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Michael Speaks: THE ULTIMATE HICCUP or Truly Accepting Death 2017-10-01 Channeled by Troy Tolley in a live session at TLEGG 2017 Note from Janet: Hopefully readers of this transcript will be able to sense the general hilarity that participants experienced within this live session. Once Michael was past the introduction to the session, we were laughing most of the way through, and you'll see [laughter] repeatedly throughout the transcript. Troy kept listening in while in trance, and at times Michael had trouble getting info through his laughter. Please send thanks to @DanielaS for her transcription of this live session. MEntity: Bear with us as we come through, and hello to everybody. Surprisingly, we are not asked very often to discuss the topic of Death. Part of the reason for this is because you are specifically designed to avoid Death. You are in a physical body that wants to live, wants to survive, wants to experience the Physical Plane in its form as a representative and extension of you, as a Consciousness. And so, the topic of Death is avoided by most at all cost, even if this is unconsciously avoided. So, to bring up the topic to discuss can be difficult for some, especially those who may have had close calls with Death or experienced the Death of a loved one or has any sense of empathy or compassion for those who are in events that caused their Deaths, especially on a large scale. So, the sensitivity to Death is an important mechanism in your life, and in your body, that helps you navigate Life. Another reason you tend to avoid questions about Death and the topic of Death, with us at least, is because surprisingly, again, it is one of the least significant events in your life. That is not to say that it is not significant, but it is of the least significant. A part of you, in particular as Old Souls, knows this and is not interested in discussing the end of your life or the end of another life but you are more interested in Life itself. Each of you has died so many times that the Essence of who you are gets it. The body will never get it. Once it dies, it dies, and it does not comprehend that, and it is designed not to comprehend that. So, you will avoid the topic. You will avoid the experience if you can and if you will. This is an example of the dance between what we have described as the Sacred and the Profane. The physical dense body in which you as Essence exist through is a part of you that you must honor on a regular basis in order to continue with your days. While at the same time, having a perspective that is natural to you, especially as Old Souls, that GETS IT, that many of the things you struggle with in your life are temporary and insignificant and irrelevant to the greater arc of your existence. That dance is a very interesting and amazing friction that perpetuates a Life, the dance between the Sacred and the Profane. So, what we will do today with you is have more of a discussion with you about how you feel about Death, your questions about Death, your concerns about Death, your fears about Death, anything that you would like to discuss about this experience. But we suggest you do this while holding both the Sacred and the Profane in the same space. And by this we mean that you honor the truth, the necessity to avoid this topic while honoring the necessity for you to remember the beauty of this topic. One way to approach this is to tap into the more morbid humor that is natural to the Old Soul, and approach Death as a comical event that occurs more than it is a tragic event. Because Death is the ultimate tragedy and comedy, and there is a very fine line between the two. And you as a meeting ground between the Sacred and the Profane have the capacity to shift between these two perspectives, the tragedy side and the comedy side. It would be of interest to us to see where our students can find the comedy in the Deaths that have been experienced in the life, or the Deaths that you have experienced in the past, or the Deaths that you fear may be coming for you. So, our first question to you would be, in particular for those who have experienced the Death of someone in your life: do you or can you find the comedy in this, the levity, the relief, the peace, the paradox, the humor, in this experience? Asking you this question lets us understand where you are in your capacity to shift between perspectives. Because you will always see both of these perspectives, the tragedy and the comedy, but most of you are imprinted to emphasize the tragedy. Because in most cases it would be unnerving if you approached a funeral with a party hat and streamers and offered stand-up. It would be awkward. But that is not because it IS awkward. It is because of the climate that is imprinted within you around Death. There is levity in Death. In fact, we find it quite hilarious in many cases. Not because of the suffering that is involved, but because of our witnessing your reunions after the life is over and the realization that you have not ended. You have not in any way ended. That realization is not only beautiful to us, but hilarious. So, we ask our students here today, have you or can you describe, even if it means stretching yourself, the levity, the humor, the beauty on the other side of tragedy for a Death that you have experienced? We are looking for examples. Martha: So, a dear friend and “ex” of mine committed suicide a few years ago. There was a month delay between the time he died and when his funeral was held. And his family had a lot to deal with so I basically planned a lot of it for them, and they wanted me to speak. And, so, I spent about a week writing. It was going to be a sad eulogy, right, I was writing all the little stories and vignettes, and I was practicing to try to get the right tone. And when it actually came to be the day of the funeral I stood up there and took a completely different tone and picked things and I did stand up, sort of. I told funny stories about him. Like, how he never cleaned his oven. You know, because I cleaned his house before we sold it for him and the oven was pristine. And so, I did stand-up. His brother, who had been sitting next to me before I got to speak after the funeral, said, I just thought that was going to be so rough but when you got up there and started speaking I knew it was all going to be OK. MEntity: That is the kind of beauty that is attached to the yin and yang of Death, so to speak. It is the other side of tragedy, and that is a good example. Ann: I got a few. I got a lot of dead people. I know this sounds terrible. My brother died of pancreatic cancer this last December. Here is somebody, this is going to sound so awful, but here's somebody who did so much for the environment, committed himself to this clean life. And he dies of this fucking pancreatic cancer. I know that sounds mean, but it's like, Oh my god. The irony still amazes me that he took such good care of himself and was such a steward of the planet and he gets laid low by this rampant, nasty disease. And I don't know how he feels about it, but there's a part of me, like, Oh my god, the irony still kills me. You know, it's just.... And also, the way my mother, my mother went out her way. She did it her way. And it was so much a part of who she was. It was sort of a really interesting honor to watch her in Discrimination slowly make her decision to work her way out of here, you know, through her choices. BobbyA: I'm thinking specifically about a man by the name of Jason that I asked you about. He experienced a disruption at a club one night, and he and his female partner went home. And I think the police were called, and in an effort to avoid the police, there was a warrant out for his arrest, he went and sat out by the train tracks. And he was drunk. And instead of getting hit by the law, he got hit by the train. MEntity: That is hilarious. [Laughter] Brian: I'll add one. Geraldine is a great example. She knew that it was coming. We went to Seattle. For most of us to meet her for the first time. But at the same time, when we were doing the planning, one of the jokes was like, hey, let's have a pre-mortem eulogy. And so, it was basically making fun of all the nonsense. And I remember some channeling that Maureen and Bobby had done later on to find out, OK, what kind of happened on the other side. And apparently, she was very pissed that her first sighting of Essence was of her sitting in the wheelchair from Seattle. And she's like, what, that's it? And so, yeah, to me it was very beautiful to be able to see that. Obviously as Old Souls we kind of know, yes, it goes on, but to truly see that in action, and be able to see someone embracing Death, not just accepting it but even embracing it and having fun with it. And then even on the other side, that's it, I'm disappointed! I thought there was going to be more! So, that was a really good example for me. Janet: After my parents' deaths, we didn't have funerals, we had memorial