This session began with Bartholomew addressing the phenomenon of memory loss that students will increasingly experience as part of the acceleration occurring on the planet. He explained that people are living multiple lifetimes within one lifetime - experiencing numerous relationships, careers, and living situations that previous generations would never have encountered. This acceleration requires simplification and discarding of non-essential mental processes, as the "equipment" of the mind may not have enough space to handle the increasing input. The solution is developing internal calm to maintain intimate contact with each moment as it arises.

Bartholomew emphasized that the only safe refuge exists in the present moment, as fear and desire scatter consciousness into an imaginary future while sorrows and guilt pull it into a finished past. Most people spend their lives oscillating between these two unrealities, missing the actual refuge available now. He stressed that everything sought in some future spiritual state - the comforter, great wisdom, magnificent compassion, understanding, and love - is already present in this moment. The fundamental error lies in believing there's a "future me" that will be better, more spiritual, and more lovable than the current self.

The teaching distinguishes between the essential "I" of being, which remains constant, and the ever-changing "me" of ego-personality that people futilely attempt to perfect. Bartholomew pointed out the absurdity of asking "Do I know who I am?" when the very questioner is obviously present and aware. He used the example of psychedelic experiences to illustrate that regardless of what reality someone experiences, the one constant is "you were there" - demonstrating that the "I" of Awareness never changes and is always present, while the "me" fluctuates constantly between different states and identities.

The session addressed practical concerns about relaxing control, with students fearing that if they stop thinking and planning, their lives will deteriorate. Bartholomew countered this with the metaphor of a child in a car's back seat with a plastic steering wheel, believing they're driving while the actual driver, motor, and road already exist. He encouraged everyone to examine coincidences as evidence that Consciousness is not personally orchestrating life's events, but participating in a vast tapestry woven by a greater creative principle.

Bartholomew explained the progression from identifying as an actor on life's stage to recognizing oneself as playing a part in a larger drama. He emphasized accepting one's unique "hand of cards" - the particular set of characteristics and tendencies that define each person's role - rather than trying to become someone different. This acceptance leads to saying "This is me" with humor and dignity, releasing the exhausting effort to perfect the ego in hopes of earning rewards like love or God's attention.

The core instruction involves relaxing into the moment without thought, allowing the natural qualities of compassion, wisdom, and love to emerge from the essential "I" rather than trying to manufacture them through willpower. Bartholomew revealed that everything sought through spiritual striving is already contained in the being of the "I" that rests constantly in the present moment. He pointed to this ever-present Awareness as the screen of consciousness upon which all experiences play, comparing it to Ramana's teaching about focusing on the movie screen rather than the changing images projected upon it. The session concluded with the radical simplicity that enlightenment requires no effort beyond recognizing the obvious fact: "I am here" - the one non-conceptual certainty that encompasses all that is being sought.