A Talk Relating to Paper 114 of The Urantia Book

Carlos Rubinsky, Argentina

Paper 114, in its first paragraph, starts by declaring two fundamentals. The first is: The Most Highs rule in the kingdoms of men [1250:1], and the second is that they do it through many celestial forces and agencies butchiefly through the ministry of seraphim [1250:1].

Before delving deeper into the work of the seraphim, those special beings who permanently surround and help us, and of whom we have so little consciousness, let us try to explore and understand the very particular characteristics of the Planetary Administration of Urantia, and see how is it that the Most Highs are able to govern in the realms of man.

TheUrantia Book tells us that planetary life is no cosmic accident. Rather, it has been planned and initiated by celestial beings far superior to the human species, obeying a Divine Plan of God. But in our world a series of events has occurred that has distanced us from the originally established plans (572:2).

Let us look at what happened: when the physical sphere was ready to harbor life, life arrived obeying plans very specifically designed by specialists and supervised and coordinated by a number of celestial agencies (398:2).

When the waters of our planet were ready to harbor life, the ruler of the Satania System sent the Life Carriers with their formulas and the life plasma to be implanted in said waters. Thus life came forth, in accordance with a complex universal project. This world was chosen to be a decimal planet;one of every ten planets created has this characteristic, on which new experimentsare carried out; and on learning the results of these experiments, the implantation of life was improved on other planets subsequently created in the Universe of Nebadon (664:1).

While life was evolving over millions of years, the human mind finally appeared, and in that moment it was decreed that no further modifications by the Life Carriers could be realized. The Life Carriers were retired from the planet, with the exception of a commission of their order jointly with certain Melchizedeks who came to be in charge of the sovereignty of the planet (1250:11). Thus, the human race evolved until, after some 500,000 years of primitive human development, the era of the Planetary Prince arrived (701:3). He appeared with his entourage in order to assume governance and initiate culture, and thus help humankind begin the long evolutionary journey that every inhabited planet that exists in time and space must traverse. The Prince’s government marched along according to the stipulated plans for some 300,000 years until the planetary rebellion broke out, in resonance with the rebellion in the System administration, the sadly famous Lucifer Rebellion. This marked a rupture in the world administration, which would mark from that day forward, even to today, the status of our planet. From that moment, now some 200,000 years ago (604:3) we became a planet in rebellion, placed in quarantine, isolated from communication and from certain spiritual circuits within the Universe (82:6). Since that time there have existed on the planet two groups: the group of rebels and that of those loyal to Michael. Never more has the planetary human government been under the direct reign of a celestial personality. Disorder and confusion that have existed ever since.

Then, about 38,000 years ago (828:1), with the arrival of a pair of Material Sons, Adam and Eve, there was a new opportunity on Urantia to reorganize the world administration, but this mission failed also. The regime of Adamic planetary government fell. Again, chaos continued ruling on the planet until some 2,000 years ago when a new celestial minister arrived. This time our planet is not one in ten, or even one in a hundred, but one in ten million, since the Creator Son only incarnates as mortal only once in all of his ten million planets (166:4). And that planet was Urantia, and he came here to live his life and sow the seeds of Universal Love. That seed has been multiplying across the centuries, finding fertile soil in successive generations of mortals, including those of us who are here today, and it continues developing, it continues growing, although not as fast or effectively as we might wish. Finally it is deeply rooted in the heart of humanity, which will eventually take us into the age of Light and Life, but we still haven’t arrived at that epoch. By the looks of things we’re lacking quite a bit, but we can continue adding until we reach the so-called critical mass, which will produce necessary changes.

Besides the message the Master taught us by his life and teachings during his mortal life, something else happened. We are not very conscious of transcendence of this event, perhaps because we take it for a fact, but in our planetary history it is evident that it has been of memorable transcendence. That event was the bestowal of the Spirit of Truthon the day of Pentecost (2063:6), in the year 30—the Spirit sent by the Father together with the Creator Son, that it might live in our hearts, and that it might be that the Master is always present. Thus, the day of Pentecost marked a fundamental change in the planetary administration, which continues in the same form even today, and the Melchizedeks opine that it will continue thus until the second coming of the Master (1259:1). Others think it will continue until the end of the current dispensation, or the adjudication of the Lucifer Rebellion, or until Machiventa assumes the vicegerency of the world, and there are other opinions (1251:2, 3).

Really, the great planetary changes began to occur forty days before Pentecost, at the time of the resurrection of the Master. Immanuel had indicated to Michael at the beginning of his bestowal, among other things the following, saying: In accordance with your request, Gabriel and all concerned will co-operate with you in the expressed desire to end your Urantia bestowal with the pronouncement of a dispensational judgment of the realm, accompanied by the termination of an age, the resurrection of the sleeping mortal survivors, and the establishment of the dispensation of the bestowed Spirit of Truth [1328:1].

Thus it occurred on that Resurrection Sunday morning, marking the end of an era, concluding the Adamic dispensation pronouncing judgment on all the sleeping survivors since the days of Adam and Eve, a period of some 36,000 years (341:1).

The bestowal of the Spirit of Truth occurred forty days later, the day when they were celebrating the feast of Pentecost. The Apostles felt that presence which filled them with new energy, confidence, and a renewed faith, in such a way that they went out into the streets full of joy, preaching the gospel. That is how Peter, preaching that day to the masses, succeeded in converting 2,000 new believers in the Kingdom of God (1594:4).

