. Either way, little emotional
damage need be incurred.

Clear communication of all goals and processes toward

achieving them, is the emphasis at this level. The challenge is
in accomplishing group goals without compromising any
rightful individual purposes or needs, and without violating the
rights of others. Individuals will constantly need to learn and
rely upon adept social skills, tactful communication, conflict
negotiation, and persuasion to attain consensus without
compromising honesty or integrity. Solid bonds and powerful
group actions can result with hardly any level of intimate,
personal exchange.

To borrow a cliche, "Business is Business!" That said, it is also a pretext for

the smooth functioning, cooperative exercise of creative action, based on
guidelines of spirit involvement, where humans can put egos aside and blend
their efforts toward a shared vision.

In fact, until civilization fully embraces the enlightened

understandings, there will be an intense need for privacy
between these public and private spheres of interaction. This
springs from the freedom need, freedom from a world far too
limiting. This condition also creates an even more intense need
for intimacy and honest open sharing within the safety of home
environments. Every entity needs a place of beauty and
intimate sharing. A respite, a haven of intimacy to return to
after a harsh day of taxing professional interactions in the
world choked with the limitations of mass consciousness.

Herein lies the true importance of intimate relationships on a private level.

When we support those who face a less than spiritual world on a daily basis,
we are doing the equivalent of healing the sick and comforting the poor in

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spirit, preparing the other to face the cold climate of indifference and, often,
callus disregard for human/spirit values.

Most human job opportunities involve this type of more

external relationship. The contractual obligations and time
allocations of the standard workday do not lend themselves to
more intimate interactions. But mistakes are made in both
directions by those involved in professional relationships.
Some attempt to build inappropriate levels of intimacy is time-
consuming and can work against the performance
requirements. But by far, most errors come from the lack of
connection, cooperation, and trust. Defensive territoriality
keeps many such group efforts from attaining anywhere near
their most effective level. Insubordination, infighting, and even
sabotage are common occurrences. There is no room for such
survival level strategies and reactions within cooperative
frameworks. They are simply like cancers that stop energy flow
in its tracks by denying the connections.

When our "work" becomes our life, it follows that the nature of these
professional relationships is eventually transferred into how we relate to
those with whom we share more intimate relations, to the detriment of the
latter. The "work" environment is more conducive of the "competitive"
school of conduct, even when people cooperate to reach a goal in the war of
competing against a rival. All this brings forth the judgement that "It's a
jungle out there." Understanding this will help us cope with what we are
required to deal with, without surrendering to these lower vibrations.

Entities involved in professional relationships should make

contributions that establish group values and frameworks
wherein each individual can meet their needs and purposes
within the context of the mission and goals of the group. They
should build group values and standards that encourage self-
development, the most free-flowing communication, and

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conflict negotiation to gain the maximum value from
expressions of each member. From such strategies will come
tremendous success toward group goals and minimize any self-
preservationary reactions. Such a climate can also build bonds
which might move some to step up to the next level of
intimacy, that of friendship.

Those in positions of responsibility and leadership can set examples that

serve to inspire the type of conduct that reflects spirit coming through. To do
so, personal prejudices have to be put aside. There is no place for favoritism
based on unjustified biased leanings. Each person has to know that he/she is
valued on the basis of what they can do, in line with their particular abilities
and chosen limitations.

Friendship

A friend is one who can freely exchange personal experiences

with another in an unimpeded way. A friend is a comrade and
compassionate confidant in the game of life. A friend can offer
a broader and less restricted form of interaction that is more
intimate, more safe, more honest and free-flowing. There will
be no need for many intermediary forms of communication and
negotiations, for the realms of the individual minds will
overlap far more. There can be a more immediate, unimpeded,
and rewarding flow of energy between friends.

It is the oldest friendships that are valued the most because of the history of
trust being so strong. We make friends throughout our lives, but those
relationships that go back the farthest are the most comfortable. Even as
lives diverge and common interests are fewer, it is still the fact that each
knows the other so well and respects each other's confidentiality that
maintains the bond. Would that we could establish such a two-way street
with our higher selves.

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Friendships usually occur based upon some mutual
commonalties and interests which operate as boundaries for
interactions. The more intimate the friendship and the more
common choices and interests, the deeper that friendship can
be. Interactions between humans at this level involve some
form of regular exchange of energy which springs from
conversations, recreational activities, educational exchanges,
Socratic discussions---any activities wherein there is some
meeting of the minds and sharing of experience.

Without sharing, friendships tend to be pretty one-sided. But, sometimes

that is the nature of the friendship until, or unless, there is sufficient interest
in expanding it on both sides. Some friendships are older than either party is
aware of, and the ties that bind people may extend relationships of which
neither has a conscious memory. In such cases, commonality is not a factor
and sometimes, the relationship is more adversarial than friendly. However,
it's just as essential, if not more so.

In the discussion of human development, such interactive

forums were recommended within families for the maximum
self-development of incoming children. Through friendship, all
the same benefits can arise through an entire lifetime of adult
development. The benefit being of course, that you can freely
choose who comes into the sphere. The intimacy of friendship
offers new arenas for self-development, wherein the feedback
from intimate others can often point out patterns kept hidden
by resistant tendencies within the self. It takes faith, honor,
trust, and courage to be, and to have, a true friend.

Those who are insecure in themselves are often the most friendless. This is
because if a friend even hints that the person is lacking in some fashion, the
reaction is to immediately terminate the friendship. This is unfortunate,
because if one remains open to a loving observation, it can serve as a positive
feedback tool to educate us into a broader perspective of ourselves. This, in

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turn, reduces our insecurity.

When humans come into contact with one another, they will
feel attractions to those that can most freely exchange energy
with them. The more the energy is allowed to flow, the more
the spirit expresses, and the more attractive this person will be
to others, and vice versa. Friendships can be built with most
anyone, depending upon the rate of mutual self-development
and energy exchange. There will also be natural, spiritually
familiar relationships wherein a nearly instantaneous
recognition and attraction occurs, allowing intimacy to begin
immediately. These are often the result of creative energies
following the spiritual destiny path, combined with the existing
conditions of mind. Such a friend can enter a life and
dramatically alter its course and be off again on a different
track.

The length of a friendship is not always the measure of its significance in

one's life. There are occasions when an intense meeting of minds and
emotions for a short period can alter the very course of a person's life, for
the better or worse. Each friendship, like every other experience, has
educational value. However, our best and most reliable "friend" will always
be our inner self.

There will also be certain relationships where there are

inexplicable repulsions and dislikes, also relating to certain
challenges along the destiny path. Situations wherein people
will be thrown together with little in common, yet entangled in
necessary relationships. In either case, the rules of emotional
response and avoidance to deadly habits will facilitate the most
productive and fulfilling relationship.

What we learn from a "relationship" may far outweigh the pleasure we get
from such. If the "friendship" is going in a negative direction and threatens

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to result in unjustified pain, an honest expression of its value may be in
order. While this may cause some temporary pain, it could avoid
complicated entanglements down the road.

But when creative reality is fully understood, humans will

begin to see exactly how both positive and negative kinds of
people are attracted into the life. For if the mindscape insists
that some people must always be in one's life, existing as the
proverbial thorn in the side, such will be the case. If there was
some inescapable annoying or hurtful person in the early life
experience, this belief can take root. Even if the original
antagonist moves on, another will quickly manifest to fill the
void. Humans can be especially enlightened by finding the
meaning within each such person who enters this life. There
will always be powerful learning potentials, for angels can
come in some challenging packages.

We attract to ourselves what or whom we need to grow in body, mind and

spirit. Those who serve the role of antagonists are there only because we
need them. Once we've grown beyond that kind of "need", we will begin to
attract those who stimulate us in a more positive and pleasant fashion.

In the world at present, there will be immediate obstacles to

friendship due to the many existing territorial, competitive
rituals common among humans. One area from whence comes
a good deal of this resistance deserves special mention. This
happens in the male-female relationship. Before we can discuss
the next level of intimacy, we must first address one
interference factor that effects all levels of intimacy. Whole
communication patterns and less functional styles have long
been accepted which virtually guarantee obstructions to the
spiritual energy flow.

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On this curious note, we can proceed to explore these obstructions in the
most popular role of relationships, the gender exchange.
Gender Roles

The major impediment to self-development, communications,

and the free-flowing energy of purposeful living, has been the
nearly universal pattern of humans defining gender roles.
Every culture seems determined to divide up human potential
and allocate certain attributes to women and others to men.
Although it is true that there are some basic biological
differences between the sexes, a very large percentage of this
variance is due to limiting ideas---slivers---from human
culture. Until they are removed, they will have profoundly
limiting effects upon the intimate energy exchange.

History is filled with culturally established belief systems and habits of

thought which are in place to divide one group of individuals from another.
It might be based upon race, religion, nationality, cultural, economics or
simply contrived differences. Gender division is a part of this ubiquitous
pattern.

Humans need not worry about the real biological sex

differences, they will take care of themselves. But they should
take vigorous steps to find and eliminate as many of the
unnecessary cultural judgments about gender as possible. For
the spirit will unfailingly speak of painful limits placed upon
needs and desires for every human regardless of the physical
form they have donned. This condition sets the stage for energy
to seemingly switch on and off, as habitual patterns of thought
and action send signals which have distinctly different
meanings for either sex.

Scientists currently advise us that there is substantiated evidence that the

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brains of men and women function differently. This is supposed to confirm
the reason for the communication problems which genders have with each
other. In fact, it is "mind" that controls brain function and herein lies the
crux of the problem.

The gulf between the sexes began innocently enough, in the

form of shared labor. It is much easier for two to accomplish a
task when each is responsible for a specific part. Since the
female of the species carried and nursed the offspring, the
duties revolving around the home became her domain. She
began to be dependent upon the man for more external
functions, as well as to become the keeper of all domestic and
family operations---even communication itself. The female was
also associated with dark, internal, receptive energies, intuition,
submission, and cooperation. And most importantly, she
became the keeper of emotion, as the singular receptacle for
the realm of spirituality.

Though these qualities served the female well in the performance of her
designated duties and societal functions, it tended to relegate those valuable
qualities away from the "opposite" gender and into the confines of her
nature.

The male of the species became the active one, the aggressor,
the hunter, the provider, even the creator. Man would use the
logical mind to create the tools and build the communities and
compete for scarce resources. Man was dominant and
powerful, strong, silent, enlightened, and independent. He was
associated with the external, rational, objective, physical world.
Man laid claim to most attributes of both body and mind. And
in time, his manliness was defined by them, and questioned if
he exhibited signs associated with "femininity."

While establishing a list of qualities that encouraged growth and expansion

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of "reason oriented" talents, this enforced limitation resulted in a
deterioration of the natural link between body/mind and Spirit.

The cultural institutions would encourage this division between

the sexes through social convention, religious teachings, and
even laws which would subjugate and disempower women.
Such limits would spur women to develop backdoor methods
and even skills of manipulation to gain their needed power.
The same institutions would deny spirit itself and would
separate men against their own emotions, dooming them to a
competitive level of behavior. Each new generation born into
such cultures would find a certain limited reality associated
with their sex. There are many accepted situations of Earth
today, wherein women are not even allowed to educate their
minds or freely control their own bodies. And perhaps many
more wherein men are not encouraged to even experience their
emotions---the very voice of spirit---let alone seek to
understand the messages they bear.

As a consequence of this blanket of prejudice, established division was

honored as a necessary virtue and, at this very moment, the largest and most
influential religious groups still maintain a policy of gross servitude where
women are involved.

Unquestioned slivers would become self-reinforcing, and self-

preservationary actions would result. For what has actually
happened through this gender typing has been an
institutionalized separation between the certain aspects of self.
This only offers the opportunity for some of the people to meet
some of the needs only some of the time. No entity should be
born to such unnecessary and correctable limitations. Certain
separate types of "energies" are now assumed and associated
with masculinity and femininity, yet there is only one pure

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spiritual energy. Such self-disconnection would become so
profound, that the spirits of both sexes would eventually rebel
with both social and biological results. The modern movement
toward freedom, equality, and androgyny within gender roles
evidences this needed rebalancing, as does the biological shift
toward alternate forms of sexuality.

Where there is injustice, there is dissatisfaction and determination to correct

that injustice. Where there is a deficiency in the guidance of Spirit, that
"correction" can result in diversion from a clear course of action.

One consolation is that women have kept spirituality alive and

helped it to flourish. This is quite an accomplishment
considering that the entire realm of spirit has been long
relegated to religion and dominated mostly by the males of the
species. But spirit exists within all and is now on the verge of
rediscovery. It must take its rightful place in both sexes if
civilization is to evolve.

Thus, it is evident that women have a gift worth sharing. It is up to those

who pride themselves with having higher intelligence and reasoning power,
these being mostly men, to recognize and learn to incorporate these "gifts".

Each entity desiring to be restored upon the destiny path must

first reclaim the entire self. The gender roles must be revisited
within the context of separation between mind, body, and
spirit, in consideration of the six human needs, and the
purposeful messages of the emotional signal. It then becomes
readily apparent that both sexes need all human attributes in
order to even have a chance to know how to approach life.
Expressions from fully restored, enlightened humans, can alter
the traditions and consciousness at quite rapid rates.

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The sexes need each other and they need to familiarize themselves with the
positive qualities that the gender roles have perfected. This is a time of
expansion on all fronts. To let limited traditions stand in the way is not in
anyone's self interest.

Each entity following these messages of spirit and acting upon

them within all three purposes cannot help but change the
world for the better. All the best concepts within both
"masculinity" and "femininity" are important, necessary
attributes to bring daily fulfillment. For together they constitute
the potential whole of human body, mind and spirit. Each
forges a link in the chain of mind-body communication through
the voice of spirit. To disconnect a man from his spirit, or a
woman from her mind or body is to maim. Each quality is
necessary for the functional unity, intercommunication, and
flow of energy within the trinity of self. Only then can the flow
be restored between members of any given sex and between
members of the opposite sex.

It is not just to the benefit of both sexes to restore connections between each
other, this restoration also truly benefits themselves. It is /would /could be
called a double win. It compliments the value of love of self and another at
the same time.

To even begin to have a chance, each entity of any biological

sex or sexual orientation should have equal opportunity,
freedom, and power enough to control their own destiny. This
basic universal right should be self-evident. It is the essential
first link in the chain. For one who must compete for basic
freedom or power, one who cannot even direct the life events,
has no hope of acting purposefully or cooperatively. This
means that neither sex should seek to escape into the
comforting limitations of either sex role, but to consciously

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accept responsibility for personal control of the destiny, and
attune, with commitment and integrity, to the spiritual voice
within. The emotional rewards of such a choice will far
outweigh the feeble, temporary comforts of dependence,
fatalism, machismo, femcheesemo, and martyrdom.

One can not have growth without risk. If that means being willing to
confront one's secure place in life, compliance with the approval of family
and friends in order to broaden one's physical/mental/spiritual horizons,
then there is little choice but to do so.

When all aspects of masculinity and femininity are considered,

the chain of mind-body communicative interaction can
commence. There is a special place in the cycle for each
passive, active, receptive, aggressive, rational, and emotional
thought or action.

This requires the empathy necessary to put one's self totally in the place of
the other. Symbolically speaking, each must be willing to "walk a mile" in
the other's shoes, know the world through the other's eyes, hear what the
other hears and cope with what the other copes with.

First, each member of both sexes must be earnestly, passively,

openly receptive to even the most subtle of emotional signals.
This receptivity is awareness itself, this is intuition, this is
heeding the voice of spirit. Without the receptive quality, no
such guidance can occur, and the chain is broken. With
passivity and receptivity associated only with femininity, men
are instantly left limited to self-preservationary reactions of
fight and flight, for the cycle of spiritual information stops
before it can even begin. Resistance and defense is the
masculine norm. Thus, the reputation for man as warrior, or
those of porcine mind who can easily succumb to the motives

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of the flesh.

As the more bold of the two sexes, man will be called upon to take the
initiative in closing the gender gap and be willing and able to do so without
the insecurities of giving up masculine qualities. This is not a trading of one
quality for another, but an incorporating of both to create a more complete
human being.

Next, each entity must enlist the mind to rationally analyze the
meaning of the feeling signals in the context of all three
purposes and in enlightened understanding of the universal
needs. The mind is the most essential component and is quite
often left out of the feedback loop, and body is allowed to
automatically respond to emotion-invoking situations. Without
accurate interpretation of each emotional signal, the chain is
broken. Acting upon the emotional signal alone, the mind is
bypassed, relegating humans to a level beneath their birthright.
Women should no more abdicate their rationality than men
should abdicate their emotion. This means that the maximum
amount of self-development of mind should be available to,
and embraced by, each of the sexes.

Again, this is an example of "not giving up one quality for another", but of
each of the sexes using their own strengths to understand their own
contrived weaknesses. There is a oneness in nature that is a consequence of
the evolutionary process. This is a way to that "oneness".

Next, each entity must again actively enlist the mind to

consciously choose the most appropriate corrective response.
For the mind alone can only know when the fight response is in
order. The mind must first eliminate the other options by
directing a right or light response. If the mind is not actively
engaged, the chain is broken once again, and the body will
respond in fight or flight or appropriate approach reactions.

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Worse yet, without actively engaging the choices of mind,
humans remove themselves from rightful free will.
Disempowerment always results. Only through aggressive
spiritual expressions can progress be made. Feminine passivity
prevents women from the persistent, active expressions their
spirit demands. It opens the door to a reputation for
femcheesmo, and for mind inclined toward feline, sneaky,
manipulative power plays. Masculine competition and
independence prevents the necessary communication,
connection and cooperation needed to achieve the higher
purposes.

The exercise of mind may be more associated with male qualities, but the
female can not afford the luxury of putting it aside and relying strictly on
emotions or physical communications, if true understanding of the process is
to be achieved.

Thus, before intimacy or cooperation can be truly achieved,

entities must remove the garments of masculinity and
femininity that have been handed down generation upon
generation, and dismantle any closets that may have resulted.
Entities who are true to their spirit in this manner can enjoy the
much greater heights of intimacy, and even sexuality, when
one creates wholeness of spiritual fulfillment within
themselves. Entities who are tolerant, compassionate, and
spiritually connected will no longer feel compelled to cast
judgments upon the unique spiritual propensities of one
another.

The term "coming out of the closet" applies to more than a less prevalent
state of sexual orientation. One nearly guaranteed benefit of this broadening
of perspective is a natural propensity to enhance one's creativity, which is a
reflection of one's spiritual evolution.

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Intimacy and Sexual Love

Once these limitations have been removed the next level of

intimacy can be attained. Love is the ultimate pleasurable
human experience. Friendship at its highest level can include
that spark of physical attraction and the desire to commune
physically with one special person. Although humans can
engage in sexual activity with others outside of the bond of
love and intimacy, the highest emotional rewards come from an
intimate sharing with a singular loving other. When one is in
love, no other can be but a pale substitute. The connection need
and profound pleasure of spiritual love brings humans together
in these special physical couplings. This is part of the grand
design to perpetuate the species within the most enlightened of
conditions.

An act of creating another human being can have no more suitable

environment than the bonding of love between two individuals. When this
takes place, the result is an optimum condition under which a soul can enter
the physical. Even where procreation is not intended, the very act of
expressing sincere affection in a physical blending is a profound experience
for each individual.

Sexuality is good evidence by the natural pleasure it produces.

It is a gift from the Creator, not just simply for procreation but
as part of human creative expression. Sexuality outside of
procreation is also intended to be chosen within all three
purposes and in conditions of intimate love of souls in flesh. It
can greatly facilitate the spiritual connection and communicate
energy exchange between two humans and is a physical
celebration of love. It can also induce altered mental states of

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consciousness and strengthen psychical energy centers. The
physical need for sexual activity, and the pleasure it can bring,
is the insurance that the species will continue.

It is an optimum "feel good" experience. In it's own essence, it is an

expression of the divine. This is why it often transcends the accepted cultural
mores of a society and is then corrupted by the guilt associated with such
infractions. Yet, at the moment of peak emotion, there can be no regrets.

Such couplings also serve the higher purposes. They offer a

loving, intimate, common world to be designed and shared, a
mini self-designed mass reality in which offspring can be
raised. The spirit soars to the degree that such common-ground
worlds allow for fulfillment of the six universal needs.
Children thrive, and energy flows best between two such lovers
under such enlightened and empowering conditions. There is
such universal agreement about the positive value in the
longevity of such couplings that some form of marriage, or
formalized coupling, has arisen in each culture.

The permanency of this bond cannot be ignored and the establishment of an

institutional seal is a natural consequence of this level of commitment
between two people.

Love As Distinct From Need

Yet certain spiritual conditions must exist or the longevity and

success of any such union will be severely limited. These are
the conditions wherein each member of the unit has the
opportunity to develop knowledge and skills, and freedom and
power to actively express in ways that meet the six universal
human needs. Each individual is intended to do so for

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themselves under the direction of their own spirit.

In the intimacy of this relationship, each participant must be free to carry

out the urges that come from deep within his/her spirit.

Indeed, these free and opportune conditions must exist

throughout the world for humanity to succeed as well. But
change begins within individuals, moves outward in concentric
circles, into their familial units, and then into their
communities. Thus, couplings and domestic partnerships can
provide the testing ground for spiritual expressions and
purposeful change.

If what is expressed between two people can serve to inspire a greater

respect and appreciation of humans for each other in general, then this
natural urge can serve as a grounding for further efforts to break down the
barriers between humans in a general sense.

One very limiting result of centuries of gender typing has been

the idea that other persons are responsible to fulfill one's needs.
Men have traditionally been held accountable to provide
certain things for women (perhaps economic freedom and
power), while women have been required to provide other such
things (perhaps nurturing, meaning, and emotional support), to
men. There is a misguided acceptance that loving someone is
synonymous with needing someone. There are mores and even
laws which perpetuate a state of codependency between
couples. Indeed, the lasting, stable, loving, cooperative efforts
of unified spirits allow for fostering of the most enlightened
and fulfilled children.

Within the true meaning of an ideal bonding relationship between a man

and a woman lies the setting in which any child can evolve to the maximum

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of his/her potential. With this in mind, each person can bring forth not only
their best of each other but the best possible for the resulting offspring.

Yet the divorce rate, neglected children, domestic violence, and

spiritual malaise is evidence that mandated mutual dependency
is not the way. It will only be through the rejection of any
sliver which limits and disempowers any individual, regardless
of their sex, that the most successful loving unity can emerge.
Independence within a cooperative unit is highly spiritually
rewarding, for it fosters the freedom and empowerment for
each individual to pursue their purposeful path. Yet doing so in
the context of love, connection, intimacy and shared
experience, allows the two paths to dovetail.

When each partner can enjoy the freedom to expand their respective talents
and still appreciate and adhere to the integrity of the relationship, then the
gifts of their respective knowledge and experience can not help but
strengthen the experience they share.

The Myth Of Love As Codependency

The division between men and women, and the lack of self-
understanding, has perpetuated many limiting ideas and
strategies toward love and marriage. Many unions do not
survive due to role limitations and dependency upon one
another, including the unspoken expectation of one member to
have the other member meet their needs. Resentment, anger,
and contempt are inevitable if one plays the game, and the
other benefits but does not reciprocate. Dysfunction will most
certainly result unless both parties are responsible for and
expressive about meeting their own needs. What happens then
is the energy flow narrows and eventually closes off and love

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diminishes.

Too often the resentment one partner bares toward the other remains just
below the surface where it smolders in an ongoing fashion like a fire beneath
a former coal mining town, until the aggregate of all negative feelings breaks
the surface and consumes the history of the relationship, resulting in
irreparable damage. Or if it does not result in this explosion of expression, it
slowly but surely builds a wall of separation on a day by day basis.

Many recommended, but limiting, rules of the marital union

reinforce the confusion. The word compromise, for example,
means to negotiate a common win-win solution. Compromise
does not mean one gives up what they need in honor of
another. It does not mean meeting someone half way,
somewhere between what each desires, for neither is a single
lifestyle. "Self-less" living does not mean giving up one's needs
in order to serve those of another---it is not about martyring
one's self, gracefully losing a win-lose competition, so another
can win. It means rising above the competitive self-
preservationary impulses to accommodate all three purposes
for self and others. It means melding all parts of each self and
designing a lifestyle of common cooperative goals.

A union between two people is a dynamic thing, growing with the passing of
time because that is the desire and intent of both. This can only happen if
both see the value of this growth. It need not sacrifice the evolving process
either physically, mentally or spiritually. Rather, when each serves as a
welcome mirror to the other's progress, that intimacy can grow while
respect remains intact.

Love And Its Pitfalls

Yes, emotion pushes and pulls humans toward their destiny,

with good and bad results. The more the mind is actively

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involved, the more rapid and purposeful the directions can be.
It is easy to see how negative emotions and the self-
preservationary avoidance responses can wreak havoc upon
individuals and societies. But what can be more insidious are
the automatic approach reactions to positive feelings that pull
people toward each other. Love, in particular, should be
carefully understood within the context of these Lessons. For
love, with its propensity to entanglement with sexual
procreation, is among the most powerful and volatile of human
experiences.

In an era where sex is often confused with love, and the former used as a
merchandizing tactic, we have come to regard love as a condition that might
follow sexual intimacy and which is likely to be unfulfilled if the sexual
relationship is not perfect or lasting. We forget the sex is only one of the
ways that humans can express their love for each other and need not be a
means to an end.

Love is that unmistakable spiritual resonance with another

human being. But like all emotions, love exists in both mind
and body, and if either seizes full control, trouble can result. In
the mind alone, love can be attached to a love object that is a
fantasy or image which matches one's ideal mate, having
nothing at all to do with true expressed external connection.
Love can motivate delusional fantasies, with compulsive, even
violent results. Love can be mistaken for need fulfillment,
when other needs for power, freedom or meaning are met
within the context of a relationship. Love can be associated
with pain, wherein you only hurt or get hurt by the one you
love. Love can arise for all the wrong reasons, yet its force of
attraction is just as powerful when it is based on slivers, as
when based upon gems.

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Hence, the expression, "Love is Blind." To see the experience of "love" in a
clear light is one of our greater challenges in this life experience. Like
mastering any skill that can be harmful if not fully understood, love requires
the art of pacing oneself. Since the experience of "love" requires the
exploration of one's own nature as well as the other person's, any distraction
(particularly sex) from this necessary process, can lead to confusion and
distraction further into the relationship.

But perhaps the most all-consuming power of love, is when the

body is in full control; when the mysterious spark ignites the
body into its sexual mode, bringing love or raw desire into the
physical dimension. This is the arena wherein humans succumb
to the pleasures of the flesh in the immediate moment. The
ideal conditions of procreation are when each party chooses the
sexual act within all three purposes, wherein the body, mind,
and spirit of each are aligned in the decision. Unfortunately, in
the confused modern world, this is more the exception than the
rule. Sex outside of purpose can wreak havoc. So much so, that
the activity itself has been defiled, controlled, and judged, and
it is now laden with a tremendous amount of excess baggage.

The understanding of centuries past kept love and sex more in their proper
roles. The so-called liberation movement of the last half of this century in
this country is still in the process of finding a balance. Europeans have not
been much of a guide in this field as the depth of understanding from that
quarter seems even more limited than our own. Many of our western
institutions (religious, economic, political and psychological) have failed to
define an intelligent course of behavior, with the kind of clarity necessary to
capture the imagination. Rather they have furnished us with contradictions
and distractions, leading only to greater confusion.

But the baggage has come from the fallout from the distorted
motives and actions resulting from misunderstanding the force
of sexual desire. Indiscriminate sexual activity, devoid of love
always seeks to address other needs beyond procreation,

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among the six psychological human needs. A female giving in
to sexual conquest in order to gain self-esteem is as equally
empty a reward as the momentary power gained by the male
conqueror who truly seeks more general life control.
Combining strategies of competition and anger with the quest
for power can motivate rape. Any number of misguided
motives and actions can result from the lack of self-
understanding and purposeful guidance---many of which result
in unwanted pregnancies.

The sexual act, when considered as an expression of giving rather than

taking, when considered as an expression of love for the other person and an
act of enhancement to the togetherness concept, will take place for the right
reasons and highest ideals, rather than for singular and self-centered
motives without concern for the possible consequences, be they a pregnancy
or a narcissistic act of self-satisfaction.

Cultural Conditions Placed Upon Love

Historically, the love force has proved to be a powerful, yet

mysterious and uncontrollable aspect of human nature. Thus,
there has been an outcropping of external controlling directives
and myths which are designed to counteract the inevitable
disruptive and painful events which spring from self-
preservationary sexual impulses. There are many useful beliefs
about love throughout mass consciousness, but there are just as
many myths that do far more damage than good. Love is
indeed a gift from above, but not nearly with so many
conditions and trappings as might be believed.

Take a pure and simple concept such as "love" and begin to attach rules,
dogmas and conditions to it and, before you know it, it begins to break
down, unable to sustain itself when more demands are placed upon it than

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are justified.

Each mind contains a unique mixture of impressions from role

models, learned information, and spiritual creative and intuitive
insights about the meaning of love. Whole lives can be put on
hold due to ideas which limit the suitability of a love object, or
they can be filled with the dramatic turnover of many
unrequited, or short-lived loves. Each individual has the
responsibility of knowing what their mind contains and
purposefully designing the most fulfilling strategies. Each
belief about love must be carefully granted an audience before
the spiritual adjudicator.

To put "love" in the category of a responsibility, is to place it where it is not

normally found. To suggest that a current preoccupation with this concept
should be examined and subjected to our "spiritual adjudicator" flies in the
face of almost all conventional wisdom. Yet, because of the status of the
subject in our lives, and considering that it usually strikes in the more
critical years of one's life, it would behoove us to approach it as a physical,
mental and spiritual experience, with all that is then implied.

But there are some basic misconceptions and popular myths

about love and marriage that can be immediately dispelled. The
first is that everyone must meet and marry and procreate. If the
spirit does not desire marriage, then this message should be
heeded first and foremost; for the intended destiny path might
necessitate freedom from such entanglements. A spirit forced
to conform to normal family standards against its own
yearnings will suffer cruelly, as will the others trapped in such
a unit.

Marriage is only one of the alternatives in the process of living out one's life.
It is not mandatory and, for some, it is not even necessary. Remembering
that marriage involves two people, it can not be entered into simply to satisfy

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one's anxiety about the social attitude toward singlehood, even when the
predominant pressure to marry is from one's parent(s).

Wrapped into the myth is another which insists that one male
and one female are necessary to produce and parent healthy
offspring; when in reality, the loving contributions of many
enlightened adults of either sex can foster an enlightened,
connected child. The conditions (those described for optimal
human development), rather than the players is what
determines a successful "parental unit". Even a single parent
with a good and stable support network can achieve success far
easier than two competitive, fearful, conflicted biological
parents.

Whether the enthronement be urban or rural, whether one parent or two,

whether affluent or low-income, the bottom line of importance is the
determinant that a child has the necessary love and support from the adults
in his/her environment to fulfill his/her physical, mental and spiritual
potential.

Another, is the romantic myth of a singular soul-mate, that

basic missing half of one's soul with which each person is
destined to find and reconnect. This myth is meant to promote
monogamy and longevity of relationships, but can also set
impossible expectations. This is not to say that there are no
spiritual destiny paths meant to cross, for this is a common
occurrence.

To spend one's life with a person for whom one has strong affection, to share
the challenges of that life, to have children together and create an
environment in which other lives can bloom, is a feat that should never be
degraded on the presumption that the two people involved in this effort are
less than a "perfect match," in any sense of the phrase.

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But it is to say that there are many potential soul-mates and
that progress along the destiny path will be a predictor of who
is right for whom at any give point in time. It is to say that the
free will and the pitfalls of an unenlightened physical existence
can greatly influence the progress. It is to say that humans can
cross paths and give each other what they have to offer and
then go in alternate directions, that free will can alter paces and
probable paths. It is to say that even when a spiritual "soul-
mate" recognition occurs, this does not mean an automatic
"happily ever after." It is to say that such a person can be a
good choice to attempt to build intimacy with, but if one such
party is not ready to do so, or are too limited by their own
mindscape to the illusions of mass consciousness, it is best to
understand this and move on. There should not be shame or
guilt when full and purposeful living takes lovers in alternate
directions. The marital union should hope for lifelong affinity,
but make no promises for enduring the death of spirit.

Because marriage is regarded as such an important concept of lifelong

importance, it is probably better to resolve the conflicting issues of one's life
before entering into such an arrangement, even if that requires waiting until
one has played out that casual sense of commitment in order to go on to the
required level of maturity. Marry later, rather than earlier, and the
probability of permanency is likely to increase.

It is also true, however, that spirits who recognize one another

have a stronger potential of sharing enlightenment with one
another. The existing connection can help transcend existing
limitations if both are committed to doing so and capable of the
trust, intimacy and expressive efforts necessary. Following
feelings of approach and love in such cases is a good practice,
as long as the spirit is allowed to communicate the right time
for letting go should either party be unready for such growth.

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For purposeful love is only created when completing the circuit
of intimacy between two melded souls.

If two people, who are meant to be together in totality for a lifetime, should
meet at an early age, then that "destiny" quality need not be deterred. This
experience, however, is often the exc
eption.

Any worldviews that put stipulations upon whom one can

marry should also be rejected. Religious prejudice, racial
tension, and socio-economic class distinctions can all limit the
potential pool of love objects. Tremendous limitation has
occurred due to such practices. Entire gene pools have been
created due to such limitation; some complete with genetic
mutations which have been detrimental to the species. A
healthy, unrestrained mixing within the diversity of genetic
combinations will assure the necessary diversity continues.

While the qualities that married people have in common do tend to make for
a comfortable relationship, too much of such commonality can make for a
redundant society which, in the physical sense alone, can be detrimental. The
very act of mixing cultures, religions or nationalities can broaden the
perspective of each soul, as well as bring forth the best of each in their
offspring.

Ultimately, so much of human destiny rests upon the

unimpeded flow of energy between two individuals. No matter
which level of intimacy exists, each will play an important role
in the evolving of individual minds and of mass consciousness
itself.

Least we forget, in marriage, the total of the relationship is by its very

nature, more than the sum of its parts.

When energy is allowed to flow within and between each

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individual, the spiritual expression is maximized, as is the
expansion of the experience of All That Is. But individuals
alone are not the only active players in this process. We can
now proceed to examine how groups of individuals interacting,
can take on lives of their own, creating unique energy
dynamics and avoidable obstacles.

So, as individuals connecting with other individuals, we are an example of

what nature tends to encourage. This environment of intimacy has all the
necessary qualities for spiritual growth.

Page 291-305 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Epsilon

Lesson Three: Implications For Group Relationships

Why Groups?

The implications of spiritual reconnection have extreme impact

upon how humans think about themselves as members of
groups. Ultimately, humanity as a unified whole, is the highest
group to which each individual belongs. The spiritual
connection impressed upon the body as the powerful urge to
commune and interact with brothers and sisters, moves
humanity to discover themselves as members within this
singular group.

It is obvious that through interaction and feedback we learn as much about

ourselves as we do about others in our environment. This is why it is so

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essential to have social connections, be they with immediate family or people
on the other side of the planet. The technology at use right now can bring the
latter into being and, in doing so, make that "spiritual connection" an
intrinsic part of our development.

Ultimately, the human hedonic design pushes and pulls

humanity toward connected cooperation as an entire species,
but such movement occurs whether or not the mind is engaged
in the process. All purposeful movement is predicated upon
following spiritual wisdom. Until full self-understanding is
attained, there are predictable patterns and pitfalls which will
emerge.

Some of these "patterns and pitfalls" have been life threatening in the fullest
of human terms. Fortunately, there are other life forms beyond this sphere
that have a vested interest in helping us to match our spiritual development
to our technical development. But the ultimate responsibility lies with each
and all of us.

The modern world revolves around the human group. There are
many good reasons to form and belong to groups. People are
not only pushed together by the pains of loneliness and
isolation, they are pulled together in order to meet all their
human needs in cooperative ways. There is power in numbers.
There is loving connection, opportunities to earn esteem, find
meaning, and a great deal of creative energy possible. The
group can attain far more than any one of its members alone.
There is a veritable magic that can happen in the cooperative
sharing of resources, a synergy of energy wherein the whole
becomes more than the sum of its parts. There is a divinely
intended balance and vitality when all organisms freely interact
to meet their needs. Indeed, the entire physical world is based
upon cooperative interactions between and among individual

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spirits.

This is the family of humankind. It's separate parts reflect the collective
whole. Just as each human cell contains the knowledge of its entire body, so
each human being holds within his/her self the information necessary to
sustain and progress the entire whole. It is through group communication
that this information is interchanged and a progressive movement in all
areas is sustained.

By offering need-meeting opportunities, each kind of group

plays its own unique part in the cooperative purposeful whole.
Family units are the core of society, greeting incoming spirits
with open arms and orienting them along their destiny path.
Membership in workgroups can provide basic survival
resources, as employees toil and earn resources to provide for
their families. Membership in support or friendship groups can
satisfy needs for connection, meaning, and creative expression.
Recreational, sporting or entertaining group activities can
satisfy personal needs for power, fun, freedom and excitement.

We sometimes tend to fail to see when the above process is in place and
working properly. The often disruptive nature of some urban environments
(commonly referred to as slums) tend to distract from the small town
environments where the above traditions are preserved and honored. Our
electronic age has served as a distraction to many and the accelerated pace
of work loads and the subsequent "acquisition mentality" has drawn many
away from the ideal as expressed in the above paragraph.

Educational groupings, book clubs, and discussion groups can

greatly assist in self-development. Health groups can offer
connection and support, and motivate more healthful life
choices. Religious groups can provide spiritual guidance and
meaning. All groups that allow individuals to develop and
express can help build self-esteem. Political groups, advocate

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groups, and workers' unions can help solve problems, and
protect one another from unjust conditions.

The significant aspect of forming any group is the guidelines under which
the members can exercise their free will and avoid the pressures of
conformity. Along with focus, there must be tolerance and an appreciation
of divergent opinions. Rigid rules and an overemphasis on conformity can
not help but result in diminished creativity. Diversity of thought and
membership should be celebrated when and wherever possible.

But there are also some predictable and avoidable traps of

group memberships. When armed with the wisdom in these
Lessons, one will be aware of the many pitfalls, and the painful
prices one can potentially pay for group membership, and can
take the necessary actions to ensure that they do not occur.

This material offers knowledge and experience from a far greater

perspective than most of us could likely imagine in our lifetimes. Herein lies
the value of what we are doing in reviewing this material. Also, the greater
the diversity of those who review and comment on it, the richer the
experience will be for all.

The Group Organism

At present, all of the maladies that haunt the unenlightened

individual, also plague the groups they form. The resulting
social symptoms have become so routinely accepted that they
are never noticed to be symptoms of deficit states. Thus, the
corrective signals are never received or acted upon.

Just as we are not encouraged to know our inner selves, we are also not
prone to examine ourselves as a group. First, because peer pressure does not
encourage that level of honesty, in fear that it might threaten the cohesion of
the group. Secondly, it is foreign to our natural pattern of thought in a

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competitive environment.

When reclaiming the voice of spirit, individuals will begin to

recognize that the groups to which they belong are also like
individual organisms. Each group has unique features, like
genetics of an individual, its own language, rules, and power
hierarchy. It matters not if the group is a family, a sports team,
a professional business, an artists union, a governmental
agency, a gang, a church group, a local community, a country,
or a planet---each group has its own developmental cycle,
purposes, and pitfalls, likened to those of the human being.

With the exception of the latter, i.e. "pitfalls", the qualities of a group can be
beneficial to spiritual development, in the sense that it can be a learning
experience toward individual growth. It is also an environment in which to
make needed friends.

For just as cells come together in forming organs, and organs

come together in forming systems, and systems come together
in the whole that is a human body, human minds come together
in creating new group organisms. This fact is the basis of all
mass consciousness, and can be seen in the various groups that
have arisen. Each group will have the same functions and the
same purposes of the human being---the trinity of purpose---to
self-preserve, to self-develop and to self-express. And each
group will have the exact same pitfalls and challenges as a
living, breathing human being.

The law of nature supports the formation of groups of like mind, it is in this
"likeness" that groups find their natural weakness. For it is essential that in
order to keep any group intellectually fresh, that there be room for
introduction of new ideas and self examination. Without these qualities,
groups become stale and rigid.

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Fortunately, each group will also suffer the same painful
emotional signals and can gather the wisdom and take
immediate corrective actions. But this will necessarily change
the face of many human groupings as they now exist. For many
groups are alive due to their ability to manipulate and misuse
the emotional system rather than align with it. Some groups
take on a life of their own, outliving the original purposes and
minimizing rather than enhancing humanity. Some prey upon
human weakness and take power from their willing, but
unaware, members. Others simply suffer conflict and
dysfunction because there is not unity within.

It was Thomas Jefferson who suggested that all governments should be

disbanded and reformed every seven years. This is an idea that might well be
appropriate for all groups, whatever their purpose and make-up. In such a
practice, a freshness and freedom would automatically spring up and likely
reduce the tendency of excessive control from creeping into the nature of the
group. It might also be a way whereby bureaucracies might be irrigated and
revamped.

Conformity

The first of the pitfalls of group membership arises

immediately upon entry. For once one joins a group, the group
and what it stands for becomes part of the person's self-
concept. And, as we know, anything that is taken into the
mindscape and becomes "self", will then become subjected to
the self-preservationary responses of the body. The group will
then seek to preserve its unique identity in several ways.

The term "group mind" means exactly what it describes. In nature, we

observe it as a flock of birds in flight, following the lead bird in whatever
direction is elected. We accept certain mental guidelines incorporated into

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the group, whether they be professional or recreational. In doing so, we
agree to surrender a part of ourselves.

Depending upon the levels of the self-needs that are satisfied

within the group, there will be a corresponding emotional value
of the membership. The value of the membership plays out in a
group as the need for conformity. The ideals, rituals, and
activities of the group all become rather sacred and in need of
preservation in order for the group to survive as an entity. This
means that certain rules will be followed, certain assumptions
will be taken for granted, certain symbols have specific
meanings, perhaps even certain clothing will be worn that
distinguishes the group. There might be a special initiation, or a
secret handshake, a unique language, or any other kind of
distinguishing commonalty that one can imagine.

Again, we are speaking of a surrender of a part of ourselves to the will and

practices of the group. The spirit was not intended to be subservient and
when placed in an environment where such becomes the case, then the
exercise of free will is traded for security and self-preservation.

The urge to conform springs from the connection need as well

as the pressure from the group to match its expectations, and
creates the force which continuously regenerates the group
bond. It is often so powerful that it can override the thoughtful
choices of the individual. Thus, the price one pays for the
pleasures of group membership comes with a potentially steep
cost of individual will and freedom of thought.

Life, it is said, is a trade-off. We give up some things in order to enjoy others.

We give up our "individual will and freedom of thought" in order to enjoy
the security that comes with group mind and support from fellowship. It
would be a unique organization that could provide both freedom and
security.

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The urge to conform is quite intense due to the general human
lack of self-understanding. Thus, in terms of individual
purpose, conforming to a group can bring one either up or
down depending upon its beliefs and values. The urge to
conform can bring an individual into the rewarding embrace of
those who can offer self-development, or refuge from an
abusive or unenlightened previous group. Or it could be merely
to serve a frustrated power need, and provide an allegiance to a
gang which seizes power through drive-by shootings and
random acts of violence. Either way, there are ongoing positive
and negative forces that will bond members within their
groups.

This suggests that as we progress spiritually and become more acquainted

with inner self, the need to join conform-minded groups will decline and, as
a consequence, groups will alter in nature and make-up. People will still
work together toward a common end, but the nature of such groups will
become more temporary and less binding. The latter portion of the above
paragraph described the "cult" type of group with all its negative
consequences.

This continuous emotional bond works in two directions.

Conformity brings pleasurable positive reinforcement, tapping
the inner pull of purposeful need-fulfillment, wherever a
member behaves in characteristic ways of the group. When
members display the correct values and actions, they will be
rewarded by smiles, pats on the back, high fives, or some other
sort of recognition for their conformity, and they will feel
good.

Positive reinforcement from without is pleasurable in our current state of

spiritual understanding. When we have succeeded in connecting with the
spirit within, we will come to know the joy that follows complying with the

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urgings of that inner spirit.

The opposite force appears with nonconformity. Depending

upon the value, there will be the corresponding threat of
rejection, the ever-present possibility that the group will ask a
member to leave. This will compound the positive desires to
conform by adding the fear component. Different actions and
beliefs are instantly trounced upon by negative reinforcement
in order to preserve the group identity.

In this latter environment, the freedom to explore one's insights which refute
or transcend the dogma that is firmly in place, is surrendered and not likely
to be recaptured in one's lifetime, unless a concerted effort is made to break
the programming which surrounds us.

Thus, any group will also be maintained by the force of

negative emotions. There will be fearful feelings within each
member to follow the path of the group, as well as an anger
which ensures that other members do as well. This aspect can
bring about some quite negative outcomes. For where there is
emotional force, devoid of understanding of its purpose, there
will be mindless self-preservationary responses.

The Shakespearian line about not being able to see the trees for the forest
comes to mind as the appropriate analogy here. The preservation of the
group becomes more essential than the purpose of the group. Western
religions have given in to this failing, in particular, with the elders turning
on their own children when they do not maintain their allegiance to the core
group beliefs and elect to expand their own spiritual understandings.

For with fear, it becomes an individual motive to stay within

the group---at all costs, including doing things the mind would
not direct. With this added force to conform can come a shift
toward risky behavior to prove one's mettle as a worthy

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member of the group. Hazing and other dangerous initiations
into the groups and acts of allegiance often end in tragic events
as well.

The reference here, is to fraternities. However, such organizations are only

reflections of the larger and more controlling institutions and serve as a
prelude to those institutions which will eventually hold people to their
various allegiances of the political, economic and religious world.

Such challenges of group membership which go against the

spirit will also motivate anger. This will also spur all group
members to ensure that their own sacrifices and risks are
matched by all other members or retaliations might result. This
can show up in either very subtle or dramatic ways. But there
will be constant maintenance of the boundaries of the group,
the prodding and cajoling by members for each to prove their
allegiance, to measure up. And if any one dares to act
differently than expected, they will be immediately cajoled
back into compliance. Particularly if they imply in any way
they might be thinking original thoughts which might go
beyond the established guidelines or boundaries of the group.

Even in what is accepted as a so called "free" society, non-conformity is still

regarded as a threat. This flies directly in the face of what one's "Spirit"
nature truly stands for. The freedom to exercise one's creative impulse is
essential to spiritual growth. The institution that does not recognize this, will
also serve as an adversity to the spirit within.

For example, a gang member begins to be interested in a

community youth dramatic program offered by his local
library. The program offers brief classes in dramatic acting,
and a loose and informal setting for its members to put together
creative plays. It only takes one evening out of his week, and is
on a night that his gang isn't together anyway. He finds many

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rewards in this new creative outlet, and wants to share his
enthusiasm with his gang.

Here is a natural process taking place. An individual is looking beyond the

parameters of his known environment. This is a process that is as deep
seated as an infant's urge to walk.

But when he begins to describe his experiences, his fellow

gang members will respond to this nonconformity as a threat to
the group. Without even mindful awareness, they will
automatically respond in defensive ways. They might interrupt,
ridicule, and chide him for using new words, and tease him
about becoming a sissy actor. As they do so, they will give
each other high fives and be less interested in what the actor is
saying. They are simply maintaining the unit of the group, for
his new activities have threatened its "self-concept".

How many times have we turned away from the temptation to explore new
concepts or interests because the reaction of those around us was less than
enthusiastic or was even clearly discouraging? Like some unwritten rule,
those who threaten to go into unfamiliar territory are most often met with
whatever is necessary to revert them back to the status quo.

If any member actively pursues individual self-development,

then he must either hide it, or somehow convince the entire
group to develop along similar lines. For the self-
preservationary impulse of the group organism is every bit as
powerful---if not more---than that of the individual, and
defensive responses will occur as predictably as the moon does
rise. And where there are self-preservationary responses
outside of emotional understanding, there will always be
breakdowns in purposeful movement.

A perpetuation of the limited thinking of individuals or groups can only lead

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to an eventual deterioration of the spiritual qualities of each conforming
member and the organization as a whole.

The Developmental Cycle Of A Group

To address where each of these breakdowns occur, one can

look to the natural developmental cycle of any human
grouping. The first group to which any individual will belong
is that of the family. This group is unique because it is already
established and does not go through the formative stages. But
each spiritual principle and emotional dynamic has particular
meaning within the family unit, for it is the vehicle for
adequate emotional development and the climate that can make
or break the spiritual connection.

The environment which two people create for the benefit of nurturing a new
life being introduced into the world is critical to the formation of the
individual on a spiritual level, in additional to a physical and
mental/emotional level. Given this fact, no one should elect parenthood
without understanding the full significance of this role.

For humans are born immediately into a specific group, within

a specific community, within a specific cultural heritage, and
within a specific accepted worldview. (Ultimately, the largest
grouping is the current level of mass consciousness itself.) The
family group will bear the responsibility for imparting the
initial frames of reference, the first beliefs, for the entire reality
of the incoming entity. These early beliefs affect the very brain
structures, as they form the lens of the reality that is offered.

A safe and interesting environment, where information is imparted when not

laden with fear and anxiety about the manner in which the world/universe
operates, will surely free the potential adult from carrying an unnecessary

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supply of negative emotional baggage into what can and should be a
productive lifetime.

Of course, in an enlightened world, the necessary flexibilities

and self-understandings will be the first and primary offerings,
but until then many pitfalls will continue to occur. These will
involve the actual development of the emotional signals
themselves. A child can be taught enlightened, connected,
cooperative, life-giving habits which allow the natural feelings
to flow, and a lifetime of pursuing the higher pleasures will be
fostered. Or the child can learn that the world is a dog-eat-dog
competition for survival, where fear and anger are one's only
true friends.

Unfortunately, most of life's lessons are taught by example and there are far
too many examples of the latter in place to hope to spare the newest
generation from that type of influence. One can only wish that those more
positive examples will end up being exercised by those in our society with the
greatest influence on the younger generation. We desperately need shinning
examples of spiritual maturity for younger generations to aspire to emulate.

Most of these other groupings can be changed through choice,

but the family cannot. This is not to say that one cannot build a
new family community to replace one that has been escaped for
necessary reasons, not that one's birth family was not chosen
through prior arrangement: it is simply to note that an incoming
infant is fairly well stuck with the initial group. It has no say-so
upon arrival, aside from departing the physical realm entirely.

The rebellious stage of life comes upon the young as they reach the brink of
adulthood. It is at this point that the person begins to sense the information
that he/she instinctively should reject. However, some of this information
being spiritually valid, is thrown out with the less-spiritual bath water, so to
speak. Often it appears that the child is headed toward personal destruction.
Here is where the element of unconditional love is called upon, along with

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the patience and faith to allow the powerful ingredient of inner spiritual
guidance to kick in.

The developmental task of any group is to establish the

conditions for true, connected cooperation within and between
its members, in order for any group goal to have and enjoy the
synergy of the combined energy of its members. This means
that there cannot be competition within and between members,
or certain predicable patterns will arise.

Some parents incorrectly believe that the best preparation for the adult life
is to place the young in an environment where they are competing amongst
themselves while still in childhood. Usually they end up competing for their
parents' love. But, if the family environment is one in which love and
cooperation are nurtured, and I believe it is, then trying to mix the former
(competition) and the latter (cooperation) is the equivalent of mixing fire
with water.

Power Dynamics

The first will have to do with the one's relative power in a

group. If this is not stated upon entry, then it will emerge
through struggle. Entities are not always consciously aware of
the struggles, but they participate in them constantly. This is
particularly apparent when a group is forming.

The evolution of leadership should be a natural process, when possible. It

happens in the formation of a jury, for example. It can happen in other
aspects of society, but it should be remembered that the so called "leaders"
in a group are not necessarily the most valuable people. Often it is the more
unobtrusive but wiser person who can make a significant contribution.

Groups form when people come together for some common

purpose. They each will be drawn to the group by inner

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knowledge that they have something unique to offer, and
something to purposefully receive. If they feel frustrated in any
way while trying to make this exchange, they will experience
some mild form of anger. This anger will move them to express
themselves to remove whatever obstacle is in the way. These
expressions will be how a group develops its language,
negotiates its rules, and power hierarchy. It will not be until
each person has found their place of necessary fulfillment
within the group, that cooperation can begin.

The early stage of group formation, while appearing to be the most

discontent, is of great value in that the comfort level of each member is being
established. Once done, the collective process can move forward.

Many existing groups have never truly reached this cooperative

state of being. If any member is not adequately fulfilled within
their place within the group design, they will be motivated to
find alternative ways to meet their needs. This sets the goals of
an individual against, and in competition with, those of the
group. This is likened unto the disconnection between mind
and body in an individual, or even dysfunction between the
heart and lungs of a human body. Competition ensures that
only some of the needs will win and others will lose.

We, in western society, are constantly exposed to the competitive nature of

relationships. Because it is held as always being a virtue, we often forget that
success through cooperation requires that it (competition) be put aside for
the benefit of progress through harmony.

Yet, the competitive mindset that is the accepted norm within

mass consciousness does not recognize that embracing win-
lose competition is like allowing a cancer to grow within the
organism. This limited belief often accepts and promotes an

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adversarial position between individual and group needs, which
is spiritually and biologically unsound. For the needs of one are
the needs of all, without exception.

If, for example, freedom were to be considered to be the right of only elected
or appointed government officials, placing them above the law of the land, it
would soon become evident that such a government would have a limited
future. So it is with other "groups", be they social clubs or businesses. A
truly successful group or organization must feel comfortable and satisfying
to most of those in it or morale will suffer and the success of same will be
diminished.

The need for sufficient power to control one's destiny in a

group is just as powerful as everywhere else. Likewise are the
needs for freedom, connection, creativity, self-esteem and
meaning. The task of the group is to design a structure in which
each member can actively meet adequate levels of these needs
to ensure the maximum contribution from each member, and to
facilitate the maximum progress toward the group goal. If not,
the negative impact will be seen in direct relationship to the
level of frustrated need fulfillment.

Two qualities should be foremost in the minds of all group members. 1) The
goal of the group should be clarified and able to be envisioned by all those in
the group. 2) The complete democratization of the group should be
emphasized again and again, so that each individual knows that his/her
opinion or vote is equal to (but not more important than) all others in the
group. One the other hand, the majority are not always the final
determinant. Abraham Lincoln once had to remind his cabinet, when they
overwhelmingly disapproved of a policy he was about to implement, that in
the case of that group, he was the majority.

When breakdown occurs, the emotional forces leave the

members torn between the need for power and the need for
connection. We know now that the power need will always win

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out. Freedom and power ensure survival, and if the group does
not allow them, the member can simply leave the group. But
more often than not, particularly in work groups, the primary
economic power of membership itself forces employees to
stay. This leaves the individual divided within himself and
against the group, stranded in a deficit state, lingering in
painful unanswered corrective signals, and doomed only to
hardwired self-preservationary responses. For as we know, the
body will overtake the mind when necessary.

As we move toward a more enlightened economic paradigm, groups who

operate in this environment will come to realize that the mental and spiritual
state of its members will be reflected first in the state of morale and,
consequently, in the level of the groups rate of success. This realization will
be necessary at all levels of the group.

For example, perhaps the group endeavor is a business and the

individual is an employee who belongs to this group in order to
make his living. He will be given the free authority and the
resources to perform his job. He will be told of the
requirements and expectations, given the equipment, supplies,
training, and he will agree to a specific salary package. These
will cover his first basic needs for freedom and power,
particularly if there is room for promotion and advancement.

The more freedom and responsibility an individual is given to carry out

assigned tasks, the greater the creative energy that will be unleashed.
Recognition of positive efforts and results is only the natural way of
acknowledging an individual's highest spiritual qualities. In this way,
inspiration to evolve toward such defined ends, is spread throughout the
group in a natural fashion.

Suppose that our worker was unhappy with the amount of pay
that his job provides. (As is the case with most workers, in an

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unenlightened world with imbalanced worldly conditions and
limited opportunities). But since there were no other available
jobs, the worker agreed to the salary. In the world that exists
today, money has become synonymous with freedom in many
ways. Economic freedom is tantamount to the freedom of
movement as well as providing the resources to meet other
needs.

Also, "money" has become the yardstick by which we measure the worth of
an individual, even more than beauty, intelligence or mental agility. Things
have become so tilted in this area that senior company executives end up
being grossly over-rewarded for successes that really belong to nearly all the
others in a company who make valuable contributions.

If the arrangement was not considered fair and just, this worker
will experience anger and might be motivated to cheat or steal
to get what he feels is rightful, or it might move him to do little
things to get even with the group and sabotage the group goals.
These kinds of self preservationary responses, of course, show
that true cooperation has been overridden by survival
competition. When this happens, the lower needs of body win
out over the higher ones of mind, and both the employee and
the company will suffer.

Systems too often play a determining role in corrupting individuals.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than in an organization that is strictly profit
oriented. Those who surrender to their "anger" are motivated to regain
some semblance of freedom by reeking revenge in subtle but significant
ways. When the level of this activity reaches critical mass, the organization is
existing on borrowed time.

Other symptoms and informal power hierarchies will also arise.

If there is inflexibility and inadequate freedom to
communicate, negotiate and control one's destiny, then

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underground grapevine lines of communications and gossip,
fear and mistrust begin to breed. If contributions are not
recognized or valued, then anger, envy and hostility can arise.
Sneaky acts of retaliation and sabotage against group goals will
occur. There can be thefts, embezzlements, the designing of
destructive computer viruses, even territorial urination in the
corporate water-cooler.

Where open lines of expression exist, trust is nourished and morale is kept
high. No one in an organization should be used or encouraged to spy upon
anyone else. Concern about the dissatisfactions of everyone in the group
should be of importance to all its members. Only then can free expression
thrive.
The Group Structure

These painful symptoms are exactly like the corrective

emotional signals experienced in an individual. Any group
must have the enlightened leadership to ensure that a structure
evolves which accommodates the needs of each of its
members. Each and every such symptom should be acted upon
immediately to restore frustrated need-meeting opportunities.
Each group should ensure its continuous purpose of self-
development and expression. The leadership of any group
should respond exactly like an enlightened mind, to adapt itself
to each and every incoming piece of information and design the
organizational structure and rules to best allocate resources and
eliminate internal competition.

The most popular and admired leaders of any group are those who respect
the spiritual dignity of the members and reflect that respect in what they do
to enhance it. But the responsibility for group enhancement lies as much
with the group, itself, as with its leadership. The secondary role of leadership
is to stimulate organization and cooperation.

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Failing to respond to such symptoms is like closing the door of
the mind in a flight response to denial, and all the problems
inherent in that choice will befall the group. Such dysfunctional
groups can be identified for their dependence upon ideological,
emotionally manipulative, psychological or physical walls to
contain their members. Such walls are erected to keep
individuals from escaping into more rewarding and spiritually
fulfilling groupings. In an enlightened group or world, no such
walls need ever exist. All such walls, of course, are spiritually
unsound, for they will eventually be broken down by the
safeguard angers of those frustrated spirits imprisoned within.

In business structures, where the entrenchment of leadership is too often

dependent on the profit line, leadership may elect to ignore the warning
signs of discontent until it is too late to successfully correct them. In political
and religious groups, other controlling factors can keep the body contained
through fear and intimidation. The Berlin wall was a metaphor for the
crumbling of all organizations that control people to the detriment of their
spiritual development.

Dysfunctional groups are far less likely when the structure

facilitates the most natural and purposeful contributions from
its members. Any group desires, of course, that each of its
incoming members to be as capable, resourceful, and
functional as possible; but some qualities are far less important
when the environment is fertile. For the group can bring out the
best, or worst, in any member, depending upon its structure.

Nature, itself, offers many lessons of enlightened organization. But these

lessons are often subtle and need to be studied and appreciated. For this to
happen, nature must be appreciated. As for a group that is bringing out the
"worst" qualities in any of its members, serious reflection is in order.

707
The inevitable struggles occur in order to eventually bring
about the just and spiritually desirable structural conditions.
The more the structure accommodates human nature, and
allows each individual to fulfill the trinity of purposes, the
more successful it will be in its group endeavors. First and
foremost, the structure must accommodate the basic individual
needs for freedom and power or there will be the corrective
feelings of fear and anger in its members, and retaliatory self-
preservationary acts against the group.

It is a cycle. When fear is introduced into a structural environment, anger is

an eventual consequence. When anger surfaces, fear is enhanced. Many
school systems are evolving into such a cycle and, unless reversed, will suffer
serious consequences.

Fear and anger are not to be accepted or tolerated over long

periods of time. Yet, they are often embraced and even
manipulated by group doctrine and leaders. Many human
groupings do not understand that leading through fear and
intimidation will never work well. For these are deficit states
indicative of an arena where justice does not dwell. External
justice is the social counterpart of individual purpose. Until
humans embrace this natural truth, all group organizations will
have to deal with continuous anger and fear. Justice is simply
the external condition in which each individual has the rightful
freedom of movement, and the opportunities for empowerment
to meet the needs.

One has to ask the obvious, if the freedoms spelled out in our constitution
are sufficient to guide our government, would not these same principles be
worthy of emulation in our economic and religious institutions as well?
Should they be accepted and put into practice, all such institutions would
compliment and spiritually enhance each other, to the general benefit of all
involved.

708
It is quite easy to see how most groups, be they families,
communities, religions, political groups, businesses,
governmental organizations, schools---any type of grouping
finds its own way of utilizing rather than eliminating fear and
anger. These feelings are used not to give the necessary power,
but to take away even more. Indeed, emotional manipulation is
a major strategy in an unjust world.

The only true protection against "emotional manipulation" and a firm

determination is to free oneself from it. The first step in doing so it
recognizing it. The second step is in accepting that the only person entitled to
manipulate one is oneself. The final step is caring enough about yourself to
take control of your own destiny, once and for all.

This is a subhuman state of living but has been accepted as the

norm among humans. Religions used fearsome fire and
brimstone to force moral actions; businesses use threats and
power-wielding to get the most effort out of workers;
governments pass laws restricting freedoms and threatening
fines and imprisonment, but nothing will work except a
structure that provides natural justice. For the human spiritual
system is designed to pull individuals forward along the
naturally moral purposeful destiny path. The push of painful
feelings only ensures that there will be no backward movement
allowed.

Is it possible to imagine a world in which the above described tactics (fear

and threats) would not be in place? If it can be imagined, it can be achieved.
This millennium is, in effect, a crossroads for the future of humanity. New
possibilities are dependent upon which destiny we elect to create. It will take
our physical, mental and spiritual determination to take that road better
traveled.

709
The ideal structure instead assures each group member the
necessary freedom to move about, to do what is necessary to
meet needs and challenges of the environment. There must also
be an adequate balance of resource allocations such that each
member can both draw from and give to, the group unit. These
are the only two required conditions of justice, and when they
exist, the inner positive feelings drive purposeful movement.

Whether it be in a unit as small as a family or as large as a government, the

giving and receiving process must be apparent in the minds of all the
participants in order to give purpose to one's existence. There will always be
some who give less than seems appropriate and others who give more than
their share, but if we can get beyond judgement and accept the built-in
variances in humans, overall happiness will take an important step forward.

An enlightened leadership, aware of the pitfalls, would build a

structure which would assure that the positive feelings always
remain stronger than the negative ones. Although money might
be tight for salaries all around, there can be allocations of
projects which can offer added empowerment and creativity,
special incentive and recognition programs which build self-
esteem, informal business activities that allow connection, and
group missions which offer meaning. The structure can provide
for all the needs and salary itself becomes far less important.

The above should stand as an inspiring guideline to be used in the creation of

any organization, regardless of size or complexity. In fact, there are
probably successful groups in place right now that can serve as living
examples of what can be.

Any group organization can dramatically improve its internal

relations and its external successes, by structurally tending to
the emotional needs of its members. This is the only way to
foster trust, connection, and true cooperation. Soliciting

710
constant communicative feedback and attending to the
emotional information is essential. There are many deadly
habits routinely undertaken by both leaders and members when
fear and anger are allowed upon the premises.

A gentleman by the name of W. Edwards Deming did wonders for the

Japanese auto industry and established a list of fourteen guiding principles
which eventually became an American business program called Total
Quality Management. Among these principles was #8 which stated: Drive
out fear. People often fear reprisal if they "make wages" at work. Managers
need to create an environment where workers can express concerns with
confidence.

The enlightened leaders that have discovered these patterns,

have found that the resources invested in attaining such
enlightened structures, have been far surpassed by the values of
the positive changes within the workforce. The employees of
such organizations find true joy and pleasure in going to work
each day, and are more aligned within themselves as
individuals, simply due to the structure of their working world.
They bring home enhancements, as well as bacon, to their
families.

Unfortunately, in a business climate where competition gains too prominent

a position in the practices of an organization, or where spiritual qualities are
overridden for the sake of maintaining power through fear, no tweaked
management program can ever be truly successful.

The opposite is also true. To the degree that fear and anger are
simply incorporated into the system, there will be an eventual
downfall, for it does not jive with the spiritual nature of
humanity. Even if members are forced to remain within
religions, workforces, political parties, countries, or even
families that deny them basic freedom and power, there will be

711
symptoms within the group which point to the necessary
corrections. Thus, there will be systems which arise to handle
the steady discontent rather than to effect repair. The only long
term solutions are those which follow the guidance of spirit and
engage the inner natural morality.

Depending whether one sees the glass as half full or half empty, we are
observing the definite evidence of trends happening in our society today. Of
course, the news media is focusing on mostly negative happenings. Yet, in
not so noticed but significant ways, a certain positive anticipation of this next
one thousand years is beginning to seep into the collective consciousness.
Since we have managed to survive the Y2K phobia mostly intact, there is
now a new wave of optimism heading toward our troubled beaches.

