Mind Attainment

10 posts · 3 participants · started Sep 7, 2018, 6:12 PM

1. M

   Mark606Participant
   Sep 7, 2018, 6:12 PM

   Mind Attainment

   The seven psychic circles, or cosmic levels, define our overall progress on earth. Many of us aspire to reach at least the third psychic circle while still on the planet, whereupon we receive a personal guardian angel. We are told these levels are not exclusively intellectual nor wholly morontial but have to do with [110.6.3]:

   1. Personality status
   2. Mind attainment
   3. Soul growth
   4. Adjuster attunement

   Personality, soul growth, and adjuster attunement are discussed at length throughout the book. But there doesn’t seem to be much that is explicitly revealed about the practical methods of mind attainment. We are often told of its importance and of how Jesus went through several periods in the mastery of his mind, although we are never told how he did this. I would assume that mind attainment is related to intellectual development and Jesus’ discussion of self-mastery [143.2] but I’m not entirely sure. Is there more to it?

   Any ideas about practical methods for increasing our level of mind attainment?

2. M

   MaraParticipant
   Sep 12, 2018, 12:54 AM

   Mark606 wrote:

   Any ideas about practical methods for increasing our level of mind attainment.

   Good question.  I imagine that however one characterizes the practical methods you ask about, such methods are an inside job.  If for example a person is not curious about the world – how things work and don’t work – or curious about relationships and the meanings of them, then I imagine that person would be somewhat stagnant in mind attainment.  Some people are too busy to grow.  There has to be some sort of motivating factor within that lights interest in the world around us.  That’s why I think mind attainment is an inside job.

   Do you think there is a way to speed up mind attainment to get to the third circle faster?

3. A

   AndréParticipant
   Sep 12, 2018, 5:16 AM

   Hi,

   Do you think there is a way to speed up mind attainment to get to the third circle faster?

   For sure, shortcuts are inconceivable. Is not the ways God do things.

   Why would I want,for God’s sake, be at the third circle or merging with T/A as fast as possible ?

   The best way to reach any destination is get out the platform and get on board.

   Mark under the supervision of your T/A and your willingness to be perfect as your Father… sit, enjoy the ride. You”ll get there.

   Jesus didn’t do nothing more, nothing less then what is expected from each Son, each Daugther of God. Haven’t you red, how Jesus set time apart with God ? Prayers/meditations.

   I desire to go alone, that I may commune with the Father. 177:0.3

   Jesus had begun to turn over in his mind ..125:2.3

   Jesus sitting off by himself with his youthful head in his hands, profoundly thinking.  125:2.9

     After the evening meal at Bethany he again declined to join the merry circle but instead went to the garden, where he lingered long into the night, vainly endeavoring to think out some definite plan of approach to the problem of his lifework and to decide how best he might labor to reveal to his spiritually blinded countrymen a more beautiful concept of the heavenly Father. 125:5.10

   André

4. M

   Mark606Participant
   Sep 12, 2018, 5:43 PM

   Thank you Mara and Andre for your responses.

   I fully agree, Mara, that nothing will be achieved without first having the desire for self improvement. As far as reaching the third circle faster, I would only ask – faster than what?

   You imply, Andre, that I’m looking for a shortcut, but I would disagree. Like you, I agree that we need patience in our pursuits and we need faith that the Father’s spirit will help us to achieve great things. But I don’t see intellectual development or spiritual progress as a passive free ticket to Paradise. As you say, Jesus spent days and weeks solving his problems. He had “…the ability effectively to mobilize all his powers of mind, soul, and body on the task immediately in hand.” [127:3.15]

   We are often told that progress is a matter of attainment, achievement, decision making, calls to action, mental effort, study and education. All of this implies action.

   “While the elements of grace are freely admixed, nevertheless, the creature attainments are the result of individual effort and actual living…” [32:3.9]
   “The future signifies struggle and advancement; it bespeaks work, effort, and achievement…” [48:4.12]

   And we are often admonished to actually do something, to reach beyond our daily struggles.