The other extraordinary events which occurred at this time were:

1. The bestowal of Thought Adjusters for all of humanity (596:4). Therefore have the divine Adjusters been universally bestowed upon all normal minds of moral status on Urantia ever since the day of Pentecost [1187:2].

2. The internment of rebellious midwayers and the constitution of a union between the two groups of primary and secondary midwayers still loyal to Michael. The entire group of rebel midwayers is at present held prisoner by order of the Most Highs of Edentia. No more do they roam this world on mischief bent. Regardless of the presence of the Thought Adjusters, the pouring out of the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh forever made it impossible for disloyal spirits of any sort or description ever again to invade even the most feeble of human minds. Since the day of Pentecost there never again can be such a thing as demoniacal possession [864:1].

3. Also at that time, Lucifer was finally confined and held for judgment. A judgment which began when the Urantia Papers were being delivered, some sixty-eight years ago (reckoning from 1935) at which time Satan, too, was sequestered, and Machiventa was named vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia, a post which he had not yet assumed (514:6).

4. Another thing that occurred at Pentecost was the constitution on Jerusem of the council of 24 planetary supervisors,composed of former inhabitants of Urantia (1252:5). They have the authority to represent Michael of Nebadon in the superhuman government of Urantia and also to function as an advisory body for the other 36 rebellion-isolated worlds in Satania (1252:2). Accompanying the Governor General were 12 corps of master seraphim,graduates of Seraphington, under the direction of a Primary Supernaphim (1254:7). The master seraphim of planetary supervision utilize many agencies for the prosecution of their missions. They function as ideational clearinghouses, mind focalizers, and project promoters. While unable to inject new and higher conceptions into human minds, they often act to intensify some higher ideal which has already appeared within a human intellect [1256:9].

The Planetary Administration which has governed the superhuman personalities on our world since some 2,000 years ago functions in the following way: Each administrative day on Urantia begins with a consultative conference, which is attended by the governor general, the planetary chief of archangels, the Most High observer, the supervising supernaphim, the chief of resident Life Carriers, and invited guests from among the high Sons of the universe or from among certain of the student visitors who may chance to be sojourning on the planet [1254:5].

It is interesting to note that not even the Supernaphim who dictates this document knows what the prerequisites are for being admitted to the Council of 24, but it has been observed that all the councilors have contributed to the enlarging sovereignty of the Supreme in the system of Satania. The Urantia Book also says:

By nature they were all real leaders when they functioned on Urantia, and (excepting Machiventa Melchizedek) these qualities of leadership have been further augmented by mansion world experience and supplemented by the training of Jerusem citizenship. Members are nominated to the twenty-four by the cabinet of Lanaforge, seconded by the Most Highs of Edentia, approved by the Assigned Sentinel of Jerusem, and appointed by Gabriel of Salvington in accordance with the mandate of Michael [1251:4].

The revelators tell us that they do not disclose who the actual Governor General is so that we don’t give free rein to our tendency to incorrectly venerate or even deify superior personalities (1252:5).

Participating also in the daily administrative meetings is the planetary chief of the Archangels. He is in command of central divisional headquarters. He installed himself on the planet when Michael finalized his Urantian bestowal, and his circuit first functioned on that Easter Sunday when the end of the Adamic dispensation and the resurrection of the sleeping survivors were announced (2024:4). This archangel represents the supreme planetary authority in exclusively spiritual matters. It is fitting to note that all other problems (not exclusively spiritual) are resolved by the Governor General, who actually has no personal authority, except when he acts in the name of the 24 Councilors of Jerusem, notwithstanding that he daily hands down scores of decisions and judgments which are accepted as final by all the personalities involved, but which are subject to appeal before the conciliatory commissions, and even before the System Sovereign (1253:1).

There exists also one who exercises veto power, the Most High Observer(1254:1), another of the attendees of the daily meetings of the Governor General. This Most High Observer is a Vorondadek Son hailing from the constellation of Norlatiadek, and represents the maximum planetary authority in the name of the Most Highs of Edentia, the Fathers of the Constellation, who at the outbreak of the Lucifer Rebellion took charge of the governance of Urantia, and still continue to be in charge of certain aspects of the planetary government (1253:4). This Vorondadek Son is really the maximum planetary authority, and case of emergency ceases to be simply an observer, but becomes the Emergency Regent. Such situations have occurred 33 times in the last 200,000 years of the duration of the planetary rebellion on Urantia (1253:7). Learning this gave me a feeling of peace, knowing that if things go wrong the Vorondadek Son will again assume the planetary government. The current Vorondadek Son is the 23 rd thus to serve on Urantia (1253:4).

Taking part in these daily meetings also is the primary supernaphim,an elevated angel of Paradise origin. He arrived on Urantia on the day of Pentecost accompanied by a corps of Special Seraphim, acting as their chief and as that of all seraphim on Urantia. The book tells us that he has at his command 200 hosts, which make up the seraphic army comprised of almost 600 million pairs of seraphim. The exact number is 597,196,800 pairs, and there are also a similar number of cherubim and sanobim (1250:2). The current supernaphim is the second such to serve since the times of Michael’s bestowal (298:2), and is the successor to the chief of seraphim who fell into default at the time of the planetary rebellion (1255:2).

