© 2009 Richard Guevara
© 2009 The Urantia Book Fellowship
| A Lesson from a Mouse | Volume 10, Number 1, 2009 (Summer) — Index | Becoming an Effective Missionary Evangel |
The third cosmic circle is of significance to Urantia Book readers. Just as a touchstone is used to determine the purity of gold, this circle of attainment holds a similar mystique for Urantia Book readers. It is in this circle that ascenders receive additional benefits. It is in this circle, attainable while still in the flesh, that increased spiritual ability begins to exhibit itself.
While this is not a paper about all seven of the cosmic circles of attainment, a word is in order as to what these are. All spiritual progress is individual. From The Urantia Book:
These circles of mortal progression are levels of associated intellectual, social, spiritual, and cosmic-insight values. [UB 49:6.8]
Everyone starts at the seventh cosmic circle and progresses, at their own pace, to the first cosmic circle. Each circle is a measure of the spirituality of the individual, and has specific cosmic realities which must be recognized and mastered.
When a mortal mind breaks through the inertia of animal legacy and attains the third circle of human intellectuality and acquired spirituality, a personal angel (in reality two) will henceforth be wholly and exclusively devoted to this ascending mortal. [UB 113:1.8]
These mortals may be repersonalized in the morontia life independent of dispensational or other adjudications. [UB 49:6.8]
The third cosmic circle is of special interest to most Urantians. It is at this level that the guardian of destiny is assigned and that, upon death, translation to the morontia spheres is accelerated. The key question is what, approximately, constitutes third circle attainment? There are many clues within The Urantia Book as to what qualities reflect this level of achievement.
As with any type of discovery of attributes, there are two methods to determine the inherent qualities of an object. The most obvious is to observe the object and note its qualities. A less common method is to observe what the object is not. This paper will take both approaches, starting with the less common method.
Since there are seven circles of attainment, an examination of the attributes of the other six circles can be most informative. The circles of attainment as listed in The Urantia Book start at circle seven and proceed to circle one. The book has composite descriptions of the seventh, third, and first circles but is generally silent about the others.
Entrance upon the seventh circle marks the beginning of true human personality function. [UB 110:6.1]
The seventh circle. 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. This signifies the united function of the seven adjutant mind-spirits under the direction of the spirit of wisdom, the encircuitment of the mortal creature in the influence of the Holy Spirit, and, on Urantia, the first functioning of the Spirit of Truth, together with the reception of a Thought Adjuster in the mortal mind. Entrance upon the seventh circle constitutes a mortal creature a truly potential citizen of the local universe. [UB 110:6.13]
. . . A seventh or sixth circler can be almost as truly Godknowing— 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. . . . [UB 110:6.16]
Human beings in the initial or seventh circle have one guardian angel with one company of assisting cherubim assigned to the watchcare and custody of one thousand mortals. . . . [UB 113:1.7]
Attainment of the seventh circle is a sure bet for most of the humans living on this planet. Barring physical handicaps which prevent a normal experiential existence, most humans enter this circle.
The seventh circle has several qualities:
Beginning of personality function
Power of personal choice (individual decision)
Moral responsibility
Capacity for attaining spiritual individuality
United functioning of the seven adjutant mind spirits
Influence of the Holy Spirit
Functioning of the Spirit of Truth
Acquirement of a Thought Adjuster
Minimal consciousness of relationship to the Supreme Being
While this may seem a long list, the fact is that most mortals of normal genetic endowment and emotional development have these qualities. As stated above, some humans may be born with genetic deficiencies or experience a life event which prevents the acquisition of one or more of these attributes; however, even these individuals will still have an opportunity to traverse the seven cosmic circles once they are resident on the mansion worlds. It is also comforting to note that seventh circlers have a guardian angel and a company of cherubim responsible for them.
Completion of the first circle denotes the relative maturity of the mortal being. [UB 110:6.1]
The first circle. The Adjuster cannot, ordinarily, speak directly and immediately with you until you attain the first and final circle of progressive mortal achievement. This level represents the highest possible realization of mind-Adjuster relationship in the human experience prior to the liberation of the evolving morontia soul from the habiliments of the material body. Concerning mind, emotions, and cosmic insight, this achievement of the first psychic circle is the nearest possible approach of material mind and spirit Adjuster in human experience. [UB 110:6.15]
The mastery of the first cosmic circle signalizes the attainment of premorontia mortal maturity and marks the termination of the conjoint ministry of the adjutant mind-spirits as an exclusive influence of mind action in the human personality. [UB 110:6.21]
The great days in the individual careers of Adjusters… when the human partner attains the first psychic circle, and they are thereby enabled to intercommunicate, at least to some degree… [UB 110:6.22]
. . . journey inward in the task of self-understanding, selfconquest, and self-mastery; and circle by circle you advance until…you reach the first or inner circle of relative contact and communion with the indwelling Adjuster. [UB 113:1.6]
The first circle has a few essential attributes:
Adjuster communication
Closest approach of human and Adjuster
Attainment of premorontia mortal maturity
Termination of the ministry of the adjutant mind-spirits
The aspect of Adjuster communication is mentioned several times in the description of a first circler. This is due in part to circle one attainment being the “nearest possible approach of material mind and spirit Adjuster in human experience.” [UB 110:6.15] Communication with the Thought Adjuster may take many forms; however, “the Adjuster is increasingly enabled to register his picturizations of destiny with augmenting vividness and conviction.” [UB 110:6.5] Descriptions of what these visualizations of destiny are may remain hidden from us within The Urantia Book, but we can well conjecture that they are vivid representations of the ascension adventure to come.
