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<DIV><B>
<P>DATE:</B> November 12, 1996<BR><B>LOCATION:</B> Butler, PA,
USA<BR><B>T/R:</B> Gerdean</P><B>
<P>TEACHER SESSION<BR>Tomas Discusses Money</P>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Good evening, friends. This is Tomas.<BR><B>Hunnah:</B> My
goodness. You came in awfully fast.<BR><B>TOMAS:</B> I have been
here.<BR><B>Hunnah:</B> Oh, okay.<BR><B>TOMAS:</B> I have been waiting for the
door to open.</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> You know what we forgot to do? We forgot to sing "Happy Birthday"
to Gerdean. We'll have to do that before she goes home.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> You may do that, of course. <BR><B>Hunnah:</B> Would you like to
sing?</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I have wished her Happy Birthday; she was not listening. Like you
had a day today, she had a day yesterday. Some people like for you to think that
every day is peaches and cream, but your heritage as a mortal of the realm
disallows such a fantasy, for it is only natural that sometimes you allow for
your own vestiges to shed themselves, and like you, Hunnah, it is wise to avoid
encounters with those who might be inclined to be confrontational about your
right to have a sloughing attitude. It is also okay to call someone in order
that you might acknowledge to yourself that you are merely undergoing a rough
day and that it will pass.</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> There's a song that's popular and it goes something like, "Mama
said there'd be days like this; there'll be days like this, Mama said." ( Group
laughter ) I have noticed in the past that before I would go on a retreat I
would often do a lot of weeping and I decided to comfort myself that the reason
I was feeling so irritable was because I had an upcoming event which would
introduce another teaching consciousness, so I thought the animal in me was
feeling crowded.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It is something like that, yes, for your growth cycles are cyclic-
and as you roll along the path of life you become accustomed to the highs and
lows that even out, but even so, there are certain mood swings that go along
with the ride. The difficulty, of course, is when you refuse to feel the bad
feelings but insist only on maintaining the good feelings, when if the truth be
known, it can feel good to feel sadness on occasion; it can feel good to
experience a poignant and meaningful pain, providing you appropriately let go
and allow the next phase of the cycle of growth to come into being.</P>
<P>Even feeling feisty or argumentative is a natural part of your growth
process. For those of you who think that being in a state of grace precludes
these natural uprisings of the lower realms, you are mistaken, for even in your
lower realms you can be aware of grace as an attainment that you have known and
that you will know but that <I>today</I> it has eluded your grasp.</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> The energies seem to be very active, for me, and I don't usually
notice it much, but the last -- I guess couple of weeks -- I am more aware of
them. My daughter remarks sometimes that it's really powerful, it's distracting.
I don't know. Maybe it's my imagination but it seems....</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Yes, the energies are up-stepped. They have been upstepping
increasingly and I could cite examples according to different time frames, but
in your more immediate time frame, you ought to recall that just prior to
Michael's birthday I remarked about the momentum picking up, and that it often
does pick up, as hundreds and thousands of people acknowledge the Creator Son.
This was augmented, of course, by the IC96 conference in Arizona and your own
more local environment was actuated in Grailville. It has its growth
ramifications, for there are new teachers coming on-line, there are more
personal teachers making contact with their mortal beings, and so there is
indeed yet another upstepping. </P>
<P>Add to this the more mundane qualifiers of your season and the weather and
you have every right to perceive a quickening. The cold spell that has descended
upon you has thrust a part of your psyche into the deep of winter; it is not
ready for the deep of winter and so it feels some pressure. Also, the holidays
that are celebrated in your culture are just around the corner and that always
adds a quickening of either anticipation or dread, or a combination thereof, all
of this contributing to a sense of things going on and many of them over which
you have no control.</P>
<P>This feeling of life going on without your being in control is also enough to
put you into a bit of an emotional lather, but as you have observed, it only
lasts for a brief time because life goes on and you find yourself once more in
that cyclic pattern of ascension and growth, back on your even keel of
ascension, and others are also doing the same.</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> I'm sensing some of the change of ... I went ahead and made a
decision to take Reiki III and I don't think I'll regret it. Nobody is beating
my door down but that is all right. It's part of the package. Is there anything
that you want to know about tonight?</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Thank you for asking. I am not wondering much about anything in
particular, but I am mindful that you have asked for a lesson having to do with
money. Would that be something that you would be interested in?</P><B>
<P>Hunnah: </B>Yes. Well, I heard a sermon recently on tithing, and because of
the nature of the way the program comes -- television -- the people have to have
some money in their pocket, but I was wondering if you could move this subject
up as high as possible so that we can understand it a little bit. We have
different attitudes, we ourselves, regarding money, and frequently it is based
on how we appear in society and I just thought maybe I'd bring the subject up