services. They were full of pictures and stories, especially the funny stories that we had on my parents. But I wanted to bring up that those Deaths we knew were coming with some advance notice. They were in a state of health and it was the time. We had some way to make some preparation. In Martha's case, that was totally unexpected. And so, I think there is a difference in how you might approach it and how you might be able to handle it based on whether you have advance warning or not. MEntity: Yes, the tragic will be involved. Regardless of the humor you can find in it. But it is important, the reason why we are discussing it from this angle is because it's important, as you come across those who will die or you approach your own Death, whether suddenly or known, you must remember to access the comedy, the humor, because this is how you allow the individual to continue on without an attachment or an anchor to the life that has been ended, so to speak. The more one grieves, which is a natural process, but the more one grieves in a way that resists the humor, or the levity, or the understanding, the more you have anchored an individual to the life in a way that does have an effect on their Review. And we have discussed this in our delineation of the 7th Internal Monad, which we will not do here, as we have covered that in detail. But the levity is not just for you to feel better about the Death, but about freeing up the energy that is another Essence and its Personality to continue forward. It does have an impact on the Review. Are there other examples? Tex: This is sort of an example and a question. My dad, who was age 96 when he died two years ago, had had multiple strokes at that time. I'd been in the hospital with him. And he's kind of an easy-going guy, never worries about anything. And I think that's why he didn't die until age 96. He would wake up from a stroke or whatever and just look around like it was totally amusing. Finally, he has a heart attack. He's out for several days, and he finally comes to and he looks around the room and goes, I'm not dead yet! [Laughter] And then two years later, bang, he dies. [Laughter] I can just see him on the other side going, I'm not dead yet! [Laughter] So the question is, did he actually do that on the other side when he died? I'm not dead yet! MEntity: We do not know. [Laughter] We would have to look. We wish to differentiate between your bringing levity to the experience of Death and the attention that is necessary for processing the suffering of an individual that may lead to a Death, whether this be through sickness or mental illness or the overwhelming circumstances of a life that drives an individual to reduce choices to the point of leaving the life, exiting the life. So, we are in no way implying or saying that one must diminish the appropriate response to the suffering of an individual. But the Death itself and the experience of this can be, at some point when you are ready, brought to a state of wholeness by finding the comedy to go along with the tragedy. And knowing this is part of the process of understanding and bringing peace to your experience of Death, a peace that is often missed or not pointed out in most instructions for how to grieve. Eventually you must find the humor. Do you have questions before we continue? Daniela: I get it. I imagine that when I die I'll have a smile on my face. It will be funny. But my children. I just can't see humor [Laughs] in a child's Death. It just seems, like, different. MEntity: That is because it is not funny, at this point, and it is not something that you need to [Troy laughs] ponder as a hilarious event to occur. [Laughter] The point is if that were to happen, then it is important to find the humor in this. You do not practice that understanding on anticipating the Deaths of those who are close to you. You practice this on those experiences that have already occurred. And that is important to understand so that you are not whimsically laughing at the possibility of a loved one's Death. But if a loved one has died, there will be a point where the humor may be necessary, and will likely be necessary, to bring to the equation. You can practice on yourself, as you say, as you gave as an example, and that if fair game. But you do not have to practice on your children. [Laughter] Daniela: But what's the humor in a child's Death? To me it just seems different than an adult's. MEntity: That would be something that individually you must find. It is not that the Death is humorous in itself. But that you will find the humor that is included in the reality of that Death, and much like Martha gave as an example, it is finding those memories that bring back the humor to the equation, not necessarily in extracting it from the Death itself. Do you understand? Daniela: Yes. MEntity: Those memories that elicit laughter and humor are vital to your peace around the Death of a loved one. One of the reasons for this is because, as you mature emotionally, you move away from Sentimentality, which is an attachment to a rigid way of remembering things or wanting things not to change, and move toward Nostalgia. This is an emotionally intelligent way of looking back at the past. Nostalgia extracts from all of the spectrum of experiences those things that bring the greatest movement forward, that add to your life in ways that are joyful and humorous. So, that is one of the reasons why looking for humor and levity and memories of laughter is a way of moving into a more emotionally intelligent way of moving forward with the past, instead of staying rooted in the past with Sentimentality. Cyprus: I have a question. Is Death kind of an overall statement? I mean, even not just talking about Death. But I love nostalgia and remembering the stuff that we've done in the past. Even things that were crazy and seemed horrible at the time, we now laugh at and joke about and enjoy in a different light. MEntity: Yes. This can be used in a broad way for the life. And it is one of the ways that you grow. Many of the things that you are doing in this life that bring suffering are things you will look back on and laugh about in the future, because you already do that now in your questions about past lives. What you [Troy laughs] have not quite grasped, and we understand why, is that you are already dead. [Laughter] Your future lives are asking about you, and the irony is that [Troy laughs] nothing dies. [Laughter] So, while you are already dead and not yet dead and will never die, the concept of Death must be addressed. In terms of the Personality, or rather the physical body, Death is quite profound. But in terms of the Essence and Personality, it is simply transformation, it is simply evolution. It is not an end. It is not Death in the way that most tend to treat it. There is a persistence and continuation that each of you know is true. You do not have to trust us in telling you this. There is a part of you that knows this. But your body is not designed to remember this. It is not designed to know this. So, you will always have that struggle within you. Nostalgia can help you to understand that if you can do this for your life and for those who have died in your life, it helps you to understand the beauty of your life in retrospect after Death. And we ask you now, if you were to die today, can you find the Beauty and the Nostalgia, would you leave this life today knowing this was a life lived as best you could, and by “best you could” we mean by your standards, with your skills, at your pace, and not measured against some ambition or deadline set by a false premise. Various responses: No. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. MEntity: We promise there will not be Kool-Aid. [Laughter] If you would like to, we can offer up the floor to get questions or to respond to questions about your individual Deaths, some of which you may find quite hilarious. If you— [Laughter] Cyprus: The room goes crazy. Martha: Everybody wants that, Michael. MEntity: We will start with five. We will leave it up to those who are moderating to manage this. Cyprus: We'll just take a nice smattering, OK? We'll start with Cong. Cong: Can Michael just give me an example of my funniest Death in the past? MEntity: For each of these responses we may require a moment to find. [After a moment of silence, Troy starts to laugh.] [Laughter] The [Troy laughs]—this is Troy laughing, not us—the lifetime that came up for us is a lifetime in which you were, we think, in the late 1700's. We may not provide all of the details so that we can get to more people, but you were very eager to get married and your dress got, in the frantic effort to get to a location in time to get married, because you thought you would die if you did not, because it was quite important to you and exciting, your dress got hooked into the wheel of the vehicle and you were pulled [Troy laughs] under [Laughter] and broke your neck [Laughter] and did not make it to the wedding. [Laughter] Cong: Just