(Treebeard answers a question on the contracts made before birth affecting life now and how, once incarnated, accepting that we would be someone else without the lessons of life. Also, avoiding the pull to be self-serving because it can feed back upon itself.) 

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Laura: okay, I have a question. I heard somebody that prior to birth we would know what we come here for. For instance like contracts with certain people, you would know them prior to birth, is it so?

Treebeard: yes but once after being of birth you are not aware of and lessons that come along the way are designed in a way that lead to a particular objective that you desire. All actions past lead up to the present, the now, all are being of designed to lead to this point. Hardships in youth make you what you are now. Be contented of who are, if not the lessons that you had, would you be who you are? So lessons no matter how harsh, how painful, how horrific make you who you are now. To desire to be someone other than who you are is a dangerous pursuit. I have noted many people on your planet in my research of understanding that try to be someone who not being they are. They masquerade and wear faces that are not theirs. There are so many that it would be difficult to point them all out but eventually world of theirs comes crashing down. All things that they take from others returned to others or glorify others. However individuals being of doing that that do it with good intent because as they are, they cannot achieve what they desire to help others, that becomes useful and good. They borrow and glorify the person that they are taking from and in doing so they glorify themselves. That is good but when it is done self-serving, that becomes negative and feedback on itself so what is taken is returned.

Russ: hmmm. But there’s many examples of those who are like a light who shine forth, go about on their daily lives enlightening other people, making them happy and teaching.

Treebeard: that is correct, that is what I said in my communication.

Russ: uh-huh, so growth comes from being happy no matter which side you're doing.

Laura: if it’s in good intent, would not harm anyone.

Russ: right.

Treebeard: correct, it is more with not harming anyone but doing good for others.

Laura: I have a question about harming anyone. We talk about people’s best and highest good, how do we know what is for their best and highest good and how do we know we're not interfering with their life? Because what we might think is not harming them might be harming them.

Treebeard: ahh but by pointing them in a direction that is self-serving is negative.

Laura: okay.

Treebeard: in a situation where a individual is not totally truthful and is doing it for self-serving purposes but is appearing to do it of good and with good intent in appearance but is serving onto themselves, then that is negative even if they masquerade under good and useful being.

Laura: how does one know himself he’s not self-serving?

Treebeard: it is more looking back and seeing what is done. If it has brought happiness and enlightenment, then it is good. If it has not benefited the person that is bringing the happiness and enlightenment, that is good. If it has benefited more than the individual that they are teaching and learning, then that is bad. If it glorifies them at the expense in the long run of the person they are helping, that is bad. But if it helps and benefits both, that is of highest good. That is the most hardest one of all. An individual will help another but if the individual is not of learning or desire to advance or comprehending of what is being offered, that is not bad, that is a lesson for the person trying to teach the lesson. I believe covered last week was a situation where Kiri was trying to help a newly ascended individual become more conscious and aware but the lack of understanding of individual being not as high for understanding or comprehension brought many problems but Kiri doing it of good intent and trying, learned a lesson on patience when to say enough. That is a lesson.

Skip: I learned a lot of them myself.

Treebeard: yes, so I have seen. But with good intent you try to help and teach and learn from.

Skip: uh-huh.

Treebeard: those are all good.

Skip: uh-huh.

Treebeard: being taken advantage of in good nature as all present have being done in past and present is useful. Learn from those situations for advancement.

Skip: yeah.

Treebeard: be aware that they are teaching tools and when time is done, then you must say enough.

Skip: uh-huh, I’ve already been there (chuckles). Thank you.

Treebeard: yes I am seeing in you are being to visit there again I believe.

Skip: probably, because I can’t change who I am.

Treebeard: did I not say that at start?

Skip: that’s correct, that’s correct.

Treebeard: would you trade all those lessons?

Laura: no way, uh-uh.

Treebeard: they have taught you to be who you are.

Laura: yeah definitely.

Treebeard: you would not be here if you weren’t who you were.

Skip: uh-huh.

Treebeard: and in doing so we, that is us here on Hades Base, try to impart what little knowledge that we have to aid you in your growth.

Skip: little? You’re a master of understatement.

Treebeard: I do not comprehend. It is a paradox, how can one be a master of understating something?

Skip: little, your knowledge is way, way, way beyond what we have.

Treebeard: you think so? I think not, you just not know where to look. Look within yourself and you will see that it is but a little, it is as you might say a trifle. There is so much knowledge that even if we sit here for a hundred cycle of your planet, that not being enough to explain one billionth of all knowledge so it is a little.

Skip: I understand that but I don’t have that kind of knowledge, you do.

Treebeard: you have different knowledge, you have not knowledge of plant or shrub or tree but of metal and mineral. I have not, I have a plant and vegetable but no metal or mineral.

Skip: hmm.

Russ: hmm, so we each have our skills?

Skip: oh yeah, yeah that is true.

Russ: I have computer skills, I know a little about plants........

Laura: it's part of balance.

Russ: but that’s all part of living.

Skip: but I’m trying to learn.

Laura: well don’t try, do it.

Skip: I am.

Treebeard: trying is but the first step but life’s journey begins with of but a single step. One foot in front of the other. I know I quote lot from your minds tonight.

Skip: yeah.