Group question: The question this afternoon has to do with our spiritual focus, or our spiritual attention span. R was concerned that he was going through his days only occasionally remembering that he was in an illusion and most of the time getting so caught up in work that he was thinking about nothing but the work. When he would get home he would be more able to remember that it was an illusion but wanted to know more how focus could help in his life. Carla was concerned that she was focused on too many projects and energy expenditures and by focusing on too many projects might not be able to do what she wanted to with any one of them, and I was concerned about the focus that a creative person or a skilled artisan of any kind uses in order to bring forth the creativity that is their expression, and also the practical focus of hanging your little toes on the side of the roof so you don’t fall off. So we would like to know something about the spiritual attention span and the focus of our consciousness as we go through our daily round of activities.

(Carla channeling)

I am Q’uo. Greetings to each, and in the love and in the light of the one infinite Creator it is our blessing to be with you at this meeting, and we gratefully thank you for calling for this information. It is a blessing to us, for we are by this means able to offer our service, that of sharing our thoughts and opinions with those of your density who wish to work consciously upon the study of spiritual principles which animates and enlivens the incarnation, and creates a far more intensified and accelerated rate of potential spiritual evolution and transformation.

You wish to know more about lengthening the spiritual attention span. You wish that the weaknesses in your natures, the places where you perceive yourself less skillful, can be made stronger and more crystallized, and these are the wishes of one who seeks to do the work of consciousness in a conscious manner.

Each entity in your density works upon these spiritual principles in an unconscious manner and if you were to bury the self and the consciousness in all manner of distraction and labor, yet still would you move forward along the path of evolution. There is no ultimate resistance possible to the truth, no matter how greatly the truth has been deleted and biased as it has traveled through the increasing distortions away from the infinite oneness of unpotentiated Love. However, there is substantial percentage of this journey which can be walked at a quicker pace, shall we say, and we do encourage each to continue to work consciously.

This conscious working may seem to be repetitive, your questions may be perceived by you to be less than inspired. However, we ask each to continue asking, for it is to the persistent questioner that the universe reveals itself. Yet at the same time it is equally true that when the revelation occurs it shall occur not as you expected it. The transformations of the third density almost always come from an oblique angle and are not possessed of those obvious hints that this instrument would call “telegraphing the punch.”

So, the situation as regards the basic seeking is that it is excellent to seek intensely and to practice a regularity of meditation, contemplation and prayer. But it is well to widen the inner definition of environment to include that spiritual environment into which each is permanently imbedded, in and out of incarnation. It is from this bedrock of spiritual selfhood that the moments of transformation shall rise and the angle of perceptions of these transformations shall almost always be confusing at first but not necessarily obvious. The state of mind, then, that we can recommend is that of the utmost intensity, and at the same time, that of one who is dancing in and out of the steps of living, feeling the rhythms that murmur through the endless hallways of self.

Firstly, there is that energy to recommend which does indeed take one out of the world while one is yet quite active within this same world. Indeed, it is a useful practice to find the triggers in the daily routine which fire almost automatically and act as reminders of who the true self is which is perceiving the experiences which you perceive and experience. What sort of triggers which each can think of within the daily round? Perhaps there is the bell that strikes, or the clock which strikes the hour. Perhaps there is one symbol which can be invested—we correct this instrument—by the seeking self with a mnemonic meaning, for instance, perhaps there is a doorway through which the seeker goes quite often. This seeker can then create a secondary illusion for this door, and in the mind it becomes a magical doorway. Each time the doorway is passed the reminder becomes visible and tangible. Each time there is that momentary opportunity which reminders offer to center the self and to orient the self with regard to that overarching principle of truth which is love and service.

The second principle requires that each who listens turn the self around mentally so that the self is seated in the portion which does work in consciousness. From this point of view you are gazing at the incarnation strictly with regard to the primary environment which is a spiritual environment. This environment is within each but it must be named, expected and sought before it can be perceived. Yet, once it is perceived, this environment recreates the day-to-day environment so that whatever the environment within the illusion yet the consciousness is to some degree stayed, settled and rooted in spiritual truth so that the self continues to vibrate in harmony with the one great original Thought while it is in the midst of the busy, humming day.