out of curiosity, did you know who I was supposed to marry? And did they find this funny? MEntity: At the time, no. [Laughter] The Mate Agreement at the time is not here, in this room. Cyprus: Martha. You haven't been here in a long time. You deserve to go. Martha: So, you did tell me about the funny Death of Geraldine and I where we were soldiers that laughed and got caught because we were laughing and got killed. So, that one I know already. MEntity: That was quite a good one. [Laughter] We've [Troy laughs] found one in what looks like the late 1500's where you thought you could get by with defecating under a stage by slipping through a trap door, [Laughter] not knowing [Troy laughs]—we are having trouble keeping Troy from listening—the place burned down. [Laughter] We suggest that each of you who receive these notes make a note so that we can elaborate upon these and put them properly in the sequence of lives that you may be exploring in more formal settings. Martha: Did I cause the fire? MEntity: No. Next. Cyprus: Ann. MEntity: We will look. We are looking. This may not be as funny as the others, but we find it funny. The lifetime where you were running a type of apothecary store and thought you could make some good money switching out a remedy for a poison because someone was going to pay you well. And fell ill, feeling guilty, not realizing that you had given them a remedy and took the poison [Laughter] to feel better and killed yourself. [Laughter] Cyprus: Kerrin. MEntity: [Troy laughs] We think this will count. [Laughter] We are losing the capacity to relay details. But we can share the gist. It appears you had puffed up yourself in such a way as to take on the challenge of jousting knowing that you had never done it before. [Laughter] And in your attempts, you beheaded the one you were challenging, but were so freaked out by the impaling that you catapulted yourself off your horse and into some sort of impact that caused you to die. [Laughter] Everyone was quite confused. [Laughter] Kerrin: Was there anyone here whose head I cut off? MEntity: No. Cyprus: Tex. Tex: OK, I invented so many things in this life that nearly killed me, from motorcycles to jumping off a roof with umbrellas, you name it. I have got to make an invention out there that killed me. MEntity: A few. [Laughter] One example that you thought would be helpful for a rough terrain were stilts with springs. [Laughter] That did not go well. [Laughter] Cyprus: Are you OK to do more? MEntity: We can take two more. Cyprus: Brian. MEntity: We are looking. This would have been in what might be described as the “Wild West” of America, and you had decided to take some journey by horse on your own, and someone convinced you to dress in the garb of the Native Americans as a form of disguise, which did not work. [Laughter] You were immediately seen as an offense and murdered. And what was funny was your yelling, “But my headdress.” [Laughter] We know we cannot prove this, but we are not making these up. [Laughter] We will take one more. Cyprus: We haven't had an Artisan. We'll do Janet. I’m trying to get the other Roles. See if they are more entertaining. MEntity: They are all entertaining. [Laughter] The one that comes up right now for us to most easily convey is an expedition of some sort, that took a lot of convincing to pull off for a group to trust in your navigational skills and knowledge to lead to what we can only describe as some sort of Mayan vault that required a large stone to roll out of the way. After so much journey to get there and in your excitement, the door rolled back [Laughter], and you did not survive that. [Laughter] Cyprus: At least she got them there! MEntity: That is exactly what you said. [Laughter] Janet: I said, “I got you there?” MEntity: That is on record. [Laughter] These are examples of how you will look at this life. You will look back and find the humor, even in your greatest struggles, because all of you will remain together. All of you will remain reuniting, one after another in your lifetimes, and finding each other again. It does not end. We have not seen an end. And we have all reunited as an Entity and laugh at our [Troy laughs] past on a regular basis, though we do not have the bodies to do so such as Troy is experiencing now. But there is still laughter in the Causal Plane. As the Old Soul learns rather quickly, some of the most amazing and beautiful and touching moments are in the most tragic. And this is something that you can keep in mind, even if it is an undercurrent in your struggles, is that you will find the beauty in that. You do not have to find it in the moment. Because you must figure out whatever it is that you must figure out. But you can find it in those moments. You can find it in your struggle. You can find it in the suffering. There will be a moment when you understand it differently. And that is all that matters in terms of getting peace around difficult experiences is understanding it differently. It does not mean that you will understand it completely, but you will understand it differently. And it is often more meaningful, useful, touching, than you might have guessed while in it. And that is what we will leave you with in terms of your understanding Death, approaching Death, and looking back at it. Cyprus: Before you go, could you just tell us one of your funniest ones? MEntity: One of our own? Cyprus: Yes. MEntity: We have a few to choose from. [Laughter] One of our favorites was when a large part of our Entity were incarnated together as a crew on a ship. And we thought it would be a good idea to have some ladies join us [Laughter] and we all died from syphilis. [Laughter] But we had a good time. [Laughter] Cyprus: Thank you. MEntity: Good day to each of you and good-bye.

Energy Report September 2009 [note: Every year has a pattern of energy that can be described as a kind of "personality," so the energy reports are Michael's interpretation of that energy using the Overleaf System; these are not predictions, but merely observations of momentum and pattern generated by actions and choices, similar to how weather patterns can be observed and reported.] September appears to be moving in the direction of a "fresh start" for many of our students. It is the last month of emphasis on the Attitude of Idealist, which could be said to be the exploration of the "philosophy of improvement." This emphasis on the Attitude began in July, launched from what some may have been considered "high hopes," moved through August's deep sense of disappointment, distraction, and disheartenment with life as Ideals were measured against reality, and now moves into September with a more solid sense of footing. The extremes of Idealism having been explored, most can now find the balance between Naivety and Coalescence, the negative and positive poles of Idealism. For most, this appears to be showing up as some form of "fresh start," as we said, and this fresh start is most likely marked by inclusion of the Moving Center. By this we mean that ACTION is the key that appears to have been missing in the equation of your ideals for improvement of your life, self, relationships, etc. For some, this may be marked by a literal TO DO list; for others this may show up as a literal move from one location to another; and for others it may show up in the form of traveling; but in all cases, it would show up as some form of MOVEMENT. When the Attitude of the Personality is in the negative pole, it brings down the entire Personality, in most cases. The Attitude could be said to be the hub of the Personality, so to speak, around which all other components function. In other words, if your primary philosophy about life is askew, everything is askew. Therefore, the key to True Personality, (which is the energies that are "you" when governed by conscious Choice) is held in the Attitude. When one wishes to change one's Attitude, there are many ways to do so, but one of the most effective ways is to engage the most-neglected Center (Moving, Intellectual, or Emotional) in the Personality. On an individual level, this would vary, but when speaking in terms of participating in, and contributing to, the collective weather of energy patterns, this would be determined by the most common denominator that is generated out of a group, and in this case, this year, it is the Moving Center. To participate in, and contribute to, the collective pattern of Idealism this year, it would be done through the participation and contribution toward MOVING, or taking action. Despite the fact that the Moving Center has been evident in global and local events in varying degrees, it has not been as evident for many on a Personal level beyond Frustration, a negative pole description of the Moving Center, which can also be described as Frenetic. Frustration is generated when energy is moved in a direction that lacks fulfillment of intention, whereas Productivity, the positive pole, is the fulfillment of intention. If improvement is intended, then not