and see if you wanted to do anything with it.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I will give you a lesson based upon my understanding of your need
to appreciate the symbol of exchange, and in order for me to lift it up it will
be necessary for me to begin not at the beginning but farther back in order to
get a scope, if you will.</P>
<P>You read in your lesson last week about early physical manifestations of
spirit appreciation, that is, that physical items came to hold great power, Your
lesson referenced rocks and stones as well as flags and so forth and money is
much like the other evolved symbols in this way:</P>
<P>As women, as a woman, you are certainly familiar with your history that in
the more primitive societies you were regarded as property, and even in more
recent years the dowry was something that was included in the parcel of wife for
she brought, then, the qualities of merchandise and goods and crafts which would
contribute to her value and the value of the husband, the property owner. Also,
I the example comes to the mind of this T/R of slavery, that human beings were
sold into slavery and brought to your country and they were demeaned by labeling
them and treating them as property, a lesser<SUP> </SUP>station - lesser in both
cases, for the human will dignity was reduced to being property only.</P>
<P>As you evolve -- as women have found a degree of liberation, and as slavery
as it was known is abolished and all men are free, at least in political terms,
the symbol then of wealth has been altered to exclude humankind in this glaring
manner, although many, many remnants remain, such as in the phrase "slave-wages"
which provide the worker only a modicum of remuneration for his efforts, not
truly enough to develop a quality of life but essentially to keep him or her
occupied for the gain of the employer.</P>
<P>These examples are yet again part of your modern history of economics. Your
money symbols are representative of the old method of barter become
sophisticated. He who has money in your society has power, and this truly is
what this symbol represents - Power!</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> I was thinking about abundance and that the opportunity to have
money is more available than it has been in the past and the credit card gives
instant gratification. We don't seem to have evolved sufficiently to meet the
challenge of
.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS</B>: All right. Let me respond further. It is not true that money is
more abundant these days. That is a false affluence, a false financial footing,
for as you outlined, it is based on debt and the wealth that is so acceptable
today is only going to cost future generations dearly. It is a fallacy to assume
that just because people have access to money that they have wealth, and having
money and not knowing how to use or what it's true purpose is contributes
greatly to the damage of the relationships of individuals.</P>
<P>The problem with your economy today is that the symbol represents a<I>
</I>power that has not been fostered through the spirit. The true wealth of all
humankind is spiritual, and money is to be a method of exchange, not a wielding
of power. The economics, then, therefore, of Urantia will change and change
drastically. It behooves you to have an understanding of the value of money and
the purpose of money, not in terms of your frame of reference from a material
standpoint, but from a frame of reference of it being provided to foster and
further the light of real truth.</P>
<P>Let me site as an example how money can function as a part of a
kingdom-believer's way of life, for it has been said to 'seek ye first the
Kingdom and all things will be added unto you." If you therefore seek the
kingdom and see that there is something the Father would have you do, or if
there is something you would do for the Fat her, and you make that decision in
your inner being to serve, then the wherewithal for you to serve will be
provided as a symbol to you of your ability to follow through with that
perception of God's will.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Could you repeat that?</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> If it is that you do not hear me, we could replay it. If you have
a question, perhaps I should hear what it is that you are not clear about.
However, I can say, again, that it has been said, to "seek ye first the kingdom
and all things will be added unto you," and so if you feel that you are being
guided or led to do a certain thing, and that is what the Father's will is for
you, if you have made this decision in the spirit, in good faith, then that
which is necessary for it to come to be, will become available, will be
manifested so that His will can be done.</P>
<P>It is a matter of establishing your priorities. It is also a matter of
correcting the ills of an economy that buys flash and glitter for current
self-gratification at the expense of future generations and many, many other
unbalanced circumstances. Money in and of itself is a symbol of exchange and
there is no evil in an exchange. The symbol itself is far superior indeed to the
exchange, for example, of women for camels, or Africans for fabric, of Indians
for liquor.</P>
<P>It is of benefit when everyone can speak the same language, using the same
symbol, but it must be a balanced symbol, in order for the exchange to be fair,
and as your planet stands now, your symbol is unbalanced because it is not being
properly used. Your priorities have it backwards! You would say, "I have the
money, now what can I do with it to do God's will?" or "What can I do to serve
myself?" when in fact it is "Here's how I would like to serve. I will await the
manifestation of the appropriate avenue of action and necessary funding, in
order that His will may be done."</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> It just seems like it's very slow to grow and develop.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It is slow to grow and develop because, as I said, money is power
and there is little that is more intoxicating to the evolved animal than power.
