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MMW - June 17, 2017 - Your Recipe For Happiness MEntity: Hello to each of you. We are here, now. We can begin. Today we are discussing the concept of Happiness. Before we launch into any technical and intellectual elements for understanding, nurturing, and sustaining Happiness, we will ask each of you to answer a set of questions. INSTRUCTION - each of you would answer a question as it is posed. If you choose not to answer, indicate that you are opting out from answering. FIRST QUESTION - though there may be plenty of terms, phrases, and words to define Happiness, what is a single word that you would use to describe your idea of Happiness. Only a single word. ClaireC: Joy BrianW: serenity Maureen: Peace DianeHB: Peace :) DianeC: contentment PeterK: Peace Bobby: Security MEntity: SECOND QUESTION - though there may be many terms, phrases, and words that could support your definition of Happiness, use 3 words that describe what you feel are vital to supporting your definition above. The 3 words can reference anything, but be as specific as you can. BrianW: Could you provide an example? MEntity: EXAMPLE - FREEDOM - money, health, travel Take your time. We await responses. ClaireC: Essence manifesting as joy. DianeHB: Peace - meaning, security, community PeterK: PEACE: Fulfillment, Intimacy, Security. BrianW: Serenity: Stability, Clarity, and Satisfaction ClaireC: Joy - sharing, caring, loving Maureen: Peace: Non-Attachment, Rest, Clarity (of seeing Love) Bobby: Security: Physical safety, Needs fulfilled, Intimacy DianeC: stable health, intimacy with family and friends, time with few obligations MEntity: Keep these notes available as we explore the concept of Happiness to see how your definition and requirements may correlate to what we have to say. This exercise explores the first area of the concept of Happiness, which is that Happiness must be DEFINED and this definition is nurtured by the fulfillment of your REQUIREMENTS. On the broadest of levels that include all personal definitions of Happiness, we define Happiness as Emotional Pleasure. There is more than one type of Happiness, but at the center of each type is this Emotional Pleasure. We will describe what we see as the 7 Types of Happiness. You may find that your Happiness is in only one Type or it may be in multiple Types. PRIMARY HAPPINESS - This is the happiness that comes from just being alive at all. It is a kind of primal awe that is underneath all of your accumulated challenges to happiness. It has no reason, no logic, no question. It is that moment when you know that nothing matters and that everything matters. It is that moment when you take in that moment or person or experience and connect with the ancient part of you that is immortal and epic. This Primary Happiness is always present and the most accessible of all Happiness. It is also the most avoided and dismissed. CREATIVE HAPPINESS - This is the Happiness that comes from being creative in any way, from giving birth to being artistic to having a project to problem solving. It is the Type of Happiness that comes from the core of you that enjoys the new, enjoys change, encourages progress and solutions. PHYSICAL HAPPINESS - This is the Happiness that comes from the sheer delight of sensation, from eating, drinking, indulging, dancing, improving health, nurturing health, having sex, masturbation, roller coasters, etc. SOCIAL HAPPINESS - This is the Happiness that comes from being with others, from sharing, from helping, from caring, from reaching out, from reaching back, from conversations, from connecting and resonating and empathizing. INTELLECTUAL HAPPINESS - This is the Happiness that comes from "being yourself," from expressing yourself, from communication and clarity, from teaching, learning, meditating, and contemplating, and from philosophies. PURPOSEFUL HAPPINESS - This is the Happiness that comes from the meaning you draw from and infuse into your life, your existence, and relationships and motivations and directions. This is the Happiness that many tend to "seek" or think must be found, but that is not how it works. SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS - This is the Happiness that comes from your sense of active or passive participation in existence beyond the obvious, beyond this life, beyond the tangible. This can tend to be Happiness that comes from any intangible concept such as the past, the future, or "God" or Love. This is another Happiness that is always present and quite accessible, but is most distorted or exploited. Before we move to the next area of exploration, we will ask of you a self-assessment: WHICH TYPE/S OF HAPPINESS DO YOU TEND TO MOST EASILY FULFILL? ClaireC: Intellectual and Social. DianeHB: Creative, social, intellectual Creative, Social, and Intellectual (sounds familiar to my top 3 of the nine needs) Bobby: Physical, Social, Intellectual DianeC: Physical, Social and Intellectual PeterK: Creative and Physical. Maureen: Social, Intellectual, Spiritual BrianW: Although I could make an argument too for Spiritual with my dream state MEntity: WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR ORIGINAL DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS, do you see where it may fit into a Type, or a combination of Types? DianeC: Yes ClaireC: Yes Bobby: I think it fits BrianW: I think so PeterK: I do for two of my keywords, but not the third. DianeHB: Yes Maureen: Yes MEntity: Peter, we were referring to the single word that you chose to define your Happiness. PeterK: Ok, sorry. I'll take a look again. PeterK: I see a vague connection, but not anything that pops out at me. MEntity: You chose PEACE. This could fall into any of the Types of Happiness. The key here is that this initial definition of Peace is likely already at play in one or more Types of Happiness. PeterK: Thanks, that helps me see the connection. MEntity: There is likely PEACE in at least one Type of Happiness. WHICH TYPE OF HAPPINESS SEEMS MOST OUT OF REACH FOR YOU? Note: As you consider this, you may be surprised to find that you realize none of the Types are truly out of reach. This may or may not be the case, but it is possible. ClaireC: Purposeful PeterK: Social. BrianW: Physical and Primary DianeC: I believe I am aware of and able to access all types of Happiness. Bobby: Purposeful although not truly 100% Maureen: None are out of reach, and oddly most are fulfilled, but the one these days that's hard to "grab" is Primary Happiness. I associate that with Non-Attachment. I used to access that more. I miss it. DianeHB: I would say Purposeful MEntity: Primary and Philosophical/Spiritual Happiness are most accessible and most dismissed or distorted. Primary Happiness is easy to dismiss for two reasons: One is that it is "too easy." For some, the ease of access to a basic Happiness is simply rejected. There is comfort in misery. There is a fear that if happy then one's sense of motivation would halt or that it is a kind of giving up. In other words, Happiness is "not supposed to be easy," it must be earned. It must be deserved. And there is no one to constantly remind and prove that it is deserved. So any moments of Happiness are met with suspicion and distrust and immediately squashed. The other reason is that the suffering of others makes it difficult to enjoy the random moments of joy in one's own life. It is a guilty pleasure, something to put off until everyone can share in it or have their own. When others are not happy, it is difficult to allow oneself to be happy. Maureen: That second reason sounds "right"...for me. Bobby: Is Happiness really as simple as choosing it? MEntity: Yes, Bobby, it is that simple, but not in the sense of choosing an object. It is not a thing that is found or bought or picked up. It is a state that must first be allowed and then nurtured. It is simple in the sense choosing how to see, how to think, how to feel, and owning the self as a holistic organism that has a right to a moment of Emotional Pleasure, even amid the most challenging moments of life. Genetics and Environment contribute to the challenges of Emotional Pleasure and Happiness, but they can never destroy access to Happiness. We are speaking of Happiness as an accessible state, not as a conclusive state. One can never live only in Happiness. It is visited. This is what is most important in terms of our discussion today: Happiness is ACCESSIBLE. It can be a moment to moment dance or long arc of months of Happiness. But it will always fall out of reach and it will always return. We asked each of you for your Definition of Happiness and then asked where your Definition might fall into one or more Types of Happiness. Now we will describe the 9 Requirements for Happiness for you to compare your own Requirements for Happiness. Brian was already noting the relationship to the 9 Needs, and this is from where we draw the 9 Requirements for Happiness. Using the Positive Pole of each Need, the 9 Requirements are: TRUST, PRESENCE, INDEPENDENCE, PROSPERITY, AUTHORITY CREATIVITY, OPENNESS, SHARING, and WISDOM [The 9 Needs: Security, Adventure, Freedom, Expansion, Power, Expression, Acceptance, Community] For any Type of Happiness to be fulfilled, there are up to 3 NEEDS hooked into that Type. This will be different for each person. For example, for CREATIVE HAPPINESS, one may require CREATIVITY, SHARING, and AUTHORITY, while someone else may require TRUST, INDEPENDENCE, and OPENNESS. The 