only will thinking and feeling be required, but action will be, as well. A renovation job is not fulfilled by mere excitement and blueprints alone; someone needs to DO something. And the same goes for moving Idealism out of Naivety and into Coalescence. Put another way, you are the one who has to do the work to accomplish, transform, or embrace what you have set out to accomplish, transform, or embrace. To go further behind the dynamics that can help to bring the Idealism to the positive pole, we would suggest looking at what helps the Moving Center continue to work Productively, rather than Frustratingly: LAUGHTER. Laughter is a biological product from the higher functions of the Moving Center, which then fuels the lower, more mundane levels of the Moving Center toward Productivity, which then provides the conscious and creative navigation toward fulfillment of an Ideal (or on an individual level, whatever Attitude may be of relevance.) Laughter is vital for Productivity, and though we do refer to the physical elements of laughing, we also refer to the internal laughter that allows you to not take yourself or your life so seriously. There is a vast difference between treating yourself seriously, and taking yourself seriously. Treating yourself seriously emphasizes you as a valuable and meaningful Being, while taking yourself seriously merely emphasizes and amplifies (and defends) the question of your value and meaning. In other words, treating yourself seriously is simply another way of describing Confidence, whereas taking yourself too seriously is Insecurity. Treating yourself seriously, ironically, means being able to laugh at yourself and your experiences, creatively navigating through your hardships and disappointments, and being able to decide on your own what those experiences mean to you. September, then, may not only be a month of activity and movement, but a month that may be peppered with downtime for reflection on the comedy vs tragedy aspects of your life. Some of you may be ready to, at least, chuckle at this year's frustrations, absurdities, and tragedies, both in terms of experiences or in terms of your behavior and choices, shaking your head affectionately at the realization of your confidence and trust that has been built within you from the experiences. That confidence and trust is there, regardless of your realization of it, but your realization of it transforms it from a hidden stockpile into an collection of accessible tools for you to use for fulfilling your Ideal; your chosen direction of improvement. We remind you that we speak to those participating in, and contributing to, the collective energies we can see moving in larger patterns, but it is just as true that we have pockets of students who do not have any interest in "improvement," or Ideals, and have opted out. For those who have opted out of this energy, we have seen a rather fast-paced, but rather smooth, momentum of the year, bringing with it a sense of movement and change, but without such fluctuations and challenges. These fragments will seem to be moving right along in their protected bubbles of reality that seem untouched by the reality of ups and downs that others are experiencing, but neither reality is any more or less desirable or valid. The reality that is valid and desirable to you is the one you are experiencing; there are no exceptions. September 5th through the 7th is a NEXUS for many of our students, but just as many will experience their Nexus at various points (individually) over the days between the 15th and the 20th. This means some may be the 15th through the 17th, while others may be the 16th through the 18th, etc., but most will be around 3 days. A Nexus is a pivotal period of time where collective choices either create a convergence (a coming together of group paths/realities) or a divergence (a splintering of group paths/realities). There tend to be themes around these that help describe the direction the Nexus might take. These happen fairly regularly on a Personal level, and almost monthly on a Community level, and one to three times a year on a Global level. This Nexus is a Community Nexus, which usually means that this shift occurs in pockets of time close together that eventually "add up" to the collective shift of your community. A "Community" would be anyone remotely meaningful within your social or family circle. If you communicate with that person, he or she is a part of your community. This means that those within your more immediate circle would most likely move through the Nexus together, or close together. Keep in mind that having contact with someone is not the same thing as communicating. Not everyone with whom you have contact, even on a regular basis, is someone with whom you communicate (engage in meaningful exchange). This Nexus is a divergence, which would mean that most of you may feel a diversion of directions, a parting of paths, a scattering of attention from within your community, but this is not a "bad thing." When a divergence happens on a personal level, parts of you literally spin off into new realities that pursue different paths of reality. When a divergence happens on a community level, the community either comes together to address the various needs of the community, or the community dissolves. For most of our students, we see the emphasis moving in the direction of addressing various goals, directions, and needs within the community as a means to continue nurturing that community. This is not to say that some will not dissolve, but that most will simply find a way to multi-task toward fulfillment of group ideals. To the degree that your community addresses its needs and works together toward an ideal, is the degree to which October, November, and December would generate prosperity, feelings of abundance, and the nurturing that this year has been moving toward as a Server year. To the degree that your community loses its sense of humor, disregards its needs, and does not act, is the degree to which October, November, and December would be submerged in the exploration of panic, distraction, intolerance, and victimization, the hallmarks of Impatience and Martyrdom. Whether now, or in the future of this life, or in between lives, or in a future life, or at the end of your Physical Plane incarnations, all of you will eventually discover one of the most profound truths of your existence, and that is: Despite what you have been taught by others, or have interpreted through your experiences, life is hilarious. Put in terms more expressive of this channel: "Life is a hoot!" This Truth is not a cruel or dispassionate statement, but quite the opposite: full of deep compassion and trust. When a parent sees the humor in the "tragic" stumbling of a child, or the "lethal" embarrassment of a teen, he or she is merely seeing the bigger picture of ultimate lack of threat to that child or teen, and so it is that you begin to see your own and others' experiences as ultimately without threat, therefore leaving room for the spectrum of humor, across the affectionate shaking of the head, rolling of the eyes, snickers, giggles, chuckles, and even into blatant bursts of laughter. Extracting, interpreting, or creating laughter from tragedy is part of manifesting one's Essence as an Older Soul. You are not expected by any means to rush into that truth, and nor should you expect that of yourself as some sign of enlightenment, unless you choose to impose that expectation upon yourself, of course. This truth is one that naturally comes to light at the pace in which you integrate and comprehend your experiences, and there simply is no race to do such a thing. Many do not "get it" until the final breaths of the final life, while others "get it" in bits and pieces throughout every lifetime. It is never beneficial to force this process of realization because then one moves away from humor and and into hysterics. Life is hilarious, not hysterical. Hysterics is a defense against, and an evasion of, experiences, not an embrace and comprehension. For those of you who wonder if you've experienced the truth of the humor of your life, we can say that if you experience a tragic or challenging experience of your past as now being nostalgic to any degree, then you have a hint at the beauty that is ultimately your life. Everything taken from your lives will ultimately range from nostalgic to hilarious. We remind you that humor is simply the resolution of paradox, which is when two or more surprising, unexpected, or conflicting elements come together and then resolve into comprehension. One thing that every reunited entity shares is a "good laugh" as we go through the collective catalog of lifetimes and the comical nature of tragedy is even more glaringly revealed. Some of you already suspect, and it is valid, that we do often share "laughs" with even your own Essence, but we do promise that we never laugh AT you, only WITH you. KEY PHRASE FOR THIS MONTH: Everyone is ultimately safe. Everyone. Including me.

