Ham on an open heart

[David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.]

07/12/98

Ham:   Greetings, children, I am Ham and I am glad to have you all in
attendance this evening.  You are all going into a new area of
understanding that is marked by this conference here.  It is very
important to bring together as many teaching mission members as possible
every year in order that you can all find comfort in knowing and
understanding each other and in finding greater fellowship, and yes,
even greater love, than you have allowed yourselves to experience until
now.   There is great joy and openness in the understanding that you are
not alone, you are not isolated in your work for the mission and your
experience in working the lessons.  Once again I need to stress to you
that those of you who have undergone the training and have taken the
time to open your hearts to the lessons in your lives, you are the seeds
of a new generation that is truly destined to bring experience, wisdom,
knowledge, and truth to your hungry brethren.

Tonight, our lesson is concerning having a welcoming heart.  These last
few months have been trying for many of you. You have undergone some
work that has strengthened your souls and tempered your characters and
more and more, you are coming to understand that all experience is
valuable and that you should welcome your new experience with an open
heart.

It takes great courage to gradually open your heart to life with all its
joy and all its pain.  But, the open heart greets newness with the
assurance that the Father's love is over spreading and encompassing all
these experiences.  And so, whatever comes to you, open your heart and
let it come in. You will find that it is mostly your fear that gives a
so called bad experience its power and the opened heart does not fear
but welcomes the sunshine and the rain, the good and the seemingly not
so good.

There are many of you who have been practicing this gradual opening of
the heart and who know inwardly that these words are true and yet, you
instinctively close down and put up your defenses without thinking.  Be
understanding that all these changes in your pattern of dealing with
life take time and it is not a failing if you cannot immediately do
everything differently.  So as best as you can  in the following week,
open your heart in welcome to everything.

Welcome new people, welcome new experience, welcome a newness withing
you, that gradual perception that something wonderful is growing within
you. As you do this, as you open yourself to the world more and more,
you will find a gentle happiness in appreciating the beauty and the
wonder in this world.   As you open your hearts, you are brining forth
your soul so that experience becomes morontia in dimension.

The openness to experience is also like a little child, seeing the world
for the first time when everything is new and wondrous.  But also, it is
like having understanding that is much advanced for your years – for the
soul is an expanded you, the eternal you and this greater self brings
with it wisdom and patience and tolerance, a gentle kindness with all
that you encounter.  This greater you, this morontia you, does not need
your protection. This morontia being has the eternal perspective on all
your experience and is untouched by the hurts and disappointments, the
pettiness of the ego self.  It is the ego self that experiences the
emotional swings, the ups and downs of living most intensely.

As you gradually open to your morontia self, as the ego mind yields to
the morontia mind, this roller coaster ride levels off because even if
you cannot consciously grasp the eternal perspective in its entirety,
the comfort of this perspective permeates your thinking.  It is this
mind that can say "Though I do not know the future, I trust that the
Father will give me what I need".

As this absolute trust begins to pervade all your thinking, and as you
welcome all experience with an open heart, you will find that the little
traumas of this life no longer affect you as they once did, that you are
not hurt so badly by the unthinking words of your brethren, and that you
are not so concerned and fearful for your material well being.  All this
is a great, great comfort, it is the peace that passes understanding.

Are there any questions at this time.

Q: I understand in the abstract what you mean by opening your heart to
experience, but I have some trouble knowing what it means on an everyday
level.  Could you elaborate or help me understand this better.