I think about your superman cartoons and your glamorous stars as well as your
politicians. I know how the human animal behaves and how highly he places
self-gratification on his list of priorities. Creature comforts have been long
in coming, have finally been attained by the majority, but it will not do to
wallow now in creature comfort at the expense of the future or of those less
fortunate still.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> It may be in a sophisticated way but slave labor still exists
in a fashion. Many of the temporaries have been sold out by their companies not
retiring them to decent wages because, you sign a contract (indistinguishable}
and many people don't even know this exists. The harder they work . . .</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I did recently speak on "sincere fairness" and pointed out that in
the kingdoms of men it is often the case that it is not fair and certainly your
economic structure is not fair to anyone these days. Even those who have great
wealth carry an onerous burden of guilt and responsibility. </P>
<P>It is time, perhaps, to allude to the Master's outrage at the unbalance of
wealth, and your economy -- national and global -- has been a long time in
attaining its current position, which, I might add, includes a phenomenal debt,
but it is because it is based on power over another individual and not on the
power of God himself, which regards <U>all </U>humankind as His children.</P>
<P>It cannot please anyone to see that there are children on Urantia who are
starving to death, who are covered with sores, who have no medical attention, It
cannot please a sensitive person to witness the deplorable conditions in your
own cities, ghettos and barrios, having to do with the unfairness of your
financial system. The women and children, nay all of you from top to bottom,
left to right, are in the throes of a great injustice in terms of your economy
and it needs corrected.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P>The new rage, for example, of "he who dies with the most toys wins" is not
honorable. It is crass materialism and contributes nothing to the value of
quality home life or meaningful interpersonal relationships, wherein the fruits
of the spirit may be manifested, wherein the creative inner life of God may be
shared. A great simplifying is in order. The national debt must be discharged
and it must begin with each of you ascertaining for yourself what your needs
are, based not upon capitalism, but upon your own individual circumstances. And,
if you seek to serve, your needs will be met in order that you might serve just
as the apostles needs were met long ago.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I was thinking about the apostles. Theirs was a unique situation.
</P><B>
<P>TOMAS</B>: This is true. In fact, after Jesus left and the apostles went out
to teach and preach, they had to maintain their own way, their own livelihood.
Some returned to their former field of endeavor, but always have there been
those who have set out as apostles to serve and they have been taken care of.
Your Peace Pilgrim is certainly a shining example. If is their joy to serve;
they seek not the things of this world.</P>
<P>Those of you who seek the things of this world may do so. There certainly are
things for the taking. But have you furthered the evolution of humankind in the
spirit and in the flesh by your taking? The question is do you serve money or
does money serve you? It is a symbol of exchange. What you exchange and your
motives for exchange are your personal contribution to the economy.</P>
<P>When you brought up the subject, Hunnah, you made reference to
televangelistic types, those who--</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> Oh! There was one who brought up the subject of tithing. I really
liked his program, but I mentioned it because we just happened to have the
subject and I hoped you would talk about it. And I was just thinking that money
in the hands of an enlightened man is not the same as money in the hands of an
unenlightened man.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> The big problem is money and power. They believe they have
power over others.</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> Well, no. Frequently they need to invest their money to make it
work, so (indistinguishable). I remember, over the years, the anxiety I would
feel in buying groceries, if I was able to manage my money enough to be able to
pay for it, and that -- nobody knows its difficult, for, or, "Don't get yourself
in (financial) trouble!" It offers a lot for soul development.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It does indeed. It is a worthy study. It is an on-going worthy
study, and those who have money and those who don't alike are interested in the
subject, and what they are interested in is the ability to accomplish things and
to stand upright in their society because it is a symbol of acceptability and
ability to accomplish things. It has not always been that way. It is a goal, in
fact. </P>
<P>Your evolved religions have discussed and impressed upon some of you that the
godly man is rewarded by prosperity, and many of them have established a creed
and appropriate life-style to support that premise. It is a premise that fits
their needs, perhaps, but it is not a premise that answers the entire
question.</P>
<P>The case for prosperity is tricky because it is natural to want to prosper,
even in the spirit, and it is natural to expect that the symbol that indicates
you have attained prosperity will be forthcoming but, as you well know, that is