   “So few mortals are real thinkers; you do not spiritually develop and discipline your minds to the point of favorable liaison with the divine Adjusters.” [110.7.6]

   As Jesus told the young man who was afraid, “Set your mind at work to solve its problems; teach your intellect to work for you…” [130.6.3]

   And the circle journey is “…the task of self-understanding, self-conquest, and self-mastery…” [113:1.6]

   For all of these reasons, I cannot imagine that achieving the third circle is a passive endeavor, but rather an active learning experience that requires sincere efforts for mind attainment as well as soul growth, adjuster attunement, balance, unity, and developing a real sense of cosmic citizenship. However, there’s no doubt that, in all these efforts, we have the persistent and loving help of the Father’s Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, and the Holy Spirit.

    

5. M

   MaraParticipant
   Sep 12, 2018, 10:04 PM

   Mark606 wrote:

   I would only ask – faster than what?

   Hahaha! Thanks! The way my mind works (I notice) is that I look for answers (sometimes) by trying to discern the opposite of a given question.  For me it’s like seeing a question from upside down, rather than from right side up.  It’s like seeing from a different angle.  I laugh because you remind me of myself.

   I am really fascinated by *mind*.

   0:5.8   2. Mind. The thinking, perceiving, and feeling mechanism of the human organism. The total conscious and unconscious experience. The intelligence associated with the emotional life reaching upward through worship and wisdom to the spirit level.

    

   9:4.2   . . . It may be this mind or that mind, it may be premind or supermind, even spirit mind, but it does the equivalent of thinking and knowing. The insight of spirit transcends, supervenes, and theoretically antedates the consciousness of mind.

   103:6.6   Always must man’s inner spirit depend for its expression and self-realization upon the mechanism and technique of the mind. Likewise must man’s outer experience of material reality be predicated on the mind consciousness of the experiencing personality. Therefore are the spiritual and the material, the inner and the outer, human experiences always correlated with the mind function and conditioned, as to their conscious realization, by the mind activity. Man experiences matter in his mind; he experiences spiritual reality in the soul but becomes conscious of this experience in his mind. The intellect is the harmonizer and the ever-present conditioner and qualifier of the sum total of mortal experience. Both energy-things and spirit values are colored by their interpretation through the mind media of consciousness.

   .

   117:3.10  . . . Man’s immortal soul evolves its own eternal destiny by association with the divine presence of the Paradise Father and in accordance with the personality decisions of the human mind. What the Trinity is to God the Supreme, the Adjuster is to evolving man.

   I hope I haven’t strayed off your topic.

    

6. M

   Mark606Participant
   Sep 13, 2018, 12:55 AM

   Mara,
   Mind is very strange indeed. We know it is a gift of the Infinite Spirit – called absolute mind in the central universe but cosmic mind in the time-space domains. Our local universe “…is pervaded by the Nebadon variant of the Orvonton type of cosmic mind.”
   But while cosmic mind is freely endowed and divine in origin, it is like a blank slate waiting to be written on by the hand of experience. It seems to be different in expression for each world, each age, each generation, and each individual. It can be manipulated and molded – and it can evolve.

   We are told our young minds start off positive and believing but can be damaged by our upbringing, or by our insincerity, fears, etc. However, when mind is subject to the overcontrol of the spirit, it can achieve great things. When we die, our mortal minds cease to exist but, nonetheless, intellectual development remains important because it seems our achievements in mind while here on earth are transferred to our mota mind in the world to come. So none of our efforts are wasted.

   One way to look for clues at mind attainment is to see what they say about it for the mansion worlds. On the first two worlds, we are occupied with negative learning – that is, we are busy making up for our deficiencies left over from our mortal existence. As one example, I foresee getting rid of the “mental poisons of fear, anger, envy, jealousy, suspicion, and intolerance” (110:1.5), something we can do now. On world #2, we learn to work as teams and to get rid of intellectual conflict and mental disharmony. And there is no reason we cannot work on these tasks right now. World #3 is where our real education begins after we’ve “cleaned up” from mortal existence. “This is the real introduction to the intelligent comprehension of cosmic meanings and universe interrelationships.” And once again, they tell us we can reach levels of cosmic consciousness right down here on this little planet.