The other personality participating in these daily consultation meetings of the highest planetary authorities is the Chief of the Resident Life Carriers.We recall that initially there came to the planet a commission of 100 Life Carriers of the highest rank, together with 100 assistants and 1,000 custodians (399:4). When the human mind came forth with Andon and Fonta, the Life Carriers’ mission was practically completed since, from then on, they were prohibited from altering the environment (735:8). The majority returned to Jerusem, but there remain, indefinitely assigned, two Life Carriers of major rank along with twelve assistants. One of these two acts as chief, and participates in these daily meetings with the Governor General (400:4). These may be the oldest personalities assigned to Urantia since the beginning of life on this planet. For all the vicissitudes they must have witnessed and heavily regretted, these personalities deserve our thoughts and words of gratitude, since, were it not for them, none of us would be here today, and this would be a naked rock instead of an inhabited planet. So, esteemed Life Carriers, we salute you!

Finally, I would like to refer to the assistants upon whom the seraphim rely. It turns out that there exists on the planet another group of personalities who collaborate in the service of lavishing mercy and teaching humankind. These are the Planetary Reservists of Destiny, men and women of every generation who, because of certain qualities or aptitudes, are incorporated in the Reserve Corps of Destiny (1257:1). This corps is formed by 12 groups of humans assigned to each one of the groups of special seraphim (1257:7). The supernaphim who dictated this paper tells us: I am forbidden to reveal the real nature of the function of this unique group of living human beings [1258:5]. Also, of those belonging to this group, the majority are unaware, only some 2% know that they are; and the total quantity of these reservists has been increasing slowly since the day of Pentecost, reaching, in 1935, only a little less than 1,000 mortals (1257:8). I suppose that by now there may be a few more.

Once chosen, they are assigned to the appropriate corps and then trained and rehearsed in the deep mind by the combined technique of Thought Adjuster and seraphic guardian ministry [1257:8]. Many times, numerous other celestial personalities participate in this unconscious training, and in all this special preparation the midwayers perform valuable and indispensable services since they are able to attain varying degrees of contact with the Thought Adjusters of certain favorably constituted mortals through the skillful penetration of the minds...[1258:1].

The supernaphim tells us toward the end of this paper:

Urantia mortals should not allow the comparative spiritual isolation of their world from certain of the local universe circuits to produce a feeling of cosmic desertion or planetary orphanage. There is operative on the planet a very definite and effective superhuman supervision of world affairs and human destinies [1258:6].

And in the final paragraph of the paper:

Your isolated world is not forgotten in the counsels of the universe. Urantia is not a cosmic orphan stigmatized by sin and shut away from divine watchcare by rebellion. From Uversa to Salvington and on down to Jerusem, even in Havona and on Paradise, they all know we are here; and you mortals now dwelling on Urantia are just as lovingly cherished and just as faithfully watched over as if the sphere had never been betrayed by a faithless Planetary Prince, even more so. It is eternally true, “the Father himself loves you” [1259:2].

With this affirmation of the love of GOD for all of us I conclude this presentation, not without first expressing my gratitude to all of the invisible spiritual personalities, for all of the efforts they must be permanently exerting for our growth and evolution, that we may thus become worthy inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Welcome, New Associations!

The Local Association, Associaçiõn Urantia de Brasil, was licensed June 1, 2003 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with 16 Full Members. In less than one year, they have grown to 42 Full Members and 59 Associate Members, and they are now a National Association. This growth is attributed to the fine leadership of Caio Mario Caffe. In February 2004 Rogério Reis da Silva was installed as the new president.

On October 12, 2003 Urantia Association of the United Kingdom/Ireland was licensed in London, England. This is a Local Association, with 18 Full Members and three Associate Members. Gary Rawlings is the president of this long-awaited, enthusiastic, ready-to-go association.

The Urantia Brotherhood Association of Arizona became the 26th Local Association in the UAUS February 22, 2004 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, with 17 Full Members and six Associate Members. Dr. Judyth Shamosh is president of this dynamic group. 

The fraternal Spirit abounds! Group projects are materializing and study groups are springing up as The Urantia Book penetrates the hearts and minds of truthseekers the world over.

Cathy Jones
Executive Administrator, UAI

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The Inner World of Mankind

Nigel Nunn, Australia

The advances of true civilization are all born in this inner world of mankind [1220:2].

Mankind has not yet shared an “inner world”. So far, the inner worlds of our tribes and nations have been fragmented and local. Instead of a rich tapestry of truth and fact, the backdrops to these partial inner worlds have been more or less crude collages, woven from dreams, fears, and ambitions, sometimes sprinkled throughout with dislocated gems of revelation.

In the past, the heritage our tribes and nations passed to their children has been a complex reflection of shared delusions, augmented with whatever skills and techniques each generation had acquired.

Ideas may take origin in the stimuli of the outer world, but ideals are born only in the creative realms of the inner world [1220:9].

As we enter this Fifth Epoch, we have an opportunity to change this unimpressive cycle: together with Michael, his Most Highs, and the United Midwayers of Urantia, and armed with the truths offered via the Urantia Papers, there is at last a real hope that we can help lay out a valid frame for this intended and inevitable planet-wide “inner world”. With such a frame in place, the fabric of truth will weave itself through the minds of sincere mortals, anchoring to and filling this frame with splendor, forming an “inner world of mankind” with center stage reserved for the truths of Michael and the facts of Nebadon.

