Greetings All –
I will not deceive myself today. Step 81 (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive –
Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]
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| I will not deceive myself today. Step 81 |
UPON
THE HOUR PRACTICE MAKING THIS STATEMENT and feeling its impact. Strengthen your
commitment to Knowledge. Do not fall into the apparent ease of self-deception.
Do not be comfortable merely with assumptions or the beliefs of others. Do not
accept generalities as truth. Do not accept appearances as representative of
the reality of another. Do not accept the mere appearance of yourself. Doing
these things demonstrates that you do not value yourself or your life and that
you are too indolent to carry forth effort on your own behalf.
YOU
MUST ENTER UNCERTAINTY TO FIND KNOWLEDGE. What does this mean? It simply means
you are giving up false assumptions, self comforting ideas and the luxury of
self-condemnation. Why is self condemnation a luxury? Because it is easy and
does not require you to examine the truth. You accept it because it is
acceptable in this world, and it gives you a great deal to talk about with your
friends. It evokes sympathy. Therefore, it is easy and weak.
DO
NOT DECEIVE YOURSELF TODAY. Allow yourself to examine the mystery and the truth
of your life. Upon the hour today repeat today’s idea and feel what it means.
Also today, in two longer practice periods, repeat the statement and then
dedicate yourself to stillness and receptivity. By now, you are beginning to
learn how to prepare yourself for stillness—using your breath, concentrating
your mind, relinquishing thoughts and reminding yourself that you are worthy of
such an effort. Remind yourself of the goal that you are attempting to reach.
Do not deceive yourself today. Do not give in to what is easy and painful.
PRACTICE
81: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.
Picture: An
engineer observing a wastewater treatment plant in Virginia. How great and
costly is the challenge of cleaning wastewater?
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.
