PERSPECTIVES: "God," Bay Area Trip, and More
Published: Sat, 08/31/13
MICHAEL STUDENTS RETREAT
I'll be attending a gathering of Michael students in northern California October 10-13. Here is information about it:
http://www.michaelmosaics.com/eastwestgatherings.html
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BIRTHDAY DINNER
I'll be in the Bay Area on my birthday. Anyone who wishes to is invited to join a gathering of friends/clients/etc. at:
Mela Tandoori Kitchen
536 Golden Gate Ave
(between Polk St & United States Highway 101)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Civic Center
(415) 447-4041
melatandoori.com
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 5:30+ (come when you can)
$20/person (cash) for an Indian buffet. Both vegetarian and meat dishes will be served. Please RSVP to me by the day before, if possible, so I can give the restaurant a head count.
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REQUEST FOR REVIEWS
If you've read the new edition of "Journey of Your Soul: A Channel Explores the Michael Teachings," it would be very helpful if you'd post reviews:
http://tinyurl.com/JOYSAmazon
http://tinyurl.com/JOYSBN
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UPCOMING BOOKSIGNINGS/LECTURES:
Wed., Oct. 9, 7 p.m. Copperfield's Books, Sebastopol, CA
http://copperfieldsbooks.com/
Sun., Oct. 13, 7 p.m., Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
http://www.bookpassage.com
Mon., Oct. 14, 7 p.m., Open Secret Bookstore, San Rafael, CA
http://opensecretbookstore.com/
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PRINT INTERVIEW ON "JOURNEY OF YOUR SOUL":
http://www.examiner.com/article/shepherd-hoodwin-journey-of-your-soul-a-channel-explores-the-michael-teachings
RADIO INTERVIEWS:
Philip Mereton, "Conversations Beyond Science and Religion":
http://webtalkradio.net/internet-talk-radio/2013/05/27/conversations-beyond-science-and-religion-how-to-channel-spirits/
Patrick Walters, "Triangle Variety Radio":
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/trianglevariety/2013/04/10/patricks-tuesday-night-review-with-shepherd-hoodwin
John Fortuna, "Enlighten Up":
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/johnfortuna/2013/04/16/shepherd-hoodwin-and-kathleen-barton
Jim Malliard, "The Malliard Report":
http://www.blubrry.com/malliard/1761213/shepherd-hoodwin/
Rob Sharpe, "Mystical Cruise" (Parts 1 & 2):
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/biteradiome/2013/05/11/journey-of-your-soul-with-shepherd-hoodwin
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/biteradiome/2013/07/27/the-michael-teachings-with-shepherd-hoodwin
Rachel Love, "The Rachel Love Show":
http://podroom.a2zen.fm/media/journey-of-your-soul-with-shepherd-hoodwin-on-the-
Jeffery Pritchett, "Church of Mabus Radio":
http://churchofmabusradio.com/1687/church-of-mabus/shepherd-hoodwin-journey-of-your-soul-a-channel-explores-the-michael-teachings/
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COMPILATION OF ORIGINAL MICHAEL TRANSCRIPTS
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro based "Messages from Michael" on transcripts from Sarah Chambers' original Michael group that met mostly in the 1970s. A group of volunteers has compiled these and made them available, both in print and PDF, at:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/michaelteachings
Volume 1 (619 pages) contains the edited transcripts. Volume 2 (559 pages) contains charts, cartoons, drawings, three compilations made by the original group members, background information about many of the group members, interviews with several original members and Michael channels, and a history of the Michael Teachings.
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THIS ISSUE'S CHANNELING
This is from "Being in the World," which will be available as an ebook shortly.
GOD
Channeled from Michael
By Shepherd Hoodwin
[This chapter consists of excerpts from various channelings, mostly lectures. The first is one of the most memorable and hilarious experiences I've ever had with Michael.]
