Greetings All –
Step 171 - My giving is
an affirmation of my wealth. (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to
your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]
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| “My giving is an affirmation of my wealth.” Step 171 |
YOUR GIVING IS AN AFFIRMATION OF YOUR WEALTH because
you give from your own wealth. It is not the giving of objects that we speak of
here, for you may give away all your possessions and then have none left over.
But when you give Knowledge, Knowledge increases. And when you imbue your gift
of an object with Knowledge, Knowledge increases. That is why when you receive
Knowledge, you will want to give it because this is the natural expression of
your own receptivity.
HOW CAN YOU EXHAUST KNOWLEDGE when Knowledge is the
power and the Will of the universe? How small your vehicle, how great the
substance that expresses itself through you. How great your relationship with
life, and how great, then, are you who are with life. There is no conceit here.
There is no self-inflation here, for you realize that you are small and great
all at once, and you acknowledge the source of your smallness and the source of
your greatness. You acknowledge the value of your smallness and the value of
your greatness. You acknowledge all life, then, and nothing is left out of your
great evaluation of yourself, which is born of love and true understanding. This,
then, is the understanding that you must cultivate over time, realizing again
that your efforts to do so are embellished by the efforts of others, who are
also students of Knowledge in your world. Even students in other worlds
embellish your efforts, for in Knowledge there is no time and distance. Thus,
you have great support available to you now, and in this you realize your true relationship
with life.
PRACTICE UPON THE HOUR and in your deeper
meditations, allow the word RAHN to take you into Knowledge. Silently and in
stillness, as you sink into the depths of Knowledge, receive the peace and the confirmation
that are your birthright.
PRACTICE 171: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly
practice.
While
the Step says it isn’t about the giving of objects and money could be an
object, I am struck by those who do give money willingly to many causes in the
world. As Steps students we could imbue our monetary and object giving with
Knowledge. Seeing others in the act of giving, is watching a teaching act, if
that motivates us or others to do the same. Thus, today's picture.
From the Journal:
6:37
a.m. Monday, January 3, 1999 – Work today – tackle the mess – simplify – create
order –
8:25
a.m. Just completed GCW-I for the 2nd time. Since I’ve been doing
S2K I got more out of it. It is consistent with many, many of my thoughts &
experiences. Gaps are filled in – it does not over promise. Earthlings need
lots of help …lot to break through the spell of matter. I really don’t want to
go to work – but there is no choice.
Short entry. Reading Greater
Community Wisdom I and II, as well
as Greater Community Spirituality, provided me a framework for understanding the Steps. More materials
are available now, but just using these might be enough for the first time
through. The notion that: “YOU ARE UNDERTAKING
AN ANCIENT RITE in the reclamation of Knowledge,” did not have a recorded response in 2000, but even
today it remains a big thought to consider about the nature of our existence.
Let us continue.
NNC
Journal second time x2
Step 170. This is for those who have completed
Steps once. 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 you 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.
P.S. If you’ve some interest due to this or other
Steps, you should go to the beginning blog post. From here you will learn about Steps to Knowledge
and can begin it on the day that makes sense; 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 post 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.