March 2, 2000 Troy Tolley, Channel Conscious Connection to Essence 3 of 3 Note: This series begins with Michael Speaks -- Conscious Connection to Essence (1 of 3) [Michael_Entity] Hello to all. We are here. One moment. In our sharing with you our various perspectives of what is and isn’t being conscious of Essence, we believe a practical examination of each Essence Role would be beneficial. In our examination we will share what we perceive are the Maya (or Great Lesson) of that particular role and a more ‘organic’ approach to determining what might be considered rejection of Essence or what might be considered acceptance of Essence. We will note here that the positive and negative poles of the Essence ARE NOT indications of being conscious or accepting of Essence. A fragment in the Negative Poles is just as potentially “in Essence” as a fragment in the positive poles, at least in terms of experiencing its life. What we have sought to exchange with you is what it means to reject Essence or accept Essence as part of your primary being. Those who reject Essence are in deep isolation and a myriad of other traumatic or deteriorating experiences, regardless of how together their life appears or how wonderful their work and relationships and successes are. Those who are accepting and conscious of Essence usually have the enthusiasm to ‘make the best of everything’, even in the midst of what ‘should’ be devastating. Poverty, drama, accidents, horror are NOT signs of disconnection from Essence, they are merely experiences. A positive pole role can still be at its apparent ‘best’ yet still be disconnected from Essence. A negative pole role can be as difficult and trying as expected, and be conscious. The keys are in the act of Decisions and CHOICES. In the moments of your darkest despair, if you can “look up” and recognize that this space is simply where you are at the moment, even if you seek no resolution beyond that realization, half of your battle is completed. When you say “yes, this is where I am right now, I know I could do something but I do not feel like it right now”, you have granted yourself an open door to Essence. Acknowledging your state of mind, your resistance, your struggles, etc. are in that very moment your decision and choice to allow or change, you become immediately centered and present, regardless of your choice in either direction. This will immediately and in that moment connect you consciously to Essence. This does not mean your mood or situation will magically remove itself from your life, but you have opened your world and option for greater probabilities by that single choice, a millionfold. Besides your initial acknowledgment that you may have dropped your connection to Essence, we will say that the most powerful and profound choice you can make next is to ASK FOR HELP. The body is not designed to sustain animation and life without connection to Essence for any extended period of time once sentience has moved in. We want to note at this point that there is no REAL disconnection from Essence; we merely use these terms for convenience, even the term ‘rejection’ is inaccurate in light of the truth, but these terms capture the experience and we will continue to use them with this understanding. We will begin now with each Essence, but first, we will pause for a few questions, if there are any, about what we have shared thus far. [nemo999] What are the most common states of mind? Pleasure, pain, depression, sadness, happiness, attention, boredom … are these states of mind or are they illusion? [Michael_Entity] This set of descriptions are only conveniences to describe whatever a person interprets as their reality in the moment. They are highly subjective and can refer to either illusions or what you have called ‘states of mind.’ They are all ‘real’ to a person experiencing. The definition of ‘illusion,’ or Maya as we prefer, is in the apparent indulgence in a ‘truth’ that is subjectively inappropriate for the fragment. There are some Maya that are shared collectively, some that are individual. Despite the fact that Personal Truth will render all of these experiences “real”, we will share a little of our perception. Depression from your list can be considered a collective ‘illusion,’ and one that is a deep indulgence in Maya, though very ‘real’ when inside of it. Depression is a resigned stance toward the life, an emotional suicide based on one or more of the Chief Features. This is not a judgment. When one is in Depression, we differentiate this from Grief. Depression is literally the consistent and insistent effort to reject the life. If Depression is being experienced, acknowledge that you are where you are in your experience, and ask for help. Depression is one of many Maya that creates a situation where intervention from outside forces is required. Pain from your list can be either Maya or “real”, but is always a symptom of resistance or friction, which we do not see as inherently good or bad, merely resistance to some Growth. Pleasure is always a symptom of higher awareness and connection to Essence. Sadness can be either, though if tears are involved, recognition of a truth on some level is occurring. If there are no tears, this is most likely a form of Depression. Boredom is always a symptom of Maya and is a literal self-lie to remove responsibility. When Boredom is indulged in, you are living in a space of time that was created from want of “having more time”, then when it arrives, you seek to fill it. This all happens because creation on the Physical Plane is denser and slower, therefore the space and time sought “shows up”, but sometimes out of synch with your faster moving mind. Making a note that Boredom is a sign of forgetting your original intentions can help make more of that time. It is not required, of course, that you continue with your original intentions, but release the judgments about EXPERIENCING the slowing of time and take a moment to stop. When we say this is a self-lie to remove responsibility, we mean this in terms of being able to respond, not in terms of discipline. [Azure362] What happens when one fragment is deriving pleasure from another fragment’s pain? Here is where I get confused. This encompasses all these levels, personal or collective, as in when society feels some sort of pleasure at putting some fragment to death, as in capitol punishment. So this would not be true connection to Essence then? So it is safe to say that some pleasures are of Maya? [Michael_Entity] That is difficult to reconcile within the confines of the Physical Plane. We do not expect you to reconcile that, nor do we think it can be. Sometimes events are not understandable by Personality. We will say, however, that True pleasure is rarely experienced at the expense of another, unless both Essences involved have a mutual agreement for something that is otherwise seen as horrific. We will define true pleasure as being that which retains the recognition of the choice of others. If the choice of other is interfered with, then this cannot be true pleasure, it is only stimulation. And, no, it is not correct to say some pleasures are of Maya. Pleasure that interferes with the life, path, or choice of another is stimulation, not true pleasure. [Azure362] And then it is true pleasure that connects to Essence? I think I am getting it. Sorry, lol, but I see some fragments getting pleasure out of stimulation as such ? [Michael_Entity] Consider the image of a person gratified by eating a chocolate bar versus that of one being gratified by stealing the chocolate from a child. You will most likely intuit the difference. It is not complex when examined and the differences between self-stimulation and true pleasure are glaring. Again, the difference is in the lack of interference of choice in another. Our system of Personality and Essence is comparatively quite simple and each part of the system is dynamically linked to other parts, leading to what many have called Michael Math. Each role, attitude, CF, center, etc. are all linked by their axis. For instance, the Ordinal Inspiration will have re-evaluation, reserve, stoic, emotional, self-deprecation, and lunar body types, along with the Server, and the attributes of the number one. Therefore, as we discuss each role tonight in its disconnection from Essence, you might also recognize in that disconnection a link to that role’s inherent Chief Feature. In this instance, though, we might call it “The Great Lesson”. This is not a term we prefer, but it is one our channel found appropriate and we do not disagree, though more creative ways of seeing this will surely come from our sharing with you. Therefore, each Essence will have its “Great Lesson” and this ‘lesson’ will always recur each lifetime in some form. There will be no lifetime that does not struggle with this ‘lesson’, however briefly. Regardless of the dynamics of personality and its chosen emphasis of challenge, the Essence IN ITSELF has its challenges, though it is seen from a very different perspective and eagerly played with. This results from Essence “forgetting” the inherent challenges of the physical plane while being Astral. The body has to regain consciousness each lifetime regardless of soul age and seeks to grow back into the soul age last reached in the previous life. We will also note here that each of these scenarios we might mention in regard to the Roles can be applied to each of you since you may relate it to your own CF that then relates to the Role we are describing. Each Role and CF relates to a Chakra, or Center, and this can also lead to connections. We suggest you only focus on your Role for now, figuring in the consideration as to when or whether you are conscious and accepting of Essence, regardless of these extrapolations. We