   One revealing lesson we get is in the section of morontia mota (48:7). Here, on mansion world #1, are 28 lessons to ponder. While we cannot reach the levels of mota mind on earth, we can stretch our mortal minds to the point of understanding on superconscious levels, the very level of contact with the Adjuster. Even down here, we may be able to grasp something of the significance and meaning of mota.

   I see the very real possibility of reaching a level of development equal to Mansonia #2, if not #3. I’m not sure what circles these may correlate to (and indeed they seem to be different for each individual) but I would surmise it would have to be at least circle #3.
   I do not see any such effort as a way of rushing things along too quickly. It seems we cannot accomplish enough in one mortal life. Recall that Jesus was only 31 when he attained the first circle on Mt Hermon. But make no mistake, he did it as a man and worked hard to reach this level. “Effort does not always produce joy, but there is no happiness without intelligent effort” (48:7.10).

7. M

   MaraParticipant
   Oct 1, 2018, 7:34 PM

   Mark606 wrote:

   One way to look for clues at mind attainment is to see what they say about it for the mansion worlds.

   You might be right, if remediation and deficiency ministry is viewed as *mind attainment* on the first three mansion worlds.

   47:3.8   Almost the entire experience of mansion world number one pertains to deficiency ministry. Survivors arriving on this first of the detention spheres present so many and such varied defects of creature character and deficiencies of mortal experience that the major activities of the realm are occupied with the correction and cure of these manifold legacies of the life in the flesh on the material evolutionary worlds of time and space.

   .

   47:4.8   Mansonia number two more specifically provides for the removal of all phases of intellectual conflict and for the cure of all varieties of mental disharmony. The effort to master the significance of morontia mota, begun on the first mansion world, is here more earnestly continued. The development on mansonia number two compares with the intellectual status of the post-Magisterial Son culture of the ideal evolutionary worlds.

   .

   47:5.3   Mansonia the third is a world of great personal and social achievement for all who have not made the equivalent of these circles of culture prior to release from the flesh on the mortal nativity worlds. On this sphere more positive educational work is begun. The training of the first two mansion worlds is mostly of a deficiency nature — negative — in that it has to do with supplementing the experience of the life in the flesh. On this third mansion world the survivors really begin their progressive morontia culture. The chief purpose of this training is to enhance the understanding of the correlation of morontia mota and mortal logic, the co-ordination of morontia mota and human philosophy. Surviving mortals now gain practical insight into true metaphysics. This is the real introduction to the intelligent comprehension of cosmic meanings and universe interrelationships. The culture of the third mansion world partakes of the nature of the postbestowal Son age of a normal inhabited planet.

   .

   What do the revealtors mean when they state, “Mansonia the third is a world of great personal and social achievement for all who have not made the equivalent of these circles of culture prior to release from the flesh on the mortal nativity worlds” ? Which circles are they referring to? Probably the psychic circles of mortal progression.

   110:6.16   Perhaps these psychic circles of mortal progression would be better denominated cosmic levels — actual meaning grasps and value realizations of progressive approach to the morontia consciousness of initial relationship of the evolutionary soul with the emerging Supreme Being. And it is this very relationship that makes it forever impossible fully to explain the significance of the cosmic circles to the material mind. 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.

   But, just recently I found something of interest pertaining the seven circles.  I was reading about life in Havona and discovered these comments about a pre-existing *pattern* from which “. . . the circles of progress in the human mind have been designated.” (14:5.4)  There might be clues here about the circles of human progress, as well as progress through the seven circles of Havona.  I strain to imagine what those clues might be.  More study needed.
8. M

   MaraParticipant
   Oct 6, 2018, 11:47 PM

   Mark606 wrote:

   Personality, soul growth, and adjuster attunement are discussed at length throughout the book. But there doesn’t seem to be much that is explicitly revealed about the practical methods of mind attainment. We are often told of its importance and of how Jesus went through several periods in the mastery of his mind, although we are never told how he did this. I would assume that mind attainment is related to intellectual development and Jesus’ discussion of self-mastery [143.2] but I’m not entirely sure. Is there more to it?

