Greetings All –
Step 228 - I will not be
poor today. (MP3)
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| I will not be poor today. Step 228 |
YOU NEED NOT BE POOR, FOR POVERTY is neither your heritage
nor your true destiny. Do not be poor today, for Knowledge is the great wealth,
and once it is allowed to emerge within any mind, it begins to generate its
presence naturally in the world. It begins to balance and harmonize the mind
that is its vehicle, and it begins to give specifically to certain individuals
in specific ways. This is the genius that is with you. How can you be poor with
such a gift? Only your self-deprecating ideas and forms of behavior can engender
poverty.
THEREFORE, TODAY BEGIN TO LOOK MORE DEEPLY at those
things that are forms of obstruction to you. Think of this upon the hour. In your
two deeper practice periods, engage your mind actively in attempting to discern
specific forms of self-deception and self-obstruction. Do this without
condemnation, but with the objectivity that is necessary to view yourself
clearly. Do not be dismayed that there are many subtle forms of self-deception.
They are merely slight variations upon very simple themes. Their seeming
complexity and number are unimportant except that you recognize them. They are
all born of fear and the attempt to offset fear by engaging in illusion and by
attempting to engage others in supporting illusion. All ideas without Knowledge
serve this purpose, either directly or indirectly. Yet, real purpose is the great
force behind ideas that are for true service, as it is the great force behind
all forms of action and behavior that are for true service.
TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT OBSTACLES, but not with
shame, guilt or anxiety. Look only to strengthen the presence and the
application of Knowledge and only to prepare yourself to be a greater vehicle
for Knowledge in the world. That is the purpose of today’s practice. Therefore,
practice with true intent. You are greater than the errors that you perceive,
and they cannot deceive you if you look at them objectively.
PRACTICE 228: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly
practice.
So as not to be poor, we do many things for “good
luck,” following the superstitions of our cultures, as pictured today. This on
the grounds of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
Thoughtful during the day of this Step.
From the Journal:
12:05
a.m. February 28, 2000. The S2K deals with life in a unique way.
12:14
a.m. What do I think? I want to be useful.
Is
there something I know? I shall make it.
6:25
a.m. it is Monday. No matter how connected, life requires work - the work of
getting up.
7:58
a.m. I don't know how or why I got into this earth context. I will stay. If I
can avoid heavy lifting - that would be life easing. I'm not very attached to
my body.
Whatever
level of awareness of Knowledge that I have, I don't think I Know much. I have
a sense that this regional work is important. S2K evokes an urgency - like Y2K.
I'm comforted by the awareness of a family of practice. Decision to serve God
is not difficult. How to enhance this - I don't yet know.
→ I'm in the
bathroom - cleaning up, ready to get dressed. How would I be thinking, acting,
doing if I were more guided by Knowledge? I'm on a path seeking that, but I
don't know what will result. My only expectation is that I get a "well
done" upon return to my spiritual family.
---
The Steps page, at the bottom, contains a projection:
Tommy C. goes back to elementary school. I got rid
of that in the 4th grade when I wrote Tom on my papers. Here it is a
reflection of the smallness I feel, the respectfulness and humility, as I am:
“only a thought away from the primal source of all creation – the thought that
releases the mind to the soul and return to Stillness / Love / Grace / Being.”
No doubt I’m at a high point, but what is next? You may be here, or were there
earlier, or it is yet to come – with your own sensibility.
NNC
Journal second time x2
Step 227. 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.
