Greetings All –
YOU CAN BEHOLD THE GREATER COMMUNITY, for you are living
in the middle of the Greater Community. Because you are on the surface of the
world, preoccupied with human endeavors and limited by time and space, does not
mean that you cannot behold the grandeur of the Greater Community. You may behold
this by looking at the sky above and by looking at the world below. You may
realize this by understanding the relationship of humanity to the universe at
large and by realizing that humanity is but one more race evolving to develop
its intelligence and its Knowledge so that it may find a true involvement as it
emerges into the Greater Community. Looking in this way gives you a greater
perspective. Looking in this way allows you to understand the nature of change
in the world. Looking in this way allows you to have compassion for yourself
and for other people, for compassion is born of Knowledge. Knowledge does not
deprecate what is occurring but attempts to influence it for the good.
UPON THE HOUR CONSIDER THE VALUE OF TODAY’S IDEA.
Look out into the world and consider yourself a witness to the Greater Community.
Think of your world as one of many, many worlds that are in a similar stage of evolution.
Do not torment your mind by attempting to give form to that which is beyond the
range of your perception. Allow yourself to live in a great and mysterious
universe that you are only now beginning to understand.
IN YOUR TWO DEEPER MEDITATIONS, allow yourself to
apply your mind actively in considering this idea. Try to look at your life
from beyond a purely human perspective, for from a purely human perspective you
will see only a human life, a human world and a human universe. You do not live
in a human universe. You do not live in a human world. You do not live a purely
human life. Understand that your humanity here is not denied but is given
a greater inclusion in a greater life. Thus, your humanity becomes a source and
a means of expression rather than a limitation that you impose upon yourself. Allow
your deeper practice periods to become very active. Use your mind
constructively. Use your mind objectively. Look at your ideas. Don’t simply be
swayed by them. Look at your beliefs. Don’t simply follow or deny them. Learn
this objectivity, and you will learn to see with Knowledge, for Knowledge looks
on all things mental and physical with equanimity.
PRACTICE 202: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly
practice.
From the Journal:
No entry this day. I moved on to this Step
yesterday because of a need for a positive. There are notes on the Steps page
which explains that time: “I need comfort today.”
The Steps practices are work. I think they are
worth it, yet life being what it is, challenges continue to appear. Is life
better with Steps. I say yes, so let us continue.
NNC
P.S. At Step 202, we are into Part Two of Steps, so
if you’ve found this and find some appeal in this or other Steps, you should
really go to the beginning blog post. From here you learn about Steps to Knowledge and
can begin it on the day that makes sense and then progress as needed. You can
use the posts on this blog as a companion if it helps. They will remain in
order in the archives - one per Step.
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 here 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. There are options as well
through the Free School of the New Message.
