September 1973 - Michael Teachings Transcripts

Sept 21, 1974

Oakland

Present: RH and AH, SC and RC.

______ asked for a comment on “5 months”. When asked to expound a little, he added, “group happening”, and wanted a comment on these brief phrases. ([Is] Soleal coming [in five months]?)

WE SHOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.

_____ asked for comment on Jane Robert’s book, The Nature of Personal Reality, which deals with health, hypnosis, creating realities, and ideas of consciousness, etc.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS BOOK IS LARGELY VALID. THE APPROACH TO THE POWER IN THE PRESENT IS ONE APPROACH WE DIFFER WITH, BUT ONLY WHERE THE PERSONALITY IS PARALYZED BY CERTAIN PAST EVENTS SO THAT FEAR PRESENTS THE STRONGEST OBSTACLE TO HEARING THE WORDS.

There was a comment: something about most of us dwelling on the negative aspects of the past, which affects our present [negatively].

THIS IS TRUE, OF COURSE, BUT WE THINK THAT IF YOU READ ON, YOU WILL FIND THAT THE KEY TO THAT POWER LIES IN THE CLEARED MIND, OR THAT DEVOID OF BARNACLES: FOR INSTANCE, THE “OEDIPUS COMPLEX”. IF THAT TRAUMA HAS BECOME FIXED, AND BELIEFS ARE BASED UPON THE AMOUNT OF TRAUMA, THEN THE TRAUMA MUST BE EXPLORED BEFORE THE BELIEFS CAN BE EXORCISED.

I think this book does not have enough “how to”. It is long on principles and short on “how to”. In my work I find getting fat people to diet is virtually impossible — they will not diet. I think we are immutable.

IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE PROGRAMMING OF YOUR “COMPUTER” WAS DONE BY SOME ONE NOT COGNIZANT OF YOUR OVERLEAVES, WE WOULD SAY THAT MOST OF IT WAS TRAUMATIC, PARTICULARLY TO THE PERSONALITY.

There was a discussion on how to dress like a peacock if we don’t have money. _____ claims she was imprinted to be earning money, and feels guilty for not working. This led to the transformation of _____, and how he told _____ how hard it was not to renew his teaching contract. _____ felt that this was an act of will, and asked for a correlation between “will power” and “intuition” or essence.

IT CAN BE LIKENED TO THE CENTERS THEN, _____. FOR INSTANCE, THINK OF ESSENCE AS THE EMOTIONS, INTUITION AS THE INTELLECT, AND WILL AS THE DRIVE FORCE.

Gurdjieff says that mechanical man has no will (a #1, #2 or #3 man, that is). He may start out to pursue a course, but will succumb to societal pressures, fears, habits, etc. Gurdjieff says in order to become conscious, one must have “C” influence [direct contact with an enlightened person], and allow him to function as his will. Michael cannot function in this capacity, as they need a medium. Could we have a comment on self-remembering, embracing three things: in self-remembering, one is aware of the flower he sees, himself, and the sun shining impartially on both.

ESSENTIALLY, YES. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT NO ONE OF YOUR PREVIOUS TEACHINGS HAS IMPRESSED YOU INDELIBLY IS THAT THE MYSTICAL “AWE INSPIRING” ELEMENT WAS LARGELY PUSHED TO THE BACKGROUND. SOME RESPOND TO THIS APPROACH, OTHERS DO NOT. YOU DO NOT. WE WISH SO MUCH TO BRING YOU TOGETHER WITH A TEACHER WHO WILL BRING THIS ELEMENT TO THIS TEACHING. WE SEE THE DIFFICULTY, AND, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN COGNIZANT OF IT ALL ALONG, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, IT HAS TAKEN MUCH WORK TO PROVIDE THIS SYNTHESIS.

I become disappointed with my spiritual growth, and find myself no different than before all this work. It may be simply that I did not have the gifts in the first place. It seems a fruitless quest. I think people do not change. _____ noted a change in RH. RC said it was his [Goal of] Acceptance wanting _____ to like him. _____ then asked about the problem in Europe he had imagining people were after him. His answers were vague about Etruscan times, men used a spear instead of a handshake, and that he realized that people always used war to solve problems. History was forced upon him.

I usually can see through the masks of people so that I feel I know the other person. I do not feel I can do that with _____. I have a strong feeling of a person keeping a tight lid on, and the energy to know him is not coming out. There is a constellation of factors which makes him more considerate of others, and he has to go further to be nice to people. I am never open. When I have expressed my feelings to people, they have run. I have many precognitive dreams. At fifteen years I had a dream of a train wreck. I did not go on the train ride that was planned for the day after the dream, and twelve people were killed in that wreck. I have dreams of people with three eyes. Could I have a comment on not being able to meditate?

BRINGING OVER SOME OF THE AESTHETIC DELIGHTS REVEALED TO YOU DURING CONCENTRATION TO BEAR UPON YOUR PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WOULD ALSO AID YOU IN YOUR ABILITY TO MEDITATE, BUT THE CONCENTRATION IS A VALID METHOD (to burn out unwanted experiences). THE MAN, _____, “Living Love Center” in Berkeley) MERELY EXPANDS UPON THE THEORY OF CONCENTRATION VERBALLY.