Ham: Certainly, let me elaborate on the lesson entirely.  Spiritual
growth is truly transformative. What begins as a small flickering flame
deep in the heart and is called faith eventually through one's own
decisions, through the decision to lay hold of saving faith, this small
flame becomes like a connection, a connection to the spirit that dwells
withing you.  Once this connection is secured, the soul is formed, and
the soul grows through its connection with the Father-adjuster and
through your own experience.  The soul is a combination of God and man.
It is everything that is best within you, everything that is real.
Eventually, the soul grows and I would say pushes against the ego
layers, the ego shell, the layers of fear which surround human beings.
This soul gradually erodes those layers to where the morontia self and
the material self are very close to being one.  There is a point in this
transformation where the experience of peace and comfort becomes
extremely important and the mind acquiesces to the morontia mind which
is the source of that peace and comfort so that the transformed being is
very different from the person he or she once was and other humans
marvel at their peace, their tranquility. So, it is the peace that
passes understanding is meant to mean that others who do not experience
it cannot understand it.  But, peace is an integral part of the entire
transformation process. Is this helping?

Q: Yes, but I am still not sure what I would change in the way I
approach my everyday experience that would open me up more to this soul
growth process?

Ham: There is really nothing specific for you to do. It is more an
allowing than a doing on your part consciously. All growth is
unconscious, it is not something anyone can control or speed up or slow
down.  This week, have a welcoming heart to all experience and allow
yourself the child like joy and wonder of life. That is all.

Q: Ham, do you have any pointers on ... it is easier to be open and
trusting when it is pleasant and pleasing or when you are by yourself,
but it is scary when things are unpleasant, I know this is part of
growth, but it is a hard one to deal with. Do you have any guidance on
this?

Ham: Certainly.  What you are calling unpleasant experience is essential
to growth.  There is no growing of character or widening of perspectives
if there is not the good and the bad together.  It is, of course, more
difficult to find the morontia perspective in these times and that is
also for the best because one does not stretch or grow in understanding
through everything being easy and nonchallenging.  The challenge comes
in difficulties, that is where one is tested to see differences in
spiritual awareness and in applying spiritual awareness. There must be
all manner of experience in order to truly change and grow. Is this
helping

Q: Yes, thank you, the image of opening, and staying open, especially
when difficult things are happening right then. When you are in the now
of it.

Q: Sometimes I feel like my greatest impediment to opening up and
trusting God almost comes from being in a physical body. Sometimes your
reactions are fearful in an instinctive way. I also have some tendency
towards mood swings that might be a chemical problem. How do we deal
with this physical vehicle that keeps us from opening up?

Ham: Yes, lessons that I give you would be much easier to understand on
the mansion worlds and easier to implement on the mansion worlds.  The
physical, chemical, electrical apparatus that is the body does interfere
in varying degrees at various times with your spiritual growth.
However, this is only a temporary delay, not even a nanosecond in
universe time. So when you are feeling overly influenced by the body,
whether in mood changes or painful episodes things of that nature, it is
best to have patience and know that you can wait it out, you can let go
of control over it, rest, and know that the Father is reaching you no
matter how it temporarily feels to your consciousness.  Is this helping?

Q: Yes, thanks.

Q: Rachel asked me to aks you a question. First, she wanted you to know
how much she misses you. How is Joshua and what is he up to?

Ham: Rachel, daughter, have no fears for your beloved brother. He is
doing very well and is advancing rapidly. He is adjusting well to all
his new companions and surroundings and is working on socialization
skills.  He is doing very well.  That is all.

Q: Ham, if it is not too soon or presumptuous, I was wondering if you
could tell me what me spiritual name might be?

Ham: Certainly. It is time for you to have this understanding, this
awareness of a new and greater you.  In your English language, it is not
always possible to exactly give correctly then name pronunciation.
Amalaid is close, Amalaid will do for now if that is all right.

Q: What does it mean?

Ham: It has a meaning like lovely tree, beautiful tree, like a growing
beautiful thing of strength, and a tree that gives shade and comfort,
service to all living things.  It is a meaning of great compassion one
that serves by being. Yes Amalade is very close.

Q: Do you have anything for Esmirelda?

Ham: Daughter, there is great hope for the future in remaining true to
your own expanded awareness and you own expanding soul.  Have
understanding that loyalty to truth is important and profound.

Q: A message for Elena?