3 Needs you naturally tend to fulfill or prioritize are the ones that keep your access to Primary and Philosophical Happiness alive. The 3 Needs you most neglect or find difficult to fulfill are the ingredients necessary for the Type/s of Happiness you feel most difficult to obtain. The more you fulfill all of your 9 Needs, the more accessible the range of all Types of Happiness, but when you know there is a Type of Happiness you desire, but it seems to be out of reach, it is the focus on your most neglected Needs that will help you to access that Type of Happiness. Does this make sense to our students? DianeC: Yes Bobby: Yes PeterK: Yes ClaireC: Yes Maureen: Yes DianeHB: BrianW: Yes MEntity: In addition to understanding all of the above, we add that there is FALSE HAPPINESS. FALSE HAPPINESS can be of any Type when the ingredients used are the negative poles of the Needs. FEAR, DRAMA, ANXIETY (commitmentphobia), APPROPRIATION (cancer), BLIND OBEDIENCE (authoritarian), LIES, MANIPULATION, INDISCRIMINATION, GOSSIP If you are using any of these methods for fulfilling any Type of Happiness, it will be a False Happiness. Sometimes what we share with you will be all too familiar and already well known, even without our ever having shared a word. It can be as if you are standing at a cliff and we point out where it is on a map. You already know there is a cliff in front of you, but the map may help you to find a way down or around. We know you know what Happiness is and have experienced it in both True and False ways, but "here is a map" for future reference so that you can be proactive rather than reactive. We cannot do the work of sustaining Happiness for you, as you know, but the tools are there for you, for free, as an unlimited resource and availability. There will be inherent challenges and there will be constructed challenges to Happiness, but it is there, even if hidden in fleeting moments. The goal is not to aim for a resting place of Happiness, but to get to the end of your life and have a stack of moments that are yours. It is these stacks of moments, however fleeting, that define in great part what a life means to you. To avoid, ignore, squash, or wait for deserving any of those moments is cruel. We encourage each of you to do the work of collecting those moments for yourselves, but also to be that moment for others. If you choose to do so. Be that moment for yourself and for others. They do add up. They are worth it. And your existence is already your permission. Look over your notes and consider the map we shared. Explore for the next week or so a favorite Type of Happiness you wish to nurture and consider what ingredients may be necessary for you to generate that Happiness. Experiment. Play. Help each other. Encourage one another. That is, as usual, only if you choose to do so. We will conclude here for today. Good day to each of you. We share in your Happiness. Goodbye, for now.

January 6, 2000 Troy Tolley, Channel Conscious Connection to Essence Note: This series continues in Michael Speaks -- Conscious Connection to Essence (2 of 3). [Michael_Entity] We are here. One moment. Welcome to your New Year. We realize and understand the significance of this marking, as it is an ingredient of human sentience to measure time with great marks. It also marks the close of one of the more unusual “windows” for a Nexus (parallel shift), which has not gone unnoticed by many of you. As we move into this topic, “creating conscious connection to Essence”, we feel it best to have it an on-going discovery on your part, a journey of remembering, or a journey of re-connection. You will always “embody” or express Essence, even if only minutely. It is never a matter of “finding” Essence or seeking Essence, it is always about becoming CONSCIOUS of Essence. When you, as Personality, are lacking consciousness in direction or action, feelings, thoughts, etc., you are limiting Essence’s expression, but you can never truly limit Essence. You merely limit your personal intimacy with Essence. Essence will freely allow a Personality to run “amok” or fall into fear and pain, though these experiences are ALWAYS as a result of a Personality’s decisions. Essence inherently steers a life away from these, but Personality is invaluable to Essence and Essence can never know what “burns” unless at least ONE version of a Personality touches the “fire” so to speak. For those experiences, Essence is deeply grateful, even if it, itself, is inclined more toward what the nature of a particular universe is. In this case, your universe is EXPANDING, therefore Essence seeks expansion as well. Expansion is recognized in terms of pleasure, fulfillment, happiness, joy, and love… those things that give Personality pleasure are in synchronicity and alignment with Essence. This is so, regardless of temporary social mores, standards and judgments of the time. As we said, the journey toward enhancing your conscious connection to Essence will be paved with your own realizations, questions, and sharing. [debo] Regarding conscious connection to essence–If one is talking to essence and continuing a dialogue going during a day–is this as valid as meditating and connecting to one’s higher self? It seems too easy in a way. We will begin with the question posed by the fragment known as “debo” here. One moment. In answer to debo and her question: You have addressed a very subtle factor in many Personalities seeking conscious contact with Essence. Having and maintaining contact with Essence is always thought of in terms of something “other than” self; something more extravagant, more magickal, more ‘something’ than the Personality, itself. Therefore, it is many times assumed that contact with Essence must be marked by some kind of initiation, ritual, or euphoric sense of knowing, some complicated/complex passage. This is simply not true, though it certainly can be your decision if you require such meaning for your progress. What helps put things into perspective is that Essence not only CREATED you, as you know it, but also NEEDS you. You are its eyes, its heart, its hands, its feet, its face, and its fantastic world of physical sensation. It is blind without you. It is blind in many ways while dealing with the Physical Plane. As you are, in as many ways, without it. This means Essence listens to you with great depth of compassion, commitment, and interest. While Essence can see your larger contexts, your Agreements, your Karma, and many other factors that are not necessary for you, as Personality, to know, it innocently has no idea how important a good night’s sleep is, how important it is to you to be held, or how a bowl of cherries might make your day. You, as Personality, “feed” this information to Essence as you experience it. While some of you “speak” to Essence and continually co-create the life, many of you use your Instinctive Centered years or Instinctive Reviews (individually) for “uploading” or updating your Essence. Many of you may feel you “speak” to Essence to no avail, but we suggest that if you are feeling along these lines, you are not speaking to Essence, you are simply in need of more tangible and physical support. It is valid and important that you seek this out. Essence cannot magickally “rescue” you; it is as interested in your panic and plight. You are all capable of making changes in your life that you seek, and you are all capable of reaching out for others. When it appears Essence isn’t “listening”, try reaching out for or allowing a “spirit in the flesh” into your life. So, in answer to your question or comment, debo, it is usually quite a wonderful experience for a Personality to address its Essence on a daily basis, even if simply in words and thought. It teaches Essence about the more subtle aspects of the life. Otherwise, this is only extracted upon life review, or during Instinctive reviews. What we will be working toward in this journey, is a sense of Essence BEING you, not just being spoken to by you. We will speak more on this later as the class consciousness builds. [Barry] I’m wrestling with the phrase “creating a conscious connection to Essence”. Would you explain what you mean by “conscious”? Do you mean a waking knowledge of the essence that is us? How do we know when we have achieved this? Are there different methods of doing this best suited for each of us? [Michael_Entity] What we mean by ‘conscious’ here is basically a code word for “acceptance”. In many of your cases, Essence is distanced to a great degree, even if honored by you. Another way of describing this class topic may be “choosing to accept your Essence” and all that that implies. [Barry] You make it sound like that implies a lot…. [Michael_Entity] As you progress through this class, you have the opportunity to not only experience your Essence INTIMATELY, but to allow Essence to experience YOUR world intimately. The possibilities to blur your lines of differentiation are high. For each Role, there will be different paths, yes, and when you are maintaining a sense of Essence daily, it will be rare to find your world threatening, unsafe, unloving, or disappointing. This, then, is part of the symptoms that will allow you to “know” of your conscious connection. [Barry] We will be in a “state” of LOVE? [Michael_Entity] We cannot answer that yet as we would need to determine whether we are talking about the same thing. Most of you do not comprehend what Love is as a universal truth but usually refer to the sensations