[tmtranscripts] Elyon/Tomas Group 6/11/00

[Rick P. Giles]

Coeur d'Alene Teaching Mission Group
Topics: Appreciate the Learning Field, Inch Worm and Ant Hill Analogies, Be
Light on Yourselves, Michael Visits.
Teachers: Rantarason, Elyon, Lantarnek, Tomas, Lester, Micheal

June 11, 2000
*	Rantarason (Gerdean TR):  Rantarason here to greet you this afternoon.  A
different voice for me, what matters is that we begin to communicate where we
stand, where we can meet.  Your preliminary discourses have given us food, as we
often provide nourishment for you.  You are becoming comrades.  As you are
students, you are also being teachers.  It is therefore a more sophisticated
culture that you present and that you are becoming than that which we met with
when we first made your acquaintance many years ago.  Having been hungry for
truth you have fed well and taken this mission to heart, providing substance to
your very reality.
	You have spoken of the horizontal reality, the connection that reaches
across a plane of existence and gives depth and perspective to your horizon,
your
experiential horizon.  This is how the kingdom grows, how Light and Life is
expanded across the tapestry of Urantia.  You have reached up; we have reached
down, and now we begin to reach across to each other having breadth of
experience
to share in communion with like-minded souls.  There is no need to caution you
that growth is yet to come; you understand you have not graduated, but you are
indeed a joy to work with.  You have done your homework; you have met our many
assignments.  You have followed up and taken our words to heart.  You have taken
them inside where you have discussed them with your mind and with the spirit
where you have made decisions allowing your growth to expand, allowing your
reality to be made more.  It is only in the future that you will see and truly
appreciate your foundations here, how having begun at the very beginning,
indeed,
at the very bottom, and having assimilated the truths that you are absorbing and
making your own, even in this existence are preparing you for untold wondrous
experiences ahead when you appreciate the breadth of experience brought on
by and
through your associations with each other as mortals, whether these mortals be
enlightened or ignorant.  Accept and appreciate the learning field, the
essential
university aspect of your experience of your life and rejoice and be glad.  In
this gladness it is possible to lighten the burden of your fellows simply by
your
good cheer.  This is a reality lesson the master well knew.  As you relinquish
your burdens of existence to yield the joy of existence in sonship, it expands
and advances our infinite reality even to the portals of Paradise.  Appreciate
your stature and take heart in it.
	There are many here today, others who would visit perchance to stimulate. 
Be well.
*	Elyon (Mark):  Greetings this morning, this is Elyon.  I would supply you
with some more imagery this morning.  I offer the image of the inchworm.  I
would
draw some similarities and parallels to this small creature and to the human
race.
	Notice when an inchworm moves forward it has one segment of its organism
which is forward-seeing and which strives with vision towards direction and
is at
the leading edge of the forward movement, but this part of the entire organism
cannot travel without the entire organism's participation.  The remaining
portion
of this inchworm is engaged in great physical effort to draw itself up and
prepare itself for its next extension.  When the organism is prepared by this
action of pulling itself together as a unit, it is then ready to push itself
forward, and thus the entire organism migrates forward in cooperation.  The
front
eyes of the inchworm cannot proceed forward without the cooperation of the final
stages of the inchworm, which are inevitably last to cross the finishline. 
Nevertheless, working together and in harmony with the stages of propelling the
organism forward, great distance can be covered by even as tiny a creature as an
inchworm.
	This symbology of the front reaching forward and yet relying on the back to
catch up to make it possible is a serviceable analogy to the bulge which happens
in the human organism.  There will always be a segment of this organism which is
keenly aware of the direction of motion.  There will always be a segment of this
organism which will seemingly be lagging behind and needing to be caught up. 
There will always be these divisions of function within the organism, but the
entire organism is required as a whole to make true progress.
	Also, by the example of the inchworm we can deduce that great distances can
be covered in very small increments and that, to keep plodding one step in front
of the next, your progress is equally sure and certain as is the tiny inchworm's
progress making  it to the topmost leaf in the tree.
	You also may liken each one of your individual selves to this inchworm. 
You can recognize aspects of your own beings which are forward moving and
desirous of reaching new heights and yet at the same time recognize elements of
your being which require some catching up, some pulling together, before you
as a
unit are unified in your progress forward.  The head of the caterpillar may not
go on ahead and wait; it must wait for the organism in time and in space.  Your
desires to reach new heights are, in themselves, not enough to propel you
there. 