Ham: Daughter, have a light heart and joyous mind. You are doing very
well.  Release anxiety and jealousy.  This is time to reveal yourself
into your own understanding without shame.

Q: Frankie M.

Ham: Certainly, son, you have a number of decisions coming up.  When
making these choices, choose what feels best in your heart and truest to
yourself without compromise or fear.

Q: Rebecca?

Ham: Daughter, you are now welcoming change and are accepting change
within yourself.  This is good and to be continued.

Q: Do you have anything for me?

Ham: Jarad, you always grow by confronting your fears. Go ahead and
continue to do this.

Q: Ham do you have anything for me today?

Ham: Yes, son, you are certainly doing well and are at the beginning, at
the threshold of entering into great changes and transformation but you
hold back and are reluctant to cross the threshold.  This is natural,
understandable, and you should not feel any pressure to change your mind
or alter you normal way of working through things.  Release guilt and
shame, take each day one at a time.  Don't try to pack too many what ifs
into your thinking. Be more focused in the now time, releasing the past
and the future. This is important. Find the now time and learn to return
to it. In this you will find a way to true happiness.

Q: Ham do you have anything for me tonight.

Ham: Yes, daughter, don't worry over trivial things. Let go of concerns
that are not all that important.  Learn to spend 10 or 15 minutes in the
stillness every day, meditation 10 or 15 minutes at least every day.
This will help release the inner nervousness that tends to make you
jumpy and irritable.

Q: Ham do you have anything for me?

Ham: Daughter, you are doing very well, you are working through some
problems that you feel have held you back, you are learning to not be at
war with yourself and to bring all your energies and focus into
constructive channels.  Go in peace, daughter, you are doing very well.
There is no inner demon at all.  You are awakening to a greater
integration of your personality that will bring you greater
achievement.  Yes, all is well and as it should be.

Q: I would appreciate any advice you have for me Ham.

Ham: Son, you likewise do well.  You are gaining in your self-awareness
and confidence.  I am very glad to see you taking some necessary steps
forward. Go in peace son, for you are doing very well.

Q: Ham, do you have a message for me please?

Ham: Son, you too have grown much and come far since we first spoke and
I am very pleased with all your diligence and sincerity.  There is still
a long ways to go, but know that you are doing very well and all is as
it should be.  Relax, enjoy life, find then now.

Q: I would welcome anything you have to say to me this week too please.

Ham: Yes, son, you have been laying a great foundation. You have been
diligent and careful using good straight wood and sturdy materials.
This is the foundation for much that will come in the future. You have a
firm basis on which to stand and to draw from.  So be at peace and know
that all is well and as it should be.

Q: Ham, are there some beings here tonight that usually are not here?

Ham: Yes, but I am not at liberty to discuss.

Q: Ham, I would like to say it is good to be here, and thank you for
your help and guidance with the conference. I wonder if you have
anything to share with me this evening.

Ham: Daughter, your diligent work for the conference will bear much good
fruit in the lives of those who attend.  There is only now the
obligation to enjoy your fellowship and open your heart to much love and
appreciation from all who attend.

If there are not further questions, I will say farewell until this
coming week when many will be gathered together. Until then, my prayers
and my love go with you each. Farewell.



--
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David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psycholgy
Department of Psychology
Vanderbilt University]
301 Wilson Hall
Nashville, TN 37240

Phone: (615) 322-7800   Fax: (615) 343-8449
Email: David.Schlundt at Vanderbilt.Edu
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     The divine mystery consists in the inherent difference which exists

between the finite and the infinite the temporal and the eternal, the
time-space
creature and the Universal Creator, the material and the spiritual, the
imperfection of man and the perfection of Paradise Deity. The God of
universal
love unfailingly manifests himself to every one of his creatures up to
the fullness
of that creature's capacity to spiritually grasp the qualities of divine
truth,
beauty, and goodness.

The Urantia Book
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