Every such grouping can benefit profoundly from this same

principle. Heeding the wisdom within each of the negative
feelings that arise individually and en masse, and correcting its
source immediately can allow every type of group to evolve as
dynamically as can individuals themselves.

We can also be assured that with the evolvement of each individual comes
progress toward the evolution of all groups.

The Isolated Group

Regardless of the level of inner harmony of the group, it will

still behave like an individual entity---complete with a version
of each of the same pitfalls. Another error that commonly
occurs among human groupings is that they can try to isolate
themselves from incoming ideas. This is the counterpart of the
individual who seeks to avoid incoming information, and
preserve the mind in its existing state, rather than adapt and
develop purposefully.

712
After a certain period of time, the habit of excluding outside information
becomes self-perpetuating. At this point, it takes a traumatic experience to
shake lose the ingrained thought patterns and open a wedge through which
new information can flow.

If a group functions reasonably well as a unit, then it becomes

likened unto a separate mind. It quite literally does take on a
mind and a life of its own. But with the choice of isolation, it
attempts to disconnect itself from the grander cooperative
whole of humanity. It closes its doors through walls of rules
and codes that are intended to keep members in, and the rest of
the world out. Such isolation, of course, denies the spiritual
interconnection between all humans and automatically sets the
stage for a whole new series of painful symptoms. (For the
grand cooperative spiritual interaction is the only Way).

When an individual or a group elects to set it/him/herself apart from the

outside world, then it does so either with the intent of plugging into its
spiritual/higher self or with the intent of sparing it/him/her self from outside
information that might contradict a belief system. Through isolation comes
an absence of evolution, which is in contradiction to the very nature of spirit.

The first symptom is known as "groupthink" wherein the minds

of all begin to meld together and form a unique view of reality.
And although this is not necessarily a bad thing, in the isolated
form, it breeds profound emotional boundaries and a warped
sense of reality. What happens is that as the members embrace
the rules of the group, their emotional systems become
entangled with the ideas, values and cultural knowledge held
therein. They learn to feel good about certain ideas and feel
bad about others---but based only upon the rules of that
particular isolated environment---without the input from their

713
experience and interactions with the rest of the world. This can
spur a cult-like mentality, detached from its larger family of
humanity, lost within its own delusions.

The cult mentality that we are conditioned to believe is not only

inappropriate but possibly even threatening, and is one which has been
around as long as their have been religious, economic, political and social
institutions. They serve to provide security at the expense of freedom. In
fact, they discourage the latter and strive to maintain a certain degree of
control, usually through fear. They encourage and ultimately deteriorate
into division, among themselves and between their respective groups and
others of like kind, if not like mind.

Membership in this type of distorted reality is often taken on

by personal choice, and is later perpetuated by naive belief that
free will still actually exists. Power mongering violation can
then occur. But the spiritual feeling system is alive and well. Its
frustration will signal fear---an inherent quality in all such
groups. The fear will then become part of the driving force of
the group and nearly always at some point, the group will begin
to take action within the larger community. They can turn to
actions which follow this contrived worldview and act out
upon that fear against the others in their world community, in a
warped sense of self-preservation.

"Lord, I am truly sorry for having offended Thee...because I fear the loss of
heaven and the pain of hell'. This should strike a certain chord of familiarity
with some. Just a the crusades dominated the middle ages, so in modern
times, governments lead military actions against other governments for the
remotest of fears. Such actions can and do become prolonged and costly not
only in economic terms, but most certainly in human terms as well.

This error is apparent in hate groups that hold ideas about

racial or ethnic superiority, terrorist groups that hold ideas
about right and just political conditions, and whose members

714
have no logical qualms about unjustly violating others to attain
them. It is apparent in jingoistic propaganda of communities
which persuade their members to view their ideas as superior,
and worthy enough for which to fight and perhaps to die. It is
apparent in religious groups that shun members for individual
thought or non-compliance and close the door to incoming
perspectives and legitimate, spiritually directed questions. It is
apparent within cults who take up arms in the name of their
faith. This kind of damage is the strongest in those groupings
which deliberately manipulate the emotional system of its
members, to take for themselves their power of choice.

Moreover , it is apparent among governments and established religions and

should be recognized as such. While the media may make a definitive story
from the bizarre actions of a particular person, it will veer away from any
evidence that this is being practiced on a broader scale, if doing such a story
would be considered a clear threat to large and established institutions.

For the emotional system is the only safeguard system that

saves humans from faulty choices of the free mind. If the mind
is filled with ideas that exploit the defenses of the emotional
system, that take power through instilling fear, guilt, anger, and
hate, they can effectively turn the system against its master.
Although the concept of "brainwashing" is a physical
impossibility, the exploration of the emotional system in this
way happens quite regularly. But those who become victimized
will know by the level of fear and other negative emotion that
the spirit is suffering under oppression. Entities are encouraged
to heed the feeling signals, the true voice of spirit, above and
beyond faithful adherence to any group doctrine.

The comfort level of any group is conditional upon what feelings exist in
each member. If one feels good about the purpose of the group, the way its

715
members relate to the individual, and feels free to leave and return to the
surroundings of the group whenever it seems appropriate, it is likely that
"fear" is not prevalent in the group makeup.

Indeed, isolation is no longer possible in the global community.

Enlightened ideas must spread from individuals and flow freely
throughout all human groupings for true civilization to emerge.
No mind can be any more isolated than can a person, a country,
or a spirit---for all are connected at the most essential levels of
being. There is to be no turning back from the emerging global
marketplace, but the spiritual guide must take its rightful place.

So we have a dichotomy of the individual mind with its personal guidance

system and collective consciousness as it interrelates within itself. What each
mind brings to the collective is that which either enhances or detracts from
its spiritual evolution. What is described in the above paragraph could fit
with the system we call the "internet." As below, so above.

The root source, as well as the most damaging of group pitfalls,

are these powerful emotional boundaries that are erected
between groupings. Emotional boundaries unchecked within
the individuals will inevitably lead to emotional boundaries
with groups. These are the walls of shared belief that keep
members in and new ideas out.

Just as individuals become stagnant and hostile to the outside world if

growth is not experienced, so groups become withdrawn and defensive if its
members are not allowed to experience their own growth. Isolation
eventually leads to hostility and alienation.

We have seen how, when the mind follows the body's urge to
self-preserve, it will interpret each negative feeling as one to
close the mind and defend its presents contents. This is exactly

716
the opposite of its purposeful message to mind. We have
termed these emotional boundaries, since the feelings always
point them out, but they are actually boundaries of the mind
and its beliefs.

If we are taught at an early age that we are not to go beyond the mental
boundaries of an instilled belief system, then it would follow that comfort
would be sought within the confines of group structure we are most familiar
with and distrust would be held toward those outside of the group mindset.

The worst effects come from groups who have decided through
their own distorted lens that other specific groups are the dogs
to be beaten. This is how hate is learned. This is how
intolerance, social judgement, racial discrimination, and holy
wars are born. Since the dawn of humanity, the reality of
emotional boundaries has been continuously overlooked, and
powerfully exploited. Most humans know intuitively that
hating others is wrong, for the spirit desires no boundaries
between individuals, let alone groups of them. But we don't
think twice about seeing others as different than ourselves
because of their free choices.

So the solution to the flaw of group hate is a greater emphasis on the virtue
of "free choice." With the enhancement of this quality comes a natural
respect and appreciation of those who are, by chance or by choice,
celebrating their differences, as should we all.

Social Stratification

Just as conformity urges boundaries from the inside, there is an

opposite effect which also maintains the boundaries from the
outside. Just as members cajole each other to stay the same,
there is also a tendency to compare themselves to outsiders,

717
and feign a certain superiority. This also strengthens the
perceived value of the group.

When members of a group are taught to think of themselves as superior to

those not in the group, a predictable attitude is incorporated into the
thinking of group members, which prevents them from having an objective
view of the world around them.

When the group survives over a long period of time, its need
begins to take on a life of its own. Individual members come
and go with time, but the values become institutionalized, and
rarely questioned. This can be likened to the Frankenstein
monster that can aggress against its members, the first of which
were its master designers. Some groups have become so
unquestioned, that their original purpose no long exists, and its
values have mutated into those that divide and drain humanity
at large. Certain government and religious bodies have fallen
into this category.

When we begin to question whether a known religious body is still intent on

encouraging its members to evolve spiritually or when we begin to wonder if
the democratic form of government we live under is truly "democratic" in
its values, then we are moving to a greater awareness that turns away from
participation in the rituals of such organizations. Church attendance may
wane, voting participation may decline, and this may strike a familiar chord.

Yet, these groups are still preserved through the emotional

forces effected upon their members. Lines are then drawn and
institutionalized insiders and outsiders arise. The group
remains strong through belittling outsiders, who are not group
members. Weakening the outsiders then strengthens the unity
of the self within the group. These lines establish long-term
competition instead of enlisting connection and cooperation

718
within humanity. It is simply a grand scale deadly habit which
is the motivational force behind all sorts of social stratification.

Unable to find the needed strength from within these groups, those who then
become the "outsiders" begin to seek their guidance from within
themselves.. Eventually, that guiding spirit supersedes and transcends that
which the group was failing to provide. In other words, those outside a
religious group might begin to experience more spiritual growth than those
within it.

This is how nearly permanent lines get drawn---and

maintained---between groups of people, whether they are based
upon race, culture, family, socio-economics, geography or any
other arbitrary sort of classification. This is the emotional root
of all prejudice. This is how the family of humanity became
fragmented, disconnected, and relegated to a state of spiritual
frustration. For such classifications also come with their own
limitations, particularly in the areas of freedom and opportunity
for empowerment. Whole subcultures thus arise that in some
way push against the whole, just as cancers are allowed to
grow and fester within individuals.

There is beginning to come into existence a system that has the capability of
breaking down these prejudicial barriers, a system that invites difference in
mind rather than body or even belief systems. In this environment, ideas can
be exchanged and examined objectively on their merits. In this environment,
the identity of the "proposer" of any idea is less important than the merits of
the idea itself. The system I speak of is, of course, the median through which
this material is now being passed along.

Any cultural ideology, system or law that is based upon a

required division of peoples is spiritually and biologically
unsound. For the individual spirit will continuously rail against
any constraint upon its spirit, creating the predictable social

719
symptoms too prevalent in the world today.

What can best accelerate the breaking up of the divisive cultural ideologies
indicated above? It would have to be the individual determination to trust
one's own Spirit to act as his/her final guide.

Enlightened Group Affiliation

The solution to each of these pitfalls, lies within each and every
individual spirit. For at the heart of all groups is the individual,
and at the heart of the individual lies its innate feeling guidance
system. Each and every interaction, when guided by the
spiritual evaluative information can ensure maximum
individual purposeful progress, as well as that of any group to
which that individual might belong. Once bad feelings are
recognized for the corrections they suggest, the deficit states
that have long been accepted as necessary evils will begin to
naturally disappear.

So long as there is the freedom of exchange, the spirit will be enhanced. We

are but chapters in the book of all life and we evolve by our interchange of
perception. This is the true gift of Spirit.

Indeed, group efforts can move mountains when each member

is moved from within by the pulls of spiritual pleasures rather
than pushes of its pains.

Spirit leads. Mind and body can but follow.

With these fundamental understandings in place, we can now

discuss the enlightened changes necessary to the specific
human social structures.

720
Page 306-317 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Zeta

Lesson One: Implications For Religion

Religious Purpose: Divine Connection

The implications of spiritual reconnection offer tremendous

insights for human religious institutions. Religion has remained
the one bastion of spirituality that has been kept alive in the
face of humanity's tremendous disconnection from spirit.
Religion has sought to foster Divine Connection.

This applies to the principle of intention like a string attached to the deepest
part of our being. We can take that string and follow it to it's origin and, in
doing so, recover our spiritual essence.

The benefit of religion has been to provide meaning, and a

direct connection with the higher powers and forces at work in
the universe. Religions seek to define All That Is, and explain
life events so that humans can find guidance in daily living,
and peace in times of suffering. They seek to decipher and
share God's Word, to ensure that it is carried out to the best of
human ability. Many entities rely quite heavily upon religion
and can now find a far richer spiritual liberation and Divine
Connection through the natural inner pathways.

We would be in error to condemn religion just because it has been distorted

by the institutions which have surrounded and subverted it. Religion is an

721
outer garment we wear while attempting to rediscover our inner source of
warmth.

Thus, religion is not a requirement of enlightened living, but it

can be an empowering supplement when aligned with the
purposes of spirit. Religion can take a central role in the
spiritual education and in promoting lifestyles and community
actions that can allow the natural morality to unfold. They can
accomplish preventative spiritual attunement so less
governmental "curative" measures are necessary. (An ounce of
spiritual prevention is worth a pound of governmental cure).

The providing of moral guidelines is made easier when there is a community

institution in place to reinforce lessons taught by example. However, without
an example of spiritual conduct, the subject of learning can become confused
by a hypocritical environment.

The best contribution of religion can then be to focus upon

Divine Connection within and between spirits, and to mine the
meaning of life experiences to align with the trinity of purpose
in individuals and en masse. As entities regain inner harmony,
the self concept naturally expands to enfold all other spiritual
embodiments, leaving no room between religions for tensions,
competition, or even the oxymoronic concept of a "Holy War".
Divine connection is The Way, no matter the race, the creed,
the religion, the sex, the age, the language, the culture---Divine
Connection means just that.

The truly spiritually oriented religion makes it clear to its followers that all
human beings share the same spiritual core and while culture, background,
ritual and practice may vary, each individual has a spiritual connection with
every other individual and that differences are less important than
commonality.

722
But like all human thought systems, each religion has arisen
without the full understandings of the nature of spirit. Religions
have evolved, utilizing the symbols and major assumptions
within mass consciousness. Instead of awakening the
connection within, they have served as a go-between, and
inadvertently, often a barrier. They have been heavily
influenced by the restrictions and power struggles of the
historic conditions, so each will address the universal human
needs and purposes through its own unique collection of gems
and slivers. Many will have strayed into the realm of power
and freedom due to wrongful cultural judgments about human
nature with tenets that actually weaken the Divine Connection
and create additional spiritual pain.

Most western religions have emphasized the practice of prayer over

meditation and, in doing so, have encouraged its members to talk to God,
but to listen to its leaders for spiritual guidance, instead of encouraging its
members to find true guidance from the Divine within.

The enlightened attunement divulges the misconceptions

within any religion while validating spiritual principles. Any
slivers will be readily identifiable through the negatively toned
feelings of fear, guilt, or anger, and each religion must be
cleansed of each painful tenet. Fortunately, there is sufficient
spiritual validity within each of the major religions for
individuals to build upon the foundational truths, to ensure that
uplifting religious structures need not be abandoned.
Nonetheless, there are some essential understandings which
must be part and parcel of any religion if it is to do more good
than harm.

Those who truly wish to evolve spiritually can find success in that intent
whether they are members of a religious body or elect to find their

723
enlightenment by marching to the beat of their own drum. For some, the
former is the better path to take. For others, the latter should be accepted
and respected as a viable alternative.

Divine Freedom

The first is the ground level understanding that free will is a

gift which indicates the Creator's desire for every mind to
create its own experience. Therefore no religion can insist that
followers blindly believe what they are told, for valid faith
embraces the evolving and open nature of the mindscape.
Human minds are designed to interpret and utilize religious
teachings in highly individualized ways, and there need be no
valid concern about blasphemy by allowing the feeling signals
to pick and choose the tenets themselves. The result of such
flexibility will be the creation of as many unique approaches as
there are unique minds---each infused with evermore creative
inspirations and insights that unfold. There can be no
declarations of singular truths (like those so readily made), for
such is not aligned with the willful creative nature of reality.

What would be the point of "free will" if not to be put to use in the very act
of creating one's own reality. Having faith in one's own divine nature would
lead a person to explore that very nature with the full confidence that
whatever the experiences, it is intended to be a part of our spiritual
evolvement and, ultimately, our personal gift toward the expansion of All
That Is.

Entities are far more validly serving All That Is, when they
utilize the gift of free will, than when they mindlessly follow
anything passed off as the "Word Of God". The Word of God
exists in its purest form within the natural creation itself. It is
spoken directly to each individual mind through feeling signals

724
unique to the personal destiny path. It is far too rich and
complex to be held in a single book or thought form. Thus,
every entity should creatively design within themselves, by
passing each belief before the spiritual adjudicator, the most
meaningful, spiritually pleasing form of communion, and
participation within All That Is.

Just as the Music of the Spheres is played out through the creative mind of
each composer, as well as the interpretation of those who conduct and
master the instruments to give such its full and unique expression; so each
work of art begins with a free thought and expands into physical expression,
paying ultimate tribute to the gift of free will.

Divine Freedom is based upon Divine Connection. This kind

of mindscape includes the divine tolerance and compassion for
the rightful freedoms and choices of others and the peaceful
coexistence of an endless variety of religious interpretations
and persuasions. Ultimately, as light responses are made within
such a freely evolving system, the commonalities between each
thought system will become part and parcel of all other social
structures. They will be those universal ideas and beliefs which
consistently promise spiritual pleasure within every human
being and foster natural morality. The extras, the rewarding
colors and flavors of any particular worldview, and the
individual touches unique to each developmental level and
destiny path, can be added by choice. If certain rituals,
traditions, and concepts bring long-term pleasure, they can be
retained; it matters not whether they are included in anyone
else's structure .

The truth is an expanding concept, a process of discovery and expression.

Were it to be the prerogative of the limited few, it would end up being a
static product in a dynamic universe. But it is a self-correcting process

725
driven by the pure nature of the All That Is, just as the difference in its
expression is a cause for celebration. Ritual is simply the dance of that
expression.

What should always be discarded is any idea of ritual that

brings spiritual pain, for each limiting tenet, rule, or code will
signal the objections of Divine Spirit. And there are many, for
the churches have added unnecessary limitations by straying
from their purpose of connection and meaning, and involving
themselves in the business of power and control.

Rituals of grandeur tend to emphasize a separation, whether it be between

church members and the leadership, or between humans and their own
divine nature. Either of these have little to do with the true purpose of ritual,
which should be to give physical expression to Divine Truth.

Divine Empowerment

Divine Empowerment is the spiritual intention that every

individual shall personally control his or her own destiny. Such
empowerment is inherent in free will, and humans are designed
to be biologically "controlled" only by their internal natural
morality. The highest power comes with unifying the self and
expanding the self concept to include All That Is. It is in the
recognizing and being accountable to the immense power that
lies at the fingertips.

The greatest challenge of such an accomplishment is that of taking on the

responsibility of one's own destiny and the ties to those outside of ourselves.
It begins with expanding beyond parental/adult control and growing from
there.

There is no valid place in an enlightened religion, for placing

power outside of the trinity of self. Yet, a major defining

726
characteristic of religions has been the reverence of a superman
or higher power that is unreachable and separate from the
lower human self. This happens during times of injustice, and
competition for survival, when anger and fear mark the day,
leaving chaos in lieu of any understanding. Since the corrective
messages remain unanswered, the hardwired fight and flight
responses to fear and anger perpetuate further chaos and
confusion, and forms of external control will predictably arise.
Emotions are often used as tools of manipulation and their
messages remain undiscovered. This is how religions began to
remove individual power, placing it instead in the hands of a
vengeful God, in an attempt to legislate external, unnatural
morality.

In this way, political and economic chaos, and the hardships that follow,
serve to reinforce the dependency upon institutional religion and
government. Religion fills the gap between confusion and sanity, with
government coming to the rescue with the promise of economic security. Is is
any wonder that the major religions of nations seldom make a collective
effort to oppose the making of war upon other nations. There would appear
to be more to the explanation than simply a professed state of neutrality.

Divine Goodness

An enlightened religion, instead, understands internal control

and promotes the unfolding of the natural morality that is
Divine Goodness. This includes embracing power, freedom,
connection, and meaning through internal controls, and the
selection of self-understandings and belief structures validated
by the spiritual adjudicator. Although this is an individual
process, there are some common, deeply rooted assumptions
within mass consciousness which are clearly slivers.

727
Religions that place a strong emphasis on regular church attendance, are
those which also place great importance upon the exercise of power and
control over its members. As long as these religions support the
governmental environment under which they operate, they enjoy the
security and support that such governments can provide. Should these
religious institutions begin to encourage greater freedom of conscience and
inner guidance, they would see the power base begin to shift away from a
form of central control and back where it was intended to be.

The first is the concept of evil. Such an idea was prompted

partly by ignorance, but also partly by the leaders in order to
keep individuals locked into a rigid pattern of fearful ignorance
and blame, which keeps them from discovering their inner
power. (Religions are every bit as self-protecting as
governments or gangs, and control over one's members ensures
job security). The early forms of such manipulation offered
such mythic characters as Satan, and demons who would do his
bidding. Such a scapegoat would prevent the anger of
disempowered spirits from being directed at those leaders and
social structures that were actually responsible for the lack of
the necessary power and freedom.

Could this be suggesting a clever plot to make sure that those of us still in the
physical (and a state of controlled ignorance) might be prevented from being
influenced by those who have gone beyond this physical state and into a state
of greater awareness, there to discover the limitations that were placed upon
them earlier and angry about the control and abuse, they had been subjected
to? To thwart that "anger", might religions simply label these discontented
souls as ultra-human influences from the world of evil? This might explain
the opposition to channeling as a source of spiritual enlightenment. Of
course, not all channeling is spiritually enlightening.

As humans became more complex and less easily distracted,

the focus went from external evil to internal evil in the concept

728
of "original sin". This was partially due to deliberate
manipulation, and partly influenced by the need to provide
meaningful explanations for self-preservationary actions that
were disruptive to the whole. Any amoral act is simply one not
aligned within each of the three purposes, yet religions blame
both the mind and the body in various ways, and claim that the
human design is sinfully flawed. (Such a declaration hardly
suggests faith in the Creator.)

This is the irony of the biblical story. A God considered to be all perfect,
creates a race of humans who are imperfect. Then, to correct the mistake,
He/She sends a family member to organize a religion to take control of the
situation and bureaucratize man's spiritual nature. Western religion has
gotten help along the way from the Freudian school of psychiatry which
holds the subconscious as the source of mysterious, disruptive evil in human
nature.

Instead of recognizing this divine system which unites body,

mind, and spirit, religions offer ways to appease the evil and
flawed nature, either by having a divine one martyr himself for
human sins, or through strict controlling codes of action that
prevent sin from rearing its ugly head. Religions assume that
purpose and goodness must be forced upon the followers from
the outside, since it was assumed that evil will surely come
from within.

All this gives religion a purpose for controlling its members, while
maintaining a subtle level of control upon that aspect of society which has
drifted outside of its orbit, through the satellite support of political and
economic institutions which have their own instruments of control.

The idea of sin has only endured because there has not yet been
a suitable replacement which can shift the idea away from a
world of external controlling forces and chaotic and

729
meaningless actions, to one where each action has purpose and
is driven by divine, internal control. When the trinity of
purposes and their potential conflicting nature is understood,
there is no need for such a concept as evil or sin.

In that age of enlightenment, we will come to understand that there is no

"evil", just as we will come to recognize that there is truly no "death", but
only a moment of transition from one state of existence to another. This will
be the next paradigm shift.

Divine Desire

Instead, the concept of Divine Purpose, shall be that which

shifts the focus of religious followers from one of flawed
disconnection, in need of supernatural, external guidance and
rigid control, to one of Divine Connection through which one
can attune to inner guidance and control, through natural
explanations and understanding the force of Divine Desire.
Divine Desire is that force of spirit which is omniscient. It all-
knowingly communicates divine intention through the
experience of pleasure and pain. It carries wisdom from all
aspects of existence and offers its constant energy to evaluate
each experience against spiritual purposes. It is the only valid
judgmental process, for it feels and shares the divine intentions.
Divine Desire is inseparable from individual desire. Having
misunderstood it, religions have judged it, defiled it, and have
made it their enemy. They try to control the evil hedonistic
tendencies in their followers, and instill guilt by telling them
that they are separated from their Creator, hopelessly
dependent upon religious leaders to interpret "his word". This,
of course, is the exact opposite of divine intention, as
evidenced by the guilt and fear that such ideas produce.

730
In the final analysis, the most reliable measure of what one is told is the
feeling it conjures up deep within. If the feelings it produces are negative and
uncomfortable, beware. They are not in line with Divine intention and
should be rejected.

Divine Desire is that which will naturally unfold into human

experience when the natural emotional developmental process
is no longer obstructed, driving humanity toward its intended
Destiny Path. Acknowledging the wisdom of the spiritual
adjudicator is to embrace Divine Desire and to rise above the
mindless cycle of simple bodily safeguard responses to
spiritual signals.

Take a simple prayer like the Our Father and listen to the words. Take the
concept of the Father from outside oneself and bring it's Divine Nature
within, making it one's own. Feel the concept of Free Will come alive and
know that any outside guidance will never again match the Inner
Spirituality that lives in each of us.

Any religious structure should replace each and every cultural

judgment with the concept of Divine Desire and build its tenets
accordingly. But whether or not the religion itself accomplishes
the necessary changes, the individuals can proceed to do so
themselves. For it is pleasure which judges a belief as
spiritually valid, and pain which begs for spiritual correction.
The mind cannot judge its own contents, but unexamined
experiences can be filed away in the mind with the corrective
signals still attached. Although some experiences bring
empowering beliefs and good feelings, far many more bring
painful slivers.

Not every experience we have is meant to be acted upon immediately. Some

can be filed away for future reflection. However, the feelings attached to

731
those experiences should and will be a part of what is put aside. With
reflection, a pattern becomes apparent and will serve as a guide to future
action, separating that which caused pain from that which brought pleasure.

Many existing teachings intentionally instill cultural

judgments, painful beliefs, such as sin, and of hierarchical
levels of accessibility to the Divine. They then manipulate their
followers by using these painful feelings of guilt and fear with
images of fire and brimstone, of hell and damnation, in order to
gain further control and power. But as should now be apparent,
each and every belief with an attached negative feeling, has not
been consciously processed through the spiritual adjudicator
and the mental judgment remains, the body will defend itself,
creating the illusion of amorality. The power of spirit can truly
liberate followers from this cycle by identifying each idea that
is anti-spiritual, and can allow them to more fully embrace
those that will set the spirit free.

This can be the enlightened role of religion, to aid and assist society in
identifying those qualities that represent the Divine. It need not be its final
role, but a good place to start.

The Power Of Prayer

One very rewarding and powerful ritual common among

religions, is some form of prayer. Prayer is the accepted
pathway of communication with All That Is, and can be a very
effective facilitator of spiritual insight and focus of creative
will. Verbal affirmations are useful and the Meditation of the
Clock has been offered as a form of secular prayer, and such a
structure can help focus the will energy of individual desire.

732
Either can be used in any degree of regularity, with each
session adding emotional energy to the image vividly desired.

Emotional energy is the engine which drives the intent of prayer. Without
emotion, prayer is little more than small talk, superficial and of little
meaning. It is the difference between the lover who reads another's poetry
repeatedly, rather than compose his own.

But the crucial understanding is that the prayers are actually

answered by the creative capacities of mind. The Creator has
honored humans with the blanket power of creative will, to be
actualized through chosen belief structures of mind. If entities
are to verbally affirm, or supplicate to "The Lord" for that
which they truly fear they can not have, no such prayer will be
answered. In fact, quite the opposite will likely occur. For the
emotional energy and the thought to which it is attached is the
mechanism of creation in the physical realm. Intensity, rather
than positive or negative poles, will energize the mind's
choices.

When we pray we are, in effect, speaking to the higher aspects of our

creative selves. The language we use is pretty much based on our respective
culture and belief systems. The success of our prayer is based upon our
faith/belief that it will be answered. Thus, praying for the sake of praying,
achieves little in the way of results. In fact, the greater the belief of an
opposite effect , the greater chance of opposite consequences.

Prayer occurs with each thought that is laden with pleasure or

pain---whether intentional or not. Fear can answer a prayer as
surely as can joyous desire, but the fears are often attached to
unexamined thoughts which will deliver realities far less
desirable than conscious, joyous choices. Creative prayer will
be most effective if energized with the most joyous and faithful
feelings riding upon meaningful beliefs in one's individual

733
power and accountable role within the creative process. This
can gather additional spiritual energy to infuse into such
visions and verbal renderings. The more energy, the sooner the
critical mass, and the more likely the event can occur in the
physical realm. Urgent and highly desired events can be
facilitated by a thrice-a-day prayer session or meditation.

In a larger sense, we pray without ceasing, for each thought is a form of

prayer. We can, in fact, attract what we fear or worry about. For prayer is
as effective as a magnet. Hence, there are rules of creativity just as there are
rules of physics.

It must be recognized that prayer works in both directions, for

it is that same thought/feeling combination that rides the stream
of energy flow and is constantly available. It is the Divine
Desire of self from beyond space-time that brings purposeful
information regarding the status of purposeful living. Likewise,
judgment day lies in each moment, for fear-driven experiences
are received as underenergized in the spiritual realm, and
joyous, purposeful experiences are received through the
fullness of Divine Desire. Entities are challenged to remove
each belief structure that stands between aspects of self and the
totality of All That Is.

Asking for an answer to a troubling situation, accompanied by a thrice said

prayer before retiring for the night, along with a belief that an answer will
come in one's dreams, will result in that which is desired. Worry, by itself,
tends to detach oneself from the Divine energy. Once we master the true
workings of the belief system, we will open the door to a better life.

Thus, prayer sessions should accommodate both incoming and

outgoing desires. In addition to moment-to-moment attunement
to spiritual feeling signals, a quiet reflective time period
scheduled daily apart from the creative meditations or prayers,

734
is also beneficial in helping entities attune to the intuitive voice
of spirit. For just as the creative words and visions send forth
messages from the physical realm, the reflective meditation
period opens the door to incoming visions, intuitions, and
insights. Most entities are naturally open to such pathways
immediately upon waking, and can bring revelations fresh from
the dream realm, but a concerted effort to attune can also assist
the unfolding pathways. Spiritual insights are always
accompanied with joyous tinges of feeling. The louder they are
heard, the more the resonant joy.

"We sleep, per chance to dream…" But it is in our awakening moments that
we come close to that spirit state and can experience not only our insights
but experience the joy which accompanies them.

As feeling signals are followed to their source and good beliefs

are developed and limiting beliefs are discarded, entities will
naturally begin to notice more and more receptivity to the
stream of universal consciousness that courses through the
mind. They will know that impulses spring from spirit rather
than from the frustrated needs of body, for the mind has
accomplished full energy passage in both directions. Entities
need no church, nor congregation, to attune to Divine
Guidance, but such creative and receptive reflective periods,
when organized toward group goals, can be quite powerful
indeed. Such synergy can be a powerful offering of an
enlightened religious structure.

We, as the human race, will experience a greater state of attunement which
we will eventually recognize as a state of enlightenment. At that point, we
will be aware that in our collective state and right intent, we will truly be
able to move mountains – or, at least, prevent the mountain from moving us.

735
The Temple of Light
Spiritual principles are one and the same for each physical
embodiment. The bodily desire for, and the deep intuitive
understanding of, the connection between all humans brings
unifying urgings to each mind. The frustrations of Earthly
struggles are felt by all. These feelings encourage entities to set
aside surface differences and unite in spirit to make
corrections. No matter which faith, what creed, what
worldview, all entities can participate as one in group efforts to
creatively alter the probable path of humanity.

Religious institutions and economic systems each contribute to the concept of

separation between "physical embodiments", in the first case by failing to
encourage the importance of the love that should be maintained between
"neighbors"; and the second case by encouraging competition over
cooperation in social/economic exchanges. By encouraging a state of
separation from one another, the capacity to unite creatively in rising to the
challenges of physical existence, is seriously compromised.

The Temple Of Light has been established as a conceptual

meeting place for entities to gather and participate in
enlightened pursuits--- regardless of where they might also go
for Sunday service or daily worship. Despite any surface
appearance of isolation and differences, entities can come to
the Temple and enjoy the resonance and participation within
focused efforts to alter mass consciousness. Individuals visiting
the Temple can both leave offerings as well as obtain benefits.
They can participate as individuals or en masse.

Is it not appropriate that the focal point of a gathering for spiritual purposes
should, likewise, be of a non-physical nature? True spirituality is considered
to exist beyond the limits of time and space. If such is also our true nature,

736
and it is presumed that it is, then practicing spiritual communication beyond
the confines of the physical would appear to be quite appropriate training
for our next state of existence.

The Temple is "located" between space-time and can be

accessed through imaginative pathways, with specific images
open to the design and choosing of the individual. But a simple
meditative exercise such as the following can suffice:

Meditation For The Temple Of Light

While seated in a comfortable upright position, in a quiet place of
little distraction, close the eyes and relax within. Focus the
consciousness inward, and further the depth of this relaxation within
a series of (minimum of ten) deep cleansing breaths, allowing each
exhalation to wash the relaxation throughout the body.

Create the image of a golden path with a winding staircase of ten

stairs (leading either up into a cloud-like world, or down into a
glowing subconscious realm whichever is most pleasing). Slowly
imagine yourself progressing upon the staircase. Take another ten
deep breaths, one for each step toward this realm, slowly and deeply
relaxing the consciousness into this image.

At the final stair awaits a golden door behind which lies the Temple
Of Light. (Create ornate markings, and other sensory accouterments
to further involve the feelings and imagination.) Gather the feeling of
love to gain entry. (Recall, or recreate a moment when love swept
over the mind/body and recreate this vibratory feeling). All who enter
the Temple acknowledge the loving connection between spirits and
carry it with them within. With the power of love, the door can then
be opened, revealing a world of brilliant sunlight and natural beauty,
in the midst of which sits the Temple Of Light.

It can take the form of something akin to the Taj Mahal, a Greek
temple, a palace, a futuristic edifice, an alien outpost, or any other
image pleasing to the spirit. But there is a noticeable radiant energy

737
funneling between the highest peak of the Temple and on upward
toward the Universal Source, a vortex wherein energy is constantly
cycling upward and downward. There are healing pools, waterfalls
and fountains to be seen, you might encounter other visitors and
enjoy a peaceful telepathic resonance with them. Take flight upon
the wings of desire and be transported to the Temple itself, and
again the feeling of love will part the golden entry gates. Beyond the
gates, spiritual resonance overpowers any tinge of fear or negative
emotion.

The vast entryway is bathed in golden light and can be constructed

with brilliantly crafted stonework, carved woodwork, golden
metalworks or in any pleasing way. There will be flora and fountains,
and endless hallways to rooms which beckon, where virtually any
energy exchange can take place. There are rooms with libraries of
books with all the answers necessary to daily problems. Healing
rooms with libraries of books with all the answers necessary to daily
problems. Healing rooms with magical amulets and wands and
lasers that can be both energized and utilized by all who enter.
Rooms with healing pools which immerse the body/mind within the
life force itself; youth fountains wherein one can bathe; rooms
limited only by the desires and imaginations of all who enter.

There is a central theater, wherein groups of entities, or individuals

can creatively participate in international and local physical dramas
conducted upon the screen. Entities can create images of existing
problems and choose enlightened outcomes, and create alternate
probable historical courses. The feelings of love, connection, and
intuitive understanding permeate this theater. Even the most
fearsome events are viewed with the detached, compassionate
understanding of the evolving nature of mass consciousness and
within the firm belief in the ability of Divine Desire to bring
purposeful outcomes and infuse the images with empowered love
energy. (Those yet outside the Temple will see an outflux of light
rising upward from the Temple as your energy joins with others,
passes through the vortex, and energized the probable outcomes
which can then become actual in the physical realm.)

There are unlimited private theaters wherein each individual can play
out the life events desirous in a like manner, in the recognition of the

738
cumulative power of all entities who enter. Everywhere in the
Temple, individual contributions synergize exponentially, making a
vast power source available to all. Meetings can be arranged with
difficult relationships; calls can go out to find soul mates; loved
ones can be touched and healed; there is no limit to the uses of the
Temple. The more empowered love energy that is experienced while
in the Temple, the more is left behind for others to share. When the
spirit feels a degree of fulfillment, the reverse path can be taken
back to the physical realm, the breaths can each restore the
conscious focus to the physical realm, and the experience is
complete.

Entities can visit the Temple as often as desired, expanding

upon its structures, rooms, functions, accouterments, etc., in
any and every way imaginable. The joining together of group
efforts to gather for specific reasons at the mass theater can be
tremendously helpful in altering probable courses of humanity,
and are heartily encouraged. Such visits will also reinforce
individual plans and heighten the spiritual signals surrounding
those thoughts and beliefs which will help or impede them.
They will heighten the senses to the subtle insights and
impulses that can be acted upon to contribute energy to the
physical manifestations of all goals. Such activities can
accomplish the valid goals of organized religion without the
inherent competition and isolation that much of the existing
dogma demands. Entities of all faiths who feel limited in any
way by their chosen worldview are invited to find release in the
Temple. Such visits are perfectly compatible within all forms
of religion, and need not even be confessed.

At this point, it might behoove those who review and value these "Lessons"
to propose some sort of program wherein those who wish to participate,
could know that at certain periods in time there would be someone "online"
(if you will) who could join in any efforts to raise the general spiritual
vibrations. One has to wonder if something akin to a Chat Room might have

739
potential in this area.

Religious Transcendence

Once individuals have removed each of the slivers from their

worldview, (such concepts as sin, of martyrdom, of evil, of the
mind's capacity to judge, of the need for spiritual
intermediaries of any kind), the valid transcendence can begin
to unfold. The concept of transcendence is implicit, if not
explicit, in most worldviews and formal religious structures,
and is held out as a goal for human potential and development.
This common strand with the transcendent experience relates,
of course, to the emotional development, the natural expansion
of the self, and the trinity of purpose.

Mind, body and spirit are but different aspects of the same soul. Each plays
a different role in whatever environment we elect to put ourselves.Each can
have an influence on the other and nothing need separate one from the
other.

The trinity of purpose has been couched in symbolism such as

the trinity of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, which
respectively represent the mind, the body, and the spirit within
each individual. The unity within and between has always been
the goal of religious transcen-dence. Such unity is
accomplished by an enlightened mind (the Father) attended to
the feeling signals of spirit (The Holy Spirit) that has chosen
beliefs at the direction of spirit which fulfill the needs of body
(The Son). The natural developmental process is the ongoing
expansion of self to eventually merge with All That Is. The
unity within the trinity of self can accomplish the trinity of
purpose in each and every action, and open the mind to

740
transcendence.

With the above information in mind, try resaying the "Our Father" prayer
and see if it gives new meaning to the words. The purpose of this prayer is to
move us along the path of transcendence. It is a tool for this purpose and as
its meaning is expanded, the path becomes more clear, as we become more
centered.

The unity is designed to unfold when the incoming spirits

undergo the natural emotional developmental process. The
body feelings of joy, fear, anger and sadness drive the earliest
understandings of the ability to control one's destiny and gain a
mindful sense of rightful power and freedom within the context
of cooperative connection. This is the contribution of The Son,
wherein the biological predestiny ensures that purposeful
courses will be known (despite the other portions of self) to
ensure the primary purpose of self-preservation. The Son
represents the singular self-concept that is the necessary
foundation of all further self-growth. When the feelings have
done their job, there will be the first of the emotions of mind;
those of trust, confidence, and frustration when obstacles arise.

Neither physical nor emotional pain would be possible without the body,
which serves as the instructor and guide to assist the mind in overcoming
obstacles with cleverness and compassion. While giving us a sense of
individuality, it also allows us the opportunity to comingle and, in doing so,
discover other aspects of ourselves.

These basic feelings are then further tempered by learning

experiences wherein they differentiate into the more subtle
feeling tones which address the beliefs of mind and promote
the higher needs for creativity, esteem, and meaning, while
retaining freedom, power and connection. These feelings are
the contribution of "The Father" which relate to the teachings

741
of the local culture and the beliefs held within mass
consciousness. These feelings address the care and feeding of
the mind, wherein each with a positive tone connotes a belief
that is spiritually desirous, and a negative tone connotes a
limitation. These signals allow the mind to achieve its purpose
of self-development as well as continuing to honor the
purposes of body. This self-development fosters a plural self-
concept to enfold external others within the feeling system as
well.

The emotion of love has a contagious quality to it. When we see it expressed
between two individuals, be they mother and child, brother and sister,
husband and wife or friend to friend, we sense the quality within ourselves,
and it gives us joy. In like fashion, when we observe contention between
others, we feel an immediate vacancy of spirit. We feel pain.

The full purpose of spiritual self-expression can begin when

both body and mind are in unison. Then the contribution of
"The Holy Spirit" can fully come into play. These will be
marked by the highest feelings, the most rewarding and
positive resonance with All That Is. These highest feelings will
pave the way for and accompany intuitive insights, telepathic
communications, reception of energies from beyond space-time
and the information held within each energy unit. They will
complete the expansion of the three-fold self-concept by
merging it with All That Is. (The expansion of the self concept
in the transcendence process has often been mistaken for the
surrender or destruction of self. This has been another
misconception that must be purged from religious structures.)

Once the threat of losing one's "self" in a surrender to the All That It Is is
abolished and the true meaning of unity of body, mind and spirit is
appreciated for the expansion of the potential that lies within ourselves, then

742
the path to this destiny will be clear.

When the mindscape accommodates this reception of spiritual

flow, the transcendent process can begin. It will lead each
individual to the highest levels of meaning and the most direct
actions for the maximum purpose and reward in the physical
experience. It can apprise earthbound entities of the
relationship between physical actions and creations and their
greater cosmic validity and purpose. Transcendent moments
and states are characterized by such feelings as compassion,
faith, divine love, bliss, devotion, courage, gratitude, and
exuberance.

These are the sign posts along the path and as each is passed, the destination
is realized as being the path itself.

Religious Community Service

One final value of the institution of religion is that it can serve

as an individually driven community support resource. As
individuals gain enlightenment, they can go forth into
communities and help organize uplifting structures that can
offer empowerment and freedom to all members of the human
family.

Such ventures do truly reflect the state of an enlightened entity. The need for
this kind of courage is everywhere and those who can take that next step
along the road to spiritual truth, are destined to come to a full
understanding of merging with the All That Is.

In sum, the more enlightened the religion, the more it can

support the internal controls inherent in spirituality. The more
it embraces the trinity of self, Divine Connection, Divine

743
Freedom, Divine Empowerment, Divine Goodness and Divine
Desire, the more valuable it will be. The more valuable the
religious institution, the less external governmental controls
will be necessary. We can now discuss what the unique role of
government might be in an enlightened society. There are
powerful implications for the economics of human purpose.

Any religion that can assist its members in being their own best spiritual
guide, is serving the true purpose of what a "church" is intended to be, i.e. a
parent who has the wisdom to stand back and let it's child live a life of
his/her own destiny, while encouraging the full development of one's own
spiritual nature.

Page 318-329 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Zeta

Lesson Two A: Implications For Government - Economics

of Need-Meeting

The Grand Game

With individuals reattuning to the divine inner guidance, they

will immediately be confronted by certain mistaken
assumptions---slivers which have been incorporated into many
social structures. The central primary mistake, has been the
persistent mass belief that humans need external control. This
inaccurate idea has left humans shackled within a world filled
with all forms of controls which actually foster just what they

744
seek to prevent---amorality. As the entity Jean Jacques
Rousseau once said: "Man is born free, but everywhere is in
chains."

The argument for the need for "external control" is reinforced every time
someone deviates from acceptable, intelligent conduct and acts in a fashion
that is harmful to himself or someone else. It can be the smallest of
minorities that will result in the largest amount of control.

Governmental structures exist to provide an organized way to

establish agreed upon public policies that reflect the desires
and contributions of the people they serve. It is the official way
of determining what will become part of the rules of the social
game in any particular local, collective consciousness.
Governmental structures are like shoes that should fit their
people. The shoes must be generic enough to fit everyone, but
flexible and adaptive enough to be altered and adorned by
willful choice of each human. But instead, many try to force
human feet to fit in ill-designed confines. The fact is that any
ill-conceived governmental shoes will rub and pinch until their
cultural rules match the biological rules in the grand natural
game.

Government bureaucracies too often attempt to apply the "rules" in a

fashion that fails to exercise an innate knowledge of human nature. The
regulation often takes precedence over the people who are subject to it.
When this happens, the subsequent conflict results in the domination of the
former over the latter, even when it has become abundantly clear that the
former is not practical in its application.

Indeed, the spiritual corrective signals will arise when

individuals are confronted with each ill-fitting confine, for the
physical experience is designed with its own universal, and
inescapable, structures and rules. When the innate motions of

745
humanity are understood, far more flexible, liberating, creative
and supportive rules for the game will arise. These rules will
replace the guesses and assumptions with the self-
understandings of universal human needs, and how they relate
to human rights which must be protected. They will not be
limited to any one locality of government, but will be
embraced on a global basis. For they are the biological
boundaries of all human spirits. They are the rules for the grand
game of purposeful energy exchange.

This will not come about though, until/unless human beings begin to trust
and have faith in their own spiritual nature. As this happens, the importance
of outside regulation will begin to wane, while many will begin to develop a
message that people can and should be responsible for their own
environment. Those who fail to take that responsibility, (whether they be
individuals, corporations or governments), will risk the disapproval of those
more enlightened who do understand and appreciate the importance self-
responsibility.

This game of energy exchange is played upon several stages, at

biological, ideal, and spiritual levels, corresponding to body,
mind, and spirit. Each kind of life form has its unique role and
inner impetus to play it out upon the physical stage. Some life
forms, such as basic elements and plants, are limited to the
biological level, where energy exchanges are physical transfers
of matter often in response to the willful thoughts and actions
of other life forms. Others, including the higher animal forms,
enjoy a bit of mental participation, where an ideal realm allows
individual thought and mental energy.

There is a suggestion in this paragraph that "plant forms" act "in response
to the...thoughts and actions of other life forms". Does this give confirmation
that plants that are prayed over will respond favorably and produce a better
growth rate, or that plants respond both positively or negatively to human

746
intentions and/or emotions, as suggested in the book, "The Secret Life of
Plants" by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird?

Each kind of life form offers a unique physical experience in

space-time, from which spiritual apportionments of All That Is
can choose to consciously "embody". Each such life form has
an essential biological role and right to its being within a grand
balance. Each has its unique perspective and participation to
yield meaningful understanding in the earthly learning ground
of creative energy manipulation. But no matter what kind of
life form, each will be moved from within to carry out its
unique purpose.

We consider ourselves the highest life form on this planet and we certainly
are the most technologically accomplished. But there might be some self-
deception here if we presume that technological superiority would
automatically guarantee superiority in mental, emotional and spiritual areas
as well. To do so, might result in a false sense of pride.

Humans enjoy the most complex forms of energy exchange,

wherein spiritual energy is received in mind and willfully
manipulated. Humans have the utmost conscious freedom to
convert and exchange energy on the physical level by
designing the most purposeful and rewarding mental conduits
to full spiritual expression.

In being granted this superiority, we are also given the responsibility to

make the most of it by not only developing our spiritual understanding, but
in sharing our insights while in the process of doing such.

Economics of Resource Exchange

To design an optimal governmental structure, the true nature of

747
the physical game must be understood. Although humans enjoy
mental free will, every physical creature has innate biological
orienters, the inner movers and shakers, which lead it toward
purposeful action. These are the spiritual signals of pleasure
and pain. The intention is that the pleasure will pull all
organisms toward basic survival, reproduction and any higher
purposes encoded into the genetics. Or, if there are deficit
states, wherein certain balances are disrupted, at minimum,
each organism can ensure its own survival by pain reduction.
Physical pain reduction should be able to suffice, unless the
deficit states become more long-term. Then psychological
forms of pain arise, manifesting as fear, anger, sadness, and the
defensive responses they bring.

Here is a suggestion that there is a direct relationship between a physical

malfunction or "dis-ease" and our emotional state and that when we
experience the latter, we are already moving into physical states which could
eventually be life-threatening. Medical pain reducers may relieve a
particular condition by masking it over, but if the imbalance is not corrected
through diet or exercise, or the removal of the appropriate slivers from the
belief system, then it will eventually be reflected in our mental and/or
emotional state.

These same inner movers and shakers are built into all life
forms in varying degrees of complexity. Each organism in the
simple acts of freely following its inner urges, becomes its
genetic potential, and in doing so, contributes to the interactive
environmental whole of nature. The hedonic patterns of all life
forms demonstrate the unified cooperative nature of the
physical experience---the Creator's intention of a grand,
purposeful, cooperative, interactive game. No cultural laws will
suffice which violate these natural spiritual motions, for they
will prompt fear, anger, and natural safeguard defensive

748
responses.

Those belief systems that are imposed upon a culture from outside sources,
can be discerned to be spiritually enhancing or detrimental simply by the
feelings they conjure up among a society's members. If control is maintained
through fear, then anger will seep into relationships. Where greater free will
and creativity are fostered, less outside control is necessary.

All such movements interacting with one another define the

grand game of energy/resource exchange. The divine dance of
all organisms freely moving about meeting their needs is the
way of the natural, physical world. The living world turns on
its axis empowered by the energy expended as each organism
goes forth into the world to meet its needs. The "Creation" is
the unique balance of life forms which provide resources to one
another so that all needs can be met by each life form. This
balance is designed down to the chemical and even atomic
level, where atoms move forward and backward in terms of
their own inner purposes, as consistently as metal filings are
attracted to magnets, and humans are attracted to the pleasure
of fulfilled needs.

All of nature exists in a uniform state of balance. The "dance" is carried out
on a daily basis, with each part acting in unison for the benefit of the whole.
Humans who disrupt the synchronicity, risk a consequence that is designed
to correct the straying from an appreciation for universal values. In other
words, "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature."

In the grand game of resource exchange, each individual is

likened to a buyer and a seller in a marketplace. Each goes
forth into the world to fulfill its needs, by "purchasing" or
otherwise obtaining the necessary resources. (These are the
basic survival needs for food, warmth, safety, etc.) It expends
its own energy in doing so, whether it be physical energy, time,

749
or money---some cost is always paid. All expended energy
becomes a resource available to others in the grand
marketplace. In fact, may the buyer beware, for he himself
might become an edible resource to something else in the grand
marketplace.

We know there are sharks out there waiting to prey upon the unsuspecting.
By keeping our needs simple and our values spiritual, we protect ourselves
from the greed mentality that can make us vulnerable to the economically
carnivorous.

This is the most basic physical level of the game. But the rules
are the same in the realm of human culture---the realm of mind.
Ideas are exchanged which build the cultural world. The
information-energy within human thought becomes transferred
through thought and action into physical events, structures,
buildings, and entire governments. Yet it is all a grand game of
energy exchanges and conversions, dependent upon each
individual freely following the internal urgings and purposeful
self-regulation systems. A plant is fulfilled by growing to its
full height, an animal by daily survival and seasonal cycles,
and a human by actualizing the most of its developmental and
expressive potential.

While we give great attention to developing and enhancing our physical and
mental potential, presuming that this - in itself - will ultimately fulfill our joy
level, we often leave the spiritual part of our nature for outside forces to
govern, when it is the establishing of an inner connection with this latter
aspect of ourselves that would actualize all that we strive to express.

Universal Human Rights - Basic Self-Determinism

The entire game is based upon the fundamental natural right of

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unrestricted movement of the organism or entity. No player can
hope to understand or succeed in the grand game, if not freely
empowered to control one's own destiny. In humans, this right
of self determinism is experienced as the basic need for
freedom and power. As we know, these are the first priority
needs to fulfill, for they are essential to the bodily purpose of
self-preservation.

Freedom of thought and movement are not possible without the necessary
"equipment" (brain, body, etc.) to exercise such basic need. When power is
hoarded by the few at the expense of the many, a society as a whole, suffers.
An enlightened society constantly seeks to keep the "freedom and power" in
the hands of the many, not just the vested interests. This should be
particularly true of an enlightened government.

In humans, this essential freedom and empowerment is the

foundational basis upon which all other needs and purposes
must be built. Our attempts at social unity based upon external
control will merely become chains which enslave us. As we
now know, the inner self-regulation for humans is the feeling
feedback system which leads humans to broader bands of
consciousness and creative internal "control". The trial and
error nature of human self-regulation depends upon the mind's
free thought and the body's free action necessary to call forth
the subsequent spiritual evaluation, to guide mindful corrective
adaptations. Thus, if basic freedom and empowerment is
stifled, the whole design will be scuttled. Then the spirit
remains frustrated, the mind cannot self-develop, the body will
fall back upon safeguard defenses which severely limit
purposeful experience.

What is essential to putting into practice a mindset that supports a

willingness to rely upon "inner" guidance versus "outside" guidance is a

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belief (faith, if you will), in the innate spiritual nature of humans and the
unquestionable importance of maintaining a clear connection between our
physical, mental and spiritual natures. Until and unless we can accept this as
a valid precept, we will continue to depend on outer sources to control our
individual destinies.

Without the basic freedom and empowerment, true connection

and cooperative living will always be just out of reach.
Competition and power struggles will become the norm, for it
is a biological certainty that the group needs will fall if the
individual needs are unsatisfied. Just as any human will stop
working to eat when hungry or sleep when tired, when the
body is unduly restricted, it will stop win-win cooperation, and
defensive win-lose competition for basic power and freedom
will ensue. Anything less than free movement will relegate
humans to inner motivations more likened to animal instinct.

A truly free state of mind must be created from within. If it relies on

institutions such as government or economic forces to grant and protect its
exercise of free will, it shall come to the eventual realization that these
outside influences have other agenda, motivated by the need for power and
wealth concentrated into the hands of the fewest possible number of
individuals.

The Biological Condition of Justice

Free movement and empowerment are essential, for they are

part of the physical design, and part of a divine natural, state of
balance. This balance occurs when all organisms are
interacting and purposefully exchanging energy within the
grand need-meeting marketplace. When inner need-meeting
balance is attained, external actions are purposeful and when
all purposeful actions dovetail together in the grand

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marketplace, there is an optimal divine external balance.

We begin with a state of inner balance. This is reflected on the physical level
by a lack of "dis-ease". We can (free)will this state by certain mental
practices, i.e. meditation, for one. We can truly exercise our (free)will to
bring about a state of physical and mental balance, which brings us into line
with our spiritual nature and empowers us to bring balance into our created
environment. EUREKA!

This divine external balance is the biological condition of

justice. Biological justice is the state wherein all organisms are
free to move about and empowered to control their own
destiny, and that there is sufficient influx of available
energy/resources to compensate for the required outflux.
Justice allows balances between supply and demand in the
marketplace of physical and mental resource exchange.

The greater the demand made upon our need for spiritual growth, the
greater the supply of insights to satisfy that need. We have the opportunity
to apply that Universal Law that states: "Ask and you shall receive. Seek
and It will be given unto you." As this applies individually, so it applies
collectively in any marketplace.

This means that humans are not designed to be limited or

externally controlled in any way. We should not be prevented
from choosing any experience, exchanging any resource, as
long as in doing so they do not violate the same rights within
others. For if any human need is involved, it will be a
necessary experience to meet it, and any need-meeting resource
will create such a demand. Instead, social structures should
strive to provide as many avenues for self-development and
self-expression as possible.

When this principle is applied on an economic level, it encourages the

concept of free enterprise. However, the application of spiritual principles

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also ensures protection from the excessive self-interest of someone else. A
well-oiled economic system should provide an opportunity for those who are
able to exchange their labors for that which is desired; and it should also
provide for those who are unable to exercise a form of labor or creativity, a
level of comfort and hope.

Indeed, biological justice is the external counterpart of internal

natural morality. When just conditions exist, each life form can
follow its inner urges and will be guided toward moral actions.
There are no implied rights or wrongs in what takes place in
the physical need-meeting arena---other than that which creates
pain. There is no more or less implied significance in the death
of a spider than the death of a human. In time, all forms go
back into the earth and enrich its chemical resources, and non-
psychic spirits reunite with All That Is.

The statement, "There is no more or less implied significance in the death of

a spider than the death of a human." is, by itself, almost unconscionable
unless viewed from a broadened perspective. From a narrow view, it seems
to imply that the taking of human life (in a painless manner) is as justified as
taking the life of a spider. But any taking of life which causes pain to anyone,
whether it be to the victim or anyone saddened or deprived in any way by
that loss, would have to be regarded as a "wrongful" act. Death finds an
excuse and comes about most often by accident or circumstance - and there
are few real accidents since it is our prerogative to exercise our free will.

But humans have been given the gift of free will and the most
power of all life forms in terms of affecting the divine natural
balance. Through the use of culture, we have radically
redefined the natural marketplace by adding cultural resources
which create a group mindscape, alter the landscape, dominate
all other species, and build social mini-markets, all within the
grand marketplace of resource exchange.

That which we find around us is a product of the human freedom of an

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exercised will. Because perspectives vary with individuals, there is an
evolving state of intermittent progress perpetually in place. Any state of
progress is intrinsically tied to free will. Without this "gift", we would be
limited to the total control of an outside force. Many religions suggest that
we are and should be allowed to follow the dictates of our own conscience,
but they do so under the guise of their own intent to manipulate us.

Biological justice must underlie any successful form of social

justice. Instead, through our historical lack of emotional self-
understanding, humans have upset the natural biological
justice, causing further disturbances that we then must also
scramble to control. We have only but to listen to the messages
inherent in all pain to live up to the honorable gift.

Once we are practiced to attuning to the natural world around us, we will
have no difficulty in acting in such a way that is beneficial to that world and,
in turn, to our existence to same.

All forms of psychological pain, fear, anger, sadness, and

disgust are based upon long-term deficit states of injustice.
When the mind remembers past injustice and anticipates future
injustice, the safeguards kick in. Anger, in particular will
ensure that the man-made chains will not be tolerated for long.
Anger is the force which forces countries to move in more just
directions, often through painful revolution, instead of the more
pleasurable evolution. But either way, positive change will
eventually result. Until the spiritual message is answered and
justice restored, humans will linger in painful experiences and
remain shackled in self-made chains and will be painfully
dragged to their destiny.

In our present state, we may find our viewed "pleasure" subject to the
interruptions of "anger" over such things as an increased price of fuel or
some other commodity. In a free society, with a free economy, it could be the
motivating factor that results in the creation of an energy source which is

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less harmful to the planet. This would be a "positive" result. Just as a solar
source of energy frees a homeowner from the dependence on his local power
company, so we can free ourselves, if only in stages, from those who control
all aspects of our existence on this plane.

Social Justice
These simple biological economic realities of hedonic
movement have been overlooked by most forms of
government. Needs for freedom and power must be
accommodated before cooperative structures can evolve. All
social structures can be likened to organisms, for they reflect
human nature. Any form must address the body, (the needs of
its people), the mind, (its mass knowledge and values), and the
spirit, (its unified cooperative interactive whole.) Ensuring the
basic human rights to free self-determinism ensures that bodily
purposes can be met. Attempting to skip over them, and
structure life around the mind, will only bring further inner and
outer conflict. But this has been what many governments have
done---attempting to enforce cooperation, while inadvertently
setting the stage for competition and struggles for basic
freedom and power. Until there were two predominant world
governmental strategies, which have broken free from those
that rule through rigidly controlling religious ideologies. They
are generally known as Communism and Capitalism. Both try
to make up rules for the game of life by which individuals are
forced to play, yet both leave out some aspect of the biological
needs and scuttle the self-regulating process.

The basic reason that both are doomed to failure is that each one of them
puts a low value on self-expression. While attempting to create the facade
that democracy is a highly valued quality in a society, processes are set up
behind the scene that ensure that governing will be carried out by the fewest
possible, by manipulating the masses to conform with the will of this power-

756
hungry minority. The workplace does not allow or appreciate a democratic
philosophy unless it is producing profit. The distribution of information is
controlled by corporations which own most of the media. The political
system is strongly influenced by the vested interests. The above would
appear to apply only to the Capitalist system, but as the Communistic
system defaults, it is being replaced by the Capitalistic system which includes
the characteristics listed above.

For example, Communism embraces the connection need, and

seeks a cooperative, socialistic structure based upon equal
empowerment of its citizens. They attempt to provide equal
access to education, job opportunities and health care to all
citizens. Establishing cooperative structures for individual self
empowerment is an enlightened idea, but it often comes at the
expense of the need for individual freedom. Their desire for
equal results does not recognize the rich diversity of human
creative focus, the many destiny paths; nor does it
accommodate the necessary free movement. They often offer a
bland limited menu of resources and opportunities which stifles
creativity, esteem, and the ability to find meaning in one's
existence. This puts the cooperative cart before the horse of
justice, and the citizens suffer in silence until they eventually
revolt. This approach also recognizes that group ideals are
necessary and has often attempted to control ideologies and
religious choices of its members, through controlled
information, media, and propaganda. This requires a certain
amount of isolation, which immediately severs the connection
with other humans, as well as violating the free choices and
developmental opportunities required for a fulfilled spirit.

For many of the reasons listed above, the Communist system was doomed to
failure. One might presume that it was defeated by Capitalism, a myth
trumpeted by the politicians of the Capitalist system, but this is not quite the
case. Communism failed in its competition with Capitalism as a result of the

757
stifling of the basic freedoms of a truly democratic system, i.e. those listed in
the American constitution. While limiting the freedom to expand
intellectually and economically, it handicapped its citizens on the path of
development in all areas. The end result became stagnation in most areas, a
fact that became more evident with the development of more sophisticated
systems of transportation and communication.

Capitalism, on the other hand, embraces individual freedom,

but fosters empowerment through win-lose economic
competition, often leaving many unempowered. The
misunderstandings about the true nature of competition
discourages true connection and promotes individual and group
isolation. (It should be recognized that all American
competition relies upon cooperative frameworks. Raw win-lose
competition is seldom allowed.)

One example of cooperative competition might be members of a particularly

large corporation working together to defeat another, smaller corporation
until the latter is forced into a financial condition where it must allow the
larger corporation to buy it out. Following this "buy-out" the larger
corporation initiates a "down-sizing" policy and many of the employees of
the bought corporation are forced to seek employment elsewhere. This,
inevitably, leads to a mentality of cynicism and a loss of faith in the system.

Win-lose competition in terms of freedom and empowerment

will not work. Basic opportunities to learn how to meet needs,
and job opportunities are often linked to financial economics,
but are essential to biological justice. It sets people apart and
allows individuals to run roughshod over one another, and to
assume that some are capable of taking care of themselves and
some are not. They celebrate the diversity and do not seek
equal result, but use it to rationalize away equal opportunity.
They ignore huge pockets of the disempowered and
disenfranchised, and allow subcultures to arise which will work
against the cooperative whole. At least building from the initial

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priority of individual freedom satisfies one of the conditions of
justice, but the full concept of freedom and all its implications
have yet to be embraced. Even Americans profoundly limit
human freedom unnecessarily, which correspondingly limits
the opportunities for empowerment.

While most may believe that they are enjoying the benefits of free thought
and movement, the very system that grants them these privileges is, at the
same time, depriving some in their environment of these needs. Knowing
that they operate in a system that, at any moment, can put them in that
"deprived" state, takes its toll in fear and insecurity. Both states of mind are
uncomplimentary to true freedom. Where the benefits of the empowered are
not enjoyed by all, those deprived of its benefits will seek to empower
themselves through less acceptable means, which may often times include
violent acts. It is any surprise, then, that America imprisons a significantly
higher percentage of their population than any other democratic nation?
Dare we look for a deeper explanation for this confounding state? Some
would say it is the price we pay for a "free society". It is NOT!

Both forms are guilty of limiting individual liberty with all

sorts of cultural judgments which attempt to legislate morality
and limit certain activities. This violates the individual's right
to privacy wherein any choices and learning opportunities
should be available for any developmental experience. If any
activity is chosen within the three purposes, it is a moral
choice. Even if any activity is chosen through unconscious
hardwired defensive responses, it is still a learning opportunity.
With adequate education and social safety-nets, any "amoral"
or corrective experience can offer the necessary insight,
without the ongoing cycle of repeated learning errors that
currently plagues most societies. (As we now know, this is a
source of the illusion of evil). The natural result of restricting
freedom is prevalent everywhere, yet most societies do not
recognize the symptoms and simply deny that their controls are

759
ineffective. If ideas are restricted, there will be underground
sources of information. If religion is restricted, there will be
underground religious networks. If any specific resource,
commodity, or service is restricted, a black market will surely
emerge. With humans, when there is demand, there will be a
supply. Such is the need driven behavior and creativity of
humanity. This is the lesson not quite learned by the American
experiment of Prohibition of alcohol.

Take something that one portion of the population finds acceptable and
allow another portion of the population to make it unavailable, and you set
up a situation where conflict is initiated between the two varied points of
view. This state of conflict ultimately results in ramifications throughout the
society. Create undo stress in such a society and some will choose to escape
through the intake of recreational drugs for example, whether they be legal
or otherwise. This will eventually produce an environment where laws are
flaunted and crime is rampant.

Thus, both Communism and Capitalism have part of the human

story, but neither has it all. Both groups suffer social spiritual
corrective signals of fear, anger, crime, violence, revolution,
and emotional malaise. For all life forms are intended to be free
and empowered within the context of connected cooperation.
And the feelings will settle for nothing less.

They are, in effect, two peas in the same political/economic/social pod,

opposites in their goals, but quite similar in their methods. Both adopt the
principle that the end justifies the means and attempt to subvert the spiritual
nature of humans in an effort to achieve a perceived ideal. When each
evolves toward its own extreme state, those under its influence move
perpetually toward a state of dissatisfaction.