or peripheral counterparts stirred by connections and relief. We might suggest that the sensations are the first signs that you are near Love, but most have not grasped the reality and implications of what Love truly is. We will be outlining the Roles and their potential “paths” to consciousness as we build here tonight. We wanted to hear your questions tonight to help us better customize our interactions with you in regards to this topic. [MBV] I seem to have a hard time seeing through the haze of my Overleaves. Could Michael give me some examples of the artisan role in essence that would help me identify those qualities which is my essence speaking to me? Would these qualities be true for all artisans? [Michael_Entity] You have long survived as Personality “alone” and it is Good Work that you acknowledge your strengths as such. It is a confusion that Essence must be involved in all undertakings while you are Physical or it implies you are “lost”, but this is not true. The entire basis of parallel realities is to allow the Personality its varying versions and ideas about what the life “should”/”could”/”might” be like. Essence has it’s “original plan”, but it relishes in the creativity that a Personality might run with. In your case, Mary, you have “branched” and “branched”, so to speak, far from the “trunk” of your original plans, drawing in realms of extreme experiences that were not necessarily Essence’s “idea”, but are enriching your collective self entirely. You have now found yourself being drawn back into Essence after exhausting a creative path as desired by Personality. This is the motivation behind your questions and feelings. In this process, your first glances in recognizing Essence will appear to be “in a haze” as you have always as Personality been “your own strength”. You now seek Essence as a resource in addition to “you” as you know you. You will have to “get to know” Essence again. In your case, your “unruly”, giddy, untamed flows of energy are your Essence flowing and speaking. In most cases when you’ve “heard this voice” you funnel this energy “reasonably” or hold it off until “appropriate”, as this has become one of your strengths: to “behave”. As you bring more of your Essence in and your world starts to align to it, you will find the balance that will allow safety and peace, with no threat to your security built. For now and over the next three months or so it might be expected that you feel very disoriented, moody, extreme in emotion, as you relinquish some of your Personality’s precious and justified hold. We will address more of this privately and personally. We will also note here that there are, yes, certain qualities that each Role can recognize as being in Essence, but they are only references. It is always an individual discovery. In your case, you, as Personality, are discovering that you and Essence can “play” without getting into “trouble”. [debo] If we are maintaining a sense of Essence and are seeking joy and pleasure but instead feel disappointment, is this due to unrealistic expectation? How do we know what is a valid path for Essence to experience (our chosen source of) joy, and what is not valid? [Michael_Entity] If what you seek is being called “joy” and “pleasure” but ending in disappointment, then you are not perceiving the truth of that situation. Joy ends in Joy. Pleasure ends in Pleasure. There is no exception. If what you seek is based on the IDEA of joy or pleasure, you may want to reassess if the results are proving otherwise. Another valid consideration is that the situation may simply be a larger context than that which gives you joy and therefore must be examined in parts. For instance, to say you love to eat does not mean you enjoy the full, overblown sense after, or the gas, or the heartburn, etc. It may simply be a matter of altering the experience so the emphasis is on the joyful part, EATING, but with more conscious moderation so as to eliminate that which creates a less joyful or even disappointing end. You may enjoy eating, but not eating certain foods, or so much at a time. It usually only takes a moment, but certain commitment, to dissect or clarify exactly what it is that is pleasurable in the seeking, and how to adapt or alter those parts less appealing. “Unrealistic Expectation” does lead to disappointment, but this can be used to your advantage. If EXPECTATION is instead seen as enthusiasm, and DISAPPOINTMENT is seen as knowledge, then much is gained. This is an entire topic unto itself. As for the “validity” of a path for Essence: this is determined through your personal sense of happiness. In fact, that is the main question for the next three months from Essence as the Instinctive is moved through: “does this contribute to my happiness?” Happiness, at least in this universe, is a navigational tool for Personality. If you are unhappy, and you know it, this is good. This means you are honest with yourself. Being honest with you allows empowerment. Empowerment is implemented through planning. Planning is carried out through creativity and enthusiasm. Creativity and enthusiasm is sustained by seeking pleasure/happiness. Pleasure and happiness are guaranteed when being “present” in your life. Being “present” in your life means you are being honest. Though this is a crudely displayed path in words, with some examination you will see its merit. Each of these facets (6) revolve around a central concept that might be considered “living”, completing a septant for change. More on this later. [nemo999] I feel cut off from my essence; is it that I want to control it or I am not accepting/unhappy? [Michael_Entity] You are never truly cut off from Essence, but Essence can be cut off BY you as Personality, at least in terms of conscious connection. In your longing for Essence, it is doubtful you are cut off in any case; Essence responds immediately to any thought in its “direction”. In other words, it may not be Essence you seek or miss, but the “essence” of something else. Nemo, you have experienced losses that still require grieving. Grieving is acceptance of some “hard” truths for the Personality. It would not be amiss at this point in your life to “go back” to what you have lost, indulge in the grief as a process, allowing freedom for that energy, thus making space for something more. For now, it appears you are still hoping or holding out for a revision of a time since passed. You are not alone or cut off from Essence, Nemo, quite the opposite. You are a tremendously sensitive body, it appears, and your Personality and Essence will change your scenario when you are done with the feelings being explored. We remind you all that this forum is difficult to “skim” over your very important and personal lives, so we suggest taking our responses as PART of a larger response, not a complete response. We just do not, through this format and channel, have the space or time available to be effective for all of you on that level. To summarize, Nemo, determine what tangible thing it is in your life you miss. Your answers can be revealed in that. You are looking “UP” for answers when you might want to look “back”. [rion] When meditating I have at times felt a very loving presence which I interpreted to be Essence. However, people channel and are in contact with “other”. What is essence and what is “other”? How does one tell? [Michael_Entity] In all cases of channeling, meditating, etc., it is ALWAYS your Essence which makes first contact. In the same way that you cannot interact with “other” without a Personality while Physically extant, so too is it impossible to contact nonphysical “others” without Essence as the medium. In reaching out during meditation or channeling without specificity, you can rest assured it is Essence in some way. If you seek contact with nonphysical “others” specifically, Essence will act as medium. So our answer is, in creating specificity this allows you as Essence and Personality to differentiate the subtleties between self and other. This can be done only with practice, as many beginning attempts for contact with “other” are almost entirely based on filtering of many sorts. To understand this, observe your experiences when meeting a new stranger, physically, between Personalities. This will lend you insights into how you will differentiate subtleties nonphysically. For some, interaction with another person to determine “who” that person is may last a few minutes, for others a few years or more. In your case, you are adept at “reading” a person and this also spills into your explorations in the non-physical. We can also suggest you attach symbolism to what you know you want to contact. For instance, you can ask that Essence present itself as a certain colour, feeling or sound. This then would help you determine differences when touching other sources. [Sandra51] I understand that the Chakra system and Essence has a connection. Would you describe this in relation to the topic tonight? In a nutshell, ha ha. [Michael_Entity] We will touch on it briefly, but will get a more succinct transcript out for Otterly and your discussion list later. As you explore your conscious connection to Essence, you will also be heightening your sense of self as a Personality. As you explore your sense of self as a person, you will make more room for Essence in your life. It is a two way street, so to speak. In exploring yourself on either level, it is important to examine your “rights” as a physical being and