Risk

Some of you were jesting about hearing voices in your heads; and yet this is
 the goal of every mortal being, to become fully conscious of the voice of
 their leading Adjustor, their precious God Fragment. Put away your fear!
 Put away your fear and trust that when you turn over to God you will not be
 lead astray. I'm not advocating foolish, intemperate rejection of intellect
 or logic; I'm not advocating insanity. But too much is being said that
 draws upon your deep fears that somehow or other when you reach out to God,
God. He will deceive you, His hands will be removed, and you will fall, crash and
 burn. The leap of faith is never met with this kind of disappointment.
This brings me to the official lesson for this evening.

I desire to continue, with the assistance of others, to pursue the rewards
of risk.  Let me start by saying, 'nothing risked, nothing learned.' This
 is a variant on, 'nothing risked, nothing gained,' with the emphasis in such
 a way as to take it out of the context of the business world, although its
truth there is often apparent. Consider the opposite of risk, a life where
 there are no dangers available to a person because they are unwilling to
 take risks. What would such a life be like?  

I would like you to help me with this question.  I will give you a moment to
think about it and then I would like your participation, those of your who
wish.  Please, very briefly, describe how you conceive a life that has no
risk.  How would it be?

Let us have a risk taker!"

Robert:  "I will begin. Life without risk is the same as life without
 stress. We must have stress to live. Without stress, our systems will
 stagnate and die. Without risk, we stagnate and die, emotionally,
 spiritually. We block things up. We lock things up. And they change in
 negative, not in positive ways. Risk is growth. Risk is learning.  Risk is
 striving to be what we are destined to be by our indwelling monitor.
 Without risk, without learning, there is nothing."

Daniel:Bob: "I thank you, Robert, for this contribution.  Are there others?"

Bob S.:  "I have two views of this. One side of me says, 'wouldn't it be
 wonderful to have a life with no stress! I'd like to try this sometime
 because it sounds great.' I'm not sure what side of me is saying that. But
 intellectually I've become convinced, with what Robert is saying, that it's
 absolutely crucial and it probably shows my ignorance to say it's taken me a
 such long time to say that, but it's clear to me now that nothing ventured,
 nothing gained, in spite of what one side of me wants to do."

Daniel(Bill):  "Thank you, Bob, for your input.  A life without risk.  Are
there others?"

Angie: "On the other hand, Daniel, if you didn't take any risks would life
 be safe and secure?"

Daniel(Bill):  "Ah!  I was going to address that question.  Thank you for
putting it so clearly.  Others of you may address it if you wish, or make
your contribution."

Virginia: "I think that any time one is in a relationship with another
 person, with an animal, with maybe life itself, I'm not sure, you are at
 risk, period! I think even the hermit would be at risk with material things
 and physical things, but I think the greatest risk is trying to be in
 relationship, honest relationship, open relationship with the people we come
 in contact. I think that's where you grow, that's where you learn, and
sometimes I think that it would be much easier to throw away a relationship,
 than to work through it and to keep that relationship going. That's risk to
 me."

Daniel(Bill):Daniel: "Virginia, can you say a word about what a life without risk
 would be like?"

Virginia: "It would be living on the top of a hill, with all of my needs
 met, and no one questioning what I am, or what I'm thinking, or what I'm
 doing. To me that would be a life without risk. And nothing to do, by the
way!  Oh, dear."

BobBob: S.:  "Can we conclude that risk is important to life because life is
 full of that?. So, can we conclude that life naturally alludes to that, or
 leads to that, or it's a natural part of life because it's important?"

Daniel(Bill):  "Another good question.  Ponder it."

Robert: "I would suggest that we are hardwired to take risk. It is built
 into the very genetics that we have.  And while we may wish to avoid it at
 times, to avoid it, I would repeat, is to stagnate. It's built into us,
because without it there would have been no progression from life plasma
 orientation to now."

Daniel(Bill):Daniel: "Exactly. You have come to the core of the issue, Robert.
 Risk is not optional, it is inevitable. It is, of course, necessary for
 evolution to occur. It is also, as you have all implied if not stated
 directly, impossible to avoid.  

