In his thought-provoking, and wonderful book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi writes about his thirty-year study of "states of optimal experience" - the experiences of individuals who report peak performance, effortless control, unselfconsciousness, enjoyment, happiness, deep involvement, release from the bonds of space-time, and exhilarating feelings of transcendence. Here are a few quotes:

"Because optimal experience depends on the ability to control what happens in consciousness moment by moment, each person has to achieve it on the basis of his own individual efforts and creativity..."Flow" will examine the process of achieving happiness through control over one's inner life...because only if we understand the way subjective states are shaped can we master them...everything we experience - joy or pain, interest or boredom - is represented in the mind as information. If we are able to control this information, we can decide what our lives will be like...A person who has achieved control over psychic energy and has invested it in consciously chosen goals cannot help but grow into a more complex being. By stretching skills, by reaching toward higher challenges, such a person becomes an increasingly extraordinary individual..."Flow" is the way people describe their state of mind when consciousness is harmoniously ordered."

"J.S. Mill wrote, "No great improvements in the lot of mankind are possible, until a great change takes place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought."

"How we feel about ourselves, the joy we get from living, ultimately depend directly on how the mind filters and interprets everyday experiences. Whether we are happy depends on inner harmony, not on the controls we are able to exert over the great forces of the universe. Certainly we should keep on learning how to master the external environment, because our physical survival may depend on it. But such mastery is not going to add one jot to how good we as individuals feel, or reduce the chaos of the world as we experience it. To do that we must learn to achieve mastery over consciousness itself."

"Each of us has a picture, however vague, of what we would like to accomplish before we die. How close we get to attaining this goal becomes the measure of the quality of our lives. If it remains beyond reach, we grow resentful or resigned; if it is at least in part achieved, we experience a sense of happiness and satisfaction."

Cheryl, thank you for sharing this resource with us.. This quote captures beautifully many aspects of the discussions in the class and I look forward to reading this book.

♥ Characteristics:
What I experience as Characteristic in the 12 within the 12.

In exploring the Virtues I will take this list with me during the coming months ahead.
I assume it will grow and therefore I will post it on the forum every month.

• Characteristic to me is that every Virtue in itself has the potential to Embrace the total.
It can be used in a direct and practical way — but surely can be experienced as an all Embracing state of being as well.
Experiencing fullness all around is key.
• The virtues are profoundly connected with what I call, soul expression.
Through soul expressivity and soulfullness (our authenticity) — and the Way and Ray we are — we become the radiant, emanating virtues ones.
• Virtues can be experienced when being in the Now, in contact with the I AM Consciousness — and one with the level in which you experience the Now, your own conscious awareness of heart, soul, mind and Spirit.
All of these levels have their own fullness, add their own color, dimension, nuance, perspective, variegation and emanation.

I have viewed your meeting and will comment on this in a couple of days.

Regarding this flow of Life through your being, it is noteworthy to say that:

WITHIN this flow — your sensitivity, your intuïtive faculties and listening receptivity will Grow . . . !

Aspects of God control go hand and hand to me with God Mastery. I believe the subtle differences are the aspects that they manifest on the lines of the cosmic clock. God Mastery being on the 2:00 O'clock and God Control being on the 3:00 O'clock. Transiting from the 2 O'clock to the 3 O'clock we leave the etheric (Fire)quadrant and enter the mental (Air) quadrant where the virtue of God control scintillates. God Mastery on the line of Pisces and God Control on the line of Aries. Mastery appears to be more in the watery emotional realm and Control being more of a fiery mental cognition. God Control takes on the role of the mental disciplinarian, keeping a watchful eye on our thoughts. When we leave watery Pisces and enter fiery Aries we move from the Solar Plexus to the Heart, in reference to their relationship to the chakras. What juxtaposes are God control is conceit, deceit, arrogance and ego. What virutes eradicate such vices? Love of God, and love for God in everyone including self. Humility, kindness, service, surrender, selflessness, mastery, composure, flexibility, unpretentiousness, modesty, honesty, scrupulosity and forthrightness.