Communistic attempts at cooperative living will immediately

dissolve if either freedom or empowerment is compromised.
Likewise, although individual freedom is essential, Capitalistic

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"competition" is not the way to get the highest kind of freedom
in an interconnected cooperative world. Disempowerment
occurs frequently under the guise of innocent competition, and
despite jingoistic affirmations to the contrary, American
competition only ensures "liberty and justice for...some".
Those without it will rebel and secede from the cooperative
unit. Where fear and anger exist, free-flowing justice is sure to
be missing. Where justice is missing, defensive self-
preservationary, amoral actions will be commonplace, as will
external forms of control seeking to prevent them.

It has often been presumed that the reason cooperative systems fail is that
humans operate on a basic instinct of greed, when in fact it is the squelching
of "freedom or empowerment" that has been most responsible for the
failure. In like fashion, the typical capitalistic enterprise usually discourages
most forms of free thought and action, removing the protections normally
guaranteed in the social and political realms. The choices are most often to
go along with a policy or move on to another environment or risk being
ousted from one's job. Thus, an inevitable schism evolves between workers
and owners.

Justice is the required global condition that must be promoted

by all world leaders. Justice ensures the fundamental respect
and defense of natural biological boundaries that are valid for
every human being despite the rich cultural diversity. In fact,
justice encourages diversity of thought and action and life
style, for it allows the freedom of each individual to creatively
self-express in its own unique way. Justice opens doors and
never closes them, unless to enforce the prevention of
violations, (which are far less likely, when justice prevails).
Justice provides to the world what bodily boundaries and
safeguards offer the trinity of self.

The very words "...with liberty and justice for all", capture the essence of

761
the above paragraph and are incorporated in our pledge of allegiance to our
flag, a symbol of the freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Law of the
Land, our Constitution. Would that these words be put into practice on a
uniform basis and a great deal of the intent, as expressed in the above
paragraph, would become a reality.

Justice ensures that humans will be free to move about and feel
the evaluative outcome of their thoughts and actions in order to
find and progress upon the developmental path. Justice will
ensure that humanity can lift themselves beyond the survival
level, and discover the much fuller potential of the being and
transcendent levels of human experience. For indeed, humans
are intended to be pulled toward their purposes by positive
feelings instead of being pushed away from misguided
thoughts and actions by painful experience. In short, a society
is not just if it denies the universal rights and freedoms that the
Creator has bestowed. Such arrogance should be self-evident.

Once the attractiveness of physical, mental and spiritual fulfillment is made

plain to humans, there need not be systems in place to force them to move in
a particular direction. The only systems that need to be kept in place are
those that favor freedom, justice and of appreciation for one's fellow human
beings.

The Biological Condition of Civilization

Connection without justice is simply not possible. Only when

the environment is structured in ways that ensure basic
freedom and empowerment to control one's own destiny, can it
begin to evolve into a true civilization.

It is one thing to know an ideal. It is another thing to put it into practice. To

do the latter requires a full appreciation of what we are, in a most complete
sense. To know that we are physical, mental, emotional and spiritual and

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that we are free and creative beings. Then we can start to explore.

The biological condition of a true civilization, is one wherein

justice prevails at all times, and individuals can then unite into
a cooperative, connected social whole. Civilizations are
advanced kinds of social structures that offer opportunities for
their members to meet all six of the universal human needs.
There are no right or wrong ways to do this. In fact, the more
imaginative and creative the structures, the more opportunities
they can provide. Civilization is not dependent upon
technological advancement, only the effectiveness of its
cooperative nature. Contrary to popular belief, the most
technologically simple "savages" that have attained true
cooperation are far more civilized than even the most
technologically advanced warrior competing for basic power.

The best example of advanced civilization is nature. Unless interfered with

by humans, it maintains an overall balance while continuing to evolve. We
can observe it and we can even compliment it, but we can only improve upon
it when we learn to emulate it.

True civilizations have social structures which enhance the life

experience with many opportunities for self-development and
self-expression, emphasizing the higher needs for connection,
esteem, creativity, and meaning. There are free flowing ideas
and myriad---unlimited---opportunities to meet needs and
fulfill purposes. In a civilized community, all needs are met
without violating the needs of any others, hence the natural
morality of "do not do unto others that which pains thyself".
This includes the pains of injustice perpetrated upon life forms
by human folly.

If we can picture what we would like the world to be, understand the level of

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freedom necessary to work toward that goal and respect all the forms of
existence around us while we strive to reach that goal, then we will be able to
begin to call ourselves "civilized".

Any enlightened global social structure must ensure that it

provides justice alone, and allows each individual community
to devise the desirable civilized structures. The rich cultural
traditions that have arisen are testimonial of the human creative
expressive abilities and the natural enjoyment from tasting the
fruits of many diverse customs and values. A cultural
civilization can be likened to a mind---ever evolving,
improving, and expanding in ways that allow for the maximum
spiritual expression and fulfillment of its members. And many
minds are, of course, better than one.

The only uniformity we need to concern ourselves with is that all are free to
choose their own path, so long as that path brings no harm to another. Only
with such a blessed attitude can we open ourselves to our true potential.

A civilized society is a purposeful society. For when all six

needs are met, all three purposes can be met. For example,
libraries, educational and technological systems exchange
mental resources, share the knowledge we gather, and ensure
avenues for gaining esteem and self-development. Our social,
economic and political structures promote connection,
cooperation, and accommodate the ongoing creative resource
exchanges and social refinements. Our arts, religions, and
sciences facilitate creativity and provide meaning. The
flexibilities within our justice system ensure that cooperation is
the #1 rule, violations are not tolerated, and just conditions are
maintained.

As we expand along our path, we may even come to find out that there are

764
more than "six needs" and more than "three purposes". It is when true
freedom of possibility begins to seep into our institutional overlays, that we
will escape from programmed strictures. If we look closely, we can already
begin to see our institutions crumbling before our eyes.

The Role of Government

Recognizing the simple economics of need-meeting can define

the role and dramatically enhance the effectiveness of
government. A government is simply a structure through
which the cooperative choices of the people can be carried
out. If it becomes a controller or manipulator of freedom and
power of its people, it shall never work, and should be heartily
rejected---in revolutionary ways if need be.

When governments stray beyond their defined purposes, those who are
affected by the increase in tyranny can act individually and collectively,
within established guidelines or outside of them. We need not assign
ourselves a perpetual role of victimization, unless this is all we can create for
ourselves. We too easily forget that government is in the role of "employee"
and that citizens are the collective "employer". Thus, it is the will of the
latter that governs the former. Just as an employer would not tolerate an
employee taking control of his business and operating it as he might wish, so
the citizenry should not tolerate a government doing so at any level, i.e.
conducting itself without consultation with and approval of that citizenry.
When those elected to represent the public tend toward favoring the needs of
the selective and vested interests, then it behooves the public to force those
elected representatives from office or force them by public will, to alter their
behavior.

Government at its raw essence is an organized structure which

ensures that the cooperative unit is established, maintained, and
continuously improved, based upon individual contributions
which increase freedom and add opportunities. Good
government adds resources, and facilitates that maximum

765
creative, and ingenious forms of resources exchange. If it
works with human nature, and succeeds in its role of
facilitating justice, the economic and social health will
naturally improve. It will promote far more pleasure than pain.
(In fact, economic shifts accompany all social change and a
healthy economy in the global interconnection is a sign of
enlightened progress.)

While a government that institutes policies that enable its citizens to prosper
at the expense of the disenfranchised or disadvantaged, may be favored by
those who financially benefit, it lays the ground-work for upheaval, whether
it be on the economic front or the political/social front. All boats must rise
with the tide. Those that get ahead of the tide will only become unbalanced
and eventually run aground.

Good government will provide additional resources and

opportunities for all members to freely meet their needs. For it
will not promote isolation of present methods, but will assist
each individual in self-development and self-expression and to
be embraced within the cooperative whole.

Part of maintaining a balanced society is seeing to it that those who lag

behind are given the opportunity to catch up with those who are enjoying
the fruits of the system. This is not "help for helps sake", but "helping those
who wish to help themselves".

Good government will focus only upon ensuring justice. The

focus will remain upon individual freedom and empowerment.
Opportunities will be built into the structure wherein each and
every human can find avenues to meet their needs within the
structures, regardless of money, family birthright, sex, age,
race, or any other arbitrary distinction between spirits in flesh.

We do, in fact, create the level of freedom we deem appropriate for

766
ourselves. To the degree that we believe in what we are entitled to, we
acquire those things we feel we need. Good government should compliment
that process and does so when we define its role as such.

Bad government will attempt to interfere with and control the

natural flow of resource exchange. It will attempt to limit, to
legislate external morality, control free information and
resource exchanges, invade privacy, and cause far more harm
than good. It will attempt to judge and prop up "the weak"
while at the same time disempowering its members, creating
man-made victims, martyrs and criminals. It will experience
inner conflict, warring factions, and gridlock to the point that
cultural evolution grinds to a halt. Over-regulation, welfare
states, prohibition, victimless crimes, over-crowded prisons
and even revolution will all result; as well as fear-driven,
volatile or black market economies, and the subcultures, crimes
and isolation they promote.

Much of what is described in the above paragraph can easily be found in our
society and the societies of other cultures around the world. While we delude
ourselves into believing that other cultures are inferior to our own, we are in
danger of failing to hold ourselves responsible for our own shortcomings.

In a general sense, government must ensure structures which

facilitate and protect self-determined actions of need-meeting
self-preservation, while fostering the maximum opportunities
for self-development and self-expression for each of its
members. It should not attempt to externally control or remove
power beyond the ensuring "liberty and justice for all". For
without liberty and justice there can be no individual value
fulfillment, without which there can be no expansion of the
consciousness of the species, without which there can be no
unobstructed expansion of All That Is.

767
Beginning with what we appreciate about ourselves and taking it the point of
what we wish to have preserved by our tools of government, we fortify our
environment with those characteristics which move us along our spiritual
path.

With these simple principles of self-regulated self-determinism

in place, we can now turn to the specific activities of
enlightened, twenty-first century governments.

Page 330-345 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Zeta

Lesson Two - B: Implications For Government - An

Enlightened Government Structure

The Governmental "Body"

The most essential tasks of an enlightened governmental

structure are those which mirror the hardwired tasks of the
body within the trinity of self. As we now know, the role of the
body within the divine self-regulation system is to ensure the
minimum standards necessary for self-preservation. The body
will overrule free will of mind with purposeful biological
predestiny whenever its most basic needs are left unfulfilled.
The mission of good government should be to establish
external structures which prevent the needs of body from being
overrun by the misguided choices of mind. Like the human

768
body which contains the seeds of all needs and purposes,
enlightened governmental structures use the natural attraction
of positive emotion to guide and pull citizens in the highest
directions, and use the push of pain as a fail-safe only to
correct a misguided course. A successful government will
acknowledge, value, and nurture the inner seeds of human
purpose within a global citizenry.

Today, too much of "government" has become obsessed with manipulating

humanity rather than nurturing its inner needs or "seeds". This is almost
inevitable when government becomes separated from the populous by
distance and falls under the influence of collective vested interests. It is
further compounded when more economically powerful governments use the
tools of usury to influence other governments and prevent or discourage
them from fully addressing the needs of their own people.

This mission translates into several goals common among all

enlightened governments. First, that individuals are all afforded
the essential informational resources to: Understand
themselves, to understand the grand game, and to take
accountable control of their own destiny. Second, that
structural opportunities exist which allow each individual to:
Join the cooperative unity, to freely and creatively engage in
need-meeting resource exchanges; to enjoy ongoing self-
development and self-expression; and to begin contributing as
soon as possible. Third, that structural safeguards are in place
to: Protect the freedoms and rights of all within the cooperative
unity from isolation and competitive violation.

With the "First" intent, free or affordable education (whether private or

public, whether at home or in an educational institution) be made available
to child and adult alike. With the "Second" intent, a place should be created
in the collective psyche for toleration of all forms of economic endeavors,
whether they be public or private, socialistic or capitalistic. With the "third"

769
intent, certain protections should be put in place that would check the
economically superior from brutalizing those "mom & pop" operations
which only seek to serve a need and enjoy an acceptable income.

Enlightened governments accomplish these goals by allocating

the shared resources of their citizens into creative
infrastructures which accommodate and stimulate these inner
guidance mechanisms. The role is better one of temporary
guidance than ongoing regulation. Those who attempt to
repress or control through rigid external laws will only create
predictable forms of malaise and revolt, for humans are not
designed to ensure artificial (external) control or accept
institutionalized pain. The human spirit will not tolerate being
forced into submission, and will move the body to burst free
from any such chains. Many governments have fallen or
become massive, unwieldy, monsters because they fail to
understand or accommodate basic biological justice. Thus, true
civilization cannot arise until the condition of justice for all is
achieved.

The "inner guidance mechanisms" referred to above is bound to become a

casualty of a mentality that believes that the only way to deal with elements
of society which do not conform to a highly (but artificially) defined criteria
of "what" human behavior should be, is to pass more laws. The increase in
"laws" leads directly to an increase in the size of bureaucracy and an
unwielding state. In a free society that cares about itself, guidance can
supersede the need for all but the absolutely necessary laws. A system to
collect the necessary revenue to run government can and should move
toward simplification rather than away from it. The maintaining of friendly
relations with other governments (even when those governments hold an
alternate political or economic philosophy) can reduce the likelihood of war
or the need for expensive military equipment or large standing armies.

Safeguarding - Ensuring Global Justice

770
For maximum benefit, governmental budgets must be
prioritized just as the trinity of self priorities its needs. The
safeguards must come first with the foundational assurances of
basic freedom and empowerment of all people. Only when
rightful self-preservation is cooperatively accommodated can
true self-development and self-expression be fostered. But only
recently in human history has the concept of freedom even
begun to take root. But without the enlightened understandings,
freedom leads to natural evolutionary breakdowns which are
perceived as threats of disorder and create the fearsome image
of a sinful people run amok. The fear of disorder then causes
defensive responses which pile on all forms of external control,
which only erodes the fledgling freedom.

Freedom without a recognition of the innate spiritual qualities of those

granted such freedom, conjures up fear of where that freedom might lead.
Fear is then likely to be followed by repression. Those who occupy the higher
levels of government, or any other institutions, are prone to belittle the depth
and strength of character of the masses. In doing so, they mistakenly place
control ahead of responsibility and, in doing so, corrupt the ideals they are
sworn to uphold.

Like individual development, all defensive responses within an

organization simply scuttle the natural learning cycle, impede
growth, and create further emotional pain. As this painful cycle
continues, it is only a matter of time before any such
government or group will collapse under their own excess
weight. Governments that cling to any political or religious
doctrine of rigid external control are biologically destined to
fail socially and economically. It is only through rightful
freedom and empowerment that this cycle can be broken.

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Within any democratic form of government there should exist a special unit
which is charged with the responsibility for reducing governmental
influence. The purpose of such a unit would be to encourage a people to take
greater control over their lives and developing greater faith in their own
sensibilities. A government that works in tandem with such an effort will
grown in spiritual qualities along with the governed.

The most recent historical forms of government, including the

American community, have taken an enlightened step forward.
They have arisen due to the growing recognition that liberty---
both freedom and empowerment---are the only way. The early
American visionaries held a faith in the laws of nature and the
inherent rights and abilities endowed within human nature. The
organizing and constitutional documents recognize the
universal equality of human beings, honor the basic urge to
pursue happiness, and set forth protection of individual liberty.

This is the ideal upon which the American government was founded. But
make no mistake about it, there are always those who operate within such a
system that find such ideals to be in conflict with their separate agendas. It is
for this reason that such liberties are eroded.

But like all other governments, they have failed to recognize

the role of negative emotion as a driver of both freedom and
power---power devoid of unenlightened external controls.
Somewhere along the line, the misguided notion that humans
have a sinful or animalistic nature replaced the idea of divine
providence and faith in nature. The result is the attempt to grant
freedom, but without any real empowerment of the people, and
competing political factions which can be likened to the
conflicting purposes of a self-preserving body and a self-
developing mind.

Both religion and science have contributed to the deprecation of human

772
nature, each by making presumptions of that nature that robs it of its
dignity. If humans are sinful, then they need to be kept in line by religious
dictates. If they are anarchistic, then they must be controlled by a plethora
of laws. In each case, outside control strives to take the place of inner
spiritual guidance.

This is simply due to the lack of understanding of human

purpose. Until the understanding is in place that humans have
not one, but three purposes such infighting will continue.
Rightful empowerment must be based upon the inner
accountability to use freedom in purposeful ways that bring
long-term pleasure. Until humans know of their inner
goodness, how to follow divine guidance, and how to avoid
animal level fight and flight responses, there will be the
illusion that they cannot control themselves, the perceived need
for external controls, and all kinds of competitive advise on
how to attain such control.

The road to spiritual enlightenment must be paved by those who are willing
to give up some of the traffic controls and trust that those who travel down
that road are quite capable of steering their own way toward that universal
goal.

Separation of church and state in America has been successful

in disentangling the government from the rigid and competing
belief structures which caused most historical revolt, and it has
encouraged cultural diversity and tolerance. But it has also
created an attitude against any natural purpose, values, or
morality, which in the context of competition becomes a free-
for-all of ignorant moralistic passions which further divide the
union. All political factions which pit conservatism against
liberalism, equality against freedom, competition against
cooperation, one moralistic doctrine against another, or rights
against responsibilities, are misguided and will ultimately be

773
forced by its citizens to change.

When you separate spiritual values from government, you encourage

separation within spiritual institutions, economic philosophies, and
governmental bodies, to the point where all issues automatically become
divided and in opposition to each other.

The acceptance of inner conflict between body and mind

actually bases the concept on good-old-American competition.
It is revered as a pillar of national economic success, yet it
denies equal opportunity. This is a grand illusion, for it is the
cooperative freedom that makes the capitalistic marketplace a
success. Global freedom and empowerment can only be
attained if external controls are removed, the concept of
purposeful inner directed cooperation embraced, opportunities
created, and the rights of all protected against violation.
Ironically, the misguided ideas about competition actually
perpetuated a great deal of violation that would not otherwise
exist.

The concept of a people divided against each other for the purpose of
economic gain only contributes to a fostered state of conflict where there
must ultimately be a victory and an vanquished. Peace, harmony and
cooperation do not naturally evolve from a state of encouraged and
established conflict.

Global Cooperation Without Violation

Rightful freedom and empowerment will minimize competition

because it will minimize anger. Anger is that force which
draws the line in the sand, and safeguards our innate rights by
moving us to fight for them. Once the line is drawn---for all the
world to see---rights are acknowledged and protected through

774
just social structures, competitive anger and win-lose scenarios
are no longer desirable or necessary. In short, there is no
need---nor impulse---in a cooperative world for disruptive,
defensive aggression. Then, as the feeling signals are allowed
to accomplish their purposeful tasks, the self-concept naturally
grows and expands to enfold the needs of others. To the
enlightened mindscape, perpetuating violations to one is
emotionally understood as a source of pain for all. Nonetheless,
until mass consciousness embraces the essential human
knowledge, defense from violation is a necessity.

It would be naive to presume that all it would take to create a world where
conflict would be universally opposed because those who view it would be
repulsed by it, is to wish for such a state and it would be so. In fact, a large
portion of the leadership of the planet's population still believes that conflict
resolution is best achieved through conflict. It is still considered the solution
of first resort rather than one of last resort.

As part of the safeguard systems, any government must have

structures in place which discourage and negatively sanction
survival-level competition or any action which results in
violation. Violation is basically the infringement upon the
rights of others to freely control their own destiny, or any acts
which obstruct another's free engagement in purposeful,
cooperative resource exchange. Violations are acts of singular
self interest which deny the interests of others.

It would behoove any government to set up a system of communication that

encourages those with legitimate complaints to make their views known,
with ample opportunity for those with opposing views to respond in kind.
Following these exchange of views, the general public would be invited to
weigh in with a more detached perspective. In this way, a fair public hearing
would evolve to enable governments to make fair and equitable decisions
where "infringements upon the rights of others" might arise.

775
Humanity has yet to evaluate the very concept of violation and
to extend it to all life forms in the political structures that they
willfully design. These reflections will lead to values which
recognize that global resources are limited, should be
respected, shared, replenished, and conservatively utilized in
social structures that balance resources with those that rely
upon them to meet their needs. Runaway population,
inadequate resources, and cultural values which consume more
than they contribute, are all states of imbalance which
enlightened governmental structures can avoid. For when
balance in the resource marketplace is attained, emotional
energy flows freely, win-win cooperative exchanges become
the natural norm and violations are greatly reduced.

Wherever global resources are not being replenished or intelligently

managed, government can play an important role in encouraging and
requiring those who are exploiting those resources to relegate a certain
portion of their profits to coming up with alternative sources of the needed
material or a re-cycling system that reduces the consumption of such
resource to an acceptable (and non-threatening) level. For example, if the
consumption of petroleum as fuel is threatening the environment, the use of
such fuel can be taxed and that tax used to reduce that level of consumption
and find an alternate, but viable source of energy.

Reducing and eliminating global violation must focus upon

establishing the global values of cooperative resource
development, sharing, replenishment and free exchange. With
the freedom and empowerment for each country to develop and
share their unique resources, global economic health and
development can be assured, without overtaxing the
environment or institutionalizing violation of other people or
species. Successful economics will always ensure that they do

776
not consume more resources than they produce, nor squander
valuable assets. For example, with enlightened global values,
countries that now have economic dependence upon the export
and exploitation of exotic but dwindling animal species, can
instead develop specific exotic experiences by attracting
paying visitors who can find discovery and meaning in the
local nature and culture. Photos, books, cultural traditions, and
stories can be shared instead of pelts, bones and blood.

A country might outlaw the shooting of endangered animals with rifles, but
encourage the taking of photographs or videos with telephoto lenses from
safe distances and the sharing of these accomplishments between those of
like mind. Threatened species would then survive, thrive and multiply, to the
benefit of all who value them. We have choices other than to deplete our
natural resources. Only the self-involved minority wishes to destroy to the
point of general deprivation. We need only but to evolve beyond the point of
government of, by and for the vested interest.

Fostering Global Connection

When leaders of the free world recognize the biological human

blueprint, the greatest achievements of all forms of government
can be culled into some basic global principles that underlie the
development of structural opportunities to empower and
connect all individuals. Freedom and empowerment can
establish justice, but when the connection need is also satisfied,
true civilization can commence.

Communication among diverse cultures that agree to share the values of

human worth, i.e. that human beings are the true treasure of the planet, can
override the most perplexing of problems and lead to creative solutions,
which in turn can lead to increasing civility and opportunity for all.

Like any group, each nation, in its own way, seeks to foster

777
connection amongst its people for cohesion and cooperative
living. But it is the concept of global connection that is yet to
come. Connection cannot occur without justice, for if basic
power and freedom is compromised, individuals will
necessarily break unity and self-protect at the expense of
cooperation. This is a biological certainty and an important
safeguard for any individual---from cell to country. But the
highest pleasures and the long-term rewards of purpose will
only be met through global cooperative connection.

When a nation can apply on a global scale those qualities that are exercised
in achieving connection among its own people, it can take the lead in
achieving justice with tolerated diversity. As barriers begin to come down,
the free exchange of information and goods will encourage the resolution of
imbalances and misunderstandings.

Attaining connection translates into global governmental

efforts to unify and unite individuals and to reduce the isolating
roadblocks that are now so prevalent within and between
human cultural and geographical communities. At present, the
fledgling NATO community is laying the first foundations for
what will become a global constitution of sorts. It will set forth
a mission of universal self-determinism and cooperative
dictates just as the body sets forth the universal human needs.

While NATO does have the potential to break down barriers and bring a
greater level of cohesion between former enemies, it is still oriented toward
the use of force to bring about desired results. Having been founded as a
military entity, it will have to rise from its own ashes to become an
enlightened force for spiritual progress.

If enlightened, it will not attempt to regulate, moralize, or

otherwise interfere with the individual choices within the
resource guidelines. It will ensure the basic freedom and

778
empowerment of each individual country to control its own
cultural destiny and to cooperatively contribute its unique
creative, cultural, and natural resource offerings for exchange
in the global marketplace. Such a document shall contain the
general tenets suggested in the Global Government Mission
Statement, and Declaration of Unity offered herein. (See
conclusion of this Lesson).

It will move toward becoming a United States of Europe, while allowing the
necessary individualization of each respective country, knowing that as
communication and travel expands between these separate countries and
cultures grows, so will the energy of enlightenment grow as well.

Such a document can base an enlightened, cooperative world

marketplace, wherein individual countries choose to participate
and to play by the scant, but effective, global rules. Members
accept freedom as well as the responsibility and accountability
for its purposeful, cooperative use. Official participation can
take the form of economic membership contributions which
support the minimal administration of such a world
government.

When it comes to the establishment of "global rules", the basic rule should
be the fewer the better. The intent to maintain "minimal administration"
would be not only essential but enlightened. By encouraging each country to
exercise whatever creative means it chooses to blend with the ideals of the
collective whole, the true spiritual energy of each will likely come forth.

There can be varying levels of recognition status that can be

earned within the world community, based upon the positive
contributions and the level of cooperation acted upon the world
stage. Positive sanctions and esteem can be offered for
exceptionally enlightened contributions, as well as corrective
sanctions when necessary. Such a structural strategy would set

779
the stage to accommodate the present tit-for-tat morality until
full cooperation is attained. Eventually all countries will see the
tremendous benefits of global membership and willfully
choose to partake, rather than be bullied into compliance by
even the most well-meaning of countries.

Some of these principles are already in place in the western hemisphere and
are beginning to bring economic benefits through agreements such as
NAFTA. On the other hand, the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund are running into feedback that should be telling them that
they need to make a course correction along the lines indicated above.

The American government, which has helped give birth to the

enlightened global order, has also interfered with its natural
evolution by overzealously exporting the concept of freedom in
an unenlightened guise also promoting unbridled competition.
Those countries that recognize the value of equal
empowerment, feel genuine fear and anger over such
imprudent use of aggression, and have resisted cooperation
within the NATO unity in defense of their value of equal
opportunity. For no global cooperative can work without
freedom, equal empowerment, and connection among its
empowered parts, or the oppressed will rightfully aggress and
defense will be necessary.

Too often, a nation that excels in its power base, inversely fails in its ability
to exercise tolerance of views that seem to threaten economic portions of its
power base. This is the point where corporate business interests must be
reined in. A government's military arm must not be used simply as a
protective arm of vested interests which are failing to practice an
enlightened policy.

Competitive Vs. Cooperative Defense

780
But just as the human body is designed to accomplish defense
by cooperative self-regulation, so does a government require a
cooperative form of self-defense. Competitive forms of self-
defense are the kind wherein the mind tries to bully the body
into conforming to misguided beliefs. The deadly habits are all
strategies of competitive defense, wherein one appears to win
temporarily, but both actually lose in the end. Resistance and
revenge upon the legitimate interests of any country are
tantamount to revenge by the right hand upon the left.
Competitive defense is simply a manifestation of the fight and
flight responses, symptomatic of a world without mindful
understanding and control of itself. The level of competitive
defense can be assessed at any time by the amounts of both
weaponry and prisons.

The United States is the leader in both areas of "weaponry and prisons".
This is a distinction that should alert us to the fact that we are probably not
in the state of enlightenment we could and should be in. In our case, the
mind of our enormous government plays the role of bullying us into
believing peace is best maintained by standing ready to make war. As a
result of this misguided concept, we tend to indulge in military actions on a
regular basis. In evolving into a singular world power, it would appear that
the inconsistency of that philosophy is not even considered.

Instead, cooperative forms of defense are those which seek out

informational signals from all realms and act upon them with
Right and Light responses. Cooperative defense will bring
lasting changes that come from global efforts of self-
development. All such efforts will build opportunities which
empower, rather than disempower and destroy people in denial
of the messages of their voices. Defense will take the form of
enlightened prevention and avoidance of conditions which

781
create painful individual and social symptoms. Cooperative
defense will be far more effective at resolving the root
source---the lack of freedom and empowerment---rather than
simply flailing against the symptoms themselves.

The concepts of "fight and flight" carry with them a propensity toward
hysteria which tend to creep into the decision-making process whenever
there is an international situation involving one country on the edge of
conflict with another. Where there are no international examples of conflict
resolution that do not involve taking military action, the latter becomes the
norm rather than the solution of last resort. For example, consider how
much enlightenment was involved just prior to our involvement in the
Persian Gulf War. It would appear that peaceful resolution to avoid military
action was hardly given consideration.

The time is past when humans can deny their brotherhood. The
evolution of human technology has forced humans to confront
their need for global connection and cooperative defense, there
can be no more competitive jungle struggles in a nuclear age.
Most countries already recognize how fight and flight defense
can easily become global annihilation, yet many still scramble
for the power and safety of a hearty nuclear arsenal in a world
that does not yet ensure biological justice. With enlightened
global guidance, countries will be pulled into the unity for the
pleasurable, synergistic benefits of cooperation, rather than be
forced into compliance with painfully competitive threats and
bombs.

Great leaders do not so much push as they inspire. If you are recognized as
being a great and powerful nation, that very status will entitle you to the
distinction of being listened to. If you capitalize on that position, you can
then bring to the world those qualities which ensure true peace, along with
social justice on all levels. To paraphrase one well-known saying: "If you
carry a big stick, you need only speak softly."

782
Cooperative defense consists of a two-pronged approach, of
adding unifiers and removing dividers. Unifiers facilitate the
cooperative whole and utilize positive emotion as an inner
motivation to guide purposeful living. Dividers are those
beliefs, (individual and en mass), which promote inner personal
disunity which is then experienced as outer, social disunity.
Indeed, "no man is an island".

The point which should be emphasized in a situation of potential conflict is

how much the adversaries have in common, how each nation's children may
be only different in the language they speak or the customs of their
respective cultures. To put them at risk for reasons that can probably be
worked out in good-faith negotiations, is to commit a crime against one's
own most precious resource.

Unifying structures are those that force healthy emotional

development, self unity, expressive opportunity and social
cohesion. They find and impart common understandings, allow
all citizens to join the community family, to freely and
consistently meet the basic survival needs in the marketplace of
resource exchange, and find and refine avenues of self-
development and expression. They are common systems of
enculturation which share common values, methods, strategies
and impart knowledge and skills. They are common
infrastructures to facilitate maximum opportunity through
communication, mobility, productivity, creativity, and potential
resource exchanges in local and global marketplaces. They are
mechanisms to ensure access to minimum standards of living,
public safety, and prevention of and defense against
competitive violations. Unifiers will foster and usher the
emergence of natural morality.

It is when we begin to care about each other as human beings and fellow

783
planet dwellers, that we move toward adopting those "principles" and
"structures" which put in place all the intents and purposes listed above. It
begins with an exercise of will and plays itself out through an unlimited
series of creative opportunities.

Dividing structures are any and all which counteract true inner
and outer connection. They are the institutionalized slivers, the
worldviews, educational systems, political persuasions,
religious beliefs, economic institutions that misunderstand the
trinity of self, and/or divide humankind into fragmented,
isolated, competitive groupings. They are external attempts to
regulate behavior, legislate morality, prohibit certain
experiences, thoughts, and/or actions, and justify the
disempowerment and relegation of some humans to positions
of isolation or dependency. Dividing structures ensure that
natural morality will be thwarted.

When competition is taken down to the local human level and people are set
against each other because of their differences, all manner of social problems
spring up and fester. Yet, it is in moving to promote common interests and
the development of those qualities basic to the best in human nature that the
engines of human progress begin to hum.

Such basic and loose guidelines for resource conservation,

freedom, empowerment, connection, and cooperative defense
within the global community shall be sufficient to reestablish
biological justice. Once these fundamental needs are met, the
only necessary limits to individual offerings are the boundaries
of insight, creative imagination, and spiritual feedback. From
there, individual countries can enhance the global structures
with creatively diverse forms of civilizations and technological
ingenuities which meet the cultural and creative desires of their
citizens. Each country can establish civilizing structures of
their choosing which can foster the meeting of needs for self-

784
esteem, creativity, and meaning---all of which should
contribute significantly to the resource pool and economic
health of the country.

There are countries on the planet which are good examples of what can be
achieved when the above described environment is put into practice. While
such countries may not be in complete compliance with the ideals expressed
at this point, they can stand as beacons of inspiration to those on the road to
progress. Success carries with it a certain degree of responsibility.
Cooperation in carrying out that responsibility is a goal worth striving
toward.

Sanctioning Violations

Once a global cooperative agreement with just parameters is in

place, there will arise a world self-regulating feedback
mechanism wherein continuous communications, evaluations,
and corrections can be made. This will include a feeling-driven
judicial court of sorts, wherein grievances can be heard,
mediated, and violations negatively sanctioned. It becomes the
responsibility of each country to actively express in this
manner when any violations are perceived, in order to reduce
pain of any life forms.

What might be construed initially as merely a series of "bitching" sessions,

can be the opening of a collective line of communication directed toward
achieving a responsible exchange of views, with the ultimate intent of
reducing those frictions which (when not addressed properly) too often lead
to exchanges of force. This is particularly true in a world awash in
armaments.

The most effective "punishment" for violators, is not

punishment at all, but negative sanctions which communicate
the non-acceptance of the violation and which actively

785
enlighten the violator about the nature and responsibility of
free will. Once a violator truly understands the concept of
connection, his or her own emotional system will guide the
moral actions, for they will know with fearless trust that their
rights are also protected in this manner.

It would also be important to have these discussions carried out in a public

forum so that citizens from all countries and cultures could view the
positions taken by each side of a disagreement and make it clear to their
respective governments their own insights about the merits of each side. This
would put in place a faith in the innate spirit of human nature with an
opportunity for such spirit to be freely expressed.

The tit-for-tat moral structure can be accommodated within the

membership status classes, wherein trust is assumed, but status
is commensurate with the level of cooperation actually
displayed in resource exchange interactions. With varying
levels of membership which reflect the global esteem earned
through cooperative contributions, countries can earn global
respect and leadership positions. The learning component in all
sanctions is necessary, since development is an individual
process, and trial and error learning with pleasure/pain
feedback, is the most direct route to purposeful self-
development. Just as a child should be given as much
empowerment as can be responsibly used, so then can
developing countries be offered conditional membership, and
allowed their normal growing pains as they learn.

Once politics and manipulation are put aside and leadership, coupled with
responsibility, become the virtues and examples expressed by the stronger
nations toward those not occupying such positions, the evolution toward a
tradition of peaceful resolution of respective problems will follow naturally.

This form of global sanctioning can also be used locally to

786
replace many unnecessary, expensive, and excessive forms of
punishment---which are, at heart, competitive forms of defense.
The concept of incarceration is wrong-minded for many
violators. Safeguard protections would be far more beneficial
wherein the violators were educated, and able to redeem
themselves in ways that positively affect the victim or
community. Giving such a learning experience constitutes an
expressive correction, a Light Response, as well as a Right
Response and is far less costly and far more aligned with the
spiritual system. The popular idea that redemption and
rehabilitation are not possible is a severe limitation within mass
consciousness perpetuated by the myth of sin and evil and
fostered by structures which deny equal opportunity. Humans
can become convinced of their own evil if never offered an
alternative, more enlightened explanation for fight and flight
impulses.

There are times when an incorrect policy must be allowed to move to an

extreme before the fallacy of it can be apparent on a broad enough scale for
it to be corrected. When one country elects to imprison and execute a larger
percentage of its population than any other country in the world, it must
eventually face the possibility that it is not living up to the highest ideals or
the most enlightened policies. Religious and political institutions that can not
lead their members to a greater state of enlightenment will, in the end, be the
followers of the process of change.

The educational system alone can accomplish many such

safeguards and will be discussed separately, but self-regulation
information can be made available in many existing systems
and outlets wherein entities can continuously have access to
higher and higher levels of self understanding, and be given
opportunities to choose the more purposeful and rewarding life
track.

787
Before such a process can proceed to the point of making a difference in the
world we live in, a greater level of awareness of the value of all human
beings must creep into the collective unconscious. This can only start out
with conscious reflection on an individual level.

Local Government & The Feedback Cycle

As should now be apparent, all organisms operate upon the

self-regulating principles of cyclic interaction, feedback, and
correction, and government is no exception. These natural
patterns will guide the most effective forms of any human
grouping and should be recognized as the Creator's divine
blueprint. At present, even with its limits, the American form
of government with its three branches illustrates this emerging
pattern:

What may seem at times to be gross misconduct on the part of our

government, is simply a propensity to stray from the principles upon which
it was founded. One branch or another may seem to be falling under the
influence of forces that are, one might say, less than enlightened. Yet,
because these respective branches can add varied perspectives to the issues
of our time, the opportunity for self-correction remains in place.

The legislative branch sets forth the laws of public policy

which can ensure certain constitutional rights of its people.
This policy is likened to an individual mind's chosen mental
motives which seek to meet the body's needs. The
administrative branch carries out the policies by establishing
and maintaining avenues of opportunity while ensuring the
public safety. These activities are likened to the behavioral
actions in the feedback cycle, where the motives are tested in
the world to see if they attain the desired outcomes. Then the
judicial branch has the task of evaluating that outcome. Finally

788
all three play roles in correcting strategies and policies.

When each branch sticks to its respective role and carries out that role in the
best interest of the governed and is not swayed by political consideration and
future elections, or vested interests and their monetary assets, then the
process can operate in a pure environment. When these respective roles are
subverted, the entire system suffers and no one branch can effectively
correct the missteps of any other.

This form of government has several of the enlightened puzzle

pieces in place, yet still contains judgmental assumptions and
unclear lines of responsibility that promote infighting, conflict,
ineffective communication and development---all of which can
be rectified with the precise understandings of the trinity of
self.

There exists in society at this time an institution which can play the role of
bringing about such a rectifying. Unfortunately, it lacks the understanding
of what these Lessons are trying to express. Were it to adopt this new
paradigm, it would be in a position to begin to influence other institutions,
such as the type of government that was created for the United States to
operate under.

The first of which is the entanglement of economics and the

legislative process, which limits the amount of feedback that is
considered in the policy making decisions. Another is the
removal of unnecessary controls that attempt to legislate
morality or cultural value. Another still, is the removal of
excessive regulation and taxation which interferes with, an
often prevents, free enterprise. All such changes flow from the
spiritual adjudicator, and eventually will come about through
the internal forces of the needs of the people.

What is being referred to in the first case is simply influence paid for by
vested interests which donate generously toward re-election campaigns. The

789
second refers to influential religious groups that claim to represent voting
blocks and, thus, attempt to influence legislation. The third is the evolution
of bureaucratic departments which develop a life of their own and begin to
exercise power far beyond what any of the respective branches of
government ever intended. The correction of these mis-directions lies in the
bowels of the human spirit and can come forth in the proper environment.

At present, the judicial branch can only evaluate against

existing, often conflicting policies, and is severely limited in its
empowerment and often does more harm than good. Many
such judges, base decisions upon doctrine of sin and evil and
further stymie the developmental progress of the nation. This
branch has now become entangled with more administrative
functions in carrying out corrective actions according to
existing, and often flawed policies and laws. Their evaluations
and suggested corrections often breed further intolerance,
victimization, isolation, and loss of personal freedom.

There has been a resurgence in the judicial branch in recent years to

presume that acceptance of the taking of human life under what are
considered to be justified circumstances is in line with the moral guidelines
of our society. Such actions have only resulted in demeaning the quality of
life itself. In short, such actions have and continue to be counter-productive.

If this branch is to be at all effective at balancing power, it

must clarify its role of evaluation. It must have ultimate
authority to render decisions that are fully aligned with the
spiritual adjudicator to ensure that legislation---even the
constitution itself---and all forms of correction stay within the
bounds of the divine design. With the final authority of natural
law as evidenced in the emotional patterns, all cultural laws
can be correctly evaluated so that all guiding policies
continuously evolve to match the divine design.

790
This may require the stretching of understanding beyond the limits of
religious dogma and tradition. It may require the acceptance of ideas that
stretch beyond the limits of Judaic-Christian culture. It will require, at the
very least, a willingness to seek guidance more from within and a trust that
this is where all true guidance dwells.

Representative Government - The Value of Each Voice

Like a body attuned to all of its cells, a government is indeed

"of the people, by the people, and for the people." Enlightened
governments are based primarily upon the input of the people
they serve. Those that are based upon rigid worldviews,
competitive economic interest groups, and limited ideologies
discourage the purpose of self-development and shall relegate
their members to daily doses of spiritual pain. Indeed, like the
body, a government guides the development of the public
mind---a mass reflection of the individual minds which
comprise it, with equally important fluidity in its chosen beliefs
and cultural strategies. Most governments remain in rigid
adherence to value judgments handed down from earlier days
wherein religious worldviews dominated governments.

While the old expression, "You get what you pay for", might be all too
appropriate in our current economic/political situation, in the American
system, citizens do end up with the kind of government practices they have
come to tolerate. The fact is, like the governments we have come to expect,
our cultural outlook is subject to the same limitations of our traditional way
of thinking which are reflected in how those who govern us think and
perform.

At present, those governments based upon this democratic

input process have enjoyed the most success, but many still
suffer the pitfalls of excess economic dividers. As long as

791
representative government promotes competition at the
expense of cooperation, there will be factions of power instead
of the free opportunity for all to become empowered. The laws
will follow the reinforcement of the "haves versus the have-
nots" as those empowered become the loudest voices in the
input process. These are the modern vestiges of
institutionalized dividers along lines of blood and class, which
forced many historical revolts as human voices raged in
spiritual anger.

When 5% of the population ends up with 80% of the wealth, economic

injustice is bound to prevail. Such economic power ends up being passed
down from one generation to the next. Wealth buys the influence to protect
those who have it. This state feeds a level of discouragement which can't help
but grow toward mass indifference toward the political process and a social
level of anger expressed in violence. Hence, more crime, prisons and public
executions.

An enlightened government must also embrace the true

meaning of freedom and equal empowerment and fully honor
the spiritual meaning implied therein. These judgments
automatically stifle many voices whose individual destiny
paths necessitate experiences deemed to be off limits by the
cultural moral choices of some which become local law. Laws
which deny the free-flowing patterns of human trial and error
experience merely thwart their own best interest.

To have the principles of freedom stenciled in concrete around the statues of

those who helped found a government, apparent for all to see and believe;
contrasted against a compromised system which seeks to maintain economic
inequality, is to breed a level of spiritual anxiety destined to result in a
continuing level of decay. A government, like a parent, must allow some
opportunity for learning through mistakes, as long as no serious harm is
done and opportunity for corrective action remains in place.

792
Whether or not the contribution of each member is officially
offered in a political process, all voices can easily be heard to
an attentive ear. A truly representative government listens to all
voices by attuning carefully to the spiritual feedback its
structures bring. Market fluctuations, public opinion, cultural
themes and trends, crime levels, mental illness, and every form
of human pain are all voices to be heard.

When the government servants of an electoral system spend more of their

time concentrating on acquiring the economic resources to get themselves re-
elected than to attuning to the physical, mental and spiritual needs of their
constituents, then the system suffers and declines.

Each community can readily observe the spiritual symptoms of

its folly should it choose to avoid resistant defense. Black
markets, economic subcultures, overcrowded prisons,
exorbitant health care costs, welfare states, self-abuse,
addiction, and violence comprise a veritable chorus of
resounding voices which now falls upon deaf ears. Each social
problem contains its own solution when the underlying needs
and emotional patterns are addressed rather than ignored,
denied, or written off as sinful or incompetent human nature.
Good governments actively seek out these voices and effect
immediate resolutions to the lingering malaise following the
needs and purposes of spirit.

The cynic proclaims, "People are just no good!", while forgetting that he/she
make the very species they condemn. Too often, those who hold political
power delude themselves into thinking they are separate and a step above
those they are elected or appointed to serve. Thus, their time is spent
listening predominantly to those of like mind and stature.

For example, most governments struggle against the human

desire to experience altered states of consciousness by

793
imbibing chemical substances. Likewise, many struggle
helplessly to combat the sale of sexual services. They struggle
because these offer, at present, necessary human learning
experiences. As long as there is a demand for certain
experiences, there will be a supply in the grand marketplace.
This is simply in keeping with the trial and error nature of
human learning, the hedonic inner movers, and the nature of
free resource exchange---all inherent in the Divine Design.

The greatest government resistance is against those substances which can

not be taxed. Those substances which are heavily taxed by government,
become the subject of an economic addition when governments come to rely
on the revenue resource. But the deeper problem is the general lack of
understanding of human nature and its need to explore its surroundings.
Also, it should be understood, that a life of frustration can sometimes lead to
"chemical" escape.

As we now know, all experiences are moral if they serve as

learning experiences, and steps in natural individual
development. In fact, many of the current desires are based in
defensive escapism due to the lack of self-understanding and
the predominance of institutionalized disempowerment and
pain. The demand for such experiences will dramatically
reduce once more unifiers are in place.

To imprison people for initial mistakes may be educational in intent, but the
company of warped attitudes present in such an environment seldom leads
to a state of spiritual enlightenment. Further, if the economic system
continues to punish people long after they have "served their time", then
further violations of law are almost inevitable. Rehabilitating the wrong-
doer should take precedence over punishment, and this requires
understanding and compassion.

Although the answer of simple removal of unnecessary

restrictions would profoundly improve the efforts of

794
government, these symptoms are ignored and denied. The
voices are given no official validity. Likewise, there are many
positive voices which speak of systems, ideas and values which
are working because they bring long-term pleasure. Thus, a
truly representative government must actively search, listen,
and decode each of its positively creative as well as negatively
symptomatic voices. Fortunately, despite historical upheaval
and revolution, many of the enlightened ideas have taken root
here and there, for spirit does indeed push humanity in
purposeful directions.

Government should be in a constant state of revolution, restrained and

controlled, but guided toward the intent of constantly improving the
opportunities of its citizens to express themselves in creative ways. Only in
this full level of opportunity can spiritual enlightenment survive and thrive.

The modern technological advances are beginning to facilitate

the kind of communication and information exchanges that can
yield a far more representative government which can
Although the answer of simple removal of unnecessary
restrictions would profoundly improve the efforts of
government, these symptoms are ignored and denied. The
voices are given no official validity. Likewise, there are many
positive voices which speak of systems, ideas and values which
are working because they bring long-term pleasure. Thus,
creative as well as negative, a truly representative government
must actively search, listen, and,decode each of its positively
symptomatic voices . Fortunately, despite historical upheaval
and revolution, many of the enlightened ideas have taken root
here and there, for spirit does indeed push humanity in
purposeful directions. attune to and synergize all such voices.
These information exchange technologies will begin removing

795
the judgmental and divisive ideas and mechanisms and can
open the floodgates. Administrative governments can interact
within their various institutions to gather and analyze each kind
of feedback and incorporate it into evolving policies. Then
through the ongoing attunement and analysis of the feedback,
governments can shape and develop themselves as effectively
as the most enlightened mind. It can then allow its people to
freely evolve and accomplish the maximum self-development
and expression to hurtle humanity forward in enlightened
cultural evolution. The government that follows the principles
of unity of purpose cannot help but blossom and provide
enriched opportunities for fulfillment.

With the communicative systems we now have in place for a significant

number of our citizens, the public can make its opinion available to the most
responsive branches of our government. Public support can and should
guide government actions. Governments, in turn, can not afford the luxury
of ignoring the public mind. Even today, our news media is beginning to
solicit the public's view on daily happenings. This is an example of an
institution taking the lead in moving toward a more enlightened society.

Financing Good Government

The current situation of humanity is still far afield from the

potential experience of full creative manipulation of energy and
physical matter. The constant energy conversion and physical
manifestation is now mostly accomplished through the earning
and exchange of money. Thus, the grand natural marketplace
has become an economic cultural resource arena wherein
individuals work to receive the financial freedom to design the
life course. The empowerment comes through job opportunities
to create and contribute in the grand marketplace. Thus,

796
freedom and empowerment now revolve around the ability for
each individual to find an economic niche and make a living.
Government then garnishes a bit of these earnings to contribute
to the cooperative structures, or attempts to redistribute
resources to the "needy" who are often not held accountable for
any form of contribution.

So it is that government plays the role of arbitrator of the earned wealth of

the majority, funneling a portion of same to those they deem in need and
giving justification for the ever increasing size of each department in the
process. The existence of poverty provides a comfortable livelihood for those
who make up and apply the regulatory hoops the needy are required to
jump through in order to get the needed assistance. But there is a movement
of late to get them beyond the state of dependency which, if understood and
appreciated, could lead to an increase in enlightenment on many levels,
provided it is carried out with the proper level of compassion.

In lieu of enlightened guidance, most governments thwart

themselves with conflicting assumptions that cause them to
squander the available resources on ventures not aligned with
natural emotional patterns. There is infighting and shifting of
political tides wherein one party reverses a course, and then
another reverses it yet again. Entire agencies are born and take
on self-protecting lives of their own. Government can then
become an unwieldy spendthrift, causing a citizen backlash of
fear, anger, and mistrust against the government.

In a democratic system, these swings of the pendulum are regulated through

the election process. Where this safety valve doesn't exist, change tends to be
more violent in nature. Whatever the method of this warring mentality, it is
clear that the nature of this dissatisfaction lies deep within the human psyche
and will not be resolved until and unless the true values of human nature are
once again honored.

When governments actually find out and provide what people

797
are willing to pay for, they can earn the public trust and can
easily sustain themselves upon a minimal monetary
contribution from each member. Such contributions will be
happily offered, for the fruits they bear will be apparent.
Eventually, when a fully cooperative unity has been attained,
the financial institutions will be deserving of the term "public
trusts" and can serve as direct collection points for
governmental taxes, dramatically reducing the need for entire
collection and enforcement arms. The elimination of black
markets makes all commerce above board, legitimizes each
enterprise, and brings all humans into the cooperative whole,
and thereby dramatically increases available resources. Once
all individuals enjoy just freedom and empowerment, taxation
can be likened to a simple banking service or a percentage
interest rate charge. Public trusts and representation can even
come together into some form of individual designation of how
the tax dollars are to be spent. This can allow individuals to put
their money where their mouth is. In this way the values which
bring the most cooperative empowerment will naturally
emerge.

In our present economic environment, corporations do their best to avoid

paying their share of the revenue. In some cases, they are completely
successful in finding sufficient loop holes in the tax laws to the point of
avoiding taxes altogether. In a competitive system, this practice is naturally
encouraged. However, since the cost of paying taxes is usually passed on to
the customer as a cost of doing business, there can be no justification for
avoiding this responsibility other than the mentality of pure greed. A general
simplification of the tax laws could be the only practical solution, since it
would remove the Murphy Law that more rules created, the greater the
opportunity for exceptions.

Public Infrastructures

798
The government can provide many unifying pathways between
citizens which can bring the maximum freedom and mobility to
each individual life experience. The public educational system
provides a fundamental unifier and the most direct avenue to
the task of providing unifying informational resources. It will
be discussed later in some detail. But there are also other
structural unifiers that the government can foster and even
support if necessary that not only provide safeguards, but
facilitate empowering opportunities.

There is always the need for some baseline of uniformity so that all can
maneuver safely and comfortably within the parameters of reality upon
which we have collectively agreed. Just as rules must be in place to foster the
smooth function of automotive travel, so society needs to agree to certain
rules of interaction to most benefit from one's surroundings.

Major infrastructures such as transportation and

communication networks, public works, public health, and
community utilities are all necessary to an unconnected body.
Governmental guidance and assistance can develop and link
private enterprises and increase need-meeting opportunities for
all and ensure equal access to survival resources. They will
draw upon the inner motivations to welcome all citizens into
the collective, cooperative fold and foster the honor and
responsibility of creative, meaningful membership in the world
community.

Even the human body could not function in an operative manner unless
certain understandings of how physical health should be maintained were
not innate to all levels of consciousness. If and/or when a particular portion
of the body or mind began to overstep its boundaries of influence, a state of
dis-ease would surely develop. Just as the Captain and crew of a ship know
that an indifference of one portion of same can result in disaster for the

799
whole, so a broadening perspective among all portions of society toward the
well being of the whole is necessary for the preservation of life in this
spaceship we call Earth.

The primary governmental task is to open the free market doors

and ensure that the maximum amount of resource exchange
and trade can occur. At present, a great deal of infrastructure is
controlled by administrative government, which could just as
well, if not better, be taken on by private enterprise. The
governmental hand is best when gentle, temporary, and guiding
rather than firm, permanent, and controlling. A government
that forms itself around these innate tenets, shall arise as the
most effective, economically successful, and creatively helpful
to the unfolding evolutionary destiny of the human species.

In the economic arena, government serves best by holding private industry

to the task of serving public need satisfactorily, while remaining with the
confines of justifiable but modest profit. Private enterprises may even
compete for the right to acquire that limited responsibility, so long as
competition does not become an end in and of itself.

We can now examine the specifics of the cornerstone equalizer

of any good government, an enlightened public educational
system.

Global Government Mission Statement

To faithfully, actively, and cooperatively honor divine

providence by offering universal guidance in all ways which
safeguard the natural interactive processes and resources of the
planet, and foster purposeful, connected, creative evolution of
the human species.

800
Declaration Of Unity

In acknowledgement of alliance with divine biological

predestiny, we the people of the planet Earth declare that:

1. By divine providence all humans are created equal;

with the innate biological goodness, impetus, ability,
guidance, and rights to freely control their individual
destiny in cooperative concert with one another.

(Note the similarity to the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence.)

2. With the right of willful destiny comes the self-evident

responsibility for humanity to purposefully, intelligently,
and responsibly use culture to design systems,
technologies, social structures, and cooperatives that
align with and enhance natural predispositions in order to
provide the most fulfilling experience for all life forms.

(Universal freedom cannot survive without an equal share of responsibility.)

3. Creative diversity shall be encouraged, in agreement

that any cultural assumptions, values, beliefs, institutions,
and activities shall strive to rest upon the solid
foundations of natural universal principles found in the
creation itself, and no longer seek to judge, defile, or
deny the divinity, purpose and sacred value potential of
all living beings.

(Nature, itself, can be the best illustrator of life values.)

801
4. There shall be no undue organized interference with
the exercise of individual, willful acts of purposeful self-
preservation of body, self-development of mind, and self-
expression of spirit, within the guidelines of the global
cooperative unity and dictates of natural emotional
dynamics of adaptation and evolution.

(Freedom should predominate over outside regulation wherever possible.)

5. There shall be active, cooperative, and creative efforts

to establish global freedom and equal opportunity to
every human being as basic, just conditions which meet
the non-negotiable inborn needs for freedom, power, and
connection; toward the goal of reducing deficit states
which prompt fear, anger, isolation, and competitive
defensive responses, and enhancing those desirable
states which prompt joy, trust, compassion, and unified
purposeful responses.

(Private citizens should have built-in avenues of communication to

encourage the process.)

6. There shall be active cooperative, and creative efforts

which foster social structures to enable all humans to
meet the secondary needs for esteem, creativity, and
meaning which foster desirable states of faith, inspiration,
courage, honor, and creative delight, without undue
interference with the cultural choices of other members of
the global community.

(In a fostered environment of cultural exchange, this can happen.)

7. There shall be a global effort of cooperative defense to

802
prevent, reduce and correct any violations which interfere
with the free empowerment for individual countries and
persons to pursue the happiness derived from purposeful
value fulfillment in manners they so choose.

(For a limited time into the future, this may require a form of military
action.)

Page 346-361 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Zeta

Lesson Three: Implications For Education

Developing The Public "Mind"

Just as the government must facilitate the needs of body, it also

must assist in the establishment and ongoing development of a
common public mind. Public transportation, technological, and
commercial infrastructures can unite individuals physically, but
it is through public education that they are united in thought
and action. Public education provides the essential
communicative pathways which transmit and enhance culture
in the organized, purposeful manner. Mass consciousness
exists without public intervention, but it can be guided away
from limitations and developed to its maximum value potential
with enlightened approaches. As a top priority, the public mind
must embrace and instill the basic self understandings within
citizens to begin purposeful development of each individual

803
mind.

There can be a thread of agreement allowed to run through the whole of

public education. This thread can be a collective understanding that the
subjects of the education system are capable of far more than is currently
presumed and that the only restriction to unlimited development is the
application of limiting possibilities.

Self-development is the most critical purpose for humanity to

discover at this time, given the dogmatic assertion of science
that survival is the only life purpose. The admission that
"natural selection" evidences pre-determined direction will
bring the next wave of official progress. But it is self evident
that humans, by virtue of this natural capacity to remember and
learn, have the dual purpose of self-development. Learning
allows adaptation to any external challenges far better than
waiting around for genetic mutations. It will also allow deeper
understandings to unfold concerning why such mutations occur
and how they can be consciously controlled.

The "survival" instincts attributed to the human race can not, by

themselves, explain the accelerated progress observed in recorded history.
This process strongly suggests that a second, more intrinsic element is
present and has its roots in a quality beyond mere body and mind. That
quality, when finally recognized by science, will be identified as Spirit.

The public mind is at present a loose conglomeration of

conflicting bits of natural and cultural knowledge, attitudes,
trends, and values, steered by the scientific community and
limited by governmental defensive safeguards. External legal
controls, and prepackaged value judgments become
incorporated into educational approaches as educators scramble
to balance conflicting ideals and offer "official" information.
This problem is compounded further with the recent explosion

804
of available information which often competes with---and wins
out over---official declarations. As a result, the public mind
presently flounders and individual minds are left with
conflicting and limited guidance.

As long as there is conflict and competition, there will be a variance in what

is accepted and taught. This is particularly true in the arena of metaphysics
which has little if any standing in the scientific and academic community. It
would take the discovery of an impressive body of information outside of the
accepted paradigm to alter the current mind set in the educational field.
Might this material serve that purpose?

This situation will continue until there is an enlightened

awakening to the emotional patterns of human nature which
expose the inner guidance, the divine system of self regulation
that drives all purposeful learning. The line must be drawn
between information that promotes versus the destructive path.
The relative nature of reality, information, and individuality
must be embraced. For the mind is not a vessel to be filled with
useless facts and figures, but a receptive canvas whereupon
each of inch individual life unfolds, with experience and
spiritual evaluation as the brush which colors, shades, defines,
and creates meaning. Such a natural portrait brings forth the
most beautiful and complete expression of the innate value
potential, symbolic of the most purposeful rewarding and most
expansive life experience. This approach satisfies the recent
request of the Dalai Lama to enhance education of the mind
with "education of the heart".

Educational institutions such as the War College and the infamous training
school at Fort Benning, Georgia must be closed down. We are beginning to
realize that there is something called 'Emotional Intelligence', which is made
up of more than cold facts and reasoning. It includes instinct and intent. As
it becomes more appreciated, we will move toward a new level of learning.

805
Creative Experiential Learning Vs Receiving Judgments

A fundamental change in educational approach involves

understanding the nature of judgment. As we now know, the
mind has no capacity to make judgmental evaluations, due to
the unrestricted nature of free will. Likewise, the creative
nature of mind leads to unique, individual realities which will
unfailingly replicate themselves in physical experience---
slivers and all. For this reason, the mind is not designed to
simply accept and absorb the conclusions and experiences of
others, such would violate free will. Memory is as fluid and
creative as reality. Historians are beginning to recognize that
any given account of historical events is colored by the
perspectives of the day and that as such, history is not fixed.
This understanding, taken to its natural conclusion beyond the
limitations of space time, recognizes that the power of mind is
always in the present moment and to clog it with unnecessary
limits defeats the very purpose of the creative physical
existence.

The mind alone cannot make judgments. It is the body, through feeling, that
evaluates. The mind, thinking it can "judge" by itself, is what Jesus meant
when he said to "judge not" and what the bible meant by the "fall" when
Eve bit of the apple from the tree of "human knowledge of good and evil".
The mind can not judge or invent evaluative knowledge that works without
emotional guidance. Also, the creative nature of mind has a direct impact on
our physical reality, for better or worse. Even memory shares this quality
and can recreate the past to our liking, should we choose to do so, and we do.
This is what is meant by the virtue of "living in the NOW".

An enlightened educational approach must rest upon the trial-

and-error nature of experiential learning rather than the one-

806
way teacher-to-student flow of information. At present, many
systems waste a huge amount of time and squander the
potentials of great minds by failing to recognize the natural
cycle of action, evaluative feedback, and adaptive learning.
Boredom, loss of passion for discovery, acceptance of
meaninglessness, and angry acts of rebellion are all symptoms
of systems that fight the natural propensities of purposeful self-
development. Many so-called "learning disabilities" would be
far less debilitating if natural experiential, interactive, trial-and-
error learning were allowed to occur.

The grading system of most educational institutions rewards those who best
absorb the thoughts and undisputed facts of the authority figure in the
room, the instructor. Yet, it is those whose spirit compels them to repel this
system that are punished by it. Interactive participation and an opportunity
to exercise one's creative quality will always outweigh passive non-resistance
in the learning process.

The emotional system will continue to reject much of what is

offered under the present systems, for the spirit fights to keep
the mind free for its own creative sake. Of course, this is not to
say that the idea of sharing the experiences of previous
generations is not valuable and necessary. For the mistakes of
the past can offer a wealth of strategic information. But it is to
say that each individual must pass any incoming information
before the spiritual adjudicator. The spirited mind seeks to
find the patterns within the stories, the meaningful transitions,
and feeling experiences emphatically and intuitively shared.
The only way to discover innate values is by sharing
experiences in such a way that vicarious feelings alert the mind
of the personal interest or aversion to any given experience.
Long-term learning comes only from impressing the mind of
its duty to discover and create strategies that bring long-term

807
pleasure and avoid all but learning pain. It must first be
allowed to self-direct and create in order to evaluate and
correct its work.

The student who is caught between accepting the instructor's or the text
book version of truth and his own instinctive understanding of same, will
find that going with the latter will result in his/her being rejected from the
learning institution, or at least being "down-graded" for the effort. The
making of mistakes should be a built-in opportunity and considered essential
to the learning process. In other words, the current "grading" system is
counter-productive and leaves little room for "doubt and reflection" on
behalf of the student.

With this essential information in place, enlightened educators

will focus far more on how to understand and embrace the
natural learning and self-regulation process. In fact, they will
distinguish immediately between mental value judgments and
emotional evaluations, truly willful gems and conditioned
slivers, and help individuals find and resolve existing
judgmental slivers they may already hold. They will instill with
mantra-like constancy the understanding of the experiential
learning cycle of "motive, action, outcome, evaluation, and
correction". They will provide active, expressive opportunities
to learn why things hurt and why they feel good, and how each
feeling holds meaning at each step of this ongoing cyclical
process, as they evolve evermore complex understandings of
themselves, their world, and their purposes within it.

In other words, the best instructor will teach individuals how to best use
their emotional bodies to learn and expand the Spirit. In this way, mental
limitations imposed by prejudicial thinking will eventually be recognized for
its limitations and the "limitlessness" of human nature will be encouraged
and rewarded, not just in school but in life.

Classroom hours will be spent in far more interactive

808
cooperative, experiential processes, and far more outer
excursions and hands-on activities will take place. Meaningful
transitions will be embraced and celebrated as abilities and
boundaries expand, but without long periods of separation
between grade levels. Opportunities to contribute will abound
from the earliest ages, wherein peer counseling, tutoring, and
mentoring allow mutually beneficial exchanges, skill modeling
and plenty of practice communicating, negotiating, and
creatively expressing. Public education can provide the safety-
net for any citizen who may seek escape and solace from any
ongoing situation of violation.

It might be time for educational institutions to formulate their own "Mission

Statement". Much as that term is maligned, it would help to give focus to the
purpose of what a properly educated person can and should be. Educational
perimeters can be expanded when barriers between those in the learning
process are removed and those who think they have learned something can
be exposed to those who need to learn and both can benefit and grow.

There will be constant focus upon the natural developmental

track that each human being proceeds along. It will stand in
stark contrast and constant comparison with the wrong track of
survival's competitive defense. There will be encouragement
and opportunities to attain the highest and broadest level of
self-development and self-expression. Trust will develop
through the organized, synergistic, cooperative support
networks wherein humans help each other along. All forms of
resistance and defense are well known as roadblocks to long-
term reward and students offer one another structured support
with feedback when defenses are displayed in any form.

Because today's grading system rewards those who conform and comply
with the line of information and the method of delivery, those who benefit

809
the most from this erroneous method of indoctrination will also be its
greatest defenders. Those who are given the lowest scholastic marks, will
generally lack the self-confidence and support to question those who defend
and support it.

Such an educational environment will provide the common

understanding and acceptance of the uniqueness of each
person's reality and the sharing of perspectives with the goal of
broadening each person's self-concept to include perspectives,
needs, and purposes of others. This inclusion can range from
anything from merely respectful, nonjudgmental detachment
which allows very different individuals to respect each other's
willful choices from a safe distance; to compassionate
tolerance for varying developmental levels which foster
cooperative interactions; to creative compassion wherein action
choices pull vastly different individuals together in common
cooperative developmental and expressive exchanges.

The greatest educational experience can come from the honest sharing of
perspectives, based on individual experiences. Once we get beyond
judgment, the method of involvement will be regarded as that which is
appropriate to each individual and his/her comfort zone. The only basic
ingredient essential in the mix is tolerance.

The Scope of Public Education

The enlightened self-understandings will suggest immediate

changes in the scope and structure of public education. The
educational institution can play a primary role in ensuring the
just conditions of equal empowerment. Thus, its scope must
expand to ensure as many avenues of unifying developmental
experiences and expressive opportunities as possible. This will
involve cooperative purposeful structured interactions with the

810
economic marketplace and all other social institutions.
Government can play a leadership role in terms of setting
policy, structures, and initial funding, but eventually the
educational systems can be run by unified networks within
private enterprise.

The concept of allowing private enterprises to handle the educational

responsibilities of a society is not that foreign. The best schools are often
those identified as private schools and tend to stay in business because they
are able to compete with public schools of like kind, even though those who
sent their children to them, were required to pay for the privilege out of
their own pockets. But to create a level playing field, all schools (like
businesses) should be private in nature, so no schools would have the
financial advantage of being "free".