So how do we proceed? How on earth do we contribute to this noble construction?

“Creating paradigms is a very long process. It is much easier for the individual than for a societal group.” (Travis Binion, 23 October 1999)

This is an obvious but important insight. Clearly, this notion of an “inner world” applies not only to that potential shared heritage of all mankind, but also to the private worlds we each build. Consider how, within each of us, an inner world is created by the adjutants, and then lit by Michael’s Spirit of Truth. This is an auspicious start: our inner stage is built from near-divine material. But how do we furnish these private apartments? How do we open these unseen rooms to our fellows? By what process do we as individuals engage a shared reality? For the most part, our fantastic dreamscapes, woven from experience, from truth and myth and fact, remain private—a personal evolutionary essay. They represent our conscious effort to understand, and to respond to, the challenges of life. (How much this essay is influenced by the spirit of Michael, and by the echoes of Adjustment that well up from within, remains mysterious.) Of course, we are free to make a mess of this interior design. But remember, the Adjuster makes no mistake. Our best efforts, however many or few, are salvaged and organized into the fabric of our souls. (With this level of security and guarantee, our fears become foolish.)

Recently we have been exploring the idea that humanity needs an epic backdrop, a description of reality that is consistent, describable, sharable, and arousing. In past epochs, cultures spun myths to act as their universe frame. The Urantia Papers, by offering a set of truths able to act as foundation for the “inner world” of humanity’s fifth epoch, can supercede these ad hoc efforts:

Revelation is a technique whereby ages upon ages of time are saved in the necessary work of sorting and sifting the errors of evolution from the truths of spirit acquirement [1110:4].

These Papers are an ideal tool to help coordinate, integrate, and elevate the myths and ideologies that currently sustain and restrain the cultures of our world. And surely we will not make the mistake of merely swapping old myths and fables for a new credo. A valid concept can evoke truth or be caged as dogma. The inner and the outer worlds have a different set of values [1220:3].

Approaching this idea via the word “myth” helped trigger in me deep reflection about the way we individually and communally furnish this inner world. A better term might be “paradigm”. My personal favorite is “description”, since, at least for me, the process of furnishing this inner world has felt like building a “description of reality”.

But the problem remains of how we share these private inner worlds with our fellows. Even though as individuals we may converse with our Adjusters and cavort with Michael’s Spirit in an ecstasy of intuitive experience, how can we, as a community, share these private descriptions, and by so doing, enlarge our private little worlds? This communal task requires some accessible form, and a language familiar to the group.

Enter the Urantia Papers: a set of fine-tuned concepts, ideal for decorating our inner worlds.

This may at first seem abstract, but consider how we pass to our children echoes from our own inner worlds. Our friends and associates soon sense whether our inner world is full of beauty, or embarrassing mess. On a normal world, the people of each generation can expect to receive and pass on some more or less valid description of reality, one that had taken root in revelations from the civilizations of both a Planetary Prince and an imported Adamic race. But on Urantia, and in particular during recent generations, we have faced the problem of having no serviceable myth, no sufficiently valid description, to pass on to our children....until now.

There is a way that things are. In each succeeding age, humanity has evolved some extended and more appropriate way to describe it. The Most Highs appear to be suggesting that, for this fifth epoch, we try the version presented within their Urantia Papers.

As early recipients of this fresh description, after we first repair and redecorate our own internal worlds (an effort in which the whole universe is conspiring to help us succeed), we are invited to join a project sponsored by these Most Highs: launching Urantia’s fifth age.

As readers, each of us has this seed of revelation planted within. It is around this seed, upon this core of fundamental truth, that we have begun to build the first halting, evolutionary, versions of this fifth epoch frame. The difficult next step is to so extend our small understandings, our private inner worlds, that we can contribute to the establishment of this “inner world of mankind”—a worthy contribution to the advance of true civilization.

Future generations will live within some paradigm. As readers dedicated to the Father and our Michael, we are powerfully equipped to help the Most Highs build it. But many early recipients seem to be clients, not servers. Many appear ready and keen to enjoy this future inner world, neglecting the fact that it is not yet in place. While all of us will enjoy drinking the wine, we cannot yet press the grapes...since we have just begun planting.

Life is but a day’s work—do it well [ 556:13].

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Seraphic Guardians of Destiny

René Román R., Chile

The Urantia Book makes a distinction between guardian angels and seraphic guardians of destiny. Guardian angels attend groups of mortals. On the other hand, seraphic guardians of destiny are thus called when they are assigned to a single individual who has accomplished one of three things: he has made the supreme decision to become like God, he has entered the third circle of acquired spiritual development, or has become incorporated into one of the reserve corps of destiny (1242:4).

The associated seraphim and cherubim, masterfully assisted by the midwayers, are busy on Urantia with many activities of the superhuman government. Here, we will deal only with those dedicated to group and personal custody.

They are our custody angels, dedicated to the service of the evolutionary creatures of time and space, for whom they have disposed a vast plan of evolution and survival. The planetary seraphim are indeed ministering spirits sent forth to do service for those who shall survive [1241:1]. They are man’s spiritual assistants, and are a very expert type of seraphim whose age, education, and capabilities are counted in millennia.

They are chosen from among the most experienced seraphim that have been proven as ministering spirits of time [421:2], guides of the evolutionary nature of evolving man. Many of them have already served as seraphic guardians of destiny of a mortal companion on non-Adjuster fusion type worlds (1242:6), and have had, for that reason, a similar practical experience as those whose mortal associate has failed in survival decisions.

