Step 151 - I will not use fear to support my judgments. Entry for Step 150 - Today I will learn to learn.

Greetings All –

Step 151 - I will not use fear to support my judgments.

DO NOT USE FEAR TO SUPPORT YOUR JUDGMENTS of yourself and the world, for these judgments are born of your uncertainty and anxiety. Thus, they lack the foundation of Knowledge. Thus, they lack the meaning and value that only Knowledge can bestow. Do not rely upon your judgments of yourself and the world. As you withdraw from them, you will realize that their source is fear, for you have only been trying to comfort yourself with your judgments, to provide a false security, stability and identity which you feel you are lacking. Therefore, be without a substitute for Wisdom and Knowledge, and allow Wisdom and Knowledge to arise naturally.

UPON THE HOUR REPEAT YOUR STATEMENT, and consider it in light of all things that are occurring today. In your two deeper practices, consider the meaning of today’s idea as you think about it carefully. Apply your mind in a state of work as you attempt to penetrate the meaning of today’s lesson. Do not be comforted by premature conclusions. Investigate deeply with your mind in your practice periods. Use your mind actively. Consider many things within yourself while maintaining a concentration on today’s idea. If you do this, you will understand many things about Wisdom and ignorance, and your understanding will be born of compassion and true self- appreciation. For only from a place of self-love can you offer correction to yourself and to others.

PRACTICE 151: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday:  Step 150 - Today I will learn to learn.

From the Journal:

12:35 A.M. Dec 14 – My life has to change.

1:45 p.m. At home. A successful trip to Joe May’s this morning to seek MIF (Minimum In-stream Flow) funding. I’m tired – late to bed last night and – I have to wrap Sarah’s presents.

By considering the journal, not much of a day. No clues from the Steps page. The 12:35 A.M. entry suggests a bit of stress. A good reason for undertaking Steps in the first place – to figure out this life thing.

NNC

Step 150 - Today I will learn to learn. Entry for Step 149 - My practice is my gift to the world.

Greetings All –

Step 150 - Today I will learn to learn.

TODAY YOU LEARN TO LEARN. You learn to learn because you need to learn. You need to learn how to learn so that your learning may be effective and expedient, have depth and consistency and produce a sound advancement that you can rely upon in all circumstances in the future. Do not think that you already understand the process of learning, for you are learning about this now as you  understand the meaning of advancement, the meaning of failure, the meaning of encouragement, the meaning of discouragement, the meaning of enthusiasm and the meaning of a lack of enthusiasm. That is why at the end of each week you review your practices so that you may understand your progress and understand the mechanism of learning. This is essential for you to realize, for until you do, you will misinterpret your steps, you will misconstrue your actions, you will not understand how to follow a curriculum and you will never learn how to teach a curriculum yourself.

THEREFORE, TODAY YOU LEARN TO LEARN. This places you as a beginning student of Knowledge, which gives you all rights and all encouragement to learn everything that is necessary, without presumption, without conceit, without denial and without falsity of any kind. As you learn to learn, you will realize the mechanism of learning. This will give you Wisdom and compassion in your dealings with people. You cannot teach people from idealism, for then you place upon them the burden of your own expectations. You require of them what even life cannot provide. But the certainty of your experience and your Knowledge, which you will give to others, will be sound, and they will be able to receive it and utilize it in   their own way. Then, you will not place any personal demands upon them in their learning, but will allow Knowledge within you to give to Knowledge in them. You will then be a witness to the instruction and to the learning as well.

THEREFORE, TODAY BEAR WITNESS TO YOUR OWN LEARNING and learn to learn. Upon the hour, remind yourself that you are learning to learn. In your two meditation practices, allow yourself to enter stillness and peace. Observe yourself as you move forward and as you   hold yourself back. Exert your will on your own behalf compassionately and firmly, and judge not your advancement because you are not in a position to judge, because you are learning to learn.

PRACTICE 150: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday:  Step 149 - My practice is my gift to the world.

From the Journal:

6 A.M. December 13, 1999 – Monday – I am learning how to learn. I expected to know more by this point in my life. My parents acted as though they knew everything. So, with humility, I begin learning to learn.