First and foremost, an enlightened educational system must

embrace each and every citizen--- with equal access at any
and all ages. Access to unifying and empowering information
and developmental opportunity is the best form of cooperative,
preventative defense against a tremendous amount of
individual and social pain. At present, the prohibitive economic
dividers against equal access to educational opportunity have
squandered a huge percentage of creative value potential.

If every citizen, regardless of age, had an equal opportunity to acquire a

quality education, whereby the expense of such would be available to public
funds paid to private institutions, which could collect those funds only if they
prove capable of supplying and accomplishing the educational needs of each
respective student. Schools would compete for students just as car
manufactures compete for customers by producing the best product for the
dollar. The presumption is that the better a society is equipped, the better it
functions.

Another obstacle is the institutionalized belief that

development is one dimensional, automatic, and stops at some

811
magical age of adulthood, perhaps at age 18. In fact, if
adequate emotional development is not in place by such an age,
then it is all the more essential to offer educational support.
Each and every individual who roams the streets of any village
in the world, driven by corrective pain rather than being pulled
by purposeful pleasure is symptomatic of this need. The world
has not only been deprived the synergy of many ingenious
offerings, but has been dragged further down, defending itself
against the resulting competitive criminal approaches to basic
need fulfillment created by injustice and emotional isolation.

Given a choice between learning a trade or acquiring insights into the

meaning of life, versus being forced to adopt creative and daring means of
survival which can lead to incarceration, the former will tend to be the likely
choice. Universal education can provide a door to the positive alternative.
The expense of "policing" a society is better spent in educating it.

The most fundamental goal of public education is to provide

orientation and practice into the workings of one's self and the
workings of the world in general. With enlightened education,
each individual is awakened to his or her own purposes, value
potentials, rights and responsibilities, and provide opportunities
to develop and freely pursue them in any manner of willful
choosing. It will find incredible success in engaging the inner
self-regulating mechanisms and pulling individuals toward
their value fulfillment with the positive emotional reward of
connected, esteem building, meaningful, creative experiences.

Eventually, awarded degrees (such as BA, MA or PHD) could be replaced

with Certificates of Knowledge in particular fields of learning. Thus, each
particular accomplishment would add to the individual's self esteem and
allow him/her to pursue their own area of interest, regardless of what that
interest might be, so long as it contributed in some way to the betterment of
society.

812
The most successful structures will be those designed to
accomplish the maximum opportunity for need-meeting, those
that offer hands-on ways to meet the six universal needs and
embrace the purposeful development within each experience.
These experiences will facilitate understanding of universal
needs and foster the cooperative respect for the needs of all
others as well as crystallize understanding of how each feeling
signal offers corrective guidance.

Educational institutions which equip their subjects with the broadest

possible level of understanding of themselves, society and the universe
beyond, and which supply them with the skills to function in a positive
manner, are playing the essential role for which they exist.

This would include the earliest possible recognition of the

connection and emotional universality between humans and
foster cooperation, tolerance and compassion for the choices
and errors of others. It would honor the inherent value potential
in each human being, respect that the creative power lies in the
present moment, and create an urgency for it to manifest itself
in the world. It would make the mind aware of how esteem is
earned through purposeful development and expression, and
not through defensive superiority of belittlement, idle
indulgence, family connections, materialistic competitive
consumption, or empty external praise. It would release the
mind from its chains of bondage, teach it to remove any
existing slivers, and set it free to create.

So much of our intellectual and emotional energy is wasted in maintaining

delusions about the measures of value that have little to do with inner
spiritual development. These false perceptions may offer enhancements of
self-worth to some, but too often do so at the expense of others. A uniformly
rising tide raises all boats equally, regardless of size or stature.

813
The Structure of Public Education

This expanded scope can be facilitated by added structures

which network individuals and groups and remove as many
isolated conditions as possible. Public education would blend
both purposeful self-development and self-expression. The
expressive, experiential component can be facilitated by
student networks throughout all age-levels who offer guided
support to one another through structured community service
requirements. Such roles as school bus helper, playground
negotiator, cafeteria litter patrol, nurse assistant, art assistant,
peer counselor, office assistant, language helper, math helper,
etc., can all be structured into the daily educational experience.
A shifting schedule of assigned roles can allow students to
engage in varying levels of challenge and explore areas of
interest that dovetail with the real-world of marketplace
resource exchange.

Erasing the barrier between trade school education and preparatory schools
for higher learning by allowing students in all school systems to play out
roles of responsibility in all walks of life, will not only raise their level of
experience in the world beyond schooling, but will help to reduce an elitist
attitude in future societal roles.

At the earliest ages, this provides immediate understanding of

how the interactive resource exchange occurs and engages the
emotional system in the context of cooperative interaction.
This affirms immediately that when one takes, one gives back
to the best of one's ability, immediately embracing the esteem
of being an active, contributing part of a cooperative whole. To

814
the youngest students, each can pass equally through a set
number of diverse "jobs" wherein they all gather a wide
exposure, begin to feel attractions in special directions, and
recognize that equal opportunity implies equal value, no matter
what dividers might otherwise exist. Such experiences can
bring positive emotional rewards at even the most tedious and
"lowly" of jobs. For the feeling of connection and contribution
alone can embrace even the most isolated individuals when
they recognize their value and the rewards of contribution.

The best method of democratizing a society is to begin at the earliest possible

stage where individuals must begin to have social contact in some formal
setting. The educational field is such a setting. What the young learn here,
they will carry with them into their adult lives. Adult society will function
more or less smoothly, depending on what lubricants have been worked into
the early social patterns.

A wide variety of such community service jobs should be

offered at each age level, with more variety and diverse levels
of challenge offered as the students progress to higher grade
levels. This flexibility can provide opportunities for many
levels of ability, interest, learning styles, backgrounds, and
individual inclinations as well as encourage the taking on of
increasing levels of challenge. Such community service
structures can also provide significant manpower and resources
to enhance learning without equally dramatic cost increases.
Higher level students' regular structured learning would include
assisting in the education of lower level students in cooperative
resource. This can provide big-brother/sister mentoring and
unions which can fill voids within family structures as well as
provide enriched learning experiences for both parties.

The point and purpose of education would then move beyond the regular

815
teacher/student relationship to a blending of student as teacher, applying
that which is learned through the process of passing it along to others at an
earlier stage of the learning process. Younger students would find role
models to emulate and older students would develop a sense of responsibility
toward others in society who wish to better themselves. The ramifications of
such practices would have long term win-win consequences, both for
individuals and society as a whole.

As the educational scope broadens, so can the actual structures

utilized within the educational process. Interactive networks
within and between all public and private need-meeting
organizations can facilitate synergistic benefits and profitability
for all concerned. For example, if it were to begin at much
earlier ages, public education could provide quality, structured,
enriched environments in lieu of day care for working parents,
with emphasis upon early emotional engagement, self unity,
and cooperative trust. This could provide safeguards which
could dramatically reduce the isolating effects of family
dysfunction as well as provide enrichments for the most fertile
developmental periods. Likewise, senior citizens could share
their wisdom and find purpose instead of isolation. Transitional
housing, hostels and even long-term living arrangements can
be incorporated into the educational network to provide the
open-armed welcome social embrace of safe escape from
situations of injustice and violation. Similar interactions with
the judicial system can provide far more successful
rehabilitation than can incarceration alone.

The very process of developing educational opportunities (whether they be

in the role of teacher or student) in all areas of life could result in moving the
more disillusioned from a life of despair to a life of promise and
achievement; on toward the establishment of family and financial stability.

Once education is extended to individuals of all ages and

816
circumstances these community service jobs can include actual
apprenticeships and positions within the public marketplace.
Within a continuum of complexity, the community service jobs
can simply transition into established positions structured for
the purpose within and throughout the larger community under
the educational umbrella. Temporary, transitional, educational
positions pave the way for gainful employment into private
professional relationships. Open door education could facilitate
adaptation to life-changing events, offer ongoing retraining,
and offer opportunities for career changes at all ages.

While these transitional experiences are already taking place in present-day

society, too often there are periods of genuine financial hardship experienced
in the gaps between one stage of life and another. Refining the educational
process along the lines suggested in these Lessons would go a long way in
minimizing those hardships and keep society in a more stable state.

Interim systems of transferable monetary vouchers wherein

students seeking any form of education can participate in
interactive apprenticeship programs which provide labor in
exchange for hands-on experiential learning. These specific
"educational" jobs, designed for specific and myriad skill
levels would offer increasing levels of challenge throughout the
resource marketplace. Such strategies not only can balance the
needs of all, but can accomplish mutual profitable benefit.
Such cooperative structures could first be supported through
tax breaks to participating businesses and alignments with non-
profit charitable organizations. Eventually, such guided
educational opportunities could be interwoven and solely
supported by private enterprise.

Private enterprise can be moved toward a position of financial sponsorship

when it can see that its vested interest is benefitted. A business that needs a

817
study supply of trained and capable employees, will see the financial merit of
helping to develop same. If tax incentives are the means through which a
corporation is so motivated, this can serve as the instigating factor. Again,
this can be a win-win situation. Companies that now hire lawyers and
accountants to avoid paying taxes, could waive the expense and further
experience the rewards of being philanthropic while improving their public
image.

For example, each business could structure 20% of its work-

force to interact with the educational system to an equally
valuable percentage of tax benefit. Hotels and living complexes
that participate in educational safety-net housing would enjoy
similar tax benefits or subsidies. Eventually, the wisdom and
benefits of such cooperative interaction will eliminate the
requirement of monetary exchange , for they will become
integral profit enhancing parts of the resource marketplace,
naturally improving upon existing systems and filling social
voids. The ultimate governmental role would be only to
provide the structural guidance of educational policy and to
ensure the maximum avenues of educational opportunity are
established. Just and equal empowerment is the ultimate
educational goal.

Business can be brought to this point of enlightenment by those who can

begin to see that long-term profit and financial security is based upon a
balanced investment in human resources, leading to realization that all
potential customers are employees and vice versa. It can become apparent
that a trained, educated and employed society will keep the wheels of
business humming. Government can and should play the role of leading the
proverbial horse to the water, while convincing it of the merits of taking a
drink.

Such a structure would far more validly align with human

need, purpose, diversity and biological justice. It would
acknowledge and facilitate the ongoing nature of self-

818
development, acknowledge the long-term rewards of
cooperative interaction and not confuse equal empowerment
with equal result. It would celebrate and encourage individual
proclivities and offer multitudinous avenues of opportunity
most suited to any particular destiny path. It could prevent the
continuing contraction of public education and replace musical
and art programs that have gone by the wayside and
aggressively increase all avenues and opportunities for creative
expression. Rather than try to force individuals into narrow
molds, such a structure would honor and encourage the
diversity of thought and expression necessary to drive
purposeful evolution.

A society's individual successes need not be tied to levels of productivity in

the area of goods and services. Some of the contributions to the general well-
being can and should come in the areas of the arts, for this is also necessary
for a well-balanced civilization. Just as corporations get tax breaks for their
financial contributions to public radio and television, so such could get the
same financial incentives for assistance to educational institutions which
sponsor special studies in art, music and theater.

The additional work force from community service and

training programs can also resolve unaddressed problems at
their source, ultimately replacing many existing corrective
social programs through successful prevention of the emotional
disunity that creates most every social ill. It can even
eventually replace much of which now goes into prisons and in
global competitive defense, and shall remain the cornerstone of
good government---indeed the foundation of civilization.

The pouring of government money into social welfare programs may seem
like a good idea on its surface, but experience has suggested that it often
tends to condition people to a state of dependence which ultimately is
detrimental to the spirit. Because this financial aid is so minimal, those on

819
the receiving end often seek other means of support beyond the confines of
the system, a system that then punishes their efforts to help themselves.

Such systems which attune all individuals to the way life

works, the way body, mind, and spirit each offer united and
unfailing guidance, and provide the maximum amount of
interactive opportunities can allow all people to understand and
passionately follow the bliss that will manifest the maximum
progress along the destiny path.

To take the bold steps in this indicated direction does require an enhanced
faith in the innately positive nature of the human family. Some evidence is
beginning to emerge that the potential of these broadened solutions is there
and that maintaining a balance in financial areas can compliment balanced
growth in human areas, as well.
Early and Elementary Education

The earliest education should provide the enrichments which

can allow hungry minds to flourish and the development of
complex and balanced brain structures. The earliest school
years will focus upon emotional attunement and early mental
development as discussed previously. These are the spiritual
fundamentals which must underlie all methods of transferring
important cultural knowledge---teaching the standard reading,
writing, and arithmetic. By combining these principles with
early learning opportunities which exploit the brain's plasticity,
incredible learning can occur---which includes dormant multi-
lingual, musical, and artistic talents, and manifests dazzling
potentials and creative inclinations which would boggle the
present day public mind.

Educators are well aware that the learning of a language, for example, is
easier at the earliest stages of learning. Creative opportunities in music and
art are also ready for tapping at this early stage. When educational systems

820
can layer the 3 "R's" upon a program of creative expression, the long-term
result is an overall stimulation of the learning experience that lasts well into
adulthood.

Spiritual understandings can be presently instilled without

upsetting any existing doctrines which separate church and
state, if the emphasis remains upon biological self-regulation of
the dual-self model (body and mind). But one major change
will be understanding that experience and emotional feedback
are the best teachers, and the purpose of self-development
insists upon an open, liberal, and individually designed
mindscape. The idea of mind control, sheltered protection,
censorship, and the filling of an empty vessel with "the right
ideas" is quite limiting. Instead, classrooms will offer safe and
structured real world interactions that immediately orient the
child to their ability to control their own destiny. No legitimate
controversy need arise from practices which facilitate
cooperation, connections, empathy, respect, responsibility, and
self control.

Universal principles of positive human relationships, devoid of the

accouterments of dogmatic belief systems, can compliment the learning
process and teach individuals that they can play a major role in creating the
successes in their respective lives. How they feel about what they do can
serve as the appropriate guiding factor to behavior. Guilt need not be
programmed so deeply that it causes emotional problems later on. In truth,
it need not be a "program" at all. Mistakes can be viewed as a part of the
learning process and not something resulting in eternal punishment.

Curriculums, exercises, cooperative projects, field trips, stories,

presentations, "job" experiences, and routines will seek to
instill basic self-regulatory information, an empowered sense
of unique value potential and willful perspective; an equal,
universal, sense of belonging within a welcoming world;

821
awareness of life along purposeful developmental paths, and
the evaluating role of feelings. Contrasts will be made
continuously between the right track of purpose and the wrong
track of deadly habits. Mistakes become laughable growing
pains and opportunities.

The greater the level of enjoyment associated with the learning process, the
less resistance to the idea of learning. This is bound to have beneficial, long-
term effects on an individual's life experience. Confidence is built by doing
and much learning is meant to be a process of trial and error. Without a
recognition and appreciation of the latter, there can be no lasting progress.

Providing an unwavering cultural expectation of mutual

acceptance for all human mistakes as inevitable to the learning
process, combined with communal agreement to support each
other to make corrections, can build cooperative trust,
empathy, and mutual respect, as well as minimize defensive
responses which might otherwise become habitual. Making a
clear distinction between meanness and kindness and
emphasizing the feelings produced from both strategies will
minimize the competitive and isolating defensive and offensive
actions. Humorously contrasting effective communicative
techniques with ineffective ones, both verbal and nonverbal,
that contrast feelings of giver and receiver can foster solid
expressive skills and awareness of how others' perceptions
might vary. Enjoying ongoing repetitive cyclic experiences
where plans are carried forth to completed outcomes will instill
the understanding of how keeping organized and on top of all
challenges keeps the stress and pain of unfinished business at
bay.

Each instructor must keep the level of kindness in the learning environment
at the maximum whenever possible. Nothing is more distracting and

822
demeaning than the cruelty of one's peer's. Meanness is not only detrimental
for the recipient, but it is also a harmful habit of conduct that results in
negative experiences later on in life. We have already begun to see and
understand the dire consequences of indifference to the "bully" mandate in
our schools.

Recognizing the role and power of fear and anger as signals of

deficit states that need immediate correction, and how they lead
to hurtful defenses can keep even the youngest children aligned
to the purposeful path. Offering clear understandings of how
self-deception, even little white lies, are actually methods of
defensive escape which create painful distance instead of
enhancing happy connection. Play-acting scenarios which
demonstrate tit-for-tat morality and vividly depict how lies
always bring pain in the end can help curtail the development
of many common deadly habits. All such self-regulation
information will foster the emergence of natural morality and
allow the unfolding of the higher feeling signals of trust,
confidence, compassion, pride and courage, and prevent
learned shame, guilt, arrogance, or hatred.

Plays and cartoons with a moral point can benefit those in the learning
process, particularly when those "points" are a subject of guided discussion.
In an environment where truth is encouraged, trust is bound to follow and,
with it, a whole series of positive feelings and experiences.

People are always characterized as good, yet necessarily

subjected to human learning error as the price paid for free
will. Violations are treated as learning mistakes. Positive
inducements are used to open inner motivations, and
withdrawal of pleasure is used when corrections are necessary.
Intimidation, ridicule, corporal punishment, and any form of
negative, pain inducing motivators are contradictory, and even
destructive to an evolving sense of value and cooperative trust.

823
They demonstrate a lack of faith that the child can exercise
self-control and are contrary to purposeful self-development.

In a positive learning environment, the subject is given the necessary

instruction to perform a task. He/she is then allowed to attempt that task
and, if an error is made, shown the correct way and encouraged to repeat
the effort until the task is mastered. The rate of learning is not held against
the subject and no social stigma is attached to the time or effort needed to
achieve a particular end.

It shall be readily acknowledged that grownups can make

mistakes too, and neither teachers---nor parents---are ever
excluded from the feedback process. Indeed, children have
much to teach their elders about openness, spontaneity and
discovery. The absence of blame and the presence of empathy
shall allow exploration of alternative choices to any traditional
approaches. Habit patterns from dysfunctional homes can be
discouraged through "time-out" isolations where the child feels
the loss of companionship and the benefits of cooperation, but
the belief behind the behavior is discussed as well. Drawing
comparisons and constant references to how each action puts
one either on the right track or the painful path can quickly
reorient the mind to the spiritual feedback cycle.

Intellectual arrogance is an example that teachers and adults too often set
forth. If learning is to be held up as a virtue and goal, then a willingness to
learn should be something taught by example. Those who come from a less
than conducive environment can be helped by those with an opportunity to
spend an extra amount of time in one-on-one communication and empathy.
This can be built into the teaching curriculum and made an essential part of
the process.

The daily routine will be punctured with many hands-on,

interactive projects and activities. There will be an emphasis on
problem solving, puzzle completion, artistic creation, musical

824
appreciation, and every form of experience through which
meaningful patterns can be discovered. Recognizing patterns
and rhythms within sound and light will create neural synapses
which recognize and intuit patterns of meaning. Experiencing
plenty of both linear and gestalt patterns will unite and
strengthen the dual hemispheric functions within the brain.

The most balanced form of thinking is that which results from a

complimentary relationship between those respective qualities of the left and
right brain. It should be noted that there will likely be a tendency of any
child to lean toward one side or the other. However, this need not be judged
to be good or bad in any way, but as natural as tending to be right or left
handed.

Reading and other exercises with vivid imaginative visual

imagery and powerful emotional resonance can stimulate
untold brain networks which would otherwise lie dormant, and
open young minds to many of their highest capabilities.
Physical movement, vocalizing, and the broadest variety of
new and diverse activity experiences can all maximize
physical, as well as mental, and spiritual health. Curriculums
will include regular, fun, and actively shared dreams and
detailed images of what children want to become in the future,
how they want to live. Dramatic role playing or otherwise
depicting or sharing the most exotic of fantasy potentials are
"games" with very powerful and very real positive effects upon
the developing mindscape, and the realities created.

Any activity which helps an individual exercise his/her creative potential,

particularly that which puts into play the imaginative capabilities, is
essential to reorienting and putting into practice the act of forming one's
reality. While being introduced as imaginative play, it can be taught as a
natural tool in a reality which is a product of one's inner world.

825
There will be regular and diverse treks into nature to explore
and discover meaningful patterns and dispel fearsome myths.
Resonating with nature and feeling a sense of belonging can
rapidly facilitate respect for and attunement to the inner
abilities and guidance. Pattern recognition is the most awe-
inspiring within nature, wherein the mathematical precision of
natural processes and cycles inspires the highest faith in the
integrity and intelligence within creation, which transcends to
the self as part of that creation. Children need never fear, but to
respect the power of nature. They can find both safety and
power in discovering the night sky, witnessing the foraging of
nocturnal creatures, planting seeds in the dirt, being drenched
by rain, and whipped by wind. Such exposure develops a
healthy sense of unwavering faith, connectedness, and respect
for the goodness and power of nature.

A respect and appreciation of the universal laws reflected in nature can only
serve to ingrain a willingness to protect one's environment to the fullest
degree. Once nature becomes less feared and more respected, the urge to
exploit it will diminish and nature, itself, will adopt a greater role of
protector instead of destroyer. Playing in the rain is even healthier for
children than swimming in a chlorinated pool and certainly more spiritual.

As self-development unfolds in the context of freedom, power,

and connection, the self concept of each child naturally
expands to enfold an ever broadening range of "'others".
Empathy and compassion deepens as the pains and pleasures of
others are vicariously experienced. Competitive games of win-
lose superiority will lose their allure, as the truly cooperative
nature of playing by the rules and taking turns is recognized.
Acceptable forms of competition will be those that pit any
child against only himself as additional motivation to
continuously better his skills and abilities. Win-win solutions

826
are encouraged within all interactions, and activities structured
to demonstrate that when someone a child cares for has any
success, that success feels good to both. This vicarious pleasure
indicates a healthy connection while the pain of jealousy or
guilt is recognized as an indicator that further self-development
is necessary.

To refute an often quoted sports icon, "Winning is not only not everything, it
is not even the only thing." A game of golf played with one's self as the only
opponent is far healthier than a game of professional football where the
ultimate prize is little more than financial security or a loss thereof. Sports
develop character only when they bring out the best in children, that being a
willingness and understanding that all benefit from individual success.

Early education can instill freedom and empowerment to create

within the context of trust and cooperative connection in ways
that can release humanity from its chains of survival-level
competition. It can rapidly usher a far more civilized,
cooperative state of existence.

For a system to change from what it generally reflects today to what it can
reflect tomorrow, requires a paradigm shift in the general thinking of the
adult world. Unfortunately, since the adult population is generally less open
to non-traditional perspectives, it sometimes takes a major upheaval to
stimulate that "shift".

Intermediate and High School

As each grade level is completed, higher levels of both

freedom and responsibility are to be the rewards of such rites
of passage. At these older ages, children are ready to absorb
more abstract and symbolic concepts, although the experiential
and interactive strategies shall continue. The emphasis

827
becomes providing a myriad of structured opportunities for
students to independently manage, and learn from their
experience---to try their wings and get support, corrective
advice, and encouragement when they make learning mistakes
or "fail". Cooperative empowerment is enhanced by more
challenging and diverse opportunities to create, express, build
esteem and be able to find meaning in each experience to
further hone the budding mindscape.

Because peer pressure can be such a positive or negative force in the

learning process and because it is often reflected in the outward appearances
and manners of the young, great emphasis should be put on allowing the
learning activity to take place as publicly or privately as circumstances can
dictate, while keeping the supervision and encouragement of the learning
process intact.

The most enlightened structures will allow for a blend of short-

term and long-term goals which will allow the student to
advance at any pace possible. Such advancement comes with
the completion of structured challenges and within the broad
array of experiential opportunities to test one's wings. There
shall be no limits externally placed upon the desires and efforts
when accountability and success is demonstrated, nor should
there be judgmental sanctions placed upon paths which might
meander or need additional time to recover from previous
limits or deficits.

So much emphasis is placed on keeping the learning pace as uniform as

possible, that the heard instinct becomes predominant in the minds of the
students and the educators as well. Instead of emphasizing the achievements,
it is the failings in particular areas that end up getting most of the time and
attention. It should be recognized that the learning process is as diverse as
the individuals indulging in it.

828
Curriculums in traditional middle and high schools can build
upon the earlier base with the finer and evermore complex
points of the divine spiritual feedback system as well as share
all forms of cultural knowledge and experience. All delivery of
cultural knowledge can then be accomplished without the
normal pitfalls of force-feeding facts, figures, and prepackaged
judgments which are quickly forgotten, but rather emphasizing
the dynamic patterns of human adaptation and creative change.
All "information" should be acknowledged and treated as
conditional, to be offered as potentials which might be useful
upon the purposeful path at some point. Instilling the necessity
of the complete openness of mind, how value is relative to the
universal needs, and individual value potentials will be far
more effective. Tolerance for the choices of others will lead to
a natural state of open friendly banter, feedback, mutual
respect, and agreement to disagree while remaining truly open
to all potentially rewarding information and strategies.

The history of human progress is the history of creative response to the

challenges of the time. Such successes (or failures) serve to point future
generations in a constructive direction. Specifics are less important than
patterns of behavior and sensing the experience of the times in a memorable
manner which holds meaning in the mind of the student for an extended
period of time. Just as perspectives vary, so do creative solutions. The
sharing of perspectives in an atmosphere of open-mindedness is the key to a
full and complete educational experience.

Job opportunities, direct and vicarious learning experiences,

and general curriculums could revolve around the purposes of
body and mind, the conflicts between them, the innate defenses
and distorted mindscapes, and the deadly habits they create.
Dramatic play-acting of undesirable as well as purposeful
experiences can instill the preventative gut-level

829
understandings of how short term pleasure can bring long-term
pain, and develop life-giving habits which will endure short
term pain to gain long-term purposeful pleasure.

Here is where the arts and theater are essential to a completed education, as
they serve as an opportunity for those in the learning process to identify with
the problems of their own time and how the solutions they elect to apply to
them can continue to reverberate throughout their lives. Such plays can be
written, directed and performed by any and all who wish to participate.
Then, they can be evaluated for their learning content.

The mind's evolving ability to recognize and intuit meaningful

patterns will become ever more adept as deeper patterns within
nature and within the mathematical and logical harmonies rise
within the conscious awareness. Mindscapes freed from time
consuming slivers, create realities and further developmental
experiences which can instead expand upon themselves in
astounding ways.

True creativity, when pointed in the direction of enhancing the quality of life
in a harmonious environment, can produce results which can be expansive in
nature.

At these stages, the complex emotional signals are deciphered

and each feeling tone is seen in the context of self-development
and self-expression as well as the complex emotional patterns
of others. Clarifying the two good and bad life tracks can
expand to include the stages of human evolution and how
living within purpose naturally brings one from the survival
level, to the being state on to the transcendent destiny potential.
The specific pitfalls (cognitive distortions, deception,
resistance, and revenge) of the wrong track of defensive
responses become more complex, as students begin to grasp the
higher level of the directive to "judge-not". Exercises which

830
give plenty of experience with uniqueness of other's reality,
and how honest intimacy builds and deception breaks down
trust and communication can prevent a myriad of painful
learning experiences in the real world. Developing specific
expressive communication skills, win-win persuasion and
conflict negotiation can foster success in all real-world
interactions.

It is so much more effective to build these learning concepts into the process
at the earliest stages, than to try to alter behavioral thinking patterns that
are set in place, although this, too, can be successful, if and when the older
generation begins to understand the value of creating a more enlightened
environment.

This is also an appropriate age to discuss relationships and

family life, love and its pitfalls, and the life-long
developmental path. Sharing and discussing biographical life
experiences of historical and current public figures (both
successful and the infamous), can offer emphatic resonance to
the tenacity needed for overcoming challenges, and the clarity
needed in avoiding treacherous choices. Blame-free sharing
and contrasting of parents' individual and generational
challenges with levels of potential value fulfillment can both
foster respect, forgiveness, and ways to hold fast to and
accomplish the highest of dreams.

The family environment, for better or worse, is and can be a positive part of
the learning experience. For such to be the case, it must be viewed from a
detached perspective in an environment where judgement is replaced by
discernment. All experiences have educational value in showing the merits
or adverse consequences of an established pattern of living. While thought
patterns are often passed on from one generation to the next, there are
always opportunities to keep the best ideas and leave the rest to the dung
heap of history.

831
Reinforcing the equal value of each unique spirit in each
structure and interaction will ensure that all students are
embraced within the community of humanity through an
enlightened public mind. With such a mass consciousness, the
kinds of isolating and violent outcomes of fear and anger which
exist now as scourges upon humanity will become virtually
extinct.

We know from recent history what the consequences can be when some
reflect their sense of isolation through violent means. The simple removing
of the weapons of such violent expression can not resolve the problems nor
remove the causes of negative activity. A shift in attitude and policy must
begin to be explored by both educators and parents, alike. This should begin
as soon as possible.

Continuing Education

The most valuable structural change in public educational

systems would be to ensure that each and every citizen has
the opportunity to continue on to the maximum level of
education desired, free of economic obstacles. When the
government prioritizes its structures around the human needs
and ceases squandering its resources on conflicting strategies
and competitive defense, its first and foremost priority will
become ensuring all citizens---of all ages---organizing
educational opportunities. When the networks are in place with
private enterprises, the transitional community services,
projects, apprenticeships, and internships are established under
this umbrella, the costs will be far less than might be suspected.
This will not only allow any student to progress through to the
PhD level, but it will also allow returning students of all ages
and situations.

832
Most educators and economists would agree that the greatest boon to the
American economy following World War II was the GI bill which enabled
returning veterans to acquire a free college education. This educated class
then went into the work force and benefitted the entire society. Had the
program continued for veterans and non-veterans alike, illiteracy could have
been nearly eliminated in the country. Just the curtailing of some defense
programs (such as "star wars" for example) could initiate such a policy and
could easily be paid for with a modest tax on the recipients over a later
period of wage learning.

With enlightened understanding of the biological self-

regulation system, the academic community can overcome the
need of separation between church and state by acknowledging
the emotional process as a feature of the third self-component
of spirit. At the college level, the body-mind dual model of self
can be fleshed out to contain the highest levels of meaning and
implications which might formerly have been relegated only to
religious discussion and found objectionable in the lower levels
of public education. The separation being made between
spirituality as attunement to the natural inner guidance, and
religion being any specific set of beliefs in a supernatural
higher power outside of the self, will more than adequately
draw the necessary line between church and state. It would also
acknowledge within the theory of evolution that consciousness
indeed underlies all matter rather than being a product of it.
This would liberate frustrated research scholars who are now
forced down wrong-minded tracks of inquiry which only allow
the public confusion and social pain to build.

The initial step of transcending the church-state block in the field of

education is one that would be essential to any program of higher learning
and universal education. Organized religion must face this issue by giving
proper credence to the spiritual qualities innate in the human framework
and accept it is the variance in perspective which leads to

833
compartmentalizing of spirit and which results in different religions, and
nothing more. Then the true nature of spirit and its relationship to
consciousness can cease to compete with the scientific perspective.

The acknowledgment of conscious intention within natural

selection will open many new areas of study wherein the inner
self-regulatory system leads to the unfolding of the
transcendental inner sensitivities and abilities that now lie
dormant. There can then be experimentations with the
boundaries and focus of consciousness that will unite and
resolve many existing conundrums such as mechanical versus
quantum physics. When the secrets of the mobility and
connectedness of all consciousness begin to unfold, there can
be tremendous breakthroughs in the approaches to space and
time travel that cannot otherwise take place with physical
technology alone. The universe cannot be understood until
such inner pathways are utilized. As emotion becomes
understood as the basic physical manifestation of spirit in
pleasure and pain, it will allow the mind to open its intuitive
pathways to more direct energy/information which resonates
with the unmistakable validation of universal joy.

The current "limitedness" of thought in the area of physical/mental

connection and it's relationship to emotion and spirit continues to result in a
mechanical view of the universe we occupy, not just from the depth beyond
the stars edge, but back to the sub-atomic level of our own physical bodies.
Our very state of health is distorted by the ignorance of the potential power
of mind. Our chemical/surgical attitude toward the practice of medicine, for
example, has left us nearly financially drained and chronically ill. With
physical and mental health so limited, so also is our potential for growth.

In such a structure, scientific academicians at the college level

would take the reigns of the ongoing development of the public
mind. Their activities and findings will not be limited to dusty

834
unintelligible journals, but will be shared through many
avenues of communication as the private media become aware
that good news can help reduce the horrors of shocking
violence of present headlines and televised stories. These
networks will provide continuous updated self-developmental
information to the public and directly to policymakers which
would weigh much more heavily than the desire of special
interests.

Shared knowledge is contagious, especially if it is of a positive nature.

Further, a society not constantly bombarded by the negative, can get beyond
the normal mentality of perpetual fear and anxiety and begin to function at
a more creative level and in a ubiquitous fashion.

The structural opportunities for learning specific technical

skills and job training will ensure that justice is attained
wherein each citizen is rightfully enabled to join in the resource
exchange marketplace in any way that the spirit directs. Unique
lifestyles, work schedules, and need-meeting approaches are
not only tolerated, but actively encouraged throughout the
entire structure. The most creative and visionary contributions
will be actively facilitated and valued within such a system so
that entities such as Albert Einstein need not squander precious
life hours in boring classrooms or menial jobs in order to
simply meet survival needs. Special think-tanks, artist
communities, and other such structures will be encouraged to
allow the most fertile and synergistic ground for fine minds to
flourish. Likewise, special recovery communities shall serve
those needing the most assistance. All structures will promote
maximum value fulfillment and the most direct and personally
rewarding destiny path for all citizens.

The concept of leisure can be redefined and expanded to the realization that

835
such can produce many positive results when directed at problem-solving
and producing works of art and literature which benefits society as a whole.
It took the depths of an economic depression to produce an atmosphere
where artists and musicians could enjoy financial security while they
contributed to society. Today, that state is much more precarious and our
society, as a whole, suffers as a result. It is time for us to re-evaluate our
priorities.

The educational system will be the crowning glory and the

hope for humanity as the facilitator of cooperative defense and
mindful development. We can now turn the discussion to the
implications that enlightened self-understanding bring to
concepts of mental and physical health.

Would that these concepts of "Enlightenment" reach the mainstream of our

communication system. The challenge comes in removing the prevailing
"bushel basket" which now covers them. Would that this "light" serves that
purpose.

Page 362-377 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Eta

Lesson One: Implications For Mental Health

The Concept of Health

Throughout history, humans have struggled within mental

prisons of their own making. The legacy of judgment,
misunderstanding, and distortion befalls incoming humans
immediately, crippling them through the well intended but
unenlightened actions of parents. At present the human
experience is but a pale comparison to that which is intended,

836
and to many an utterly hopeless and hellish karmic sentence.
Until understanding of the human self-guidance system is
firmly embraced within mass consciousness, the very concept
of health will be distorted by the judgmental interference with
the natural developmental system.

If the above paragraph isn't enough to give motivation for expansion of our
consciousness, it's hard to imagine what would be. If we look back over our
lives and recount the number of times we have experienced illness and
mental discomfort, is it any wonder life has so often been labeled a "vale of
tears". Yet, nature seems to offer so much balance to the other forms of life
on this planet, it has to be presumed that mankind should be entitled to a
greater level of happiness then he/she presently enjoys.

Health is a reflection of how much energy spirit can bring

through to its physical body-mind. The vibrant high energy,
happiness, and creative enpowerment of an unimpeded spirit is
a state of holistic vitality nearly unrecognizable to a species
who believes firmly that health is simply the absence of
disease. Indeed, health is ease of spirit flowing through an
ingenious mindscape designed to its evaluative specifications.
Health is an easy mobility of consciousness that accesses many
alternate focuses and sources of intuitive information. Health is
the experience of few and irregular painful feelings, for the
mindscape and the cultural landscape are intended to be
designed to minimize and eliminate these deficit states. It is
folly to simply allow them to exist and assume that suffering is
part of the natural experience. Such an idea is like a cancer, and
indeed can bring about such maladies.

Once the perspective is switched from an attitude that health is simply an

absence of disease to an assumption that when unimpeded, health is a
consequence and result of spirit being reflected as it is naturally meant to be,
then even the medical profession is compelled to move toward removing the

837
psychological pitfalls and recognizing the merits of the wholistic approach to
physical and mental well-being.

All pains are symptomatic of dysfunction within natural

systems that seek immediate correction. When these symptoms
are examined within the lens of self-understanding, many
truths about health will become apparent. First, we will address
the concept of mental health, for emotional self-understanding
will forever alter the present concepts of "sanity", "normalcy",
and "evil". Mental health, as suspected, does indeed reflect the
state of mind, for it is the mind that holds the slivers that
prevent the growth that is necessary for a vital and complete
existence. Until the boundaries of body, mind, and spirit are
clearly recognized, mental health will remain entangled with
judgmental beliefs, confused with emotional dysfunction, and
shrouded in mystery.

The Freudian school of thought gave strong credence to the presumption

that mental illness lay in the dark crevices of the subconscious and was
traceable to some unpleasant experience in early life. This was only a partial
truth which was formulated without factoring in the spirit nature of human
beings. Had the latter nature been taken into account, the solution would
have evolved with an altogether broader understanding of the problem as
well as a corrective solution to the experience of mental illness.

Biological Flexibility And Destiny Challenge

Both mental and physical health are essentially rooted within

the working and safeguard mechanisms of the body. As we will
see, good mental health springs naturally from the unimpeded
cognitive, emotional, and intellectual development that unfolds
through experiential trial and error learning. But all humans are
bound to the uniquely specific genetic package inherent within

838
the cloak that they have donned for each specific lifetime.
Indeed, spiritual entities choose specific physical features,
sensitivities, and challenges when designing the chemical cloak
to ensure the maximum possible success in overcoming both
the general and specific destiny challenges. The evolving
mental personality then works within that specific range of
biological predestiny to maximize and express the innate value
potential.

Again, in reviewing the learning experiences we have had, it should be

apparent that those things we have said and done and those actions we have
taken or avoided are all the consequence of the learning process and have
resulted in pleasure and pain both mentally and emotionally. Sometimes that
pain has even been physical which turned out to be necessary to focus our
minds and realign our priorities. Yet, we did prepare ourselves and our
bodies to meet those challenges we wished to deal with, choosing the make-
up of our constitution as we would decide what kind of an automobile we
would purchase and make the best use of in our journey down the road of
life.

The range of biological predestiny is linked to the specific

areas of focus of the spirit/entity. The entity desires that its
multiple aspects enjoy the broadest and most well-rounded
experiences in order to continue the expanding expression of
consciousness. As we now know, the body is designed to pull
and push the mindbound individuals in purposeful directions
which fulfill these larger destiny challenges. These inner
movers and shakers come in the form of human needs which
when met in an ongoing manner, accomplish the destiny
challenges of the earth experience. The needs guide the
developing mindscape to create evermore successful beliefs
and strategies. As the mind responds to the direction of its
spiritual feeling signals, the mindscape becomes more and
more attuned to the intuitive knowledge of other aspects of its

839
spirit to further assist in a creative, purposeful life of self-
development and expression. When body, mind and spirit are
united in thought and action, health is a given and the
experience would be nearly unrecognizable to modern humans.

The secret to optimum health seems to be in the understanding of the values

of uniting mind and spirit through the guidance of our feelings. Once this is
mastered and the old paradigm is discarded, the natural result is a healthier
physical and mental state than we can yet imagine. However, once such a
state can be imagined, such an achievement can not be far behind.

At present, the necessary potential range of biological diversity

has been overlooked, and "normal" has been assigned to those
falling in the mid-range of any given trait or propensity. Those
individuals who possess uniqueness at both ends of any trait
spectrum have uniquely specific experiences and offer many
hints into the human potential. There are varieties of
intellectual ability, perceptual focus, sensory sensitivity,
openness to interaction, and flexibility of consciousness---all of
which allow specific avenues of experience potentially
benefitting the whole of the entity.

We have more to learn from the example of our fellow human beings than
we could ever possibly learn from textbook theory. While we may dice the
brains of our geniuses, hopefully after they have died a natural death, we
can hardly find in such physical matter the reason behind their respective
virtues or vices. Such are the result of mental attitudes which spring from
spiritual guidance.

But for the most part, a great deal of what is considered

abnormal, or disordered in terms of mental health relates to the
developmental experiences in a world that is misunderstanding
and thwarts the unfolding of the self-directing self-

840
consciousness. Most syndromes and disorders are the direct
result of misdirected emotional signals, the hardwired bodily
defensive responses, the long-term mental judgments, and the
patterned habits that follow. In short, a great deal of
"disordered" mental health is an unnatural, man-made cultural
phenomena, the inevitable perverted outcome of abusing the
divine self-system.

A society that has failed to make the connection between the mental and the
spiritual or that has placed more emphasis on fear and guilt than is rightly
justified, has contributed much to mental disorders while failing to offer a
sensible way out of perceived malfunctions.

Natural Self-Development

We have discussed human development in the context of the

unfolding universal human needs, But now we can elaborate
upon how needs, feelings, spiritual challenges, and mindscapes
are intended to naturally unfold in a healthy unimpeded
fashion. In essence, as the needs of the body push the
individual toward necessary experiences, and the mind
observes and self-corrects via the spiritual evaluative signals,
there is a wholistic balance between body, mind and spirit that
allows for the maximum purposeful experience and vibrant
health.

The nature of a human being is such that there is a constant coordinated

effort on the part of body, mind and spirit to achieve the greatest amount of
progress over the longest possible period of time. Sometimes this process is
painful, but it need not be, provided that the mind is willing to seek and
recognize the guidance from spirit. If this process is successful, there is
hardly any limit to how much the entity can experience while in the physical
state.

841
The universal needs correspond with specific spiritual
challenges that are part of the physical experience. These
spiritual challenges have been discussed in such contexts as
karmic cycles and archetypal patterns within the collective
unconsciousness. They are simply part and parcel of all human
experience which assist in discovery and fulfillment of
purpose. Conquering each of these spiritual challenges leaves
behind the gems, the archetypal understandings which facilitate
a healthy mindscape. The inner need to conquer them helps
humanity discover the all-powerful nature of the creative mind,
and appreciate the crucial importance of conscious
development of the mindscape and the diligent efforts to keep
it free from mental limitations. Conscious understanding is the
only prevention against falling victim to the illusions of the
physical system.

The progress that human beings can make toward the necessary
understanding that frees us from the established limitations of our creative
ability, are driven by spirit and its universal knowledge of what we were
engineered to achieve. The distance between where we are and where we can
evolve to is only as great as we elect to make it. The difficulty in spanning
this imagined distance is only as great as we choose to make it. We have been
taught by our religious institutions that we can not close this gap without
their assistance but, in truth, these same institutions have proven to be more
of a liability than an asset in such an endeavor.

As needs are met and these challenges are conquered, the

human becomes "mature", and the desirable state of
functioning can begin. The natural process of surmounting
spiritual challenge, builds one upon the other to complete the
functioning human being. The self-development allows for the
innate value to come forward in the physical realm and then
self-expression can be ensured in as many realms as "time"

842
allows. In short, life begins when these challenges have been
surmounted.

Nothing builds character and develops a mature state of mind like the
achievement of a goal. Each such "goal" accomplished is like another brick
in the construction of the human dwelling. To view each level of completion
is the equivalent of witnessing one's own personal growth and the
satisfaction as well as the confidence that naturally follows.

As part of the physical growth process, one challenge will

unfold after another in a predictable developmental pattern
over the first two decades of life. The challenges can be likened
to images on a vertical totem pole, wherein one climbs to new
heights, each step based upon the one below. As the individual
matures with age, the challenges unfold like the changes of the
seasons. If each challenge is not fully overcome and the
archetype readily available to the mindscape, there will be
continued struggles until they are surmounted completely.

It is not unusual for the "climber" to discover that unless the "challenge" is
completely conquered, it will fail to support one in the next step of
advancement. Sometimes, it will be necessary to go back and repair/replace
those steps that only appeared to be stable enough to support the climber to
the next level and to get rid of those "steps" which ate away at the presumed
accomplishments and threatened to bring the whole "totem pole" of life
crashing down.

The less completion attained at each level of challenge, the

more challenge the individual must then continuously juggle as
the struggles of life become compounded. One who reaches
any level of challenge in any degree will be pulled downward
on the challenge totem pole on most occasions until the
foundations are in place. Then they will snap back to the
highest level of challenge. Challenge levels can vacillate from

843
moment to moment. When the mindscape aligns empowering
beliefs in any given moment, even if it might have conflicting
or limiting beliefs held in memory, the challenge level can
bounce quite high, only to plunge when the conflicts
consciously align in a subsequent event. A healthy mindscape,
of course, is free of such conflict.

What is encouraged in this process is a level of consistency. When this is not

present, there are a great many steps forward followed by equal steps
backward. But even with this rough road to progress, there is still a general
state of progression. The educational process continues to motivate those
who seek to evolve along the path. When the process is better understood
and integrated into the life style of more entities, then the collective
consciousness will become a part of a flow toward the universal end desired.

At present, average humans exist in various vacillations

between one unmet need or another, and have surmounted
some, but not all challenges or have mindscapes with so many
conflicting beliefs that challenges often repeat themselves to no
avail. Such individuals experience suffering, confusion,
identity issues, and mood swings---but they are considered
normal by most standards. Others are affected much more with
long-term disruptions of the emotional system held fast by
habits of thought and action that bring about corresponding
chemical imbalances, and compromised mental health.

It has become commonplace to accept as normal a perpetual state of anxiety

which is compensated for by seeking outlets in the consumption of legal
drugs and aggressive behavior experienced vicariously. Avid devotion to
violent sports played by professionals or amateurs devoted to particular
games is considered a prime form of entertainment and absolutely necessary
for the proper function of society, even though such violence appears to
bleed through into instances of uncontrolled violence from time to time. This
is what is tolerated as a level of normality.

844
We can now discuss this spiritual developmental process,
noting where specific challenges create specific constellations
of mental/emotional syndromes. With each challenge, the mind
must learn and become consciously adapted through right
responses which overcome the challenge and refine the
mindscape. With each challenge a new self-insight is added
which together comprise the full levels of functional self-
understanding. Either the mind adapts purposefully, or it adapts
in ways that serve only to defend and preserve its limited
boundaries, creating two distinct types of experience. We can
then contrast two tracks of existence: the natural purposeful
path versus the chaotic and painful path, to pull together the
cognitive, emotional, moral, and emotional developmental
components of the spiritual self-regulation process. Only
within this perspective can the present day suffering be seen for
what it is---a perversion of the natural process.

It becomes nearly impossible to discover the irrationality of some behavior

when one is running parallel to the activity and the society around one is
caught up in the merits of the process. Greed and need are so intertwined
that to threaten one is to threaten both. Thus is the collective unconscious
kept on track.

Challenge I: The Mother Versus The Victim

The very first challenge that befalls an incoming infant is to

experience that he or she is connected to a functional whole.
The development of trust corresponds to an emotional
understanding of what it means to be a mother. The mother
archetype is the manifestation of what the mindscape contains
after this first challenge is surmounted. The mother constitutes
what has been called the yin force of the ability to receive

845
energy and information through the empathic and intuitive
pathways of insight. The mother embodies the concept of an
unconditionally loving and giving universe that embraces each
of its points of conscious light. The mother embodies the
connection of the individual to the world. The mother listens
and emphatically receives messages of the spirit and of all
spirits. The mother concept encompasses both Mother Earth
and the Goddess energies of mythology.

The "Mother" establishes a link with the physical world that leads to a trust
in its friendly nature and starts the entity on the road to acting in a creative
fashion. This is then reversed by the belief that other entities and their
institutions are necessary to erase that "trust" and rely on an outside force
to control further conduct of the entity.

During this most early challenge, the brain development is

insufficient to hold many conceptual thoughts, and the senses
alone provide the information. Actual conceptual thought is
confined to memories of action patterns of approach and avoid.
Voluntary movement is possible at this stage, but conscious
strategic future intention is not yet present and most actions are
purely bodily responses. The neural development ensures that
the sensory systems will be the driving force, before the mind
has an opportunity to absorb habitual judgments. A sense of
permanence is not yet formed until the second year of life to
ensure that the foundational patterns of moving to the inner
needs are firmly ingrained.

Up to the age of at least two, the entity is in justified need of a full emotional
dependency for the brain to develop along natural lines. A complete sense of
security and reliance on the mother figure is essential to normal
psychological development. For this reason alone, a child should be kept in a
most "motherly" environment. Day care is, at best, a poor substitute.

846
The mother also constitutes that first sense of freedom to move
within a safe and secure environment. As the parents nurture
and assist the child in all of its need-meeting activities, the
child is pulled up upon its own independent feet and the mind
forever embraces what it means to be a mother. The child is
firmly rooted in its body in its world, comfortable in the
goodness of both. In an enlightened environment the child,
either a boy or a girl, will conquer the mother challenge during
the first year of life and shall carry this conceptual archetype
within the mindscape and be able to function in the role of the
mother if parenting should be a choice. With the mother, come
the feelings of trust, faith and love which offer lifetime
empowerment to be open and to receive life's feedback and
courage to overcome challenges.

For the above reasons alone, these have to be considered the most critical
years of a child's development. Though so called psychological experts may
cut that time period in half for the sake of smooth productivity in the
workplace, it will not serve society well to have anything less than fully
developed children bring a state of balance with them into adulthood.

On the other hand, the child might continue to struggle with the
mother challenge, perhaps for the entire lifetime. The quality of
the early foster environment makes a crucial difference upon
the first success or failure at this challenge. If the mother
challenge is not surmounted, this sets in motion the less
purposeful chaotic path of compromised emotional,
intellectual, mental, and spiritual development (in terms of
expansion of the entity.) The child instead develops the victim
archetype in the mindscape. The victim archetype can last a
lifetime unless consciously altered through conscious self-
development. The victim fears for its safety, mistrusts the
world, experiences a lack of mobility, becomes overly

847
dependent, feels as if others "owe me", and uses the strategy of
denial and blame instead of action. The victim becomes
avoidant and does not receive the incoming energy necessary
for fully functioning and unity. Since it is the receptive energy,
the victim fails to do anything to change the situation, simply
taking on more and more pain.

Once again, the "foster care" environment versus a more natural "mother
care" one, is bound to have consequences for an entity, which can last well
into adulthood. Nature offers its own lessons in child rearing and teaches
most effectively by example. But because many so-called human experts
consider nature as an inferior life form, the appreciation of natural law goes
unnoticed.

The victim will also display a constellation of what have been

termed anxiety disorders, for fear will become a lingering
corrective signal. When the individual does not feel safe in
one's own body or in the world, the stage is set for panic
disorders, generalized anxiety, phobias, and somatic, bodily
disorders such as hypochondria. This is a bigger potential
pitfall for those who are particularly genetically sensitive to
stimulus or having a low pain threshold. Organic propensities
and events can also lead to autism, wherein a curtain is drawn
between the individual and the rest of the world and certain
sensory information is simply not received.

Devoted "motherhood" is not necessarily a guarantee for the development of

a perfect human being, but it can go a long way to modifying what might be
the potential problems that can be present for other reasons. Although there
probably have never been objective studies done between childhood
psychological problems and the parental care environment, it would behoove
society to take a much closer look at the relationship and the benefits that
can result when natural patterns of nurturing are kept at the fore.

848
Challenge II: The Father Versus The Martyr

The second challenge that falls naturally during the second

year of life, is that of embracing the father concept. The father
is the archetype that embodies the yang energy, the aggressive,
rational, and active properties of the human self. The father
energy is embodied in autonomy, initiative and empowerment
to actively control one's own destiny. The father challenge
furthers the sense of individual safety, connection, and
freedom, and adds to it the power to make things happen in the
world. It adds a grounding in the mind like the mother
challenge grounded the body, as the mind chooses joy as its
guide. The father is the developmental challenge, that hooks
the consciousness into the divine system of self regulation.
Both yin and yang can then interact in a balanced exchange and
provide the solid foundation for unified, purposeful living.

In order for this opportunity to be present, a certain amount of leisure has to

be enjoyed by both parents. To allow the necessary amount of time available
for parents to carry out this role, (particularly the father, on whom society
tends to place the greater provider role) society must come to understand the
true value of the suggestions outlined above.

The developing brain at this point can hold crude

representations but not long-term or complex strategies. The
"mind" is not yet fully functional, but with each successful
environmental interaction, it grows evermore able. Throughout
this process, the child's basic sensory perceptions take on more
and more intuitive abilities, and a wholeness of being begins to
take form.

This suggests that the more time spent in "interaction" between parent and
child, the mental and even psychic growth process of the child is enhanced.

849
This results not only in enhanced mental capabilities later in life, but in the
confidence in the self-awareness of the "wholeness" of one's being. Would
that parents who compete against other parents to get their children into the
best early schooling, see the true value of serving as their child's primary
teacher and guide in the earliest and most formative years. In other words,
putting the parent-child relationship first from the very beginning.

The father challenge builds upon the "all is one" receptive

connection of the mother archetype to add "honoring others" in
active thought and action. This provides the foundation for the
aspects of parenting as well as the ability to take care of one's
self in the cooperative context of loving others. The social
strategies become cooperative interactions and the morality is
to reduce pain in all. Feelings of confidence, hope, and honor
accompany this passage. The father challenge is naturally
surmounted within the second to fourth years of life.

Nothing teaches proper parenting to succeeding generations like example,

especially as learned by the child in the early stages of his/her development.
As closely as a mother's total presence might be to the child's development in
the first year, so of equal importance is the relationship with the father from
the second through the fourth years.

If not, the individual will struggle with "father" issues in

addition to the mother challenges. They will revolve around
freedom, power, and creating abundance and well being. There
will be a tendency to take on pain on a long-term basis, and
eventually to take on the pain of others in the martyr archetype.
The fear takes on shades of shame and doubt as both
active/receptive roles are questioned and bring a lingering fear
of losing control. The martyr subjugates his or her own needs
for the sake of others in a misguided attempt to please or
actively provide. Many currently fashionable beliefs about self-
deprecation and religious selflessness create this dysfunctional

850
pattern. While the victim will blame himself or his oppressors,
the martyr will blame opponents. There can be wildly creative
strategies of self-deception that uphold and justify the martyr
archetype. The main social strategy will become competition,
and the moral development will be arrested at the level of
avoiding punishment.

The mere spending of time in the father's loving care and company can
result in the benefits listed above. This would apply to both boys or girls, as
the consequences would be complimentary to the adult life of either. In a
society that has come to place a great value on productivity, even at the
expense of family life, there is bound to be serious consequences for each
maturing generation, if "maturing" would necessarily be the appropriate
word.

Although the father challenge can be surmounted at any time

during life, characteristic patterns occur when it remains
unmet. The mental conditions that spring from the unanswered
father challenge can result in impulse control disorders,
obsessive compulsive tendencies, sexual disorders and
dependency upon psychoactive substances. Impulse disorders
spring from unmet needs as the martyr continues to neglect the
self. Patterns of compulsion to engage in any behaviors that
meet needs temporarily or provide escape from the pain of the
moment can result in chemical addictions, gambling,
workaholism, pyromania, fetishes, and other sexual
perversions.

How many of the social disorders of our society can be traced to the absence
of the father figure? Social policies that discouraged the presence of the
father in the home seem to be taking their toll in present-day society. All this
was the result of a decline in the general value placed on the importance of
the nuclear family, which previous generations had valued most highly.

851
More severe conditions result from combinations of unmet
mother and father challenges, which can base further
developmental disorders.Individuals with a special gift of
intuitively attuning to alternate self-aspects can later create
multiple "mindscapes" wherein particular memories and
responsibilities fall to different alternate personalities.
Attunement to such intuitive senses at this age is one predictor,
but this condition is generally facilitated by an abusive
environment, and can usually be avoided entirely.

Multiple personalities in adults have already been observed to be associated

with an abusive childhood. For this reason alone, the emphasis on providing
a whole and loving environment should be given primary consideration.
Should other emotional disorders be traced to similar malfunctioning family
situations, it is possible that the importance of such may once again come
into vogue.

Challenge III: The Contributor Versus The Servant

The contributor challenge has been referred to as the whole

child or even the warrior archetype, for it builds upon the
yin/yang spiritual energy by adding a separate sense of self.
The contributor challenge culminates in a unique conscious
focal point identity that of "self". It is the culmination of the
emerging "mind". The contributor attains a finalized sense of
autonomy, but within the context of a connected
interdependent world.

When placed in the most advantageous environment, the child becomes a

"contributor" to its own autonomy. There is a natural growth process that
results in a creative stimulation, which is most motivated toward a
maximum potential as result of being exposed to an optimum setting.

852
The contributor challenge meets the need of self-esteem within
the context of freedom, power, and connection. Honoring one
another translates to honoring self as an equal contributing part
of the whole. The contributor challenge establishes a sense of
equality and cooperative equal exchange, a personal sense of
empowerment, value, and contribution to the whole. Feelings
of pride, self-confidence, self-worth and excitement come from
surmounting the contributor challenge. The contributor
experiences a sense of personal reward for contributing their
unique offerings. An early sense of creativity and meaning
begin to form as strategies are personally chosen. The morality
level takes on a sense of personal moral duty to contribute
positively to self and society; and is no longer to simply avoid
negativity but to actively contribute positively.

Just as a flower grows to full bloom when placed in good soil and provided
with sufficient moisture and sunshine, so a human being is likely to live a
fully balanced life when provided with sufficient nurturing and love. Like
the necessary corner of a triangle, each child feels compelled to play a
complimentary role of gratitude toward the creators of his/her environment.

The contributor challenge builds upon the others and can be

completed by age six or during adolescence. During these years
the brain is growing in leaps and bounds as the mind comes
into its own. Its processing abilities and logical thought begin
to engage in order to put objects in the world into order in the
new mental repository. This is the most fertile time period for
interventions which can turn around detrimental courses caused
by abusive or under-stimulating foster environments, and
prevent a good deal of future mental and emotional
dysfunction.

853
This would suggest that the proper learning environment would compliment
the ideal environment or correct the shortcomings of earlier experiences.
The formal education would need to encourage a creative process and
minimize the counter-productive programming which might come back to
undo the benefits of the secure nurturing established by right parenting up
to that time. This further educational process would not be a time for the
introduction of fear and guilt.

On the other hand, the contributor challenge might not be met,

and problems can continue to compound. If none of the
challenges have been met, there can be further developmental
delays and future anxiety, impulse control, and mood disorders.
At this point, the child is particularly vulnerable to
dissociation, since the mind is emerging as a singular self-unit.
Although there has been a pattern of attuning to alternate states
of conscious focus, they now can become alternate self-aspects,
or multiple personality counterparts.

The nurturing process that avails the child to continued guidance from the
devoted yin and yang influences will help to offset whatever negative
influences that the contributory challenge might be required to face. In other
words, good parenting does not end at the age of six.

Alone, this unmet challenge can establish the pattern of the

servant. The sense of self is established, but within the
dysfunctional martyred context of value in the self only from
pleasing others. The servant experiences low-self worth, does
not feel appropriately rewarded for his contributions, and
becomes stagnant due to lack of pursuing self-needs.

These lower personality characteristics might make the subject more

manageable in a controlled society, but it would also result in that decline in
creativity and spiritual growth. More civilizations have probably declined
because of a loss of creative freedom than any other significant factor.

854
Avoidant strategies of blaming continue, and accountability for
one's actions escapes the servant's notice. Feelings of feigned
superiority, inferiority, boredom, role confusion, and guilt all
accompany the servant mentality. There will be difficulties in
self-discipline, in setting personal boundaries and in meeting
needs. There will be fear of rejection, over emphasis upon
physical appearance even defensive narcissism, fear of making
mistakes and over-sensitivity to criticism.

If these characteristics are apparent in the maturing child, it can now be

clearly diagnosed as being the result of the environment created by the
parents, in which the child has not been allowed to develop a balanced
relationship with his/her world because of the misconception of feeling that
he/she is supposed to remain in an inferior position, even into adulthood.

Challenge IV: The Lover Versus The Actor

With the challenges surmounted that have satisfied initial

connection, power, freedom, and esteem, the brain developed
and the mind is place, the need for connection is revisited in
the challenge of the lover. This challenge generally falls
around puberty and early teen years and comes to the fore with
the help of hormonal sexual urges, although sexual love is but a
small part of its offerings.

One has to wonder what the absence of "hormonal sexual urges" is

indicative of; of course such urges can be turned inward and result in
masturbation until and unless a greater level of trust with another is
accepted. Otherwise, this can be a very risky period to work one's way
through.

The lover challenge entails learning the ability to have intimate

friendships, to share openly without fear and to develop the

855
deepest of human bonds. It fleshes out the early concepts of
connection by coming full circle and offering yourself to others
as the mother once offered herself to you. This stage marks the
genuine expansion of the self concept to fully include others in
the thoughts, feelings, and actions. Creative impulses also
come to the fore and the need for meaningful encounters
strengthens. The lover begins to build a common reality with
intimate friends without limit, fear, or competition. The
morality of the lover honors the social order, but takes on a
higher sense of duty and commitment to building the intimate
friendship.

Of the two qualities, sexual drive and intimate relationships, it would seem
that the latter reflects a higher level of development in the human level of
progression. This would explain why the female, at the earlier years of
adolescence would seek friendship with more depth in thoughts and feelings
and accept the sexual nature as a necessary part of male companionship.

Feelings of compassion, love, tolerance, forgiveness, loyalty,

honor, faith, and hope are the rewards of surmounting the lover
challenge. These feelings are based within a mindscape that
understands love as the divine power. On the other hand The
actor archetype can instead emerge. The actor understands that
there is some inherent value in connection with others, but is
overcome by limiting beliefs that create mistrust, fear, and
anger. The actor uses deception to pretend intimacy but
remains isolated within a defensive mindscape. There will be
emptiness, shallowness, competitive dominance and
submission, and sabotage of relationships that get too close for
"the mind's comfort".

The "actor" can have a strong sexual drive but will more than likely not
have the level of maturity to be content in an emotional attachment. Such an

856
individual will engineer a severing of any relationship that appears to
demand a lasting and permanent connection with another person. This is
often carried out on a subconscious level without fully comprehending the
mental forces behind such behavior.

The lover challenge when unmet can create further mental

conditions such as mood disorders, personality eccentricities
and erratic and dramatic behaviors. The feelings of jealousy,
contempt, hostility, and even hate can come from a lack of
loving reconnection with the world. A good deal of histrionic,
sociopathic and psychopathic behavior culminates at this point
when there has been dysfunction at the lower levels of
challenge. Individuals can retreat into severely limited
mindscapes, and isolate themselves from others both mentally
and physically.

Just as physical pain can serve as an alert to a state of bodily imbalance, so

can emotional "pain" serve as an alert to a return to the totem pole of
development. Here the need for rebuilding is likely to be called for. At the
very least, a fuller understanding of the natural/obstructed process of
human growth should be reviewed.

Challenge V: The Speaker Versus Silent Child

During adolescence, challenges come upon one another as the

growth process reaches its goal of physical maturity. The
speaker challenge engages the creative impulses to the
maximum level so that external expression can be shared with
the world. "Speaking" in this sense means any form of creative
expression in the world that communicates an original
perspective, becoming an abstract or concrete cultural
contribution to the world.

857
This is the point of verbal creativity, but can also be expressed in a succinct
form of humor or a tendency to be rebellious. Whatever form it takes, it is
an expression of uniqueness and should be appreciated as such. When
funneled into positive activities, it can establish one of the bricks upon which
future development can be made.

At this point in the natural unfolding development, the

mindscape has been finely honed and is attuned to both body
and spirit. Life becomes a passionate pursuit of self-
development and creative self-expression. The need for
meaning also becomes more and more salient as the intuitive
pathways continue to blossom. The speaker is characterized by
strengthened truth and integrity, seeking broader arenas for
creative expression, solid boundaries and self-solidarity. The
morality of the speaker continues to respect social duty, but
also speaks up when limits of convention hinders any self in
any way. The feelings of creative accomplishment, passion,
courage, mirth, and faith become constant companions of the
speaker.

As the "speaker" looks around and sees the hypocrisy of his/her world, there
is a compulsion to make corrections wherever possible This leads to a level
of natural hostility between the adolescent and the adult population and a
strong drive to separate oneself from the trappings of conformity. Oddly, the
conformity then tends to follow the trappings of one's own peer group for
strength in the conflict between adolescent and viewed adult.

The speaker challenge accomplishes a sort of merging of the

mind with spirit that appears to be a surrender to the divine,
and opens itself freely to the offerings of life. The speaker
courageously goes forth, speaks and acts creatively, and fears
not what will come of it. For the speaker feels the spiritual joy
of creative expression and is becoming more and more attuned
to the meaningful patterns of life. The mindscapes that hold the

858
fundamental archetypes, of course, minimize painful missteps.

Like sailors mindful of the rules of the sea, the better prepared for the
voyage, the more likely the chances of finding an intended port. This is
where the early comfort and assurances prove to be of tremendous value, for
true creativity can not be carried if the distractions from early life have
diverted the ship of destiny.

If the challenge goes unmet, the silent child pattern will instead
be evident. The silent child falls victim to a limited mindscape
that creates ongoing fear. It hides itself in shame and hurt. Its
unexpressed creative energies are often channeled in internally
directed anger. Feelings are held in, but burst forth in
dysfunctional thoughts, and self-destructive actions. The pain
of separation is a constant cross to bear, and the accumulation
of pent-up feelings often prompt the escapism into avenues of
chemical dependency or other forms of avoidant withdrawal.

When we see such a troubled adolescent, we see little more than a

"challenge" who is lacking in an opportunity to indulge in an act of creative
expression. Many times the mere discovery of a particular interest or talent
can stave off a self-destructive path. The educational system can be trained
to recognize the cause behind such behavior and bring to the attention of
both adolescent and parent (on a separate basis, if possible) what talents are
recognized; and establish opportunities where attention can be directed.

