Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing ~ Spiritual Practices

This is a spiritual practice. It has been given to Humanity so it might be able to respond to the growing planetary necessity for Human Unity and Cooperation. We are encouraged to undertake Steps to Knowledge. This site is a simple aid to introduce people to this practice. There is much more to learn for anyone who becomes a student. As a Steps student since June 27, 1999, I am a witness for its benefit. Tom Christoffel

10/31/15

Step 304 - I will not be a student of fear today. (MP3) Entry for Step 303 - I will step back from the world's persuasions today.

Greetings All –

Step 304 - I will not be a student of fear today. (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]

I will not be a student of fear today. Step 304

REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS A STUDENT—every day, every hour and every moment. Therefore, as you become more conscientious, you must select what you will learn. Here you are given a real choice, for you are either a student of Knowledge or you are a student of confusion. Do not be a student of confusion today. Do not be a student of fear today, for without Knowledge there is uncertainty and there is fear. Without Knowledge there are fearful pursuits which perpetrate greater fear and a greater sense of loss.

REALIZE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A STUDENT. Realize this and accept this with relief, for you have a meaningful choice here—to be a student of Knowledge or a student of confusion. Knowledge will cast its influence upon you to enable you to make the right choice, to choose that which renders you certainty, purpose, meaning and value in the world. Then, you may become a force for Knowledge in the world to dispel confusion, darkness and fear from all minds that labor under their oppressive weight.

DO NOT BE A STUDENT OF FEAR. Make this resolution within yourself upon the hour as you recognize the fearful persuasions of the world, the confusion of the world and its dark influence upon all who feel its oppression. Allow yourself to be a liberated soul within the world. Hold the jewel of love within your heart. Hold the light of Knowledge within your heart. When you return to your two deeper meditation practices today, repeat the idea for today so that you may enter into stillness and silence within your sanctuary. Rejuvenate yourself in Knowledge and refresh yourself, for Knowledge is the great light that you carry. The more that you come within its presence, the more it will radiate itself upon you and the more it will shine upon you and, through you, upon the world.

PRACTICE 304: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday: Step 303 - I will step back from the world's persuasions today.

The day’s objective was to be: “free of the world’s persuasions.” This is accomplished by: “the power of decision.” What are these persuasions? There is no list, but we do learn they relate to: “your own internal conflicts and from the conflicts that rage in the world.”

Stepping back is a good response in many situations. The journal entry reflects confusion as well:

7:10 a.m. Monday, May 15, 2000 – Where am I? Physically – mellow – I enjoy stillness – it is a sanctuary. It is when I'm in the world that I encounter trouble and conflict.

8:09 a.m. – Out of the stillness. Nature is Still in a dynamic way. The built environment is motionless – on the outside – trapped energy.

→ One size misfits all.

12:32 p.m. – 303 – "I will step back from the world's persuasions today." If food is a persuasion – then I've not done well. Things were mellow at work. Coming home at 7:30 p.m. I felt still as I walked through the still town. Along Happy Creek @ the bridge I saw small songbirds I'd seldom seen before.

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At 11:10 p.m. Sarah called. She said she wanted to thank me for being there for her when she was it in with Lloyd and needed to get out. I told her I was proud.

It has been an OK day. I'm thankful to tears for S2K. I told Sarah we/M.E. and I – stood on the sides and directed her where to go. When she was deep in a hole, we pointed to the ladder to get herself out. Using S2K/GCW imagery.

This comes across as a mellow lesson. It is a practice to be, perhaps, in the world, not of the world. In the last paragraph there is a note of how I used Greater Community thought found in these readings to assist my daughter in understanding a way to respond in her situation.

More effort to spread the New Message. Will there be results? I will be unable to know for a great long time. Let us continue.

NNC

Journal second time x2 Step 303. 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.

10/30/15

Step 303 - I will step back from the world's persuasions today. (MP3) Entry for Step 302 - I will not resist the world today.

Greetings All –

Step 303 - I will step back from the world's persuasions today. (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]

I will step back from the world's persuasions today. Step 303

STEP BACK FROM THE WORLD’S PERSUASIONS. Recognize what is certain and what is confused. Recognize what is devoted and what is ambivalent. Let not the power of the world’s frustration and confusion overtake you today, but hold the light of God within your heart. Keep it burning within yourself as you venture into the world. Thus, you pass through the world unscathed and uninfluenced because you are abiding with Knowledge. Without Knowledge, the world merely sweeps you away in its own frenzy. It sweeps you away in its inducements and its mad pursuits.

TODAY YOU ABIDE WITH KNOWLEDGE, and so you are free of the world’s persuasions. Repeat today’s idea upon the hour and recognize how important it is in maintaining your inner balance and your sense of self and certainty. Realize how important today’s idea is in allowing you to keep stillness alive within you so that your deeper meditations, in which you will practice stillness again today, can exert their influence and their results upon all of your activities, for this is their purpose.