You must go there as a whole with all of your aspects in tow, so to speak, and
adjusted to make the journey.
	So, this phenomenon occurs personally and as a group and as a race.  We
must realize the nature of forward progression, and it is helpful at times to
visualize this process even using the lowly inchworm.
	That is the substance of my lesson today, and I will withdraw to allow room
for others.
*	Lantarnek (Jonathan):  While we are on the subject of some of your small
creatures of earth, I would like to use the analogy of an anthill, the
anthill of
Paradise, to illustrate your connectedness and to emphasize the benefit of
sharing your burdens.
	The phenomenon of the structure of the ant colony is that each creature
remains in a line of connection to the other which is connected directly back to
the home base.  While you are here on Urantia you are abroad, you are away from
the anthill, yet there are numerous beings in the line you travel back to
Paradise.  Each of you has a connection immediately to one alongside you, and
this progresses all the way up your ascension route.  Know that you are
assisted,
complemented.  Know also that, as you are wrestling with your difficulties, you
oftentimes feel that you are backtracking, you are slipping in the effort to
overcome your burden.  Have you not asked yourself, "Oh, I will be better when
this is over with.  I will be back on track."?  Take an example from the ant
that
hauls its great burden backwards.  It is making progress all the while,
though it
appears to be backing up.  Obstacles in your path are not causing you to slip
behind.  Sometimes it is very important to move these difficulties by stepping
backwards, dragging them rather than pushing at them.  As you have witnessed,
when this little critter brings its object into the line, into the community,
many associate with it, and it is eventually brought home to the nest.  Take
your
burdens to one another.  Share them.  Make them lighter in the cooperative
effort
to address the difficulty.
	The food for an ant is not a food for oneself but food for all.  Each of
you who struggles is providing nourishment to one another by sharing your
burdens.  Everyone will grow therefrom.
	This is Lantarnek with you once again.  Thank you.
	Mark:  I observe magnificent spiritual growth in individuals in the
Teaching Mission, success on an individual level, and maybe that is good
enough. 
What success on a collective level do you teachers feel for the mission?
Can you
give us any information on how we could make it better as a whole?
*	Tomas (Gerdean):  Aha!  I, Tomas, will happily embrace your inquiry,
stalwart student.
	Your question has been asked before in other situations, to other teachers,
other groupings.  Often an administrative response gives the indication that
things are going swimmingly, indeed, even better than anticipated.  This is, of
course, a gratifying response, but it really does not get down into the
specifics
of your existence such as you like, you who are so literal-minded as to find
tremendous spiritual value in the analogies of your insects.
	You are the creatures, indeed, who determine how well the mission is going,
for have you not been reminded again and again that you are the workers in the
field?  You have the ears, the eyes, the hands, the feet, the back, the
shoulders.  You are the physical expression, the grapes in the vineyard.
So, you
need to ask yourself in your heart, "How are we doing?  Are we advancing
Urantia? 
Are we engaged in Light and Life?  Are we fostering and furthering righteousness
and religious living?  Are our characters true?  Or are we relying upon a false
sense of what will get us by until someone else takes the reins and drives home
the point that we are sons of God and desirous of living a way of life that
gives
glory to this Infinite Parent?"
	The teamwork that is a part of this scene today is an essential part of
your advancement, for even though individually you inch ahead in your spiritual
development and in the actualization of your potential, you also are learning to
work with your fellow ants in an orderly and efficient manner such that you will
be able to bring about results, planetary results, even.
	It is therefore entirely up to you to determine how we are doing.  As you
become self-satisfied or content your attitude will reflect on how
vigorously you
hasten to the opportunities that may be seen if you are open to respond to the
opportunity.  The mutual stimulation of the imagination is still virtually
untapped in your community at large.  The fellowship of the proponents of the
Teaching Mission has been a bridge from the past to today, a day wherein the sun
shines.  You have gained strength from knowing each other.  The kindred spirits
that are now a real part of your life, not just a fantasy or a dream, are
enabling you to recognize that, in company with others, flanked by fellow
believers, you are indeed marching in this noble army, soldiers of the circles. 
As you also mature as religionists, you will develop such that you will foster
even more growth in yourselves, in each other, and in your expanding community.
	It is always an interesting focal point when someone asks, "How are we
doing?" because it gives us an opportunity to sit with you for a moment and
ponder how are we doing.  If this is how we are doing then tomorrow we can
advance again, understanding that in the main we have come thus far and there is
still much to do, much exciting work to be done in creating and co-creating our
world.