not always the case. And so it is important that you base your initial and
fundamental prosperity on the spirit, on your relationship with spirit, on your
qualify relationship with yourself, on your richness of relationship with your
family in the spirit, and in the flesh.</P>
<P>But prosperity in terms of dollars only is moral, spiritual and emotional
bankruptcy. Money cannot love. God is love. And so unless your money serves you
in bringing about His will on Urantia, it is a misuse of funds.</P>
<P>When you are in a situation to wonder about your motives, sit down and review
your quandary in terms of the fruits of the spirit. Look at the situation with
enlightened honesty. Be sincerely fair. Have courageous loyalty to the highest
ideals, and so on down the line, in order that you will know in your heart that
you have done right with the material manifestation of your inner state of
being.</P>
<P>You who have read the Course in Miracles and other philosophies along these
lines understand the concept that the material world is illusion, that it is a
mere shadow of the true reality. And so looking at money in those terms, it is
nothing. It is certainly not the Holy Grail that so many mortals scramble around
their entire life in search of and in adulation to. If the material life is a
shadow of the greater reality, then money also is a shadow of the greater
reality and as we work together in these private sessions in this teaching
platform, discussing, becoming familiar with, developing, fostering, nurturing,
commending, celebrating the real You, the True Reality, then it stands to reason
that as you manifest this higher reality in your material life, the symbols of
your material life will also beget the fruits of the spirit as a reflection of
you, as a reflection of the Father.</P>
<P>Also, in regard to money, remember the parable of the steward, that it is
good to put money to work, that it is better to let money make money than to sit
idle, buried, not helping anyone, not even gathering interest, and so as it says
in the Urantia Book, "Money serves by being spent." It serves as well by being
invested in those things that will garner benefit for the future -- not only the
future of your personal life and that of your mortal family, but for the
kingdom, the Greater Family, the family of man, and the future one world of
Urantia. </P>
<P>Are there questions?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> There are people who are talented, have spiritual messages for us,
and other messages for us, and who charge huge sums o' money, and I just
wondered about that. As I said before, it says in the gospels that the laborer
is worthy his due, but there are some people who think that when people carry a
spiritual message they should not receive any compensation. I don't necessarily
agree with that, but I don't think they need huge amounts. I just wonder if you
care to elaborate.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Yes, thank you. "Freely have you received; freely give." That
which is of the Father cannot be reduced to a symbol. The living gospel is alive
and is not for sale.</P>
<P>That nonetheless many human beings are garnering great profit from their
craft is most unfortunate, but it is also the legacy of the evolved religions.
It is a way of taking advantage of the masses who opt to turn their authority
over to a charismatic, powerful and, yes, successful "man of God" to speak those
words which they themselves would hear if they were not looking for God outside
themselves. </P>
<P>When and as a being, a mortal being, serves, it is, again, a reflection, it
is that shadow of light, it is that which is material, and that which is of time
and space belongs to the material realm, can be divided up, and so I would not
begrudge anyone from charging by the hour for their services, for their skills.
But the charlatan who would profit by his devotees is unworthy to be called an
apostle,</P>
<P>Freely have you received; freely give that which is from the Lord. If it from
you, if it is your creation, then you must claim it as your creation in order to
charge for it. Has that been helpful?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> It's been helpful. I'm thinking of the seminar or workshop or
things that cost anywhere from about $300 to $1,000. I understand the appeal to
the masses and they usually have a nice place, a resort area or something, and
some people go there for a retreat or a vacation, but it sometimes seems like
some of the things I would be interested in
and I feel that I could afford to
go to them
but it does seem exorbitant. But I wonder about the people who
could no way afford to go to them but they certainly would be interested in
them.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS</B>: Such is exclusivity born of wealth. It is a way of remaining above
the masses, of keeping their hands clean, it is not all-inclusive, but esoteric,
for a true kingdom-builder, a worker in the field, commingles with the common
man, on he who has not the wherewithal to spend such funds on such fineries as
enlightenment. Recall that Jesus took his message to the common man who heard
him gladly. There is no law that says you must have wealth in order to teach the
gospel or believe the gospel.</P>
<P>This refers again back to the true wealth of the individual, which is his
soul. It is simply a matter of the dis-ease of your economic structure that will
one day topple and be rebuilt. Have mercy, when that day comes, on those who do
not know how to live without the material trappings of elegance and warmth and
comfort. See then how their truths hold up. Have mercy and sincere fairness.
