Happiness is something I must learn again. Step 108 - Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing ~ Spiritual Practices

Greetings All –

Happiness is something I must learn again. Step 108 (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]

Happiness is something I must learn again. Step 108

ALL THINGS MUST NOW BE RE-EVALUATED. All things must now be seen anew, for there is looking with Knowledge and there is looking without Knowledge. They yield different results. They encourage different evaluations and different responses. We have said that happiness is not a form of behavior, for it is much deeper than this. Therefore, do not attempt to use this idea to win favor with others or to demonstrate to yourself that you are happier than you actually are. We do not want to put a veneer of behavior upon your current experience. We want to guide you to that experience which is genuine to your nature, which expresses your nature and which contributes your nature to life.

LEARN, THEN, AGAIN ABOUT HAPPINESS. In your two practice periods, engage your mind in investigation. Consider your ideas about happiness and the forms of behavior you think they must represent. Think of all the ways you have attempted to be happier than you are. Think of all the expectations and requirements you have placed upon yourself to be happy and to prove to yourself and to others your worth. As you recognize these things, realize that without this attempt happiness will arise upon its own, for you are naturally happy. Without restraint, your happiness will arise upon its own, without your imposing it upon your mind and upon your body. Without your imposition, happiness will arise on its own. Think upon this today, but do not be content with simple conclusions, for you are a beginning student of Knowledge and great conclusions come later.

PRACTICE 108: Two 30-minute practice periods.

Another assignment to: “engage your mind in investigation.” Do the best you can on this assignment.

Picture:  Our cat Fluffer has taken possession of my briefcase as a nest. He is still; contemplating happiness?

Journal entry link Step 107x1

Journal entry link Step 107x2

Plan B - If the MP3 doesn’t work, here’s the link to the folder:  New Message - Student Spoken Steps Recordings - Steps to Knowledge - Working file

If this is your first time seeing one of the “Steps to Knowledge”, then welcome. There are 365 Steps, daily spiritual practices if one seeks to complete them in a year, but that is not necessary. They can be used by people of any religious tradition or no religious tradition. They will help one to become mindful in the world.

The Step today is from the book: Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing. The practices were brought to the world through Marshall Vian Summers, The Messenger for The New Message From God. Important background for the Steps is in: “Greater Community Spirituality” and the “Wisdom Books - I and II”. Hard copies are available from the New Knowledge Library Store. The Society for the New Message from God also has a Free Book Project. If you need the books now, PDF files can be found here: http://goo.gl/RJuuGP

Keeping a journal is recommended. If you have a Steps book, write your reactions and comments, highlight or underline points that strike you, and date the note. In this way, your Steps book can be a partial journal.

Using the PDF, you can print out pages as you need them, or use the software to maintain a digital copy where you can enter notes and highlight text that stands out.

Other modern methods of keeping a journal include having a document on your PC or phone to keep notes. You could send yourself an email or use the voice recorder function. It is important to capture insights and reactions because it is by this means that you can understand change. Sometimes it may just be a word or short phrase, an image or a scene.

To end this post I again offer the blessing: "May the presence of the Teachers be with you." In the invocative language of Knowledge this blessing is: "Nasi Novare Coram" (pronounced NAH-see no-VAHR-ay co-RAHM)

The short form of Nasi Novare Coram used by students is NNC.

NNC

P.S. 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 linked below 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.

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 anyone 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.