"The three o'clock line is presided over by Helios and the Great Central Sun messengers, focusing the quality of God-contol, which they amplify by the power of the Great Central Sun magnet. This magnet is the God-control of the flow of life through us, the flow of the energy of the Logos, which is the quality we must outpicture under the hierarchy of Aries."
(Predict Your Future by Elizabeth Clare Prophet)

To add to Dee’s beautiful posting, here is more information from The Masters and their Retreats about God-control: The initiations of God-control are the test of the Divine Ego versus the human ego, the opportunity to transmute the human ego and develop the Divine Ego, which is your Real Self, the Christ Self as it represents the I AM Presence.
During the class, participants offered the following virtues that flow from God-control: humility, love, being discriminating and non-discriminatory, generosity, givingness, exchange and flow, focus on seeing the good, the inbreath and outbreath of peace and tranquility, and self-control.

To all who participate in this course:

☼ Something about myself:
When I heard about this course in Januari this year, I was’nt planning to sign up.
First—I am dealing with a time difference of 8 hours, so it would’ nt be possible to join the live webinar. And second—I thought my English would’nt be good enough to express and convey my thoughts directly enough and post these on this forum. So I decided to wait and see and follow the course from a distance to see how things would develop and see what every one would come up with on the forum. And in the meantime I would do the course on my own.
To allign myself I attuned to beloved Virtue and Virtuel and asked them to inspire me in the exploration of the virtues. And while I was listening I heard—‘the virtues are known to thee’. And I felt the hearty laugh in which they conveyed this to me.
My response was—I am not so sure about that. Maybe I know some of them, but surely not all. So I asked, how can I become more consciously aware of these virtues. And the answer was—‘Just sing and you will know’.
And in my heart I knew they were right. In being in the flow and in the expression of my connection I would be able to draw upon my own personal experience. So eventually I did sign up and soon I was engaged in posting my thoughts on this forum.

☼ Defining the virtues:
In my attempt to identify or becoming consciously more aware of the virtues I discover that I have always called them ‘Attitudes of mind’. In my own language we say: ‘geesteshoudingen’ (attitudes of the higher mind or spirit/soul).
And what I notice is that some of these attitudes tend to be very common to you, you are accustomed to them. Sometimes so accustomed that you tend to take them for granted, untill you consciously recognize them as virtues or attitudes of mind.
So now it’s becoming clear to me what was meant by ‘the virtues are known to thee’. But I belief that we all know them by heart.

So my dedinition of the virtues would be—Attitudes of Mind (and heart and soul). Just like the recitation of mantra’s can pull you into yourself, so these attitudes can pull you into yourself. And they contact and reveal the deeper layers of yourself, the depths of your being. Growing up in the West where everything is supposed to be outside, we are not always trained to face this. But I belief this is exactly what the Masters would like us to do. To explore our own depths, to become known to them, to fully integrate them and to hold on to them because it is our beauty that is in there.
Why do you think the Masters would like us to explore these virtues. Because in exploring and recognizing these attitudes you will also explore and come to know the inner man, the inner woman inside of yourself. These two are inherent to each other.

☼ Plea and Appeal:
One of the assignments of each class is to post your thoughts on the Forum before and after each class. I belief the writing down (on this forum) of one’s thoughts, promptings and inspirations is a very essential and valuable part in the discovery and awakening of the virtues we seek. As well is the interaction and interchange with one another. On top of this there is the opportunity to inspire and encourage each other. This concerns all who signed up for this course and who participate in this class now. Thus far and unfortunate I have’nt seen many contributions on this forum yet. I expected to see more of an interchange, more sharing and more of a conversation with one another.
So after 3 months of expressing my thoughts (mainly on my own, thank you Dee for joining me) I would like to encourage you (with beloved Virtue and Virtuel and Jezus and Amarylis and many others) to use this forum more often and to become involved more often. To share your thoughts and depths and insights. And to comment on one anothers contributions whenever this is possible for you. There are 8 more months to go. If we want to deepen our understanding concerning these virtues then involvement is imperative. The virtues will not be known by consuming one monthly meeting of one hour only. It is my understanding that the exploration of the virtues is an In-depth study. And this means investment, your search has to be within. Whether the concept of the Cosmic Clock is new to you, or you have been familiair with it for years already does’nt matter. Your own inner pionering will be essential in the discovery of the virtues or attitudes of mind. As Jezus said: 'Man, woman, Know thyself'. But the beauty of it is that by and through this heart- and soul search, layers will unfold themselves and your curiosity, your openness and love for the inner man/woman you are as well the depths of your being will grow. I belief MORE THAN WORTH the investment.

