Behold Your Natural Face

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Behold Your Natural Face

    Larry Krantz:  Good day, everyone. Welcome to our time of service. This word, "service," emphasizes our purpose, not only during these times together, but at all times. We are here to serve through whatever creative fields are at hand.

    In the world where everything is upside down, people long to be served, to be ministered unto. Toward that end, they try to accumulate wealth or power-or both-to be in position to have others provide what they think they want to be comfortable. This kind of privileged life may be achieved through clever business practices or politics or athletic prowess, among others. Many of these people feel entitled to luxury and special treatment. They are the kings of the world as it is now. There are greater kings and lesser kings, often expecting special treatment, and to be served.

    There was one on earth who was the greatest king of all-the King of Kings. His was a life of service. He didn't demand the finest lodging, or gourmet food, or that servants wait on him hand and foot, or to dress in the most elegant raiment. Instead, every moment of His ministry was service-instructing His disciples, preaching, offering parables and stories, all to help guide people to a higher level of conscious understanding of spirit. He asked nothing for himself. He was too busy giving and serving. This King even washed the feet of His disciples. He demonstrated humility and service, not requiring anything be given to Him, thankful for the opportunity to serve. It is what we give, not what we get, that reveals angelic function.

    There is a cosmic law of giving and receiving. As you give, something will come back to you, one way or another. Life will provide. People do not trust the working of this cosmic law and consequently have designed myriad ways to get things for themselves. There is nothing wrong with the finer things of life, good food, clothing and shelter. What matters is the basis upon which one receives these things. If it is the result of a natural returning cycle based on a person's generation in living, it is appropriate. If it comes from selfish getting, it will never feel right or natural, and have undesired consequences. Right living sets in motion cycles that return things, one way or another. When something comes to us on that basis, we may accept what life brings with humility, gratefulness, and appreciation for what has come into our hands to be used creatively in new cycles of serving.

    To put it another way, the greatest among you is servant of all. The larger the field of responsibility, the greater the service necessary to encompass what is at hand. Our angelic job is to uplift what comes to us, not complain about what isn't present or curse difficult circumstances. There are no private parts of our lives or moments set aside when we are not serving, if we are radiant beings. Every situation is an opportunity to extend the truth of love, to reveal our true nature.

    We have challenges in this strange, fallen world-relationships, family matters, health, and finances, among others. Some view these as unfortunate obstacles. But, from a true perspective, they are simply creative challenges. In spiritual identity, we handle what comes our way with grace and creativity, knowing that it is the hardest winds that shape the rock. In difficult circumstances, true character shines the brightest.

    A byproduct of selfless service-when a person is not thinking about himself and is only concerned with extending love into a creative field-is the absence of fear and shame. Such a person is too concerned with giving. In selfless service, there is little thought about how we appear to someone else or would be affected personally. In this way, we know steadiness and stillness, a sense of balance and equilibrium-centering. No matter what happens externally, how emotions and thoughts bombard one's senses, a person may remain poised at a point of balance. Cycles move, people and situations come and go, yet from a point of stillness a person sees with clear eyes. Above the fray of human nature, time seems to slow down and there may be a more vivid awareness of Being and the purposes of spirit. Opportunities that might have been missed in the chaos of human turmoil are plainly seen.

    What is our primary area of service? It is to uplift the consciousness of mankind, to open the way for the restoration of true, divine consciousness. This is job number one for conscious angels on Earth. We are headed toward a critical time for mankind, and thus have a particular responsibility. There are stages of conscious growth through which one passes along the road to maturity. Most people stop short of the goal, stunted in spiritual development. For those who keep moving, the perspective broadens as one ascends in consciousness. A person may look at something one way, and then from a higher perspective see it differently. It may be the same situation, but seen in a new light. There should be movement upward, coming back to similar points, but at a higher perspective. Our job is to let that process work out in ourselves and inspire others to rise up as well.

    I read an article recently that examined different stages of consciousness. It made the point that there is an accelerated rate of change upward in consciousness these days. I'd like to share this with you briefly. This article used the Wilber Combs Lattice, which describes these different levels of consciousness.

    These stages of awareness could be applied to an individual, a society, or the body of mankind. The coarsest stage of consciousness is called the archaic stage. It is very egocentric, primitive, a survival mode. Such people react to their environment with little thought and can be very dangerous. It is similar to the way a baby sees the world, where everything is close in and if the baby doesn't like what is happening it cries; an adult in that stage of consciousness might strike out in other ways, with an absence of real understanding. Perhaps fallen man in the cave dweller phase was like that, and there are still those at that stage.

    A step up is the magic stage, where there is dawning awareness of a world beyond oneself. In this stage, superstitions and magical fantasies flourish, with many gods and mysterious forces. It is a childish view, as when Santa Claus or the tooth fairy seemed real. This describes primitive societies, including those using human sacrifice to appease the gods. In the story of Abraham, he had a significant change in consciousness when he realized he didn't have to kill his son. He became aware that there was one God, a focus for this planet. He moved upward in consciousness and brought many people with him.