will begin with the SERVER. For now, we will examine the basics. When a Server is conscious and connected to Essence, regardless of its struggles and fears in the life, its Great Lesson is in discovering that it can take care of other things, nurture them, help them, be tremendously effective in catering to the nuances of needs in another all the while being able to care for self. The Server connected to Essence and conscious of that connection chooses to take care of itself no matter what is happening in the life, knowing inherently that this is the only way to truly be successful in any endeavor. The Server who is not connected to Essence chooses not only to slack in its care of self, but loses its enthusiasm to seek to care for others. This Server will seek in its universe and emphasize in its universe any and all ways to prove that things are not loving, that there is discord and that their own lives are not making a difference. They are self-deprecation, manifest. This Server has its roots in only emphasizing its own and all others inadequacy, or lack of being. This can be overt or subtle, but it will show. Their keys to bringing back a conscious connection to Essence (besides the first vital two steps, recognizing choice for where you are, and then asking for help), is in doing anything physically stimulating. Running, jogging, going dancing, anything with dirt and the ground, and getting a massage. Anything that allows contact PHYSICALLY with what is considered the “outside world” that provides data without judgment. The SERVER more than any other Role can use the past as their world and choose to gauge everything within that context, therefore, it is successful to release the past and choose experiences that bring the Server more “presence.” Next we will comment on the ARTISAN. The Artisan who is conscious of and connected to Essence is one that has learned to allow happiness into the life. This may seem deceptively simple and universally applicable, but any true Artisan can tell you that it is one of their Great Lessons to learn to like receiving and indulging in the pleasures of this world. An Artisan who is connected and conscious with Essence has true joy and enthusiasm for the life, allowing whatever levels of prosperity and abundance are appropriate at that moment. They have admitted to themselves what they wanted, what they needed, and they are allowing themselves to have it, to create it. The Artisan that is disconnected or rejecting of Essence feels their needs are too great, that they will never get what they deserve or are not worth the life used on them. Artisans are clever in their disconnection from Essence because they have helped to construct a culture that supports it. It plays on other fragments, deriving from them false compassion and pity, but nothing of value to make the life seem “worth it.” The Artisan disconnected from Essence is self-destruction, manifest. They have determined that they are not worth what they want. The Artisan can endure for years and years in this state, far longer than any other role disconnected from Essence, because this state eventually requires others to reach out and care for them, even if they are not making changes, themselves. Eventually, the Great Lesson is learned and the life is transformed. At some point, and probably more dramatically than any other role, a shift in the life occurs. This brings the Artisan into a space that says YES to life, to what it wants, recognizes its needs and says they are worth pursing it for. Ways for the Artisan to connect to Essence in times of recognized disconnection are through any form of artistic expression, but most especially painting or sculpting, making a concerted effort to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. They can purchase things that feel fun are usually labeled “trivial”, interact with small animals, or dance privately to music. Next we will comment on the WARRIOR. The Warrior when connected and conscious with Essence finds itself in many a challenge against or within the life where there appear to be imbalances. A Warrior that is Conscious recognizes that their very nature requires them to live intentionally and with purpose of action. This means, regardless of its tediousness or turbulence, they are always out to conquer something. The Warrior connected to Essence finds itself in many situations of chaos and disorder as a means to exercise and emphasize what is and isn’t Power or Empowering. More than any other role they are more perpetually in crisis or challenge because this is truly where their “heart” lies. It may not be acceptable or as “easy” as other roles’ experiences or what the culture supports, but it is their world and it is vital. The symptoms of a Warrior connected to Essence can most likely be seen in gauging the strengths of their relationships. The Warrior disconnected or rejecting Essence feels that their life is one unrolling world of chaos and they determine they are just ‘lucky’ for what they have, relinquishing effort to make a path. More than any other role, even if arguably, the Warrior that is disconnected from Essence spends it life seeking approval and recognition, while consistently remaining in the shadows. The disconnected Warrior lays low, evades conflict, and depends on others heavily. The disconnected Warrior has a deep sense that at some point it needs to do or be something specific in order to be loved or recognized. Most of the time, this Warrior has no idea what that “something specific” is and will continue to close its circle of life down until it learns to make choices for itself, grasping that they are in control of their lives; this is their Great Lesson. The disconnected Warrior is Martyrdom manifest. This is another role that can regain connection to Essence by incorporating or balancing with heavy physical activity. Making contact with life in a physical manner that brings data into the body emphasizing security and control, such as Tai Chi or the Alexander Technique, a sport that requires coordination, or can all bring the Essence back into the picture. Asking to be held, or holding someone important can help, as well. We will address the SCHOLAR now. The Scholar that is connected to Essence and conscious has learned its Great Lesson, which revolves around the reality of shared love. This Scholar has realized with a great amount of profundity that they will not love another until they have sought to love themselves. As we have said, there are many of these Role symptoms you all may find applicable, but for each Role, you will see they are a deeper lesson when specifically considered. All other Roles have an “easier” time at loving and being loved than the Scholar does. The Scholar who is connected to Essence has realized they are whole and complete, that they like themselves and have decided to trust and open their hearts to their life. They recognize that ALL aspects of life are capable of being loved, even themselves and all the hard times passed through. When the Scholar is disconnected or rejecting of Essence, they do their best to ignore their lives, to resist the examination that not everything is fine. This Scholar refuses to examine their vulnerabilities and have not dealt with their shadow feelings, resulting in acts of dominance or power struggles. They have never experienced intimacy of any depth due to these things. They become adept at arguing their points, ignoring the pains of their past, destroying or deteriorating any relationship or person whom touches too closely too personal areas of pain and sensation. They are Stubbornness manifest. They, more than any other Role, truly fear what is called love. The disconnected Scholar can still bring in a definite resource of love into their lives, but this is usually sought only out of need for refuge, a place to securely hold up the walls around their own hearts. The Scholar disconnected from Essence can be one of the most painful and emotionally tormenting of all exchanges for someone trying to love them. Some suggestions for bringing more of Essence in might be to talk to children about their perspective on life, actually play with children or play on a child’s playground. Seeking laughter of any kind brings Essence immediately back in for a Scholar. Seeking the experience of the aroma and visuals of botanical gardens or observing the ocean can help, or having flowers within visual and olfactory range. We will address the SAGE now. The Sage in connection to Essence is the most obvious and closest to what the positive pole describes. They are TALKING. The Sage connected to Essence, regardless of what they are communicating, is at least communicating. They seek to express any and all feelings and thoughts as a means for communication. When they are angry, you know it, when they are sad, you know it, when they are happy, you know it; they will gladly tell you and tell everyone else. The Sage who is disconnected from Essence becomes silent. Of all the roles, the Sage is the most tender and fragile of all roles. We do not imply this negatively. This is simply because they are the “children” of our universe, and no physical age or soul age will ever change this. It is their “job”. As this Role pertains to communication, children, and the Intellectual Center or fifth (Throat) Chakra, you can see the fragility in a child who has been driven or shunned into silence, when the child hangs its head to cover the vulnerable communication center. This can be reflected in all ages of a Sage, as well. When a Sage has gone silent they are rejecting Essence, losing consciousness. In fact, forms of silence can range through all forms of suppression. This means this Role more than most is susceptible to addictions and substance abuses, anything