If there has been an ongoing failure to meet needs still at this

stage, there can be quite severe psychological repercussions.
The more severe forms of mood disorder and thought disorder
begin to appear at this time in those most genetically
vulnerable. Symptoms such as schizophrenic psychosis, self-
mutilation, and suicidal depression can begin to present
themselves.

In recent times, a great deal of financial attention has been directed toward

859
the area of sports and away from such equally important areas as music and
art. Even technology as is possible with the use of computers would be of
benefit, provided it is encouraged to be used in a creative manner and not
just as a tool to excel in a profitable career at a later period of one's life.

Challenge VI: The Seer Versus the Intellectual

With all former challenges surmounted, the foundation is in

place for the unfolding of the higher brain potentials.
Enlightened mindscapes have all archetypal understandings
applied in conscious thought and action and experience far less
emotional interruption than that considered normal at present.
Where the spiritual energy flows easily between body, mind,
and spirit, there is no resistance to feedback, and the individual
can "see" far more clearly and intuitively.

If not raised in that more perfect environment where parents are ideal
models and everything is lined up properly for the natural evolution of
mind, body and spirit, the only true road back to this solid balance between
"body, mind, and spirit", may be through such practices as meditation or
intent as expressed through prayer. The latter may seem a simplified
process, but as a supplementation to intent, it is likely to produce powerful
and satisfying results.

The seer has conscious control of the self and is unified in

every sense. The seer has clear and accurate mental perceptions
and has no need for avoidance or deception of any kind. He or
she is secure in power, freedom, connection, esteem, is creative
and now becomes compelled by the need for meaning. The seer
begins to focus attentions to the higher, more meaningful
aspects of mental creativity, but remains firmly rooted in body
and in actively expressing in the physical world. The seer
begins to access psychic gifts and tap potentials from beyond

860
space/time. The seer begins to understand the meaning within
the nuances and synchronistic nature of life. The seer no longer
has the blinders created by a limited mindscape, and begins to
embrace the true nature of the physical experience. The mantra
of the seer is to "seek only truth".

What separates the "seer" from the intellectual is a willingness to strike out
into territory that the so-called intellectual consciously tried to avoid for fear
of being rejected by his fellow intellectuals. The seer can be comfortable
both in the area of conformity and non-conformity, knowing that true
mental and spiritual evolution comes from a level more sophisticated and
detached than the world generally upholds and defends.

The seer begins to recognize and willfully control each of his

creative events. Ideals of external controllers, superstitions, and
fear-driven beliefs of power loss are simply not part of the
seer's mindscape---for such slivers have never been seriously
entertained. The illusory cause and effect relationships of the
physical realm begin to give way to the higher understandings
from beyond space/time as the seer becomes ever more broad
in his scope of conscious vision and exploration. There are few
lingering emotional corrective signals, as the seer creates
events and situations that no longer limit and frustrate the
spirit. The predominant feelings of the seer are compassion,
love, honor, mirth, bliss, gratitude, passion of living and
purposeful experience, excitement of creation, and the
delightful surprise and wonder in watching how desired events
will unfold.

The truly well-rounded person can look at life and see what a blessing it
offers to those who do not take it too seriously. To see that it was meant to be
enjoyed and to offer experiences that lead to greater understanding of our
own nature and our role in the overall scheme of things. Once that
relationship is fully understood, the limits to our creativity are put aside.

861
The seer enjoys the fully functional nature morality, wherein
the moral directive is the universal principles of justice, equal
empowerment, compassion, respect, honor, and accountability.
The seer neither needs nor accepts external forms of moral or
legal control, for they are known to be generally less
enlightened than internal controls. The seer understands the
deepest meaning within all symbolic morality systems and
lives by the inner urgings of his spirit, enjoying cooperative,
emotionally rewarding interactions with all fellow humans.

The "seer" transcends the world of power and control and establishes a
confidence of both to where he/she does not need to rely upon others, be they
individuals or institutions, to guide the conduct of one's life. Once the person
is comfortable in such a state of mind, no additional guidance is necessary,
except that which comes from within. The only challenge is to learn to trust
in that inner guidance.

In an enlightened environment, the seer can emerge as early as

in the late teen years. At present, however, the full value of the
seer expressed in the physical realm is rare indeed. The more
recognizable pattern can be recognized as the archetype of
THE INTELLECTUAL.

The intellectual is too often judged by the educational credentials and the
refined manner of expressing such information which is accepted among
his/her fellow intellectuals, or at least not too far adrift from the "accepted".
If the scientists declare that nothing can travel in excess of the speed of light,
this is regarded as sacrosanct and not to be questioned. If the existence of the
spiritual quality of humans is not immediately evident and measurable, it is
deemed to not exist. Thus, whatever is placed at the highest point of the
intellectual levels of society, is never to be doubted. It is the modern day
practice of scientific dogma.

The intellectual has made some positive progress, but has a

862
mindscape that revolves around the existing mindscape rather
than a genuine openness to ongoing self-development. The
intellectual has come to certain judgments and finite
conclusions and holds fast to them, often going to great lengths
to rationalize, justify, and even deceive to make incoming
information fit the existing mold. The intellectual must
constantly defend the mindscape against any corrective
emotional signal and engage in selective perception. The
intellectual will often have a strong sense of superiority and be
loath to allow anything or anyone to question it.

A great many of the intellectual and scientific presumptions so highly prized

in the world today, when compared with the previous ages in the
development of mankind, bear a striking resemblance to the dogmatic
positions of past centuries. It is not so much in the information upheld, but
in the manner in which it is defended. The broadening of a perspective can
not be accomplished without a willingness to question that perspective.

The intellectual will become less and less likely to engage in

genuine self-development. The mental judgments will continue
to become evermore complex and perhaps impressive to some,
but all judgments do nothing but limit potential and create
spiritual distress. The intellectual will find it more and more
necessary to subordinate the intuitive functions to the rational
analytic processes because the intuitions bring information
contrary to the mindscape. Eventually the entire right brain will
be less involved than the left.

This is especially true when the educational process defends and practices an
attitude of programming which appears to worship one method and almost
literally ignores the other. Degrees of recognition are awarded to those who
conform to the process that is most recognized and accepted. Those who
decline or veer away from such accepted curriculum, pay a dear price for
such intellectual/emotional individuality.

863
The intellectual will not be able to escape the signals of fear,
anger, sadness, and guilt. Their mental and physical horizons
will begin to collapse. They will necessarily narrow their field
of activity and limit their friendships to those who can be
persuaded to agree with them. They will put others off with
haughty superiority, rigid opinions, and judgmental expressions
as well as ensuring a safe physical distance. They will lack
compassion and tolerance, and may demand perfection in
everyone but themselves. There will be a natural isolating
effect as the intellectual retreats to live in the superior
surroundings of his or her own mindscape.

The above description might be familiar to a great number of so-called

professional people in our society. It might even be described as a state of
insecurity that follows success. Unfortunately, it hints at a true sense of
failure in that once a determined state of separation from ones fellow human
beings of contrary viewpoints becomes an adopted life style, mental and
spiritual growth tend to suffer.

The intellectual, having lost touch with the feeling system, will
attempt to hold in feelings and subordinate them to ration, in
evermore impressive mental contortions to justify the limited
mindscape. The spirit will then work overtime during both
waking and dream states to get its message through. The
feelings will manifest inwardly, however, in depression,
paranoia, and resentment. If underlying challenges have
remained mostly unmet, there are serious repercussions to the
intellect. Such a mindscape has little effectiveness at
surmounting daily challenges, lifestyles; and worldviews are
quite distorted and detrimental. In fact, not many individuals
even remain living if a minimal amount of progress is not
attained by this time. The entity might simply decide that

864
willful limits are so profound that life is a try-again, do-over.
There will then be a direct spiritual hand in the final exit.
Perhaps a fatal illness, an "accidental" death, or the more direct
suicidal exit.

The above paragraph clearly suggests that the repercussions of imbalance

toward the intellect, at the expense of the emotional, can be life threatening.
But before that point is reached, it can simply be life-distracting. In a left-
brain oriented society which awards prizes to intellectual pursuits, we run
the risk of maintaining a perpetual state of distortion which eventually
supports rationalization to a point of disaster. A good example of this was
this country's early attitude toward our involvement in Viet Nam. Even
today, there are too many who believe that greater levels of aggression and
violence would have achieved a desirable result.

The inner needs and intuitive forces which propel the challenge
of the seer cannot help but broaden the bounds of
consciousness at this point in physical development. If there
are any propensities toward a mobile consciousness or
personality fragmentation, they can become psychotically
profound at this point. As the intuitions and information from
beyond space/time impinge upon the closed mindscape they
can be distorted and misinterpreted, but considered valid and
real. They can facilitate episodes of delusional, paranoid,
psychotic, and manic-depressive behavior.

If this isn't enough of a warning to inspire one to a point of self-examination,

I'm not at all sure what it would take. The "episodes" listed above are too
often considered by the medical profession to be little more than mysterious
chemical imbalances when, in fact, they are more likely to be the
consequences of one's personal distractions.

Challenge VII: The Transcender

865
The final challenge lies in the continued focus upon the
evermore complex levels of meaning that can be derived from
the creative physical experience. As the self continues to
expand internally and externally, so do the creative talents and
powers of the individual. This archetypal understanding can be
called the transcender. It has been historically referred to as the
wise old man, the guru, the ascended master and other such
related concepts. Reaching the full and complete state of the
transcender is very rare indeed in the current Earthly
experience.

While it is true that the current earthly environment is not conducive to

developing the wisdom necessary to become an "ascended master", such can
be overcome by intent. Information expressed in such examples as the
"Lessons", can assist in the process. And while opportunities to apply these
lessons may appear to be few and far between, as we absorb such
information, the opportunities will automatically present themselves.

The transcender lives spontaneously in the present moment but

can only do so due to the finely honed mindscape that is skilled
in all worldly spheres. The mindscape is free of both positive
and negative judgments, yet the experiences created bring
emotional delight, and the spiritual resonance from a blissful
instant, intuitive, ineffable, energy/understanding. The
transcender is indeed, the full and whole human potential---the
experience that the physical embodiment is designed to be.

A major step in evolving to the status of the "transcender" is getting beyond

the temptation to indulge in the "positive and negative judgments" spoken
of above. Naturally, this is difficult to do in an atmosphere where so many
others revel in the practice, but it need not be. We are all individuals with
the freedom to choose to do or not to do whatever we like. It may require
getting beyond our comfort zone, but the rewards are far greater than mere

866
security.

The transcender has the entire world at his or her fingertips in

complete understanding of the purposes and functions of the
physical realm. Such an individual has developed and enjoys a
tremendous flexibility of consciousness and is no longer simply
limited to the narrow mental daytime focus of the personality.
The transcender is often competent in mobility of
consciousness in realms beyond space/time, enjoying out of
body sojourns, lucid dreaming, extra-sensory perception,
telepathic communications, and is highly effective at
manifesting energy into matter. The transcender is also
competent at conscious willful control over bodily processes,
and exhibits impressive healing abilities. Some individuals
have mastered some of these potentials including those that can
manifest matter seemingly from thin air without any time-lag.
The entity known as Jesus Christ can be offered as the best
example of the potential of the transcender.

There are those alive today who have mastered many of the qualities
indicated above. Yet, they are not fully recognized by a world so caught up
in the intellectual illusions of our time. If it doesn't fit into the current
paradigm, it simply can not be incorporated by the international media. So,
those few who do witness these qualities tend to worship the "pointer" and
failure to comprehend the lessons behind the genius/spiritual qualities that
make it possible.

Therapeutic Approaches to Mental Health

To the enlightened mind, it should be clear that the best

approach to mental health is in allowing it to unfold, without
messing it up with social fear, judgment, and external control.
Evolving beyond the idea that human nature is flawed by

867
mental disorder or "sin" can go a long way toward attaining
mental and emotional order and purpose. Until the emotional
system is understood and given its rightful place as the divine
self-regulation system, most attempts at mental cures will be
only marginally successful.

Let's begin again with the acceptance that we are not automatically
introduced to this physical existence in a state of perpetual probation, with
the only hope of being allowed to evolve into complete entities tied to the
governing regulations of some particular institution. Rather, let the
beginning of a person's physical existence be unmarred by anything other
than the past-life baggage he/she might choose to bring aboard. From that
point on, we can sail and tack in the direction we elect to travel.

At present, many cures for mental illness cause far more harm
than good. It is only when the emotional patterns are
recognized and accommodated in the natural developmental
process, that mental health will naturally manifest. Approaches
which examine and alter belief structures are of course the
most effective forms of therapy, but the added spiritual
understandings are essential additions to any such practice.
Loving connection, trust, compassion and support between
human beings is far more therapeutic than most "cures".

Would that the medical/psychiatric profession come to understand that the

establishment of an honest relationship between two human beings is the
necessary groundwork for working toward the cure of emotional problems.
Once that is established, then the examination of the patient's belief system
could be approached for review.

Pharmacological approaches are by far the most popular cure

for most serious disorders, but often do far more harm than
good. Most individuals that take regular doses of psychoactive
drugs can only continue to take them because the chemical

868
system has adapted to interfere with their potency in order to
right and protect itself. But more often than not, individual
bodies and spirits heartily reject regular doses of powerful
chemicals that simply alter the emotional system instead of
attacking the problem at its source. In fact, pharmacological
therapy is a symptom of mass denial regarding the knowledge
of the human condition.

One of the saddest conditions of so called "modern" medicine is the

administration of drugs to maladjusted children. While it may have
temporarily positive effects on their respective conditions, it leaves the true
cures more distanced and difficult to bring to the fore at a later time. Surely
we can leave a better heritage for future generations.

Healthy emotional systems can easily be thrown off balance by

ongoing stressful situations which tip the delicate chemical
balance. But there is presently far more susceptibility to such
imbalances due to such factors as diet, exercise patterns, and of
course internal and external conflict. Many individuals who
find themselves in a period of depression can simply enhance
nutrients and eat a more natural and balanced diet to
completely restore chemical balance. Although individuals
often respond positively to a temporary dosage of certain
medications, it is because they have jump-started the natural
system into producing the chemicals that have been
insufficient. Even inert substances, when empowered with
belief, can bring astounding improvements.

What do placeboes do if not pay tribute to the mind's capability to address

and correct the state of dis-ease that exists within us. Chemical substances
such as typical manufactured drugs, have their place in the treatment of
illness, but as we come to understand the true nature of what makes up a
human being, we will elect to approach these states of imbalance with the
balancing qualities of nature itself.

869
But it will only be through the loving cooperation within
humanity that true mental health can emerge. With this lens of
mental health in place, we can now discuss the ramifications
and connections for physical health.

Page 378-389 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Eta

Lesson Two: Implications For Physical Health

The Physical Focus

Historically, humanity has focused on the study of human

health and based the therapeutic approaches upon the inner
workings of the physical form. Although it should be readily
apparent that the body comes complete with its owns systems,
balances, developmental and healing processes, humanity has
assumed the modern scientific understanding to be superior to
the wisdom of the body. Although the expansion of scientific
self-awareness is a noble and necessary pursuit, at present, the
level of understanding is quite meager indeed. The emphasis is
still upon the physical manipulation of the form as if matter
were an inert, unconscious, malleable putty to be shaped by
human hands.

What is not taken into account when viewing the human body is that
consciousness (mind) is an integral part of the state of human health and

870
that unless it is addressed and factored into the practices of health
maintenance, the physical body takes on little more viability than an
automobile and the physician no more empathy than a mechanic.

This level of understanding has based most approaches to the

practice of medicine on the central assumption that permanent
corrective alterations can be made through introducing external
substances and externally manipulating symptoms of inner
states. Indeed, when an organ is surgically removed there is a
permanent change made to the material body itself. And
indeed, there can be some valid benefits in taking such drastic
approaches when humanity is in the early stages of its
evolution. But this approach only addresses a single aspect of
the self-construct, and works only at the level of the body. It
manipulates symptoms when actual causes are located in other
aspects of the self. Therefore the physical approach cannot help
but be shortsighted, and can yield only limited and temporary
health benefits.

With the evolution of mankind, it should become more apparent that that
which appears to be is more and that the underlying explanation for a
condition can be determined with the cooperation of the subject at the
deepest level of his/her being.

At present, this assumption is so deeply rooted within mass

consciousness that it underlies many common beliefs and daily
health practices. Some support good health, but most create a
fearful artificial dependency upon external medical caregivers
and substances that are necessitated by the lack of faith in the
natural healing processes. The modern day health care crises
illustrates the absurd level of external power that has been
assumed. The government has been forced to become
entangled with providing health care due to its misguided

871
efforts to control so many other aspects of human experience.
Ultimately, the removal of unnecessary legal restraints and
expansion of its educational role will reduce governmental
involvement and allow individuals to reclaim their rightful
power for self-determinism and well-being.

Ultimately, it is reduced to a question of "control". Who is going to have it?

Is it going to be something that will remain within the individual or must it
be imposed by an outside source. The state of one's healthful balance and the
treatment of an imbalance must, in the end, stay with the individual, until
and unless the outside source is invited to play a helping role.

Be aware, internal empowerment is the key to optimal health.

And indeed, the focus upon the body can give back a degree of
that power. People can, in fact have quite a positive impact
upon their health by simply respecting and caring for their
body. This is true because the body has its own set of needs
and requirements for its peak operation and carries out
everyday healing miracles below the level of human
consciousness. It must simply be given clean air to breathe,
wholesome foods to eat, clear water to drink, the activity and
mobility to keep its strength, flexibility, and vitality, its
required level of restorative rest, and a lifestyle which honors
these six universal needs. These simple requirements underlie
the smooth operation of many incredibly intelligent inner
systems of checks and balances that when left alone can bring
far better heath than might be expected.

Although these "simple requirements" might be considered to be acceptably

achieved in the normal course of one's life, there are serious questions about
the quality of our food and water, the opportunity for sufficient mobility, the
chance for necessary rest and the emphasis being placed upon these
requirements by those who can have an impact upon our environment,
whether it be in the workplace or in our homes.

872
Active Faith In The Body

The first strategic approach then becomes accepting the

accountability for one's own health and embracing the natural
wisdom of the body. This will involve replacing any limiting
ideas about "natural" disease processes, vulnerability to
communicable diseases or pollutants, and genetically inevitable
disorders of any kind, with the simple and well-founded faith
in the body. The body's ability to cleanse, to adapt, to
manufacture anything it needs, and to control and protect its
"self" are far and away more reliable and effective than any
external medical methods. Indeed it is the spirit that works
beneath the mind's conscious focus to ensure health and
immunity, and its available information of how to do so is
vastly unlimited compared to even the best of modern minds.
Truly embracing this understanding naturally brings the
necessary feelings of faith.

This is a most significant paragraph and one that holds much potential to
the state of good health. If we are truly spirit beings, with minds that have
total control over our physical nature, as these 'Lessons' seem to strongly
suggest, than it is not unreasonable to presume that we can and do have
control over our state of health and well-being. That said, we must also
factor in the belief system under which we were raised and we now operate.
The drugs and outside treatments we accept for our healing are our
conditional placeboes, without which we have difficulty operating. Yet, with
the exposure of our minds to this new 'Enlightenment' we have an
opportunity to consider a basic point of understanding and, hopefully, move
in the direction of universal health, as it was/is intended.

This faith motivates taking active responsibility for one's health

and designing a lifestyle best suited to supporting, rather than

873
interfering, with the automatic unconscious bodily
mechanisms. This faith will be courageous enough to listen to
medical advice or to take in the latest scientific information,
but to do so without embracing any limiting ideas which create
fear. When faith is stronger than fear, and integrity and honor
for the body is stronger than denial of the personal
responsibility and creative power, the limits of the world need
not become the limits of one's mind. With faith and relative
absence of limiting beliefs, the spiritual energy will flow
naturally and unobstructed, the immunity and healing processes
will operate at peak performance. This approach will spur a
natural evolution and betterment of the lifestyle in general as
the individual finds higher and higher levels of meaning within
daily experience.

The key to any state of health and well-being is faith in the best possible
nature of our being. This 'faith' transcends all of life's operations, whether
they be tied to our vocational practices or our accepted health practices. In
the end, nothing will give us satisfaction or relief unless we believe we are
gaining physically, mentally and spiritually from that which we process into
our lives.

There is far more individuality than might be suspected in

lifestyle approaches that can bring equal health and vitality.
This faith will include adherence to the spiritual feedback in
designing the individual lifestyle. Like all human systems,
health is a self-evolving condition which is directed by the
genetic challenges and propensities and spiritual desires of the
entity, and mediated by the energy/information provided by the
feeling system.

This suggests that we may inwardly know as individuals what is best for our
physical state of being, even if our health problems are related to our genetic

874
make-up and have little to do with any current, environment conditions. If
we can offset the external causes of illness with faith in what we can become,
we can also alter the genetic codes that we are supposedly conditioned to be
victims of, should we so decide.

As individuals are allowed to explore life, follow inner urges,

and learn through active experience and spiritual feedback,
they will develop the best internally directed approaches to all
aspects of health. As these lessons suggest, feelings of pleasure
and pain are the essential language of spirit that speaks
specifically to each aspect of the self. An essential rule of the
body is: "If it feels good, do it". Of course, this advice comes
with the usual caution about denial, escapist short-term
pleasures, and self-destructive tendencies based on reduction of
pain, but pleasure by its very nature is health-giving.

A warning is suggested here that the consumption of recreational drugs for

the obtaining of immediate and temporary "pleasure" is simply escapism at
its worst, not to mention its ultimate, destructive consequences. The true
feelings of pleasure come from the unobstructed sources deep within our
nature and must be gained without such outside stimulation.

The Pleasure Principle

Creating the conditions which invoke emotional pleasure

releases hormones which affect all organ systems and make
physical changes to the form itself. Sensate pleasure and pain is
the language of body, with emotional neuropeptides and
receptor cells in every area of the body to reap their benefits.
The natural pleasures need never be questioned, for they are as
valid as any other universal truth. They are integral to the self-
developmental process and intimately connected with meeting
the universal needs, whether or not the mind is yet aware of the

875
details.

It is the natural pleasures that are too often stifled by feelings of supplanted
guilt which, when so effected, often lead to other substituted pleasures
offered from outside oneself. These pleasures come in the form of legal or
illegal drug forms and soon fall beyond the realms of control. Whereas the
natural pleasures of life, when tied to altruistic emotion, can be most
beneficial in spiritual development.

Although pleasure is an individually defined pursuit, there are

some general validities which affect all human forms. The life-
giving habits have already been offered which can facilitate
this process and enhance the state of vitality through specific
expressive activities. A lifestyle which incorporates creative
movement, vocalization, and touch into the daily routines can
bolster the physical health no matter what other choices might
be made. Explorations into any number of ways to give the
body pleasure can yield many surprising methods of
invigorating and restoring the body.

Nothing can bring pleasure to the spirit, (and thus the mind and body,) like
an activity carried out with an expression of love, whether that be in contact
with another human being or in some collective or artistic fashion. Tapping
the creative juices is the equivalent to touching the spiritual, inner self.

For example, human touch and massage provides a great deal

of pleasure because it stimulates and influences many of the
automatic bodily processes--including the muscular, central
neural, and lymphatic systems, as well as providing human
connection. Vocalization from speaking and singing to
shouting and crying not only vent emotions, but they give the
body, a rest from the effects of the mind, and they cleanse and
move blocked energy. Such expressions help restore the bodily
feelings of freedom.

876
If one can get a good massage from a devoted masseuse, share a hot tub with
someone who can indulge in a meaningful conversation or just sing one's
lungs out in the morning shower, then there is a restoration of the
circulatory system in all aspects of being.

Pleasure and pain is always a valid spiritual guide. One simple

truth, however, is that many humans at present will experience
physical pain and emotional resistance to needed levels of
physical activity. Movement satisfies needs for freedom,
creativity, meaning, connection, and builds self-esteem as the
body is actively respected and consciously honored and new
challenges and worlds are conquered.

A form of daily physical activity is essential to the maintaining of a state of

balance in the system, not to mention what it does for one's sense of well-
being. Whatever momentary periods of pain may be involved, these are
more than offset by the positive results.

This is because such overemphasis has been placed upon the

mind and its abilities, the body has been neglected. Mental
work and play have replaced many of the active forms resulting
in sedentary lifestyles. Physical activity will be painful at first,
and the long-term gains and pleasures must be the driving force
to get past these growing pains of the body. But the required
activity is so well accommodated within the natural flow, that
the body itself compensates for any temporary growing pain
with natural chemicals that reduce the pain and allow the
natural pleasures to take over. Endorphins are released that find
purchase within pain-reduction receptor cells, the heart gets
pumping, and the body comes alive with vitality and
enthusiasm. Pain is often symptomatic of very neglected,
sedentary bodies that have begun to atrophy for lack of vital

877
activity.

Some pain is essential as a signal to alert us to a deteriorating situation and a

reminder that allowing that state of deterioration involves a price for
correction. Happily, the mind helps to reduce the severity of the lesson by
instructing the brain to reduce the severity of the needed pain with a
naturally produced chemical. With this kind of assistance and a little
discipline, the individual can recover from the self-inflicted state of
imbalance.

Athletes that utter the mantra "no pain no gain" are aware of
higher pleasures that follow activity and the more normal
functional realm of the body once such deficit states have been
transcended. But one need not be an athlete to enjoy the life-
giving pleasures of movement. (Any simple, but regular
regimen of dancing, walking, running, Yogic posturing, Tai
Chi-like movements, sexual activity, sports activities, etc.,
----anything which honors the integrity of the body, that allows
the breath to increase, the heart to pump, the cleansing sweat to
flow, and the feelings of free-flowing spiritual vitality to arise,
will do.) Generally, any action is better than inaction, but a
routine of such movement three to five times per week for 15-
45 minutes each is sufficient for vibrant health.

A vigorous walk every other day for a half hour may be just enough to get
one back on track. Then, whatever additional activity one might feel
comfortable with, would only be an added plus. Age is a relative factor and
subject to the human will. A 30 year old might become a skilled athlete,
while a 90 year old might end up doing a slow jog. Each person will provide
for his/her self whatever is wanted and needed.

Physical health can also be enhanced by ensuring the body

adequate rest and relaxation. There are physical and mental
approaches to relaxation, both of which bring pleasure and
restoration. Winding down periods of relaxation after mental

878
and physical exertions are also necessary toward keeping the
overall balance of health. The body responds well to muscle
relaxation techniques, deep breathing, saunas or hot baths,
massage, or even moderate alcohol consumption. The mind
responds to music, to expressing feelings and concerns to loved
ones, to absorbing tasks, to engaging hobbies, watching
television, working puzzles, playing games, meditation and
creating visual imagery, as well as to some natural mind
altering substances. All pleasures which bring active learning,
self-development and expression are divine by natural dictate.

To the degree that we wish to, we can gain in physical, mental and spiritual
development by the simple actions of indulgence. If a good walk is followed
by a drink and a little soft music or television, then to that level, there is
gain. Should it be a degree of meditation, followed by an act of reading and
written communication, so that will be the level of gain. We all select our
own timetable and compete only with our inner selves.

Sleep itself is a highly individualized process, but human sleep

cycles have been dramatically affected by the cultural choices
and conventions of humanity. For example, six hour sleep
periods alternating with six hours of wakeful activity are much
more suited to peak physical health. Short restful naps also
enhance mental acuity and physical coordination. Meditative
sessions are also helpful for many reasons, but do not
compensate for lack of sleep.

The accepted adage that everyone needs eight hours of uninterrupted sleep
daily is probably not sound advice when it comes to physical and mental
health, particularly when artificial drugs, (i.e. sleep-eze, etc.), are taken to
guarantee that full eight hours. A mid-day nap, in a cultural environment
that encourages such, can be much more beneficial to one's overall
wellbeing.

879
In sum, the simple, unobtrusive, care and feeding of the body
can make profound differences in one's state of health. Simply
attuning to and answering the bodily urges will lead to meeting
needs and ultimately to conscious understanding of
unconscious bodily wisdom. But with the human mind, comes
the ability to take over conscious control of many of the body's
subconscious processes. Indeed, the challenge of the physical
realm is to learn how to manipulate matter with mind and
create the conditions which allow for the broadest expansion of
spirit. But with mind also comes the capacity to reap ignorant
destruction upon the body. Thus far, the effects of individual
mind and mass consciousness have been far more detrimental
than necessary due to the lack of enlightened self-
understanding.

We live in an era of spiritual ignorance. Religious institutions have failed in

their efforts to teach their members the importance of balancing the
qualities of body, mind and spirit. Consequently, our societies have become
equally unbalanced, one feeding upon and contributing to the other. The
solution to this detrimental influence lies within, should we elect to seek it.

The Power Of The Mind

For mind creates the reality of its beliefs, and the generally
accepted mixture of conflicting directives within the concept of
health and medical care is enough to burden even the finest
minds---and negatively impacts even the finest bodies. The
mind can imagine and create any number of maladaptive
beliefs, attitudes, and strategies that can interfere with nearly
every automatic process.

We can, in effect, end up being our own worst enemy when it comes to

880
creating an environment for growth and even stability. We tend to thrive on
contradictions and are satisfied to ignore the end result in order to worship
methodology. To answer the question of "Why", we need to explore further.

For example, the widely held belief that health lies in the hands
of a medical practitioner. With this belief, healing and cure can
be stimulated simply by a conversation with a medical
practitioner, or it can be impeded by the thought of one's
physician being incompetent or uncaring. Suggestions of
potential diseases which fit nicely into limiting belief networks,
judgmental attitudes, and unresolved spiritual challenges, can
manifest those very conditions if fear is allowed to take root
over faith. These kinds of limiting beliefs are so deeply
ingrained within many societies that people often suffer much
shorter lives simply because they believe themselves to be
without the medical support needed, or hopeless victims of the
latest popular disease.

Our pervasive medium of education in western society has now become the
television set or the printed word. The evening news brings into our home
environment a high level of negativity regarding, among other things, our
personal health and well-being. Not a day goes by without a new threat to
worry about. What else but a state of "dis-ease" is likely to thrive in such an
atmosphere.

As stated, the body is an elegant cloak designed with incredible

resiliency and tenacity toward maximum vivacity and health---
unless the conscious mind misguidedly decides otherwise and
actively interferes. (Indeed, having no mind at all is often better
than one which works against its master). The body responds
incredibly well to the directives of mind, for the mind is
intended to consciously expand and become the willful,
creative controller of the self. An elegant example of the bodily
adaptive cooperation with mind is what has been called the

881
"placebo effect". Even with minimal suggestion, the body can
heal itself or stop pain simply by using the energy that comes
with the idea of cure.

People of little capacity for rational thought or focus, such as those in mental
institutions for most of their adult lives, manage to enjoy relatively good
health well beyond their expected life span. Those of low intelligence, as we
tend to measure it, will recover from illnesses or maintain a state of good
health, with no more stimulation than a suggestion from a respected source.

No matter if the curative property is a sugar pill, a strong

chemical, or a ritual chicken sacrifice, the body responds to the
idea embraced in the chemical or ritual. Generally, this is
enough to release bodily chemicals to right imbalances, but
soon enough conflicting beliefs will return and negate its
effect. Indeed, the body can produce far more substances than
are yet recognized, when maintained properly. But it is not the
property that has cured, it is the belief in its power which has
channeled will energy into consciously altering the body.
(Hypnotic suggestion and exploration will be a future area
where much will be discovered of the mind-body interactions.)

In our present state of "mind" western man is still too caught up in a

mentality that dictates those limited beliefs of a mechanical nature toward
the treatment of the human body. Each part is regarded as a separate,
disconnected section and a cure is the result of such limited focus. The
"placebo effect" is not to be accepted into this paradigm. It simply doesn't
fit. As long as mind is regarded as a product of physical evolution, it can not
be allowed to play a part in the creation of reality. It is this particular belief
that serves as the essential flaw in our physical/mental/spiritual progression.

Whether it is the entangled slivers about health care, its own

misguided need-meeting strategies, or its inefficiency in the
role of converter of spiritual will energy, the mind is truly the
source of health . If individuals are to simply look to their

882
lifestyles and the beliefs that support their choices, they will
see many, many practices that work against the simple bodily
requirements.

If mind is eventually accepted to be the source of illness and cure, then it will
have to be accepted as an essential creative force of the state of optimum
health and well-being. Ignoring the obvious can only prolong a general state
of suffering. Western society will have to begin by facing the reality of things
as they are and then move in the direction of what spirit wants them to
become.

For example, the concept of food and what it means, sets

people up for many mindtraps. Food becomes entangled with
many of the psychological needs, with cultural and social
rituals, resulting in many dietary preferences, habits and
attitudes that close the mind to the wisdom of the body and the
benefits of ongoing development. Food then is no longer
considered primarily as a nourishment mechanism, but
becomes an avenue for pleasure that is missing in other areas
of unfilled need. Mental deficits, not physical ones, may
prompt dietary choices and result in lifestyles that compromise
the body's balances. Such choices over time can contribute to
weight problems, digestive problems, hormonal imbalances,
diabetes, cancer, and many other disorders and diseases.

Do we eat to live or do we end up living to eat. Eating out and consuming

lavish amounts with regularity results in exaggerated appearances and,
more seriously, internal and incurable states of illness. Intermittent
pleasures override the simple need for nourishment. Our excessive "gain"
results in unanticipated "pain".

An effective strategy to counteract the habits and patterns

which often inhibit the body, are cyclic dietary restorations.
Since the body develops tolerances and accommodates many

883
debilitating habits, it can be reset, by periodic fasting. Breaking
a rigid dietary habit pattern can allow the body to return to a
more natural state of balance and actually alter conditioned
taste preferences and habitual impulses, allowing the actual
hunger and satiety conditions to change. Indeed, it honors the
body to regularly, perhaps once per year, undergo a three-to
five day period of cleansing with juices alone as the diet. Then
the gradual introduction of solid foods over the next two
weeks, beginning with fresh fruits and raw vegetables and
relatively smallish portions taken regularly throughout each
day as directed by the urges of the body. This restorative
fasting allows many processes to return to much more natural
states, and new preferences and patterns to emerge. Indeed, any
habitual pattern should be broken from time to time, to simply
invite innovative alternatives.

Such activity reflects a trust of the body to know what is good for it and
assists it in moving toward its natural state of balance. It is the "trust" that
motivates the process. The very act of fasting and abstaining is appropriate
to reinforce the connection between mind and body. This natural bonding
can not but help achieve positive results. It is comparable to the "bonding"
which takes place between mother and child and the long term consequences
which have been observed to follow.

A mindscape with a simple, natural approach to food drawing

upon the gifts of nature, without much mindful intervention,
will experience something much closer to peak physical vitality
than even the most complex knowledge of vitamins,
supplements, and curative potions. Nature has provided all the
organisms and seasonal rhythms to offer many forms of the
basic nutritive requirements, as well as the inner self guidance
system to evolve the best personalized approaches to diet.

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If this is a matter of doubt, make a close and unbiased observation of nature
when not exploited by man. Balance is the base line upon which all natural
life on the planet thrives. There is a constant act of communication going on
between plant/animal life and that higher source of its being. Only when
interfered with, does the system break down.

As the natural self-developmental process unfolds, the mind

automatically seeks higher and higher levels of meaning, and
there is a corresponding alteration in the evolving lifestyle of
the individual. Thus, there are as many approaches to food,
exercise, and health as there are levels of spiritual
development. If the mind is truly doing its job, the spiritual
feedback signals will bring continuous improvements to the
strategies that underlie health. As denial and blame are
replaced with accountability for all of life's experiences, the
importance of building health will take a much higher priority,
and a corresponding change in diet, exercise, and general faith
in the body will naturally unfold.

The key to our growth and maintenance in our physical state is an

appreciation of our ubiquitous spiritual environment and nature. As we
continue to raise our ideals and intentions, we invite the balancing aspect of
nature to come to the fore. The two are a blend that is not to be separated
for as long as we occupy this physical state. When we have completed our
understanding of our capacity to manipulate our physical environment, we
can take the value of that lesson on to a more etheric state and continue to
expand upon the process.

There are no necessarily right or wrong approaches to meet the

body's requirements, and an over-emphasis upon which
approach is "the highest" can sacrifice the faith in the body and
bring unnecessary fear. For example, vegetarianism. As entities
begin to evolve the self-concept to include all life forms, it can
become dissatisfying to choose to eat animal flesh and rob a
conscious life form of its experience. Such choices are well

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within the range of necessary human experience as the species'
evolution unfolds. But at the present level of mass
consciousness, the limited concept of a "life form", the
illusions of space-time, and the tremendous disconnection from
spirit create a good deal of confusion. Honoring the natural
urges and learning from all emotional experience is the best
way to honor all spirits as well as design a dietary lifestyle.

Because of what we have likely been exposed to in the usual programming

under which we were reared, there is a tendency to become dogmatic about
the proper way of going about conducting ourselves. It is best to avoid doing
so (being dogmatic), lest the means becomes more important than the end.
All roads can lead to Rome, if that is one's destination. Keeping the ultimate
goal in mind will serve as a guide to whatever individual road we choose to
take.

At present, removing slivers is the first challenge to the mind's

role in maintaining health. For a mind choked with conflicting
beliefs invests its energy so poorly that its higher potentials
cannot even present themselves, let along develop. There must
first be an unblocking of energy, before the full vital force can
flow. Then there will come an individual developmental
process where each person attunes more to the feeling signals
of body and embraces many available intuitive insights about
what the body needs at any given moment to bolster its vitality.

Habits of thought die hard. Breaking a pattern may involve altering an

environment or those within it. In the end, we are nothing more than the
result of our intentions. With that in mind, we can not fail in the long run.

The idea that the form is the only controlling force has blinded
researchers to the role mindful experience plays in the onset of
most disease processes. As individuals embark upon this

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developmental process, they will become acquainted with the
bodily predispositons and the spiritual challenges they
represent. As the challenges are surmounted, certain symptoms
begin to disappear. Many disturbances with symptoms such as
allergic reactions, cancerous tissue overgrowth, and hormonal
imbalances are the direct result of emotional stress that has not
been properly understood or addressed.

As we continue to expand the stress in our society and in our individual lives,
we will invite the consequences which follow. When we begin to backtrack
from the end result to the primary cause, we will also begin to experience the
benefits. It may become unaffordable, economically and otherwise, to
continue the patterns of poor health and a state of "unaffordability" may
ultimately end up being the motivating factor.

As the divine self-regulation system provides its unifying

guidance, many apparent genetically inevitable conditions will
simply reverse or not arise. Hidden beneath a pile of
conflicting and limited beliefs about health, lies the valid need
for the mind and body to constantly interact in the divine
feedback process.

Pause, look and listen. The answers to our problems lie within nature and
within ourselves. It has always been this way and will continue to be so.

Managing Emotional Stress

An essential part of maintaining health in the world at present

lies in understanding and mediating the daily stressors.
Reconnecting to the inner spiritual guidance will put the
concept of stress in its proper context, as the cumulative level
of unresolved emotional conflict. Stress is the symptom of
conflict between the self and world, due to the opposition

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between body and mind. Each conflict obstructs the flow of
spiritual energy and begs for correction. The more the stress,
the bigger the physical detriment. Stress then has both a role in
the natural feedback process, and in how emotional energy
builds, accumulates and creates disruption. At present, the
ability to understand and manage stress is essential to building
health.

Stress has been identified by conventional wisdom as a major contributor to

a state of poor physical and mental health. However, that having been done,
a permanent alleviation of the problem has not been addressed. There have
been partial solutions suggested but none truly address the whole problem.
While it is agreed that stress is essential to our normal activity in this
physical world, more is not necessarily a good thing.

The divine self-regulation system is the instrument for

effecting purposeful internal and external change. Since this
divine self-regulation system is intertwined so completely
within the human biology, emotional arousal has a direct effect
upon the physical immune system. It is to be expected that any
sort of change will bring emotional signals, and the more
unexpected and dramatic the change, the stronger the feelings
will be---both good and bad. But in a general sense, stress is
the cumulative effect of lingering negative feelings of fear,
anger, guilt, envy, resentment, etc. Embracing the concept of
growing pains and responding to the slightest signal will ensure
that unhealthy amounts of stress do not accumulate.

It would seem that the wisest way to deal with any kind of stress is to invite
the body/mind to recognize it early and deal with it accordingly. The greater
the accumulation of negative stress, the greater the risk of damage being
done to oneself. When not dealt with and relieved, the negative feelings
associated with it, will pile up like bricks creating a wall. As the wall
becomes higher, it separates us from the All That Is.

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The amount of momentary stress or emotional dissonance,
experienced in any given moment can range from minor
anxious growing pains, to a shocking and overwhelming
emotional reaction that can even overtake consciousness and
cause one to faint dead away. The highest stressors have to do
with major losses, such as death of a loved one, loss of health,
businesses, jobs, or major need-meeting resources. The worst
experiences often surround the power, freedom and connection
needs. In the world today, sudden, unexpected, and painful life
events will surely arise, until fully enlightened mindscapes are
in place and events are created in line with all desires.

It is not so much the nature of stress-causing happenings which are our

undoing. Rather, it is lacking of a broader understanding of these events
which cause us to react poorly. As we grow in knowledge of our physical,
mental and spiritual nature as human entities, we will be better prepared to
deal with the stress created by these unexpected events. When age brings
wisdom instead of just accumulation and deterioration, then we will be able
to integrate the lessons of life and help to pass on this information to future
generations.

Indeed, as humans begin to embrace the enlightened

understandings, there will be accelerated progress and plenty of
change. Individuals will begin assessing the very core
assumptions and values which have based long-term decisions.
They may outgrow their friends, and even spouses, yet attract
entirely new and more suitable comrades. They might change
jobs and even whole careers when recognizing and answering
their inner urgings. They might end or begin all sorts of group
affiliations. Although this brings tremendous progress to the
individual, it comes with a good deal of emotional ups and
downs---all of which can be reflected in the health unless a

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solid strategy of stress management is in place.

The art of managing one's stress is just that, an art. To achieve the quality of
success necessary in achieving this end would take an equal amount of
wisdom and dedication (not to mention discipline), and could not be
achieved on any lesser plane than that which would inspire that dedication
to change in the first place.

In addition to the tender, enlightened care and feeding of the

body, good stress management will involve structured ways to
promote enlightened feedback and support for the process of
change itself. Such structures will include intimate friendships
wherein life circumstances can be discussed. Each human
being can benefit tremendously by simply sharing life events,
feelings experienced, and solutions in the context of connection
and the search for meaning. Such community is tremendously
pleasurable as well as offering a forum for exchanging
perspectives, information and potential solutions.

Would that such environments could be created and encouraged. Despite all
the clubs and organizations that exist as extracirricular activities, few pay
tribute to the free flow of ideas and values and the tolerance to consider
what might be opposing points of view.

Such structures will also counter negative events with balances

of healthy pleasures. Individuals can benefit tremendously
from counterbalancing each negativity with one active
positively given to the self. This is particularly important in an
historical age when selfishness is condemned and martyrdom is
advocated. The popular ideas that "suffering is good for the
soul", or that giving something to one's self is somehow less
noble that giving pleasure to another, are simply unsound and
create further emotional stress. With a united body and mind
and expanded self-concept, the pleasures of the individual self

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are never excluded from the pleasures of all. Balanced and
appropriate levels of self indulgence are not only
recommended, they are required.

To overcome the programming that so many were subject to as young

children and which remains so deeply ingrained in the human psyche, we
must begin at some defined point in time. For the sake of all concerned, that
time must be NOW. If the seed of such change can grow to fruition in only
one individual, there is hope for a better world.

Restoring a sense of equity and balance can keep stress to a

minimum. Thus, it is essential for each individual to know
exactly what brings about personal pleasures. Producing a list
from the highest, to even the most minor, pleasures can clarify
exactly how the universal needs are fulfilled. When painful
changes occur, after the necessary right and light responses are
made, it is time for legitimate celebration and reward. A
selection from the pleasure list of an indulgence of appropriate
size and correspondence to the problem itself can help counter-
balance stress as well as motivate quicker corrections.

This is, no doubt, good advice and many people practice it instinctively by
seeking pleasures from a variety of possibilities when they have been struck
with a most damaging experience. As long as such "pleasure" is not at the
expense of or damage to someone else, then it can only be spiritually
beneficial.

Even "guilty pleasures", sinful foods, vacation getaways, or

expensive gifts when parceled to one's self in a balanced way
can greatly enhance health without compromising the
contributions to others, the form of one's body or the resources
of one's pocket book. Again this is an individual process, but
there are indeed many healthy pleasures to be had, with
balance and moderation being the key. Universal pleasures, are

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of course linked to the universal needs. Optimism, altruistic
actions, confessional intimacy, continuing education, creative
expression, gaining control, life examination and finding
meaning, laughter and tears are healthful and life-giving.

We are entitled to enjoy the best pleasures in life because we are,

collectively, the best that life has to offer. If we elect to refrain from this
"doing and being" because we have been programmed to believe that the
more suffering we experience in this life, the more happiness we will
experience in the next, then it will likely be that it will take a long time to
break that pattern of thought, regardless of whatever state we find
ourselves.

In sum, the mind should be designed around the parameters,

needs, impulses, and urges of the body to promote the most
natural flow of health and vitality. Take care to attune to and
honor the body, to face all growing pains with courage and
integrity, and to embrace full accountability for making healthy
lifestyle choices. The mind can then ride the wave to faith in
the integrity of nature, of spirit, and of the body to build and
maintain health and vitality.

In the end, the optimum word is "trust". If we can trust in the universal
goodness of All That Is and see that quality in all that surrounds us, we will
likely find unlimited possibilities to express our true nature.

Wholism

Fortunately, the time has come wherein humanity is awakening

to a bigger version of health and indeed a broader
understanding of the human experience. Not only has the
power of mind begun to be suspected, but over the past several
decades, there has been a growing interest in alternative and

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wholistic approaches to health that also add the spiritual
component. Wholistic self-unity is indeed the bedrock for all
kinds of health and vitality. It is only when there is disunity
that the spiritual energy force cannot flow freely between
physical and nonphysical worlds, and freely throughout the
physical body.

There is a spiritual force that permeates the physical body and it is the same
force that exists in mind and the same force that is Spirit. It is the ocean that
exists in a wave and it is only mind and its programming that contrives a
state of separation so that there can be a source of control from without.
Once this state becomes a realization and is put into practice, the "last"
source of control becomes the "first" and the "first source of control
eventually becomes the "last". This is the true state of the awakening.

Humanity is poised on the brink of discovering and enjoying a

radically optimistic view of health---and life in general---as
they embrace the enlightened understandings. It is reclaiming
the divine emotional system that shall at last reunite body,
mind, and spirit in the vital whole that is intended to regulate
and support the most purposeful physical experience.

There are subtle shifts taking place in the thought processes of the "so-
called" political leaders that seem to suggest that a new paradigm is
beginning to have an influence. At the moment, there is strong resistance
from the collective establishment. But like a thief in the night, this "shift" is
creeping into the collective unconscious and bringing in the "gems" of
enlightenment that spread like the vines in a vineyard, until a wholistic view
can no longer be ignored.

As individuals re-attune to this long-lost inner sense, the

natural process will unfold. If the right and light responses are
made to each painful emotional signal, the mindscape is more
and more cleansed of slivers and judgments, awareness of the
natural bodily processes evolves and unclaimed potentials will

893
simply emerge. Health and vitality come along with this
process, and the unification of body, mind, and spirit in any
given lifetime cannot help but promote maximum health and
expression in all counterparts and aspects of the entity. Indeed,
healing brings a fuller spectrum of spiritual vitality across
space-time.

There may be many conventional processes we may have to go through in

order for the body, infused with spirit, to take control of the situation and
gain that state of balance and unity with Spirit. But being in a state of
knowing (as is provided by these Lessons), will spark that process and
achieve that healthy state as is desired.

When this unifying sense becomes embraced within mass

consciousness, tremendous catch-up progress can be made. The
focus will immediately shift to the model of the trinity of self,
and the roles of both body and mind will be recognized as
integral in the expression of spirit. The body will be rewarded
and fulfilled by the mind, and the mind will fully accommodate
the spirit through enlightened belief structures, and be free to
create any experience of its choosing. As higher and higher
levels of meaning are attained, individuals will recognize the
constant interactive cycles within and between the physical and
non-physical realms.

On a planet where only a small portion of the population can read, it would
behoove us to find a way to distribute this information and these insights in a
ubiquitous fashion. One such method might well be television. It would
require a collective effort on the part of the communicative portion of society
to be willing and able to pass along the wisdom these Lessons offer. The
internet could not completely serve this purpose, since it normally requires a
state of literacy. However, this technology is constantly expanding and
greater possibilities are at the fore. What is needed now is a human catalyst,
a force of dedication to such a noble cause.

894
For as purposeful self-development and self-expression occur,
there is an actual expansion of consciousness itself. With
evolving vibrancy there is a continuous increase in mental
abilities where the eventual instantaneous manipulation of
matter by mind is entirely possible. Health and healing will be
entirely different constructs than those which currently exist
within mass consciousness. We can now discuss the first step
to this destiny in the new holistic understandings which are
becoming known as energy medicine.

Page 390-407 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Eta

Lesson Three: Implications For Wholistic Health

Health In The New Millennium

The turn of the millennium marks a significant transition in the

human consciousness with the rediscovery of the inner self-
regulation sense of feeling. Upon reattunement to inner
guidance, when feeling signals are decoded and acted upon
purposefully, the subsequent enlightenment will naturally
unfold. Individuals will begin to discover and reclaim the vast
empowerment that now is invested in limiting beliefs which
purchase only minimal levels of expression---and allow only
minimal levels of physical vibrancy.

The opening of a chakra is the equivalent of an opening of a portion of the

895
mind to the spirit. The terminology may seem strange and uncomfortable to
us, but if we can accept that we are basically "spirit beings" and are in a
state of programmed limitation, we can begin to accept that there is a built-
in physical/mental/spiritual system in place through which we can expand
our predestined potential. "Argue for your limitations and they're yours".
These are the words from the book: "Jonathan Livingston Seagull". Today,
they have more significance and meaning than ever. We have had our
limitations chiseled into our minds like the words that are chiseled in stone
on our monuments. It is now time to abolish these monuments and get on
with living our lives as the creators that we were designed to be.

The lack of self-understanding has dramatically reduced the

amount of the potential health and vitality of "normal" human
living to the degree that disease, disorder, personality and even
character development have been placed outside of individual
control through the "truth" offered by mass consciousness. In a
world that insists that humans are slaves to genetic predestiny,
or the effects of bad parenting, or cultural violence---only to be
rescued by blindly following religious doctrine---the creative
power of mind is short-circuited. The power over health and
development has been placed in the hands of "experts" instead
of in the minds of each individual where it truly belongs.

"Conditioning" is a powerful tool, especially when it is used on the pliable

minds of the young. If the mind is stifled during even the rebellious years, it
is very difficult to bring one into a state of rebirth until and unless the
condition can be recognized for what it is and corrected with determination.

But as the dawn of conscious enlightenment sweeps humanity,

there can be a fairly quick recovery and return to the state of
conscious, unified, creative experience of spirit in flesh. This
empowerment will replace the emphasis of good health back
upon each aspect of self as a self-regulated, willful, unified
whole and a far more profound understanding of the spiritual
aspects of humanity will be apparent.

896
It would be hoped that the "enlightened sweep" would take place like the
"Hundredth Monkey" principle, i.e. that as one person comes to realize this
new concept of consciousness, his/her state of enlightenment would somehow
be transmitted on to those in the same environment and then beyond, so that
it would spread in a subtle but effective manner throughout the world. These
"Lessons" offer the opportunity of such seeds of enlightenment being
planted at various points and that, with encouragement, their respective
growth would bring this material to fruition. So as vines of a vineyard
spread and produce their fruit, let nature take its course.

Energy Medicine & The Flow Of Consciousness

The beginning of this trend can already been seen in the recent
interest in energy medicine by Western civilization. Although
Eastern disciplines and medical approaches have long
embraced the nature of the body electric, with this shift, the
energy will be recognized as the vehicle of consciousness
itself. Reclaiming the emotional sense will sever the final
strand of the Western notion that consciousness arises from
life, instead of consciousness underlying all life. It will create a
flurry of intellectual connections between many isolated areas
of science including quantum physics, as consciousness takes
its rightful place as the energy/information of the cosmos, the
expanding "mind" expressing the spirit of All That Is.

Going back in time to correct a fundamental flaw in perception of what

consciousness really is and what role it has always been destined to play in
the understanding of what we are really comprised of and how we can retain
our state of physical and mental balance, will unleash a plethora of new
concepts that can barely be imagined from our current perspective.

The energy field will be recognized as various manifestations

of consciousness and seen as an interacting portal between

897
body, mind and spirit---with varying intensities and mental and
physical manifestations perceived as various aspects of the
emotional system. Indeed, varying levels of certain features of
energy such as vibratory frequencies etc., will be recognized as
unifiers of body, mind, and spirit as consciousness cycles into
and out of the physical space/time continuum. These cycles and
processes will be central to the new concept of wholistic
energy health.

What seems most lacking in our understanding of the true nature of health
at this point, is the realization that we are not the end product of evolution.
We are, rather, the examples of a universal consciousness which is
responsible for all evolution and that this "consciousness" existed before
time/space and the material world we experience. These latter qualities are
simply the illusions we experience for the purpose of our
consciousness/spiritual growth.

Indeed, the flow of energy and its conversion from one form to
the next is the process that maintains all physical matter, and
the conscious human mind plays a far bigger role than is yet
suspected. The energy network that comprises the spirit in flesh
can be likened to an infinite cycling of energy of spirit flowing
through mind and body. A visual depiction can help: Imagine
an infinity symbol and the pattern of cyclic energy flowing
between its two sides. One side is the physical realm and the
other is the nonphysical spiritual realm. Trace the outline of the
figure below to feel the cycle course of energy flow.
Within this image of circulating energy between physical and
non-physical realms, we can recognize the conscious energy
potential of spirit. The spirit's breadth of consciousness
transcends any attainable level of physical consciousness, but
provides guidance through the emotional sense to bring the
fullest breadth of conscious physical experience to mind. It

898
resides in the non-physical and constantly journeys into, and
out of, the physical realm when the entity is embodied. It is the
life force that animates the body, handles all "subconscious"
processes and moves it impulsively towards its purpose. Thus,
both sides of the infinity symbol can also be acknowledged as
body and spirit within the trinity self construct. But now focus
upon the intersection point between the two, as this tiny point
is actually the mental realm, or the mind, as depicted below.
To quote Edgar Cayce: "Mind is the builder." It is the focal point between
the physical and the non-physical aspect of our nature. As we program it, so
it functions and as we limit our beliefs, so do we limit our progress.

The mind is the focal point of the individual personality, the

conversion center of the will energy, as well as the mechanism
for expanding consciousness. With this image, it is apparent
how the mind, as a door-like portal, can influence the energy
flow. The mind receives energy from both the spirit and from
the body and directs thought and action through belief
structures. The body, with its needs and impulses cues the mind
through unconscious impulses to consciously act in ways that
meet the physical needs. This is how it receives feedback from
the world regarding how well its needs have been met. The
spirit , with its challenges and drive for breadth of expression,
moves the mind through pleasurable inspirations, dreams and
creative insights. The information from the energy of spirit is
experienced in the mind with the emotional resonance of
joyous connection to the divine.

As creatures of spiritual creation, we are entitled to all the "joys" that

accompany the existence of spirit. That is to say, we are entitled to all
ultimate happiness. However, that said, it should be noted that there is no
free lunch. We can not expect to be handed this gift without participating in
the acquisition. We were created and supplied with the given tools to carve

899
out our own, individual work of art. We are invited to be co-creators of our
own reality. We are given free choice of how and how long we wish to take to
discover our true nature and to make all that we can make of it. Our
possibilities are only as limited as our imagination and that, once we become
fully realized, has no limits.

The energy from the physical world is experienced in the mind

as more basic emotional feelings and impulses. The feelings
are experienced as need hungers which seek satisfaction and
which are satisfied through the impulsive movements of body.
If the body's needs are not satisfied in any given moment, it
cues the mind through the painful corrective feelings of fear
and anger, and impulses for fight and flight responses. As the
mind recognizes meaning within the patterns, it expands its
conscious ability to direct purposeful thought and action as
well as embracing and expressing its value potential in any
manner desirable.

The greater one's familiarity with the true workings of the mind as it relates
to one's body and spirit, the greater the likelihood that one will accelerate
toward the truly intended goal of spiritual expansion. The concept of this
relationship is not so complicated as to be beyond the limits of any range of
what we measure as "intelligence". Rather, it is within the confines of any
trial and error basic learning pattern; that which is evident in the lowest
form of plant and animal life.

In organisms less complex than humans, there is a more direct

connection between body and spirit, without much conscious
mind to intervene. The energy information flow from spirit acts
directly upon the body. But in humans, the energy information
from body flows into mind so that it can become consciously
aware and take willful control over need-meeting actions. This
is how it learns and can come up with creative need-meeting
strategies which are far better than the simple "instinctive"

900
reflexes of body. While the energy flow within animals is
relatively constant, in humans, the energy flow to body can be
disrupted by the will choices and contents of the mind. If the
mind chooses to not attune to the incoming emotional
messages or clings to beliefs that do not do the job, the mind
closes it's doors in self-defense, and little of the precious
energy can flow between physical and non-physical realms.

Such is the peril or possibility of the quality of free will. Not only do humans
reap the negative consequences of adhering to wrongful choices, but we are
also gifted with the positive capability of creating our own reality. Once this
latter quality is recognized and appreciated for what it is, and the system of
the feeling-feedback is put into practice, the "positive" benefits will be both
appreciated and applied.

But a fully closed mind could not facilitate life and a closed
mind is not usually the true obstruction. It is, of course, the
beliefs that become part of the mindscape. As we now know,
the mind develops from the moment of birth in order to
consciously and willfully direct the creative experience, so it
builds beliefs in a third mental realm which transfers the
energy from it's spiritual form to its mental form. In this mental
realm, the beliefs act as energy targets which channel and
direct the will energy into creative events in the physical
realm. The energy flow is not disrupted or minimized unless
limiting belief structures are planted within the mind, and these
disruptions, of course, prompt the corrective signals of
emotional pain. In this context, emotional pain signals
distortion of the pure energy/information of spirit and suggests
changes to the mindscape.

Emotional pain is the feedback which should signal us to make a course

correction as we travel along the space/time continuum. When we ignore this

901
type of "signal", we are missing an opportunity to develop our
physical/mental/spiritual nature. If we can take the time to identify the
"sliver" that is signaling us through this emotional pain signal, we can revise
the belief and benefit from future pain.

The mindscape is meant to be designed to the desires and

specifications of each individual, to be planted and nurtured
like a personal garden which converts will energy into
purposeful and desired life events. The mind is meant to
become complex with the individually unique perceptions and
value expression as part of the experiential expansion of All
That Is. As mind evolves conscious understandings, it can
speed up and personalize the flow of energy between body and
spirit, but at present serves more to obstruct and water down
the flow of life force. This is the very genesis of the condition
of compromised mental and physical health.

The implanted state of our mental and physical health is directly related to
the failure of our created society and its institutional structures to
compliment our creative capacities. This is done by keeping the proverbial
door closed to such creative possibilities. In great part, this status quo is
maintained in order that power and control factions can remain intact.

As depicted below, the mindscape, the creative mental realm

can either convert energy efficiently with its myriad gems, or it
can block it, if it contains a sizeable amount of slivers.
Emotional signals mark the trapped energy in the mind that is
frustrating the flow of spirit and under-energizing the body.
With this image, the complete energy construct can be
introduced. What has been depicted with this infinite energy
loop is the trinity of self. The mind is the conversion portal of
physical and nonphysical energy. It is not simply one construct,
but a series of energy conversion points which have been

902
termed chakras . The mind or mental realm has also been
termed the emotional body, energy body, or ethereal body, but
it can now take its rightful place in the self system.

Adopting a visual aid to understand and expand our acceptance of our true
nature, may help and encourage us to operate on a higher level of existence.
Once we are exposed to this form of expanded information and let our true
nature follow its "natural" course, then the outcome can be trusted to reach
an accepted level of achievement.

Now the image of the infinity symbols can be collapsed back

down into its more valid depiction. The trinity of self intersects
at the portal chakras of mind in an overlapping interactive
conversion system that has been likened to a "spinning wheel".
Each chakra of the mindscape is more accurately depicted
below.
Indeed, the "mindscape" (with its beliefs which either increase
or subdue energy flow) is not located in one place, but rather it
straddles space-time encapsulating the physical body. The
mind is thus centered at seven locations corresponding with
each of the universal needs of body and the spiritual
challenges. During the natural developmental process, as the
challenges are surmounted and the successful need-meeting
belief structures are put into place, each of the mind's chakra
portals becomes fully engaged and operating at peak capacity.
At peak capacity the will energy is smoothly converted from
the non-physical realm into the physical realm and back again
through its personally chosen belief structures.

There then exists in every human being a system that, when properly
programmed, can deliver an exchange between physical, mental and
spiritual as a source of information which can be in maximum creativity and
expanded enlightenment. The only variable appears to be an awareness and

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an expanded series of beliefs.

This is how reality is created through the mindscape as well as

how it is guided by the feedback of the spiritual energy force,
and how peak health and well being is attained. If belief
structures are limited in any way they will create events which
cause emotional signals to tell us that we are focusing our
energy in ways less conducive to spiritual intention. If signals
are not answered with conscious adaptive learning corrections
made to the mindscape, the energy disruptions affect thought,
action, and the health of the physical body. For ongoing painful
signals indicate unacceptable deficit states wherein the
individual is not fully functional, or even fully alive.

Understanding the nature of the mechanism that allows us to exercise our

creative capabilities may well enhance our confidence in doing so. Once this
system is not only understood but appreciated, we can begin utilizing it for
not just our health and well being, but in the variety of ways in which we can
lay aside our limiting beliefs and free our creative nature.

This energy state underlies all aspects of mental and physical

health. For the displaced energy lingers and builds, creates
chemical imbalances, and adds urgency to the body's
unconscious need-meeting impulses until some purposeful
change occurs. The body can help dissipate the energy through
movement, creative action, vocalization, and tears, but it will
continue to be problematic until each of the spiritual challenges
are surmounted permanently with successful belief structures
that bring positive emotional outcomes on a long term basis.
For physical life is the creation of blissful human experience
which delights and expands the universal consciousness of All
That Is. Suffering is not a spiritually desirable state.

904
This last sentence runs in complete contradiction to the emphasized beliefs
of current Christianity, as it has been practiced over too many centuries.
The very concept of "Hell" is an engrained part of the "suffering" scenario.
Now we can begin to see and accept that there is an alternative belief, based
upon this newly described paradigm, that can free all human beings from
anticipated suffering and open the door of opportunity to levels of happiness
that heretofore have been unimaginable.

Humanity has become so mired in limiting beliefs that disorder

and disease have been accepted as normal or inevitable
conditions of life. Each emerging mind has been so choked
with value judgments that the intended course of human
development remains unattained. Although physical life is
graced with tremendous flexibility and resilience such that we
can survive with severely under-energized forms, such a life is
painful, brutish, relatively short, and devoid of much meaning
and value. Full healthful development is the challenge of
bringing unconscious processes under willful conscious control
through purposeful belief structures. This peak development is
mastering the ultimate potential to creatively manipulate matter
with the conscious mind. The fully aware and alive human
being can convert matter into energy and quite literally prevent
and cure disease with the power of the mind.

Just as the belief system can explain the phenomenon we know as the
placebo effect, i.e. causing someone to obtain health-restoring results from a
mere sugar pill, so are we gradually beginning to understand the power of
the mind and its potential effect on our physical state of health. We need not
suffer. We need not die in pain. We need not lead lives of quiet desperation.

The transcendent potential within humanity includes

transmutation of the physical form itself. Wherein conscious
conversion, dissipation and reintegration of the physical form
can allow certain types of time-space dimensional travel. With

905
such a destiny, the species are profoundly handicapped even
when we appear to be fairly alive and healthy. But the progress
of the species is contingent upon conscious awakening to the
interaction of the trinity of self and ceasing to ignorantly
interfere with the unfolding mind.

A minimal level of consciousness, on the physical level, has been responsible

for the level of evolution observed and championed by the "Darwinists". But
what has been missing and should soon become apparent, is the role of the
mind in the evolutionary process, both in fact and in potential. Mind is not
only the builder, it is the "evolver".

The process can proceed if the energy flow remains open and
circulating, the chakras spinning, so that mind becomes
conscious of all spiritual potential and expresses it in the world.
At the optimal energy flow, feelings from the nonphysical
realm deliver steady enthusiasm, creative inspirations, and a
passionate drive toward purposeful self-development and self-
expression of its value potential in line with the entity's desired
destiny path. When this optimal flow occurs, health is naturally
vibrant, and life is consciously directed, spontaneous,
meaningful, and rewarding. Otherwise, disruptions occur
which effect health and well-being and misdirect energy into
limited beliefs and creations.

"Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be
opened unto you". These are the words of Universal Law. The key to
opening this promising door lies in the simple application of feelings. Passion
for the unlimited, positive possibilities is as viable and possible as mankind's
desire for freedom and opportunity. HENCE, LET THE PROCESS BEGIN!