The second attribute is the attainment of premorontia maturity. On the mansion worlds we strive to attain “the morontia consciousness of initial relationship of the evolutionary soul with the emerging Supreme Being.” [UB 110:6.16] Premorontia maturity could be described as a first circler’s achieving a cosmic maturity which signals the beginning of the realization of a wider viewpoint and deeper meaning to their existence.
The final attribute, the termination of the conjoint ministry of the adjutant mind-spirits is quite surprising. Most Urantians are not conscious on a daily level, of the influence of the adjutant mind-spirits. The adjutant mind-spirits have strived to influence the mind of the individual to higher degrees of wisdom, worship, counsel, knowledge, courage, understanding, and intuition. By the time we attain the first circle, the influence of these ministering spirits ends. The implication here is that the individual is now self-capable of these decisions.
At this point we know what the attributes of a seventh and first circler are. Due to the special history of Urantia, most here have attained the seventh circle. This is almost a planet-wide achievement. In special cases where life events interfere, certain individuals do not attain this seventh circle. Reaching the first circle while still in the flesh is not a certainty for most Urantians although some do achieve this. Once in the first circle, the Thought Adjuster is better able to visualize the ideals and concepts to the premorontial human. This mortal has also grown past the need for the daily ministry of the adjutant mind-spirits.
. . . all who have attained the third immediately have personal guardians of destiny assigned to them. These mortals may be repersonalized in the morontia life independent of dispensational or other adjudications. [UB 49:6.8]
The third circle. The Adjuster’s work is much more effective after the human ascender attains the third circle and receives a personal seraphic guardian of destiny. While there is no apparent concert of effort between the Adjuster and the seraphic guardian, nonetheless there is to be observed an unmistakable improvement in all phases of cosmic achievement and spiritual development subsequent to the assignment of the personal seraphic attendant. When the third circle is attained, the Adjuster endeavors to morontiaize the mind of man during the remainder of the mortal life span, to make the remaining circles, and achieve the final stage of the divine-human association before natural death dissolves the unique partnership. [UB 110:6.14]
From the seventh to the third circle there occurs increased and unified action of the seven adjutant mind-spirits in the task of weaning the mortal mind from its dependence on the realities of the material life mechanisms preparatory to increased introduction to morontia levels of experience. From the third circle onward the adjutant influence progressively diminishes. [UB 110:6.20]
The great days in the individual careers of Adjuster are: first, when human the human subject breaks through into the third psychic circle, thus insuring the Monitor’s self-activity and increased range of function . . . [UB 110:6.22]
When a mortal mind breaks through the inertia of animal legacy and attains the third circle of human intellectuality and acquired spirituality, a personal angel (in reality two) will henceforth be wholly and exclusively devoted to this ascending mortal. And thus these human souls, in addition to the ever-present and increasingly efficient indwelling Thought Adjusters, receive the undivided assistance of these personal guardians of destiny in all their efforts to finish the third circle, traverse the second, and attain the first. [UB 113:1.8]
So what are the characteristics of the third circle? This circle has several that are identifying. The individual mortal now
Has personal guardians of destiny
Can be repersonalized in the morontia life independent of dispensational or other adjudications
Shows unmistakable improvement in all phases of cosmic achievement and spiritual development
Cooperates more fully as the Adjuster endeavors to morontiaize the mind
From the third circle onward the adjutant influence progressively diminishes
Insures the Monitor’s self-activity and increased range of function
Achieving the third circle while still on Urantia provides immediate and evident improvement in cosmic achievements and personal spiritual development. The Thought Adjuster inherits an increased functional range and self-activity, partially due to the fact that the ministry of the seven adjutant mind spirits begins, at this point, to moderate. No longer is the emergent personality as dependent on the ministry of the adjutant mind-spirits, but rather, this emergent soul now has achieved the capacity to self-direct its spiritual direction in concert with the clearer influence of the Thought Adjuster. The Thought Adjuster is now able to communicate so that his endeavors to morontiaize the human mind will have greater effect.
The other two attributes are quite exciting. Who would not want to have a personal guardian of destiny and be likely to experience an early resurrection? The personal guardian of destiny assigned is in fact two, as these travel in pairs. Achieving the third circle provides a reciprocal benefit to the destiny guardian.
. . . 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. [UB 39:8.5]
What this means is that, including the Thought Adjuster, the third circler has the assistance of three celestial personalities. This is quite an accomplishment.
Added to this is the benefit of awaking on the first morontia sphere without waiting for the regularly scheduled resurrections. The third circler’s path as inexorable led this personality to an immediate continuance of his Paradise journey. The awakening will be attended by a select set of celestial personalities providing individual attention to the new morontia spirit.
