Ham on Opportunity

[David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.]

> From:          schlundg at ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu
> To:            "Teaching Mission List" <tml at cforest.com>
> Subject:       Ham on Opportunity
> Date:          Sat, 21 Sep 1996 12:34:09 +0000
> Reply-to:      tml at cforest.com

> I tried to send this once, but I do not think it worked. If this is 
> the second copy, I am sorry.
> 
> 
> 9/15/96
> 
> Greetings, children and friends, I delight to experience your
> presence here tonight. I am Ham and I wish this evening to discuss
> opportunity with you. Opportunity is always knocking, so to speak. 
> Opportunity is graciously awaiting your response. The world is
> filled with opportunity. You must learn to exploit this opportunity,
> and not to dismiss or to squander it.  
> 
> Opportunity is like weaving a skein of fabric. Your individual
> threads are interwoven with each other.  The individual idea or
> research or human contact or creation are all interwoven with each
> other creating the fabric that is opportunity and is your life. This
> fabric is what draws the attention of others who can use your life's
> work in a greater garment. 
> 
> No human being lives or works in a vacuum.  Every person you meet,
> every human you treat with love and respect, every unselfish deed,
> every creative impulse, every thought and every understanding, your
> beliefs, your faith and, yes, your fears and your weaknesses _ all
> contribute to the fabric you are weaving.  Take care then to inspect
> those threads which you would use.  For this fabric is the
> opportunity, the passage way, into your future.  
> 
> Do not be discouraged when you consider your past creations, for
> this gradually fades from sight as you weave newer and greater and
> more wondrous ideas into your fabric.  One's life pattern enlists
> ideas in all its creation. The wise man says, you are what you
> think, and I say you becoming in the direction you are thinking. 
> You must understand, though, that you cannot project yourself
> through thought ahead of your material, your weaving.  Each thread
> must find its place, you cannot miraculously become something
> completely different from what you are just by wishing or thinking
> yourself there.  But, you can chart your direction and if you do not
> neglect the fabric, that is neglect the small individual threads
> which must all be put in place to create your opportunity for the
> future, then surely as night follows day, you will achieve your
> destination.  
> 
> I do not advise you to be dreamers, but no great thing was ever done
> without first being dreamped of.   All of you here want deeply to
> help your world's forward progress toward the goal of light and
> life.  You must all understand that this goal is a far off, but it
> can be dreamped of. You can dream of a future where there is no
> hatred, or violence, disease, hunger, or warfare, where all human
> beings exist in loving respect for all other human beings.  We
> understand that there are very many of you who are contributing to
> this forward progress and we humbly and sincerely embrace you and
> your work.  You also forget the great strides made by those who have
> preceded you.  Therefore, I say to you, think deeply on the
> opportunities you are creating, the fabric that you are presenting
> to the world or will present to the world.  
> 
> Think not that it does not matter, because it matters intensely to
> you, to your world, and to the on looking universe. There is no
> planet watched more intensely than Urantia is. We monitor and watch
> and nutrure every human being on your planet in varying degrees. You
> here are watched more intently than others, your decisions and your
> actions are all of great interest to us.  Do not think that you are
> working alone against insuperable odds, for you are given many of
> the threads which go into your fabric.  Is this clear to everyone? 
> Are you beginning to understand the responsibility you have to
> accept these threads.
> 
> Q: I worry that you can have too many threads you are working with
> and they get tangled in a knot and you have to stop and untangle
> them before you can get any weaving done.  Can you give some insight
> into how to choose the best opportunity when faced with many?
> 
> 
> Ham: Sometimes, the best opportunity is the stillness time to
> explore the inner world with the  Father in peace and tranquility.
> The answers often are held in these times. The knots will untangle 
> without your worrying about them.  
> 
> Brodan, I have instructed you to rest more often, and you have not
> followed my advice.  You run in high gear all the time, and have
> forgotten the value of the lower gears.  The word leisure time for
> you is a couple of hours or a half hour here or there. I understand
> the pressure you feel, but I insist that you begin to take more rest
> time.  This will actually solve a lot of your anxiety and worry.
> 
> Q: I might even be more fun to be around.
> 
> Ham: That could be a refreshment for you as well. To take simple
> pleasure in others company without thinking in the back of your mind
> of things you need to do. 
> 
> Q: You were talking to Brodan about leisure, I was wondering how
> balanced I am as far as work and leisure and rest and making a full
> effort?
> 
> Ham: You are coming into a balance that is very beneficial to you. 
> You were needing more work time and this is gradually coming out.
> More human interaction as well.
> 
> Q: My usual question.
> 
> Ham: Son, your philosophy of living is changing. You recognize and
> understand value in others You are not restricted inside yourself as
> much.  The reason that you are harsh with others is recognizing and
> seeing something of yourself there that needs to change.  Gradually,
> you will not mask these tendencies and hide them from yourself, and
> you will change.  We are watching you closely at this time, feeling
> that you are needing help in some areas. Ian will reveal herself to
> you in the days ahead to help you go through a psychological tunnel
> and emerge from this.  Are you understanding this.
> 
> Q: Not yet.
> 
> Ham: You have a psychic block that prevents you from seeing yourself
> completely and this painful process is still, we are still working
> on it with you. The trait that you wish not to see is arrogance.  Is
> this helping?
> 
> Q: Yes.
> 
> Q: Anything for Rebecca?
> 
> Ham: Yes, child, you are following instructions well and I am happy
> to work with you. We will speak again in the future, Neglect not
> meditation time.
> 
> Q: I would appreciate any advice you might have for me tonight.
> 
> Ham: Vontis, you are continuing to make progress and to understand
> yourself as well.  Gradually, your psychic blocks are diminishing
> and you are growing in self acceptance.  Don't worry about the
> future, for it is gradually coming together for you. Continue to
> experience interactions with those who can forward your progress.
> Don't fear the future, all is well. Have confidence and courage to
> be yourself and to display your fabric. Q: Ham, isn't arrogance just
> a pose? A compensation for low self-esteem, the lack of feelings of
> self worth?
> 
> Ham: Arrogance is a taking of unearned position, or a position which
> in the eyes of others is unearned.  Jesus said, is it not better to
> take a lower seat at the table and be brought up than to arrogantly
> choose the seat of honor and be rebuffed?  It is a matter of
> personal interaction. Humans always resent arrogance, even when
> justified, arrogance is seen as a lack of proper humility.  
> 
> Arrogance brings untold sorrows, for it always attracts negativity.  
> 
> Q: It figures that would be it because that is what I always hated
> the most about other people.
> 
> Ham: If  there are  no further questions, I will bid you all a very 
> good evening. Until next week farewell.
> *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
> David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.       (615)322-7800  Voice 
> Department of Psychology       (615)343-8449  Fax
> Vanderbilt University          
> 301 Wilson Hall
> Nashville, TN  37240
> 
>        email:  schlundg at ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
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> 
> 
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          E-mail:  schlundg at ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.      (615)322-7800 Office
Department of Psychology      (615) 343-8449 Fax 
301 Wilson Hall
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN  37240
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He who endeavors to cleave the body from the spirit,
or the spirit from the body is directing his heart
away from truth. The flower and its fragnrance are
one, and the blind who deny the colour and image
of the flower, believing that it possesses only a 
fragrance vibrating the ether, are like those with
pinched nostrils who believe that flowers are naught 
but pictures and colours, possessing no fragrance.
Kahlil Gibran, 1947.
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