Greetings All –
TO THIS STATEMENT YOU MUST GIVE YOUR COMPLETE FAITH,
though your past has been a record of discouragement and disappointment. Yet,
even here you can realize that those things that you truly needed for the
advancement of Knowledge and for the advancement of your true mental and physical
capabilities were provided for you.
ALL THINGS YOU TRULY NEED WILL BE PROVIDED. It is
when you want things that you do not truly need that your awareness of this becomes
confused, and this leads you into dark speculation and grave disappointment. What
you need will make you happy; what you don’t need will make you confused. This
is very simple, very straightforward and very direct. Knowledge is always like
that. Knowledge affirms that which is essential. Here your approach to life becomes
simple and direct. Thus, you experience life as simple and direct.
IF YOU APPROACH LIFE IN A DEVIOUS WAY, life will
appear devious to you. If you approach life with simplicity and honesty, life
will appear simple and honest to you. Knowledge will indicate that which is
truly needed and that which is extraneous, those things that you must carry and
those which are merely extra baggage that will burden you. If you want what is
unnecessary and devote yourself to that, you will lose touch with what is real and
genuine, and your life will become confused and unhappy.
SPEAK THESE WORDS UPON THE HOUR AND CONSIDER THEM.
Life around you will demonstrate that they are true. In your deeper meditation
practices, enter stillness once again. Direct your effort on your own behalf,
and your mind will respond to your command. It is your desire for Knowledge
that will let all things come to you. This confidence in life will give you the
assurance to proceed. This confidence in life will give you the assurance that
your life is highly valued in the world. This confidence in life will affirm
that which guides life itself, for within life there is Knowledge and there is
fantasy, but life itself is Knowledge.
PRACTICE 253: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly
practice.
Yesterday: Step 252 -
Review
It has been a very long two weeks, so the Review
provides some relief. It is a welcome chance to try and bring together the
lessons of the prior Steps.
At the bottom of the Steps page I wrote:
Yes, hooked on Knowledge. This sentiment was
affirmed in subsequent passages through Steps in 2001, 2005 and 2012. Why would
it be necessary to do Steps more than twice you might ask?
My experience with the Steps and the Greater
Community Spirituality/New Message materials, each time I return to them, there
is a greater depth to be seen as a result of my cumulative study, world
experience and reflection. There may even be a bit of growth in there as well.
From the Journal:
1:15
a.m. Saturday, March 25, 2000. Back from a drive to Skyline Drive with Sarah.
--- Got coffee, Coke and Sun chips – saw 32 deer – a record for us – and had a
good time on Sarah's work.
The
news release was in the in the NVD for my position as Exec. Planner – listed as
a promotion. I went to talk to Bill S--- about Regions Work and the Marsh
Institute as a potential home if I could get a grant. H0e asked questions, but
was supportive – and said regionalism was an element of the Institute that he'd
not done much with.
---
Getting
regional councils a common agenda. When they all did A-95 review, they had a
common agenda.
My
relationships have become simpler – I'm no longer responsible or the failure or
success of the Commission – I can go on to my real work on regions and regional
community.
10:12
p.m. – I've wasted almost 2 hours going round and round on a website domain
registration. I was going to do "regions.cc" – Cocos Islands or
whatever, but there was a surcharge. None of the existing names
regions.com/regions.org/regions.net have any content. Regions Work is available
across the board, but why tie that up? So – looking/thinking/doing is not what
I need.
–
Should I get TomChristoffel.com? Don't know – can't separate ego. I just
decided to wait.
---
252-Review
– Before I read the text of the Practice I have to record the thought that S2K
– practice by practice – seemed perfectly time to transition me through the
change in position – what sets me free to be me and pursue regions work.
"I
remember when we did regions on Claudius IV."(A si-fi – flash?) – No
Claudius IV.
→ The power of Knowledge
to guide, direct and protect me was clear all week – I learned I never want to be
and Exec. Director again
– I
want to have an academic home for the research/proof of the validity of regions
work.
–
Since it all works so well, and it being late – since I wasted time on the PC.
I thought I could get out of some work. Not –
I am
becoming a more bold student. Knowledge is not only helping me – it helps those
I reflect it too. It is helping Sarah. It helped Bill S--- – I described the
way he dreamt the Marsh Institute and the way it happened as an outgrowth of
his own Knowledge –
→ Review completed
11:50 p.m. TJC
Very eventful two weeks and a powerful review, but
not that much in the journal. Still, it is useful to me, and yours will be
useful to you. Keep a journal in the way that makes sense.
Here’s the full Steps page. Note that I’ve underlined
“your ambivalence towards Knowledge” and wrote
below: “Not I” I am becoming committed to Steps because it has
help me in my life. Your experience may be different? Difficult time could lie
ahead. Steps strengthened me and those others I’ve seen undertake their study.
Let us continue.
NNC
P.S. At Step 253, 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.