Relation to planetary ages

The guardian angels were, in previous ages on Urantia, practically the only recognized group of angels and were assigned to the different races which inhabited the planet. After the bestowal of Michael of Nebadon (Jesus of Nazareth) they have been assigned increasingly to groups of humans as group guardians and to individual mortals as personal seraphic guardians, in accordance with human intelligence, spirituality, and destiny [1241:4]. They always accompany the arrival of the Thought Adjusters to the worlds whose mortals have fusion potential with the Adjuster, and since the day of Pentecost all mortals of normal intelligence and moral condition receive an Adjuster. Their number increased after the Spirit of Truth was poured out by the Creator Michael on all humanity (227:6).

We should note also that before the coming of the Creator Son one of the prerequisites for receiving a Thought Adjuster was to have a personal seraphic guardian, or to have achieved the third psychic or cosmic circle, or to have made a supreme decision in crisis, or to have altruism, a spirit of brotherhood, or to have decided to do the will of the Father.

Guardian angels can serve on a planet for a very long time, from one age to another, becoming custodians of the slumbering souls of thousands upon thousands of sleeping survivors [1247:7]. The group guardians or guardian angels, at the end of a planetary age, reunite the survivors who are in the lower circles of mortal attainment in the resurrections halls of the mansion worlds as indicated by The Urantia Book: “And he shall send his angels with a great voice and shall gather together his elect from one end of the realm to another” [1247:5].

Assignment to mortals of Urantia

According to this Revelation, humanity is divided into three classes of intellect: those of subnormal mind, those of normal mind, and those of supernormal mind (1241: 5,6,7).

Those of subnormal mind are attended by a company of angels, assisted by a battalion of cherubim, assigned to minister to them and to witness that justice and mercy are extended to them in the life struggles of the sphere [1241:5]. These persons of subnormal mind cannot comprehend God, nor worship Him intelligently; neither do they possess the normal power of will.

People of normal mind are classified in seven types according to their stages of intellectual development and acquired spirituality. These stages are represented by the seven psychic circles. People progress throught these stages by developing self-comprehension and self-control. When they have vanquished the inherited animal fear, they have reached the third circle of personality development. From there they advance to the second and first circles where they achieve the highest relative level of mind-Adjuster contact and communion in human experience (1210:10). If, during the life on Urantia, the work of the circles is not finished, it must be continued on the mansion worlds (1211:1).

To those in the seventh circle, a seraphic pair with a company of cherubim is assigned to one thousand mortals. This level is entered when human beings develop the powers of personal choice, individual decision, moral responsibility, and the capacity for the attainment of spiritual individuality [1210:8].

To those in the sixth circle a seraphic pair with a company of cherubim is assigned to five hundred mortals. In the fifth circle, the same applies to approximately one hundred mortals, and in the fourth circle, to ten mortals.

To those in the third circle, a pair of seraphic guardians is assigned for one person. The Adjuster's work is much more effective after the human ascender attains the third circle and receives a personal seraphic guardian of destiny [1210:9].

Lastly, there are those humans of supernormal mind who have great decision-making powers, high spiritual capacity, and communion with their Divine Monitor. These beings have a greater potential for spiritual attainment, and along with those of normal mind, must evolve through the seven cosmic circles of mortal potential already mentioned (1210:10).

In any case, if a mortal personality has arrived at the third cosmic circle he is immediately assigned a personal seraphic pair, which will accompany him throughout his cosmic career (1210:9).

The degree of advancement in these psychic, or cosmic, circles of development of mortal potential will depend on the synchronization with the Adjuster, as much on the state of evolution of the soul as on the degree of self-realization (1209:2).

These circle attainments are only relatively related to God-consciousness. A seventh or sixth circler can be almost as truly God-knowing—sonship conscious—as a second or first circler, but such lower circle beings are far less conscious of experiential relation to the Supreme Being, universe citizenship. The attainment of these cosmic circles will become a part of the ascenders’ experience on the mansion worlds if they fail of such achievement before natural death [1211:1].

The first mortal to be assigned a personal seraphic guardian was Rantowoc, a member of the ancient Red race (1242:5).

Nature and activity of guardians

They are chosen from among many volunteers. Not just one guardian angel but two are chosen, a seraphic pair with their corresponding helpers, the cherubim and sanobim. One angel is always on sentinel duty and the other records or sponsors the records of the associated cherubim and sanobim. One is always on duty caring, evaluating, watching; they never oblige us to decide nor decide for us; they only help us to further the will which moves us through the circles in the best fashion (1243:4). Both angels are required only for communication and service on the higher circuits of the universes [1243:5]. While the cherubim and sanobim always work together, the seraphic guardian acts individually with respect to his complement.

The personal seraphic guardian serves and cares for the human subject for the rest of their life or what remains of survival. They are skilled and experienced because apart from their thousands of years of training, many of them have served mortals on non-Adjuster fusion worlds or have ministered to mortals who have failed in their cosmic career.

It should be noted that these guardian angels can err. During the Lucifer Rebellion some of them went astray in large numbers for which they are detained on Jerusem, and the Universal Censors have deprived them of the trusteeship of souls (605:4). Thus, they are not infallible, and for that reason one must realize that their acts are different from those of the Thought Adjusters—those divine fragments of the Paradise Deity—that never fail, are perfect, faithful, and loyal in their tasks of spiritualization of the mortal mind, and totally trustworthy as guides on the divine path.