    The next stage is called the mythic stage. In it, there is an awareness of God without much understanding. This myth-based view leads to strict religious dogma and rules. Think of the Children of Israel under Moses when many laws were given that people had to follow exactly-and some do to this day. Also, there is fundamentalism, whether the Christian variety or the Muslims with their strict sharia laws, meant to appease God as they see it. Punishments are severe for not following such rules.

    The next level of understanding is the rational stage where people question rigid rules and beliefs, and begin to think critically. The mind examines things to see if they are logical and true, as when scientists realized the Earth is not the center of the universe but revolves around the Sun. The mind has created numerous inventions to improve life, and still does. While this may be a useful step, just as we experience a natural flowering of mental function during our teen years, the potential trap is that the mind may be considered capable of solving any problem, as if it were God-which it is not!

    A further expansion of consciousness leads to the pluralistic stage. This is where people are willing to look beyond themselves and their social group. It is less judgmental, has a world-centric view, and an understanding of how systems are interconnected. It includes an understanding of ecology. So, for example, a factory should not dump chemicals into a river because it affects everyone downstream. It is a wider view of the world but still incomplete.
    As an aside, while we applaud increased ecological awareness-as it is now known-it is only a step toward true understanding. Before the Fall, there was no separation between mankind and the natural world. It was one thing, an integrated and interconnected whole, serving Life. Man had a particular responsibility as a conscious focus of the Creator, which also involved nearby planets. When Man abandoned his position, it was like a pilot parachuting off an airplane midway in a flight. When Man left his rightful position of providing direction and control, destruction and chaos ensued-to the natural world and nearby planets. Divine men and women are needed to operate the machinery of creation, if it is to work harmoniously as part of a larger system, revealing the beauty and perfection of God.

    A further stage in the evolution of consciousness is the integral stage, where there is an initial awareness of levels beyond the mind and body. This is a higher level of understanding, one that transcends the mental framework and touches into spiritual awareness. This new perspective takes into account unseen factors.

    Finally, there is the spiritual stage, which has different levels. It is where identity ascends beyond the outer world of form and yet maintains an awareness of self. At this stage, a person sees no separation between self and object and experiences oneself as Divine.

    Don't fret over details of these stages. There won't be a quiz! What is important is to see that there is a progression of understanding as consciousness and identity shifts upward toward what is true. This pattern of growth stops for most people and societies somewhere along the way. Incomplete people walk around in adult bodies. There is no need to judge the various partial states of spiritual growth, but play our part to inspire upward movement, to become complete, as mature, divine beings. We start with ourselves, letting go of what binds us to the Earth, that we might reveal our true Selves.

    This article spoke of the increasing pace of change taking place. In the distant past, when there were isolated pockets of people and travel was difficult, if there was a group or a person experiencing new spiritual insights it was difficult for these ideas, and consequent behavior, to be circulated. This changed as travel became easier, along with the printing press and other inventions. Now, we have rapid travel and instantaneous communication. We even have teleconferences like this one today! Technology can be useful in allowing new ways of thinking and seeing to be shared. Another factor is the exploding population, providing greater numbers of people capable of rising up in consciousness to allow heaven to manifest on earth.

    The most recent estimates of world population suggest that we may pass seven billion people around the time of the winter solstice in 2012. It is interesting that this number of seven billion people may coincide with this time frame. Just what that means, perhaps we'll find out in the days ahead.

    In any case, we live in unprecedented times, where everything needed is available for the restoration of humanity to divine function. Our job is to inspire change, to help lift others up, even those at the coarsest levels of understanding. The way is open for all people to see with new eyes, from a higher viewpoint. At any level of experience, substance must be generated, filling that level to overflowing, if new possibilities are to come into view. It takes courage to let go of the old ways of seeing things and accept a new vision of the world and one's place in it. We encourage people to rise up, as we have done, and still do. This is what we are about. This is our primary field of service, handling the creative fields presented to our highest vision, and thus allowing the radiation of victory to go forth into the world. We encourage the reality of each person to emerge more fully-regardless of starting point-to become more complete, more of their true Selves.

    In closing, let me share some powerful words from the Disciple James. He speaks of a person's natural face. What does he mean by that? In this fallen world, we see mostly artificial faces, false selves with humanly-devised personalities. The natural face is your true Self, who you really are. At times, we get glimpses, even memories breaking through of our true Self. At such times, we see that we have been false selves, incomplete. What do we do then? Do we forget what we have seen and go back to sleep or does this new vision inspire us to awaken more fully? That is what James addresses.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:22-25).

Life says: Be ye doers of the word. If you see your natural face, if you glimpse a higher perspective, a fuller view of your Self, don't forget it and retreat, but pay heed and live accordingly. Rise up to this new understanding. Be genuine. Generate the substance to be your natural Self, your true, divine Self. You have come on earth for a purpose-to serve and uplift all that comes to you.

We are blessed to have this consciousness and lead the way for others, as is appropriate in our circumstances. It is wonderful to be in agreement and serve our King by playing our part in letting the Earth be restored to its natural state.