You may practice for these attitudes in various ways. We shall discuss a very few. In meditation, you may with the out breath visualize the bringing in of the truth, the light, the love, bringing in the truth of love in every circumstance. With the out breath, you may visualize the releasing of all spent energies, including those judgments and self-judgments, those businesses and distracted thoughts, so that with each outbreath there is the emptying of darkness and fatigue and the inbreathing of truth, love, light. Each—we correct this instrument—we would request each to, at this time, take a few deep breaths and practice this technique. We are those of Q’uo.

[Pause]

We are again with this instrument. We are Q’uo, and greet each in love and light once more. Perhaps you shall have felt the health being breathed in as the out breath cleansed the self of that which was used up. This cleansing of the energies does indeed strengthen the stability and the spiritualized awareness of the seeker. Each is familiar already with the basic principles of working with the day’s experiences in such a way as to balance these experiences, but we would mention at this time that this a technique which is very useful for consistent and constant realignment of the self in the direction which the seeker perceives to hold more and more of truth. That technique is to, within meditation, allow the mind to ripple through the day’s experiences, searching for those things which have distracted or attracted, repelled or drawn the self during that diurnal period. Those things which were perceived as negatively oriented, then, would be brought to the conscious mind and the memory replayed.

When the self feels that emotional distortion which was the initial reaction during the day’s busy rush, this feeling or ideation shall be allowed to express and intensify within the emotional self, or more precisely, within that portion of complex of energies which is the self which deals with the emotional and mental perception, allow these feelings and ideations to become ever stronger until you feel they are well intensified. Then mentally lay down that emotion and sit with that emotion without any attempt being made to change it. Allow the complementary emotions and/or ideations to arise, allow the other side of the coin to become slowly visible. When the opposite of the first emotion is felt and has been respected and honored allow the thesis and antithesis, the original feeling and its complimentary one, to exist side by side within the mind’s eye. Both of these things is you, for each self is universal and contains all that there is. If you see that you are both things then you may also see that you are neither. These events are then transitory, as is the entire incarnation which you now enjoy. Then all may be dropped aside, for by this route you have arrived at the position in mind and heart where you recognize that fundamental environment which is spiritual and which lies around, beneath, above and beyond any of your illusion characteristics, features or realities, so-called.

A third technique for increasing the focus is to choose to undertake a short visualization on a regular basis. Some entities prefer visualizations which are static, others those which flow. Whichever the seeker chooses, we recommend the object be simple. That is, if a specific object is chosen let it be a colored object, for instance a blue circle, or a red square, or a rose. One object. Demand of the self that it continually visualize this for, say, one of your minutes to begin with. At two week intervals, if the visualization is going well, begin to lengthen that time of gazing within at that visualized object. If the preference is for a flowing visualization let it be that of watching the waves upon the shore, or the clouds rolling past, or the gazing out at the passing countryside as though one were on a train, or in a small airplane within which one may look out and see the countryside. The time constraints are the same. This is difficult work, however, it has often had good results for those who are persistent.

A fourth technique is the technique of reduction. This is especially helpful when the seeker is facing more than it can do. The principle here is to reduce the point of view, the focus, shall we say, of attention until only the part which is in front of one is receiving notice. This often might be a matter of physical rearrangement of workplace, for instance, if the desk is full of several projects, allow the time to remove all but one project from the desk. This affects the point of view and makes it materially easier to do the mental work of reduction.

This should, for best results, be integrated with the meditative work on a daily basis for without this silent listening time the energy necessary to focus down upon that one thing which one wishes to do well now will often sorely flag. It is difficult to convince seekers how much work is done within those flawed meditations which to the seeker’s own perception are not done very well. But we do assure each that it does not matter how one perceives the experience of meditation as being. What is perceived spiritually is the intensity of commitment of the continued attempt. Fidelity to the truth within one is won day-by-day, meditation by meditation, and distraction upon distraction.