The remainder of the third cicrcle list comes from Paper UB 111:7.4 and UB 111:7.5, and a note of caution is required here. This is a guardian of destiny presenting a formal statement. In this section there is no indication which circle this angel’s presentation refers to; however, the angel’s presentation does contain a list of attributes and counter-attributes which provide clues to additional qualities.
. . . heard a guardian of destiny present a formal statement in extenuation of the difficulties of ministering to her mortal subject. This seraphim said:
Much of my difficulty was due to the unending conflict between the two natures of my subject: the urge of ambition opposed by animal indolence; the ideals of a superior people crossed by the instincts of an inferior race; the high purposes of a great mind antagonized by the urge of a primitive inheritance; the long-distance view of a far-seeing Monitor counteracted by the nearsightedness of a creature of time; the progressive plans of an ascending being modified by the desires and longings of a material nature; the flashes of universe intelligence cancelled by the chemical-energy mandates of the evolving race; the urge of angels opposed by emotions of an animal; the training of an intellect annulled by the tendencies of instinct; the experience of the individual opposed by the accumulated propensities of the race; the aims of the best overshadowed by the drift of the worst; the flight of genius neutralized by the gravity of mediocrity; the progress of the good retarded by the inertia of the bad; the art of the beautiful besmirched by the presence of evil; the buoyancy of health neutralized by the debility of disease; the fountain of faith polluted by the poisons of fear; the spring of joy embittered by the waters of sorrow; the gladness of anticipation disillusioned by the bitterness of realization; the joys of living ever threatened by the sorrows of death. Such a life on such a planet! And yet, because of the ever-present help and urge of the Thought Adjuster, this soul did achieve a fair degree of happiness and success and has even now ascended to the judgment halls of mansonia. [UB 111:7.4-5]
In the following list we will focus on the positive attributes.
The urge of ambition
The high purposes of a great mind
The long-distance view of a far-seeing Monitor
The progressive plans of an ascending being
The flashes of universe intelligence
The urge of angels
The training of an intellect
The experience of the individual
The flight of genius
The progress of the good
The art of the beautiful
The buoyancy of health
The fountain of faith
The spring of joy
The gladness of anticipation
The joys of living
It is apparent that there is no indication to which circle of attainment this excerpt applies. However, the list is indicative of what may be looked at for those who wonder what other third circle attributes may be; for surely, if these attributes are applicable to any circle, they are indeed applicable to the third circle.
The urge of ambition tempered with the high purposes of a great mind indicate a personality which possesses an enhanced ambition coupled with a purpose greater than a myopic view of personal gain.
The long-distance view of a far-seeing Monitor coupled with the progressive plans of an ascender speak to the third circler’s close connection to the Thought Adjuster linked to a superior understanding of the cosmic ramifications of personal actions. The third circler, due to the assignment of a personal guardian of destiny, certainly receives flashes of universe intelligence and a sustained urge from angels to proceed on the path of circle attainment.
As the guardian angel and the Thought Adjuster proceed in their training of the intellect, the third circler is also better equipped to gain the best from experiences synthesizing these into morontia quality answers to the ever-present search for truth, beauty, and goodness.
A third circler’s flights of genius are directed at the progress of the good in general and not at personal benefit, since a third circler knows or has faith that his work to help his Urantia brothers and sisters will come back ten-fold.
Of importance is experiencing the art of the beautiful and working to maintain the buoyancy of health, for these maintain our internal power and provide us with a better mental and physical vehicle for continuing our progress.
From the third circler’s fountain of faith springs forth universal joy, the gladness of anticipation, and the joy of living. This personality is never daunted for long. Knowledge that the Universe is here to help sustains the vital element of joy, enabling a certain pleasure in the anticipation of future challenges and successes. If each of us looks closely at our outward actions and our inner leadings, a general idea of our progress through the seven circles may be ascertained. This progress is not dependent on any specific spiritual understanding or material achievement. Progress through the seven cosmic circles is within everyone’s reach, within everyone’s possible experiences, within everyone’s cosmic ideations.
The Paradise deities have created a Master Universe responsive to our individual needs and abilities to progress. It is within our domain to achieve any cosmic circle while still on Urantia. Our only blocks to this achievement are our own pauses in the struggle to rise above the inconsistency within our natures: indolence, inferior instincts, primitive urges, cosmic nearsightedness, the longings of a material nature, animalistic emotions, racial propensities, mediocrity, inertia, fear, and sorrow.
The Urantia Book found Richard in 1997 in a small bookshop in New Jersey. He participates in two reading groups each week and hosts an additional one in his home. Having organized many activities for several organizations, Richard is currently working to spread Urantian philosophy by helping to create an on-line University, speaking to student organizations about The Urantia Book and working with his wife Debra to create a continuing social organization in which Urantians can meet on a regular basis to share ideas, worship, and enjoy fellowship.
| A Lesson from a Mouse | Volume 10, Number 1, 2009 (Summer) — Index | Becoming an Effective Missionary Evangel |