RC: It seems that Michael could also expand. _____ expressed the desire to know from Michael if his perceptions were valid or not of _____ and _____.

THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW OF TO COME TO AGAPE, WHICH PRESUMABLY IS THE GOAL, IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEELINGS, LIKES AND DISLIKES, AND THEN COME PAST THEM. WE HAVE NOT EVER ADVOCATED THE TOLERATION OF ANY OBNOXIOUS BEHAVIOR TO YOU, AND WE NEVER WILL. IT IS FAR TO MUCH OF AN ENERGY DRAIN. THE FACT REMAINS THAT MECHANICAL MAN HAS NO INKLING OF HIS BEHAVIOR OR HOW IT IS PERCEIVED BY OTHERS. THE ONLY WAY THAT HE CAN EVER HAVE THAT INKLING IS IF SOME HIGHER BEING, OR EVEN ONE WHO IS FAR ENOUGH ALONG THE PATH TO SEE IT, WILL HOLD UP THE PSYCHIC MIRROR IN WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLE AT THE TIME. ONLY THEN CAN MECHANICAL MAN PERCEIVE HIMSELF AS OTHERS PERCEIVE HIM. THAT IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD SELF PERCEPTION. ESPECIALLY IF THE CONSENSUS [sic] THAT LATTER FACTOR IS ONE OTHER COMPELLING REASON FOR STAYING IN A TEACHING RATHER THAN STRIKING OUT ALONE. (Hello, out there!) WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS CONSTANT YARDSTICK, YOU CANNOT MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS. THE CHIEF FEATURE OF THIS GROUP IS TIMIDITY, WHICH IS A PART OF SELF-DEPRECATION. MUCH MORE CAN BE SAID: MOST OF YOU HAVE TAPE LOOPS OF AGREEABILITY GOING FOR YOU; YOUR BEHAVIOR IS STYLIZED AND RIGID; IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, THE TIMIDITY IS ESPECIALLY PRONOUNCED WHEN THE PERSON WHO NEEDS CONFRONTING IS IN AN EXALTED ROLE. WE WOULD SEE YOU LOOKING AT THIS IN THE PSYCHIC MIRROR. PROGRESS IS NEVER MADE BY TIMID PEOPLE — ONLY BY THOSE WHO ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO RESIST THE PRESSURES EXERTED UPON THEIR PSYCHE BY THOSE MECHANICAL MEN AROUND THEM. AS LONG AS YOU ALLOW THOSE AROUND YOU TO DICTATE YOUR MOOD OF BEHAVIOR TO YOU, YOU WILL REMAIN ENTRENCHED IN THE FIXED TAPE LOOPS, AND THERE WILL BE NO PROGRESS. WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU, R., WHETHER YOU ARE UNIVERSALLY LIKED? THAT, GIVEN MECHANICAL MAN’S MOTIVES FOR LIKING, SIMPLY IS NOT POSSIBLE. YOUR HOMEWORK WOULD BE TO PERCEIVE YOUR VORACIOUS NEED IN THIS AREA, AND TRY TO SATIATE IT ONCE AND FOR ALL. (Eat it before it eats you. Arrrghhh!) THE ACCEPTANCE, OF COURSE, IS YOUR STRONGEST OVERLEAF. YOU MAY CHANGE THIS. WE WOULD RECOMMEND AT LEAST BLUNTING IT. IT IS TAKING ITS TOLL. IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GROW WITHOUT THIS. THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR R.H., ONLY HE IS AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE REPRESSION [Mode] IS STANDING BETWEEN HIM AND HIS ESSENCE.

To _____: You have adopted an artificial language in order not to offend others. It makes it hard for me to understand you.

Due to the rigidity of my beliefs, I cannot move freely. Is there something Michael could say to help me at this point?

YOUR MOST DIFFICULT LESSON WILL BE IN ACCEPTING THAT YOURSELF IS RESPONSIBLE AND NO OTHERS, R.C. ONLY THEN CAN YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

RC: Sock it to me, Michael, so I may be a better person for it.

SINCE YOUR OWN CHIEF FEATURE IS SELF-DEPRECATION, R.C., YOUR OWN TIMIDITY IS STRONGER AND THEREFORE NEEDS THE WORK. THE START NOW HAS BEEN GOOD, BUT YOU MUST NOT DWELL ON THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS. THIS IS A HORRENDOUS DRAIN IN ENERGY. JUST SAY IT. MOST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE BEEN RIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE FELT STRONGLY. PRACTICING WITH THOSE YOU TRUST IS ALL RIGHT FOR THE PRESENT. IT IS VALID THAT IF IT IS THE TRUTH YOU SPEAK, MOST HAVE NO REJOINDER. ONLY THOSE IN REJECTION WILL SOMETIMES REJECT EVEN THE TRUTH.

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