Many of these individuals do not know what it 's like to be hungry.</P>
<P>Many of these individuals do use portions of their profits to help evolve the
planet. They contribute to research and to ecology. It is perhaps unfortunate
that they don't proclaim their motives,</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> It almost sounds like a Robin Hood type thing, taking the money
from the ones who would put it out there for something else and then giving it
to the poor. I'm sure there are quite a number of these people who do ... I know
there's a few. Richard Simmons has given a lot of money away. Quite a few people
do those things. </P>
<P>I was just wondering. We get those spiritualist newspapers or newsletters in
the stores and they talk about these different workshops and we look at these
$500-$1,000 and I'd like to go to that, but
it's true that some of those
people do give gifts to other organizations. I don't know. I just have mixed
feelings about that.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It strikes me as representing spiritual snobbery.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Hmmm. I understand your attitude but I still keep thinking about
how clever they are in being able to tap into that level and divert it into
another direction. </P><B>
<P>T'OMAS:</B> Let me point out to you that cleverness is no substitute for true
character, and this is an example of what free will will do, for you have every
right to admire their skill in garnering funds for their spiritual "gifts," for
their ability to enthuse people and activate energies which truly will
contribute to the uplifting of Urantia in the long run, but your quiet and
humble and earnest work in the field, as you are doing it is causing greater
growth by its simple truth. No one will have to tear down what you have said in
order to rebuild themselves again, for you are speaking only truth. You are not
promoting more scaffolding. </P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> This has been an interesting conversation, and I still keep
thinking of money versus credit and money is our symbol of exchange given to the
worker who pays the bills with money. Gerdean and I had a conversation about
barter and, as it stands right now, money is our medium of exchange. </P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Your symbol, yes, which is infinitely superior to exchanging
people. </P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> We've come a long way, but still have a long way to go. </P>
<P><B>TOMAS:</B> That is the case. </P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> It's really hard to keep your opinion to yourself -- us
individually -- and still manage our own affairs practically, to the highest
level. It's a challenge.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Yes, today I bought a silly looking tree and then I listened to
Tomas talking about starving people and I want to feel guilty but I don't really
feel guilty about it, but I thought, "Oh, how frivolous of me." </P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I want to state that by discussing the starving children, I was
not inferring that you should not enjoy your own fruits of your own labors. It
was not to inflict guilt that I set forth that example, for it is well known
that there are millions of needy individual and we have heard already more than
enough about eating everything on your plate because of the starving children in
Ethiopia. Right?</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Yes.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia: </B>It came to my mind the other day, Tomas, that we in America --
and other places -- we take our wealth and <I>we build houses</I> <I>to house
<U>our cars</I></U> and there are people on the street that have no homes. It
seems a very large mis-adjustment of funds.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It is because, my dear, you are only evolving to a level of
understanding the greater family. Remember that you were once a mere clan, a
tribe. You have evolved now to a nation. You have evolved a level of family
loyalty, perhaps, that sees the family of man but is not responsible for it yet.