The seraphic guardians feel a great affection for their subjects; they have a mind and emotions and even weep because of your willful intolerance and stubbornness [1246:1].

Like all angels, they are not visible to the human eye. They love human beings and they share their emotions and have others of a more spiritual nature. The angels really find it hard to understand why you will so persistently allow your higher intellectual powers, even your religious faith, to be so dominated by fear, so thoroughly demoralized by the thoughtless panic of dread and anxiety [1243:2].

They guide their associates inward from the external influences of the social, ethical, and moral environments, unlike the indwelling Adjuster which is a presence acting from within the mortal mind, guiding it upward. The seraphic guardians stimulate the mind promoting choices of the subject which will cause circle advancement. In this first life the human generally is not conscious of them, but will be able to see them on the mansion worlds where a seraphic pair is assigned (1245:4).

They promote prayer, even as the Divine Monitor promotes worship.

The Adjuster is the essence of man's eternal nature; the seraphim is the teacher of man's evolving nature—in this life the mortal mind, in the next the morontia soul [1245:2].

They do not interfere with mortal free will. They do not control the will or the mind of their subject. They only watch, care for, record, and stimulate the mind toward elevation and spiritual perfection. Neither do they meddle directly in the human drama, nor do they create conditions for an easy life for their mortal associates (1245:7). However, in exceptional situations, the seraphic pair intervenes alone, or by mandate of their superiors, to make contact with humans with the help of the Master Physical Controllers and the Midwayers.

How does the guardian of destiny realize her task of custody and guidance without ever interfering with the free choice of human will?

Since it is accepted that [T]he guarding seraphim is constantly manipulating the mortal environment for the purpose of augmenting the cosmic insight of the human ascender to the end that such a survival candidate may acquire enhanced realization of the presence of the indwelling Adjuster and thus be enabled to yield increased co-operation with the spiritual mission of the divine presence [1245:4], then the manner in which the Seraphic Guardian performs her duty is to guide toward new, uplifting experiences, to provide opportunities that widen the cosmic vision—a range of possibilities of choice so that her mortal associate may decide which course to take.

Association through the ascension career

Upon natural death, the pilot light corresponding to the presence of the Adjuster departs for Divinington and reports to the various chiefs of his seraphic order until he reaches Gabriel, the Commander of the celestial armies of the Local Universe of Nebadon, or the Evening Star or other lieutenant of Gabriel, to ask permission to go to the first mansion world to receive his associate who has survived and sleeps the sleep of death while awaiting repersonalization (1246:6).

In the interim, the seraphic guardians of destiny care for this soul, conserving the records, the specifications of identity, its values, all of the morontia identity except the identity of continuing existence represented by the departing Adjuster and the actuality of personality [1246:5]. In this function of caring for the soul of the survivor they reveal who they are: daughters of the Infinite Spirit, our protectors who combine the love of the Father with the mercy of the Son in assuring the integrity of this creature in transit from Urantia to Jerusem. And these angels will accompany the pilgrim in the entirety of the adventure to Paradise and beyond (1248:5).

The guardian seraphim is the custodial trustee of the survival values of mortal man's slumbering soul as the absent Adjuster is the identity of such an immortal universe being. When these two collaborate in the resurrection halls of mansonia in conjunction with the newly fabricated morontia form, there occurs the reassembly of the constituent factors of the personality of the mortal ascender [1247:3].

The Adjuster will identify you; the guardian seraphim will repersonalize you and then re-present you to the faithful Monitor of your earth days [1247:4].

In the circumstance where the associate fails, rejects survival, is declared spiritually in default, that seraphic guardian of destiny can be newly assigned to the same planet where her last custodial experience occurred, but first she must report to her immediate supervisor, then to the local universe headquarters to give account of the records which are compared with those of her complement. Next, she must go before the tribunals of the Archangels to be absolved of blame in the failure of her mortal associate, and she goes back to the worlds to be assigned to another mortal or some other mission (1247:1).

If, on the other hand, the subject survives and is passing the third circle or higher when surprised by natural death, this personal guardian angel of destiny will go to the corresponding mansion world to await and take part in the repersonalization and consciousizing on the third day (569:4).

There is a third situation, which affects those mortals who are traversing the lower circles and have been surprised by natural death or the terrestrial escape [568:7]. For them it is foreseen that at the end of a planetary age the group guardians respond to the call of mercy, and when they pass muster they declare themselves present to that soul in said epochal dispensation. Unfortunately, there also exists the situation where the Adjuster does not return and only the guardian angel answers in the name of the non-survivor, thus formalizing the cessation of existence of said creature.

There are also special dispensations every millennium and extraordinary dispensations, but the epochal ones have only been three: the first, the arrival of Prince Caligastia some five hundred thousand years ago; the second, the arrival of Adam and Eve almost thirty-eight thousand years ago; and the third, on Pentecost, when Jesus Christ liberated thousands of captives (568:6).

Work on the Mansion worlds

The seraphic guardians will accompany their associate during his entire ascending career. If he hasn’t had a personal guardian of destiny in the mortal life or on the mansion worlds, it is certain that he will be assigned a permanent seraphic guardian with that function before leaving the mansion worlds.