So yes, it takes engagement to deepen your understanding, but the rewards will be great. And Joy is one of them!

Be sure to know that the entire Universal Great White Brotherhood is most pleased to know you whenever you abide within one of these attitudes of mind. They will acknowledge your innermost being always first and foremost. And on top of your own pionering they will deepen your understanding and inspire you to new insights whenever you are open and receptive to receive these insights.
♦ And by and through this Openmindedness (I belief a virtue of God-Control also) you will learn to give and assign more value to your intuïtive faculties and inner receptivity as well. I belief most valuable . . . for each one of us!

So HAIL to thee, thou One and Great Extended Family!

In Joy, Jolijt

I am sorry Dee, I pushed the wrong button. I have tried to remove it but it does'nt work.

Posted By Dee Stewart on 01 May 2012 01:22 PM
Aspects of God control go hand and hand to me with God Mastery. I believe the subtle differences are the aspects that they manifest on the lines of the cosmic clock. God Mastery being on the 2:00 O'clock and God Control being on the 3:00 O'clock. Transiting from the 2 O'clock to the 3 O'clock we leave the etheric (Fire)quadrant and enter the mental (Air) quadrant where the virtue of God control scintillates. God Mastery on the line of Pisces and God Control on the line of Aries. Mastery appears to be more in the watery emotional realm and Control being more of a fiery mental cognition. God Control takes on the role of the mental disciplinarian, keeping a watchful eye on our thoughts. When we leave watery Pisces and enter fiery Aries we move from the Solar Plexus to the Heart, in reference to their relationship to the chakras. What juxtaposes are God control is conceit, deceit, arrogance and ego. What virutes eradicate such vices? Love of God, and love for God in everyone including self. Humility, kindness, service, surrender, selflessness, mastery, composure, flexibility, unpretentiousness, modesty, honesty, scrupulosity and forthrightness.

"The three o'clock line is presided over by Helios and the Great Central Sun messengers, focusing the quality of God-contol, which they amplify by the power of the Great Central Sun magnet. This magnet is the God-control of the flow of life through us, the flow of the energy of the Logos, which is the quality we must outpicture under the hierarchy of Aries."
(Predict Your Future by Elizabeth Clare Prophet)

Thank you, Jolijt - for your plea and appeal to the 144 Virtues students to engage more on the forum! I think we have all heard the saying that
'you get out of something what you put into it' and this is certainly the case with the Virtues class, as well as other Meru University courses. We, on the Meru University Staff are continually encouraging class participants TO ENGAGE with the material and other students - for as you have so aptly stated

" I believe the writing down (on this forum) of one’s thoughts, promptings and inspirations is a very essential and valuable part in the discovery and awakening of the virtues we seek."

If we desire to manifest the virtues in our lives and experience it would follow that we must place our attention on these virtues, becoming familiar with what they are, what they are not and the value and benefits of realizing and manifesting the 144 virtues of God daily. Your personal testimony of calling to Beloved Virtuel and Vestrea and attuning with their presences and receiving their inspiration is a wonderful way to engage and become consciously observant of how the virtues manifest in your experience - which is what this class is really all about. ;-)

144 Virtues—

When you are aligned
to these attitudes of mind—
I assure you,
one will find Joy in it too . . !