The only thing that could be thought of as the opposite of risk would be
 death, mortal death. The fewer risks that you take the more restricted your
 life is. Consider the plight of the person with agoraphobia who is unable
 or unwilling to walk out of their home, even to cross the street, who lives
 as a virtual prisoner of the walls of their very house. And that is a
 physical risk. And as Virginia has noted, and Robert, and others, without
 emotional risks you cannot have relationships. You are not available if
 you're behind the safety of your defense mechanisms.  

I would now like to add one more dimension to this process of thinking, and
 this is to ask the question, what really is there to be afraid of in the
 final analysis? What truly is so fearful that it makes it difficult for a
person to challenge it and take the risk? Again, my friends, your wonderful
 minds are appreciated. Give this a moment and let's talk about it."

Steve:  "It doesn't even take a moment.  (laughter)."

Bob S.:  "You've got it figured out already!"

Steve:  "Well, I think so. I've taken some pretty good risks by the
 terminology of what Virginia was saying, and what I've had happen in my life
 so far. And to follow up on the first part. I wouldn't have enjoyed the
 life I've had so far without the risks. But to get into the answer now,
 after going through the risk a few times, it's real easy to say that the
 pain, the sorrow, the self-doubting, the self-destroying, the lack of
 self-confidence, all of it comes into play that puts you right down into the
 bottom of the hole which you don't want to come out of. I think that's what
 scares most of us. After being right at the bottom I know it, real well.
 But I haven't learned to be smart enough not to stay there, and I keep
 coming back and trying. The risk is still there, I've still got to try the
 risk because I can't live without the risk. I need to have that risk in my
 life, or I'm lost. It's real easy to say, no, I don't want to because of
 the hurt that I've been through so far as I risk. And it gets real scary
for me, and you know all to well because I've tried to talk to you a few
times.  I know you're listening, but I just don't receive real well.  My
tuner, my receiver is broke.  (laughter)  I'm working on it.  You know just
what I'm saying."me.

Daniel(Bill):  "Steven, my dear friend, I do indeed.Daniel: You have stated well
 that the fear that is greatest for you is the loss of the love of another
 person, as well as the loss of self-respect and self-confidence. Have I
understood you correctly?"

Steve:  "Yes, you have."

Daniel(Bill):  "Very good.  I will refrain from commenting on your
statements until others have their say.  Thank you for your contribution."

Robert: "I would speak to another aspect of what is there to be afraid of
 after all, in risk. Conservatively, what will risk cause me? There is, as
 well as being hardwired, being genetically implanted into the organism the
necessity of risk, the conservatism of survival, whether it be physical or
 emotional. So with each risk the organism must decide whether or not
 there's a possibility of ceasing to function on some level. I see that as
just as basic as the necessity of risk. There's a balancing act. One that,
 by inheritance and by training, each of us must choose for any given
 situation. Negative experiences are very powerful, much, much more powerful
 than positive experiences within our species. I don't know the origin of
 this or whether it is consistent on other spheres, but it seems to be true
 on this one. So there's that balancing act involved. Yes, there's going to
 be risk because without it there may not be survival. But what will that
 risk cost me emotionally or physically or mentally or spiritually?"

BobBob: S.:  "I think for me what Robert is saying comes down to a fear of
 losing position, status in somebody else's eyes. I don't know if this
 belonging is a need or whatever it is, but I seem to need to hold a position
 of importance, esteem, status in other people's eyes, and I fear losing
 that; and that keeps me bottled up."

Angie: "Well, I don't know who it was who said, 'there's nothing to fear
 but fear itself.'  I certainly am not afraid of dying, but I think living is
 very fearful."

Daniel(Bill):Daniel: "Could you elaborate a little more on what aspects of living
 are fearful?"

Angie: "It's just everything that happens. It's just scary."

