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This set of Study Group Readings is available as MP3 files only. Scroll down for the list of questions or click on "edit," "find," in your browser to find a specific word on the page.
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1992
Please note that these early recordings (1987 through 2001) were made on cassette tape and later transferred to digital format. The sound quality can vary.
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STUDY GROUP READING #61 January 1992 1. As we go into a new year, would you please talk to us about what we can expect in the coming year, in terms of the various human patterns and spiritual energies that we will be dealing with in 1992? 2. We have a follow up question from last month's reading. You said in the December reading, ``In one capacity in which Jesus of Nazareth was the prototype for human beings, there is the capacity to cause physical matter to temporarily step outside of time. Eventually you will manifest a quite mysterious and esoteric capacity that Jesus manifested . . . . which is partially symbolized in the capacity of Jesus to lift his body, to violate what is presently the laws of physical movement, to go from one place to another . . . . Human beings are moving toward a future period in which the rigid hold upon physical matter, physical bodies, which is tightly held by time and space, will become, first of all, more flexible, then in time, absolutely mastered by living human beings inside of physical bodies. This in the distant future.'' Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Transcendental Meditation movement, have been teaching techniques in which people go into a meditative state and introduce Sanskrit words deep into their minds, which is supposed to enable them to levitate their bodies. Where does this practice fit into the abilities that you see coming in the distant future? 3. "To ground your spiritual energy'' is an expression often used in New Age jargon. What is meant by this from your perspective? 4. Some people say that we could live forever in this present physical body, and be immortal. Is this possible? If so, what would be the point of doing this? Is this a misconception of the nature of the body, or what? Please comment. 5. Will the new release of the entire contents of the dead sea scrolls make an impact upon religious/philosophical unity in the world? 6. Why did the ancient Egyptians embalm their dead? 7. What does it mean when it is said that ``we were made in the image of God?'' 8. One of our study group members who has been struggling to understand the issue of pain and suffering, asks the following question: ``The issue of euthanasia, or doctor-assisted suicide, is a complex and difficult one. Many in our society have a justifiable fear of the protracted and painful ``living death'' that modern medicine sometimes seems to force on individuals. Your teachings regarding this appear to be that to deliberately leave this life through suicide in such a situation is a grave spiritual error, regardless of the degree of suffering. You advise that the dying one's most appropriate response to such a condition is to utilize the experience as a ``challenge'' for the releasing of fear, and to discover extraordinary truths of life and death. To me, the basic problem with this teaching is that it is unsatisfactory and somewhat abstract, or ideal, to the vast majority who do not have the ability in their present personalities to transcend the experience of a long, painful illness, or even to believe it is possible. Though ultimately true in some sense, it seems to me that your teachings cannot help those who are actually in the midst of apparently endless pain, helplessness and limitation.'' Would you please address this question? 9. Please close with an attunement for us to use this month. STUDY GROUP #62 February 1992 1. I want to follow up on your opening...is the healing of all human fears a goal of the soul? 2. At this point in our evolution, is there anybody who can live without any fears at all, in our society? 3. Sometimes people will wake up in the morning from a dream that colors their whole day. Usually it's a dream that has fear involved in it, where you can feel like you're still in the dream, the emotions are so strong. Where is that coming from, and is the purpose of that to bring up a fear that maybe we haven't healed yet? 4. This is a follow-up on last month's question regarding suicide to end suffering: Many people, who have lived fulfilling and active lives, when getting seriously ill or incapacitated when very old, would prefer to receive limited medical care and choose not to extend their lives through the invasive means available now. Sometimes the medical establishment or nursing home staff will ``keep people alive,'' through treatments and medicine, while emotionally speaking, the person seems ready to die. Could you comment on this? 5. According to our archeological findings, physically speaking, the human race has been growing progressively larger. Is there any spiritual reason for this phenomenon? 6. February, of course, is relationship month--Valentine's day, could you tell us more about why souls tend to seek out the same souls again and again to share earth experiences with? 7. February is also Cupid's month, so we wanted to ask you if you would talk to us about angels. What are angels? 8. So, the concept that they have wings and halos, is there any basis in truth to that, or is that merely a human perception? 9. What is a fallen angel? 10. Some people say they can perceive fairies. What are fairies or spirits? 11. I know you've talked before about how we can best call on our guides, is there anything different about how we can ask for help or communication or to be touched by the angelic forces that you've described? 