The fifth and final of the techniques we would describe best as holy silliness or silly sanctity. Many are the third-density luminaries which have offered redemption to many souls by helping each entity spill forth the unhealthful tensions of perceptions, those perceptions which carry pain in their arms, burden and trouble each soul, and blessed is the entity which can learn to laugh. We recommend in the spirit of silly sanctity seeing any situation—we correct this instrument—of gazing at a situation which for some reason has involved you to the extent that you are exercising the emotions within you, and see this “gestalt” as a cartoon. Consider then what caption you would write under the picture of this moment. Allow the self to make a little fun of all of the emotions, all of the perceptions, all of the energies. It often will generate at first the kind of humorous caption which contains sarcasm, irony and bitterness. But as the work continues the seeker may well find itself generating gentler and more sweetly humorous captions as the lighting up of the whole environment begins to come more and more into [alignment] as the one great original Thought.

If you have difficulty feeling that laughter is holy, think back to the last time in which you laughed and laughed. Was there not a full feeling of receiving the expression of love, forgiveness and healing within the heart of that laughter? Laughter is the fire’s communication with the Earth as mercy is the rain’s communication with the Earth. Laughter first burns away pain, then it builds golden castles and offers to the joyous recipient the universe.

All of these techniques have in common the perception on our part, fundamentally, that there is a country within that is native. You are at home in this spiritual country which is reached only when one is willing to go deeper than the surface of things. With the will to recognize this comes the opportunity. We hope these techniques enable each to make use of the opportunity. Once this country within is truly sensed it can be re-entered in the split second that the thought …

[Side one of tape ends.]

(Carla channeling)

Work in consciousness tends to deepen feelings of isolation until it is seen that work in consciousness simply creates channels whereby memories and knowledge of that native land may be routed through the higher subconscious levels of mind to cross the threshold of consciousness and be perceived consciously as characteristics of whatever environment the seeker is inhabiting at any moment. There is nothing that is not full of glory and beauty and truth in the fundamental sense that higher truth, deeper truth, interpenetrates and shows the truth of all other environments of conscious living. By consciously becoming aware that as a seeker you are always in the native land of spirit and only visiting in the foreign land of incarnation, that incarnational web of perceptions shall be transformed. Where can the spirit not travel? It is said within your holy works “If I take the wings of the morning, yet you are there. If I go even to the depths of hell, yet you are with me.” There is no unspiritual environment. It is only that instance of intent that lies closed between the seeker and the living of every moment in the presence of the infinite One.

We encourage each to seek the peace of moment by moment living. This shall serve you well as you seek your focus, and, indeed, this is the key to focus—to look not back nor forward except insofar as it is necessary to inform this present perfect moment. If the attention strays, then bring it back, and if you do this a million times in a day and still forget, then when you remember, bring it back. No judgment, no expression to the self of disapproval, just realign. The habit is hard to make but once made it is even harder to break. May the joy of this journey enliven and transform your daily experience.

At this time we would transfer to the one known as Jim, and would continue with this instrument. We leave this instrument with thanks and transfer now. We are those of Q’uo.

(Jim channeling)

I am Q’uo, and greet each again in the love and in light through this instrument. At this time it is our privilege to offer ourselves in the answering of any further queries. Are there any further queries at this time?

I have a question, Q’uo. When I was on vacation, immediately that I started the journey, I began … the first time that I got involved in thinking about a spiritual question, I began getting a very strong signal. It seemed to be giving me very good information, but I had not tuned, I had not challenged, I had not asked for any channeling to be done. There were only two of us in the car and I did not want to channel without three. It was very persistent and that made me question its polarity. However, once I had explained this carefully within my mind the contact did stop as I requested, and has not resumed except on the way back. Again, I was relaxing in the car and I began thinking about some spiritual question and again this occurred. The strong contact, the very strong and clear flow of information, almost like I could read it, hear it. Very specific. Again I asked it to stop and it did, this time much less reluctantly.

I want to investigate what that was. Would it be in my best interest to work with it, using my own channel; would it be in my best interest to work with it using Aaron, Barbara’s inner guide? Would it be in my best interest to let it go, as being most probably negative? And finally, the other option I guess is this … the way personal guidance is received, and should I now be looking at trying to more fully develop that inner guidance that I call the Holy Spirit?