Gwen: "Risk for me has two opposite ends. Risk in the physical world is
 not a problem for me. I love, I enjoy risky activities-activities, climbing the Grand
 Teton, skiing 40 degree slopes on my Telemark skies; I live for that. It's
good. Challenging my physical ability is something that I enjoy. However,
 at the opposite end of the spectrum, at the emotional level, I'm very afraid
 of risk, mostly because of my disappointment and loss of trust in many
 different human beings. And, therefore, I'm so much more cautious now and
 more so as I get older, to take the risk. Recently, in my new relationship I
 can honestly say that if he were to break up with me tomorrow, if we're not
 together, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest because I haven't allowed
 myself the risk, because I'm too afraid of my long, long train of unhealthy
 relationships with people, just getting involved emotionally with unhealthy
 relationships. So risk to me is two opposite things. I'm not too sure
which one you were asking. But that's my answer."

Daniel(Bill):Daniel: "Excellent, Gwen, I was not asking for only one definition,
 obviously. You have given exactly what youryou feel, and stated it very well.
 It enters this stew of consideration with appropriate flavor. Now, my
 question was, what for you is the bottom line, what are you most afraid of,
 that is hardest to take a risk for? And so this answer will vary according
 to each of you. Are there other contributions?"

Barbara: "The only thing that I was thinking of is that we are also
 hardwired to be social, and need other human beings. And, therefore,
 anything that threatens that connection is very fearful. And fear of the
unknown, people certainly remain in situations that are not healthy because
 they are afraid to take the risk, they don't know what lies beyond. Fear of
 abandonment, fear of rejection, all of those are fears that get put in the
 forefront when you think about the hardwiring for social interaction. I
 guess that's .... well fear of failure. I think it comes down to fear of
 the unknown, that's the bottom line."

Daniel(Bill):  "I am appreciative of all of your contributions.  Thank you,
Barbara.  I think you have pretty well covered the gamut of human needs and
fears, both biological, emotional, psychological.  And you've done a
splendid job."

Virginia: "Daniel, everything that people have said here tonight I can
 identify with and probably have experienced everything that has been said.
 How do we know .... yes, I know, you're going to say, go into the quiet and
talk with the inner guide... it just seems such a difficult thing to know
when to be assertive, stand up for yourself and break relationships, whether
 they're with spouses, peers, or people that walk on your toes and impose
their physical body on you, or when you try to keep that relationship going
 for your sake and their sake so that healing can occur. III know I said that
 relationships are what our life is all about, but I think it's still very
difficult.  And I'm positive that we've discussed this before!"

Daniel(Bill):Daniel: "I will return to your question, Virginia, after this
conversation, this lesson has been completed.  Is this OK with you?"

Virginia:  "Sure.  I have a choice?  No, I'm teasing."

Daniel(Bill):  "You could say, it is not OK with you ....."

Virginia:  "It doesn't matter.  Postponing it is fine."

Daniel(Bill): "and then I would have to negotiate.  But if you can sincerely
wait..."

Virginia: "I can wait."

Daniel(Bill): "Now my friends, I would like to have you consider some of the
 'hard sayings' of our Master, as they're termed. He said, 'whoever wants to
 save his life will lose it, but whosoever is willing to lose his life for My
 sake and the kingdom's, will gain it,' or words to that effect. He said,
 words to this effect, 'what if kingdoms fall, everything crashes and burns,
 what concern is this of a God-believing faith son and daughter?' What was
 he getting at?  Of course Jesus knew of spiritual reality, for he, as a
 Creator Son from Paradise, knew from his own experience the reality of the
 Trinity. For Him there was no uncertainty at all.  His difficult task was
 to try to convince us that this spiritual reality, unseen by our eyes, was
 really in existence.  

You have all presented with good arguments the various types of fears that
mortals experience, that make risk difficult, even though it is built into
your systems by evolution to take risks..  The good news that Jesus
 announced was the reality that your lives, our lives, (for I include myself
here as a former mortal), take origin in two sources, one biological, the
 other spiritual. His great good news was that we're not merely children of
 our material parents, children of the earth, but we are sons and daughters
 of the very Creator of all that is; and because of this fact, if we choose
 this relationship of trust, obedience, and joy, the material fears will not
 ultimately destroy us. It is hard to bear in mind on a daily basis that
 there is this other reality, that we are truly immortal by our consent; and
 that there is possible a trust relationship in a Person who is unfailingly
 perfect, good, and caring. Actually, it is idolatry to trust fully, 100
 percent, in another human being, including yourself, for only God merits
 that kind of faith and trust.  