your expression of those “rights” and/or the damage or interference to those “rights”. For each chakra, or Center, there is a basic “right” that the Personality must have tended to fully embody the Essence. We say “embody” as a convenience, as it is actually the opposite. YOU as Personality are embodied in Essence. You most basic “right”, relating to the Instinctive, is your right to exist, or be alive at all. The right to be real. This can also be said to be your right to “have”. Your second Center/Chakra must be examined in terms of your right to feel, experience intimacy, and create. Your third chakra/Center is examined in terms of your right to take action, or to make change. Another way to put it is your right to be free. Your fourth chakra/Center is examined in terms of your right to be loved, and to love. Your throat chakra, or 5th Center, is your right to the truth, whether speaking it, or hearing it. Your 6th chakra/Center can be examined in terms of your right to perceive, to have vision. This can also be said to be your right to dream, on all levels. And finally, your 7th Chakra/Center is your examination of your right to spirituality, or your right to ” inner knowledge”. Though we skimmed these, the slightest examination of these areas of your life can be revealing in what Centers/Chakras are not being cared for or possibly denied, thus blocking Essence. They may have also been damaged or imprinted with allowances from other fragments in the life. The three “lower centers” (3rd, 4th, and 5th) are all the most obvious and easily examined. They are the keys to balancing Personality. In fact, these centers can potentially be examined with a degree of accuracy, at least as a starting point, in your translating your personal Centering in your Overleaves. When looking at your Centering it might be said that your primary centering is the right you SUSTAIN, while the PART of the centering is the right you “FIGHT FOR”. We remind you that Emotional Centering is your right to feel, Intellectual Centering is your right to speak or hear truth, and Moving is your right to act out or make change. The Instinctive Center is always under examination and use so it is almost always in some form of distortion without conscious guidance. This is balanced through creating a daily balance among your “lower centers”. The “higher centers” (2nd, 6th, and 7th) are keys to your understanding your connection to Essence. With examination, if any of these centers appear to be limited or distorted through fear or imprinting, it will be your task to incorporate experiences which fulfill that level of your rights, if you choose. We will conclude here then. Goodnight.

MMW - THE HEALTH OF YOUR EMOTIONAL CENTER - July 16, 2016 MEntity: Hello to each of you. We are here, now. We can begin. Today we are asked to explore the nature, function, and symptoms of health for the Emotional Center. The Poles of this Center are the Positive Pole of Perception and the Negative Pole of Sentimentality. PERCEPTION is the capacity to rise beyond the limitations of Time, Space, Logic, and comprehend the essence or Essence of the self, others, or an event. SENTIMENTALITY is when one becomes attached to the limitations of Time, Space, Logic, as these exist symbolically as representations of the past or future. The health of the Emotional Center can most easily be seen in where one is in terms of Self-Love (self-acceptance), where one is in terms of the state of Relationships, and your use or rejection of Trust. The cumulative effects of the health of the Emotional Center can be seen overall in how Happy one is. It is important to understand the nature of Happiness, then. Happiness is not a forced or pursued state. It is a natural state that comes from allowing room for more than Happiness without rejecting Happiness. In other words, to be Happy means allowing room for being Unhappy. This may seem contradictory, but Happiness is a spectrum, a wide range of experiences. Happiness is an emotional stability that runs through all experiences so that sadness is ok, disappointment is ok, anger is ok, struggle is ok, setbacks are ok, not because they are easy, but because they have nothing to do with your capacity for Happiness. There are many who suffer and will tell you that they are Happy. This is not because they concede to or deny suffering, but because Happiness is HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES. Your experiences do not determine your Happiness. You do. There are two methods of use of your Emotional Center: TRUST and REJECTION. Happiness is possible in the worst of situations because you Trust. You bypass Logic, Time, and Space, and you navigate intuitively and with responsibility for what you often describe as your Feelings. Experiences do not determine your Feelings. Feelings determine your Experiences. When you are faced with challenges, differences, struggles, internally or externally, these are no different from weather. If it rains on 10 people you will find a range of interpretation for what that rain means and how it was navigated because of the health of the Emotional Center. For some it was just another bad thing to happen to them because they feel that bad things just happen to them. For some it will be a nice surprise that brings laughs and play because they do not mind surprises that inconvenience them. For some it will barely be noticed because they are prepared and knew that it would rain and they know that rain happens. It's not personal. None of these scenarios are right or wrong. It rained. It happened. But it was not the rain that determined the quality of experience. It was the difference between Trust and Rejection, or the difference between Perception and Sentimentality. This dance is true of everything you experience. If you are attached to a range of static symbols in your life, you will likely navigate Emotionally with Sentimentality and Rejection. It will be a process of constantly comparing against the system of symbols you have developed, and then rejecting that which does not comply to that set of symbols or counters that set of symbols. CLEARER STATEMENT: or rejecting that which counters that set of symbols. Your Emotional Center is how you experience Time. Perception frees you from the limitations of Time, and Sentimentality locks you in Time. In the same way that Happiness includes Unhappiness, so does Perception include Sentimentality. Perception allows room for the symbols, for the meaning that you develop as an emotional language that bypasses logic. However, Sentimentality locks down the symbols in time while Perception allows them to grow, expand, be replaced, updated, etc. You then carry with you a realm of living symbols that are not static, but are guides and informers. This means that the rain now has a range of interpretation, not just one or two. The wider your range of interpretation, your range of Perception, the greater your capacity to Trust. Trust is the process of using experience to guide you, not just defend or protect you. Trust frees your symbols to live with you, not against you or for you. For example, instead of Rain being your symbol for "the universe is always out to get me," it comes alive with a new range of surprise, neutrality, delight, awe, playfulness. If someone does not smile back at you when you smile, this may be symbolic of rudeness, specific rejection of you, a pointed attempt to undermine your good day, etc. If you are attached to that symbolism, a lack of returned smile can ruin your day. But if you Trust and free your symbols to expand, live, breathe, and grow, your Emotional Center can add that someone may not have noticed, someone may have his own insecurities, someone may have been daydreaming, someone may not be used to someone smiling, etc. All of you have an entire library of Symbols like this. They are all in your Emotional Center. And this Center is what you use when you navigate where there is no Logic, like intimacy, relationships, life, love, and self-love. This is the only Center capable of Rejection and experiencing Rejection. The Emotional Center is the Personality's closest relationship/path to Essence. When there is Essence Recognition, it is the Emotional Center. This is because it does not require logic, reason, or proof. It simply "knows," Perceives. The Higher Centers are how Essence stays connected to the Personality and Body, even when rejected, but the Emotional Center is how the Body and Personality embrace or reject Essence. The only True Emotional Pain is Rejection. Rejection is defense against Time, against Experience, and against Love, against Essence. Rejection is the only way to avoid Essence, not only in yourself but in others. And it is painful. Not only to you, but to Essence. Rejection is one of a very few experiences of pain that Essence can feel. When you reject each other, reject yourselves, reject your Essence, the cascading effects of pain are astounding. We share all of the above because it is important to note all of these elements when looking at the health of your Emotional Center. We will ask you a set of questions now. Answer these as best you can. Organize your responses relative to the questions to help our channel convey these to us. Wait for our set of questions to be posed in their entirety before responding. A - ON A SCALE FROM 1 to 5, with 1 being NEVER and 5 being ALWAYS, how would you rate your attachment to symbols. B - ON A SCALE BETWEEN 1 and 5, with 1 being PAINFUL and 5 being PLAYFUL, where would you say you are in the health of your most dominant Relationships? C - ON A SCALE BETWEEN 1 and 5, with 1 being PAINFUL and 5 being PLAYFUL, where would you say you are in the health of your most passing Relationships? D - ON A SCALE FROM 1 to 5, with 1 being ALWAYS REJECTING and 5 being ALWAYS REJECTED, where do you feel you are in your experiences of Rejection? Johanne: A) 2 B) C) 3 D) 3 VIP: A: 3 Johanne: Sorry A)2 B) 4 C) 3 D) 3 PeterK: A) Attachment to Symbols: 3, (B) Health of Dominant Relationships: 1, (C) Health of Passing Relationships: 3, (D) Experiences of Rejection: 4. AnnH: a) 3.5, b)3, c)4, d)2 DianeHB: A-2, B-4, C-3, D-3 ClaireC: A) 2, B) 4, C) 5, D) 2.5 VIP: A: attachment to symbols - 3; B: health of passive/peripheral relationships - 4; ? health of dominant relationships - 2 Bobby: A-3, B-2, C-3, D-4 VIP: For D, I feel like I both Reject and can be Rejected, so I'm not sure where to put myself Maureen: A: 1.5, B: 3, ? 