8 A.M. Things are better this A.M. Some crap has gotten through the system and is downstream now. There is much to do in the world…

9:15 p.m. Starting late – but practice is my gift. …

→Ugliness in the world – what people do to others, and its continuation. When God is denied – anything can happen. Let us bring the reality of God to the memory of all.

Amen & Amen

T-om Su-ne

This entry short – looking ahead to “learning to learn.” This topic/perspective was something I’d been exposed to in my planning career. I’d heard a lecture by Donald M. Michael in the 1980’s at a World Future Society event, relating the perspective of his 1973 the book: “On Learning to Plan – and Planning to Learn: The Social Psychology of Changing Toward Future-Responsive Societal Learning.” This was a man ahead of his time.

A few thoughts on the Steps book page.   

NNC

Step 149 - My practice is my gift to the world. Entry for Step 148 - My practice is my gift to God.

Greetings All –

Step 149 - My practice is my gift to the world.

YOU GIVE TO THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR OWN DEVELOPMENT at this time, for you are preparing to give a greater gift than you have ever given before. Thus, each day that you undertake the practice according to each step that is given, you give a gift to the world. Why is this? It is because you acknowledge your value and your worth. You acknowledge your Ancient Home and your Ancient Destiny. You acknowledge those who sent you and those who will receive you when you leave this world. All this is given to the world each time you practice sincerely, upon each day, upon each hour. This is a greater gift to the world than you can yet understand, but in time you will see the total need that it fulfills.

THEREFORE, YOUR PRACTICE IS A GIFT TO THE WORLD, for it gives that which you are affirming within yourself. What you affirm within yourself you affirm for all individuals, in all circumstances, in all worlds and in all dimensions. Thus, you affirm the reality of Knowledge. Thus, you affirm your Ancient Home while you are here.

UPON THE HOUR, GIVE TO THE WORLD through your practice of giving. Remind yourself of this. In your two longer practice periods, give yourself completely into stillness and silence. Give of your heart and give of your mind. Give all that you realize you can give, for this is a gift to the world. Though you cannot as yet see the result, have confidence that this giving will extend beyond your own mind and will touch all minds in the universe, for all minds are truly joined in reality.

PRACTICE 149: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday:  Step 148 - My practice is my gift to God.

From the Journal:

Sunday, Dec 12, 1999

Tom Peters – the client approach – I started this years ago. It was difficult for people to see. When Greg came in he had a different approach – and blasted my style. He assumed money would follow proposals – the base market was too thin; it remains thin. The model is still valid.

11:30 A.M. How am I doing now? After reading Tom Peters I see that I need better clients – better relationships. I don’t expect to be in a control position – it is really for the discrimination of the knowledge I have received and wish to make visible in the world. “The search for the perfect region.”

“The Whole Enchilada”- local/the kitchen where the enchilada was made is whole/local/→ a steps process.

4 p.m. In Winchester at Wendy’s – enroute to Wal-Mart. My practice – is my gift to God. My life is God’s gift to me. I look south and see a patch of rainbow in the clouds as the setting sun hits the moisture/water crystals in the cloud. I’m thankful that earth and sky is there to be seen and I’m here with eyes and heart to see it. I am in the world – clearly – and seek to do God’s will. Conflict  yes … but such is manifestation. I am here to give.

8:25 p.m. Right this minute I hate my life. I’ve felt this way since I got home at 6:30 p.m. I should have gone to work, but did not. … I read the Wash Post – noting in it – well a few tidbits. … I feel very helpless – in my own life and for Sarah and David.

I made progress by doing an initial description of the local/regional scale –

→ local is whole

→ regional is sub-whole

People might do something with that. I am so unhappy it stinks.

- Mistakes

→ …

→ …

→ …

→ …

Warren Buffet – we seek pattern to understand events. Some aspects of life are too complex to have patterns – like the stock market, so the real patterns to look for are those of success within the greater complexity. Those that one way or another have the fundamentals right and thus are sustaining /growing. This looks wise as does Tom Peters focus on good clients. These are things I could do – if I knew a reason to do them.