According to when they are assigned their ascending mortal associate, whether in the mortal life in the flesh or on the mansion worlds, the permanent seraphic guardians have a different ascension career; to the Corps of Finality if assigned to their associate in the mortal life, or to the Corps of Seraphic Consummation for those assigned on the mansion worlds.

All surviving mortals of Adjuster-fusion destiny have temporary guardians assigned, and these associates may become permanently attached when mortal survivors attain the requisite intellectual and spiritual development. Before mortal ascenders leave the mansion worlds, they all have permanent seraphic associates [441:0].

From the time of leaving the material worlds until you are constituted a first-stage spirit on Salvington, you will undergo just 570 separate and ascending morontia changes. Eight of these occur in the system, seventy-one in the constellation, and 491 during the sojourn on the spheres of Salvington [542:2]

The ascender advances as a morontia progressor. Then the seraphic guardians continue on with him as a pupil of the superuniverse, the mortal now having the quality of a spirit of the first order during his transit of the minor sectors of the superuniverse. He advances to the major sectors, a spirit of the second order, and then proceeds to the headquarters worlds of the superuniverse as a spirit of the third order (348:1).

And on to Havona

When mortal ascenders leave Uversa to begin the circles of Havona, those guardians of attachment subsequent to the life in the flesh will bid their pilgrim associates a temporary farewell while they journey to Seraphington, the angelic destination of the grand universe. Here will these guardians attempt, and undoubtedly achieve, the seven circles of seraphic light [441:1].

Many, but not all, of those seraphim assigned as destiny guardians during the material life accompany their mortal associates through the Havona circles ...[441:2].

As a Havona Pilgrim, upon reaching the sixth circle of Havona, the ascender becomes a qualified spirit of the fourth order, and then of the fifth order upon finding the Universal Father in Paradise. Then he faces the sixth stage of his spiritual existence when he takes the oath which musters him into the mortal Corps of Finality (348:1).

All of the guardians of destiny will be witness to the fusion with the Thought Adjuster, which is generally effected during the transit through the local universe. And those who were first assigned during the life in the flesh will testify to the glorious awakening in the central universe of Havona, the subsequent finding of the Universal Father in Paradise, the incorporation of this pilgrim of time as a member of the Corps of mortal Finaliters, and the beginning of his eternal service as a seventh-stage spirit where he has attained the fullness of Deity worship but not finality of experiential Deity attainment [348:3].

The Destiny of the Guardians

The assignment of personal seraphic guardian is a very desirable goal for angels since triumph in the initial career of their subject is a certain step on their own ascent on the long road to gaining access to the Paradise Deities.

Such personal guides of the children of time are called guardians of destiny, signifying that they guard mortal creatures in the path of divine destiny, and that in so doing they are determining their own high destiny [440:7].

Personal guardians of mortal destiny differ from others who normally must be summoned to appear on Seraphington by a Tertiary Supernaphim; they do not need this step, this summons. They arrive directly upon their separation from their associate whom they have accompanied through the circles of Havona, and on Seraphington they obtain their identity bi-unification (the Seraphic Guardians are two angels). At the same time they achieve fusion with a non-Adjuster fragment of the Universal Father [1249:2], after which they are mustered into the mortal Corps of the Finality, from which they witness the oath of the Finaliter of their ex-mortal associate. They will continue accompanying him from Paradise toward service in eternity as experiential children of the Supreme.

Only destiny guardians are mustered into the primary or mortal Corps of the Finality, and such pairs have engaged in the supreme adventure of identity at-oneness; the two beings have achieved spiritual bi-unification on Seraphington prior to their reception into the finaliter corps [1249:2].

Other guardians leave their protégé when he begins the Havona passage, moving to Seraphington where they begin the traversal of the seven circles of Seraphic Light to be embraced by the Eternal Son. Then after graduation they return to join with their ex-mortal associate when he leaves Paradise. These guardians go on to become members of the Seraphic Corps of Completion (1248:5). As consummated angels they are destined to assist the Seconaphim of the superuniverse, the Supernaphim of Paradise and Havona, and the Trinitized beings of the universes, Paradise, and Havona; or, to return to the local universes to accompany a Planetary Prince or act as Bestowal Attendants for an Avonal Son on a mission to terminate a planetary dispensation and inaugurate a new age. Such seraphim have all achieved Paradise and the personal embrace of the Second Source and Center, the Eternal Son [427:5]. Nevertheless, in spite of their separation, and wherever these protector seraphim may be found, they will be always in communication with their former wards of the evolutionary worlds, the ascendant mortals of time [1248:6].

In this way the alliance between humans and guardian angels will continue for the eternal ages.

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Seeding the Field—What Works for Me

Mark Bloomfield, United Kingdom

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In response to Urantia Foundation’s request that I, as the Field Representative, write something for the benefit of readers interested in seeding the revelation as part of our library placement program, the following represents what, in over 6,000 hand seedings worldwide, has never once failed me:

1. Disassociate yourself

Whether you plan on making a single library placement or to make seeding the revelation your life-long mission, learn to leave yourself out. De-link your personal feelings of self-worth with whatever happens in the field.

If, upon the outcome of each seeding, you choose to pin the issue of whether you are one of life’s winners or losers, you will probably exhaust yourself before you even start.