to redirect the energies from having to address what wants to be said. They are Greed manifest, as they fixate on something they feel they do not have enough of, and remain struggling to attain this at the expense of life and self. Their Great Lesson is in realizing their expression and feelings are important, that what they have to say about what they are experiencing is important to someone, even if this starts out being just themselves. Ways for the Sage to regain consciousness and connection are through writing letters, reading personal journal entries to someone who will listen, sharing a personal story or poetry, trusting what you feel about a person when you first meet them, and singing out loud. We will address the PRIEST now. The Priest who has a connection to Essence realizes that life is full of many truths and each experience has its own truth. More than any other role, this role when connected to Essence has a deep and profound trust in life, knowing with true perception how to pass through the next moments and lead others through those confusions in life as well. Life is intuitively navigated. When disconnected, this Essence lives in a world of concepts and ideas, rational thinking and over-analysis. This would normally seem harmless, but the Priest disconnected from Essence enforces these rationales, ideas, and over-analysis to the point of destroying the life or misleading others as a means for false validation of beliefs. They lose their ability to adapt to the nuances of life and seek only to remain in a predefined, structured, and thought out picture of life. This removes their ability to intuit and trust in life, but creates severe judgment and enforcement of fear. This Role more than any other Role can make a lie become a profound but false truth about themselves, life, or others. They are Arrogance manifest. To help bring the Priest back into connection, we suggest to this Role more than any other to literally make time to communicate to what you consider to be your higher self, every day. We also suggest purchasing or making a set of cards with inspirational affirmations or a book of quotes that can be a “message” or “thought for the day”, or whenever in need, to help lend insight from someplace beyond analysis. And finally the KING, we will comment on. The King who has a connection to Essence is keenly aware of the fact of all possibilities, a sense of connection to all of its life. The King connected to Essence does not just live the life, it IS the life as well. This King recognizes that it is the source of all of its life, through choice, creation, and from even higher. This King sees no separation based on time or space, but only the beautiful unfolding of a life as perfect, no matter what. They do not judge the life, themselves, or others for their position in it, but instead recognizes itself in everything around it. This King has dealt with what might be called its “dark side” and now sees through that state in others, recognizing all the illusions. Limitation is never seen as an obstacle, but an important aspect of life to help direct growth. A King who has rejected Essence becomes highly separated from its life, separated within itself, and from others. Its Great Lesson is in acknowledging they are a PART of everything and everyone, not APART. This King is caught in circles of self-gratification and simple distraction for stimulation. They feel they alone are completely responsible for all achievements in life and resist any help in any form, in fact, sometimes violently. This King rejects people outright due to imperfections reflected from self and creates enormous amounts of Space and Time between those who are their most powerful support. They are Impatience manifest. This King who is rejecting of Essence will forever remain in a circle of development since they allow no other influences or support into their lives. Ways for a King to bring back a sense of connection to Essence is through visiting spiritual temples for moments of quiet and reflection, watching or reading information shared by spiritual leaders they resonate with. They can make changes in the life that reflects a commitment to the acknowledgement of the life force in all others, such as through vegetarianism or volunteer work. More than any other Role, we would have to doubly emphasize that this Role could benefit from ASKING FOR HELP. We will conclude here. Since this session ran so long, we will not be able to respond to questions in this forum, but we invite your questions through your list or discussion forum at Otterly’s [aka Troy Tolley] site. Good Night.

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.

December 12, 2004 Troy Tolley, Channel Michael Speaks (Online) – Open Floor [Michael_Entity] Hello to all of you. We are here. We understand that this group will be “open floor”, so we will begin taking questions in the sequence we see that has been organized. [H2OSprtlvr] Now that the elections have somewhat calmed down, can you tell us if we are any closer to a change in the political arena, as in finding the problems with the voting process? [Michael_Entity] The problems with the voting system have already been found and have been known for quite some time. The issue is not in finding the problems, but in implementing changes to alleviate those problems. Unfortunately, the “problems” are actually to the benefit of many specific groups and the exploitation of those “problems” is “no problem” to them. We would say that the alleviation of those problems with the voting process is closer to being overhauled than ever before because those who are affected are now more acutely aware of the issues. Children born in the 1960’s through the 1980’s who were raised within a paradigm of “individuality and questioning authority” are now in positions wherein their questioning is taken seriously and not dismissed as rebellious. This refusal to submit to an authority without question is being refined and positively implemented in most cases. We say “positively” as meaning having consideration for the impact of that questioning on the general public. To simply rebel or to demand answers is not effective. There must be refinement and clear sanity in this effort to make such a drastic change to a rooted method of voting. After the recent Nexus, we have seen the effect of the questioning taking a surprisingly quiet turn, with any accusations and announcements being carefully examined and validated before launching. As we have said before, but will say again, we do not see your current process of voting to be in place much longer, though “much longer” to us is within 50 years. [Tibtyc] Good evening. This is Tibtyc (I think). Michael, do you have humour where you live? Do you laugh a lot, and how? Is humour and/or laughter something universal, or merely terrestrial? Some say Jesus never laughed. Does the Tao laugh, and can we join in the laughter? [Michael_Entity] Yes, we have a sense of humor, though from your perspective it may be quite “dry” or even startling. The known universe (as it exists as part of what we refer to as “TAO”) is built from three primary building blocks that can be described as TRUTH, LOVE, and ENERGY. While Physical, there are biological reactions to the pure experiences of any one of those building blocks. Tears are the biological reaction to Truth; Pleasure is the biological reaction to Love; and Laughter is the biological reaction to Energy (which can be translated as Oneness or Beauty). That which brings you laughter is that which implies a momentary, profound resonance. Some of you may believe that some laughter or humor is cruel, but that is not the case when it is genuine, even if you do not agree with the reasons or “tastes” of someone's humor. For instance, there are many non-physical entities who find the afterlife of many fragments to be quite humorous, particularly those who have constructed a “Hell”, but this is not a cruel humor. Humor is entirely based on Paradox, which finds its Resolution in Resonance. When some Entities see a fragment flailing in Hell, it is humorous because it is of the fragment's own making and this self-punishment does not have to be endured, which is the Paradox. The Resolution comes in the slow realization of the fragment that it is not necessary. The Resonance comes in the fact that “we have all been there.” We find many fragments methods of death to be particularly humorous, specifically those of the Expression Axis. We do not have bodies with which to laugh as you would recognize it, but we do “laugh.” [flimflamdamn] er, such as? (Sorry for the interruption but I just have to ask here!) [upstaate] really, such as? [Michael_Entity] One of your more humorous deaths, Leela, was approximately 4000 years ago while living as a brooding hunter who eschewed contact with people as a means to commune with and consume “nature.” [flimflamdamn] don’t tell me, I communed with a poisonous snake, or a bad mushroom. [Michael_Entity] You died on the horns of a buck after several days entangled there. [flimflamdamn] yeesh; ha ha [upstaate] ewe [kittlekats41] well, you did ask. . . [Michael_Entity] We admitted that our humor could be startling. [flimflamdamn] it's funny too [flimflamdamn] makes me wonder what the buck did! Anyway…. [Tibtyc] But can not humour be paradox-free? Just Recognition… [Michael_Entity] We do not know of genuine humor that is paradox-free. There is always an element of surprise, even with recognition, resolution, and resonance. And finally, if one considers that everything is an extension of Tao, then yes, Tao does experience laughter/humor. We will add that many of you can experience a most profound humor if you stop for one single moment and see the higher perspective of your life, including