12. Please close with an attunement for us to use this month. STUDY GROUP #63 March 1992 1. The New Age message of the day is that we should love everyone. How do you deal with someone who has hurt you, physically or emotionally? How do you protect yourself and still love them? Is it wrong to have feelings of hatred for somebody? 2. Why does time seem to go faster as one grows older? Would you talk about the concept of ``time?'' 3. Many people who meditate in the pyramids in Egypt, or under small pyramid frames, claim to experience deeper meditations than usual. Would you elaborate about ``pyramid power?'' 4. Now that there has been a change in world politics, and the tide of totalitarian communist states has been turned around, that is, there is the creation of more democratic states around the world, do you see a positive contribution of the military efforts of the United States around the world in such places as Vietnam and in South American countries? If the U.S. had never gone to war in Korea, and Vietnam, and funneled arms to right wing groups in South America, would the world's communist systems have grown to control more countries? Is the world a better place for having gone to war, or would it have been better if we had stayed at home and worked for our economic and social betterment? 5. There is some concern today about electrical fields generated by power lines, TV, microwave ovens, and so forth, having an adverse affect on living tissue. Is this concern valid, and do we need to take steps to reduce electric field pollution? 6. Would you talk about the larger implications of the problems that are now showing up in women with silicone breast implants? 7. Can you define wisdom for us? How do we acquire wisdom? How does it affect the course of our lives? Can we backslide in wisdom? Is wisdom carried over from lifetime to lifetime? 8. Please close with an attunement for the coming month. STUDY GROUP READING #64 April 1992 1. You have said that you see humanity getting the pollution problem under control before we cause the earth irreparable harm. Can you comment more on this, as it seems that presently the possibilities for the worsening of this problem outstrip the tendencies to get the problem under control. There are great material desires in the world, and there is the expansion of use of resources and industrial production seemingly without proportional respect for the environment. 2. Magic Johnson seems like such a special, much loved human being. What could you tell us about him--his soul choices, purpose in life from a spiritual perspective? 3. What are the largest influences on a human personality? Is it what they bring into this lifetime, their parents, life circumstances, or societal influences? 4. What is the most important spiritual teaching that parents can give to children? 5. The concept of Maya, that this earth life and everything in it is but an illusion, is an Eastern philosophy embraced by many. Would you discuss this idea? 6. Sometimes it can feel like there is no true meaning or purpose to a lifetime. You're born, you work hard, and you die anyway. Would you talk more about finding purpose and meaning in life, and how to view the long-term purpose of an individual life? 7. In terms of healing such feelings as you were just discussing, it would be helpful to us if you would take a hypothetical example of someone who is feeling discouraged and depressed about life, and maybe having feelings of lack of meaning and purpose. How would he go about inviting the feelings up? What do you expect him to discover that could change his mind about his feelings and help him to feel differently. Could you take us through a scenario about how that would work? 8. In the scheme of all an individual's lifetime, how important is any one particular lifetime? 8. One of the criticisms of the belief in reincarnation is that if you believe in reincarnation, you would not make this lifetime important, or even make life itself important. One could think, ``Well if I don't do it this time, I'll do it another.'' Would you comment? 9. Please close with an attunement for us to use this month. STUDY GROUP READING #65 May 1992 1. Would you comment on capital punishment? Aren't we sinking to the level of the criminal by enacting capital punishment? 2. What about the inequality in "who" is executed. Someone with money and good attorneys is less likely to get the death penalty. The punishment seems to be less about the nature of the crime and more about the financial status of the criminal. Would you comment? 3. Some feel that people who are mentally ill should not be held responsible for their crimes to the same extent as others. To what extent was Robert Alton Harris, who was recently executed in California for murder, responsible and aware of what he did? Harris was a diagnosed schizophrenic and yet he was executed. 4. What are the benefits and liabilities of medications and electro convulsive (shock) therapy used to control or heal mental illness? 5. An important scientific discovery happened this last month, leading scientists to believe they have seen the origin of the universe, confirming the "big bang" theory. Would you comment? 6. One of our study group members writes that she generally feel a loving connection with all that cross her path, but often gets stressed out about not having the time to give each of them the attention she would like. Sometimes it feels almost addictive - this desire "to be there" for everyone. And yet it feels so right sometimes - as though she's really come to see the divinity in all human beings and wants to nurture the expression of love and compassion that she feels. How can she tell the difference between healthy, genuine love for others, and the need to constantly give to others in order to feel that she is a good person? 7. Please close with an attunement for us to use this coming month. STUDY GROUP READING #66 June 1992 This remarkable reading was done for a group in the Minneapolis area in May of 1992. The questions were written by the participants there. 1. What stage of the earth’s life cycle is the earth in and how is it affecting humanity? And how is humanity affecting the wellbeing of the earth? 2. Would you talk about the "messages from Mary" around the world that are coming through people? 3. Please talk to us about joy, with specific attention to humor, playfulness, being of service and balance. 4. Would you give us further information on the paths we walk toward healing--how can we expand our spiritual awareness when our physical and emotional states get in the way. 5. Closing. |