The surer we are about ourselves, the less the opinions of others tend to affect us, and vice versa. In all the years I’ve seeded the revelation, I’ve probably had less than a dozen or so outright refusals, but if during the next day’s seeding I were to get a dozen refusals back to back, I genuinely wouldn’t care.

2. Be natural

My bungling incompetence is possibly my greatest single asset. If you feel moved to freely and unselfishly give something beautiful to your fellows just for the sake of it, then so genuine an article are you, that the notion that you might have any need of the slick ways of the salesman becomes at once perfectly laughable.

People love ‘coming to your rescue’, so let them. I’ve had junior librarians pitch the book to their chiefs for all they are worth simply because they saw me as a ‘friend in need’, a fellow bungling, stumbling (but honest) mortal. “He’s one of us!” they will think as you walk away.

3. What do I say?

Well, what in a nutshell is The Urantia Book without using the dangerously loaded words like ‘revelation’ or ‘religion’? A harmonization of science, philosophy and spirituality, it brings together ‘things’ on the physical level, ‘meanings’ on the intellectual level, and ‘values’ on the spiritual level; it is a convergence of a number of different subjects including science, philosophy, history, cosmology and spiritual inspiration, a favorite source of inspiration!

But you don’t even have to say this much if you don’t want to.

What’s wrong with, “I’d like to donate a copy of my favorite book to your library. Can I leave it with you?” Keep it simple. Your subject incidentally accepted The Urantia Book as a donation about two seconds after you opened your mouth, and for the following crucial reason:

4. Love thy neighbor

If, with your friendly, smiling face, you made immediate eye contact with your subject, it isn’t because this boring old fossil suggested it, but rather that it was your own spontaneous choice to do so in that you simply love your fellow human beings.

This is no blind presumption on my part. It is self-evident or else you wouldn’t be in the situation you are in.

5. Think as big as you like

The flip side of the quote that ambition is dangerous until it’s fully socialized (557.3) is that having socialized our ambitions, we can be as ambitious as we want. There is no contradiction here between the disassociated self and this constructive ambition. Indeed, it could be argued that the one largely precipitates the realization of the other.

Try to look beyond this rather limiting notion of mere library placements and see the direct connection here with what you are engaged in and the Master’s admonition to his apostles to carry the gospel to the ends of the world.

Some, like me, claim that he wasn’t only talking to those within earshot, but to all those for an age to come who have it in their heart to serve the kingdom. The seeds of renaissance are now being sown in the world centers of science, philosophy and religion.

If we as individuals are a part of it, then it will be a part of us—even through the great centers to Paradise itself.

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The Gentle Breeze of Faith

Larry Hurd, USA

Not long ago a friend asked if I would write about faith. I thought about it for a bit, and then decided: What’s to write about? Faith is faith! Of course, I was compelled to think about faith even more.

But what would I really say? Would I say how faith changed by life to the point that fear, nervousness, and the like, are not much more than memories? Or maybe I would start with my early experience with Faith and how I was unaccustomed to it?

I can remember that it was much like a lackluster strobe light going off and on. I was like the weather, with doubt being the cloudy, rainy days, and faith, the bright sunny ones. The tide rolls in, the tide rolls out; first the faith, then the doubt.

Was I the scientist starving for the tangible, or a man during a power outage searching for a candle?

So it went for some time, until one evening when I was watching a documentary on TV about elephants. I retired to bed, getting out my copy of The Urantia Book for some reading before sleep. And wouldn’t you know! I read the part about horses and elephants (697). “I’m going to the zoo tomorrow,” I told myself.

The next day was beautiful—clear, warm and sunny. I had a zoo map, a long rectangular folding affair. I was trying to spot where to find elephants when a strong gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew the map right from my hands. I laughed and ran to catch my escaper. While in pursuit I wondered, “Where the heck am I?”

I looked to my right to see some tall grass and flowers swaying to a gentle breeze, but I felt no wind. Then I turned to my left and saw a young lady taking pictures and focusing her camera. Then I looked straight ahead and saw a huge elephant looking right at me; it was raising its trunk as if saluting me. I felt a tear run from the corner of my right eye.

So it was that I then began my focus on faith. Later on in the evening, feeling like I was on some sort of a spiritual honeymoon, I remembered what Jesus of Nazareth said about the wind. When the wind blows, you hear the rustle of the leaves, but you do not see the wind—whence it comes or whither it goes—and so it is with everyone born of the spirit. With the eyes of the flesh you can behold the manifestations of the spirit, but you cannot actually discern the spirit [1602:4].

That’s how it is with faith, too. I thought: “You can’t see Faith, but you can see what it does.”

“Oh, joy!” The neighbor’s dog and its incessant barking have lost the ability to annoy. Those long lines I always manage to get stuck in at the grocery store became moments of patience, and often, times of peaceful reflection. So much else changed toward the positive as faith and I became One.

So, that’s what took place in my early days of becoming a Faither. Like a little seed that splits and sprouts and grows, I now know that when faith is incorporated into your being it is also like tapping into an energy source that is, for lack of a better word, perpetual in its gift and easily recognized by Love. And for me, feeling love is just sensing the presence of God.

I think I would not be overstepping my bounds if I say that most, if not all of us, have said the words: “I’m in love.” So it goes with faith. I’m in faith and faith is in me. Love-Faith becomes an inseparable part of personality. The gentle breeze of faith ever fills the sails you have fashioned from love.

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