My needs are minimal. I need this conflicted environment to tease/torture out my thinking on regions. It is a painful birthing.

Writing soothes the unhappy beast.

11:28 p.m. 12/12/99 – a day of truth. … [argument described]

> I was reading ahead the Steps for next week. Step – 153 “…all life is communication.”

All this helps me to understand my path…

                                           T-om Su-ne

What is the purpose of all this? From this particular day, I left out a lot. Your life may be a lot better than mine at this time, or something you can’t relate to, or worse. The purpose is to show something close to honestly speaking to oneself in a journal, so progress can be made. 

At this time in my career, I am trying to apply business thinking to my work and to the need to invest - thus the study of Tom Peters and Warren Buffet. Did I ultimately learn what I need from the world - not exactly, but Steps was useful - as it enables a different type of thinking.  

Steps to Knowledge clears up many things, sets others in perspective, and always leaves plenty of undefined and mysterious space. Skip over what may bore you, but look for the thread of strengthening due to the Steps.

The Steps page has some ink: “How can I be the gift?”

 We be learnin -  right?

NNC

Step 148 - My practice is my gift to God. Entry for Step 147 – Review

Greetings All –

Step 148 - My practice is my gift to God.

YOUR PRACTICE IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD, for God wills that you receive Knowledge so that you may give it to the world. Thus, you are honored as the recipient and as the vehicle for Knowledge, God is honored as the source of Knowledge, and all who receive it will be honored as well.  This is your gift now — to undertake the true preparation that you are involved in currently.

THEREFORE, TREAT EACH PRACTICE PERIOD TODAY  as a form of giving. Upon the hour, give yourself in each circumstance in which you find yourself. In your two deep meditation practices, give yourself completely. Do not come begging for ideas or information, but come to receive and come to give. As you give yourself, you will receive and in this you will learn the ancient law that to give is to receive. This must be born completely in your experience so that you may fully comprehend its meaning and its application in the world.

YOUR PRACTICE IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD. Your practice is your gift to yourself. Come to your practice today to give, for in your giving you will realize the depth of your own resources.

PRACTICE 148: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday:  Step 147 - Review

From the Journal:

6:30 A.M. Sat.  Dec 11, 1999 – Up early to record the next thought – regions is normally a top down strategy. For local governments …

→ Now to S2K –

…

Step 147→ Review→ Thinking of the e-mail I’m going to write to the GC folk – I did not expect to experience the power of the Steps/the practice. I’d read the books - looked at the Steps and saw an ACIM schedule – simplified – did not expect what I’m experiencing.

S2K is “learning to give.”

ACIM - “you must have in order to give.” The need is to understand/feel what one has – then learn how to give.

Think local planet/act cooperatively in regions.

…

The steps this week were “I will …” – it appears then that my will is being trained. My will - will to live.

→ Life then is all about one’s will and God’s will.

→ The progression and discovery of will in the manifest – or the dimension(s) of manifestation.

→ Urantia – We are here to do God’s will

→ ACIM - God’s will and my will is the same

→ RUOW – Will manifests Spirit, but the gap between perfect vision and imperfect manifestation leads/led to judgment – the smack, the separation.

→ GCW – Will is manifest by Spirit in a greater community. To do God’s will/our will – the will must be trained – this bridges the gap (?)

→ the test of all things metaphysical is in two parts – (1) – Does it work (2) how long does it work?

→  I have come from (my soul originated in the) my Ancient Home – AH the Land of AH

11:15 p.m. Back from the X-mas shopping trip. … Got a Tom peters Book – The brand is me – the regions guy. A professional service firm? Who is my customer?

…

This entry was interesting to read, in that it records: “I did not expect to experience the power of the Steps/the practice.” So, more has been going on than is recorded in the journal. That is probably the norm, as many don’t have the inclination to write down their inner dialogue, and/or, there just isn’t enough time. Still markers are left that record progress and that’s what we want most.

The Steps page has a few thoughts in the green ink.

  
For an introduction to Steps to Knowledge, go here.

 

 NNC