4 I don't understand D ClaireC: "Always" is confusing. MEntity: Because feelings are not logical, we used "always" in terms of Emotions. One who is at extreme ends of the spectrum will feel they "always" are the ones doing the rejecting, or they are "always" the one being rejected. Between the two extremes would be your interpretation of degrees. 2 Mostly Rejecting, 3 Sometimes Both, 4 Mostly Rejected. VIP: In that case, I would say D:2 for myself. I feel like the rejection starts with me even if it seems like i am subsequently rejected or feel rejected by someone else even if that is not actually true. Maureen: In that case it would be ? 2. Years ago, when I was younger, it would have been the reverse. DianeHB: I think D-2 would be more accurate for me as well. Maureen: D kind of goes against the grain of the purpose of my Goal of Acceptance. MEntity: CONTINUING The above is a quick way to check in with yourself as to the truth of where you are in your use of the Emotional Center. It is a subjective truth, but it is a truth, nonetheless, and you may often find that your assessment shows your health to be better than expected, especially when going through a difficult or challenging conflict. Reminding yourself of the truth is a way to bring back Trust and Perception. This is more important than you may realize. Because the Emotional Center does not know the truth. It does not think. It cannot make proper decisions or choices. It can only "feel" and feelings are never the truth. One can make decisions and choices when led by Emotions, but Emotional Centering cannot factor in consequences. It only "knows" in terms of relating or not. The greater your range of relating, the greater your range of trust and perception. The more reduced and restricted your range of relating, the more reduced and restricted your trust and perception. In other words, you need not have logic and reason to Love. You can navigate your world based on what makes you feel happy and gravitate toward that which you relate, and that is how Emotions work well. The Emotional Center is intelligent about the art of Relating, but other Centers are better equipped for navigating beyond that, particularly in terms of logistics, decisions, and choices. You can let your Emotions inform you about how you feel, but your CHOICES need not be guided only by what feels good vs feels bad. For example: the Emotional Center may say "as long as we have Love, we can do anything" and this is true up to only a very specific point. You must also have food, shelter, clothing, negotiation skills, communication skills, etc. Maureen: I was just thinking that. It's how well all the Centers work together that makes for the best or optimal "health". MEntity: You may need a plan, you may need to work, you may need energy, creativity, etc. Love is the fuel of universes, but if you would like to experience this while in a body, you must allow your other Centers to do their work. When one is led only by Emotions, with choices and decisions only coming in terms of feelings, life is often quite exhausting, depressing, and disorienting. The Emotional Center, for instance, does not "like to work." AnnH: Hah! MEntity: Those who have the more difficult time of choosing to work just for the income that could then be used for further expansion of choices are usually of Emotional Centering. "But I don't like to work" is not a proper form of choice or decision. It is valid to make one's decision and choices based on this, but it is not proper in that it does not consider consequences. This is why a self-assessment at times can help to break one out of the blind spots of the Emotions, of your attachment to symbols, of comparing everything to your library of symbols, of your attachment to a moment in time, free you from navigating aimlessly based in only feeling. To know when you are being led by Emotions in your choices and decisions, it is often a trigger that you may be thinking or saying: I LIKE THIS, I LOVE THIS, I DON'T LIKE THIS, I HATE THAT. The vocabulary of the Emotional Center is Like, Love, Dislike and Hate. When you catch yourself choosing and deciding based on this, consider if it is necessary for consequences to be considered. For example: "I hate when it rains" is likely quite inconsequential. It may be inconvenient, but your like or dislike only tells you what you feel about rain. But "I hate to work" can have consequences and should be a process of choice that is not dictated by Emotions. It is okay to continue to hate work, but you may have to still do the work. And this is also how Essence Recognition works. When you are in conflict with another person, challenged in your relationship, it can be vital for you to generate a corridor for your Essences to reach one another if your Personalities cannot. When the Emotional Center is opened to recognize that there is a soul in another person, even in the most despicable of people and even in those who seek to harm you, Essence Recognition is the only way that there will be evolution beyond. Maureen: I suppose even Donald Trump has a soul ? MEntity: You may carry on despising the person and even hating them, or even fearing them, but open that corridor for Essence to connect to the Essence of the other person. Not only does this free you from Sentimentality and Rejection, but it brings an energy to the exchange that makes a difference when you cannot. As you can see in current politics, when Emotions lead the way, chaos can ensue because consequences are not being considered. What we can do for each of you today is offer a quick synopsis of the health of your Emotional Center. Maureen: Before you end todays' session, Michael, I have a comment and a question. Maureen: (After the synopsis, of course) MEntity: Correction: You already know how to assess the health of your Emotional Center and need only bring awareness to the state of your relationships, the range of living symbolism, and your degree of happiness. What we can offer to each of you is what we see helping you to move your Emotional Center back into greater health. BOBBY - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it is functioning negatively might be to SAY SOMETHING. We think that when you are hurting in your Emotional Center, you may go quiet, retreat, and wait it out. This is valid and works over time, but it can bring greater sense of relating, sense of happiness and clearer perception if you talk to someone, reach out, ask for advice or just give some form to the feelings. Bobby: I don't think many would want to hear what I'd have to say but I can try ? MEntity: ANN - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be to MOVE. Do something. Anything. Walk, wiggle, dance, make faces, write, sing, record your thoughts. Anything that engages the body because when your Emotional Center is unhealthy you hide. When you move, you are reminding your body that you are alive, even if hidden for now. AnnH: I knew that. Darnit. MEntity: DIANE - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be DO SOMETHING ELSE. In your case, when your Emotional Center falls into struggle, it is because you are consumed. You must break your line of sight from that which is consuming you, even if only for a moment, for a day, for a few hours, clear your heart, and open it, bring some form of pleasure to your day, then return to that which is more challenging. DianeHB: Yes MEntity: JOHANNE - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be to LOOK FORWARD. When your Emotional Center is functioning negatively, it tends to be because of too much reference to the past at the expense of possibility for your future. It can be helpful if you look forward, not just from necessity, but because you still dream, still have vision. MAUREEN - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be to REMEMBER THAT YOU LOVE TURBULENCE. You love it. We mean this in quite a literal way. Turbulence can be exhausting and inconvenient, but you love it, and it is only when you feel it is wrong, or feel that you should not, does the Emotional Center begin to falter. Maureen: Oh My! Maureen: I never thought of it that way before. I like it. MEntity: We use the term "turbulence" here because you know that when you fly there is turbulence. Change brings turbulence. Turbulence means things are moving. Turbulence shakes things up and while it can be scary, jolting, shocking, and even damaging, it is part of the process of flying together. This acceptance of your