Disturbances To The Chakras Of Mind

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Interference in the natural developmental process manifests
itself in one of two ways. The energy comes into the mind from
both directions, flowing through the mind's belief structures
cycling feedback information between physical and non-
physical realms. As mind evolves its consciousness, it becomes
better and better at deciphering the energy information from
either side without creating distortion, while choosing any
desirable manner of belief to carry out spiritual guidance. Any
limiting beliefs of mind can act like a conceptual gate at either
side of its portal which filters and limits a portion of the
energy. The mind can also develop habitual defensive
strategies that can substantially impact either gate. If the mind
blocks the energy from either direction, the chakra itself will
contain either too much or too little energy.

Implanted fear is the characteristic of most of the blockages or portals which

interfere with the natural flow of energy into the mind from either the
physical or spiritual sources. In the former case, it is usually physical pain,
but in the latter case it is the unfamiliarity with the spiritual state itself
which causes most of the panic. We are so conditioned to believing that the
source of Spirit must be some religious cult or institution, that when it comes
to us in pure and natural form, we fail in our ability to trust It.

The mind can block energy as it comes from the spiritual realm
if it contains belief structures that do not honor the divinity and
connection to All That Is. This is the condition of being under-
energized , with characteristic mental and physical symptoms
resulting in lethargy and depression. Or the mind can allow the
energy/information to enter, but lack the efficient belief
structures to channel it properly in creative expression,
resulting in a frustration of blocked energy. Or the mind can
defend itself with denial to the incoming feedback from the

907
physical realm. This is the condition of being over-energized,
with its own set of symptoms, which involved increased
impulsive urges.
The practice of blocking the "spiritual energy" from entering the mind is
bound to have negative effects on one's mental and physical well-being.
What the paragraph and diagram illustrate is that these "effects" can be
identified and the process/reason for experiencing them can be avoided.

Either condition prevents the full breadth of its potential

experience from flowing into the physical realm and back to its
source in the non-physical realm. The condition of being
under-energized, can still allow a flow of feedback information
between body and mind, but spiritual input is minimized. A
chakra that is open to spirit but becomes closed to feedback
from body, fails to act upon the energy information, and
experiences creative frustration and pressure from world
challenges that increase subconscious bodily impulses.

All of existence is a cyclical state. The more this is accepted and encouraged
on the personal level, the more our Spiritual/Mental/Physical state is
enhanced. These Lessons admonish us to learn this principle, but even a
simple observation of nature, itself, can bring such truth into our
understanding.

The energy is then forced into future experiences through

unconscious approach and avoid responses to complete its
intentions of self-preservation and drive toward conscious self-
development and self-expression. This trapped energy moves
the body in the purposeful directions, in specific patterns of
behavior so that the mind can take note, "get it right" and
change its structures and increase the energy flow. It will
continue in endless cycles of negative events until the mind
becomes aware enough to get it right.

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We can either learn slowly and painfully or we can learn pleasantly and
quickly. It's our choice. What is also our choice is whether to hang on to our
programmed beliefs or to expand them toward love and understanding. To
do the latter is not to establish a state of conflict with the world but to simply
play a chosen role in its evolution.

If the person allows their mind to cling to its limited beliefs and
shuts down at both ends, this is the most serious compromise
of the health of the mental chakra, and the most powerful threat
to survival. This generally occurs when denial strategies
prevent the feedback from body from entering the conscious
awareness, yet there are also few belief structures to receive the
higher inspirations and feelings of faith offered by spirit.
Without using the feedback information, the mind becomes
disconnected from body and body alone acts out its pain. This
creates a sense of futility, yet an energized anger that is
unleashed upon the world.

How many examples of this "anger" can we see in those around us. It might
be in the form of road rage or more generalized in the form of mass
oppression. It can be domestic in the form of spousal physical or mental
abuse and, sometimes, even child abuse. If we choose to let it, all these states
can affect us in an adverse fashion. However, if we can recognize and
understand these states, we can begin to heal them and remove them from
our physical/mental existence.

This is the essence of the concept of karma. If the mind is not

sufficiently open at any point, it will be forced by the negative
experiences it creates to learn of its power and how to utilize it
more purposefully. Such a mind will create disease by
continuously forcing the body into stressful emotional cycles---
disease that does not necessarily go away with the physical
death. For even if the life ends long before the mind has
opened itself fully, it's experiences and limitations then become

909
future challenges for the entity to overcome in
alternate/subsequent experiences and incarnations.

The opportunity to make corrections in our learning is most optimal while

we are in the physical state, but the opportunity to understand the process
can be available in whatever state we might wish to exist. Learning and
sharing what we learn are activities that never cease to exist.

The person's chakras of mind become part of the entity's

"history" of expansion following any given incarnation and all
deficits become top priorities to round out and complete itself
as part of the general expansion of All That Is. This is how
choices are made for subsequent birth conditions, physical
challenges, and all genetic predispositions. They are intended
to focus developmental efforts on the least fulfilled spiritual
challenges. Enlightened health analysis will use genetic
conditions and propensities as indicators of the specific
challenges that must be addressed, such that these disorders
need not arise. Enlightened parents can then ensure the best
conditions to keep this pattern from repeating, and the
individual can use the information to recognize inner urges that
relate to these challenges. Indeed, wholistic health reaches far
beyond the simple aches and pains of any given day, or the
disease processes of any given life, addressing the spiritual
challenges and their broadest implications.

We are, in this century, approaching a point of comprehension; one in which

we can begin to grasp the true value of identifying the genetic code. If we can
grasp the value of using this information in a way that protects and helps us
offset the worst of the negative consequences and help each other to benefit
along our respective paths, the rewards can be unimagined, but most
fulfilling.

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The Seven Chakra Centers Of Mind

The secret is, of course, realignment with the inner self-

unifying processes through understanding the function of
spiritual feeling signals as they circulate within and between all
aspects of self. As we now know, the bodily needs and the
spiritual challenges manifest in this process of purposeful
mental self-development. This develop-mental process is the
intended natural opening or turning on each of the chakras of
mind.

The optimum word here is "understanding". If we don't completely

understand or appreciate the workings of the Chakra system, it only
requires exposure to this information, even if that means repeated exposure.
There is no shame in having to read or listen to it more than once,
considering how alien it is to most of our belief systems. It is as mysterious as
our understanding of how atoms and molecules relate and this is something
that most were not even exposed to a mere hundred years ago. When we
open the gates of the mind, we allow a whole universe to flow in and, with
discretion, we can grow as a result.

Ancient symbolic wisdom has linked the chakra system to the

elements of earth, fire, water, and air; to the sensory system; to
aromas; to musical notes and tones; to colors of the spectrum;
all in addition to health issues. The recent pioneering efforts in
energy medicine have begun to synthesize the ancient symbolic
wisdom and to tap into the physical maladies linking them with
the unmet physical needs and unfulfilled spiritual challenges.
Although there is less specificity and precision than will
ultimately emerge, this rudimentary wholistic concept of health
is a necessary step in the evolution of the species.

The whole concept of digging into the ancient past in order to understand
the present and alter the future for our betterment, might strike some as

911
unorthodox, at the very least. But a rudimentary review of history will show
that our understanding of such things as philosophy and mathematics comes
from the thinkers of Greece and other cultures who made their
contributions thousands of years ago, or what we might describe as "ancient
times".

To assist in this evolving self-understanding, it is most useful

to discuss the over-energized and under-energized symptoms at
each of the chakra centers. These physical and emotional
conditions can be used to identify the unfulfilled spiritual
challenges, to resolve conflicting beliefs, and to remove the
destructive slivers. Individuals can draw from this wisdom to
find many useful techniques to assist their self-developmental
progress. The use of tone and color are particularly helpful in
visualizations, vocalizations, and creation of soothing, relaxing,
and grounding external conditions.

Once the mind is opened to the idea of examining new ways of bio-feedback,
then the suggested techniques, no matter how foreign they might seem, can
be put in place and the benefits applied.

As the chakras themselves are introduced, their descriptions

will include some of the traditional wisdom. But it is essential
to recognize the supplementary nature of element, tone, and
colors associated with specific chakras and that the focus
remain upon the spiritual challenges and conscious
development of the mindscape. The chakras must first and
foremost be recognized as the very manifestations of mind
itself which have a direct energetic, electrical, and chemical
effect upon the body. The chakras are where and how the
specific beliefs of mind effect the bodily conditions. In a
general sense, the chakra system has three major categories or
stages in a sequential developmental process. The primal or

912
bodily grounding, the psychological or mental grounding and
the psychic spiritual awakening.

We are now moving into a territory that modern technology can not yet
measure. This means that current scientific thought will have difficulty in
accepting the existence of the matters described. This may be significant but
not that important. Science has always played catch-up to reality and
frequently uses the word "discover" to describe its latest findings.

Chakras One & Two: Bodily Grounding

The first two chakras are opened fully as the mind learns its
place in the world, becomes connected with inner and outer
processes, and learns to both give and receive energy
information. There can be a good deal of overlap in the
physical process and symptoms of these two basic centers, but
the health maladies offered can point the mind in the direction
of the spiritual issues and bodily needs that require corrective
attention.

The mere fact that these two chakras are up and running at the time of our
entrance into physical reality, should serve as a stimulant and incentive for
further development. The next step is to learn to use them to their maximum
potential.

The Root Chakra

The root chakra is the first and most basic energy center of the
emerging mind. It is located around the tailbone, and it
represents the basic connection need to be grounded in one's
body and in one's world. The feelings of body push and pull
through inner impulses to lead the mind to develop the

913
successful beliefs which overcome the mother challenge. The
root chakra is profoundly effected by the infant's environment
and is influenced by the predestined focuses of the incarnation.
It is the tribal connection and offering of mass consciousness
which can make or break an emerging sense of connection,
freedom, and power. Unconditional love from family and
acceptance into the world is essential for the complete opening
of the root chakra. The root chakra has been associated with the
sense of touch, the color red, the earth element, the note of C,
and the tone of short "e" as in "red".

Here is an example of where science is beginning to catch up with the

metaphysical. Experts in child psychology are starting to recognize the
importance of the giving and acceptance (or absence) of the "love" emotion
in the life of a newly born. By experiencing this emotion, the individual also
achieves the necessary grounding which will have the long-term positive
effects necessary to aid in the development of a balanced life.

A fully open and balanced root chakra is characterized in the

mother archetypal energy, by a centered groundedness, a safe
and healthy sense of self-empowerment, unlimited physical
energy and the ability to manifest abundance. It supports the
values of loyalty, honor, and justice. The sexual energy is
loving affectionate, passionate, trusting and sensuality is
experienced throughout the body.

Kinda makes one wonder where the rest of us went wrong! Well, the good
news is that it's never too late to make a course correction. If only those born
to a perfect environment could have an opportunity at evolving, the universe
would begin getting very minimal in size. In fact, just the opposite is true.
The greater the opportunity for improvement, the greater the opportunity
for expansion.

Disturbances in this chakra relate to unresolved challenges and

914
mental slivers that have been instilled which close the door at
either end of mind. An over-energized root chakra presents
itself in such characteristics as: victimizing archetypal energy,
perfectionism, impulses of greed dominance, and addiction to
wealth. Sexuality is often indiscriminate, mostly genital, often
sadistic and filled with nervous sexual energy. An under-
energized root chakra is well captured in the victim archetype,
characterized by weakness, confusion, inability to attain goals,
and self-destructiveness. Sexuality is influenced by feelings of
being unloved, or of being abandoned, and often results in little
interest in sex or masochism.

We all know people who occupy such categories and may even recognize a
certain portion of ourselves in this description. This should not be of great
concern, for the mere capability of "recognizing" suggests that we are
sensitive to those lesser qualities which we might wish to alter. The
capability to do so will soon be expanded upon.

Physical symptoms of disturbances of the root chakra will

involve: the spinal column, nervous system, legs, feet, immune
system, the blood, and the bladder. They can include: lower
back pain, sciatica, hyperactivity, fever, low or high blood
pressure, sluggish digestion, flaky skin, varicose veins, shock,
anemia, poor circulation, rectal tumors, and depression.

If all those symptoms are not enough to point to a recognition of a chakra

shortcoming, it would be difficult to imagine what might do the trick. There
are so many signals in our physical existence that can help us to make the
necessary course corrections, that to ignore them would be to put our ships
of state into reverse. But the tide of progress travels in only one direction
and sooner or later, we must fulfill our deemed destiny.

The Second Chakra

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The second chakra is located in the lower abdomen. It is
associated with the father challenge, the sense of taste, the
color orange, the element of water, the note D, the tone "o" as
in "open". It involves the sexual organs, the hips, bladder,
appendix, pelvis and large intestine. It is the center for physical
prowess, empowerment, friendliness, creativity, money, blame,
guilt, and sexuality. A healthy and open second chakra of the
mindscape drives a friendly, humorous, and optimistic
disposition, solid attunement to feelings, strong empathic
connection with others, creativity, imagination, and intuition,
and a beginning sense of universal connection and altered
states of consciousness. Sexual energy is very sensual and a
potential desire to have children if such has been a destiny
choice.

It should be of interest that three of the qualities attributed to the second

chakra are "money, blame and guilt". Among all the qualities listed, these
would have to be regarded among the least virtuous.

Excessive energy in the second chakra is evidenced by

emotional explosiveness, aggression, being overly ambitious or
manipulative, being caught up in fantasy or delusion, and
overly affected by the feelings of others. The sexuality might
be obsessive, with a view that people are objects. An under-
energized condition is characterized by detached emotions,
shyness, guilt, mistrustfulness, self-sacrifice and resentment,
and well described by the martyr archetype. Sexuality is often
overly needy, repressed, guilt-ridden, dysfunctional and may
bring difficulty with conception.

What are listed above are all the adverse consequences of a state of
imbalance in this particular chakra. These are qualities that might be

916
recognizable in western society, especially in the more urban centers where
populations tend to be condensed and competitive.

Physical symptoms of disturbances in the second chakra can

be: Ob/gyn problems, kidney weakness, constipation or
diarrhea, lethargy, allergies, urinary problems or bladder
infections, muscle cramps or spasm, infertility, impotence or
frigidity as well as chronic lower back pain.

At various periods in our life process, we are often prone to experiencing the
above related physical problems. Should such problems be recognized and
appreciated as signals designed to encourage course corrections, we might
learn to appreciate one of the more obvious benefits of physical and
emotional pain.

Chakras Three & Four – Mental Grounding

The next two chakras are concerned with the mind's grounding
in its tasks, abilities and functional role as the conscious
controller and instrument of self-development and creative
expression.

The Third Chakra

The third chakra is located in the upper abdomen at the solar

plexus. It is the center of personal power and value fulfillment
at the developmental point where the person comes into one's
own in full recognition of the drive to develop and express
inner gifts. It is associated with the contributor challenge,
sense of taste, the color yellow, the element fire, the note E and
the tone "aahoom" as in "room". It involves the stomach, the
middle spine, liver, gallbladder, adrenal glands, spleen,

917
abdomen, upper intestines, kidney and the pancreas. It involves
issues of trust, self-esteem, pursuit of happiness, compassion
for self and others, responsibility for decision making, fear and
intimidation, sensitivity to criticism, and personal honor.

It is presumed that on each occasion when there is the experience of pain or

discomfort in this particular area of the body, that a signal is being
transmitted to the mind that a review of one's thoughts and actions in the
attitudes being currently reflected, is in order. If such a review results in a
positive step being taken to alter such attitudes or beliefs, than the result
would lead to a greater level of happiness both within and without.

An open and balanced third chakra is characterized by: respect

for self and others, an outgoing and cheerful disposition, a
strong sense of personal power and responsibility, awareness of
inner value potential and its need to express; skillful, relaxed,
intelligent, spontaneous, enjoys good food, and likes challenge
and activity. Sexuality is free, uninhibited, emotionally warm,
intimate and mutually pleasurable, with a sense of tremendous
value for, and committed responsibility to, family.

To have all of these qualities, all of the time would suggest that one has
achieved the "opening" and the balance that has been imagined and
achieved by desire and dedication. This might sound like a lot of hard work
but, in fact, it is simply a state of mind that has been allowed to make the
shift to intent. From that point, all progress comes in an uninterrupted
fashion.

Disturbances in the over-energized third chakra include:

judgmentalness, perfectionism, workaholism, demanding,
resentful, overly intellectual, seeks chemical escapism, and a
superiority complex based upon feelings of inferiority.
Sexuality might include complaining, testing one's partner,
being overly demanding or overactive but rarely fulfilled. An

918
under-energized third chakra brings: depression, lack of
confidence, confusion, following rather than leading, fear, and
loneliness. Physical symptoms of these disturbances are: poor
digestion, food allergies, gas, liver problems, diabetes,
hypoglycemia, over-sexuality, depression, difficulty breathing,
gallstones, and nervous exhaustion.

The overachiever and the underachiever seem to share balanced extremes.

Both also share a state of perpetual unhappiness, which when viewed from a
detached perspective, are no more permanent than a state of mind. These
personality characteristics are similar to the descriptions we read earlier of
physical pains which signal us of states of imbalance.

The Fourth Chakra

The fourth chakra is located in the heart area. It is the center of

full connection and empathetic compassion. It is associated
with the lover challenge, the color green, the element air, the
senses of touch and smell, the note F#, and the tone "a" as in
"ah". It involves the heart and lungs, the circulatory system,
and the thymus gland, the arms and shoulders, the ribs, breasts
and the diaphragm. It involves the issues of love and hate, grief
and anger, resentment and revenge, loneliness, commitment,
hope, trust, forgiveness and compassion.

It is clearly the most feeling of the chakras and that in most need of
exploration and definition in our current time/space experience. It is too
often confused with the sex drive when, in fact, it is the parent of that
particular expression. In this age, we tend to put the order in reverse,
presuming that the passion aroused in sex is the perpetrator of genuine love.
This might explain our notoriously high divorce rate.

919
A balanced fourth chakra is characterized by: full emotional
attunement, intimate relationships, compassion,
humanitarianism, faith in human nature, nurturing, in touch
with feelings in self and others, active in community,
discriminating, and outgoing. Sexuality is a merging of spirits
in intimate communion, a dissatisfaction with lesser forms and
the strong inner motivations and patience for the higher
intimacy.

It is difficult to have compassion if there is little passion. It is difficulty to

have higher intimacy if there is no appreciation for intimacy at a lower level.
The stifling of the sexual drive is detrimental to those qualities that enhance
our humanness and motivate our love of the divine. It is for this reason that
so many of those who take vows of celibacy are drawn toward sexual activity
or end up having a difficult time making an emotional connection with those
they have made a commitment to simply serve.

Excessive energy in the fourth chakra is reflected in:

possessiveness, overly demanding and critical behavior,
melodramatic, manic-depressive, uses money and or guilt to
control. Sexual energy is conditional love, and manipulative
control. Under-energized conditions result in: self-pity,
indecision, paranoia, fear of abandonment, fear of
vulnerability, and worry over family members. Sexuality is
stifled by feelings of unworthiness, fear of rejection, neediness
for constant reassurance.

When emotions seem to run the gamut from being overly demanding to a
semi-state of depression, it is likely a natural energy of some sort is being
stifled. If that energy is emotion, it will likely be reflected in the natural
methods that society regards as acceptable. When certain practices become
unacceptable because of age, an unmarried state or a religious position, then
emotional problems are likely to surface in many ways, particularly among
those which are described above.

920
Physical symptoms of fourth chakra disturbances are:
congestive heart failure, heart attack, mitral valve prolapse,
asthma, allergies, lung cancer, bronchial pneumonia, upper
back and shoulder pain, breast cancer, high blood pressure,
negativity, fatigue, breathing problems, tension, insomnia,
anger, cancer and paranoia.

Listen to those terms: Heart failure, heart attack, lung cancer, breast cancer,
high blood pressure, tensions, negativity, anger, paranoia. Those all relate to
the emotions or the organs we identify with emotions. It is only when we
have related these doorways with the forces that pass through them, that we
can begin to make progress in the areas of our most prolific problems.

The Final Three Chakras – Grounding The Spirit

The final three chakras are involved with the grounding of

spirit and attaining the maximum connection with the highest
guidance and communion with All That Is.

The Fifth Chakra

The fifth chakra is located in the throat area. It is the center for
creative expression. It is associated with the speaker challenge,
the color blue, the sense of sound, the note "G", the tone "u" as
in "blue". It involves the throat, the thyroid, mouth, teeth &
gums, trachea, esophagus, parathyroid, the neck vertebrae, and
the hypothalamus. It involves the issues of: creativity, choice
and strength of will, value fulfillment, personal expression,
judgment, faith, and knowledge.

It is not only the "center for creative expression", but the guiding force of

921
that expression, allowing for a direct link between body/mind and spirit. It
effects the balancing of the tools of expression and maintains a ideal of focus.

The balanced fifth chakra is characterized by: artistic

inspiration and expression, spontaneity and living in the
present, good speaking and meditating skills, intuitive,
centered, and prolific. Sexual energy is incredible, or it can be
channeled into other creative outlets, making abstinence an
easy choice.

One would not think that the choice of sexual abstinence would necessarily
have a positive result but in this case, that is exactly what happens. The
greater the abstinence, the higher the spiritual development, the more
positive the expression of spirit. Is there life in the absence of sex? Yes, and
most abundantly.

Excessive energy in the fifth chakra involves: being over-

talkative, self-righteous, dogmatic, addictive, or arrogant.
Sexuality is preoccupying, subconsciously macho and might
seek partners that can be dominated. Too little energy results
in: intimidation, holding back, unreliable, inconsistent,
confusion, devious or manipulative, and having trouble
expressing one's thoughts. Sexuality is fearful, tense, and in
conflict with cultural teachings.

Here, again, a self-examination of one's personal characteristics can give

clues to where greater balance can be achieved. Of course, the primary
incentive for achieving that state of balance is the desire to do so, and
without that desire, the imbalance and all of its ramifications will remain
dormant.

Physical symptoms of disturbances in the fifth chakra include:

thyroid problems, sore throat, teeth and gum problems,
exhaustion, mental fatigue, skin irritations and rashes, ear

922
infections, laryngitis, and swollen glands.

Any visualization techniques exercised to alleviate these conditions should

also include a vision of achieving balance in the chakra to which they are
related. In fact, this is a sound suggestion for all consequences of chakra
imbalance.

The Sixth Chakra

The Sixth chakra is located in the forehead area. It is the center

of intuitive vision and finding meaning through an ever-
widening conscious awareness. It is associated with the senses
of sight and self-regulation, the color indigo, the note high "A",
and the tone "om" as in "home". It involves the brain, nervous
system, the eyes, nose, and ears, and the pineal and pituitary
glands. It is connected with issues of: the seer, seeking truth,
self-evaluation, uniting intellect with emotion, openness to
others ideas and feedback.

The connection of the balanced state of this chakra and the sound "om",
might suggest that if one were to spend a modest amount of time making this
simple sound, he/she might well be enhancing those positive qualities in self
that are listed above.

The fully open sixth chakra is evident in: charisma, attunement

to universal consciousness, emotional detachment from
material things while open to the joy of aesthetic, no fear of
death, model of liberation and self-mastery, telepathy and
clairvoyance, and a mobile consciousness. Sexuality is spiritual
melding, with androgyny attained by both partners, or celibacy
and transcendent bliss is substituted.

It is only through the evidence expressed above that we can know that these

923
portals to the higher level of development are truly open and operational. In
our current society, the qualities described herein are not always
appreciated, especially by those who have no clue as to what is being
"described".

An over energized sixth chakra results in: authoritarianism,

religious dogmatism, manipulation, and egomania. An under-
energized sixth chakra instead brings: lack of self-discipline,
fear of success, and a melding with feelings, energies, and
identities beyond the personality.

The "over energized" characteristics might be attributed to many of our

"so-called" successful political and religious leaders. Unfortunately, these
personality types are tolerated (and sometimes admired) by the general
population because of a state of imbalance within the general population.
This is true of the "under-energized" qualities, as well.

Health conditions that accompany sixth chakra disturbances,

include: stroke, brain tumors or hemorrhage, neurological
disturbances, blindness or deafness, full spinal problems,
seizure disorders and learning disabilities.

In other words, the more egotistical and "uptight" we become about the
world around us, or the more insecure we find ourselves to be, the greater
likelihood we will develop the above described health problems.

The Seventh Crown Chakra

The seventh, final chakra of the mindscape is located at the

crown area of the head. It is the center of spiritual
transcendence. It is associated with the transcender challenge,
the need for the highest meaning, the color violet, with
extrasensory perception, and the transcendent lure of life-long

924
unified self-regulation, the note B, and the tone "e" as in "see".
It involves the muscular and skeletal systems and the skin. Its
issues are spiritual awareness, mobility of consciousness,
conscious creation, faith, inspiration, and cosmic
humanitarianism.

As we move toward the greater "opening" of this last chakra, we will begin
to feel the peace of mind that can only be associated with our arrival at a
complete state of balance. Those not near this state will find themselves
feeling uncomfortable around this balanced state and take steps to distance
themselves. This is as it should be, for all must travel their own road in their
own time.

The fully functional seventh chakra is characterized by

purposeful thoughts and actions that lead to the highest ethics
and values of natural morality, communion with the divine, the
self actualized potential, the endless boundaries of the self
concept, miraculous abilities, the humanitarian efforts for the
broadest realm of self-expression, faith, courage, compassion
and devotion, and a relative absence of negative emotion.

This is often set up as a near unachievable state, but we are much closer to it
than we might imagine. A great deal of progress toward the opening of this
and the other "chakras" can be achieved effortlessly by the simple act of
making a defined request before we go to sleep at night. This technique
might appear very attractive to those who indulge in multi-tasking, a term of
our modern era.

An over-energized crown chakra brings: constant frustration,

unrealized power, frequent migraine headaches, psychosis,
depression or mania, destructive impulses, and delusions of
grandeur. Sexuality fluctuates between passion and distance.
An under-energized crown chakra leads to: indecision, low
vitality, and catatonia. Physical symptoms of the crown chakra

925
disturbances include: energetic disorders, mystical depression,
chronic exhaustion without any physical source, and extreme
sensitivity to all forms of sensory stimuli.

It would seem that any apparent state of personality or physical/mental

imbalance can be associated with a state of too open or too closed chakras.
With this particular section of the Lessons, we can now identify which
chakra point we can direct our attention toward.

Personal Health Care

In light of the reunification of body, mind and spirit, health

maintenance becomes the daily care and feeding of the body,
and of ongoing refinement of the mindscape to expand the
consciousness through the specifications of spirit. As more
successful belief structures conduct spiritual
energy/information, the chakras that comprise it can open and
"spin" freely allowing for the most purposeful, vital,
rewarding, and healthy life experience.

The mere exposure to enlightening information regarding the relationship

between body, mind and spirit is the initial necessary step in this expansive
process. Once initiated, it will become impossible to reverse the course of
events. There may be steps backward, but they will be simply detours in the
time/space environment. Progress comes as the result of a simple request.

Infant natal charts will include courses of parental actions

regarding the specific challenges indicted by genetic strengths,
weaknesses and disorders. Individuals can then take the lead at
any point which they become conscious enough to recognize
their unique sensitivities and life events as relating to the
overall challenges of the spirit and any deficits that may be
lingering. They can quite literally map the slivers of mind by

926
using the information from the body through the evaluative
wisdom of spirit.

No doubt, the above described process will rob the conventional scientists of
their own plans to explore and manipulate the information gains through
their genetic research. However, as values change and become more
spiritually refined, so will the benefits of the knowledge gained through this
research.

Enlightened individuals can immediately begin using the

mental and physical symptoms to find disruptions in the
energy/information flow, and alter the slivers that now stand
between the spirit and the person. The spiritual challenges, the
physical needs, and the mind's conscious ability to meet them
through personally designed willful strategies are all reflected
through the various manifestations of the emotional sense, with
the spirit pulling humanity toward the highest feeling tones, the
broadest mind, and the most vibrant health.

Each state of imbalance offers a clue to what need only be connected

through willful intent. A great deal of the energy to carry out the restoration
of chakra balance can be carried out while we are in a semi or unconscious
state, such as sleep. The process of doing so should be obvious.

The chart below can be of tremendous assistance in analyzing

all aspects of every health challenge:
With the understanding of the interacting self-construct, health
is no longer a power handed over to external professionals, but
an individual responsibility of continuous self-development
and self-expression. For health is but a byproduct of the divine
unified self-developmental process. It is a process that not only
drives the evolution of individual consciousness, but one which
drives the very evolution of the species---which we can now

927
discuss.

Page 408-417 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Theta

Lesson One: Implications For Evolution

The Pursuit Of Self-Understanding

Throughout human history, the need for meaning imbued

within human beings has driven the constant quest for self-
understanding. Humanity will feel the existential pull of
emotional angst and will suffer the mental, social, and physical
symptoms, until it achieves the unifying of self-understandings
that are offered within these Lessons. The emotional push and
pull, of course, underlies and drives all kinds of purposeful
change, developmental progress, and all aspects of evolution
itself. This information prepares the mind to open the door to
inner channels of information and processes that can allow the
many further secrets of life to unfold which can then maximize
the evolution of the species along the most fulfilling probable
course.

The suggestion made is clear. These "Lessons" are not designed to supply
one with metaphysical enlightenment as much as they are to stimulate and
motivate a willingness to find spiritual knowledge and wisdom within
oneself. There are methods of doing this that are suggested, but the stimulus
for doing so must come be a result of desire and intent.

But at present, a good deal of progressive change has been

stymied by the mass misconceptions which have resulted in the

928
disunity of the Trinity Of Self, and an historical dualistic split
in human theoretical approach and perspective. Some
philosophical "schools" of cultural traditions chose only to
believe in or focus upon the body, or the material aspects of
the self---an approach which was officially adopted within the
realm of science. This line of thought held fast to the idea that
all natural phenomena, including human behavior, was driven
by natural physical forces, often denying that anything that
could not be seen with the naked eye could even exist. And as
we will see, there is a large element of truth underlying this
assumption, although the answer is far more complex than
presently accepted.

The definition of what exists and what doesn't has grown to include that
which can be measured by current instruments and made apparent to our
five senses. As our instruments improve (as they continuously do) and our
senses expand, so will our sense of what is "reality" and how we can
manipulate it.

From this first perspective came the ideas that would dominate
the evolution of Western scientific thought, A central theme
was one of dualism, wherein opposing forces interacted to
cause all worldly events. Such concepts include: the energetic
and material universe with Newtonian mechanical laws
governing predictable and deterministic actions; the Darwinian
notion that organisms and environments competitively interact,
with nature chaotically selecting and recreating genes which
cause human behavior and drive evolution; the Cartesian
notion that mind and body are separate entities; and the overall
rejection of any supernatural or nonphysical forces at work in
Earthly events.

Nothing conceived could have resulted in a greater state of unexplained

929
chaos than the concept that life and the universe we know was nothing more
than a series of accidental circumstances subject to a lack of a uniform
center of intelligence or even guidance. It would be the equivalent of trying
the explain the function of a horse while ignoring the obvious fact that it has
a head.

The second approach held fast to the intuitive and emotionally

appealing idea that something more must be going on than that
which meets the objective eye. Those of this leaning gave
supremacy to the concept of spirit, and ideas of higher levels of
intelligence that had a causal or influential effect upon the
physical world. This second approach most heavily influenced
the Eastern evolution of thought and action. The great world
religions all contain symbolic wisdom gleaned from this
approach. But this approach led to black and white ideas about
supernatural forces of good and evil ruling the Earth, the need
for rigid and punitive external moral controls, and promises of
after-life rewards for enduring a painful, brutish, and
disempowered existence, all of which tended to minimize and
devalue the entire purpose of human physical experience.

No system of organized religion or philosophy that relies on fear, guilt and

control from outside of the individual, whether it give credence to Spirit or
not, has merit so long as those who are exposed to its ideas are also expected
to comply with its limited dogmas. Free will and a commitment to the
guidance of the spirit within, must always be the ultimate bedrock of any
spiritual system. All others are subject to the corruption of those who seek
power and control.

Unfortunately, both approaches failed to define nature properly

(science too narrowly and religion too judgmentally), and
neither left any room for the free will of human beings to have
any sort of influence upon the events of their life. No mater the
doctrine, the conclusions were the same: Either natural or

930
supernatural forces pushing or pulling the hapless, helpless
humans hither and yon---which ultimately ruled out effective
self-understanding, self-unification and self-control. Also,
these initial assumptions have been worked and reworked by
subsequent human minds and have left a huge gulf within mass
consciousness between the two valued perspectives. This gulf
has perpetuated conflicts between science and religion,
between impulses and laws, between socio-political objectives,
and ultimately between the body and mind of human beings. At
present, the most elemental manifestation of this problem is the
ongoing causation debate between creationists and the
evolutionists.

Those who try to melt the gap between religion and science, as is often the
case with religious institutions of higher learning, tend to create more
confusion than clarity in the minds of those they wish to mold. The problem
in achieving success in such an effort lies within the built-in flaws of each of
these fields, as previously described. Once those "flaws" are addressed and
the closed-mindedness of science and religion laid aside, the great minds in
each field will be able to bridge this "gap" and the mind of mankind will be
set upon a path of unlimited enlightenment.

Evolution Vs Creation

Without a more complex and accurate concept of "the self",

such debates and conflicts will continue to range---thus the
urgency of spiritual reconnection. But without the elementary
understandings offered herein (concerning the basic boundaries
and functions of body, mind, and spirit and the unifying
language of human feeling), the intricate layers of the self that
relate to its many gestalts can never even begin to unfold
before human consciousness. Indeed, as human beings reattune

931
to the lost connective and evaluative sense of human feeling,
the expansion of consciousness will expose the many secrets of
the depth, breadth and intimate functions of the human self
which explain in full the delicate balance between free will and
divine intention.

It can be said that it is the Divine Intention that humans be allowed to

exercise their free will in a fashion that allows them to unilaterally create
their reality and that such reality serve to reflect the Spirit in all that exists.

But spiritual reconnection is the essential first step. For the

present, the evolution versus creation debate illustrates that
nature's divine "intention" or "purpose" is not even yet
acknowledged within mass consciousness. The turn of the
millennium will mark a dramatic shift forward as scientists
begin to embrace and carry forth in theory and action the
implications of the discoveries of quantum mechanics.
Although this information has been available for some time, it
so radically challenged the existing dualistic and dogmatic
paradigms that supported and even defined the scientific
approach, that they were fearsomely resisted and ignored in
biology, psychology, medical and political science. Indeed, the
rediscovery of the emotional sense will achieve the critical
mass necessary to prove that nature not only has intentions, but
that humanity has spiritual access to understanding, as well as
the responsibility to carry out such intentions. It will become
common knowledge that each human body participates
unconsciously, and each mind participates consciously in both
evolution and creation.

Evolution and creation are processes motivated by an intention that we are

still struggling to recognize. But, in fact, the capability to ignore the obvious
is quickly disappearing and what will take its place will serve to explain not

932
only our reason for being but the vast potential we represent.

The spiritual reconnection offers final reconciliation with the

scientific acceptance of a redefinition of consciousness. At last,
nature will be recognized as the manifestation of interacting
gestalts of consciousness which constantly exchange energy
and information at every level of biological organization. It can
no longer be denied that such energy/information that operates
so flawlessly below the human level of consciousness, is not
highly intelligent and does not come from some non-physical
source. This acknowledgment will open the door to
reunification between science and religion as the reconnection
with spirit meets their long-pursued mutual goal---to discover
the natural wisdom, secrets, and desires of "the creator".

To put it in more precise terms: Nature and all that is observable beyond it,
serves as unquestionable evidence of a master plan in operation. We, as
humans, can elect to either recognize and tap into that ocean of thought, or
we can continue to swim against the proverbial tide, wallowing in the
shallows of our limiting vision.

The Trinity of Self, the symbolic Trinity of Father, Son & Holy
Spirit can be reconciled and understood within the scientific
self-regulating paradigm of body, mind, and spirit, providing a
backdrop against which both can compare, identify, and purge
their respective misassumptions from mass consciousness.
With this cohesive approach, both creation and evolution
become valid and significant concepts in the ultimate timeless
reality of the ongoing expansion of All That Is. For evolution is
simply the cumulative changes that result from ongoing
purposeful creations that are accomplished by all life forms
within the physical system. In short, there need be no tension
between the concepts of creation and evolution---both are

933
equally valid. It is only the physical illusion of time that
separates them.

Because we judge all processes from our particular perspective of the

illusion of time, we are prone to separate evolution and creation, crediting
the former with an individual identity and the latter with some undefined
mystery when, in fact, they are one and the same and serve to illustrate our
own unlimited capabilities. We are both the observer and the creator, the
sender and the receiver and, ultimately the subject and the object of our own
being.

The self-regulating principles that balance creative change and

stability, operate at all levels of physical complexity in
accomplishing nature's divine purposes. At varying levels of
complexity, each life form---each gestalt of consciousness---
each "self' plays its role by following its inner urges. The least
complex forms fulfill the most basic stability purpose of self-
preservation which gives the continuity necessary for physical
form and interactive existence. This is the purpose that
scientists already embrace, but they have no idea of how
intricate and creative this basic purpose is within the Earthly
ecosystem. Indeed, the inner impetus of self-preservation, with
each simple life form doing its own particular thing, is what
accomplishes a great deal of the ongoing reaction of the
physical realm.

It is in observing the "Whole" that we come to understand the sum of the

parts. It is in appreciating all that is involved in maintaining a state of
balance, that we can come to see a reflection of our own true nature and the
creative energy source of inspiration we can draw upon, should we elect to
do so. As we add more of the parts to the puzzle, we can begin to see the
complete picture. That picture is nothing less than the All That Is.

The Ongoing Evolving Co-Creation

934
With this new awareness of consciousness expansion, the
primitive ideas of one single creator and a long-ago creation
will give way to the reality of ongoing co-creation. Indeed,
when the full understandings of the quantum implications are
embraced, all life forms will be recognized as integral
perceptual conduits for converting energy into matter, and
quite literately recreating the Earth in each moment. The
process of photosynthesis is an excellent example of how the
"lowly" plant life forms convert light energy into matter, a
single process that provides renewable food resources and
makes possible the entire food chain. What is not yet realized
from this fact is that all life forms play an equally unique and
important role in translating energy from the probable field---
the unlimited possibilities with the spacious present self-
awareness of All That Is---into matter to form the actual
physical realm. It is the arrogant assumption that humans are
all knowing, "soldiers of God" with a self-generated Word-Of-
Truth" Bible in hand, given dominion and the manifest destiny
of conquering nature that has led to ecological disasters that are
yet to be recognized.

With the understanding that man and nature are integral parts of a
collective whole and that this whole is a perpetual process of converting
energy into matter and vice versa, it will become appreciated that each and
every form of life is essential to survival and growth of the other, in a
physical, mental and spiritual sense. From this realization will come a
greater level of respect for life in whatever form and the barriers of
prejudicial separation will melt away.

Each level of consciousness plays a purposeful role despite its

level of complexity. Without the simple operations of atoms
consciously attracting, repelling and exchanging electrons, no

935
physical life would be possible. Indeed, it is at the atomic level
that all dimensions and realities connect, exchange energy and
interact. Through atomic activity, the energy is converted from
the probable to the actual fields as electrons zip into and out of
"orbital fields" or alternate dimensions, retrieving and
delivering information with each action---information that
provides the very elements that organize and comprise all
physical matter.

If such activity does not provide sufficient evidence of a universal presence

of intelligence, it is difficult to imagine what would be necessary to do so. To
suggest that this would be the result of some random accident is to decline
the validity of any intellectual intent and to put the point of life in the
category of a mathematical minus.

Each life form, simply by meeting its basic survival purposes,

plays its role in this ongoing manifestation of the physical
realm. What will follow from the initial revelations about the
role of consciousness, will be that more complex gestalts or
"selves", through their actions and sensory perceptions, exert
conscious directions to all inner selves comprising that life
form (be they organisms, organ systems, organs, cells,
molecules, enzymes, substances, elements, atoms, or subatomic
particles) that create material changes to both the environment
and the organism at all levels of organization. When organisms
are sufficiently complex, with brains that allow a unique new
form of self-consciousness, they offer forms of experience that
include thought and electro-chemical memory patterns that
serve as mental blueprints which facilitate the ongoing co-
creation of existing life forms of lesser complexity into which
consciousness can enter and achieve self-expression.

At the top of the scale is an already recognized human consciousness. What

936
can now be discerned is that the overriding characteristic of this state of
consciousness is it's co-creative quality. It will further be discerned that this
particular quality is the glue factor that keeps the lesser levels of
consciousness in the consistent, dedicated, ubiquitous pattern which
permeates all material existence.

These blueprints create psychic structures with physical

counterparts likened to the enzymes similar to those within
photosynthesis, that help recreate the life forms that it
experiences. (Simply by being locked in the memory of a
predator, the prey's existence is energized.) The physical
manifestation of this process can be observed as the
replications and mutation genetic DNA. (The mental, self-
conscious thought processes have far more effect upon matter
than is imagined, which is why the inner guidance system is so
essential to ongoing re-creation.) All such thoughts,
perceptions, and actions are evaluatively driven by inner
electromagnetic emotional guiding principles. The sum result is
that the physical realm has a continuity of existing life forms
into which consciousness can venture and seek expression. As
long as there is sufficient latitude for value fulfillment within a
species, it will continue to be chosen and reproduction will
continue. On the other hand, if a species loses sufficient
opportunity due to imbalances within the ecosystem, extinction
will occur.

Herein lies the ultimate value of a balanced state of being, for if humans can
achieve a uniform state of balance as a species, that state will reverberate
down through the ecosystem and, in doing so, sustain a continuing state of
balance and growth throughout the nature of All That Is.

The Power Of Free Will

937
At higher and higher levels of self-awareness, gestalts of
consciousness from mammals, to primates, and finally Homo
sapiens, along with more complex brains and thought, there is
ever more willful control and conscious creative participation
within this process. At this stage of complexity, the crude
psychic blueprint can be tremendously affected by the mind
itself in ways that can enhance the experience and
opportunities of the species. This is the power of creative will
energy---the power that can either enhance of destroy---
depending upon its level of attunement to inner guidance.

There is a base line quantum here that is key to creative process. It is

comprised of a connectedness and appreciation for the body, mind, spirit
complex. When the mind is open to a higher level of guidance and ideals are
formulated which make for a reality which compliments the role of humans
as a whole, the process of creating one's reality is smoothed and enhanced.

Herein enters the secondary purpose of self-development

joining the first, wherein the mind can exert its creative control
and influence upon the many levels of existing processes.
Herein, also, enters the complex feeling tones that offer the
mind its highest directional guidance in order to ensure quality
control. Self-development allows the mind to collect and utilize
ever-increasing levels of understanding concerning the
processes of its many levels, so that it can do a high quality job
of enhancing the value of experience. Self-development occurs
first through conditioned unconscious learning processes until
at some point the organism recognizes the meaningful patterns
and mindfully adapts with right responses. In either case, the
mind will create actions and reactions, which in turn create
chemical alterations which change the external environment
and, to some degree, affect its own DNA, allowing it to pass
along the improvement to its species' gene pool as well as the

938
collective species consciousness.

There is a recognition and unconscious understanding achieved wherein the

evolution of a particular member of a species, upon reaching a higher level
of physical, mental and spiritual development, will alter its DNA in a way
that aligns with this state of development. That portion of species most
responsible for the reproductive act, will seek out a reproductive
relationship with that species member in order to participate in the
developmental process. In more mundane terms, development along the
lines described enhances one's state of sexual attraction.

Both thought and action create evolutionary change. It is

through the changes, the creative enhancements affected by the
highest life forms that new gestalts of consciousness become
possible within the physical realm. Indeed, the human species
itself is collectively a "self" as its mass consciousness exerts
influence upon the free will and biological predestiny of the
humans that comprise it. The more guided purposeful
expansion of consciousness, the more complete becomes the
creative free will. Thus, the broadest self-actualization of each
individual helps enhance the potential fulfillment of the entire
whole. (The whole includes all members of the human species
despite any sort of racial diversity, for a species is defined by
its members' ability to reproduce.)

There is a sort of hundredth monkey theory suggested here. While the

conventional process of elevating the general state of the human species is
considered the physical reproductive system, the very thoughts of any
particular member can cross the imaginary lines of separation in some form
of morphic resonance and result in a collective raising of consciousness
among those who are open and desirable of such an elevation.

The most dramatic forms of human evolution occur now

within the realm of mind. The changes in mass consciousness
are trends in human cultural evolution and are driven by the

939
collective changes brought about by all three purposes
accomplished by each individual. Following the inner urges to
manifest the inner value potentials, humans create ever more
complex mental and ethnological tools which drive the
expanding mass consciousness. Indeed, the human mass
consciousness can rightly be described as a single planet in a
still higher universe of planetary consciousness---with its own
value to fulfill. Thus, it becomes essential for each portion to
offer its highest and best contribution to the whole. This is the
most deliberate form of expression, described herein as the
purpose of self-actualization.

The initial process of thinking one's self into existence is followed by the
creation of the higher levels of mind and the physical and mental tools to
expand that expression. On a physical level, the planet is experiencing a
global connectedness through a system commonly known as the internet. On
a mental level, the opportunity to share information in a quick and
inexpensive manner, as provided by this same "internet", enhances the
occupants of the planet as a whole.

Humans are indeed the creative custodians over life forms

influenced by their culture and technology. Without the inner
guidance, there is much corrective work to be done. For
example, the treatment of the cattle species for the food source
of beef by many Western cultures. Beef production that
disallows a natural developmental experience and free range
sensory experience, offering instead only a life of limited
mobility, manipulated by growth and anti-bacterial chemicals,
and ending in a painful and violent death, has negatively
affected the mass consciounesses of the species, resulting in
such anomalies as "mad cow disease". On the other hand,
cultures that honor the cow as sacred and allow it a more
meaningful natural experience, have positively affected the

940
species' consciousness, perhaps forestalling a mass extinction.

The seeds of destruction of a particular animal species are sowed by the

attitudes of the higher life forms in its relationship with that species. If the
qualities of free will are not honored uniformly, than the general
deterioration that follows will serve as an early signal of the adverse
consequences to follow. The difference between feeding lots and a free range
environment is just beginning to be signaled and appreciated.

Early aboriginal peoples, particularly the native Americans,

had a much more highly evolved consciousness in terms of
spiritual connection with animals of all kinds. They had quite
well-developed intuitive senses and actually practiced
telepathic communication with animal totems who offered
wisdom and guidance. They asked permission in pre-hunt
prayers and post-hunt celebratory feasts, dances, and rituals.
This honored the spirit of the animal, creating an emotional
connection highly desirable to the species. They participated in
the food chain as their needs dictated, but they did so with
honor, gratitude, and respect for the life that was taken, and
called forth only those that were ready to end their physical
journey. They used humane killing techniques and utilized
every portion of the animal with minimal waste. Unfortunately,
the Western technological dominance disrupted such
cooperative practices, arrogantly misunderstood and defiled
such "savage" rituals and concepts, and created near extinction
of the buffalo species through their own misguided and
willfully ignorant approach to hunting.

To this date, a folk hero known as Buffalo Bill is still romanticized for his
practice of contributing to the near extinction of the animal he slaughtered
with impunity. His activity, and the profit and prestige he gained from such,
earned him a special place in the American psyche, much to the detriment of
both animal and man.

941
There are endless examples of how free will of humanity, when
separated from its inner guidance, has diverted the species'
evolution from its most directly purposeful and rewarding path.
As we have learned, it is the force of human emotion---the
unifying voice of Spirit---through which all levels of
consciousness are evaluatively informed of the directions of
movement and creative thought that will best manifest the
highest purposeful opportunities in the physical experience.
Human consciousness is guided in both quantity and quality by
the feeling sense to avoid the potential pitfalls of free will
before the higher understandings emerge. Thus, the basic
blueprint for human development compensates for ignorance,
but is propelled forward by the spiritual challenges which assist
in designing the mindscape and opening the chakra energy
centers to full mental efficiency and communication with the
higher wisdom from gestalts of consciousness (levels of self)
with which it is most intimately affiliated and directly
connected.

To try to put this in more colloquial terms, the act of asking for guidance
from our higher spiritual nature, when relating to our environment, will
bring forth the best of both that same environment and ourselves. To make
that connection most effective and enduring, we will need to re-learn and re-
appreciate the feeling system with which we have been so graciously
endowed. It is the fairer gender of our species who can be most helpful in
this process.

Of course, the energy information that is constantly infused

into the physical realm, springs from these more complex
gestalts of consciousness that exist in the non-physical,
spiritual realm. The most appropriate term for the self-aspect
just "outside" or psychologically adjacent to the psychical

942
realm would be the entity of which each past, present and
future incarnate physical ego personality is a part, just as cells
This is the "location" of the spiritual gestalts that are
symbolized in the religious ideologies (as angelic hierarchies
with a pinnacle God-head as the most complex, omniscient,
omnipotent, and omnipresent gestalt), that recognize the
various levels of organized self-consciousness within the
totality of All That Is. It is the wisdom of the entity and its own
source of higher, more complex and broad wisdom that unites
and guides the thought and action of its personalities through
feelings of pleasure and pain.

As an aura surrounds the physical body of a species and serves to both

reflect and collect information helpful to the physical and mental state, so
there exists an aura of wisdom that accumulates around the mental body
and connects it to its higher levels of being and maintains that guiding
connection with the more spiritually refined portion of one's nature. While
this entire complex exists as a singular unit, it is only through conditioning
that we have come to maintain a misperceived state of separation.

Thus, creation is ongoing and evolving in far more elegant and

purposeful ways than many suppose; for both are ongoing
aspects of the ever-expanding consciousness of All That Is.
Quite simply, through the active dilemma of desiring to know
itself, all actions of consciousness continuously recreate and
evolve evermore complex gestalts of consciousness. When the
self-aware mind enters the picture---whether the mind is simple
or complex---seeing is believing, but remembering enhances
the believing that in turn colors the perceptions of seeing,
which re-create the mental blueprints into which energy can
flow and manifest as matter. So scientific objectivity is joined
by the subjectivity on the part of all "observers" within the
physical realm. Indeed, thought and feeling create perception

943
which re-create the blueprints which reinforce believing and
generate thought---completing the subjective, objective,
creative cycle.

Just as we learn about our physical environment and the history of our
activities by reviewing material in our institutions of higher learning, so we
expand our understanding and individual/collective gestalts of consciousness
by the very act of exercising our creative qualities. We evolve ourselves and
our environment in an expanding and never-ending spiral of enlightenment.
This is nothing more or less than an exercise of free will.

This objective subjectivity of co-creation is why staunchly held

beliefs, assumptions, and competing concepts of creation or
evolution work in direct opposition to the needed conscious
inquiry and can stymie the creative process itself. Mass
consciousness must be sufficiently evolved to orient the human
away from misusing the free will, or the very mental blueprints
of life will be---and have been---altered in destructive ways.
All beliefs about anything must be open to momentary re-
evaluation and change as part of the evolutionary thrust of life.

As decadent belief systems go unexamined and unchallenged by

contemporary minds, the society, as a whole, is prone to slip into a decaying
state of existence. Fresh and renewing mental/spiritual activity must be
brought to bear on the physical world for the evolutionary process to
progress along all lines of development.

Until recently, such assumptions as "natural selection" having

no prior plans, intentions, or predestiny; that humans are born
sinfully flawed; and that emotional suffering is a necessary
cross to bear have clouded the mass mind and quite literally
degraded the human experience---and the effect of limited
human consciousness has been detrimental to the overall
evolution of consciousness.

944
As the understanding of the spiritual origin of the species is not only
appreciated but realized to have been and continues to be a nature state,
such realization will expand the boundaries of what the species can achieve
as it proceeds with the progression of this alignment.

Evolution Of Consciousness & Information Processing

A crucial stumbling block for scientists has been their stubborn

assertion that everything in the physical realm is caused
therein, with chaotic natural competitive forces that evolve
ever more complex organisms---quite by accident. They
witness the incredible amount of intelligent energy exchanges
going on within cells and organs and between plants and
animals, yet deny the deep wisdom and information that it
takes to accomplish interactive life so seamlessly. They wonder
when consciousness arose, ignoring the quantum implications
that consciousness itself is the very fabric of the universe---for
their mathematics predict far more dimensions than their
crumbling paradigms can handle. Each and every minute
particle of matter is a manifestation of energy imbued with
consciousness in some form or another. Where there is matter
there is energy, and where there is energy there is
information, and where there is information there is
consciousness.

Where the presence of information exchanged is perpetually present

wherever one looks in nature, it would be a tremendous stretch to presume
that such a state would be reflective of accidental activity. Intelligence is
hardly possible without information and its expansion through an
interchange system. Nor could such a system exist for long without the
element of intent. Chaos is in and of itself the formula for destruction, even
when it is organized. Survival demands supportive forces to come into play
in order to support such a goal. Finally, energy and matter are ubiquitous
and even science proposes they are interchangeable. Thus, how could they be

945
sustainable as uncomplimentary forces when they are more likely to be
simply different forms of the same essence.

The information processing concepts will help scientists

overcome the dogmatic fiction that consciousness is a result of
life. They will find that it is its ultimate cause and destiny as
thought is allowed its rightful place in the creative cycle. For
indeed, without consciousness coming first, there would be no
chicken or egg, or any cause and effect relationship of one
begetting the other. But all ignorance and arrogance aside, they
are correct in recognizing the power and dominion gained by
the emergence of the human mind. This will be the key to
recognizing the evaluative guidance that came along with the
emergence of mind.

To place thought in the position of being the consequence of material

evolution is to not only place the proverbial cart before the horse but to
suggest that the cart causes the horse to move in a random direction when
everything suggests that the horse is motivated by a more sophisticated form
of guidance. Man.

Humanity will recognize from their own technological

accomplishments of the information age that the Trinity of Self
operates like a computer. The body will be likened to the
hardware, with its preset parameters, brain processing and
memory, and protective systems designed with the highest non-
negotiable laws and values which are to be honored, respected
and preserved. The body's emotional communication network
will be recognized as the language of the human operating
system, when found in electric brain pathways, in chemical
production and receptor centers throughout the body, and
computer chiplike properties and operations of the very cell
membrane. It can then no longer be denied that the human self

946
is an information processor, cycling information within and
between all spiritual, mental and physical realms. It will be
clear that emotion mediates the evolving consciousness at
physical levels through subconscious, instinctive and impulsive
actions.

It should also become clear that even if some type of extraordinary force of
circumstance was responsible for bringing the portions of the computer
together, it would still take a source to throw the switch, a source to provide
the power and a source to utilize it in a creative fashion. When the evidence
of such a source becomes so overwhelming as to defy misinterpretation, a
new paradigm will be in place.

The mind will be recognized as the metaphoric software for the

computer system. The focal point of human mind, which
begins at birth of any given personality, collects self-
experiences and makes patterned sense of them. It takes the
sensory processed outputs of the hardware and consciously
alters and adapts them creatively---becoming the full designer
and conscious controller at the keyboard. Beliefs, habits,
attitudes, and strategies will be recognized as the macros which
are used as creative shortcuts by the mind. Herein comes
wonder and power of free will to not only be aware of existing
and ongoing bodily processes, but to actively and creatively
participate in ways that enhance the life experience---and allow
the unfolding of the highest destiny path. Emotion will be
recognized as the evaluative guide of mindful thought, which
aligns itself with the patterns of impulsive action and creates
long-range strategies for ongoing pleasure.

The described "will to survive" is exceptionally short-sighted for, again,

nature suggests so much more, especially in the case of higher consciousness
where creativity is evident. When one observes the strides in music, art,

947
prose, etc., one sees expressions of spirit being the primary purpose of life
and the survival skills simply relegated to a secondary role.

The spirit is the timeless energy source and grand designer of

the entire hardware/software system. Without the spiritual
force, the system would be unplugged---dead. It is indeed the
breath of life that connects the most minute and least complex
levels with the ultimate complexities of All That Is. It is the
inhaling of all energetic sensory wisdom and exhaling the
mental and emotional self-created expressions that manifest the
lyrical artwork of human culture. Upon attunement to the
spiritual guidance available in feeling language and attainment
of conscious unity in each breath, the human awareness can
expand in both quantitative and qualitative ways to its full
cosmic proportion.

Just as the computer can not activate without the operator throwing the
switch, so life forms, at whatever point in physical reality, can not exist in a
dynamic state without an energy source. Each new computer model plays a
role in the design of a more complex and efficient one to follow and that
process is dependent upon free will and the universal creative force.

In humans, and many animals, the safety features of the

hardware parameters of the body are designed to accommodate
varying levels of mindful consciousness, depending upon the
quality of the willful use of mind. As humans learn and grow
through the individual evolutionary process we have described
as purposeful self-development, the mind collects more and
more quantitative information about what is going on in the
information/energy exchange process. (This energy flow has
been described as the infinite cyclic exchange of energy
information which is allowed admittance and exit through the
chakra centers of mind as the spiritual challenges are met.)

948
There is an efficiency in nature that encourages all systems to enhance
themselves with use. This is especially true of those systems that acquire and
perpetuate information. Knowledge begets knowledge as intelligence begets
intelligence and spirituality begets spirituality.

An "evolved" consciousness does a high quality job of adding

enhancements rather than disrupting the process by
dishonoring, suppressing, ignoring, judging or attempting to
overrule the hardware parameters of body---particularly the
suppression of feeling signals. If the mind has not sufficiently
expanded to successfully handle a given situation, this is when
the body will take over with its unconscious control and
instinctive actions. These are the impulsive aspects within the
feeling system that work behind the scenes with which the
mind must align. In short, if the mind is not yet capable of
doing the multi-purpose job, the body will default back into
pre-set, unconscious, single purpose, safety-net control. If
emotion cannot guide thought and action it will always settle
for protective action alone.

When the mind places the body in a position where circumstances pose a
fatal risk to it, the body will do whatever is necessary, even a temporary
shutdown of all system in order to preserve itself. This is a part of the self-
learning process. Of course, if this becomes a pattern of behavior that is
repeated to the point of being insulting to higher intelligence, a permanent
termination of activity results. To put it less subtly, we die.

This process is mediated by the degree of fear or joy that the

incoming perceptual information contains. If the thought
processes are sufficiently evolved through willful guided
learning, feelings of confidence will allow acceptance of the
information into mindful consciousness. Fear affects the
perceptions, and any information likely to overwhelm the mind

949
is filtered or denied entirely. The ego identity of the mind
responds to these feelings unless they are decoded, serving as a
gate that can swing closed in order to protect the stability of the
mind and the subjective reality it experiences. When this
happens, the information is rerouted back through the body for
unconscious processing and corrective, active responses are
carried out through impulse. This is how a person can have
instinct take over before the mind has even comprehended
what has happened. Although a wonderful safeguard, the ego
gate is intended to evolve away from this function (as soon as
we understand the messages within feelings), for it stymies the
potential expansion of consciousness. (This ego resistance is
also how chakras can become under or over energized.) If we
are unaware of how feelings grease or freeze the ego doors, our
defaulting to the autopilot mode to control sacrifices the higher
potentials and relegates us to a lower level of mere survival.

Anyone who has spent time around the higher animal forms, i.e. those most
popular of the "pet" type, will see clear evidence that our dog or cat will
learn to carry out certain activities through reward or punishment. More
accurately, it is the motivating factor of joy or fear that will act as the near
exclusive motivator of behavior. Because these species are hardly capable to
getting beyond these limited processes, they can not reach a point of
emotional maturity or intellectual equality with their masters. Oftentimes,
portions of the human species can become entrapped in the same limiting
mindset and kept there for the duration of a particular physical existence.

The physical system is quite elegant in its flexibility and

ingenious in its balancing of spiritual predestiny with mental
free will, and the clues to this type of biological evolutionary
flexibility are readily available to the scientists. From the
lowest and least complex organisms, all the way up the
purported phylogenic evolutionary ladder to humans, along

950
with the increase in the complexity of form, there is also an
observable increase in behavioral flexibility, brain capacity,
and emotional processes that all support varying degrees of
conscious willful control over the life experience. At any stage,
there will be successful bodily regulation either through
unconscious instinctive processes or conscious willful
processes, or a combination of both---mediated by the
emotional information flow and experienced as a unique spirit-
in-flesh kind of experience.

Just as we can know and appreciate this variance, we can also come to
understand that there is a point and purpose behind the existence of such a
system. As simple math can evolve into a form of near abstract calculus, a
seven note musical scale can be manipulated to produce the complex gestalt
of a classical symphony, or a brush stroke of paint upon a canvas can initiate
the production of a captivating work of art, so the spirit which exists in All
That Is can continue to evolve into a state of perpetual growth.

As we have learned, emotion is a sense that is the closest

approximation to the non-physical informational vibrations of
All That Is---the language of spirit linking physical and non-
physical portions of any gestalt of self. Without casting
judgment upon any particular form of life, humanity can
observe a myriad of available experiences and adventures in
consciousness, each expressing value and experiencing
emotional reward while dovetailing together in the physical
realm and co-creating the Earthly ecosystem.

The evidence of this uniform state of being is virtually impossible to ignore.

What is apparently possible to ignore, is the evidence that there is an
interconnecting theme woven through a physical reality that is composed of
those same qualities (to a greater or lesser degree) that we recognize in each
other.

951
As humans become more and more consciously adept at
recognizing the patterns within their own physical history, they
will surely detect this evolving nature of consciousness and
cast a new light on evolution both at individual and species
levels. As this awareness unfolds, the gulf between hard-nosed
scientists and those of enduring religious faith will come
together. There shall be a reconciliation as the light dawns
upon them both that the never-ending questioning of science is
coming up with many of the answers that the faithful have long
held. They will both recognize the inner compass and the true
north of Divine Joy. They will achieve Divine Acceptance of
the mutual connection, and interface and exchange more
information allowing dogmatic rigidity within both camps to
relax and a far more cooperative venture shall drive a cultural
evolution which is long overdue.

This anticipated state of blending of tolerance for each other's position,

followed by a new paradigm of understanding of what each contributes to
the whole will bring about a more complete understanding and adoption of
the so often suggested Heaven on Earth.

Darwin & Lamarck Revisited

No scientist will dispute that it is indeed the individual within

each species that is the unit of evolutionary change---that it is
the genetic contributions of each organism that influence the
species as a whole. But this is only a part of the story. The
moral to this incomplete story is that the only purpose of any
life form is to reproduce---to perpetuate his/her genes within
the pool. It is assumed that genes are unchanging,
predetermined codes (unchangeable hardware parameters) that
constantly reproduce themselves. It is only when some error in

952
the copying of genetic information that mutations occur which
offer any form of adaptation which may enhance the genetic
information. But it is well known that mutations can also
degrade genetic information, and thus all enhancements or
anomalies are accidental whims or mistakes of nature.

Why should it be presumed that something so basic to life itself, i.e. the
genetic code, be excused from the evolutionary process? Surely there has to
be something more to such a complex system than mere "unchanging"
perpetuation.

But the DNA is far more complex and attuned to human

experience than is now suspected. Fortunately, the information
processing model will offer the uniting paradigm that will
make it plain that both genes and the environment create
changes in one another that call for and depend upon the higher
purposes of self-development and self-expression. Not only
does the physical environment effect inner changes, but the
entire realm of mental thought is also a profoundly influential
addition to the environment. Likewise, the coded instructions
of the genes create chemical expressions and secretions that
contribute to the ecosystem. The ongoing energy
conversion/information processing cycle will leave no doubt
that the effects of the environment which are largely
controlled---and indeed created---by the human mind, have a
profound effect upon the activity and replication of DNA itself.
This fact will bring about a revolution in the realm of
evolutionary thought, but it will also hearken back into human
history where this possible path of inquiry once diverged.

The concept that our destiny is locked into whatever DNA qualities are
discovered to exist in our physical history will now be subject to a widened
interpretation of the what this system is and how it relates to our own

953
creative capabilities. It should become clear to scientists and religious alike
that the quality of free will and the capability to create our own reality out
weighs any pre-ordained presumption that we are stuck with predetermined
probabilities unless this is accepted as an unwavering belief system which we
have chosen to adopt.

Long ago, before Darwin became canonized and causality was

decided to be in the genes alone, there was an alternate
evolutionary theory set forth by Jean Baptiste de Lamarck.
Lamarkian thought was that there was some cooperative force
at work within evolution that worked toward the benefit of the
entire species, not simply the genes alone. He intuitively
understood that the experiences of any given life form must
have some way of affecting their offspring or all learning and
creative expression would be meaningless. His concept of "felt
needs" which inspired certain changes was far ahead of its
time. For indeed, it is the mental and behavioral adaptations
that create emotional conditions which alter the chemical
reproduction and coding within the genes themselves.

Again, the genetic code is not likely to be so permanent as to be impossible to

alter if one so wishes. The process of changing one's DNA is no more
complex than affecting one's immune system by visualizing a strengthening
process which the mind can than convert into physical alternations. All past,
present and future conditions are subject to our creative free will. Having
said that, one need now only to believe it, a process directly connected to our
needs.

It is also the ongoing developmental and expressive exchanges

between parent and child which alter, switch on or off the
genetic potentials with which either are born. Indeed, it is the
constant replication of DNA, that very re-creation of any given
bodily form that can be profoundly influenced in each moment
by the consciousness that creates it. The mind can dramatically

954
enhance the rapid, creative "adaptive mutations" thought to be
accidents of nature by simply creating mental and physical
experiences of long-term pleasure.

The DNA are the tools of the mind and can successfully alter our own
developmental potential, not just that of our children. This is just another
form of information locked deeply within our cellular make-up. Once
activated, it has massive and nearly unlimited power to formulate whatever
state of being we can imagine.

The concept of ongoing, evolving co-creation would have

arisen long ago had both parts of this picture been recognized
as valid contributions instead of opposing approaches. With the
information processing model and emotional self-regulation
uniting the two, it will be plain that evolution is driven by both
internal environments (spiritual, mental, electrical, chemical,
genetic, and atomic processes) and external environments
(sociocultural landscapes, opportunities for purposeful
development and expression, and basic survival conditions). It
will be clear that a constant give and take mediation is
occurring wherein adaptive mutations are created by thoughts
and actions---ever guided by the balancing, safeguarding, and
enticing emotional messages of spirit.