Look with gratitude upon your history, which has brought you to this point and
look to the future with enthusiasm for its rightful correction and expansion
into inculcating all of humankind into its family.</P>
<P>When your societies become more evolved, you will establish yourselves a
little more differently and sharing with your brothers and sisters will be more
natural. You will begin to see each other as common allies instead of
competitors, or as friends instead of predators, and so you will begin to bond
and build your civilizations to be more inclusive. It is a goal, one that we
appreciate your looking at.</P>
<P>Do not become angry at what you see today, for it serves no purpose to be
angry without having some direction, and your most feasible direction is to ask
for God's guidance for you in how to bridge those gaps between you and your
brothers and sisters that will enable them and you to face a broader tomorrow
together as the family of man who can help each other.</P>
<P>Remember that Christian story about feeding each other with the long spoons
and think in terms of taking your long spoons with you wherever you go that you
may begin to feed your neighbor, that he may begin to also feed you. It. is not
possible nor necessary to destroy the home, the basic nuclear institution, for
it is the backbone of civilization, the cultural seat, and worthy of its
attainment , but there are other aspects of family, extended family, surrogate
family, spiritual family, kindred spirits, and all those which will come into an
understanding of itself which will create great waves in the great ocean. These
can begin even now. These small pockets of fraternity can begin to coalesce,
coagulate and co-operate even now and do wondrous work toward building a new
future.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> I have come across people, and myself included, who long for
groups of kindred spirits to, say, have homes where they live together and
share, help each other, more than what we're doing at the present time. Say
groups of 10 or 12, and help each other, financially, spiritually and whatever
way possible, then be helpful to each group, as it were.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Indeed.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> This seems to come down to a collective consciousness of
certain individuals I've spoken to.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Yes. And as you learn to have unity in diversity you will begin to
join forces and apply yourselves much more readily, and it will require much
less money to do so. Like the family of four, its pro-rata share is less than
four separate individuals who must pay almost the full price of a family of four
to pay for its residence, transportation, and so forth. Whereas this banding
together in the ideals of family life fosters fraternity and fellowship without
being based on economics, but it contributes to a healthy system of
economics.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> It also helps to break that power hold of certain individuals
over one or two individuals who are collectively together working. One powerful
individual with a lot of money can't control a collective. If you had ten people
in a nearer area than that one landlord, then that one person can't do that as
easily as one individual over the others. </P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Your plans are being evolved even as you voice them, as often is
the case; however, it may not be for you to look around to see who is going to
do it, but see how you can do it for yourself and others, and see then if the
wherewithal is not forthcoming to bring that about. That is a proper use of
money - to serve. </P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> I've had that in mind now for some time, as well as other
things.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> We also are working on such things, and are excited about the
prospects. Have you any other questions of me this evening, group, having to do
with our topic of conversation or anything else?</P><B>
<P>Ruth: </B>Tomas, this is Ruth. Can I ask you something? </P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Yes.</P><B>
<P>Ruth:</B> I have a cousin who was recently injured. He was doing a bike ride
to benefit. MS or CF and he was injured by a truck and I talked to him Monday
and asked him how he was feeling and he is not doing well. But when I write to
him, would you help me with my words'? I don't understand the reason this
happened to him and I'm sure he doesn't either. I'm sure there's a purpose for
it. I would just be very appreciative if you would help me.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Indeed, daughter, I would be glad to help you in your task. Call
upon me when you sit down, pen in hand, and see if we can't come up with the
appropriate soul attitude which will express your heart's concerns and desires
for his recovery and his spiritual growth. The mysteries of life are not always
known but it is important, when difficult experiences overtake us, that we find
it an opportunity to seek understanding from the spirit, that we grasp hold of
the lasting reality that it might then help us to understand how to walk this
earth plane more graciously, more trustingly, more willingly. </P>
<P>It is not always for us to know why it is that certain things happen;
sometimes painful, sometimes irreparable, but the spirit is enduring, the true
reality is stronger than the material reality. It is that which will endure. It
is that which will provide infinite joy and grace and strength for you to teach.
None of us do this alone. No matter what experience life offers, there are
others who also know the experience and it is often our opportunity</P>
<P>and privilege to give what we have received to teach and to preach the good
tidings of the reality of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of
man.</P><B>
<P>Ruth:</B> Thank you, Tomas. </P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Thank you, Ruth. My children, it grows late.</P><B>
<P>Hunnah:</B> We're like a pack of sleepy dogs here after having our big meal.
It's a problem for the hostess. I will have to make a change; I don't know what
it's going to be but I appreciate your patience. </P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I tell you what, my dear. I will scratch you behind your ear and
appreciate your wagging tail (laughter). You are a loyal friend, indeed. </P>
<P>I have enjoyed our discourse. I hope I have not ruffled any feathers
anywhere. But, rather I hope I have provided some food for thought and stimuli
for verbal exchange among you, that you might better understand yourselves the
power and influence of this symbol of value in the material realms. </P>
<P>Until we meet again, dear flock. Farewell.</P>
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