love for turbulence will also allow you to leave it and come back to it more freely, instead of turning turbulence into turmoil. Maureen: This is thought provoking ...in a good way. Thanks! MEntity: PETER - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may come through CUTTING OUT THE BULLSHIT. Your Emotions are important and beautiful, but they do not know what is true. They do not tell you the truth. They tell you how you feel, and a lot of what you feel is based in "bullshit." By "bullshit" here we mean that 10% is valid, and 90% is speculation, anticipation, comparison, presumption, assumption, and all treated as conclusive. Bullshit is when you conclude something is true just because you feel it is true. If you cut out the bullshit, your range of choice in actions, behaviors, pleasure, negotiation, confidence, communication, clarity, etc., rise exponentially. How you feel is important, but how you feel tells you how you feel, not what is true. Your feelings are true, but the truth may be something else. ViP - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be through EMBRACING YOUR CONFUSION. You are confused a lot. You find yourself in positions where you feel you cannot make a choice, or that your choices are limited. This is confusion. Confusion often means you are either waiting for more information, more choices, or for choices to narrow down. Confusion comes when there is pressure to choose when you do not wish to choose or know what to choose. Embracing your confusion means not fighting with yourself. It does not mean that confusion is helpful, but as soon as you embrace it, you stop fighting with yourself. We could have said "STOP FIGHTING WITH YOURSELF," but we wanted to get to the core of why you fight, why your Emotional Center falters. VIP: I feel that to be very accurate, Michael. Thanks. I will remember that. MEntity: As soon as you embrace your confusion and stop fighting yourself, it can help tremendously in making the harder choices that may need to be made. CLAIRE - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be through LISTENING. You often do not listen. Your Emotional Center races with a range of feelings and this prompts sharing them, expressing them, moving them up and out of you, and this is healthy in itself, but to bring greater health, you must Listen. Allow room for input, for flexibility, for expansion, for differences. You have begun to listen more to yourself, and open to listening to sources you feel are trusted, but to continue toward Emotional well-being, you would continue to expand on that and listen to the stories of others, listen to their thoughts, feelings, and truly learn to let those be exactly what they are: an Emotional world that exists beyond your own. TROY - to move your Emotional Center back into greater health when you find it functioning negatively may be through REMEMBERING THE GOOD. You feel it is your responsibility to stay informed and subject to waves of input about the struggles, pain, and hurt in the world, and this is Good Work, but it can be easy to forget the good in the world. You must remember the good. You must hold this up alongside the reality of challenges. It is not true that your world is worse, getting worse, or that "people" are stupid or full of hate. Some may be, but far from all. Some things are terrible, but most things are not. The suffering will not be helped by refusing pleasure until everyone is happy. We must conclude here for today. We realize there is no question and answer time, but we can work with Troy to respond to any further questions in your forums. Good day to each of you. Goodbye, for now.

February 3, 2000 Troy Tolley, Channel Conscious Connection to Essence [Otterly = Troy] Note: This series begins with Michael Speaks: Conscious Connection to Essence (1 of 3) and concludes with Michael Speaks: Conscious Connection to Essence (3 of 3). [Michael_Entity] We are here. One moment. Welcome to you all. We will begin. What we will do tonight, in light of the topic, is take your questions. We believe an open dialogue may find some insights being gained through exchange. We are preparing a larger work of channeling with Otterly that you will see in the next few days. This piece is being asked of us as a means to understand the different “paths” that might be relevant for each Role. This is too large of a topic to cover in a time-limited chat, but we can respond, nonetheless. Absorption of the material will be more comprehensive, as well, as you read it at your leisure. With that, we will begin taking your questions. For now, we will take questions on the topic of gaining a heightened sense of connection to Essence. If there are no questions, we have a not so easily fatigued Sage working with us and can find as much to give him to say as he can himself. We will give you a moment to decide. [ksh] What influences the motion of dowsing with a pendulum? Is it cycled off members of your entity trying to communicate with you? [Michael_Entity] If you choose for it to be. The mechanical aspects of this, along with the biological aspects of this, are simple and random. Anything chosen as a symbol for communication with Essence (or other Essences) can be utilized. Messages can be found in the layering of cheese on a pizza, if that is a medium you relate to. This is a valid means for seeking communication with Essence, choosing your symbols; choosing what makes sense to you as a Personality. In choosing this, you will pass through an initial phase of randomness until you synchronize with what you are using as your symbols. Your pendulum swings may be the meaningless rhythms of your latest nervous state at first, but later, even if in the same state, your “meaningless rhythms” can then become decipherable, even if only by you. This may or may not be with the help or influence of discarnate fragments. In keeping with the topic we will ask, if each of you were to choose a symbol, a means for messages to be relayed from Essence, what resonates with you? [TCB] I was wondering about the average soul ages of the Oracles at Delphi? Also, how those ‘experiences’ might be brought to bear now upon the various *participants*, at the current soul ages? [Michael_Entity] Most of you have been within one level of your current Soul Age since the last manifestation of the Infinite Soul. For the thousand years approximately before the manifestation, those of you present here, moved only one or two soul levels. Many of you have been incarnating for nearly 6 million years. This gives you a larger scope of the process of living lives and transiting Soul Levels. Though some of you feel a sense of urgency or weariness at the game, Essence enjoys nearly it all. It strolls through your incarnations ecstatic, in most cases. As far as the experiences from past lives, the lifetime that will affect you or is relevant, affects you with or without conscious awareness. Many of the experiences “gained” in the lives at Delphi are complete experiences and have no bearing in your present. What the Essence gains, is not necessarily what a current Personality can utilize or make sense of. Though many of you completed lives in Greece during this great influential time, there are but a few who still remain linked to that time in terms of influences now. We are speaking in terms of your “list” and its members. Next question. [Arinna] When I am channeling my higher self (essence) how can I get my personality’s consciousness out of the way as much as possible? Also, when I feel that shift in energy within myself – is that my essence causing that? [Michael_Entity] In answer to your first question: you will never be able to “get your personality's consciousness out of the way”. Your consciousness IS your Essence connection. The key is in learning to trust your Personality and work with its thoughts, feelings, and motion. When settling in to “channel” your Essence, you are merely deciding to gather a larger perception. When connected to Essence consciously, it is not necessarily a revelation or a significant shift or breakthrough. The state is so natural some dismiss what has occurred. There will be a shift in energy, and this will be as significant as you require as a mark for your connection. This is your body/Personality's design, not Essence's. The “shift” you speak of is a harmonious, clear mark for you and it works. Many choose this method. There is as much Essence involved in a fist fight as there is in a charismatic guru, when consciousness and choice are aligned. When sitting next in your session to connect more consciously to Essence, simply want to, and it will be. Within that moment, all any of you have to do to remain connected consciously, is to choose consciously. We will define “consciously” here as “with awareness”, but there are other ways to define. When every decision you make as Personality is done with consciousness, Essence is present. When you find yourself happy, Essence is present. Whether you are indulging in eating a bucket of ice cream, doing horrific acts of violence, or singly sweetly with a friend… if chosen consciously and with intent, Essence is present. The mark for rejection of Essence, or blocking of Essence can be seen in any sense of contraction in your life, or area of your life. We realize we have moved into a tangent, but we feel it is relevant. Essence can be present, for instance, in your art or creativity alone, but is rejected or blocked in a relationship to a