DEFINING GOD
Q. Is there a God?
It depends on how you define this term. [Thunder was heard at this moment.] Thank you! You see, "He" does not like being defined! But if you perceive this word to represent the creative force of the universe, or the organizing principle of reality, or the consciousness of the whole, then yes, God exists. In saying that you love God, you are therefore saying that you feel yourself to be part of what is true, what organizes and binds things together. However, if you define this term as like an Old Testament patriarch who is wrathful when you cross him, then no, no such thing exists. We prefer the term "the Tao" because it brings up fewer preconceptions, although the Tao could be differentiated from God. The Tao could refer to the undimensional source beyond all universes from which universes spring. God would then refer to the highest consciousness of a particular universe.
UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Every part of the whole has consciousness. The consciousness of one of your fingers is not as large and complex as that of your entire body. Your consciousness is not as large and complex as that of the solar system, which is, in turn, not as large and complex as that of the universe. The consciousness of the universe is sometimes referred to as God. Since you are part of the universe, you are part of God, although the universe has a consciousness beyond the sum of its parts.
If you experience unification among your internal parts, you have a sense of connection with the larger whole that teaches you more about God than twenty philosophy books.
THE WAY
Q. The Chinese word "Tao" means "the Way." Why don't you just call it that?
A. "The Way" sounds a little bit like there is only one way or path. In fact, all life is the Way.
THE EVER-CHANGING GOD
The churches foster the idea of an unchanging God. God is both unchanging and ever-changing. God does not have to be static to be wise. God flows, and if you are going to be with God, you need to flow, too. You can find stability and comfort in change.
IDENTITY IN GOD
There are different levels of God. The highest level of God is its overall consciousness. When you think of God, you are usually referring to this. We all contribute to that overall consciousness.
The individual cells of your body each have their own consciousness. All those cells together make up your body. Your body as a whole, however, has its own aggregate consciousness. It responds to the consciousness of all the cells in it, but it is also something more than just their sum. It acts upon them, bringing something new to them, just as they act upon the overall consciousness. What is commonly thought of as God is similar in its relationship with its parts. God includes everything, yet is more than everything.
A cell in your finger has its own sense of itself, but you could say that it also has larger identities. For example, it is part of your finger, your arm, your entire physical body, and you. Likewise, the totality of God is much greater and wider than what you individually experience, but God is your ultimate identity. Your way of experiencing Earth is like nobody else's, so you bring a unique experience to God.
Q. Is God a compassionate being?
A. Yes. It is true that God is love. God is compassionate and wise. It sees the reasons for everything being the way it is, and accepts and loves it, without judging it.
God is evolving, too; it is continually learning things, at levels we are not capable of comprehending. It does not have all the answers to begin with. Otherwise, why would it go to all the trouble of experiencing the universe? We are part of God existing in this realm to have experiences. It is a vast and grand affair of which we are part. It has tremendous design and order, yet great spontaneity and surprise as well.
You might say that the game is partly about aspects of God discovering or increasing their awareness that they are God and using their power as God to create. Possibilities are God's playthings. The universe is made up of infinite possibilities, so God will never run out of playthings. God likes to see "what would happen if...." God does not know until it tries, just like any of us.
Q. This is scary for me. How can I ask God to advise me and tell me His will if God doesn't know it?
A. It is comforting to think that God knows everything. It is like a child thinking that his parents know everything. As he grows up, he finds that is not so, although they may know enough to be good parents, providing him with love and wisdom. God includes all the knowledge that exists, but there is an infinite amount of knowledge that has not yet been created. Creating new knowledge is part of your purpose.
God can guide you because it has a good idea of what your next step is. First of all, you planned your life before incarnating, and God knows your plan, as well as the larger picture. Also, God has obviously had an enormous amount of experience. It does not have to know all the answers; It has enough answers for your needs.
Your trust in God has not been misplaced. You can be delighted to be part of God and to participate in this great process of growth and evolution.