A spirit called Dimitri came through to speak on this theme and then responded to people's questions
Dimitri: I have come to talk to you about Providence. You must take advantage of Providence for Providence is all around you my friends. Providence will support you, float your ship safely, buoy you up. But you must tack the sail to catch the wind of Providence. You must do your bit to help the gods who would help you. You must wear their amulet, but you must do your bit to assist them. Sailors of old kept their allegiance to the Greek gods, but they at times relied too much on the efforts of the Gods and not their own efforts. But in truth the efforts of the gods are made manifest through our own efforts. Therefore my friends you must do your bit. You must tack your ship in the right direction to ride the storm and Providence will do the rest, the gods will do the rest. All we ask is willing sailors to work their ships and the rest will come.
Q: How can we be sure we are pointing in the right direction?
Dimitri: You must just do your bit. You do your bit in good consciousness, good trusting faith, we shall do the rest.
Q: It's not always easy to know how the wind is blowing.
Dimitri: Put your finger up to it sir. Wet your finger and put it up and feel the breeze, feel the good strong breeze and trim your sails accordingly.
Q: How did you use Providence?
Dimitri: I worked diligently, worked diligently to do my bit, and had trust in the rest. You can do no more than your best. And even though you err you can do no more than your best. To err is human; to err in good faith is divine because assuredly the divine will come to your aid and rescue.
Q: What did you accomplish with it?
Dimitri: Peace, peace, what more can you wish for in this life but peace? Peace of mind, peace of soul. What more could you wish for than this?
Q: Sometimes we don't always recognise opportunities when we see them.
Dimitri: You must recognise the opportunities as best you can. You may have dim eyes, you may have strong eyes, but what opportunities you will see can be seen through your eyesight and you will see. This is all you can do. You cannot see with the eyes of someone else who has stronger eyesight. You must see with your eyes, not with the eyes of others. Those others should not criticise you for what you cannot see that they can see. For you have not their eyes. You have your eyes. And if you use your eyes you must use your eyes honestly and in truth and openness. What more can we ask of you? If you do not leave yourselves alone, harangue yourselves, tirade against yourselves - this accomplishes nothing. You must also be careful that after you have seen with the eyes of the moment, and have moved on, that you do not then look back with the eyes of hindsight. For the eyes of hindsight are a hard taskmaster. We should say to the eyes of this harsh taskmaster who has these eyes of hindsight: "Then where were you, where were you at the time I needed you?"
Q: Following on from what you were saying about catching the moment, sometimes a situation can be such that your judgement will be impaired by it.
Dimitri: You can only do your best sir. You can only do your best. And no one has a right to ask more, least of all yourself. You must do your best with honest heart and straightforwardness. And if there are those who would criticise you for this then it is their loss, their problem. For what is done with honest heart and straightforwardness is divine action. And though it be impaired and in error sometimes, nevertheless it is divine action. And what comes from divine action can be transmuted; can be refined; can be made pure and perfect.
Eileen commented on the Iraq war and commented that although some of the politicians had acted, in her view, unwisely, nevertheless if they had done it with an honest heart then perhaps we should consider that when judging their action. There was a long pause and Dimitri replied:
Dimitri: Honest heart, but one not born out of arrogance of course..........Well I shall leave you now. Dimitri is my name. (Paul had commented earlier that he'd got a picture of a man in Roman times). He (referring to Paul) sees me as in Roman times. Yes I was in Roman times yet I was a Greek, a Greek Administrator. Very well (and he left us.)