More progress is stifled by the artificial establishment of opposing concepts

than can ever be found justified in our current state of mind. All competition
must include the trust in spirit which guides the human being toward the
greatest possible potential.

The turning of the millenium marks the potential of critical

mass as the revelations of the inner unifying mechanisms
sweep through mass consciousness, accomplishing another
dramatic shift which will propel humanity up to a higher
"being state" of consciousness. With the understandings of how

955
evolution is accomplished, we can now take a closer look at the
trends within human cultural evolution.

Page 418-430 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Theta

Lesson Theta Two: The Spiritual Compass In Evolving

Gestalts of Consciousness

The Quantum Potential & Expansion Of All That Is

Once we have the enlightened perspective upon the concept of

evolution as ongoing co-creation, we can begin to recognize
the undeniable spiritual unity within the material Earthly realm.
For indeed, the expansion of All That Is, the unfolding of
universal consciousness itself, underlies the
energetic/information wisdom that moves each organism to
fulfill its unique creative purpose. It is this expanding action
force that drives the interacting processes of stability and
change which accomplishes all forms of evolution. The
informational networks we have been describing are simply the
particular flow and attunement channels, or self focal points
within and between the overall consciousness of All That Is.

All systems have describable characteristics. The qualities and the processes
of interchange are what define the particular characteristics which we
recognize and relate to. We imitate, emulate and identify with all physical
and mental reality to whatever degree we choose. What we often fail to

956
achieve is the understanding of the roles nature offers us, thinking such is
there to be exploited or controlled. This is basically the result of our sciences
and religions indoctrinating us with the fear element and failing to make us
fully aware of our own creative qualities.

With each individual life experience, regardless of whether that

life is an atom, a molecule, a cell, an organ, an organ system, a
vegetable or animal organism, or a human being, the motion of
its electrical existence alone legislates interactive influences
with the quantum potential which is the energetic manifestation
of the consciousness of All That Is. Indeed, that which
physicists have begun to recognize and term the quantum
potential, is indeed the energetic informational database of
cosmic consciousness, the Akashic Record of all experience,
the Brahman of truth, the source of omniscience, of "God" and
is also known as many other names---all of which imply the
ultimate divine informational source. This is the spiritual
energy/ information that both guides and drives all organisms
in the unified and ever-expanding cooperative gestalts.

On a limited level, this so apparent "truth" has been labeled in a limited

fashion in such terms as the survival instinct or the Tao, for those more
metaphysically inclined. Some have called it the forces of nature, for lack of
a better description. What might better describe it might be the term
omnipotent interconnection. It is not simply that "All Is One", but that such
"One" is in a perpetual state of expansion. It is not just that the physical
universe is in a state of expansion, but that each form of life is in that state as
well. It might be added that in a dynamic universe, each state of movement is
a form of life.

For humans to take their rightful place in evolutionary history,

it now must be understood that it is this co-creative process,
with its delicate balance of biological predestiny and free will,
that allows all organisms to mutually coexist. For it is the
guidance of spirit as communicated and accomplished through

957
the experience of emotion and feeling which regulates and
maintains this balance and ushers maximum value fulfillment
and expansion of all forms of consciousness. Through
purposeful responses to each inner guiding impulse, all the
physical life forms participate in the ongoing co-creative
process, likened unto vessels steered about on the material sea
by ever-present guidance signals from the cosmos.

We are never far from a source of personal navigation. It exists to assist us

in our every step along the progressive pattern of our physical, mental and
spiritual development. It is not something that we have to qualify for. The
indigenous societies and the most technologically sophisticated ones are
equals in the qualification to the tapping of this source. We of that latter
category might find ourselves more handicapped, but only because we have
been programmed to believe in our limitations.

Receiving The Purposeful Guidance

Just like the ancient mariners learned how to steer their ships
by learning about the patterns of the stars, humans have also
been in training to learn the most pure form of directional
guidance by observing the patterns within human feeling. For
like the light energy perceived from the stars, the quantum field
sends forth spiritual signals which are fine tuned to each of the
living receptors which offer unfailing, individually tailored,
directional guidance toward the highest purposes.

Unlike the ancient mariners, the guidance of human feeling does not need to
rely on available outside technology but has been equipped with its own
system located within. Connecting with our human feelings is not a
capability of one gender versus the other. It need only require the over-
coming of some early conditioning.

It is most useful to think of the spiritual signals from the

958
quantum field as likened unto radio waves available on various
bandwidths. Each form of organism is equipped with specific
receptors and innate responses which are effected by the radio
signals it is designed to receive. Thus, by simply attuning to
and reacting to the available information, the organism
regulates the self activities necessary for purposeful
experience. As organisms conduct their daily business, their
thoughts, and actions affect changes---physical energy
manifestations---that are encoded with information which
cycles back into the quantum field, expanding its wisdom and
potential guidance. Since the information is continuously sent
forth from the expanding ultimate source, it contains within it
the requirements of all other organisms---all bodies---within
that physical cooperative. This force is the infinite cyclic action
of consciousness, the ongoing information flow between and
within the multiple aspects of the human self, the body, mind,
and spirit.

The very concept that humans, not to mention all of nature itself, can and do
contribute to the ever expanding gestalt of the All That Is should attract the
attention of anyone seeking to expand beyond their current perimeters. In
many quarters, this proposed "principle" would have to be considered to be
sheer sacrilege. In fact, it pays tribute to what is described as "God" by
suggesting that we are no less noble creations than those whom we conceive
and strive to bring to maturity in our own homes.

These are the evolutionary dynamics which take place in the

Earthly ecosystem, manifesting as the scientifically observable
interactions between organism and environment. The grand,
economic, need-meeting marketplace runs smoothly due to
these inner mechanisms. These are the interactions that allow
the chaos within the quantum field to become the orderly
ecological interactions that underlie the idea of "natural

959
selection" and the idea of "the intentions of nature" or the
"divine plan of the Creator". Since the separation between any
form of consciousness is an illusion necessary for unique forms
of physical experience, there is no real division between
organism and environment. But all the richly magnificent
diversity within nature is based upon the relativity of the "self"
unit.

There is no greater proof of the validity of this observation than nature

itself. It is our grandest "need-meeting marketplace" and even when it
appears to be malfunctioning, it is merely indulging in a form of self-
correction or balancing, if you will. While what often appears to be a whole
picture, under close examination reveals itself to be a grouping of separate
units and, in turn, what is often labeled as separately functioning parts does,
in fact, have a wholistic quality. A prime example of this might be the human
physical body.

Indeed, the self is every bit as relative as time and space

beyond the Earthly physical boundaries. Although this might
come as a shock to the human ego consciousness, who knows
itself as a separate, distinct, and perhaps superior life form to a
plant, an animal, or a rain drop, such is still the case. For it is
the self-defined identity, the self-consciousness experienced by
the organism which corresponds to a specific bandwidth of
quantum informational guidance that creates the illusion of
separation and the resplendent wonders of diversity within the
unity of All That Is. The internal "self" environment of any
given organism is that which receives information directly
through its emotional signals from the quantum field, and the
external environment is everything outside of its innate
identity.

Might it be considered proper to suggest that a "rain drop" could enjoy a

state of immortality? Yet, why should any form of sub-atomic vibration be

960
excluded from a permanent state of existence. Because its level of "self-
consciousness" might be at a different specificity of vibration, it need not be
excluded from all the potential of the most refined form, no more than the
Morse Code beeps of a short wave radio should be excluded from the same
broadcast reception that delivers the strains of a violin concerto.

Thus, in the ultimate sense, the quantum potential comprises

the entire environment---with internal and external boundaries
as arbitrary as space, time, and any self distinction. And
although the boundaries of consciousness may change, the self-
regulating spiritual dynamics remain the same. With this in
mind, we can explore the various manifestations of self and the
interactions which underlie the mysteries of life itself. For
these principals underlie the Trinity of the human self and
facilitate both its cooperative unity and collective progress, or
its competitive diversity and ongoing suffering.

There is a constant in the referred "spiritual dynamics" that remains such in

order to support an environment of unity necessary for a confidence in
progression; for the All That Is must remain in place for "All That Are".

The Self In Evolutionary Context

Every self consciousness knows what it is. An oxygen atom

even recognizes itself as distinct from perhaps a hydrogen
atom. Through the simple knowledge of the boundaries of
itself, it interacts with the quantum field (its internal
environment) and with other atoms (its external environment)
to form the foundations of all organic life. Likewise, a cell
knows itself as a cell, an organ knows its identity as a heart,
pancreas, or kidney, and an animal knows that the boundaries
of its skin or fur mark where the self leaves off and where the
world begins. (In the humans, the precision of the immune

961
system defines that which is the body self, and protects the
body against invaders that are non-self, while the ego defines
the self-parameters of mind and seeks stability through the
protection of the self-identity from any incoming information
that might be too painfully overwhelming.) Like humans, but
in less complex forms, each self of any given species is attuned
to its particular frequency within the emotional sensory waves
of the quantum field.

What constitutes the difference between an Einstein and a water molecule?

Did the former play out his role in society because he was perpetually aware
of the level of his genius, while the water molecule plays out its role without
giving it a second thought. We are beginning to consider the existence of a
quality described as "emotional intelligence" and, of course, presume it to be
a quality of humans only. But what we may have to do is come to expand the
definition of the word "emotional".

But within each self consciousness unit, there is also a gestalt

of mini-selves---a collective consciousness attuned internally to
its signals and changes of collective "body" as part of the
interactive information exchanges within the spiritual network.
Each gestalt of self, regardless of its complexity, both gives
and receives energy information from the quantum field that
allows for the cooperative interactions that facilitate the need-
meeting of all organisms involved. As stated, this is
orchestrated by the emotional signals received within the range
of its relative receiver.

While we may appear to be sole individuals operating independently from

one another, the above paragraph suggests quite the opposite, i.e. that each
of us is a part of a collective whole which operates at the physical, mental
and spiritual level and has a built-in support system at each of these levels.
The efficiency of the interchange of information between these three systems
is conditional upon the development of our feeling skills.

962
As we now know, the emotional spectrum spans electrical,
chemical, motivational, and cognitive ranges that bring many
forms of sensory guidance. As a general rule, as self units
become more complex, their physical structure, sensory
equipment, and brain size dictates how much of the bandwidth
of emotional information is available. The less complex the life
form, the more simple the experience, the more pure and of
relatively short life duration as compared to more complex
forms. As the complexity increases, there is also an increase in
the free will of the organism to choose self-directed behavior.
In other words, a simple self is a body only, while a more
complex self is joined by a mind as well. Thus, with any form
of mind, comes volition and more potential misuse of free will,
so nature provides safeguards in the form of more levels of
emotional guidance to ensure both the quantity and quality of
physical and mental development of any given life form.

Free will appears to be a compliment and a reward for advancement of

complexity. Just as the teenager has reached that stage in life where he/she
can get a driver's license and begin the practice of moving tons of metal
around in some safe and responsible fashion, so other life forms take on
greater responsibility as the mind becomes more developed. It is presumed
that youthful drivers probably have "guardian angels" that are required to
perform extra duty.

For example, an atom is attuned purely to the electro-magnetic

positive/attraction and negative/repulsion properties of
emotion. It has little ability to freely choose imaginative
behavior, although it follows its innate feelings of attraction
and repulsion that allow it to enter into chemical bonds with
other atoms which underlie other material life forms. (It is due
to this relative lack of free will that the Newtonian precision of
the material universe can be counted upon.) But it is the thrust

963
to expand encoded in all information from the quantum field
that drives the atoms to enter into unions with other atoms
which orchestrates the chemistry of all organic life and creates
higher and higher levels of self consciousness.

There is in the lower/lesser forms of existence the will to "expand", but there
is also the minimal ability to choose "imaginative behavior" that maintains
orderly expansion in the physical universe. It is the evolution of the
"mental" aspects of the species that results in the tapping of the spiritual
energies and the capability of creating the near unlimited form of one's
reality.

By simply following the inner guidance, atoms participate in

cooperative gestalts to create molecules that are consciously
aware of themselves as a self unit, and molecules to participate
in gestalts to create cells, and cells to create organs, and organs
to create organ systems, and finally entire plant and animal
organisms whose self consciousness perceives internal
information from the gestalt collective consciousness of all its
component parts. This is accomplished by specific sensory
attunement to a broader and broader bandwidth of emotional
guidance. A good deal of the bandwidth information, (the
electrical and chemical aspects in particular), are carried out
below the level of conscious awareness of the complex self-
identity, thus not having to burden the mind with extraneous
details.

The human mind/body has a similar system in place which is commonly

referred to as the subconscious mind or the involuntary nervous system.
This system keeps our heart pumping blood and the gastrointestinal system
digesting our food, etc. But because we have evolved imaginative
capabilities, we also have the capacity for greater creativity in the exercise of
free will. This "capability" can override all other systems within our reality.

964
For example, consider the man-made automobile. It would be
unduly burdensome if the driver needed to consciously direct
the operations of the pistons, the gears, and the rotation of the
tires in order to use the car for its intended purpose---transport
his body from one place to the next. The details of traffic
negotiation and avoiding accidents would be much harder to
keep in mind if the driver had to consciously concern himself
with controlling all workings of the car as well. Thus, they run
automatically by design. Such is the case of many life forms.
But as life forms become more complex, they also are designed
with more attunement to the guidance---guidance which is
necessary for the conscious participation of the willful mind.

To continue with this analogy, the modern automobile has a computer

system which shuts off the headlights within a minute or so after the motor is
turned off, in order to avoid discharging the battery when the driver forgets
to do so. The human mind can condition itself to carry out many automatic
functions, but we have yet to tap the full creative capacity that lies just below
the surface of our normal functionality.

Like in our car and driver example, human life forms are
intended to use conscious free will to design a mindscape that
allows for living within the three purposes. Simply trusting and
respecting the feeling signals will ensure that all the inner
mechanisms of the body remain in peak performance without
undo interference from the mind. (Humans need not
consciously concern themselves with the cooperative efforts of
their cells and organs, other than awareness that they are
intended to regulate, correct, and heal themselves.) The ego
self of mind must instead attend to and heed all our incoming
regulatory informational signals in the secure knowledge that
the body speaks its needs in this manner, and all will be unified
and well.

965
Of course, the process of keeping ourselves in an optimum state of good
health does not get much support from the modern media which bombards
us with drug commercials (and the side effects connected with each of them)
which are supposed to correct whatever physical ailments we are troubled
by. It only re-enforces the belief that all solutions come from outside of
ourselves, rather than from within. We have yet to appreciate how such
experiences as reflected in our dreams, for example, can be much more
helpful in maintaining a state of balance than can the medical profession.

Thus, the self-regulating guidance system exists as a natural

force. By natural law each self-identity marks the bounds of
conscious involvement and the Earth falls together by all
organisms exercising varying degrees of free will choice. This
accomplishes the on-going, co-creative, adaptive, evolutionary
expansion while also preserving the genetic integrity of the life
forms that consciousness can inhabit. Through the interaction
of unconscious and conscious information processing, life
forms enjoy a spectrum of behavioral guidance ranging from
nearly complete instinctive or "autopilot" self-regulation to
nearly complete "manual" control, free will self-directed self-
regulation which only intervenes automatically when low
quality choices are made. And as is the central message of
these Lessons, it is through the emotional corrective signals
that are received within the motivational and cognitive
bandwidths that the guidance is both communicated and carried
out in such complex forms as the human being.

As humans, we are complex creatures. But at times, we fail to appreciate and

often confuse the differences between conforming behavior and a state of
what is often defined as mental illness. We just recently began to understand
and appreciate the mental state known as "idiot savant", for example.
Eventually, we will come to realize that when placed in a collective
environment of like kind, these people can operate a near perfect society
without the help of the outside world.

966
But humans are also subject to all emotional information
whether it is processed consciously or not. It is crucial to be
aware of and trust the influence of the electrical, chemical, and
motivational aspects of emotion in order to interpret the
encoded information of the cognitive feeling experience in
order to offer the highest kind of creative participation in the
life process, to live within one's highest purposes. This means
that although humans are much more complex, they are also
subject to simple autopilot self-regulation that can come into
conflict with the manual directions of the mind. Mindful
humans must ensure the right use of free will to maintain the
integrity of the body, just like a driver must be aware of his or
her role to avoid mistreating or wrecking the car. (Not to
mention if the driver misguidedly puts brake fluid in the
gasoline tank, the car would experience breakdowns in its
smooth operation, or blatantly ignoring warning lights and road
signs would crash and burn.)

This may be where the emotion of love plays its most important role. If we
can approach a normal activity such as driving with a loving attitude toward
our vehicle and those who operate such vehicles in our environment, we can
begin to experience a much safer driving style, as well as protection of the
"health and well being" of our own vehicle. A similar attitude toward our
physical/mental/spiritual conveyance will likely do wonders to improve our
respective journeys in that sphere.

Autopilot, Semi-Autopilot and Manual Modes of Guidance

Autopilot Self-regulation

In order to gain full control and the highest benefit of the

967
emotional guidance, it is essential to cognitively understand
how it operates at three basic levels. For it is the ignorance of
mind and gaps in self-understanding that allow the breakdowns
in communication between the electrical, chemical, and
motivational signals of the spirit's emotional guidance that lie
at the cause of mental and physical breakdowns of the body
and mind.

What we don't understand results in a malfunction of a process that, when

grasped at a mental level, can lead us to correcting this "malfunction". We
need not have PhD's in psychology or biology or even chemistry to grasp a
system that pervades all of nature, of which we are a normal part.

Humanity must recognize that all mini-gestalts of self within

the bounds of the physical body and mental identity know how
to do the best things in order to keep the whole functioning---
without much intervention from the mind of the person
involved. This is the autopilot level of self-regulation that is
characteristic of atoms, molecules, and cells which make up the
body proper. They are attuned to the electrical and chemical
bands of the emotional sensory spectrum and both give and
receive information within the whole body that keep each piece
well, intact, and operating toward its highest purpose.

Observe a woman in the pregnant state. She does not have to concentrate on
the act of building a human being within her own body. This process takes
place in a natural pattern, time after time. An interchange is taking place
automatically between woman and the child who is in the process of
becoming. Nowhere does there exist a more perfect example of what is being
discussed above.

Although at the autopilot level, self-preservation is the primary

purpose, self-development also occurs even at these most
simple levels of organization, as atoms, cells, and organs adapt

968
themselves in order to cooperate and adjust to changes in the
environment. This kind of adaptive self-development also
allows for higher, more elaborate and complex forms of self-
consciousness to emerge.

In the human, there exists a capability to be physically and mentally

innovative when forced to deal with an unanticipated change in
environment. A person moved from a particularly warm climate to a cold
climate, will find his/her body adjusting to change in simple ways such as
thickening or thinning the blood. Over longer periods and more dramatic
changes, other portions of the body will do what is necessary for self-
preservation. While scientists may see this and wonder at the capability of
the body, they inevitably miss the whole picture.

But at the autopilot level, the flexibility of behavior is

relatively fixed, that is to say there is not much willful choice
over the actions of an atom, a cell or an organ beyond their
hardwired responses to the electrical and chemical messages
they receive. Honor, respect, and gratitude should be given
them, for their fixed type of experience provides the essential
and necessarily reliable building blocks which give
foundational support to all life within the grand ecological
dance. Like automobiles, higher gestalts of consciousness
could not exist without the nuts, bolts, and gears which
comprise them.

It is evident that all portions of the collective whole are programmed to

carry out necessary functions to maintain a total state of balance; and while
some systems have limited functions and ambitions, they are just as
necessary as those which exercise more complex and sophisticated patterns
of behavior.

But the experience and purpose of an atom or a cell is every bit

as important and "rewarding" as any other more complex life
form. Indeed, it cannot be overemphasized that it is through the

969
individual cooperative participation of these autopilot forms of
consciousness that the Earth exists with the predicable
trustworthy continuity upon which more complex forms rely.
They respond with predictably reliable actions of attraction and
repulsion to positive and negative electrical polarity within the
emotional signals, they respond with agonizing (cellular
bonding and creating change) and antagonizing (blocking and
preventing change) responses to the chemical messages of
emotion, but are far less aware of the familiar sensation of
hedonic pleasure and pain than higher life forms. For example,
an atom or a cell can quite happily die when it is no longer
needed by the whole without feeling any lack of purpose or
discomfort---for its purpose has been served, its potential has
been actualized---it has lived its chosen life. Atoms can
spontaneously be reborn in some other organization or form, as
they transform from one complex gestalt to another as part of
the grand energy exchange process. Certain aspects of the
human experience are just as fixed and spontaneous. (The
human spiritual challenges are orchestrated through inborn
instinct and movements to meet the universal needs.) When the
mind becomes aware of these innate patterns through the
feeling language, the development of less automatic kinds of
volitional adaptive behavior begins to arise.

Going back to the automobile analogy, as we become more familiar with the
operation of the vehicle and trusting of the performance we can expect by
carrying out actions on our own part, we set aside our conscious attention to
these functions and allow the vehicle to "do it's thing". It is this level of trust
and understanding that results in a more perfect and productive
relationship. Herein lies the potential for all the relationships with our
physical universe, whether it be with the auto carriage or our personal
physical carriage (our physical bodies).

970
In sum, the experience at this guidance level is fixed,
automatic, and ruled mostly by the natural laws of the physical
realm. The self-consciousness is less complex, the identity is
more merged with All That Is, and it is only the grace of these
autopilot organisms that allows the continuing expansions of
higher and more complex forms of life to emerge.

A long-standing relationship between the lesser energy forms and the All
That Is, supports the necessary stepping-stone to the next level of existence
below.

Semi-Autopilot Self-regulation

To the degree that the life form has sufficient neural

complexity, sensory networks and a broader emotional
bandwidth receptivity, it begins to be able to move about a bit
under its own self-direction with creative kinds of adaptations
based upon not just its hardwired responses but from learning
from past experiences. These are animals ranging from reptiles
all the way up past mammals on the evolutionary ladder, who
have specific brain structures to process a new kind of
emotional information, the motivational bandwidth, the
sensations of pleasure and pain.

Here is where we can observe how our pets relate to the world around them;
how they seek out those things which give them pleasure (i.e. eating,
sleeping, being given human attention); and how they make certain
independent decisions to achieve those goals.

With brain processing capabilities that can pair emotional

experiences with memories, these animals can learn through
classical conditioning how to respond to situations before the

971
outcome actually occurs, based upon past experience. This
allows for tremendous adaptive and creative advantages.
Although this kind of guidance does not yield much free will, it
does allow for much more behavioral flexibility than in lower
organisms which have fixed attract/repel motions from the
feeling guidance. At the semi-autopilot level, there can be
memories that create electrical and chemical responses within
the cells and tissues that allow the whole animal to move
protectively away from danger and move instinctively toward
things that bring growth and pleasure.

We, as humans, have the same built-in hardwiring and, when trusted, will
bring the same self-preservationary results, not to mention "growth and
pleasure". It is often when we worry and doubt in the universal All That Is,
that such natural qualities are short-circuited in our electrical and chemical
make-up and unsettle our natural thinking/feeling progress. Our mothers,
often in the belief that to worry is to do what mothers are supposed to do,
are actually undermining a process which can serve us well as we grow into
adulthood.

At more complex levels within the semi-autopilot category, the

emotional experiences of joy and fear are added to the
perceptual receptors from the spectrum of emotional
information. This allows for more complex, long-term, kinds of
conditioned learning known as operant conditioning, wherein
the animal knows that there is a link between its actions and the
outcome that was created. The feelings of joy and fear form
electro-chemical loops in memory that allow for even better
adaptive self-developmental actions to take place. (Such
patterns underlie the energy body and emotional memory that
can be recognized within the human chakra system later on in
the evolutionary scheme.) Feelings of joy promote behaviors
that are creatively adaptive, such as play. Play serves as

972
practice for real life situations, and marks the threshold into
willfully cooperative behavior, the preferred adaptive strategy
over simple competition alone.

Young animals are seen playing in a natural way and we know that such
activity, even with our own young, can contribute to the development and
adjustments that will be needed later in adult life, so long as such activities
do not stretch beyond enjoyable play into the stress of achieving perfection
for the sake of a parental goal. All life should be an experience of learning
and pleasure. Pain need not be essential to progress unless we make it so.

As we now know, the general pattern of increasing self-

complexity includes increasing complexity in conscious
volitional experience. The semi-autopilot level is essential so
that an evolving mind can have time to learn, while the body
and its needs are still protected by the hardwired responses of
attraction /repulsion and approach/avoidance. Thus, this kind
of learning is not conscious learning, but it has conscious
corrective results. The emotional guidance comes in the form
of the feeling which follows a given action, but gets stored in
the cellular memory in order to activate defensive responses in
the future before another disaster strikes. (Perceiving fear when
a threat to survival is looming, and being able to run in the
opposite direction before it strikes is highly beneficial.) But the
animal is not truly conscious of what has occurred until after
the fact. This level is also apparent in humans, as learning
experiences create cellular memories and flexible habits and
attitudes that can either contain gems or slivers. (Ongoing fear,
of course, robs humans of their conscious participation.)

Fear has its role in our existence, but it is only to stimulate the sensible
action of fleeing a life-threatening situation and to, thus, maintain our
physical existence and comfort. Once this has been accomplished, "fear" can
be compartmentalized and we can go on enjoying that life we so naturally

973
just preserved. Keeping it at the forefront of our thinking will only end up
obstructing our growth and development, which is only a more subtle form
of death.

Manual Free Will Self-regulation

In the highest animals and in humans, the emotional

experiences of joy and fear branch out into the six basic feeling
signals which not only offer approach and avoid motivational
guidance, but also the opportunity to comprehend the cognitive
informational messages within the feeling tones themselves. As
experiences are remembered and external situations become
familiar, the feeling of fear speaks of external threats, the
feeling of anger speaks of potential obstacles to need-meeting
opportunities, the feeling of sadness speaks of losses that must
be replaced, and the feeling of disgust speaks of unwholesome
foodstuffs that should be expelled and avoided in the future.
The motivational urges still operate upon approach and avoid
impulses, but the joyous feelings associated with growth also
prompt a good deal of purposeful creative innovation.

With greater emotional development comes the complexity of choices which

can often lead to levels of anxiety that get beyond our control. What passes
for simple self-concern can become a state of obsession/compulsion and,
eventually, neurosis/psychosis. If we can practice sufficient detachment from
ourselves occasionally, we can spot these trends and make the necessary
course corrections. We can also rely on those who love us to make these
observations and suggestions.

As humans pursue that which brings them joy, they begin to

learn more and more about their innate needs for freedom,
power, connection, esteem, creativity, and meaning.
Conquering the spiritual challenges fully opens the chakra

974
centers and allows full conscious experience and fosters
excellent mental and physical health. It is through the
successes of their creative adaptations that all human culture
arises, and mass consciousness takes a place in the creative
formation of the life experience. It is at this point when right
and light responses can replace the cruder fight/flight, and
approach/avoidance responses that served only self-
preservation purposes.

There comes a point of morphic resonance when the human race turns from
its less evolved practices associated with such emotions as fear and anger
and begins to relate to each other in ways that promise greater joy and
fulfillment. Each of us contributes to the achievement of that "point" with
our personal commitment to that end.

With full manual control over one's actions, the emotional

guidance becomes even more important than ever. Because if
the self is not attuned to all the available information within the
motivational and experiential aspects of human feelings, the
mind can create all sorts of slivers that will promote thoughts
which electrically stimulate chemical messages which operate
oppositionally upon the inner selves (the cells, tissues, and
organs.) This is how the mind and emotional baggage can
create all breakdowns and disease processes within the human
self system.

Now we have an explanation of the direction relationship between a state of

mind and the state of dis-ease in our physical and mental bodies. It is not the
complexity and stress of our societies that cause our states of illness, but how
we react to that stress and what steps we believe we can take to remove
ourselves to an environment where we can exercise our creative nature and
experience the joy we should feel we are entitled to as participants in the All
That Is.

975
It is also only in the highest life forms that an experience of
time (past, present, and future), and a cause and affect
relationship can be drawn between actions and changes they
create---for their commission, their role in the entirety is to
create meaningful change instead of maintaining the status quo.
Non-physical entities (the higher gestalts which direct their
human personality manifestations) do so from beyond space-
time allowing for an overall perspective that enfolds all human
"incarnations" at once and indeed, many alternate forms
assumed simultaneously. The manifestations of creative change
in all sentient organisms come from the impetus of the entity
and bear the distinct mark of conscious, purposeful intention
and of course are communicated through spiritual feeling
signals.

It is the establishment of contact between ourselves and our "higher" selves

that can and should be the goal of our existence on this earthly plane. There
are a variety of methods to establishing and maintaining this state, but the
first step must be desire and the second, intent. Creative opportunities will
follow.

The choice to embody a specific life form is open and available

to all gestalts of consciousness, and indeed many who think of
themselves as isolated identities have far more roles than they
can possibly be aware of, different focuses of the gestalts of
which they comprise. But then this is part of the fun for All
That Is to be able to experience so many unique aspects of
itself. Simply knowing of these types of consciousness games
can tremendously enhance the meaning of a single individual.
The knowledge of one's role in greater challenges and games is
communicated during the dream sojourns and awareness of this
fact can tremendously enhance the guidance.

976
Think of oneself as an "us" and not just a "me", and consider the possibility
that the experiences that each "me" of the "us" has can be shared during a
non-active portion of our daily lives. This would occur at that point when we
put our intense focus (active consciousness) aside and open ourselves to a
vast array of information that can enhance our individual lives in a plethora
of ways.

Indeed, it is through dream sojourns that entities interact

directly with personalities, as the ego gate is closed for direct
interactions and exchanges occur with the higher gestalts of
self within the quantum field. It is in the dream state when
collective missions get carried out on psychic levels that
facilitate the optimal evolution of the species. For humanity has
been collectively creating the evolutionary course of its
species---and with some pleasurable successes and with some
very painful limitations.

Here is a field of opportunity which has barely been tapped for the rich
source of wisdom it is capable of providing. If appreciated for its full
potential, much of the "pain"mentioned could be replaced by a greater sense
of joy.

The Emotional Evolutionary Destiny of Humanity

The trust for expansion and value fulfillment of All That Is can
be likened to a force that desires the fastest straightest course
for each of its living vessels or "ships". But since life is not all
autopilot, that creative free will and imagination can define and
influence the life course, the fastest most direct course is that
which is mindfully imagined and purposefully created, but
under the full guidance of the spiritual compass. This means
that there will always be varying degrees of value fulfillment,
courses that are more or less meandering and indirect, and with

977
potentially less than complete value fulfilling journeys. This
fact is built into the physical system and its reincarnational
nature so that necessary ignorance can be accommodated as the
species evolves its consciousness. Indeed, human ships can
turn in continuously misguided circles, repeating the same
mistakes again and again until the patterns of self-created pain
are too powerful to ignore. Such is the tradeoff for the gift of
free will.

On the surface, this may appear to be a callous system which is not

concerned about the level of suffering which might result from repeated
errors in judgement. However, the alternative to such consequence would be
to remove the "free will" quality from the human creature and surrender
control of all activities to a "Higher Power". While this might result in a
more consistent state of contentment, it would also result in a total absence
of the development of the divine quality of creative will. It would further
result in limiting the benefits of varied experiences enjoyed by the All That
Is.

But it is always true that positive feelings will mark the most
direct pathway and negative pain will steer the vessels away
from misguided courses. With the strategies of attuning to and
acknowledging each feeling signal, immediate progress and
recovery from past slowdowns is possible. The key is in the
acceptance of as much incoming information as possible, the
broadening of consciousness, that begins with letting in the
feeling signals themselves. When the individual human ego
consciousness attains divine acceptance, formerly painful
situations will then be experienced as neutral and the
mindscape will be built into the evolutionarily desirable
perspectives that will promote positive feelings in all
situations.

It is beyond the time when we should put aside the misbelief that the more

978
suffering one endures the greater one's reward in heaven. This distraction
has led many to states of unhappiness that were better avoided. The path to
enlightenment can and should be a joyous one. Anything less is misdirected
and should be brought to a halt as soon as possible.

Indeed, the evolutionary path is away from pain and toward the
highest pleasures, and ultimately to the feeling experiences of
universal oneness with All That Is. The beating stick of pain is
merely a crude form of spiritual guidance, and when the static
is removed from the clouded consciousness, all inner channels
to broader bandwidths of information can become consciously
available through direct intuitive insight. The mind will
become consciously aware of how information is received
directly, electrically, through the very action of each breath.
Humans will then breath in insights as easily as the air. This is
the transcendent destiny of humanity, that will come as
consciousness expands at the direction of the emotional
messages of spirit.

This is the direction and means that humankind was meant to travel as a
natural process in the continual acquisition of enlightenment. We are but
ships traveling toward a home port and, in the process, bringing with us the
tails and lessons learned on our various adventures. Unlike those who read
about the experiences of others, we are in this physical environment to
create our own ships and do our own sailing, which is what being in the
physical is all about.

On an individual level, development progresses in designing

the optimal mindscape through the spiritual challenges which
can be chartered by the feelings that occur in the present.
Humans can use the evolving course of feelings to examine and
refine thought processes and to reframe perceptions within
higher feeling states in order to heighten their individual
progress. The chart on the next page offers a general pattern of

979
the human spectrum of feeling and a picture of how the
expansion of consciousness toward universal oneness is
experienced along the way. It can be used to assist individual
examinations of the life course. It can be used to determine
how close one might be to acceptance, and to offer insights into
how to find alternative beliefs that can immediately replace
slivers with gems. Such activity will, of course, rapidly
increase the progress upon the destiny path, and the more
individual efforts, the faster the species mass consciousness
can evolve its own value potentials. With these dynamic
patterns in mind, we can now turn to the evolutionary patterns
within the human species that have carved out human history.

Each building block of spiritual information can play a role in accelerating

the process of development. We need only open ourselves with the intent of
gaining that which is given.

Evolutionary Path Of Evolving Consciousness and Feeling

Experience

-- - - + ++ ++ +
Fear => Anxiety => Growing Pain => Acceptance => Learning Anticipation =>
Confidence => Excitement ð Courage => Faith => Universal Oneness

Anger => Frustration => Annoyance => Tolerance => Acceptance => Patience =>
Curiosity => Mirth => Compassion => Universal Oneness

Sadness => Loneliness => Acceptance => Liberation => Attachment => Trust => Hope

980
=> Love => Universal Oneness

Disgust => Annoyance => Tolerance => Acceptance => Curiosity => Camaraderie =>
Attachment => Friendship => Compassion => Grace => Universal Oneness

Envy/Guilt => Anxiety => Frustration => Acceptance => Confidence => Compassion =>
Grace => Universal Oneness

Attachment =>Trust =>Hope =>Love =>Compassion =>Faith =>Universal Oneness

Worthiness => Confidence => Pride => Gratitude => Devotion => Universal Oneness

*********

Watch your thoughts – they become your words

Watch your words – they become your actions

Watch your actions – they become your habits

Watch your habits – they become your character

Watch your character – it becomes your destiny

We create our spiritual destiny with our repeated thoughts and most of those
thoughts are implanted in our minds by others who suffer long-standing
mental mis-presumptions which are seldom, if ever, examined. These
Lessons are an invitation to indulge in that examination. Rejection of it will

981
only add a level of delay and pain that is clearly not necessary.

Lessons of Enlightenment
Page 432-447
Section Theta

Lesson Theta Three A: Human Evolution

The Journey From Pain to Pleasure

Just as individuals proceed down a path of optimizing spiritual

value and purpose, humanity as a whole, the mass
consciousness of the species, travels a similar path. The self-
developmental impetus moves humanity forward in the
expansion and creative use of group consciousness as surely as
it does for each individual.

Although it might not be too evident at times, we are a more evolved species
now than we were a millenium ago. We have made progress and continue to
make progress in our spiritual evolution, both collectively and individually.
Now we can come to understand how the rate of this "progress" can be
dramatically accelerated.

As with individuals, the species has vacillated back and forth

between the dynamic forces of protection (self-preservation)
and growth (self-development) as it has become collectively
conscious of natural processes and evermore adept at quality
creative participation within them. When groups recognize
their common roots, interests, and collective power, group

982
purposes and self-identities begin to emerge---kinships,
villages, cities, and countries. Each group then responds to its
collective social patterns of pain and pleasure to attain its
highest value fulfillment. Of course, the "self" is relevant, and
any group distinction that does not include the entirety of
humanity is limited in its breadth of consciousness.

It must be made clear in every element of society, from family to country,

that all human life has dignity. Individuals who have personal frailties and
seem to be out of place with the collective, deserve the respect and love of the
group simply because the are a part of the All that Is.

Historically, the pains and pleasures of each group within the

species have collectively influenced the overall health and
evolution of the whole. In a world where some choose the
higher path of cooperation and others remain at a more
reflexive competitive level, all humans must default to some
degree to the lower defensive, fear-driven path. For example,
the early European practice of colonialization, the seizing of
power and imposition of Western culture upon any isolated
communities. This era was simply a power-seeking expansion
rather than a unified cooperative effort honoring the connection
need, the insights, or the wisdom of different others. Many
enlightened collective and ecologically sound cultural
traditions were obliterated, squandering a good deal of value
that had been earned. For when thoughtful ideas and words are
up against guns and perceived superiority, the meek will
predictably suffer.

Yet, despite the collective cruelty shown by these conquers, those who
survived under the imposed tyranny were able to bring forth a conviction of
love and forgiveness that eventually overcame the pain being inflicted upon
them and the "power-madness" of the particular era eventually gave way to

983
a giving and caring that can still be found in the less fortunate, should one
elect to look for it.

But as many seers have also predicted, the meek shall indeed
inherit the earth. For the cooperative destiny of the human
species shall only unfold when humanity recognizes the
universal guidance within the human feeling sense. The meek
are those who consciously embrace the wisdom within the
feeling sense, that recognize the universal connection of all
life, that honor the human responsibility to create purposeful
change, and are driven by egalitarian respect, compassion,
gratitude, loyalty, devotion, and love instead of competitive
fear, anger, superiority, contempt, and hate. Although there
have been many groups that have had advanced consciousness
and understandings, they will continue to be overcome by the
ignorance of those who do not--- for the species is indeed an
evolving whole with "majority" if not mob" rule. (The Energy
of every human thought forms the pool of mass consciousness,
no matter the purposeful quality of thought. As creative will
power is equal, all energy is equal.) Indeed, the most accurate
measure of the condition of any connected chain is indeed its
weakest link.

We, as human beings, are linked together in thought. We experience this

most acutely with those we care about and less so with those we only know.
But we all know each other on another level and can influence each other
with emotional energy. Giving strength and love to those who are the
"weakest" among us, allows all of us to move together to change our world.

The self-defining identifiers within mass consciousness offer

clear reflections of the transformational energy progress that
has been made. For any competitive, divisiveness, warring,
discrimination, prejudice, or injustice marks the early stages of

984
human progress. Until the majority of the human population
becomes aware of the emotional guidance available, pain will
be the teacher and pleasure will take the back burner, as
repetitive historical patterns of mistaken and limited-purpose
choices continue to occur. The measure of Earthly pain marks
the necessary corrective call to action to remove the cultural
slivers from mass consciousness. At present, ongoing human
pain is thought to be a normal condition of life, competition is
heralded as the highest value, the universal human needs are
frustrated, and humanity has created profoundly excessive
emotional malaise. The disease model approach to human
mental and physical health dominates, whitewashing the
massive symptoms of humanity's folly. From this perspective,
it becomes clear that humanity has a long way to go. But it also
becomes clear that with reattunement to the emotional sense a
good deal of catch-up progress can be made.

It is written that "as we ask, so shall we receive". The keys to that Kingdom
of Understanding are no further away than our reach. Once the door to
desire is unlocked, the emotion of love will come rushing in and bring with it
all we seek.

The evolutionary patterns of punctuated equilibrium, the

sudden and rapid changes within longer periods of relative
stability, mark the times of enlightenment such as that which
now presents itself to humanity. At such times, there is a
critical mass attained within mass consciousness, such that it
effects a sudden burst of evolutionary movement.

These convoluted periods of fascination that we have witnessed within this

past century, periods of racial, cultural, economic and political division, act
as mirrors to reflect back to us the mass confusion we have brought upon
ourselves with our personal prejudices and the our preoccupation with what

985
divides us from each other. From all this will eventually come a new
understand and appreciation of where we should direct our future energies.

Each such change begins with a wave of new information

becoming available within the mass consciousness of
humanity. As each individual receives creative insights and
contributes cultural enhancements to his or her group, and each
group contributes to the species, the culture undergoes a new
cycle of progress. These cycles are simply large-scale turns
through the human action cycle wherein the social, emotional
evaluation of that which has been created increases public
awareness and hones the public motives. With sufficient
consciousness of the cause and effect relationship between
beliefs and outcomes, and recognizing the emotional evaluation
to the degree that right and light responses are effected to the
public mind, evolution marches forward at an efficient pace
and in a highly purposeful direction.

We have an opportunity to alter the course of history by merely altering how

we think and putting those thoughts into the mass consciousness for
evaluation and further reflection and action. Each of us can be a spark in the
chain reaction of enlightenment. We need only present our "gift" and let the
ocean of thought carry it beyond the shores of what we conceive as our
immediate boundaries of influence.

Of course, it is the task of each individual to embrace and

utilize the available information if the highest collective
progress is to be made. Embracing the fact that humans (and
even many complex animals) have two ways to process
information, one higher and one lower, it becomes apparent
how and why humans continue to spend time on the lower
evolutionary track. Since humans are undergoing the individual
process of becoming even more aware of the information

986
cycles, and have suffered the loss of disconnection of the
spiritual guidance of that process; at present, humanity remains
largely driven by unconscious processes still struggling to gain
basic understandings necessary for conscious control.

To be still is to come to that state of knowing. In an age in which we are

bombarded by messages to buy and try, to acquire and control, to achieve
and obsess, we can hardly imagine where to find that opportunity of silence.
Yet, it is there waiting for us every night. We need only close our eyes and
ask.

In short, humans are far more like animals than the biological
form allows. (Compassionate understanding and recognition of
this fact will allow the "ego" gate to remain open long enough
to comprehend and effect the necessary changes.) The pain
persists because most humans still process the flow of
information in largely unconscious ways, because the mind has
not yet evolved enough to handle the job. Most individuals
then struggle between high and low roads as life goes on
without the conscious understanding of how their self-accepted
slivers interfere with self-development and reinforce the
unconscious habitual reflexive protective processes. And, of
course, individuals are immediately subjected to the gems and
slivers of past generations as soon the incarnation begins.

The concept of "good" and "evil" contributes to a duality of thought that

suggests that "joy" can only be achieved through "suffering" and
"pleasure" through "pain" etc., etc. When, in fact, we can experience all the
positive gems of life without going trough the negative slivers, if only we will
accept ourselves as reflections of a higher nature which is permeated by the
All That Is.

Thus, the individual and group minds continuously interact in

the dynamics we have described---pushing the species with

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pain to discover the destiny of purposeful spiritual pleasure.
These dynamics underlie the historical progress of every
human group. As local groups struggle and test human value
systems to see how the spirit responds, certain unmistakable
trends appear.

Because it is our nature to try, it would seem to be our nature to fail. But
from the experience comes the lesson, again and again, until errors become
fewer and the trials become more positive and exciting. At some point, we
realize that a little inner guidance can carry us on a long and pleasant
journey.

A Brief History of Cultural Evolution

What we have described as mass consciousness is indeed the

collective species consciousness reflected in local and overall
trends of cultural evolution. (The species is simply a less
recognized gestalt of consciousness.) As the evolving social
mind tries out new ideas, it runs them up the flagpole by testing
them in the world, either the collective spirit will salute or not,
with informational signals of pleasure or pain. As the
individuals and groups continuously respond with right and
light responses, more information is exchanged, and more
inventive mental and physical tools and technologies are
created.

All that we have in the physical world, especially that which has been
invented and distributed by mankind, is the result of creativity siphoned
from the spirit down through the human mind. In some cases the new idea
worked to the spiritual benefit of the physical/mental world. In other cases it
has not. In the latter, it has been a failure of the human mind to adhere to
the spiritual signals being given when the idea or invention reached the
mental state which has resulted in a negative experience.

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A brief historical assessment at the species level can set the
contextual stage for the current evolutionary quickening as well
as showing the potentials for that which is to come. In essence,
the trends will show that the evolution of mass consciousness
is steadily moving humanity toward conscious creative,
cooperative interdependence, and away from the pains of
brutish competitive animal survival struggles. This can be
observed in patterns that relate to how well we process and
exchange information with one another, for---just like
individuals---societies are either pushed by the pains of
unconscious animal safeguard processes when they can handle
less information, or are pulled by the pleasures of conscious
creative successes when they can handle more. For as we have
learned, emotion guides the expansion of consciousness by
mediating the information exchange internally as well as
externally and can protectively close the door to consciousness
and default to lower levels of information processing when
necessary.

Technology has advanced to a stage where the thoughts and ideas of

humanity, as a whole, can now be shared on a mass scale, without the
interpretation or misinterpretation of the vested interests of those who are
threatened by a loss of power or influence. This is evident not only in
economic or technological spheres but in religious and philosophical arenas
as well.

We can examine human history within this context and see

how the dynamics of freedom, empowerment, and connection
either enhance and speed up cultural evolution, or slow it down
to ongoing battles for simple survival. As we discussed within
the context of human development, natural morality, and
politics, humanity is indeed a cooperative, interdependent
species. But until the mass mind can embrace the plural "we"

989
self-concept, the emotional motivation will remain on a lower
animal "me" level.

There are forces in place in many societies on the planet that seem to be
striving to create a level of separation wherever possible. The traditional
communication systems appear to be attempting to capitalize on states of
division and, in doing so, contribute to that state and even enhance it.

Indeed, when we reconnect to inner guidance, individuals can

reclaim the natural trust upon which the empathic attachment
to other human beings rests. It then becomes generalized to a
strong sense of public trust, providing a safe and sturdy mental
framework for the cooperative interdependent nature of
humans. It is only due to the emotional ignorance of humanity
that this was not the case long ago. As such, the destiny of the
species has been unduly influenced and stymied by the slivers
which have become institutionalized truths ---such as for
scientists: "survival is the only purpose of humanity", for
religions: that "all humans are born with original sin". From the
truths held in the public mind, comes the creative reflection of
its misuses of will energy and misdirection of spiritual purpose.

Taking the above mentioned "institutionalized truths" alone; there is

enough mischief to divert human thinking for eons to come. The first is
extremely limiting in explaining the purpose of life. The second simply puts
humans in an inferior position from which they must struggle their entire
lives (under the tyranny of an institution) to avoid a state of eternal pain.

Without the concept of unity between body and mind, and

unity between people, the higher needs and meanings cannot
enter the realm of consciousness. With this inner
communication breakdown, there will be an ever-present
tension between the "me" body and the necessary "we" mind as

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well as the "we" collective species. This internal tension is
reflected externally in social groupings by symptomatic
communication breakdowns, mistrust, disempowerment, loss
of freedom, and war within and between groups. (It makes no
more sense for humans to compete and interrupt the social
information flow than it does for the body's cells to fight
amongst themselves interrupting the flow of energy
information necessary for physiological functioning.) Indeed,
without unity between the individual brain cells which make up
the human collective mind, human progress will seem dogged
by a dichotomous social yet uncivilized nature.

Nothing seems to illustrate that better than the presidential election of 2000.
It would take a great leap of faith to consider the possibility that the waging
of legalized war every four years can be detrimental. But when competition
is taken to the point where it is considered essential to the betterment of a
society, then the dedication to that misconception is bound to spill over into
all aspects of life and eventually result in mass malfunction.

Human cultures arose due to the economics of need-meeting

which we now know is mediated by the emotional language of
spirit in all life forms. Freedom and power were attained when
need-meeting resources were readily available. When the
territory of the hunter-gathers was filled with natural bounties,
early humans began to communicate and share information
about where the best resources might be found, and to
coordinate cooperative need-meeting activities. Learning from
others about distant resources allowed bands to travel with the
turning of the seasons to seek naturally occurring resources---
plants, animals, tool-making materials, etc. This expanded the
territory and eventually led to the insightful practice of
domesticate resource management and replenishment. But it
was the informational exchanges between people that led to

991
the changes in the mass mind that facilitated these cultural
trends.

The history of the development of culture exists as a beacon of what can be

accomplished through the distribution of information. By itself, it is not
enough to turn a society into an environment which can sponsor one's full
spiritual potential. Clearly, the acquisition of information from within
(where the Spirit thrives) must be a part of group and individual
development and it's appreciation must be recognized and emphasized.

When humans began to till the land and grow their own plant
resources, the traveling became less physical, than mental. The
development and use of common language allowed the
transport of information and new insightful ideas to cycle
between individuals, just as the senses cycled it within the
individual minds and bodies. Over time, it was the ideas, the
flow of mental information that became evermore complex so
that humans began to rely upon the tremendous cultural
knowledge resources that are now taken for granted. Indeed,
power, freedom and connection are far more about mental
exchanges than the simply physiological exchanges involved in
sharing and finding food.

Ideas are the food of the soul. The sharing of them is nourishment for the
Spirit. Free will must be able to function in an environment in which it is
honored. Creativity must be respected as a spiritual quality in which
humans are encouraged to indulge. Only then does the advanced technology
that makes all this possible tend to be a servant to mankind rather than its
master.

As the information within the mass mind continued to

accumulate, and roadways and networks expanded between
people, there became a need for some sort of centralization and
leadership for more efficient assessment of sharing, and

992
organization of the available resources and information. With
farming came the first forms of early governments and
chiefdoms, that created cooperative groups larger than families
and bands. When leadership accomplished the successful
cooperative meeting of the needs of the group, all would be
well. But more often than not, lack of freedom and equal
opportunity for each of the members, would create inner strife
and competition within the group and would break down the
cohesive structure. (Like any mind, a social ego can only
handle as many challenges as its own belief resources.) Large
groups would then fraction into smaller, more manageable
groups with differing strategies and ideologies---and more
often than not, competitive rather than cooperative goals.

The adverse consequences of competition may well be traced back to a

concept that wherever there are competing components, one must almost
have to be considered to be "good" and the other "bad", with each group
presuming the other was in that latter category. Would that we could
replace those concepts and perspectives with that which can contribute to
the betterment of the whole.

One undeniable trend, however, despite these conflicts and

dynamics of change, was the evolutionary trend toward larger
united groups that coincided with cultural inventions that
increased information flow and shared the mental resources.
As humans shared their technological advances, the capacities
increased and everyone benefitted in kind. With the advent of
written communication, chiefdoms evolved into city-states,
with the printing press came modern civilizations, and with the
Internet came a globally connected information network
between humans. Even without the informational guidance,
human creative technological innovation itself pulls humans to
recognize the undeniable cooperative nature of the species.

993
Could it be possible that the present trend in technology can bring with it an
expanded understanding of the complete nature of human beings and that
the distribution of that information through the exponentially expanding
communication system is the best possible hope for the world?

A central message of these trends has been overlooked. This

message is that the sharing of information and resources, builds
a feeling of public trust, and yields far more long-term benefit
than does the fearful power mongering, hoarding of
information and resources, in order to gain superiority or short-
term advantage. (Taking less in order to share in the short run,
always adds up to far more resources in the long-run, since
there is synergy and a lack of competitive retaliation from
those left out.) Indeed, all cooperative changes lead to
increased freedom and empowerment of the individuals within
the group, and the increased interdependent connection within
any given group---pushing humanity to recognize and
acknowledge all three needs within social structures. It is a
fallacy that competition will bring anything other than ongoing
battles and limited resources for all, but the unenlightened
impulsive mind cannot help but fight until the light begins to
dawn. Indeed, humanity still struggles with the first
developmental challenge, that of understanding and creating
trust.

Here is the point of true conflict in the current age: On the one hand you
have the expansion of shared information through such instruments as the
internet, which is resulting in the "trust" level rising naturally on a
worldwide basis. One the other hand, you have political, economic and
religious institutions feeling threatened as they become aware that their level
of control is slipping away. What we are observing is the confusion among
these institutions which this trend is causing.

994
Thus, there was a great deal of isolation, revolution, mistrust,
and fear that caused information hoarding and breakdowns to
occur in ways that yielded the Eastern-Western split between
emphasis upon external versus internal empowerment, rational
versus intuitive processes, cooperation versus competition,
freedom versus connection, and allowed opposing forms of
government to arise. The West honored freedom and the
capitalistic right to earn economic power, while the East leaned
more upon the connection need, but often at the expense of
basic freedom and empowerment to control one's destiny. The
concept of equal opportunity was misconstrued and mutated
into equal result. The entrenched ideas of mechanism and
original sin also arose which facilitated a dogged, ignorant
denial of the emotional forces which underlie and guide the
evolutionary process.

We sometimes confuse progress and achievement with material acquisition.

This is not a difficult thing to do when the results are so apparent. Yet, the
signs of a not-so-apparent emptiness still abound in a number of social
failings in a society that appears to have so much. There are gross
inequalities and rampant brutality. The courts are filled with people seeking
to correct perceived injustices and children growing into adulthood in
environments that are not complete.

To the degree that any ideology provided the information for

individuals to empower themselves, the freedom to cooperate
within the whole, the higher needs for esteem, creativity, and
meaning could arise and be met within the emotional system.
Great art, literature and music arose during particularly
enlightened times, but only within the classes that were
afforded access to the informational resources necessary to
meet both basic and higher needs. (Far too many great artistic
revelations are still born of frustration and pain, due to

995
humanity's inability to fully value and accommodate the
universal need for creativity.) The pains of disenfranchisement
would always arise and tear at the social fabric until required
evolutionary changes arose. The newest, most evolved, forms
of government are attempts to ensure the foundational freedom
and empowerment that must underlie any successful collective
cooperatives.

While the rights to certain basic political freedoms have been written down
and held as ideals in the operation of government, attempts have been made
to correct the economic inequalities that have resulted from an economic
philosophy that makes a virtue of encouraging unparalleled greed. On the
surface, these latter attempts seem to have failed, but the latest chapter of
this particular period of history is yet to be written.

In sum, although humanity thinks it is at the peak of the

biological evolutionary ladder, the information flow and the
capacity for cooperation remains well below that which the
form demands and the spiritual pull suggests. Humans still
struggle with the simplest of their developmental challenges. In
short, they are far less evolved and aware than they suppose,
and in far less conscious participation and creative control than
they believe. To the degree that basic freedom, power, and
connection are accommodated, the consciousness is allowed to
expand, to receive, create, and exchange more information. But
to the degree that humans must fight for basic freedom and
empowerment, they will retreat into autopilot, survival modes
of fight and flight impulse responses that continue to tear at the
fabric of society. The spirit will not be silenced, for it has a
much higher plan than the mass mind can yet fully conceive.

There is a propensity among the elite in any society to presume that the
knowledge at hand is the final word in all that is worth saying. In other

996
words, currently accepted beliefs are quick to deteriorate into a form of
dogma, whether it be in the religious, political or the scientific field.
Arrogance is the most formidable opponent of truth. Yet, if history teaches
us anything it is that this type of "formidability" is constantly being
overcome.

The trends are very clear, and it is only now, at the dawn of the
new millennium that the forces of spirit can be given their full
recognition. Indeed, it is the force of anger that causes
disempowered individuals to rise up and change that which is
unjust, revolutionarily moving society toward the biological
conditions nature and Divine Intention have set forth.
Unfortunately, the mass human consciousness cannot yet
accommodate the flow of feedback information from its own
citizenry, due to the lack of universal values and spiritual self-
understanding. Without such, the public mind will have less
and less cohesive influence, offer less cooperative advice and
be vulnerable to all the impulsive actions of its weakest links.

There still exist, in many intensive portions of the planet, pockets of political
and economic unrest which literally threaten to ignite a nuclear power keg at
any given moment. Words are not being heard. Injustices are not being
addressed. Passionate young people are dying in the causes of peace and
equality. If hope for better solutions does not arrive in time, hoped-for
progress in these significant areas will be set back centuries.

Indeed, the global community which has always been

spiritually and ecologically connected, is now fully
technologically and economically interconnected and there can
no longer be any lingering at a lower level of consciousness—
without epic consequences. The recent assaults with computer
viruses, germ warfare, and acts of terrorism with technological
weapons illustrate the urgency of the need for this enlightened
shift.

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Hopefully, the content of these "Lessons" will serve to ignite those prophetic
words: One small step for man – One giant leap for mankind, providing they
reach a sufficient number of people in an adequate amount of time.
Levels Of Human Conscious Experience

By divine design, the physical experience has built within it the

laws which direct the evolution of consciousness. These laws,
however, do not violate the potential creative free will which is
inherent in the human experience, but simply include
physiological safeguards that ensure the mind can be oriented
in the most fulfilling directions while operating within the
limits of the physical realm. The human needs and the feeling
informational signals of the body motivate humanity to pass
through the developmental stages and to become aware of and
surmount spiritual challenges which prepare and open the mind
to the fully creative human experience.

The physical or mental experiences that seem to be and often are the result
of incorrect choices or a failure to hear the messages of our higher nature
are the same experiences that stimulate growth in these areas by bringing
home to us the realization of the capability we have of creating our own
reality. The bad news is: We create our own reality. The good news is: We
create our own reality.

As we now know, it is the divine acceptance of as much

incoming information as possible which will tip the scale from
feelings of corrective pain toward those of purposeful pleasure.
Acceptance marks the entry into the ego gate in both individual
and cultural minds. Habitual denial ensures ignorance and
ongoing corrective pain until there is conscious acceptance of
that which has been created. The degree of acceptance
corresponds with the level of conscious experience. At present,

998
the species ignorance of the emotional guidance sets the
stage for incoming personalities to fall victim to the limiting
beliefs offered as institutions, traditions, and truths. The
structure which accomplishes the acceptance of emotional
guidance will give rise to far more optimal kinds of humane
experience. This fully human kind of functioning encourages
the expansion of consciousness at a much faster pace than has
yet been experienced by most human beings.

Acceptance suggests trust and trust equates with faith. But the faith
suggested is not a blind faith in that which is being served up by our
established institutions, but rather a willingness to trust our inner feelings
when inviting higher knowledge to penetrate our consciousness. This
material attempts to make the point time and again, that there is already in
place a system that can flood us with the knowledge of unlimited potential of
spiritual development and we need merely understand and appreciate the
universal concept of the All That Is.

Nevertheless, these evolutionary levels of experience are all

well within the grasp of any given individual to the degree that
an environment accommodates the inner impetus to evolve.
There have been several cultures whose beliefs and isolated
nature allowed for some quite impressive development of inner
abilities that much of the world has yet to embrace. Those
cultures that advocate meditative practices or utilize
meaningful dream guidance which access inner information
through altered states of consciousness, have indeed much to
offer the masses. But the most useful information source which
can bring such insights into waking consciousness and daily
experience shall be through the original path--- the feeling
signals.

This term, "feeling signals", may still present itself as part of a mystery
when it comes to capitalizing on its true meaning and implementation. If

999
such can not be fully understood and utilized at this point in time, no matter.
Other practices, such as those mentioned in the above paragraph, i.e.
meditation or dream guidance, will help us move toward the "feeling" goal.
These will serve as experiences to prime the pump of our imagination, so to
speak.

Since a critical mass (the predominant percentage of energy)

must be attained for macro evolution to occur, there will
always be individuals interacting who are at different places in
terms of consciousness. Although the majority still linger in the
darkness, there are many intuitively enlightened individuals
who have tenaciously gathered and evaluated as much
information as possible and have expanded their consciousness
significantly. They recognize the self-made limits within mass
consciousness and are responsibly striving to remove them.

The role in this process is not limited to anyone but those who wish not to
play their own personal role in this evolution. All who occupy the physical
have chosen to do so because of a particular gift of some kind. Such gift or
gifts are held on a genetic level and can be brought to the surface by simply
expressing desire and intent.

There are many who answer the calling spirit and offer spiritual
truths through artistic interpretations which resonate with
others. Such inner directed and outer expressive individuals are
often referred to as light workers. Such individuals have
accomplished the spread of spiritual information to the degree
that critical mass is closer than ever. It falls to these
enlightened ones to carry the torch and to help bring their own
higher levels of consciousness to the masses. These people, the
compassionately meek yet with courageous integrity,
understand and forgive the cost of ignorance for the benefit of
free will. They seek to bring forth the Christ consciousness that
lies dormant within the human potential---faithful that even

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when pushed by pain the spirit will lead humanity from the
darkness.

Those who struggle against conventional thinking to give expression to their

inner spirit are now the beacons of light that shine as examples of the
potential within each soul. As the recognition of the connection between
body, mind and spirit becomes more apparent, the path of these pioneers
will become more easily tread.

Thus, there are levels of human experience ranging from

painful, unconscious incompetence and confusion, to
pleasurable, consciously creative competence, and spontaneous
value fulfillment. Such is true for the entire species. On the
macro level of human evolution, this occurs as three distinct
levels of existence with varying degrees of personal awareness,
purposeful understanding, creative competence, social justice,
and painful and pleasurable symptoms.

The choice of where we wish to place ourselves along this path is ours. The
tool to what knowledge we wish to accept or reject is our feelings. In the
truest sense, if it feels right we can and truly should do what we imagine we
can.

The Survival Level of Existence

The first level is that which is currently familiar, but it is

actually a very primitive and crude form of human experience
more likened to animal instinctive experience. This is the
normal condition of humans who have not yet consciously
embraced their inner guidance system, and are subjected to
the autopilot modes of spiritual self-regulation. Free will and
consciousness awareness are both severely limited at this level,
but the genetic collection of body wisdom ensures the divine

1001
goals will be protected and that the urgings of spirit can always
become known.

There are portions of humanity in the present day that reflect the
"primitive" qualities described above. Unfortunately, these "portions" can,
at times, become quite influential in the affairs of the world. It might even be
observed that such mentality is often supported and encouraged by those
institutions which regard themselves as having predominant superiority over
the functions of most human life and all of nature.

This, the survival level of experience, is characterized by

supremacy of body, with limited awareness of a good deal of
the available bandwidth of quantum information. The
information exchanges happen largely behind the scenes
carried out through electro-chemical interactions within the
body that bypass any form of mind and directly interface with
the world. But even in the forms with the most meager brain
structures, these unconscious informational processes are
depositing information in varying forms of memory banks.
There is a cellular form of memory which is the accumulation
of all experiences of that particular gestalt of consciousness---
in its highest form. This kind of memory bank speaks within
the bandwidths of quantum energy gestalts (available to all
forms of consciousness who can attune to it), directing all
genetic operations, and it's information is called upon as bodily
wisdom.

The body enjoys its own form of consciousness that is yet to be appreciated.
Yet, this "gestalt" is quite capable of learning and progressing; and
observable history of humans on the planet stands in evidence of this
process. To often, as societies become more technologically advanced, its
members become educated beyond their level of understanding. Minds pried
open with knowledge become closed by the force of intellectual arrogance.

1002
But also through these purely physical processes, a second kind
of memory then begins to take place. This occurs through a
body's pairing of events and feelings in memory in order to
benefit from the experiences and creative will of the individual.
This manifests as conditioned learning in animals and in
humans---and is created without conscious intervention---but it
underlies and gives rise to the emerging mind and personal
forms of memory. For it is in the ability of any organism with a
complex enough brain to pay attention and recognize the
patterns within the context of space and time and make some
self-directed changes and choices in the process. Over time, a
mindscape develops with the unique mental representations of
the physical information that can take on an ego identity of its
own.

Humans are a primitive species engaged in the process of reaching a state of

self-realization. This "process" and the end result are guaranteed by the
innate qualities of the species. What is not guaranteed is the directness of the
path taken. Free will can accelerate the process or delay it. Creativity can be
loosened or stifled. Sparks become flames only to return to the state of
burning embers. The universe, in all its forms, reflects a state of expansion
and contraction, but never extinction.

Thus, as the survival level mind evolves, these bodily patterns

are not only recognized, but the mind takes on more and more
conscious control and creative participation within the
regulatory processes. In the natural expansion of
consciousness, the mind first needs to grasp what is happening.
The feeling signals bring conscious attention to the outcome
after the fact ---after the behavior and twice removed from the
intentional motive itself. This leaves the mindful consciousness
mostly focused in the past with confusion resulting over why
things happen. Due to the resistant impulses of the defensive

1003
safeguards, the first kinds of answers will not embrace creative
self-determinism within the physical system and blame will be
assigned externally.

An avoidance of responsibility for creating one's own reality will continue to

lead to the habit of pointing a finger of blame in every other direction
deemed appropriate at the time. Such patterns of mental activity are usually
followed by some physical expression or action that eventually accelerates to
a point of massively inflicted pain. Demonic personalities are pumped up
well beyond their level of importance, usually to encourage solutions of an
over-simplified nature.

Take, for example, human superstition. Since the typical

human experience is driven by mostly unconsciousness
intentions, which create actions and outcome perceptions that
bring many surprises (both good and bad), the mind begins to
recognize the timing and coincidence of events and begins to
assign cause and effect. This is a typical pattern as the mind
strives to make sense of what is happening as life unfolds each
day. With the error of human judgment pairing the outcome
with the feelings and allowing conditioned learning, the mind
can inadvertently associate cause and effect in a willy-nilly
fashion. A free will mind can then believe that human
sacrifices bring the sun or rain, that different others are evil
demons, or that vengeful Gods are meddling in human affairs,
in turn creating those very realities and perceptions---complete
with all corrective signals.

