This week we continue our reading of Urantia Paper 11, The Eternal Isle of Paradise, with a study of sections 5, 6 and possibly 7, Nether Paradise, Space Respiration, and Space Functions of Paradise. Last week we discussed the nature and magnitude of upper and peripheral Paradise as far as the human mind can conceive. Paradise is our ultimate destiny in the grand universe and is essentially a flat ellipsoid divided into three geographic domains: upper Paradise, peripheral Paradise, and nether Paradise. Paradise is the original non-spiritual expression of the First Source and Center and is created of a substance found nowhere else in the universe. We will study the nature of Nether Paradise and discuss its relationship to space, force, space potency, and the Unqualified Absolute. Concerning nether Paradise, we know only that which is revealed; personalities do not sojourn there. It has nothing whatever to do with the affairs of spirit intelligences, nor does the Deity Absolute there function. We are informed that all physical-energy and cosmic-force circuits have their origin on nether Paradise... 11:5.1 (122.1) We do not know the actual mechanism of space respiration; we merely observe that all space alternately contracts and expands. This respiration affects both the horizontal extension of pervaded space and the vertical extensions of unpervaded space which exist in the vast space reservoirs above and below Paradise. In attempting to imagine the volume outlines of these space reservoirs, you might think of an hourglass. 11:6.1 (123.3) For a billion years of Urantia time the space reservoirs contract while the master universe and the force activities of all horizontal space expand. It thus requires a little over two billion Urantia years to complete the entire expansion-contraction cycle. 11:6.5 (124.1) Join us to study the "capitol" of infinity! http://tobtr.com/12368579