STUDY GROUP READING #67 July 1992 1. Would you explain the energy of money and how we can master it to draw abundance into our lives? 2. Would you talk about how to best integrate the earth-bound necessity of making money for those of us who are longing to lead a more simple life and follow our higher spiritual ideals? 3. What are we to learn from the Los Angeles riots in order to move forward and heal racism in this country? Or, do you think the riots were more about poverty than racism, or some of each? 4. Can you speak about Ross Perot in terms of his approach to ``grass roots'' government, and whether it has a chance in this political society? You once said that real change would have to come through grass roots efforts. Is this the time? 5. Can you help us to understand what is called the world ``overpopulation'' problem? What are the social, practical, political and spiritual factors affecting the growth in numbers of human beings living on earth? If you see it as desirable to do so, what would be the most effective world policies to balance the number of humans being born with our technological and societal abilities to support them? What spiritual and practical perspectives can you give us on what we call overpopulation? 6. Could you clarify to what extent honesty is absolutely indicated and to what extent tempering that honesty in light of others' feelings is indicated? 7. Could you shed some light on why the malpractice suits against physicians have become so prominent? 6. Please comment on the uses and limitations of dream interpretations? 8. Do souls ever inhabit animals? What are animals for in relation to souls or human beings? 9. Would you please close with an attunement for us to use this month? STUDY GROUP READING #68 August 1992 This reading was done for a group in the Chicago area in May of 1992. The questions were written by the participants there. 1. How can we connect with the feelings or memories that we suppress that cause our physical and emotional pain and suffering? 2. Are there blocks to creativity and fears that we have carried over from past lives, and what can we do to remove them? 3. In each of our lives, we've been told that there's a soul mate that is a perfect match for us. Is this true? If so, how do we find that personality? Is there only one perfect mate in each lifetime? How does one recognize such a personality? Is this the most important relationship in a lifetime? 4. How can we maintain faith in the face of adversity and challenge, especially in today's world which seems to be headed toward catastrophe. And, by the way, will a cataclysmic upheaval or disaster occur on earth, and if so, when and where? 5.. Please close with an attunement for us to use this month. STUDY GROUP READING #69 September 1992 1. In regard to what you just said, when we're feeling stuck in depression, or feelings that are totally opposite from the magnificent qualities that you just discussed, what is the best way to pull ourselves out of that, back to the truth and discover those magnificent qualities. 2. You often tell us to speak with others about our negativity and our feelings. Sometimes the most painful feelings, however, we're ashamed to talk about, or embarrassed to talk about or there are situations we don't really want to reveal or talk about. Is there another way to deal with painful emotions that come up besides feeling like we have to talk to somebody about it? 3. This is a follow up question from one of our Study Group members. He asks, ``In the May reading, you commented that `the forces of God were slightly expressed.' Would you describe the signposts of our expression of God? In the present what are signs of where we are expressing the forces of God?'' 4. What are people experiencing who say they have been abducted by aliens? Why are there so many that claim this, and what is going on here? 5. There is a great deal of religious fundamentalism sweeping the world, much of which teaches divisiveness, hate mongering and ``right and wrong'' according to each religion's viewpoint. If love and acceptance are the components of the Christ energies, could this fundamentalism be considered the Antichrist? 6. There is currently an emphasis among Psychology and Psychiatry to find the perfect drugs to treat mental illness. For example, there are many people who are functional because of certain drugs that treat schizophrenia. Is the chemical approach to mental illness the right one? How can it be determined when patient, "talk" therapy will be effective, and when drugs are necessary? 7. For example, some of the mentally ill that we see walking our streets, talking to themselves and pretty off the wall. They may not be violent, but they are certainly not very highly functioning people. What would be the alternative to drugs--well, I guess many of them don't take drugs since they're wandering the streets, but what would be an effective alternative to drugs? 8. Could we assume that some of these people are living this kind of life because of soul choices or because of past life experiences? 9. You have often mentioned that pain and suffering are not terrible for people, even beneficial in some ways. Could you please explain the reason for this? Does this have to do with karma? Do people need to learn important lessons, and if so, what? Is there something more pleasant that could be an equally effective teacher? 10. What does our soul consider an important experience? 11. Do Psychiatric and other (allopathic) medications interfere with the soul's communication to the personality, as do alcohol, recreational drugs and nicotine? 