Here is the text of this conversation:

“Let’s revisit the central maxim of SP: ‘Live and Enjoy.’

“Until you can live and enjoy, learning and remembering is empty, and without learning and remembering there is no complexity enhancement to the spirit – and so forth.

“Live and enjoy. But some say that their lives are in such dire straits that they have nothing to enjoy. Which begs the question: Are you the product of your life or the creator? Tell me about any life circumstance and I can show you many spirits for whom that situation was filled–to some degree–with joy. I am not saying glee, but at least a sense of meaningful understanding which brought a sense of well-being.

“So, it is not life circumstances that dictate if that circumstance is to be enjoyed, but rather the spiritual experience of it.

“You want an analogy? Ok, licorice-flavored ice cream. It is up to you, and not the ice cream, as to whether you will enjoy it. Likewise, caviar… and everything. When I say ‘live and enjoy,’ I mean to live in such a way that one is always looking for the potential bits of joy and focusing on them.

“To truly suffer is to find all paths to joy blocked by one’s approach unlike to life. Life, like all existence, always has some positive element. And each spirit has the choice to recognize it or not. That’s the message.”

After hearing this podcast about "Live and Enjoy" you might want to explore more at:

http://www.spiritualpersistence.com/whatis.htm

and

http://www.spiritualpersistence.com/pointsarch.htm

From time to time, we have what we call a “bench,” a conversation with several spirits. Back in 2017, we talked with two spirits in such a bench session. 

“Greetings, o temporal ones. People often think of schemes in a negative way. Schemers are seen as bad. But isn’t All That Is a scheme and a schemer of which we all are a part? Do we not blend our own dreams and plans into the cauldron of being? Do we not shape and are we not shaped by the shared creation of all the dreams and plans?”

“Here’s a thought: All dreams and plans are for naught in the fullness of All, and yet the fullness of All is NOT without the plentitude of dreams and plans. And lest you think your dreams and plans count the most, the simplest Jurassic worms’ sense of being and becoming count as much as yours. It is not a hierarchy, and not a competition, but a sense of holographic unity and necessity and cooperation. If you at your level of complexity can dismiss or diminish another’s, then what value do yours have?

“Unless you are All, then you must be a contributing part. No better or worse than any other part. Got it?!”

“Ok, next. ‘Me?’ No, her. ‘O’ “

“Hello. I don’t understand why he calls me ‘her’ because HS is an entity of essence beyond gender as am I, and you and them and Sandy... woof? Yes!

“The markers of identity are useful for the earliest building blocks of any complexity, but they must be overcome in the process of development. At less complex levels, they too had dividing and divisive categories which seemed to propagate their identity but look, hey, if they had been essential you’d still be living them out. But you don’t! And things like gender will fade away before you move on. And then you can try to use new identifiers of difference until you learn and remember to focus beyond the differences. And so on and so on and so on.”

Here's the text of this conversation:

A Tale of Gratitude

 “It is about the poorest person in a town--or at least the person with the smallest house and the least amount of money. But before I get to them, let me tell you about the neighbors.

 “The mayor lived in a great mansion. But when Thanksgiving came, the mayor decided not to have any guests because guests always seemed intimidated by the great house.

 “Next door was the butcher, a jolly sort, who made sure everyone had the proper meats and poultry for the occasion. But when the last bird had been sold, there was none to be taken home, and how could people be invited in to an empty table at the butcher's house?

 “And the same at the wine merchant’s. How could anyone with wine left out of their own list, host an event?

 “The greengrocer had a large bird, but no side dishes. And so it went: baker, candlestick maker, and the like. Even the carpenter had sold the last chairs, but to the house which now had chairs but not a table.

 “So, everyone was at home alone--some with a bird but no rolls nor butter, and others with a great number of side dishes but no turkey. And over the town, there was a collective sigh… aww. But then the smallest door on the smallest house with the fewest chairs and no table and no food banged open and a voice called out: ‘My door is open. My heart is open. My life is open.’ And so the town all packed into the little room with nowhere to sit and nowhere to put down food and the platters were passed again and again, and everyone ate crammed in like sardines. And they were all happier than they imagined they could be. And then a small voice called out: ‘This is the best!’ And a cry arose: Amen. And the owner of the littlest house was filled with joy. Do you know why? Because a holiday of abundance is always not about what you don't have, but what you do have.

 “As the stars filled the heavens and the sated townsfolk filled the street, it was a time of shared spirit that none had planned and all had loved. For the mayor didn't need to set a gala, the butcher didn't need to cook a roast, the baker didn't need to knead anything, etc., etc., but they all could share the spirit of it all.

 “Happy T-giving.”

Here's the text of this conversation:

“Fabric of being, strands of experience, woven fine but durable. Point out to your clients that the durability of their memories indicate the strength of the intertwining of their lives. If it had not meant something for both of you, the memory wouldn’t be so strong and lasting. We move on, not because we cease to remember, but because we remember and understand.”

Here is the text of this important conversation:

“Each entity has its own equivalent of physical senses, but you can't say you experience them the same, yet you get glimpses of the sensate items of entities just one level of complexity away--both more and less. And get ready for this: You experience all other sensory input of all levels, but don't understand so you don't perceive.