the drama, pain, and challenges. Sometimes a fragment who is extant can “get” the humor of his or her life and appreciate the absurdity of some of the events. If you can see the humor of your life, you are closer to Home than ever. [BradburySE] On “60 Minutes” a couple weeks ago, I saw a story about a 12-year old composing genius. His name is Jay Greenburg, I think, he’s been composing classical music since he was two. This says to me that someone who was not finished being a composer when he/she died came back as this boy and got right to work! Who was this boy before he was Jay Greenburg, and was he a known musical composer? [Michael_Entity] Many fragments who are deemed “child prodigies” are, indeed, completing a Cluster of lives focused on some creative theme, though this is not always the case. The fragment now known as Jay Greenberg is the current Personality of an Essence who is one of many Essences whose compositions were credited to other composers across history. The fragment in question helped create (or specifically created) compositions with or for the fragment who has come to be known as “Mozart.” This was not uncommon. This still remains a common method of publicizing creations, particularly in the field of music. As part of the theme of that fragment’s Cluster of lifetimes, we see that he is now focused on immediate recognition for his work, rather than humbly developing the submissive devotion to his art. [BradburySE] And being a “child” prodigy brings so much attention that would not be given to an adult, that his work could not possibly be credited to anyone but himself. [Michael_Entity] Precisely. [kittlekats41] How do devic energies and elementals fit into the overall physical scheme of things? Will they choose to become an ensouled species at some time or are they an evolutionary end unto themselves? [Michael_Entity] Devic Energies and “elementals” are placeholders of energy for consciousness to explore specific levels of interaction with a particular planet and its life-force. In its early stages, a planet is teeming with energies that act as caretakers and even creators/designers for life forms within the various kingdoms of life on that planet. More clearly stated: there are levels of caretaking that non-sentient consciousness can utilize as a means to explore the various kingdoms of life on a planet. Once the average soul age of a planet reaches Mature, these placeholders for caretaking begin to fall away. As the potential for choosing a sentient species falls away, so do the caretaking positions of a planet. The caretaking positions for the various kingdoms must then be fulfilled by the current sentient species. This means that as the planet has “taken care of” your species, there comes a point where your species must then “take care of” the planet. All levels of exploration of a planet are a potential end-point of interest to a consciousness, so the Devic kingdoms may be an evolutionary “end” for some. The entity known as Lazaris falls into this category. The continuing potential to sustain sentience within the species of the Gorilla appears to be the only avenue for “new souls” to explore beyond the Devic realms of your planet at this point. There is simply “no more room” for souls who are younger than Mature to truly experience the soul ages of growth. As it stands, the Gorillas will have a tremendously accelerated and condensed process of evolution as they follow in the vacuum created by the gap in average soul ages between species. We will also include as part of the realm of “caretaking” for your planet the realms of “gods and goddesses.” For the most part, “gods and goddesses” are merely concepts that then have various entities playing those “roles” for those who wish to utilize them. Different entities across time will play these roles as a means of teaching and learning, lending different interpretations of those gods and goddesses across time. We will add that the roles of gods and goddesses, depending on the concepts that sustain them, can be played by sentient or non-sentient consciousness. We, ourselves, found our students calling on us through the role of Apollo, or The Sun God, at the Oracles of Delphi. [upstaate] How much importance is it to have magnetic energy work to our physical beings in lieu of all the technology surrounding our environments? How much of this new technology that we have……i.e.; cell phones, power lines, microwaves, etc….affects our physical bodies and is it harming us? New Age science says that we need magnetic energy work to balance what is affecting us… “bombardment” is what they call it. [Tibtyc] I had the same question… Are they dangerous? [Michael_Entity] Is your final question about magnetic therapies or about the effects of your electronic society? [upstaate] both [Michael_Entity] We will respond to both, then. In response to the question of whether these energies are harmful to the human body, we would say that they are, though on fairly low levels and not any more harmful than the effects of your own Sun. In fact, we would say that certain rays of your Sun are more harmful than most electronic systems in which you must move. And while we do not trivialize the question, we would also say that most individual belief systems are even more harmful to the body than the Sun, diet, or Electronic influences. We include that statement merely as a means to put the term “harmful” into perspective. We have seen no validity to the use of magnets as treatments or preventions against electronic influences, but this is because the concept is limited at this point in development. The theories are flawed. The human body is highly adaptable, which is why it was chosen by your sentience. The bombardment of energy within a technological society is usually proportional to the adaptability of the body. The most detrimental aspect of your technological progress isn't found in the “waves”, but in the difficulty adapting to the glut of information that is accessible to you. The human psyche has not adapted well to the amount of information and input that is available. This is not to say that it will not adapt, but if there is an effect of detriment to the human, it is on the psyche, not the physical body. Of the energies you described earlier in your question, “microwaves” are the only energies we have seen to have an immediate and long-term effect on the physical body. The use of a microwave for cooking food appears to destroy nutritional value and suppress the Pineal Gland's function. [Tibtyc] Where does this put the Internet? [Michael_Entity] Ironically, what has come to be known as the Internet, with its immediate access to massive amounts of information, has the greatest potential for implementing the adaptation of the human psyche. This is because the Internet, as it becomes available to the average person, will eventually encourage the refinement of the individual's search for information. [upstaate] so, are we what we think or believe then, and only that? [Michael_Entity] It is more than a cliché to say that you are what you think. We would agree with that. [flimflamdamn] What are the chances for a healing of the rift between the Muslim world and the so-called “West”? I include Palestine-Israel and other parts of that region as well. The huge gulf in understanding and perception between us sometimes seems insurmountably huge. I feel like we are a tragically warring family. [Michael_Entity] The more contact the “Muslim world” has with the “West”, the more likely this rift would be healed. It is in the lack of exposure of one culture with another that divisions remain instilled. The chances are quite high that this rift would heal, then, as the world becomes “smaller”, though the process of healing may be bloody for many. The “gulf in understanding” can only truly be healed and bridged through education and reincarnation cycles. There are a multitude of probable futures for your planet from this point where all fragments lose interest in war within 100 years. Once the concepts of privacy, territory, and competition are redefined, your world will find the peace you now conceive as only probable. The most immediate implementation of Peace would be in the form of a massively devastating impact to life on Earth, while the more tedious, seemingly excruciating path would take approximately 100 years. But Peace is not impossible and it will happen. [flimflamdamn] hmm, I guess I'd prefer door #2 then – slow and painful! [flimflamdamn] I try to educate in my small way, but often feel so overwhelmed by the craziness on all sides. [Michael_Entity] Begin with healing your own rifts in perceptions and you greatly contribute to the process. It is not only in educating OTHERS that you may bring Peace, but in educating you, and living as an example. [flimflamdamn] what do you mean by “devastating impact to life on Earth? [Michael_Entity] We would include nuclear holocaust, meteor impact, and alien invasion under that phrase. [flimflamdamn] jeez [faldec] How likely would each be? flimflamdamn: yeah really [Michael_Entity] All are possible, but far less probable than most long-term implementations. The reason for the lack of interest in the “devastating” directions is because your world has already experienced those levels of devastation on large community and national levels. It has proven quite ineffective. They are “last resorts”, so to speak. We state these low probabilities as we see them, not as a means to offer false comfort. It may be of interest to you that most of what would be the devastating probabilities are played out on a mass level through the medium of film. This allows the secret intrigue to be experienced without the actual interruption of life as you know it. We will conclude here. Good night to each of you.