	Has that been helpful?
	Mark:  Oh, absolutely.  You are always helpful.  The rest of the group is
with me in thanking you for the advances that we can see in each other.  The
spiritual growth is undeniable. It's hard to see how that interacts with the
whole.  Thank you for your comments.
*	Tomas:  Your testimony here in print will be a reminder to all your fellows
who pay attention and serve as a reminder of their own growth.  Everyone will be
refreshed because of your remarks.  You have reflected the light of truth to
your
world even in your sharing.  This fountain of outpouring of your living
faith and
appreciation of life and light is that which will carry us forward.  Keep up the
good work even as we inch along.
	In the face of Philip's remark I will assign you all a project of
encouraging each other.  If it is true that as sons of God your urges now are to
reveal the light of truth, then encourage one another in your expressions, in
your outpouring, in your daily duties, in your manifestations of work and play,
in home schooling and in lumbering, in gardening and in reading, in writing and
in cooking.  Encourage each other and support each other in a filial way so
as to
begin to recognize your wholeness as a living entity.  Garner such satisfaction
from the simple acts of living that you find your life is a work of art, a
reflection of the Father and the Mother.  Do this by and through the
encouragement that you garner from your association with your family who loves
you.
*	Lester (Ginnie):  This TR knows a song about an inchworm, but she can't
quite grab it.  Good morning, this is Lester.  Being that my voice is dependent
on her, we will let that one go.  She promises to sing it when she is ready.
	 Again I bring to you this morning some hope of encouraging you to remain
light and easy on yourselves, as you so very often get so ponderous over all
these responsibilities that you project into your work.  Your work ethic is
bleeding into your spiritual growth.  Your cultural dependence on, "Jesus is
coming.  Look busy." is still much ingrained in your psyches.  Each ant building
their edifice has no idea what the others are doing.  You, in a way, have those
tendencies in your animal nature that you do things not necessarily
understanding
totally how it is connected to the ant in front of you and the ant in back of
you.  Have faith, my dear ones, that we will take care of that for you.  You are
indeed impressing us immensely with your dedication and your desires to do
more, 
to be better.   We cannot ask you for more.  You have surprised us beyond our
expectations.  You can all take a bow now.  Be gentle on yourselves.  If you do
not see the edifice that you are building or the book that you are writing
or the
song that you are singing in its entirety, your faith will carry you through and
should be in place as a reminder that we are doing what you cannot do at this
point.  Some individuals are meant to be stars.  Some are equipped with
capabilities to be in the spotlight, the limelight, to be well known.  In your
position that is what is so attractive.  Take it from me that each small act of
kindness, each smile, each encouragement, each little bit of humor and
encouragement .... and is more suited to the temperament of other people.
	The balance you have been talking about is just that, that we need both
types.  We need public figures.  We need private ones.  Each is well
qualified to
do what they are equipped to do.  So, keep on doing your little dance in
whatever
form it takes.  Know that even though you do not become well known, well
appreciated, well applauded, that you are in the eyes of our Father making
tremendous strides in the building of the kingdom.  We need both drama and
passion.  We need intuition.  We need insight.  We need all of it to build this
kingdom.  We are very happy with you.  We wish you would be more happy with
yourselves.  If there is a project we need done, we will surely know how to
do it
and whom to pick and how to get it started.  All of our projects thus far have
succeeded tremendously with our help.
	So, I take my leave.  Be happy.
*	Michael (Mark):  My dear ones, I desire to communicate with you.  Please be
aware that I never will tire of coming to you to offer words of comfort and
encouragement, as you are dear to me and as I am devoted to you.  You are as my
sincere ants, as my loyal fenceposts, as my dedicated inchworms.  You are a dear
part of this plan we have together, and I pledge you my support as you so freely
offer your support to me.  You must trust me that your desires to be effective
ministers for the kingdom shall be made manifest.  It simply may not be
given you
at any given time to be made aware of your impact.  But I am aware of your
impact, and I am most pleased with your devotion and your sincerity and your
desires to be about this business together.  I have called on each of you.  I
will continue to call on you and I have no doubts that you will continue to
serve
me with love and devotion.  Words cannot express my appreciation, but my
love and
the love of our Father can do so.  I bestow this love upon you.  I bring it to
you from our Father and together we lovingly dish it out to you.  Thank you once
again, my dear ones.