RECOGNIZE THE WORLD’S PERSUASIONS AND STEP BACK. This you are given to do, for here you have the power of decision. This you can do once you recognize the world’s persuasions and realize how important Knowledge is. This will enable you to exercise the power of decision on your own behalf. Here the world will not claim you, and here you will be a force for good in the world, for this is your purpose.

IN YOUR DEEPER MEDITATION PRACTICES, once again give today’s idea as an invocation to prepare you. In stillness and in silence enter into the sanctuary of Knowledge so that you may rejuvenate and refresh yourself there. Find reprieve there from your own internal conflicts and from the conflicts that rage in the world. When you return from your sanctuary, remind yourself that you will not be claimed by the world’s confusion. Remind yourself that you will not fall prey to the world’s persuasions. Then, you will carry forth the safety that you are now learning to receive into the world around you.

PRACTICE 303: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday: Step 302 - I will not resist the world today.

The practice of this Step gave a crucial insight to this direction given by Jesus: “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39 King James Version.

Turning the other cheek is not an option in every situation of evil. What are we to do? For me, this was an answer:

“AS YOU PASS THROUGH THE WORLD THIS DAY, remember this idea upon the hour and let yourself be present to whatever circumstance you are in. Allow your inner life to be still so that Knowledge may exert its influence and its guidance for you. Allow yourself to carry certainty today—the certainty of Knowledge. This is a certainty that you have not invented or constructed for yourself. It abides with you always, in spite of your confusion.

DO NOT RESIST THE WORLD TODAY, for Knowledge is with you. …”

This for me, explained “Resist not evil.”

Other thoughts recorded on the page: T-om Su-ne Tourist – Planet Earth; → the world is the canvas for expression of Knowledge; and begin to avoid the things that unstill my inner life. Always a vivid imagination.

Likewise the journal was full of words. A few might generate a laugh:

Sunday, May 14, 2000

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→ I'm neither sad nor happy. I'm in the woods – in a fabulously beautiful setting.

My new PC has been fun. The MS tools are very good. I've been able to do a few things – download GIFs – reinstall the modem, set up the mail.

This morning – thinking – "Alone, I work on cooperation."

---

2 p.m. The world, at true speed, is still.

→ I will not resist the world today.

I still my mind. The eyes are open – the body is alert and writes what comes through automatically. An open eyes meditation, moving through the world environment stillness –

2:25 p.m. The meditation ends…. I need Knowledge faster.

What is my work for Knowledge? The world is moving me out of my current relationships – ---

2:44 p.m.

Dear Unseen Ones –

Due to my great personal need for the full presence of Knowledge in my life I choose to read ahead in the practices in order to get a better sense of direction. As you know – I've done this before. There are no locks on the pages. When I do practices – the pre-reading has no diminishing effect – in fact the difference between the first look and the day of practice often is a lesson too. So – in my great need I work ahead – though I may not totally have grasped the current message.

Amen & Amen

Thomas –

2:55 p.m. Reading Step 309 – "The world I see is attempting to become one community." This step, this practice – which I read 1/23 /2000 again today 5/14/2000 – affirms to me my path & vision. It is my credo and manifesto – which I express in Regions Work/Local Planet Regions/Regional Intelligence.

→ Settlement of the world's lands has led to fragmentation of the local planet into governmental units/defensive boundaries –

→ regions integrate to higher scales of wholeness – encompassing the whole planet – on its way to greater wholes –

3:25 p.m. I am not confused about my purpose in the world. I am surprised the others don't share it or see the need. The human history as so fragmented life that it constantly works against unity and community.

---

> geography/geographical analysis – separates – divides – analyzes. The world is only of use to us whole, everything seems to fragment it - a new perception is needed – levels of wholeness – wholy, wholy, wholy –

→ focus on cities – fragments the hinterlands.]

8:10 p.m. Home. Being civil. Called Mom for Mother's Day. Mowed the lawn. It looks nice. I'm not a fan of yardwork.

Open eye stillness -

Step 302 – "I will not resist the world today."

– you sought the world to replace K

– now receive K from the source

– the world no longer a substitute for K

– escape the world into the sanctuary of stillness

– greater involve in sanctuary of stillness

– greater ease being in the world

for – you will not be attempting to use the world as a substitute for your Ancient Home.

– (Stranger in a strange land.)

Here – world beneficial to you – you beneficial to the world.

[Like in the Navy – once I decided to be a good yeoman – life got better. I read “As A Man Thinketh?"]

→ The world, unlike my true Home – is an imperfect place. I'll do my best as a human. An enlistee from a different plane.

A very active mind and pen. You may be thinking a lot in these Steps. Consider getting it down in a journal. This is important for reviews and understanding your own growth. Let us continue.