[Elissa then mused: ‘You often say that if such and such were true, then it wouldn't be logical …’]

“When I speak of logic, I speak not of Aristotelian nor even anyone else, but in terms of ‘does the possibility allow for the spiritual understanding of the whole which I paint. Does my reduction to physical terms remain consistent or not. The important word there is ‘reduction.’ Yes, I speak in terms which you can understand and apply or else what's the point of all of this. Remember none of this is meant to be taken literally, but symbolically. So, it appears literally true in your existence, but that is a true illusion. As opposed to a false illusion.

“A false illusion if applied to all existence would either deny all existence or reduce it to absurdity without meaning. True illusion always points to higher, more inclusive, more universal understandings. I could tell you things in ways that make sense at other levels but which don't at yours and those would be false reductions. If it is not universally true, don't peddle it as such …”

Here is the text of this episode:

“So, a time of doubt and worry.

“If I had given up during G’s many campaigns, I would have lost my mind. I had to have hope and faith or else life would be without meaning.

“Hope provides the image of the possible and faith keeps the spirit focused on that hope. When we said ‘faith,’ it was a faith in Providence—the divine progression toward the good and away from evil. Our Creator did not embue this sphere of existence with failure. Now, that same source did not embue it with success, either, but did inculcate in humanity the potential to be hopeful and faithful in the gradual but continual, if not consistent, progress toward the good.

“Providence does not remove the stumbling blocks along the way, but does promise there will be a path. I held that faith close so often, and the path did appear even when the way was seemingly cluttered with obstructions.

“And I share this little insight: When I focused on the obstructions, I found no paths. But when I focused on that faithful promise, a way would begin to appear.”

Here is the text of today's episode:

“In all things, look for allies with whom to share both the struggles and the victories. I think you will be surprised by some who will claim to be party to the victory when they raised nary a hand in the struggle. The best friends are long term.

“There will be a period of reconciliation coming. We French failed with that, but it is essential. When the proper democracy is restored do not take revenge, but be diligent in setting the boundaries for the future. And don’t be daunted by those who reject the changes needed to create those boundaries.” 

Here is what President Jefferson said:

“I don’t know if I dare to enter your times. My friend, Mr. Paine wrote that these are the times that try men’s souls. And now women, too. 

“But I have faith in the institutions of democracy. Most of the most flamboyant expressions of passion which might lead to disruption are of a very small minority. In my time, while many knew of the pamphlets and tracts, few were authors. Your history portrays great masses influenced by them, but if one in 10 knew of them, it was amazing. Don’t take the stars of the press to be the fixed constellations of the heavens. 

“There are qualities and sensibilities which transcend the times and circumstances. And I join with Mr. Parker on the moral arc of the universe. Be of good spirit. Hold fast to American principles. And remember, when I was elected we didn’t know the outcome for weeks. Just because communications are faster, that does not mean issues will be complete sooner.”

Here's the text of today's conversation:

“Let’s just remember this simple equation: that of the things you learn you remember more that are sustaining than not. See, simple. Ok. Talk with peeps. They often dwell on things not worth keeping and remembering. Sustaining does not always mean idealized. Actually, reality is better remembered and then sifted for that which sustains.

“Angers, let them go. Great travail without learning, let it go. Walking three miles to school uphill both ways through two feet of snow, let it go. Real learning is apparent, not milked. That’s allowing other learning remembered to inform you. But to have a struggle point and say ‘I am going to stew over this until I understand it,’ does no good.

“Isolating such a time to analyze it is less helpful than trying to connect it into a larger field of meaning. Let’s just put it this way: Don’t obsess. In fact, when a period of travail is fully integrated into larger understandings and meanings, one stops remembering it in detail and only in context. And one then stops speaking of the details and can speak of the learning. Unconnected events are remembered as details. Connected events are remembered as understandings for what they reveal. Listen to people. Some will recount every little goddamn detail but without any synthesis. You both did that when I died, but with understanding you stopped focusing on the details and so could be open to larger meaning.”

Here's the text of this podcast:

All of the models I have shared of planes, matrixes, matrices, matri … All of those models are really translation tools. What kind of books did I have the most of? Language dictionaries. And did any of them contain the essence of existence for those who spoke that language, no. They were tools, but the words were simply symbols and representations for understandings. Just like my models–ways to convey understandings, but not inherently true or meaningful. They offered a way of seeing what can’t be seen. Don’t try to extrapolate to other systems of symbols. One of the ways religions go awry is when they try to use spiritual symbols to do politics and science and rap music.

“So, always remember... no no no no... never forget that these things are just symbols, and the reality is larger than any physical symbol set. Ok, hold onto your hair. There are also spiritual symbol sets. And the spiritual symbol sets help the spiritual conceive and understand what is more universal than spirit. What?!?! Is she really saying that there are existent existences other than physical and spiritual. You bet your bippy!

“Primitive religion in the physical world was a form for understanding physical existence for those newly arrived from a pre-existing state of being. What?!?! Is she saying that the physical is only a step on a continuum, and there were other symbol sets of understanding before the physical, and there will be others beyond the spiritual. I am saying that! Now, try to get your physical and/or spiritual head around that!

“We have always moved on from simplistic singularity towards universal connection, and every expression of that progression is its own complexity which is illumined and understood.”

“Each level of complexity has its own sets of symbols and understandings. And each senses and makes comprehensible the sets that pre- and post-exist the current existence set, but no more. You have an innate sense, at your level of complexity, of something less complex and something more complex. You have chaos, physicality, and spirituality–that’s your three. But “for other levels of complexity, your physicality was their spirituality, and your spirituality is others’ chaos.” I think I have done enough damage.”

(3/6/2011 - I#186)