I am Q’uo, and we are aware of your query, my sister. The response to this query is somewhat complex. We shall begin. Firstly, the inner guidance of which you have spoken is available to all entities through the serious and heart-felt seeking of information leading one along the path of spiritual evolution. The means by which any seeker is able to perceive the response of such guidance depends upon each seeker’s avenues of opportunity, shall we say. The avenues of opportunity are those means by which any seeker has attempted to receive information or inspiration from those angelic presences which you may for convenience call guides.

Your particular means of perception moves along the line of your channeling ability, that is, your ability to clear a pathway through the conscious and subconscious mind, through which sources of information may move, be they the contact of Confederation entities such as we are or the movement of energies of those guides which look over your incarnational experience, or any other entity for that matter which may wish to communicate with you through this channeling ability.

The desire to know certain spiritual principles which you exhibited upon this recent journey, combined with your developing channeling ability, further combined with the substance which enhances your receptivity, allowed you to be aware of the response to your query in a much more immediate fashion than is normal, shall we say, for your experience. It is our opinion that it is indeed possible to work with these guides in furthering your own understanding, if we can use this misnomer, of your spiritual journey. However, it is our recommendation that the pursuing of this source of information and inspiration be accomplished under more normal, shall we say, conditions, such as those now utilized, that is, without the use of the enhancing substance that was a portion of your recent experience. The holding forth with the challenge is, of course, also necessary at each working, and it would be well that the group be numbered at least three. There is the possibility of receiving concept information using only your own tuning and energies, however, this information would remain in the form of concept rather than words being utilized to convey information. Thus, you would need to be able to remember the concepts for later elucidation and refinement in your conscious expression of them—words or images set to paper.

Is there a further query, my sister?

There is a query but I don’t know if there is an answer right now, and that just has to do with why I would want to do this. I feel that I have in the Confederation entities an excellent source of information and I fail to really see why I would need a personal guidance, other than the Holy Spirit that I always trusted and that I probably felt was moving me around by hunch and by guess rather than by anything, kind of A, B, C … you know, out there where you can write it down and prove it. I always was satisfied to live my life that way and it’s always worked so far. So for myself I never have desired to seek any further about guidance than just knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide me.

The reason that I thought to pursue this was monetary. I thought if I could in all conscience develop a good personal guide, as Barbara has Aaron, I could charge money for readings which I feel I cannot do with the Confederation’s universal messages. So I kind of question whether I should move forward with this at all. I can ask your opinion, that is about as far as I can question on that. Do you have an opinion as to the excellence of offering people personal readings in general, and of my doing it specifically?

I am Q’uo, and I am aware of your query, my sister. We must withhold any opinion about this portion of your query, for it is a portion of your experience which must be left to your own discretion. We feel that you have already answered your query, and refer you to your own feelings.

May we respond to any other query, my sister?

No, I would just repeat the part in general. Is there in your opinion useful information, helpful information to be gained through personal guides that is unavailable to the universal guides? Concerning spiritual principles.

I am Q’uo, and again we move most carefully, wishing not to step over the boundary of infringement. For those who feel there is such value, indeed there is such value.

Is there any further query, my sister?

Are inner guides and universal guides one and the same?

I am Q’uo, and am aware of your query, my sister. In truth, are we not all one? We do not mean to be facetious, but refer you again to that which is the nature of your service and your journey.

Is there a further query, my sister?

No, thank you. Thank you very much.

I am Q’uo, and we thank you, my sister. Is there another query at this time?

[No further queries.]

I am Q’uo, and we thank each for the inspiration of your experience. We are gratefully blessed to have been able to join in this circle of seeking. We walk with you at all times and enjoy the diligence, the humor, and the patience with which you grapple in this illusion. It is an inspiring sight and we cannot express enough our admiration for your efforts. At this time we shall take our leave of this instrument and this group, leaving each, as always, in the love and in the light of the one infinite Creator. We are known to you as those of Q’uo. Adonai, my friends. Adonai.