A collective mind that dares to question the status quo and is encouraged to
exercise a God-given free will to do so, will soon take a society from the
depths of ordained forms of superstition to a state of enlightenment which
outpaces the qualities of fear and guilt.

Since the mind first emerges with its initial holdings gleaned

1004
from the past, the present remains driven by impulse, with the
feelings of pleasure and pain most meaningful in the moment,
with long-term concepts and future events rarely considered.
This is what leads to the trend for competitive, short-term
thinking instead of long-range, strategically cooperative
interactions, and mental strategies of cultural institutions that
are based upon win-lose warring. It will only be when the
connection is made between the contents of mind and the
outcomes created that trust in humanity's power and ability can
be established.

If the current threat of environmental disaster on a global scale does not

stimulate a broader vision of what can and must be done, the planet's
population will surely descend into another "dark" age. Yet, it is the
collective consciousness, acting on what may currently be an undetected
level, that can turn the tide toward a more positive result.

Survival Empowerment and The Chakra System

Another way of grasping this point is to look to the spiritual

challenges and the opening of the chakra centers of mind---but
within the mass consciousness of the species. The survival
level experience is focused upon the lingering challenges of the
first three chakras as tribal freedom and empowerment are
learned through the unconditional trust and acceptance of
mother archetype and the autonomous creative activity of the
father archetype . As the cultural information provides for
better and better parenting of its children, valid connection and
creatively expressive contributors propel humanity to the other
higher understandings of the heart chakra for true global unity.

The correlation between a microcosmic and macrocosmic state gives

1005
evidence of how what can be accomplished on a unit as small as the family
can effect a collective body as large as a planet and beyond. A society that
encourages the importance of understanding the parental role in the
development of a child can take hope that, in the end, an entire culture can
be elevated above the mentioned archetypes.

The species is now faced with surmounting the spiritual

challenge of the heart chakra, necessary to balance the mass
energies for full connection. The trend can be noted in the
shifting values of religion, and indeed, a good deal of the
evolutionary patterns have been influenced by religion. The
influence has been largely due to the fact that religions have
been the keepers of such concepts as spirit, soul, and divine
guidance, and have been concerned with the questions of
empowerment and moral authority. In other words, as the mind
evolves the ability to realign with internal empowerment, the
species will struggle to open its first three mass chakras to the
full energy of spirit.

This is a natural process that must follow in evolutionary order. What can
short circuit the process is the establishment of those systems which distract
or derail the natural evolutionary connection with divine guidance and self-
empowerment and replace those qualities with a form of moral authority
that is enforced from outside the individual.

As humankind has struggled to gain knowledge and value

systems that afford external empowerment over the harshly
competitive conditions of the environment, the spiritual
impetus within has also been pushing for discovery of the
internal values upon which cooperative empowerment can
arise. At first, religions focused mainly upon these internal
values due to the natural sensitivity to the feeling signals. But
over time, the struggles for external power and authority
allowed religious doctrines to mutate in ways that promoted

1006
unified values and morality only through competitive external
power.

At this point it would appear that the pendulum has swung as far as it can
justify. With greater knowledge and open information exchange coming to
the fore, the maximum point of acceleration has been reached and we are
beginning to move back from the extreme of the authoritarian world and
toward the appreciation of free will.

As we now know, the uses and misuses of the emotional

system underlie these dynamics. In essence, any aspect of any
religious doctrine that demands adherence to external
authorities (be they deacons, shamans, or Gods) through bribes
or threats has limited purpose and will be identifiable by its
exploitation of fear, guilt, and anger from vengeful retaliation.
Conversely, any that inspires internal cooperative
empowerment is multi-purpose and calls upon the higher
feelings of compassion, integrity, courage, gratitude, loyalty,
and faith shall be those that stand the tests of time and unite
humanity. The old and new testaments of the Holy Bible
illustrate the trend away from fearful adherence to vengeful
Gods, external power sources and competition, and toward
internal cooperative self-empowerment---true spiritual
empowerment ---advocated by the entity Jesus Christ. Still,
humanity remains conflicted between two levels of conscious
understanding.

While certain portions of the "new testament" are given much lip service, it
is still those other portions of same (along with complimentary portions of
the "old testament") which support the system that encourages control from
without. This is the great failing of the message advocated by Jesus the
Christ. It is also the flagrant misuse of the Bible to the point of Western
shame, i.e. not teaching His message of internal empowerment by example.

1007
This vacillation between internally directed cooperative power
and externally based competitive power has influenced
evolution in several ways. First, the tremendous diversity that
exists in the human gene pool is characteristic of the
geographic, environmental and sociocultural inter-actions that
have taken place between genetically isolated groups. Religion
has helped to both isolate and bring together the formerly
noninteracting genetic populations due to competitive holy
wars and as missionaries associated with "savages" in order to
spread the good word. Second, religious ideologies also have
resulted in self-preserving group identities and distinctions that
continue even when geographic isolation is no longer a factor,
creating uniquely interacting kinds of gene pools and social
environments such as race and ethnicity. (Indeed, scientists
have given little attention to the profound socio-cultural effects
upon the gene pool.)

It should be evident that the greater the mixing of racial and cultural genes,
the greater the advancement of such groups. Nature approves of this process
by bringing the best forth that each contributor offers. This is true on a
physical level as well as a mental level. There is no reason why it should not
also be true on a spiritual level.

For example, the self-identifier of the group "catholic"

influenced the intermixing of formerly isolated genes and
physical traits due to the beliefs advocated by that group. The
purposeful concept of equality of souls and equal access to
salvation within the ideology resonated with the universal
connection of humanity, and helped influence the mating
patterns between formerly isolated groups. The downside has
been that less purposeful tenets have also been included such as
indiscriminate reproduction, institutionalized judgment, fear,
guilt over natural drives, and loss of personal accountability.

1008
Nonetheless it will be those united in spiritual community that
will continue to lead the species until science embraces the
spiritual nature of the human being. The spiritual impetus is of
course, moving humanity to unite, to connect, and for the
whole species to benefit from the unique talents and skills and
cultural answers that have arisen. This sharing and exchange of
both information and genes is what will drive both cultural and
genetic evolution toward its cooperative destiny. The fearful
and angry racial hate is simply a survival level phenomenon of
less consciousness.

A lesser level of consciousness, especially on a spiritual level, is destined to

give way to a greater level of consciousness. It is not just the "survival of the
fittest" at work here, it is the impetus of progress that motivates the process.
It is one of the explanations for the greatness of a society which encourages a
constant influx of diversity, along with an integration of that diversity.

In sum, the survival level of experience is the mass mind's

struggle to open its first three chakras. It is characterized by
low levels of conscious awareness, information comprehended,
conscious competence, social self-understanding, self-
acceptance, purposeful creative expression, value fulfillment,
social justice and cooperation, and positive emotion; and high
levels of unconscious intentions, incompetence, confusion,
superstition, misinformation, impulsive actions, inner and outer
competitive conflict, spiritual malaise, and painful fear, anger,
and hate. Individual pain manifests in social symptoms such as
depression, rage, suicide, violence, and creates a predominance
of mental and physical health disorders. Of course, this is but a
pale comparison to the rich potential of higher level
experiences that consciously embrace and participate within
the co-creative flow of life.

1009
Experience drives the mass mind to find better ways of conducting itself
other than to pay a negative price of short-sighted behavior. It suggests that
there is an inner guidance system in place which can bring an elevated level
of consciousness, when accepted and encouraged.

Indeed, hidden within all major religious themes, are the seeds
of the spiritual truth that humanity needs to reattune and be
guided by the highest feeling tones such as compassion,
integrity, forgiveness, courage, and faith. All the answers do lie
within and the promise of full human living can be attained by
simply decoding and following wisdom within the feeling
signals. The discovery of the emotional sensory compass and
the spread of information regarding its use, will be the final
catalyst necessary to unite science with all the religions and for
the species to fully balance the human heart. With this
information, humans can then rise to the challenge of unity by
using the feeling information to allow the mind to align with---
instead of war against---the desires and bodily processes and
wisdom of spirit. This will generalize socially to end the
external warring between individuals and groups for basic
power and freedom.

There are as many aspects of truth as there are perspectives, but it is

"perspectives" which bring "truth" its potential for expansion and
encompassing the All That Is. We need not all agree all of the time, but it
would be of great benefit to learn to celebrate our varied perspectives. It
would also be a broadening experience on all levels.

Thus, at the survival level of existence, humans are most

concerned with self-preservation and the basic needs of
freedom and empowerment, both in obtaining resources and in
creating a competent mind. The first competence a mind must
embrace is that of its own emotional guidance which relaxes its
ego identity and propels it forward with enthusiasm and faith

1010
upon the purposeful developmental path---this is the only valid
and authentic form of empowerment. A freely empowered
mind can then begin to overcome the fight and flight impulses
and respond with right and light responses that are effective
over an ever-longer period of time. A freely empowered mind
learns from the past but is focused more in the future as it
plans and strategizes how best to maintain creative control over
its destiny.

The school of life is full of lessons which are not always pleasant to absorb,
but once the individual masters the art of learning in a way that results in
the least amount of pain, the mere of joy of attendance becomes the driving
force to the acquisition of greater enlightenment.

This empowerment and liberation of each personality then

drives the creative expression that accumulates and manifests
as cultural evolution. Each individual contribution builds
toward empowerment and freedom of the whole---building
connection. The current information explosion within human
culture marks the nearing of the end of the survival stage and
entry of the species into its next level.

We might even consider recognizing the qualities of the internet as being an

essential part of this ordained process.

The Individual Task At Hand

As we have discussed, at present, humans remain poised at a

crucial threshold, ready to consciously embrace the undeniable
truth of the emotional, ecological, economic, and cosmic
interconnection. As science teeters on the brink of recognizing
the unified connection between body and mind, as religions

1011
recognize the folly of superstition and the emotional voice of
spirit, as political leaders recognize the futility of oppositional
parties, philosophies and countries---the connection need will
come to the fore, competition will give way to cooperative
social justice and vault humanity up to the fully human state.

A half a century ago it would have been anathema to suggest that

cooperation might be a greater virtue than competition. The latter was the
American way of life. Now it is safe to consider that unlimited capitalism
might be a crucial threat to not only to the ecology but to the survival of the
human race.

But this will not occur due to some dramatic polar shift,
weather patterns, planetary alignment, miraculous cosmic
forces, or divine intervention---it will occur due to the creative
efforts of each and every individual to become aware. The
miraculous divine forces are already at work and have been
throughout the entire evolutionary history of the Earth. The
quantum informational field has been ready and able to provide
as much guiding information as the inhabitants of the Earth are
prepared to consciously assimilate, rationally synthesize, and to
willfully act upon. This will go on being true no matter how
long it takes for humanity to open to this wisdom and
evaluative guidance.

To use another analogy: The electrical grid is in place and one need only
plug the lamp into the socket and turn it on in order to draw the energy
source and bring the desired light into one's surroundings. What we're
talking about is not so much creating as recognizing and utilizing.

Nevertheless, a much more creatively delightful form of

existence awaits beyond the shadows of human ignorance and
has long been unfolding before the minds of those ahead of the
group game. With each individual effort to embrace the

1012
accountability to free will choice, to proceed through the
spiritual challenges, to develop the mind to be able to receive
and process the maximum amount of information, and to share
those insights with creative expression which hone the cultural
mass mind, the evolutionary progress of the whole will benefit.
By the very act of reading these Lessons, the energy
increases---and by embracing the energy, increases
exponentially toward the mass enlightenment and the higher
destiny. There shall be no martyrs of this cause, for the
personal rewards of transcending mere survival are beyond
measure.

This is not a situation of suffering our way to a state of success. Rather it is a

point of reference which we can choose to connect with and build upon. We
are not operating beyond the limits of our capacity. We are simply in a
position to recognize that our limitations are self-imposed.

With awareness that the survival level is but a first step along
the macro path, we can now go on to discuss the higher
potentials within the destiny of the species.

Page 448-459 Lessons of Enlightenment

Section Theta
Lesson Theta Three B: Human Evolution Continued
Historical Survival
The patterns of human history reveal that humanity, despite all
of its advanced technologies and creative cultural
achievements, is still in the early stages of its evolutionary
destiny. Although nature sets forth a clear course through the

1013
interactions of genetic memory and the quantum environment,
this biological predestiny is intended to be embraced and
creatively enhanced with purposeful use of free will. Indeed,
human consciousness plays an integral role in the pace of
human evolution. But the protective self-preservationary
safeguards within the system ensure that the direction of
evolution will always remain the same---pushing and pulling
humanity toward the True North of adaptive self-development,
meaningful self-actualization, and cooperative co-creation.
Just as rivers can never permanently run uphill, so the human spirit can not
avoid it's destiny, that being an envelopment with All-That-Is. Each time we
embrace a fresh thought, share in idea, create something new out of the
multiplicity of our existence, we move toward a greater level of expansion, of
which there is no limit.
Despite the repeated mistakes and cycles of ongoing pain
within the Earthly experience, the patterns are readily available
for conscious comprehension and punctuated enlightenment to
occur at any time. The higher destiny awaits, beyond space-
time, whole and intact, ready to unfold before the willing eyes,
minds, and hearts of humanity. The survival stage is merely the
necessary transition as humanity grasps the meaning within the
automatic processes and its abilities to consciously enhance
them. As a normal part of the expansion of All That Is, the
human experience includes a transition away from automatic
processes and biological predestiny and toward ever-more
creative, willful empowerment. Learning through the cycles of
pleasure and pain, however, will lead even the most recalcitrant
to higher uses of the conscious mind until the inner delights of
the highest feelings begin to take over. It will only be due to
continued mass rejection of the available guidance that
humanity could now undo the progress and destructively set
themselves back, although such is within the realm of choice.

1014
Free Will shall always be a part of human nature, along with the ability to
create one's own reality. The appreciation of the former and the compre-
hension of the latter are the twin horses that pull the metaphorical wagon on
it's unending journey. But we are the final arbitrator of the pace of our
travels, as well as the direction. The nature of our adventure is ours to
control. This is both our privilege and our responsibility.
But the biological variety within the human gene pool provides
for many unique destiny paths to be chosen by advanced
entities or "old souls" and ensures that individual personalities
can evolve higher levels of aware existence and be far enough
ahead of the pack to help instigate purposeful changes on the
mass scale. Due to the collective efforts of the most
enlightened ones, at the current juncture, the species
consciousness is approaching the critical mass.
Like the "Hundredth Monkey", we can play a significant role in bringing
about those insights which take the human race to that next step of
evolution. It does not matter in what area we make our contribution or the
comparative size of such. We are equal in the totality of all life and can
measure results against all we have been, currently are and are yet to be.
As such, the historically painful struggle to understand and
establish the biological conditions of justice can, at last, come
to an end. When the painful signals of fear and anger over
survival competition are finally quieted, humans can begin to
attune, comprehend the meaning, and respond to the higher,
more subtle and complex feeling tones of the spiritual
language, and begin embracing the higher purposes with all
thoughts and creative actions. Such purposeful expressions will
model and share the knowledge and as the enlightened
information sweeps across the international community,
earthshaking shifts will be made. Intellectual and social
barriers will be removed, ushering in a new era. An era in
which the species can begin to experience what it means to be
fully human.

1015
We can put on this mantel like a fresh set of clothes and upon reflection,
realize that we have not so much altered our capabilities as recognized them.
We will make that quantum leap as if it were little more than stepping from
one rock to the next across the stream of life.
The Being Level Of Human Existence
This is the best state of human experience, wherein human
beings are more than just surviving animals, but fully alive
with an ever-broadening receptivity to the available
bandwidths of information within the quantum field. The focus
will shift away from self-preservation and become meaningful
self-development so that consciousness can expand to its full
potential and be guided to prepare itself for the highest quality
creative expressions. The focus upon the external senses will
be shifted with the recognition of the inner senses beginning
with the attunement to the emotional sense of spirit. At this
stage of experience, humans are much more likely to surmount
all the spiritual challenges, open and balance all chakras of
mind, and have a wholly creative human experience. Thus,
humans will also be far more healthy, energized, alive,
creative, and passionately involved in the daily business of
purposeful co-creative living.
If this stage of development can be imagined and experienced, it would be
the equivalent of achieving heaven on earth. It would be the accomplishment
of erasing the line between the physical and non-physical state of existence.
What we now view as life-after-death would be life-in-life or living
completely in the now.
The being state allows for the mind to be focused in the
present, but prepared with solid strategies, skills, and
perspectives to act spontaneously in ways that will facilitate
and create a positive, purposeful, future. There is little impulse
avoidance, rationalization, blame, or any other form of survival
defense necessary. This is the juncture wherein creative will
unites with biological predestiny and forges them together on

1016
the purposeful path. The daily life will be far more pleasing, as
the unfolding mind embraces evermore meaningful information
and begins to direct multi-purposeful thought and action.
Imagine for a moment that one no longer had to preoccupy oneself with a
sense of survival and could concentrate solely on acquiring knowledge
automatically and exercising creative expression without the fear of negative
influences for those who did not comprehend the virtures of self-
empowerment. We could easily move into the All-That-Is State of
Consciousness.
At the being level of evolution, humans have embraced the
inner guidance and can both learn at accelerated paces and can
unlearn everything contained in both kinds of memory banks.
They can cleanse the mind of the distortions left over from
instinct, conditioning, and from low-quality conscious
intervention. All conditioned learning, which is affectionately
known as emotional baggage, can be unpacked and processed
through the conscious mind so that the fear and anger are
dramatically reduced from both the perceptual and creative
aspects of the life experience. Right responses examine and
decode all emotional signals, to reconcile them within the
perspectives and contextual frameworks that bring the highest
emotional responses.
We can evolve our personal mindsets by replacing those of lesser quality
with those in line with spiritual evolution. We can remember and build upon
whatever we elect to, as well as revise and reject those beliefs and
conditioned thought processes which have and continue to lead us down the
road of pain.
At the being level, humans are aware that every pain is a
corrective signal to inform the mind to right uses of free will,
as the spirit's instructional guides to thinking and acting. As the
changes are made to individual minds through right responses
and expressed outwardly in the light responses, the mass mind
evolves accordingly in the creation of the just and civilized
social perspectives, strategies, and structures. Once the deficit

1017
pain of enslavement and disempowerment have been
reconciled within the cooperative, interconnected, enlightened
world, tremendous cultural progress can then occur.
It is no accident that such practices as meditation and prayer have been
suggested as the best methods to contacting our inner spiritual nature. Now
it is beginning to become clear that these practices are the keys to opening
the door to our self empowerment, as well as setting free our creative
possibilities.
At present, a nearly sufficient number of humans have attained
enlightened minds to the degree that this shift can take place.
For although we have many institutionalized traditions of
survival level consciousness, most are recognizing the basic
fact that all people comprise a common species. Instead of the
historically predominant experiences, and impulsive responses
to the protective pangs of raw fear, anger, and maladaptive
guilt, resentment, and hate; the majority have begun to
collectively create the being state of passionate, creative
enthusiasm and egalitarian feelings of love, compassion,
respect, courage integrity and loyalty.
This is what could only be described as a "grass-roots" movement in that it
is not developing and being spread by our contemporary institutions of
power, nor by those who head those institutions. Rather, the movement
toward this more enlightened, spiritual state is happening where it's least
expected. As religions and governments begin to crumble and display their
ineptitude, the general populace stands back in bemusement.
At the being level, the optimal developmental path will become
the normal experience for each incoming human being.
Without all the painful static characteristic of the survival level,
the mind can turn up the volume on all sensory channels and
allow in much more information---rapidly increasing the self-
developmental pace. Humans will embrace the inner guidance
system from birth as enlightened parenting and educational
systems shift from the paradigm of external authority and
competitive power to cooperative internal self empowerment.

1018
This sounds almost too impossible to imagine as we view our present
competitive society. Yet, it is the strength of the imagination that precipitates
progress in any stage of development. When any collective attitude is carried
to a near impossible extreme, its flaws become that much more apparent,
even to those who are the least motivated to recognize them.
With proper social structures and parenting techniques,
individuals will be off and running with the most effective
personality patterns, attitudes and strategies, the full natural
morality, and fully creative passionate empowerment to begin
maximizing their value potentials by age eighteen or even less.
There will be no need for stages of confusion, rebellion,
isolation, addiction, or depression when the mass
consciousness embraces and accommodates aspects of the
feeling system and welcomes and fosters the unique gifts that
each human has brought to Earth.
It is in the most reactionary of times that the greatest amount of progress is
achieved, for it is such states that the most inner reflection is stimulated. If
the 60's era seems to have reversed at the moment because the younger
generation is no longer doing drugs, dressing unfashionably and leading
marches in the cause of peace or justice, it is only because that particular
group has moved on to a state where change can be accomplished through
more subtle tactics.
Three Perspectives Of The Being Level
At the being level, although positive emotions will lead the
way to purpose, negative emotions will still arise. This is
simply due to the fact that humans can---and will---make
mistakes and perpetuate violations upon one another while
learning through trial and error. But the difference between the
survival level experience and the being level experience will be
that the perceptions of the mind honed by feeling guidance will
be different. When the mind is cleansed of its slivers and its
gems accumulate over time, the mind's perceptions are quite
literally altered by the attitude and interpretations which fall
from the purposeful belief systems. Indeed, when allowed to

1019
develop naturally, the human mind arrives at universally
optimal ways of thinking and acting.
As a society progresses along the spiritual path, there will always be those
that appear to want to swim against the tide. The difference will become
clear as the tolerance for error will increase as compassion begins to replace
harsh judgment and the spirit of All-That-Is is recognized to be within all
human beings, just waiting to be brought to the fore.
Thus, the being level of human consciousness is characterized
by three mindful perspectives that are the natural result of the
mind responding to its own emotional guidance. First, the mind
comes to see the world through "The Lens Of Unity" in
reflection of the fulfilled connection need and the enlargement
of the ego-identity to enfold the feelings of others within the
emotional self-concept. Indeed, the role of the ego becomes
less necessary as the mind understands the difference between
defensive resistance and empowering acceptance. Although the
individual sense of self is still intact, the ego "me" protector is
no longer necessary. For the mind's identity understands the
meaning sense of "we" and its individual role within the
interconnected whole, as its natural morality emerges. Through
this lens, individuals automatically emote in tune with the
needs and feelings of others, thus making personal choices that
will benefit others. They will be able to intuitively stand in the
shoes of all others involved and make cooperative decisions
accordingly.
If such a paradigm shift sounds too idealistic to the average cynic, we need
only be reminded that the teachings of our religious institutions have been
suggesting the importance of a collective love for quite some time. The lesser
members of these churches are now about to take them at their word. As this
collective mindset expands, the leaders of these institutions will find
themselves being motivated to realize the direction of this progressive
parade and put themselves in front of it.
As the ego relaxes to allow in all the available information, the
mind will become attuned to the subtle meaning and messages

1020
of the complex feeling tones as opposed to being gripped by
the raw fears, angers, and compulsions of the basic autopilot
mode. The initial empathic connection, trust, mutual respect,
and loving connection within the family automatically
generalized into the public trust, public respect, and
compassion for humanity that drives cooperative civilizations.
Meanwhile, the individual self concept blossoms into a full
awareness of the unique inherent value potential and destiny
challenge and becomes the driving conscious force behind all
motives and actions.
This is a two-step pattern. The self-preservation of the individual begins to
give way to the realization that a collective caring and awareness can
provide much greater security and happiness. It then follows that out of this
settled state can come increased awareness and creativity.
This brings the second character perspective of the being level
mindscape. This driving passion to discover, develop, and
creatively contribute all innate gifts brings with it feelings of
enthusiasm, mirth, integrity, courage, and profound faith in
one's ability and in the meaning of each life event as an
opportunity to advance along the destiny path. This mindset
that emerges from these feelings can be called the "Personal
Accountability Perspective". Although the compassionate mind
is aware of human frailty, accepting of inevitable mistakes, and
forgiving violations, the empowered accountable mind takes
full and complete responsibility for multi-purpose living,
seizing every opportunity to progress along the destiny path,
and solving every problem that the personality encounters
along the way.
At this stage, society begins to become objective about its state and
encourages its individual members to exercise their innate talents in creative
ways to do more than just understand the state of its troubled members but
to envelope them in ways that bring greater respect and appreciation to who
they are and how they can be helped.

1021
With the being level lens of accountability, each individual
activity avoids impulsive fight, flight, and approach responses
and ensures right and light responses become the predominant
course corrections. With such a mind, there will be no blaming
others---no matter what role they might play in the situation; no
self deception of any kind, no rationalizing mistakes, no
denying incoming information, nor being dishonest in
interactions with others; and no competitive aggression
(whether passive to active) unless a violation has occurred and
light responses have not been successful at creating the needed
change. The accountable mind seeks out the meaning within
each and every life experience in the faith that meaning is
indeed to be found which guides the most purposeful
immediate action to keep the self upon the most rewarding life
path. The mind then can see its own signature upon each event
that is created and the final vestiges of survival level confusion,
resistance, and blame slip away.
What begins like a painful trip in the dark, evolves into an enlightened
experience wherein the traveler becomes aware that he/she need not
progress by feeling one's way in some haphazard manner but can actually
"see" the road ahead and has the capability within to steer a more efficient
course toward what chosen goal one might wish to attain and that the
ultimate "goal" is to be one with the All-That-Is.
The third perspective that arises naturally at the being level of
experience can be termed the "Big Picture Perspective." Such a
mindset allows all outcomes to be evaluated in the context of
the broadest awareness of the most information available over
the longest period of time. This perspective allows for the
discovery of the meaningful patterns which make sense of the
surprises of every day events. Feelings of hope, faith, courage,
and universal oneness both build and spring from this
perspective. The consciousness begins to recognize the
relativity of space, time and even self, in order to see the

1022
meaningful opportunities and learning messages in each
moment. The "Big Picture Perspective" also results in the kind
of intuitive understanding of exactly what the long-range
effects of any thought or action will have. It affords the person
the rightful and full range of conscious choice. It is the
antitheses of impulsive, unconscious, short-term autopilot
responses to simply bring immediate pleasure in order to
alleviate pain.
We might imagine, for a moment, what the consequences might be if we
were able to examine a choice we are about to make and see how each choice
might play out in the long term. We would then be able to exercise our free
will in a more sophisticated fashion and avoid the slivers or pitfalls which
might cause ourselves and others undue pain. With less "pain" there would
be more pleasure and with more "pleasure" our lives would come closer to
what they were intended to be in the initial creation of our species.
Together, these three perspectives will help remove any slivers
and build a mindscape of gems. These optimal tools can also be
used to help people vault themselves into the being level.
Individuals who feel trapped in the patterns of survival level
consciousness can simply borrow these perspectives as a way
of reinterpreting any outcome that brings a painful emotion. In
doing so over time, they can become as automatic as if they
had developed naturally. Thus, the active right response of
reframing each and every painful experience through one or all
of these being-level lenses can be a tremendous aid to the
individual enlightenment process.
This suggested process does require a commitment of time for reflection. At
this point in our cultural history there are many who feel compelled to
occupy every waking moment with some type of productive activity. We
even have a term for it: Multi-tasking. We have come to relate happiness and
completeness with accomplishment and acquisition of material things. Until
we can begin to value repose equally, little progress will be made.
For example, some driver cuts you off in traffic, and the
immediate feeling is one of anger, survival impulses take over

1023
and you might likely honk, yell, or flash a crude gesture at the
offender. But if you respond after the fact with a bit of
reflection, a right response can be attained. You might think in
ways that allow in additional information for processing of an
alternative decision. By drawing upon the "Lens of Unity", you
can put yourself in the "offender's" shoes. You might think
back to once when you made a mistake in traffic that was taken
as a personal offense against a stranger, and the painful regret
you felt. With adopting the "Big Picture Perspective", your
mind can find alternative, more purposeful interpretations of
the act. As such, you might realize that the offender did not
know you and could not have meant any personal offense,
might be stressed to get somewhere in a hurry, or that the poor
slob might just be hopelessly ignorant of anyone except his
own immediate needs and most likely did not even see you. At
the very least, to recognize that this was an unconscious act of
a struggling survival mind allows compassion to replace and
reduce the defensive anger.
The above serves as a good modern example that most of us who drive in
urban areas can relate to and use to advantage. Others can find similar
examples of occasions when we felt anger toward someone without
remembering our own transgressions and misguided behavior. These
annoying experiences might just be considered gifts to stimulate both our
memories and, hopefully, our sense of compassion.
Each such thought can reduce the amount of anger and perhaps
on the next occasion, only annoyance will be felt when
someone cuts you off in traffic and the impulse to act does not
occur. Using these perspectives in this way, in and of itself
honors the "Personal Accountability Perspective", for you are
making the necessary changes within your own mindscape and
modeling them to the world. That is the highest gift one human
can offer the species. Over time, with many such right
responses, you will at some point be able to shake your head

1024
with a knowing smile or even laugh when someone cuts you
off in traffic. The fear and anger signals of a defensive ego will
have been replaced by the compassionate acceptance of the fact
that people can and will do that sort of thing without it
affecting your freedom or power---or connection---in any way.
We make our spiritual progress in increments at whatever pace we choose.
Each step is not only of personal benefit but, even more, a gift to a multitude
of others. Each such action serves as an example and motivating force for
those around us and can serve as a salve to an irritated state of mind.
In time, the being level experience will shift focus away from
issues of power, freedom, and connection as true civilizations
arise, and humans can get right to the higher challenges and
chakra centers. The needs for esteem, creativity, and meaning
will usher the highest levels of activity development and
expression and the focus upon the highest chakras will be the
major life effort. As individuals find and use their empowered
voice, the words of the leaders who have conquered the
speaker challenge will help humanity move ahead ever faster.
The focus will ultimately be in becoming conscious of ever
more complex levels of meaning, or seeing and transcending
the limits of the ego "self" identity as all chakra centers open to
full capacity---and beyond. The seers will experiment with
altered states of consciousness and gain far more awareness of
ever broadened bandwidths of information, being enticed into a
still higher level of human potential.
What begins as a point of intent will soon spiral upward in an ever-
expanding awareness of our own nature and that of all that surrounds us,
until we both blend with the whole and come to comprehend the potential of
our accelerated progress.
In sum, the being level is characterized by: attunement to the
emotional voice of spirit, recognition of the higher
informational use of complex learned feeling tones, individual
purpose, optimal course of development, internal self-

1025
empowerment, interconnection, cooperation, social justice,
awareness of how and why things happen as they do,
enlightened character perspectives which alter perceptions of
outcomes, and far more positive emotional and creative
experiences. All of these conditions pull humanity ever higher
toward potentials far beyond what the present consciousness
can yet conceive.
Above is the portrait of what we can become. We need but apply the paint of
imagination to this blank canvas and create an unlimited series of gifts to
and for All-That-Is.
The Transcendent Level Of Human Existence
Inherent within every human is the ability to achieve a still
higher level of experience which can be described as the
transcendent level of human potential. Indeed, nature
familiarizes us with these potentials through the highest
emotional tones that resonate with direct insights and flashes of
this kind of experience. Dreams also contain many hints of the
mobility and breadth of human consciousness, should humanity
recognize that they are not simply ramblings of brain with its
consciousness removed by sleep. Indeed, it is a mobility of
consciousness wherein the dream state affords the spirit its
freedom to interact directly with the body, with the personality
as mindful controller out of the way. But as the mind evolves,
it is no longer a liability to mobility of consciousness, and can
instead bring the creative personality into the game.
Eureka! Moments of cognition. The more frequent, the greater the
appreciation of the human potential. Personality, with all its baggage and
hang-ups, becomes less of a distraction and more of a partner with the mind,
determining the what's and how's of greater moments of creation.
At the transcendent level, the full creative capacities can come
to the fore as the mind has broadened to attune to and embrace
all the wisdom of body and add tremendous creative
enhancements to the processes. The mind has transcended the

1026
pitfalls of a struggling body and is finally fully in control, but
plays a lead role in directing high quality thoughts and actions.
There is no longer conditioned learning, since all information
flows into the mind for processing and as it expands, the more
subtle and finer distinctions can be made within the multiple
levels of information that are available within each experience.
The predominant experiences are those rich feeling tones with
the joyous resonance of universal clarity, the joys of
compassion, grace, courage, justice, mirth, exuberance, divine
love, faith, honor, gratitude, devotion, and universal oneness.
Just as meditation brings into the mind fresh insights about the totality and
meaning of our lives, so can mind grasp the wholistic picture when not being
distracted by physical senses and programmed apprehensions. While are
five senses are being reduced to a near neutral state, our soul (the Greek
word for mind) opens its unfulfilled capacity to the depth of understanding.
At the transcendent level of human experience, all chakra
centers are open and continuously expanding as the mind
attains an ever broader conscious participation within the co-
creative processes. The emphasis is upon the crown chakra,
however, as the individual actively practices the expansion and
mobility of the conscious mind. Transcendence begins with the
recognition that the entire bandwidth of quantum information
contained within All That Is, is accessible to the human spirit
and that the challenge of the Earthly experience is to actively
create the conditions within mass consciousness to align the
mind with the breadth of spirit so that the species can evolve
away from the necessity of limiting bodily safeguards.
Could this be what is meant by the proclamation, "The Father and I are
One"? Mind and Spirit can blend and in doing so, can put aside the
preoccupation of self-preservation, knowing that the state of heightened
awareness can now compliment a greater state of security on all levels.
Once the being state unites the external senses with the internal
voice of spirit, the finer aspects of inner sensory perceptions

1027
will automatically begin to awaken. Indeed, the range of
emotional sensitivity involves vibrational insights, and multi-
sensory mechanisms to enhance the breadth and quality
participation within the co-creative experience. Although the
species has much progress to make as a group, certain
individuals have attained transcendent level experience---it has
been attained in the dream state, through chemical
manipulation, through meditative practice and even through
religious revelation. Fleeting glimpses of these abilities remind
humanity of this inner potential, as flashes of intuition, sudden
shifts out of the relative time, space or "self", or instantaneous
joyous, harmonic resonance with the quantum field.
Such sparks of insight are like fireflies that light up the night and suggest
that were they to eventually become more plentiful, the night could turn into
day and we would come to see more of our world than we could ever
imagine. We need not wait until the hereafter to experience this knowing. It
could be as close as our fingertips.
Indeed, the genetic physical potentials within the most
chemically sensitive personalities allow for tremendous
spontaneous mobility of consciousness---often chosen for
uniquely challenging, leadership destiny paths. Many
misunderstood experiences, that the survival level
consciousness world deems to be abnormal, are in fact simply
the innate ability for mobile consciousness. Psychic, telepathic
abilities, multi-modal perceptions and projections, multiple
personalities, and even psychotic delusions are all
manifestations of a giftedly mobile chemical vessel intended to
facilitate out of space/time/self conscious sojourns in order to
offer unique creative insights and contributions of the most
challenging destiny paths.
Using the descriptive word normal, we tend to build walls around those
observed experiences that seem too bizarre to fit into our limited paradigm.

1028
In doing so, we lock out many potential experiences which could broaden
our soul view.
Indeed, what appear as "mental disorders" to the confused
public mind are actually splendid opportunities to learn the
mobility inherent within the human consciousness. Oftentimes,
gifts in one area come with apparent weaknesses in those held
to be of value. It is an ignorant travesty that such individuals
are feared by the masses, and taught that they are disordered or
evil, and are chemically medicated away from their gifts. Such
out-of-time individuals often suffer rejection and isolation, and
never fully recognize the meaning within their unique
experiences. They should instead, be revered, studied, and
helped to align with and balance their chemical sensitivity,
attune to, and manifest their uniquely creative offerings. For
even within the survival level mass mind, these individuals
often transcend severe limitations and put forth the most
insightful and indeed ingenious offerings.
It may just be that our propensity toward fear is what keeps us from
appreciating those within our midst who could bring us to the next stage of
awareness at an even greater rate than we now hope and anticipate.
Of course, life at the transcendent level will include
tremendous mobility of consciousness as a routine of daily
creative living. Even the normal range of human potential has
far more gifts than have been discovered. Lucid and creative
dreaming, astral projections, and spiritual travels will become a
far more common practice as the inner aspects of self take on
larger and larger roles and the mind attains ever more access to
the vast information within the quantum field. The focus upon
value assigned to external sources of information will
dramatically shift toward internal scientific explorations of
time, space, and self. With an open heart, the mind and eyes of
humanity will expand to take in more and more of the wonders

1029
within All That Is. There will be such highly creative and
effective cooperative social structures that self-preservation
and self-development will be a respected right of every human
citizen, so the immediate purposes of self-actualization will be
the primary purpose of humanity. This will include both the
fulfillment and expansion of all potentials---hurtling humanity
ever-further along the evolutionary path.
The above words paint pictures upon humanity's canvas which already
shows the outline of what can be developed. We can fill in the blank spaces
with the colors to be found within our innate nature. By exploring ourselves,
we can find the door to a world we could hardly have dreamt into existence.
Once a candle is lit, darkness must retreat.
At the transcendent level of experience, there will be an
unprecedented flow of newly available information affecting
all levels of consciousness. There will be ever-increasing
intensity of inner telepathic resonance, of attunement to deeper
and more core memory banks, of self-hypnosis and inner
time/space travel, of unifying the wisdom for altered states and
dream consciousness, of directing lucid dreams and facilitating
communications and resource sharing with alternate
personalities or incarnations, as well as experiencing all the
inner senses in the distinct nuances not yet even conceived. But
most of all, the human experience will be the spontaneous
creation of exactly those experiences which can most fulfill the
entity and all levels of gestalts of consciousness within which
the personality lies. The person will experience the rapturous
resonance of fulfilling the ever expanding destiny of All That
Is with precision, creativity and panache.
Imagine going from the travel mode of a small scooter to the most
sophisticated of jet aircraft. It would be the equivalent of accelerated
learning starting in kindergarten and arriving in graduate school in a single
year. Of course, this pace of advancement would be erratically self-
determined. However, the potential remains a constant.

1030
The potentials will continue to expand as the telepathic and
intuitive pathways become dominant. Communication within
and between people will be far better and less restricted by the
limitations of language. Thus, new mechanisms and levels of
information exchange will become the norm. Deception will be
a vestige of the ancient past as travels in altered states of
consciousness allow humans to bypass the illusory boundaries
of time, space and even self. The depth of empathic
compassion will have truly transcendent qualities as will the
creative abilities. The social manifestations of the transcendent
level of humanity will be a global community much more akin
to the elusive utopian society than the present pessimistic mind
of man can consciously embrace. Technological advances will
occur more in inner realms as the self-system, internal abilities,
and willful self-empowerment are intellectually and
institutionally embraced. Intuitive research, travels, and
technologies including energy medicine, and conscious
participation within energy dynamics will be mainstream.
Ultimately the creative adaptive efforts of humanity can
enhance the genetic code, and transcend certain limits of the
psychic form. Such advancements can allow consciousness to
create physiological changes independent of biological
processes---creating many of the instantaneous miracles of
religious legend. Value judgments and human knowledge will
also be vestiges of ancient history, as the Eden-like condition
of mass consciousness is restored.
This is promised to be a process of advanced evolution of unprecedented
dimension, wherein mankind will move from the conventional
physical/mental state into a profoundly spiritual state with all that such a
"state" can entail. We are on the threshold of such a shift - we need only
seek it as our future ideal. If all this sounds like something similarly
described in our understanding of the after-life, it is only because it is little
more than what brings that state into our current physical state by erasing

1031
the barriers which separate that state (the after-life) from this state (our
current life), as well as that which separates us from each other.
Such is the promising path set forth for humanity. From this
vantage point, the historical and present events provide
empowering evidence that the era of competitive self-
preservation is nearing an end. All fear, isolation, confusion,
and war are the death rattles of the unconscious stages as
humanity begins to consciously embrace inner empowerment,
trust, connection, meaning, and global unity. Each individual
who embraces the inner voice of spirit shall help build the
energy to propel humanity forward. Such is the challenge at
hand, a challenge to be entrusted to any and all whose
consciousness resonates with these universal truths.
Such is also the state of mind for those who will open themselves to the inner
wisdom which occupies all inner feeling. It is only when we stop fearing our
deeper selves and remember to trust that which we intuitively knew before
we entered our present state of physical reality, that we rise to the level
described above. We can begin doing this right now.
Summary
In sum, the eras of humanity have all been leading the mass
mind to become aware of the higher destiny, to make that
significant shift in consciousness which reconciles freedom and
empowerment within cooperative connection to vault into the
being level and to begin to taste the fruits of human potential.
The more individuals attain purpose in their personal lives, the
more the world can be shaped by their light responses to
become the just, civilized, mass consciousness that is necessary
for the blossoming of human potential. This kind of evolution
will not happen automatically, for the human physical
consciousness is necessary for the most purposeful and
expedient cultural evolution. Of course, if humanity fails to rise
to the challenge, the unbridled misguided mass mind will

1032
ultimately lead to self-destruction---the outcome of the utter
lack of self-development.
It is only through intent that the positively described future above can
become a reality. A reluctance to travel down the road of spiritual awareness
and expansion can only lead in the opposite direction. For this is a dynamic
universe, occupied by dynamic beings who are either moving forward or
declining. Free will prevails.
Fortunately, the gathering impetus of individuals following the
urges of spirit have already begun to set forth a successful
outcome. The macro patterns of human evolution are depicted
below. The chart shows the relationship between individual
purpose and social justice, and how with each increase in
individual purpose the world at large improves. The arrow
constitutes the history of humanity which is at present, poised
to vault into the being state---guided by the enlightened ones.
The outline is in place. The dynamics are in motion. Each of us can now elect
to be a part of the process or a part of the resistance to it. The only question
now is the nature of our contribution.
This is the legacy that awaits humanity when enough
individual minds become enlightened to shift the mass mind
toward reattuning to the inner guidance system of the voice of
spirit. The information contained within these Lessons is
designed to shine the light so that ever-more aware individuals
can contribute to the critical mass necessary to boost humanity
over the threshold from the crude and brutish survival state of
experience to feel what it means to be fully human. From there,
the pace can rapidly increase, leading individuals and
eventually the species to the higher calling of the transcendent
abilities and leanings of nature toward the most creative and
unlimited physical manifestations of the expansion of All That
Is.
The challenge now is to get this information before those who would wish to
participate in the evolution which is in progress. The greater the
distribution, the sooner the evidence of success will begin to become evident

1033
and acceptable. As shown, we have in place, at this time, a system known as
the internet, which is quite capable of spreading any piece of information
around the world and back in a matter of hours or a few days.
So…………….
We can now turn the discussion to the final summation of what
the Lessons have been sharing and see the concept of
enlightenment in the broadest perspective.

Page 460-469 Lessonsof Enlightenment

Section Omega Conclusion
Lesson Omega One: Epilogue - The Lessons of
Enlightenment
The Mission of Enlightenment
The purpose of these lessons has been to align the reader with
the direct path to inner spiritual guidance. It has been to
awaken the reader to the reality of the awesome power of the
creative mind and the urgent need to apply consciously guided
willful choices. It has been to acquaint the mind with the
default patterns that will remain in place until the mind is
sufficiently enlightened to take over its own destiny course. It
has been to establish faith in the spiritual nature of the universe
and the creation---in the knowledge that even the slow and
painful path is advancing humanity in purposeful directions. It
has been to establish the calling, the compassion, forgiveness,
courage, and integrity within those who wish to enhance and
accelerate the process with creatively positive feelings and
expressions---as is the desire within the thrust of All That Is. It
has been to plant the first seeds within mass consciousness to
bring about crucial shifts away from mere survival
consciousness, negative motivations, superstition, and
submission to external controllers-- to the fully human being

1034
experience---the joyous guided liberation and positive
motivations of internal creative empowerment.
Like seeds which lie dormant, waiting to be placed in the fertile ground and
watered with the desire of progression, so this information has been placed
into various computers, at various points upon the planet, awaiting
distribution and examination until they become fully integrated into the New
Age.
Although there have been many tremendous offerings of
enlightenment energy/information throughout human history,
this offering is significant in several ways. First, the uniqueness
of this offering is relative to the evolving consciousness and in
response to the timely opportunity for a great leap forward.
Second, this spiritual manifesto is also unique as an
accomplishment that has been long underway by a network of
entities---as participants in highly complex gestalts of
consciousness---with the unified mission of rescuing humanity
from the illusory limitations so thick within the physical
experience.
The Lessons are clearly a collective effort which was initiated from beyond
this physical state and introduced in the hope that those within the physical
will bring them into a fruit-bearing point. This is a most opportune moment
in the stage of spiritual development and an opportunity for accelerated
progress may not come along again for eons. Those who come to drink at
this fountain of knowledge can pass along the inert energy of this liquid
wisdom to all the deserts of the world.
Indeed, the words within these pages are some of the first made
possible by the former successes and advances of this
enlightenment community. Throughout history, various
manifestations of their energy have brought about the spiritual
wisdom that now exists as gems within the cultural mind. But
they have always been limited by the boundaries of
consciousness and creative awareness of the species, and thus
have utilized many vicarious and even back-door routes to
deliver the information necessary for each shift in species

1035
consciousness. They have worked near magic slipping intuitive
insights, dreams and inspirations into the consciousness of
particular individuals, guiding them to make contributions
through artistic, religious, literary, and scientific revelations.
With each such expression, the evolutionary winds have
gathered force.
Like interconnecting vines of the vineyard, so are the various plantings
bringing forth a pattern of progression which might soon satisfy the thirst of
the world. We each have our own unique contribution to make to this
process. Up to now, the effort has been more oblique than direct. That is
about to change.
On the other hand, far many more insights have fallen upon
deaf ears, or were received but never acted upon, due to the
limited beliefs and protective fear. Or the new insights
expressed were socially stifled or rejected, taking a bit of the
wind out of the evolutionary sails. Still, throughout history, the
accumulation of enlightened beliefs has reached many points of
critical mass that have propelled the species forward in
punctuated strides---such as that which is now at hand. This
happens at both cultural and biological levels as individuals
interact with the quantum environment.
Never has the mind of humankind been more fertile. Hardly ever has the
level of communication technology been more complimentary to the spread
of this information. We need only ask for assistance in bringing about the
envisioned results and there are legions standing by to assist us.
Historical Shifts & Modes of Attunement
The first such shift was accomplished when specific entities
with the mission of light work had significant enough
physiological sensitivity and mindful clarity to begin to receive
particular insights from extra ranges of the quantum spectrum.
Although the information was often incomplete and distorted,
the general spiritual thrusts achieved creative completion to the
degree that the mass mind began to take note. Although most

1036
of this information ended up being credited to superstitious
sources, still the concept of oracles and other types of
intermediary paths to some form of higher wisdom, became
part of the mass mind. At that point of the human cultural
journey, the interaction between the energy within the mass
mind and the corresponding genetic adaptive mutations
facilitated the next major stage in the expansion of human
consciousness to include some of the inner sensory pathways.
Some of the evidence of contact with the Spirit was viewed as genius and
some was presumed to be madness. Because the connection was not always
pure, there tended to be a mixture of both. We have now reached that
evolutionary state of rationality in that the recipient can bring forth that
which is of a sufficiently pure strain so as to be taken seriously enough to be
threatening to the status quo.
The next major shift was accomplished when the human gene
pool began to contain specific abilities for certain unusual
individuals to experience a broader mobility of
consciousness---to have a different experience of space and
time than their "normal" others. This allowed for specific
sensory sensitivities that permitted the voice of spirit within the
quantum field to be more accessible---so that messages could
be heard and more guidance could be obtained. This led to the
next major energy shift which allowed for the adaptive
mutations of even more mobile forms of consciousness in
which the experience of self also became highly mobile and
unique. With this shift, humans with this unusual mobility
could displace their personality and allow the channeling of
alternate gestalts of self to communicate directly through the
physical forms. This phenomenon has become widely known
as mediumship---and was subjected to much distortion and
misuse and still faces rejection as a legitimate experience by
the scientifically inclined. But the genetic diversity in the
mobility of consciousness allowed for the first transmissions of

1037
more direct information between the physical and spiritual
realms.
Some of the material attained through "channeling" was of the highest
quality. Yet, we have also come to realize that such type of information must
be reviewed for flaws of "misinformation", just as one would read a book of
factual intent that betrayed certain distortions by the author. There is a
tendency to become mesmerized in this field simply because of its other-
worldly source.
Although this genetic ability (and the willful acceptance of
extrasensory information that it added to the mass mind) was a
valuable and necessary step, it required the disengagement of
the personal mind from the process. The experience was also
largely spontaneous and although often desired, was not within
the realm of conscious control. The individuals often were
subjected to uncontrolled intrusions and chemical fluctuations
that were highly confusing and often even promoted certain
forms of self-fracturing psychosis. Willful creative choice in
the matter was minimal. Thus, these unique individuals were
labeled as mentally disordered, the implications of the mobility
of consciousness was largely lost, and the lives of these
individuals were often brutish, painful, and short. Indeed, many
complex souls have chosen such a path.
When sources of this type of information are semi-deified by the recipients,
they tend to let their egos get away from them. In other words, they tend to
believe their own press coverage. Once this happens, the humility that
accompanies truth is lost and so is the subjective/objective status of the
person acting as the conduit.
Nonetheless, this route of the medium or psychic, led to the
next step in terms of even more direct access to higher energy
information. Next came the phenomenon of trance channeling,
in which the personality has relative control over the mobility
of consciousness and maintained a certain relationship with
other gestalts of self included in the enlightenment mission.
But still, this required little direct development of the

1038
mindscape and its belief structures. Thus, many of the benefits
of the information channeled could not be exploited even by
those providing it for the masses. Still, the path of humanity's
march toward direct contact with higher gestalts of
consciousness was ever progressing.
Progression is a perpetual path. As greater awareness replaces lesser
awareness, the quality of human nature becomes more recognized for its
greater potential. It is when we recognize ourselves as spiritual beings in
physical form that we gain the comfort of all the ways of expressing that
spirit quality.
Were it not for the efforts of all such heroic contributors,
humanity would not now enjoy the energy which virtually
sizzles with potential at the dawn of this millennial era, nor the
promise of the evolutionary propulsion now possible. Indeed,
there is a collective celebration occurring beyond space-time as
the first experiments in direct transmission have been a relative
success. For these Lessons have been delivered, not due to
vicarious or displacement routes, but due to the
accomplishment of personal awareness and unified attunement
to the inner spiritual sense---for the time is right. Indeed, many
individual facets of this body of information are arising
through many other sources.
To find proof of the evidence that our world is in transition per the above
suggested paradigms, one need only open one's mind and heart and sooner
than excepted the trends will become evident. However, the "apparentness"
of it may not be in the conventional medium, but more in the eye of the
beholder.
This is a momentous occasion for those within the
enlightenment community at all levels of consciousness, for it
constitutes the evidence that the genetic memory of
humanity---as well as the cultural mindscape---are sufficiently
prepared and united to usher in the age of direct attunement
between personalities and their higher entities. The conscious

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recognition of the emotional language---the sensory voice of
spirit---has been a singular goal for eons, since it was originally
lost due to the error of human judgment. It has been a long and
arduous path, traveled through the landmines of human
knowledge and misassumption, for the energy information to
have finally reached acquisition.
This is the now we have struggled to achieve in the time/space environment
and what it represents is a measure of success that can barely be dreamed of
at this point. An analogy in technical terms might be the equivalent of going
from the 15 th century to the 21th century in ten years. The greatest
challenge will be in absorbing the comprehension of it. Those who cannot
will pass on to an environment where they can adjust to it in their own time.
Those who can, will become masters of their own fate and all that this
entails.
Human language alone does little to help the transmission. As
readers discover, nearly every word has become loaded with
judgments and distortions that make the language constructions
necessary for this transmission difficult to embrace. But rest
assured, even the focusing upon them does far more than any
reader might yet be aware. Those that brave the growing pains
necessary and build the mindscape around these new uses of
words and concepts will be those who are instrumental in
tipping the scales still further. For the more will energy infused
within enlightened concepts, the more the species will feel the
effects. Indeed, each human mind that reads, grasps the
information and/or attunes to the inner voice will make it easier
for those that follow to embrace and utilize the information.
It is through the struggling to give new meaning to the words we use that we
will influence the changes to come and personally grow with those changes.
Speaking, listening and reflecting is the path which leads to an expanded
consciousness. The invitation has been delivered.
Direct Access
The most salient significance of the method of the delivery of
this material is that it marks the biological opening of the inner

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channels within the species form. The cultural strides have
been aligned with the emergence of biological mechanisms for
normal sensory information processing, to extra-sensory, to
multi-sensory, and now to the full emotional inner sensory
pathway as the precursor to the entire intuitive language of
spirit with all its transcendent potentials. The mindscape has
not abdicated the personal self to obtain the higher knowledge,
but instead accommodated the feeling signals with the
purposeful belief structures which allow expansion of self and
the inner channels to open. Indeed, the channels grew ever
broader as the material itself was delivered. For this reason, the
word constructions have particular value relative to their
sequential placement in the material.
The mere exposure to these written words has resulted in biological change
in the recipient and that change is essential to what has to follow. The gates
to consciousness have been pried open and what will follow will thrill the
expansive mind.
For this reason alone, readers are encouraged to study the
material beginning to end, rather than skipping in and out of
particular areas of interest---with at least one full reading. The
will energy applied to this first reading will enhance the species
consciousness regardless of the level of personal understanding
gleaned. But the personal benefits will also occur on multiple
levels of consciousness. Indeed, multiple readings and study
of the material are highly recommended, for each such
reading will ready the mind with a new layer, which builds
upon the last in an ever broadening conscious embrace.
This is dynamic material and our interacting with it is essential for the
promised progression which must follow. We can read and absorb it, but the
ultimate value will come as we integrate with it. Each paragraph is like a
pearl and as we continue to review the string, each will become more
polished and valuable. We are the grains of sand that the material will polish
until we and it will become one, totally engrained force.

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With the first reading, it is perfectly normal for many of the
concepts to appear to simply make no sense. This is because
there are not yet any existing hooks of understanding upon
which to hang the concepts. But diligence in the first reading
will build the foundations necessary for building hooks upon
which they can be later placed. Another typical response to
new information of this type is confusion and resistance, due to
the confounding or challenging of existing beliefs, attitudes,
and protective patterns.
Each new perspective on current reality runs the risk of being ignored or
rejected as being simply not applicable to existing paradigms. Like a nail
being driven into a board, it takes repeated "wacks" of the hammer to drive
home each new point. Eventually the will becomes stronger and the board
weaker until step-by-step a new metaphorical structure rises from the ashes
of the old.
It is essential to recognize these feelings as growing pains so
that corrective adjustments will be made to the mindscape.
(Retreating into unconscious habits of fear and resistance for
the sake of ego safety, comfort, and familiarity will only
prolong and slow the journey to a most tedious and painful
crawl.) Simply facing daily challenges and feeling signals with
faith in their meaning will allow even the most rigid egos to
eventually find a delight in purposeful change. Daily
experience will provide the proofs and insights, but a program
of active study and application of the ideas will dramatically
increase the enlightenment process.
A simple prayer of requested help from the oversoul of our being will aid us
in our journey to the higher desired state. It will also do a great deal to
smooth the road we travel and make it less arduous for those who follow.
Final Words
What If I am Struggling?
A word to those who are struggling with the new information:
Trust.

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Trust that the universe is creative and compassionate. Trust that
All That Is allows---and desires---for you to progress at your
own pace through willful choice. Trust that there is meaning
within all events. Trust that you are a worthy, special, and
gifted individual with a uniquely valuable offering for the
world. Trust that all mistakes are healing and growth
opportunities. Trust that all pains, violations, and fears are
reflections of misuses of the creative mind, but will always
mirror and expose the faulty beliefs that created them.
Without this level of trust we would have to presume that there is no
intelligence behind the workings of the universe and that we are the
consequence of an accident. What little we know of ourselves shows that we
occupy a unique place in the general scheme of things
Trust that all feelings carry guiding messages of your most
purposeful uses of mind, from you the spiritual entity to you
the physical personality. Trust that these higher authorities
within more complex gestalts of consciousness know what is
best for you in each moment and whisper through your
feelings. Trust that your body and mind are designed to attain
positive, conscious, purposeful change far faster than the
protective, unconscious, default path. Trust your spirit as your
unfailing guide. For it is so.
The greater the level of trust, the smoother the process of being in this
physical environment. We have come to that point of knowing when the
inhibiting quality of fear can no longer be held up as the prevaricator of
progress.
What If I Can't Break My Destructive Habits & Patterns?
A word to those who worry that they might not be able to break
rigid patterns, to those who have blocked out the inner voice
for so long that they are unaware of many of their feelings:
Courage.
Courage to allow yourself to feel that which you have long
suppressed. Courage to breathe in the power of your spirit in

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moments of pain and resistance and proceed purposefully in
the face of obstacles. Courage that each small success will
open more vast possibilities for larger ones in the future.
Courage in the knowledge that the universe provides all the
"time" necessary for your journey, that despite missteps and
false starts, even the smallest of purposeful steps will take you
where you need to go. (There are as many lifetimes as you
need, and each moment is your point of power to resist or
accept---in fear or in faith.)
Courage is like youth. When it begins its growth to maturity it might shine
because it does not know what it should fear. We can recapture that state by
coming to the realization that most of what we fear is little more than a
consequence of our own belief system and that once changed, the positive of
life will fill the vacuum of the negative of we have elected to hold in place.
Courage from the knowledge that even the smallest purposeful
steps are of creative spiritual value. Courage in the knowledge
that braving your growing pains will always reap multiple
rewards, even across space/time and levels of self. Courage in
the wisdom that with self honor and integrity all challenges can
be not only accepted, but surmounted. Courage that others will
love, honor, and support your efforts and that they will forgive
any mistakes along the way. For it is so.
It is too often the fear of how others might judge us that prevents us from
listening to and carrying out the inspirations of our higher selves. We block
the messages of spirit because we have been taught that being different will
lead to ridicule. Yet, it is the one who takes that risk that will triumph in the
end. History offers a plethora of examples.
What If My Journey Takes Me Away From My Loved Ones?
Love .
Universal love exists beyond space/time and even self. Find
strength in the wisdom that the illusions of the mind and the
physical experience never allow love to end. Love can only

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expand. It can not contract—despite the end of relationships
which are no longer purposeful.
In examining the true nature of love, it must be evident that it transcends the
boundaries of social acceptance. Those who love us conditionally may well
find themselves deserting us when our conduct transcends the boundaries of
conventionality. It is when we love all equally that we have the greatest love
experience.
Love is not a state of deficit need, although such conditions can
strengthen the protective attraction to a love object. But the
added strength comes only from the motivations of fear. To run
away from one thing to the safety of a need-meeting love will
only recreate that which is feared. Love is an abundance of
spiritual energy flowing between two connected individuals,
while fear diverts and redirects some of that energy and
minimizes the connection. Love is the path of least resistance.
Love without fear accepts all events and instigates creative
change in the most purposeful directions, regardless of how
much of the past must dissolve before a more valuable future
can unfold. To truly love is to let go when the time is right. To
truly love is to honor and respect the potential in all, but to
exercise choice according to the creative manifestations they
have attained---little or great.
Love broadens the mind as mind is brought into alignment with spirit.
Conflicts and difficulties crumble in the face of unconditional love. It opens
the eyes of the observer and allows us to see the inner light of all about us. It
removes the prejudicial trappings which adorn the powerful and the
disenfranchised. It restores confidence in our stature and strengthens our
broadcasting qualities.
How Do I Deal With the Unlovable Ones?
Compassion.
Compassion is the vibratory aspect of universal love that can
be readily accessed for those who suffer the results of their
ignorance and who blindly or vengefully violate others in
doing so. The price for creative free will is the potential abuse

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of it until the consciousness expands sufficiently to use it
wisely---thus patterns of learning error, violations, corrective
feelings, and protective responses are all an inevitable and
enduring part of the physical experience. Situations that spur
feelings of frustration and anger can be perceived through the
lens of compassion in the knowledge that everyone has been a
violator at some point in the course of their spiritual evolution.
Compassion for the pitfalls of the physical experience and the
trial and error nature of learning can move mountains.
Although those blind with fear and anger seek to seize external
power through competition and violation, the authentically
empowered compassionate shall redesign and inherit the Earth.
Compassion is a reflection of enlightened souls. We reach that state by going
through a process of learning and while in that state, we are dealt with in a
manner that reflects either more or less compassion. Compassion is directly
related to spiritual growth. It follows as day follows night.
What About The Worst Perpetrators of Violation?
Forgiveness.
To those survivors of multiple violations, perhaps the greatest
power comes with forgiveness. Consider the forgiveness you
would like to receive for your own errors born of unconscious
ignorance, and give it generously to others. Forgiveness washes
through the body-mind with a cleansing power of pure spirit,
forever reclaiming the energy held in the past pain. For the
anger, shame, guilt, fear, or sadness experienced in any
moment is the message that the event has not been concluded
in its most purposeful probability---and will continue to
manifest in some form. Forgiveness of self often restores the
most power, and readies the mind to expand the forgiven self to
unfold others with a blanket authorization to be human.
Forgiveness, then, opens the door to compassion and universal
love.

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When we can see ourselves in an objective light and can accept the fact that
our errors were a natural process of our own evolution, then we can begin to
apply that same kind of forgiveness we apply to ourselves, to the others we
meet in this life.
How Do I Survive The Darkest Moments?
Faith.
Each moment that any given life event is perceived along with
the feelings of trust, courage, love, compassion, forgiveness (or
any other of the highest feeling tones), will bring the enduring
beliefs, the gems, which provide spontaneous faith.
Faith is but a state of knowing. Knowing comes with seeking. Seeking begins
with intent. Thus, the path to faith is a natural consequence of wanting to be
more than what we are, or more accurately coming to know that we are
more than the way we act .
Faith is the unwavering validating feeling that accompanies
sound beliefs and understandings that every event is creative,
purposive, and meaningful. Faith empowers each purposeful
action, perception, feeling communication, and corrective
action in each moment and prevents the automatic processes
from allowing us to backslide unconsciously into the darkness.
It is a looking forward and a commitment to movement toward an ever-
expanding state of consciousness that is compatible with an ever expanding
physical, mental and spiritual state. It is an unwavering belief that this is
both our nature and our destiny.
But the darkest moments are those filled with the most
potential. They are our constant tests and reflections of how
well we are using our conscious mind. Embracing the message
within the darkness can bring the most brilliant flashes of light.
Breathing in the depths of faith in the most frightening
moments can counteract even the most convincing beliefs and
events created by ignorant fear.
It is only in our state of desperation that we can dare to reject the slivers
which have been programmed into us at an early age and reach for that
intuitive knowing. Unfortunately, this will be our primary pattern of

1047
progress until and unless we can come to recognize our true nature and its
relationship to the All That Is.
Faith has empowered the species perhaps even more than the
feeling of love, for it is the glue that holds the spiritual
consciousness in the moment and keeps the mind involved in
the creative processes. Without faith, there is darkness,
automatic default processes, limited guidance, and painful
corrective signals. But faith need not be dressed up in
Emperor's clothing as it has been throughout the history of the
species. Faith need never pit one system of belief against
another, or pit one group of humans against another, as has
been the pattern. Faith allows the purely joyous energy force of
spirit into the physical system through a well designed
mindscape of unlimited, yet purposeful, beliefs which manifest
as fully open, efficient, chakra centers transforming the non-
physical into physical creation.
It is through faith that we acquire the wings which carry us from a state of
crawling to the confident strides forward into the knowing.
The Universal Spectrum of Love and Light
The spectrum of joyous universal love includes all these
highest feeling tones, like the rainbow color spectrum which
derives from pure white light. When human beings experience
them, they are attuned to the wave length of spirit, with body
and mind aligned with the wisdom of universal consciousness.
The darkness of fear and each of its relatives (anger, sadness,
guilt, etc.) are simply precursor interim states to recognizing
and correlatively attuning to the wonders of creative
consciousness. The more humans can heed and respond to each
emotional tone, the broader and more effective the use of
creative will energy.
It is through our emotional state that we are motivated to open the door to
our greatest understanding and to unlocking our potential on all levels.

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Essential to following this road is passion and the desire which drives it.
Once this is understood, there can be no metaphorical darkness.
It is a process of awakening to one's highest potential, likened
unto each newborn opening the eyelids to the wonders of the
visual world, yet the language of spirit, with each of its colors,
spans the relative continuum of space, time, and self. In each
moment, every human has the opportunity to awaken from the
slumber of unconsciousness and default living patterns, for
each present moment offers a fresh co-creative beginning.
There is no harm or retribution for past (or even present)
patterns of protective behavior which seek the safety,
protection, or comfort of the darkness when one knows not
how or what to do in the light. There is simply the endurance of
the painful signals which call to the higher and more pure
manifestations of spirit that await just beyond the door of the
known. They will wait patiently---as long as it takes---for
willful choice reigns supreme in the co-creative process.
Just as the portrait of the Christ standing before the door with no latch, we
can make this state of Spirit available to us by simply opening the door from
within. It is we who have the latch. The only effort required is to lift it.
But with each effort to find the meaning and choose the
purposeful response to each whispering of spirit, the door
begins to crack open. The darkness is simply the void that
attracts the most necessary information in each moment. With
each brave peek, the door will eventually open wide and be
ready to receive the most complete information in each
moment needed to make the most enthusiastic decisions,
actions, and the most rapid progress upon the destiny path.
What lies beyond the door of opportunity? Only the promise to make clear
the statement that we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are, in
fact, the waves of the ocean and our essence can never be questioned, as it
makes up the All That Is.

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You are now prepared to go forth into each new creative
moment as fresh as the newborn for the willful creation of your
destiny. As with any sage creator, the task of your genesis is to
"let there be light". Should you now recognize your unity with
all co-creators and choose to feel your way along,
in each creative moment…..there shall be light.
Amen, so be it.

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