   Any ideas about practical methods for increasing our level of mind attainment?

   Still thinking about this Mark.  I am looking for what “. . .  is explicitly revealed about the practical methods of mind attainment.” I found a clue or two.  It’s about soul growth or one could say devoting your mind to continuously yield to the guidance of the divine spirit within.

   1:3.7  In the inner experience of man, mind is joined to matter. Such material-linked minds cannot survive mortal death. The technique of survival is embraced in those adjustments of the human will and those transformations in the mortal mind whereby such a God-conscious intellect gradually becomes spirit taught and eventually spirit led. This evolution of the human mind from matter association to spirit union results in the transmutation of the potentially spirit phases of the mortal mind into the morontia realities of the immortal soul. Mortal mind subservient to matter is destined to become increasingly material and consequently to suffer eventual personality extinction; mind yielded to spirit is destined to become increasingly spiritual and ultimately to achieve oneness with the surviving and guiding divine spirit and in this way to attain survival and eternity of personality existence.

   Though there are mundane aspects to life, the mind attainment decisions of life would be, for example, choosing good over evil – choosing to be in partnership with the choice of God in the face of any potential alternative. . .

   130:2.7     This was a conference [with Ganid] which lasted well into the night, in the course of which the young man requested Jesus to tell him the difference between the will of God and that human mind act of choosing which is also called will. In substance Jesus said: The will of God is the way of God, partnership with the choice of God in the face of any potential alternative. To do the will of God, therefore, is the progressive experience of becoming more and more like God, and God is the source and destiny of all that is good and beautiful and true. The will of man is the way of man, the sum and substance of that which the mortal chooses to be and do. Will is the deliberate choice of a self-conscious being which leads to decision-conduct based on intelligent reflection.

   I especially like the last line about intelligent reflection and deliberate choice leading to action-conduct.  Probably has much to do with decisions, decisions and more decisions.  And in Paper 196 we read . . .

   196:2.7    [. . . .] He was a wholly consecrated mortal, unreservedly dedicated to doing his Father’s will. Many of his apparently hard sayings were more of a personal confession of faith and a pledge of devotion than commands to his followers. And it was this very singleness of purpose and unselfish devotion that enabled him to effect such extraordinary progress in the conquest of the human mind in one short life. Many of his declarations should be considered as a confession of what he demanded of himself rather than what he required of all his followers. In his devotion to the cause of the kingdom, Jesus burned all bridges behind him; he sacrificed all hindrances to the doing of his Father’s will.

9. M

   MaraParticipant
   Oct 7, 2018, 4:17 PM

   Mark606 wrote:

   But there doesn’t seem to be much that is explicitly revealed about the practical methods of mind attainment.

   One explicit answer is the last sentence in the reference above: “In his devotion to the cause of the kingdom, Jesus burned all bridges behind him; he sacrificed all hindrances to the doing of his Father’s will.”

   What is meant by *burned all bridges behind him* and *sacrificed all hindrances to the doing of our Father’s will*?

   I think this is an important question.  Do these refer to decisions, decisions, decisions? The decision to be sincere, for example. The decision to stop anxiety for example, or to stop procrastinating or to stop being indolent . . .

   9:5.7   Too often, all too often, you mar your minds by insincerity and sear them with unrighteousness; you subject them to animal fear and distort them by useless anxiety. Therefore, though the source of mind is divine, mind as you know it on your world of ascension can hardly become the object of great admiration, much less of adoration or worship. The contemplation of the immature and inactive human intellect should lead only to reactions of humility.

   I thought of another thing the book mentions about how hard it is for us to break with the past, or as they say, disown the past.

   154:6.8   Mary and Jesus’ brothers thought that Jesus did not understand them, that he had lost interest in them, little realizing that it was they who failed to understand Jesus. Jesus fully understood how difficult it is for men to break with their past. He knew how human beings are swayed by the preacher’s eloquence, and how the conscience responds to emotional appeal as the mind does to logic and reason, but he also knew how far more difficult it is to persuade men to disown the past.