spouse. Essence “backs off” from areas of your life where the Personality has chosen to do things its own way. We will ask here, before continuing with questions, if we have answered Arinna's question to a degree acceptable. [Lights_Edge] What are some examples of common old soul beliefs and emotions that limit our conscious connection to essence? [TCB] Please excuse me…but just to clarify something, when you said two ‘soul levels’, did you mean “soul ages?” Or soul levels? (within the 7 Stages?) [Michael_Entity] We will answer Terrence first, but are aware of Terri's question. We will answer that following. Common Old Soul beliefs are: that you all already “know it all”, especially relative to the “poor little young souls”. That you deserve a financially abundant life free from effort; that your peers (other Older Souls) are weird (even as you appear weird to them); that you are from another planet. (We speak of this last one relative to its preoccupation.) Others are, that you are alone; that you do not fit in; that you must suffer; that if you can just ride out this life, it will all be over; that you are “tired”; that you are done. These are just a few. We realize each of you will have your versions of these and others, as well. When these beliefs (or ones you identify) can become acknowledged, we suggest the fastest way to reconnect to Essence would be through laughter, pleasure, or through tears. These three biological functions are directly related to contact with Essence, and in most instances, a “pure connection”. We mean “pure” in the sense that it is quite difficult to be self-judging in the moment of actual true tears, true laughter or true pleasure. As we have said in many instances with your little group, tears are the biological reaction to Truth. We now add that Laughter is the biological reaction to Oneness (Energy/Beauty), and Pleasure is the biological reaction to Love. We will answer Terri's question now. We referred to the 7 stages when we said each of you has transited approximately one or two soul levels from the one you are in presently. [MaryBV] Getting in touch with essence seems like such a BIG question. I am wondering if as younger souls we incur karma and work on monads and the like to throw up roadblocks for us to pull down as we get older. In other words, as we move away the debris of our younger days, are we in fact starting the lesson of the older levels which is to re-remember our essence? And in answer to the question about resonance I believe I resonate with my essence through music. [Michael_Entity] You are correct in many ways, Mary. “Re-remembering” is a valid term in this instance. The Old Soul phase can be said to be the age of comprehending all consequences. Studying your Role will give you more and more insights into your “essence”. No other aspect in your dynamics can clarify that remembering as much as your Role. Many of you have become very adaptable over the eons. This means you are less inclined to manifest your Essences as you see fit. Instead, you rely on this single Personality that “you” are to comprehend all that has come to pass as a Soul. The key is in freeing the personality from this distraction. This is why we feel past lives, though valid, more often lay a burden on many of you in ways that are difficult to comprehend or validate. There are some functions that are of Essence, and some that are of Personality's. Differentiating these functions can lend more freedom to both. Personality wants to live. It is alive NOW in the most important sense it will ever know. By treating yourselves (Personality) as something to be overcome, set aside, tamed, or controlled, you are missing the point. You are Essence's eyes, hands, feet, heart… everything you delight in, so does Essence. For each Essence there are simple ways to take delight in a life. In that delight, there are ways to build more conscious connections. Building on delight brings the laughter and tears and pleasure. As we have said before, Happiness is a navigational tool for the body while on the physical plane. We will point out that happiness does not mean you are merely smiling and content. Even in the worst of situations, they can technically be contextually happy since there are aspects of you that “understand”. To help in re-remembering your Essence, we think these few keywords may be of some assistance in navigating toward delight: For the Expressive Roles, Sages and Artisans take delight in playing, goofing off. For the Inspirational Roles, Priests and Servers take delight in helping, guiding, caring for, discussing. For the Action Roles, Kings and Warriors take delight in challenges, commitment, and sexuality. For the Assimilative Role, the Scholar delights in knowing, understanding, and learning. They can also refer to Casting. Although these delights are not exclusive nor complete, they are helpful in reminding you of what Essence delights in, and this can be compared to when you, as Personality, may be filtering or dismissing that delight. [nemo999] Regarding symbols, does essence have a natural language instead of words, I am thinking of thoughts, feelings, pictures instead of English or Chinese for example? [Michael_Entity] The Language of Essence is transparent, so to speak. It is relative to the listener. Essence cannot communicate any other way. On the Astral, it is understood that you will never “see” the true Essence you are communicating to, unless you resonate. Otherwise, every Essence sees its version of other Essences that makes the most sense of the energy that is “other”. Therefore, while physical, Essence will appear, communicate, behave, in whatever fashion the personality imposes or chooses. This is why we suggest being conscious of what you feel is symbolic of Essence. This will heighten your conscious connection. The idea of Power Animals is a valid means to achieve this. Choosing a number that then shows up occasionally on clocks, receipts, etc. This is a valid reminder and connection to Essence. There are a multitude of ways and you may create many paths for these. And then there will finally be the symbolic realization that you can simply BE your Essence, meaning, after you have begun building a foundation of trust and validity as to what your Essence is, you may then simply ACT as Essence. [TCB] Clarification Question: You said that the lives in Delphi are ‘complete experiences’. I understand this, yes. But I would like clarification on why you said that they ‘have no bearing’ on this life, in terms of essence. It seems to me that all completed essence experiences would be available to be ‘drawn from’ in the current life, if one chooses to make such ‘contact’ with that ‘past experience’ and learning gained. Just wanted to get some clarification. [Michael_Entity] We never said that the experience had no bearing on Essence, only on the present lifetime, referring to the Personality. You are correct that all gained experiences as Essence are accessible to any lifetime. If one were to choose to connect to that lifetime, it is the fragment's choice. In lifetimes where an experience is completed, it is rare that Personality can gain from drawing on it in the present, if the lifetime currently has no way to utilize the experiences. If the lifetime currently has a practical way to utilize a past life, it will be connected to it regardless anyway. We were answering your question in the form you asked it originally. And as far as the members of your group in the list go, only a few have incomplete experiences from those lives in Delphi. This means for most, there is little to be “brought to bear” from that time. We are gathering that you have some possible inclinations as to what the experiences were focused on in those lives. It may surprise you that they were far less spiritual than you might have guessed. Most from the list were not so metaphysically inclined, but were taking lives of Flow and Re-evaluation during a time when things were relatively secure. Creativity, sexual indulgence, spiritual perusal, were all able to be lavished into the heart's content of THAT Personality. Your Personality presently might find the means of the previous Personality's exploration to be rather repugnant. [TCB] Can't remembering such past lives serve to balance certain aspects of the current life experience, or ‘personality’, if so chosen? [Michael_Entity] This does not mean they cannot access or draw from those lives, if they choose. We only say that the context is entirely different in this time frame. We feel exploring past lives that have no relevance can be most useful if seen in terms of a soul's scrapbook. Otherwise, it is nearly the same as saying that what your Mother learned, so have you by default, or what your Sister learned, you can use as a skill. “YOU” are a completely different design than another life and it is distressing to the present you when compared or when seeking to draw skills that are “not yours”. This can be likened to a parent telling a child that they could be “more like your brother”. Understanding lives that are relevant, ones that will impact you with or without conscious exploration, this is where the breakthroughs are, where the talents and insights and motivations can be gained, and this happens without need for consciousness. But, as always, you may choose your explorations any way you feel inclined. We will conclude then. There will always be more to gain from exchanging on all of these topics. Goodnight.

