Greetings All –
I will observe myself today to learn of Knowledge.
Step 29 (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive –
Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]
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| I will observe myself today to learn of Knowledge. Step 29 |
ON
THIS SPECIAL DAY OF PRACTICE, observe yourself throughout the day, maintaining
awareness of your thoughts and behavior as much as possible. To develop this
quality of self-observation, you must be as free of judgment as possible, for
judgment disables you from being observant. You must study yourself as if you
were someone else with whom you can be far more objective.
WE
SHALL PRACTICE ON THE HOUR TODAY. Each hour you will need to check in to see
your thoughts and to observe your current behavior. This constant self-checking
will enable you to become far more involved in your current experience and will
allow your Knowledge to exercise its beneficial influence upon you to a far
greater degree. Knowledge knows what you need and knows how to serve you, but
you must learn how to receive. In time, you must learn how to give as well so
that you may receive more. Your receiving is important because it enables you
to give, and giving is the essence of fulfillment in this world. But you cannot
give from an impoverished state. Therefore, your giving must be genuine, born
of the overflowing receptivity that you have cultivated within yourself, within
your relationships with others and with life.
EACH
PRACTICE PERIOD NEED ONLY TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES but should be given your full
attention. You need not close your eyes to do this, though if it is
appropriate, it will be helpful. You may practice in the middle of a
conversation with another. In fact, there are very few circumstances that will
prevent this moment of introspection. In practice you simply ask yourself, “How
do I feel?” and “What am I doing now?” That is all. Then feel if there is
something you must do that you are not doing. If there are no corrections to be
made, continue on with what you are doing. If there are corrections to be made,
make them as expediently as possible. Allow your inner guidance to influence
you, which it will do if you are not governed by impulses, fear or ambition.
Observe yourself this day.
PRACTICE
29: Hourly practice.
This
is the first practice that is done on the hour - an hourly practice. This will
become a common practice. Being aware on the hour takes some doing. A chime on
your watch, phone or computer can help. You might want to do this first one
without any assistance just to see how it goes.
Picture: People
doing daily food shopping, perhaps observing themselves ~ Leuven, Belgium –
April 4, 2009
Plan B - If the MP3 doesn’t work, here’s the link
to the folder: New Message - Student Spoken Steps Recordings -
Steps to Knowledge - Working file
If
this is your first time seeing one of the “Steps to Knowledge”, then welcome.
There are 365 Steps, daily spiritual practices if one seeks to complete them in
a year, but that is not necessary. They can be used by people of any religious
tradition or no religious tradition. They will help one to become mindful in
the world.
The
Step today is from the book: Steps to
Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing. The practices were brought to the
world through Marshall Vian Summers, The Messenger for The New Message From
God. Important background for the Steps is in: “Greater Community Spirituality” and the “Wisdom Books - I and II”.
Hard copies are available from the New Knowledge Library Store.
The Society for the New Message from God also has a Free Book Project. If you need the books
now, PDF files can be found here: http://goo.gl/RJuuGP
Keeping
a journal is recommended. If you have a Steps book, write your reactions and
comments, highlight or underline points that strike you, and date the note. In
this way, your Steps book can be a partial journal.
Using
the PDF, you can print out pages as you need them, or use the software to
maintain a digital copy where you can enter notes and highlight text that
stands out.
Other
modern methods of keeping a journal include having a document on your PC or
phone to keep notes. You could send yourself an email or use the voice recorder
function. It is important to capture insights and reactions because it is by
this means that you can understand change. Sometimes it may just be a word or
short phrase, an image or a scene.
To
end this post I again offer the blessing: "May the presence of the
Teachers be with you." In the invocative language of Knowledge this
blessing is: "Nasi Novare Coram" (pronounced NAH-see no-VAHR-ay
co-RAHM)
The short form of Nasi Novare Coram used by students is NNC.
The short form of Nasi Novare Coram used by students is NNC.
NNC
P.S.
Often it takes 18 months to get through the Steps once. For this blog, the pace
is one-a-day, but it really makes no difference how fast you do it, only that
you begin, persist and repeat. Posts linked below provide a trail that may let
you have a virtual companion when and if you want one. One may have to study
alone, as I did in the beginning. There are other Steps students blogging their
experience and you might find a person more like you as a companion, or use a
number of such Steps journeys.
Doing Steps with only the texts, messages and your life
experience, including what you may have studied and practiced is your journey.
I’m showing Step comments after the Step, so as not to influence anyone in
advance. It is a wilderness trek to be left to your own wits, but then you can
also listen more closely for guides, angels and teachers, always first saying:
“I surround and protect myself with the Love and the Grace of God.” Thankfully,
I was taught this practice in 1989.