   I do not think disowning the past refers to trying to eliminate it which is impossible.  I do think it means to rise above it as best we can.  And we do this with mind.  I think all efforts to get better, to get a grip so to speak, adds to the conquest of mind and soul growth.

   Here are other practical things to consider if you want to make your mind work for you, and not against you.  (This is from the Buddhism section.)

   131:3.6   “The fool has said in his heart, ‘Evil shall not overtake me’; but safety is found only when the soul craves reproof and the mind seeks wisdom. The wise man is a noble soul who is friendly in the midst of his enemies, tranquil among the turbulent, and generous among the grasping. Love of self is like weeds in a goodly field. Selfishness leads to grief; perpetual care kills. The tamed mind yields happiness. He is the greatest of warriors who overcomes and subdues himself. Restraint in all things is good. He alone is a superior person who esteems virtue and is observant of his duty. Let not anger and hate master you. Speak harshly of no one. Contentment is the greatest wealth. What is given wisely is well saved. Do not to others those things you would not wish done to you. Pay good for evil; overcome evil with the good.”

10. M

    Mark606Participant
    Oct 8, 2018, 8:38 PM

    Mara,
    In regard to your postings, I think you touch on some important aspects of mind attainment, or just circle progression in general. Your quote from 110:6.16 states the importance of an awareness of cosmic consciousness – universe citizenship. And the book also stresses the importance of striking a healthy balance of body, mind, and spirit by avoiding over-concentration in any one area. These two criteria of circle progression could be added to the others (personality status, soul growth, adjuster attunement, and mind attainment).

    And there is little doubt that our choices greatly affect our achievements on any level. Indeed, if we look at all the things the book tells us to do, it can be a little overwhelming. But ultimately, it all seems to boil down to doing God’s will, which seems straightforward enough on some levels. For example, it’s clear to most of us that lying, stealing, or murder are wrong. On a more subtle level of discernment, we may recognize such evils as insincerity, anxiety, and procrastination, as you mentioned. And then there are those situations where the right answer just doesn’t appear all that obvious and much prayer and worship is required to discern our Father’s will.

    While you have persuaded me that mind attainment is related very much to our decision making, I believe there is more to it. Consider that soul growth is also mentioned as an aspect of circle attainment. To my mind, soul growth is entirely dependent on the decisions we make. So why mention mind attainment separately if soul growth is the same process? Decision making is important but if we decide to be, for example, a tennis star, that decision doesn’t make us a tennis star. It requires years of practice and dedication to succeed. So what are we actually doing in our practice sessions when it comes to mind attainment?

    The book describes mind attainment as the task of self-understanding, self-conquest, and self-mastery [113.1.6] and, in another place, as mind understanding. Understanding ourselves (or our minds) is never easy. It requires some degree of mindfulness, but not to the point of endless self-evaluation. It is actually a technique whereby we assess our world-views and real spiritual needs as honestly and sincerely as we can.

    But I’m not exactly sure how to differentiate between self-conquest and self-mastery in that definition, although I get the idea that self-control is key. When Jesus talks about self-mastery, he tells us it is not the same as an attitude of self-denial, such as imposing control over ourselves with the power of mind, but rather one in which we are transformed by the Spirit of Truth, a transformation linked not only to our faith in that spirit to transform us, but also to our faith in the ability of the Spirit Within to renew us – to be born of the spirit [143.2.7].

    Mind attainment requires faith and self-understanding, but it also requires mental techniques and effort. One ability Jesus had was to “…concentrate his deep-thinking mind on the one problem which he wished to solve..” This ability to focus the mind is one which can be learned and is a technique central to meditation practices. Unlike common meditation practices, in which the mind is centered on something like a mantra or our breath, here it is put to work on a specific problem, whether material or spiritual. Such mental focus can be greatly augmented by prayer and worship, as well as by using our creative imaginations to practice living in the presence of God. Jesus spent weeks or months communing with his Father over his problems. How much time do we spend in such pursuits?

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