12. Please close with an attunement for us to use this month. STUDY GROUP READING #70 October 1992 1. What could you tell us about depression, especially long term depression. Some say that depression is anger turned inward. Is that true, or just a simplistic explanation? 2. How does it happen that some people choose, or feel most natural in a homosexual lifestyle? 3. You have said that many people today are not actively seeking to live a more spiritual life but are mainly interested in animal pleasures. You have also said that this more animal way of living is easier to succeed in than the spiritual path but that the animal path has certain very negative consequences for those following this more simple and easy animal path of pleasure. Please tell us what the negative consequences are of following this animal path and what the positive results are of following a spiritual path. 4. We want to live loving lives, but the busier we get, the more intense our involvement with projects and "earth concerns", the more remote love feels. We try to live honestly and lovingly, always working with our fears and opening to love. And yet, with all the intensity, we don't necessarily feel very happy, joyous or even loving - at least not as much as we would like. Can you talk about loving in the midst of all this intensity, and about the relationship of healing our fears and opening to love, and the feeling of happiness? 5. Thanks to the media, we receive more and more information that reveals the lies and deceptions of governments and people in control of big business. How can we reconcile this so called accepted way of doing business with our ideals of integrity and honesty? Are true integrity and honesty virtues only viable in a family? Must we accept that there will never be those kinds of ideals practiced in government? 6. Many people are fascinated by the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are a collection of ancient pre-Christian manuscripts, attributed to a group called the Essenes, discovered in 1947 in the Judean desert near the Dead Sea. When they were first discovered, it was thought that they would have a great impact on people's spiritual beliefs, but this has not been the case. What is the importance of these documents, and how do they relate to our present lives at this time? 7. Please close with an attunement for us to use this month. STUDY GROUP READING #71 November 1992 1. Would you address the present and coming changes on our planet in order to help us understand the purpose of all the difficulties and suffering that we see now in the world? 2. As we continue to expand and open, it seems that even in the most challenging times, at a deep level, we are happier and more contented and peaceful than before. This makes sense since it's an inner experience, but material things and desires seem to fall into place more easily also, sometimes even magically. When this is happening, is it just an easy or lucky period, or is it true that our inner growth has a direct impact on the events in our lives that makes life more at ease? 3. It is said that ``the eyes are the window to the soul.'' Would you comment on the body as a temple for the soul? How does the soul project itself through the body? 4. You have spoken of medicinal and other drugs interfering with conscious awareness of the flow of life force energy, of love. Do overeating and the eating of sugars have the same effect? 5. Do electric blankets interfere with the body's connection to important magnetic forces? 6. The media have brought forth reports by individuals of aliens snatching them up into a space ship and either interrogating the person or performing some operation. These individuals come from all walks of life and describe very similar experiences. Some claim that this has occurred from the time they were very small. Can you comment on this phenomena? 7. For some of us, meditation seems like a struggle. We either fall asleep or our thoughts run rampant. What can we do about this? How can we make meditation a rewarding experience? 8. Please close with an attunement for us to use this coming month. STUDY GROUP READING #72 December 1992 1. Is it necessary to achieve, as Jesus did, the ability to fully live both the human and the divine, in order to complete the purpose of our repeated lifetimes on earth? 2. What would it look like in our lives for us to express both the human and the divine? 3. Can you explain the difference between the relationship Jesus had with the Christ force and the one we each have with it? 4. Is there something about Jesus' life, perhaps some unknown event, that would be illuminating or inspiring for us to know now? 5. Can you describe the inner process used by Jesus on a daily basis to stay in touch with eternal goodness in the midst of the pain he was experiencing? 6. What can you tell us about Jesus' ability to heal that would be inspiring and useful for us in this time when many of us are dealing with deep personal pain emotionally as well as illness? 7. You once said that when Jesus embodied the Christ energy, it was the first time the Christ took on a human form and was willing to experience the pain. It sounds like Christ is like a soul, or a being like us. Can you explain? 8. Edgar Cayce and others have predicted the reincarnation of Jesus Christ in this century. What is your perspective on this? 9. You have said in a previous Christmas reading that almost all of Jesus' actual teaching has been lost to the human race, and that today's Christian religions do not accurately reflect his teachings. Please tell us Jesus' actual teaching to the human race, that which has been lost. 10. Please tell us how all of us can live and implement Jesus' true teaching to us in today's modern world with all of its great complexity and pressures and stresses. Please be specific on how we can follow his true teachings in our day to day lives, and give us modern examples of how to follow these teachings. |