NNC

Journal second time x2 Step 302. 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.

10/29/15

Step 302 - I will not resist the world today. (MP3) Entry for Step 301 - I will not lose myself in anxiety today.

Greetings All –

Step 302 - I will not resist the world today. (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]

I will not resist the world today. Step 302

DO NOT RESIST THE WORLD, for the world is the place you have come to serve. It is the place where Knowledge will express itself as you learn to become a vehicle for Knowledge. Allow the world to be as it is, for without your condemnation it will be far easier for you to be in the world, to utilize its resources and to recognize its opportunities.

DO NOT RESIST THE WORLD, for you are from beyond the world. The world is no longer a prison for you but the place for you to contribute. To whatever extent you have not been able to adjust to the world in the past and to whatever extent being in the world has been difficult for you, you are now looking at the world in a new way. You have sought the world to replace Knowledge, and now you are realizing Knowledge is being given to you from your Source. Thus, the world is no longer being used as a substitute for Knowledge and the world can now become a canvas upon which you can express the potency of Knowledge. Thus, the world becomes what it rightfully is in your life. For this reason you do not need to resist the world today.

AS YOU PASS THROUGH THE WORLD THIS DAY, remember this idea upon the hour and let yourself be present to whatever circumstance you are in. Allow your inner life to be still so that Knowledge may exert its influence and its guidance for you. Allow yourself to carry certainty today—the certainty of Knowledge. This is a certainty that you have not invented or constructed for yourself. It abides with you always, in spite of your confusion.

DO NOT RESIST THE WORLD TODAY, for Knowledge is with you. In your longer practice periods, remember this idea both before and after your meditations. In your meditations escape the world into the sanctuary of stillness. The greater your involvement in the sanctuary of stillness, the greater ease you will have in being in the world, for you will not be attempting to use the world as a substitute for your Ancient Home. Here the world becomes beneficial to you, and you become beneficial to the world.

PRACTICE 302: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday: Step 301 - I will not lose myself in anxiety today.

Life in America is the definition of anxiety. That was true in the year 2000 and is more so today. What is it like where you are located? Is there any way to get away from it? On top of that, the Great Waves of Change are coming. Can we limit anxiety in the face of these challenges? The Step says: “You are abiding with Knowledge, which is the source of all certainty in the world.”

Does this “certainty” lead to less anxiety? It does, with practice. A full journal this day. Many questions of this self. Yours may be similar or totally different.

6:30 a.m. Saturday, May 13, 2000 – The day I received my 1st computer – Win 98 – Office 2000 –

Life Info Sys – using MS tools – integrating goal structure –

To manage Knowledge –

→ The public corporate planetary database is set up for National/State/Local → it only deals with regions in the U.S. by MSAs – it leaves out were rural America – use the regional template –

> What do I value? What am I looking for? I value the earth – the natural environment and people, for which the built environment is required. I value civilization, the cooperative use of intelligence to create varieties of music, literature, films, that entertain/teach – I value stability and risk. I value communication, of which I've experienced less than I want with others –

I'm looking for my right place, my work, my true family and peers, that I might contribute. I want to be less busy – so I can discern more – learn – teach cooperation.

→ I'm building my foundation for space travel – for boundary crossing

- Where am I? The geography channel> the regional template

Local Planet Database –

- Where does _____ live?

- What's the address/coordinates

- Akashic Records –

→ tools for regional diplomacy -

→ we organize to simplify, to strengthen. – the danger is rigidity – loss of adaptability –

→ organization is a response to environmental conditions

→ if an organization continues to grow/survive – that suggests appropriate design – it still needs to adapt, if the environment changes.

→ a learning org is one that regularly asks "Where am I" in relation to its environment to check that it is sustainable and growing –

→ Jokes about changing a light bulb seem to assume the lightbulb is burned out. Sometimes the bulb or the fixture need to be changed when the light is still working.

- Stillness – I am the tree mapping the forest.

→ visitors to my branches tell me of the greater world – give me a remote view. As I've grown, I've been able to attract bigger birds –

---

- Knowledge – S2K/GC way of K

This term is a welcome frame for the expression of my souls true need for relationship with the Creator

10:47 a.m.

- I am an agent for regional intelligence, a diplomat at large for life in the greater community.

12:40 p.m. Practice #1 – late – needed to find my crystals – anxiety/concern. Step 301 – "I will not lose myself in anxiety today."

10:07 p.m. At the Dickey Ridge trailhead – Skyline Drive – getting away from the anxiety traps of the day. Cindy going ballistic over??? Her tiny room, her poor living conditions – what? The PC was frustrating for a number of reasons. I'd like some alcohol (what anxiety) but came here first for Practice #2 – "I will not lose myself in anxiety today."

Another attempt to map the spiritual relationships as explained thus far. Let us continue.

NNC

Journal second time x2 Step 301. 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.