I suggest to you that the most important risk you take in your lives is to
 believe this good news, and once you take that risk, which you all have
done, you taste reality. You sense that you have not been conned; you know
 there's something real. You feel the presence and love of God. Some
 skeptics would come back with, 'That's all fine and dandy pie in the sky,
 but how does that help me deal with my daily problems? Does that just
 automatically cancel the risks of courtship, the risks of friendship, the
 survival needs for daily bread, a roof over my head, and so forth; what does
 all that have to do with my real life?' And the answer is, you must
 discover this individually.  

However, I would also suggest that the one who has made the leap of faith to
 believe in their sonship and daughtership, and their grand universe parents,
 is not any less connected to the material reality than a skeptical brother
 or sister, but rather has that settled peace making it possible to deal with
 all the risks of life that have been elaborated in the material sense, and
 find that balance that was stated between surging ahead, taking risks, and
 drawing back cautiously to preserve some aspect of your life. There is
another who wishes to add some comments.  One moment, please."

Minearisa (Cathy):  "This is Minearisa.Minearisa: The topic at hand is one of core
 importance. The bottomless pit, as described by Steven, seems very real.
 There is, however, that safety net of God's love which prevents us from
 plummeting everydownward. downward. As God extends a hand to you it is your
 responsibility to reach back and grasp that hand. And what is required in
 order to reach out is self-love, for without self-love you cannot fully
 accept the love of another, including God.  

It is this self-love, Virginia, that answers your question regarding when to
 sever relationships, for when people treat us with less love than they
 extend to themselves, that is the point at which severing the relationship
 is the healthiest alternative.  

Regarding risk, risk is a requirement of change, and change is the
 requirement of growth. If you think of a bubbling brook, what keeps it
 clear and pure is movement, constant change, for if the movement stops,
indeed it becomes, as Robert said, stagnant. People stagnate just as water
 can. When one refuses to accept risk as a corollary of growth, and
 therefore, life, the mental stagnation that sets in is much like an early
 death for that person. And one common way in which people stagnate is by
 making assumptions that are convenient, that allow one to avoid that which
 he knows in his/her heart to be, perhaps, not the easiest path, but the
 right path. The example that Isaac gave earlier is an excellent one, and
 one to take to heart.  

IAaron: would like to give an assignment this week, for you all to be on the alert
for assumptions made about others, and then to consciously challenge this
assumption you have made,no matter how certain you are of it, and then face
the person with your perceptions.  For example, you might say, 'I have
observed this or that, and from that my perception is that you are feeling
this or that,' and see how close or how far off you are in reality.  This
concludes my comments.  There is one other who desires to speak."

Aaron (Bill):  "Hello friends, I am Aaron.  I have enjoyed our interactional
format this evening, which allows you to add your two-cents worth, and I
would say your thousand-dollars worth.  We will continue to use this
interactional format more and more, even though occasionally, or perhaps
even more frequently than occasionally, we may lapse into the lecture mode
at times.  

My vote is for the wisdom of one of your great presidents, who did say in
 fact, 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself'. And I vote for this
 because it was the habit of our Master to say, 'fear not, fear not little
flock, you are taken care of, God knows your needs.' He takes care of the
 grass, the flowers, the birds, He surely will take care of you. Don't be
 anxious, because you can't, by being anxious, add a day to your life.  Your
 hairs are counted, and even if they are falling out, you are still valuable,
 even if your society prefers you in a wig or a hair piece. You see how
 superficial and unimportant in the eternal perspective are so many of your
fears, and I would say our fears, for we had them also to some degree.fears. When
 you take the risk of faith, that leap into the arms of the loving Parent,
 you will not be disappointed. Daniel has stated this already; the Urantia
book Book states it consistently; I add my testimony as well. So throw those
 heavy weights off your back, relax those stressed muscles of
 self-protection, loneliness, and abandonment and see this sparkling,
 gorgeous universe, fully cared for, administered, and all moving in the
 direction of perfection. Some day you will literally stand on the perfect
 worlds of Havona. You will be amazed at what you see. The life ahead of
 us is incredible.