February 15, 2001 Troy Tolley, Channel Happiness Note: This is a followup session to the original topic, as channeled a little earlier in February. See Michael Speaks: Happiness. [Michael_Entity] We are here. One Moment. We have been asked to continue with the topic of Happiness. We believe a way for this topic to complete itself with your group is through responding to any questions you may have around the subject. We will take, then, Barb’s question first. [Barb] In light of my recent “life change” and in order to reestablish happiness in my life, I’d like to ask what my “trues” are so I can focus my time on what is most productive to me at this point. [Michael_Entity] We will send these to you through Troy, privately, before the posting of the transcript. Tonight, his focus is not high enough to delve into individual factors. You may post them if you wish, from there. We can comment though, that it is valid to consider your Pillars, or “trues,” when pursuing Happiness. [Barb] yes, I believe this to be the case, hence my question. [Michael_Entity] By generating the energy for the various Overleaves as associated with the Four Pillars and their fulfillment, a great deal of recognition of what you truly define as “happy” can come into realization. [NOTE from Troy: To all of you, please refrain from asking specifically personal questions during the group events. When I am in trance, sometimes I don’t have the sense to deter this and Michael is more than willing to respond and that is why it looks “ok” sometimes. They don’t have the conditions, I do. If you want to ask personal questions, please phrase them in a way that can be used for all who are participating. This isn’t directed specifically at you, Barb, but it is a good opportunity to remind everyone of this.] [nemo999] How does one’s unhappiness affect others or their reality; can one person make another unhappy involuntarily? [Michael_Entity] The degree of Happiness you have in relation to another is entirely dependent on the INDIVIDUAL interpreting the energy exchange. When two or more fragments are interacting, shallowly or intimately, Happiness or Unhappiness is a direct result of expectations fulfilled or not fulfilled. It has been a distorted interpretation by some that this then means you should not have expectations. This is just not possible in most cases. It is biological to have expectations. Expectations are part of the Intellect and inherent in all Creatures of Reason. This is part of what allows adaptability and survival. The efforts then are not to remove from you an element that is biologically considered vital, but to learn to understand disappointment and how to process that, instead of trapping yourself in it. Expectation may be better understood as the negative pole of Anticipation, the positive pole then being Vitality. It is part of your aliveness that you have Expectation, but as it is a negative pole, it separates you from OPTIONS and recognition of probabilities/possibilities. It is not really possible to remove the experience of Expectation, as it is part of the spectrum of experiencing Aliveness and Anticipation. Understanding the part of the spectrum it is from, though, can lend you a greater freedom. Allowing you to recognize Expectation as part of Anticipation, this then can lead you then to Vitality. Vitality is what makes you feel alive and prone to survive a situation that was “not” as anticipated. So then; your unhappiness can only affect another fragment IF they require your state to match their Expectations. If they, or you (if you are the one being affected) can move into Vitality as part of the experience, then you can adapt and remain happy. If you restrict the experience to only what is Expected, not allowing a more fluid form of Anticipation, then you will create unhappiness. We also note in response to your question that it is not a matter of voluntarily or involuntarily, it will always be the choice of the fragment supposedly affected as to whether they create happiness or unhappiness. Again, this is linked to our comments about Happiness and its poles of Surrender and Resignation. Your responses can always bring more happiness if you simply surrender, but to “give up” can muffle the experience of motion forward in your life. [Kathie89] In my normal way of reacting to people and situations, I just seem to be happy. Was this an essence choice before I came into this life or is it part of my imprinting or because of my role and overleaves as an old soul? [Michael_Entity] Anytime you are in touch with Essence and living the life fully, even if the life is not what you “want,” you will be happy. THIS IS TO ALL OF YOU: IT IS ALWAYS ESSENCE’S CHOICE FOR YOU TO BE HAPPY BEFORE THE LIFE IS BEGUN. THIS IS WITHOUT EXCEPTION. In the same way a SAGE will always be a SAGE, no matter how it ends up being expressed within the lifetime, so is Happiness ALWAYS part of the original dynamic of the lifetime. There are some elements of life that will ALWAYS be accessible, no matter how hard you try to ignore it or create scenarios to diminish it, and Happiness is one of those things. It is always accessible in every moment. This does not mean you will not, as Essence, create challenges for the life around Happiness, but it is NEVER out of reach. In your case, Kathie, you have a very fantastical approach to the life and this alleviates the focus on a lot of the “details” that others get “hung up on.” Those with more exalted Overleaves, in general, tend to seem “happier.” This is due to their ability to see “past” a lot of things. We put “happier” in quotes, because sometimes this state is more a bandage for wounds that have been overlooked, as well, and will tend to come out in isolation, but not in interactions with others. The happiness there can be valid on all levels, but built on shaky foundations. This is simply something to consider. Those with more ordinal Overleaves can be “happy” too, because they may focus within the “bigger picture,” just focusing on what is happening in detail, now. The ordinal pitfall can be that the fragment ignores the bigger picture to a fault and builds happiness “serially,” instead of as a whole. Again, this can be valid, but shaky. [Annette] Can Michael comment on the strong sense of happiness that your children and grandchildren bring to the soul? Is it the joy of being together “again”? [Michael_Entity] This would be entirely relative. Though the pun was not intended, it works. We remind you that many fragments burn, beat, terrorize, neglect, and murder their children or grandchildren. It is a personal truth that they “bring happiness to the soul.” [Shannon] My Artisan mother, in her creativity, has “created” an unhappy, hard life for herself, where it needn’t have been so. What overleaves should one choose, that might have the greatest likelihood of generating a “happy” lifetime (especially for an Artisan)? (You may have just touched on some of this.) [Michael_Entity] ALL Overleaves have the capability of generating Happiness, it is ALWAYS AND ONLY in the reaction/response to events that determines the spectrum. Though some Overleaves give the life a challenge, we do not believe it is valid to say if you choose certain Overleaves you might be more guaranteed to be happier. Only Choice guarantees this. With that being said, “happy” Overleaves could be said to be any on the Axis for your particular Role. Any Overleaf that is “popular” during a period of time on the planet, such as currently, Growth and Acceptance, Observation, Idealist, Realist, and Intellectual Centering, can be said to be “happy” overleaves. This is NOT A RULE, only a response to your question. [MoonSinger] I wondered how much soul age and level affect a person’s ability to be happy? It seems level 6 presents quite a challenge to happiness, or is it really a matter of conscious choice? Choosing to be WILLING to be happy with whatever circumstance you find yourself involved in? [Michael_Entity] Only the LEVEL presents ease or challenge, not the Soul Age, though Older Souls can seem to “find” happiness easier in general, but even then, they are gripped by deeper challenges still. Conscious choice in terms of your RESPONSE or REACTION to events will help you to navigate through life’s obstacles. Response allows you to CHOOSE consciously, while REACTION, while still a choice, is not conscious. WILLING yourself to be happy usually will not work. Many of you literally HAVE to be unhappy in order to extract that which will allow you to appreciate and maintain happiness when you find it. [Liiona24] You stated to Troy earlier that some fragments need others while most can generate happiness in themselves. Could you comment on this further? [Michael_Entity] We will clarify that ALL fragments can GENERATE Happiness from within themselves, and in ALL cases this will be true, but some fragments require external factors in order to MAINTAIN it. There is the difference. Two fragments can BOTH create happiness for themselves, but of the two, one of them may require more support, interaction, etc., in order to maintain the energy originally generated. We will conclude here. Good Night.