Greetings All –
I behold the Greater Community today. Step 202 (MP3) [Open
in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF
also.]
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| I behold the Greater Community today. Step 202 |
YOU
CAN BEHOLD THE GREATER COMMUNITY, for you are living in the middle of the
Greater Community. Because you are on the surface of the world, preoccupied
with human endeavors and limited by time and space, does not mean that you
cannot behold the grandeur of the Greater Community. You may behold this by
looking at the sky above and by looking at the world below. You may realize
this by understanding the relationship of humanity to the universe at large and
by realizing that humanity is but one more race evolving to develop its
intelligence and its Knowledge so that it may find a true involvement as it
emerges into the Greater Community. Looking in this way gives you a greater
perspective. Looking in this way allows you to understand the nature of change
in the world. Looking in this way allows you to have compassion for yourself
and for other people, for compassion is born of Knowledge. Knowledge does not
deprecate what is occurring but attempts to influence it for the good.
UPON
THE HOUR CONSIDER THE VALUE OF TODAY’S IDEA. Look out into the world and
consider yourself a witness to the Greater Community. Think of your world as
one of many, many worlds that are in a similar stage of evolution. Do not
torment your mind by attempting to give form to that which is beyond the range
of your perception. Allow yourself to live in a great and mysterious universe
that you are only now beginning to understand.
IN
YOUR TWO DEEPER MEDITATIONS, allow yourself to apply your mind actively in
considering this idea. Try to look at your life from beyond a purely human
perspective, for from a purely human perspective you will see only a human
life, a human world and a human universe. You do not live in a human universe.
You do not live in a human world. You do not live a purely human life.
Understand that your humanity here is not denied but is given a greater
inclusion in a greater life. Thus, your humanity becomes a source and a means
of expression rather than a limitation that you impose upon yourself. Allow
your deeper practice periods to become very active. Use your mind
constructively. Use your mind objectively. Look at your ideas. Don’t simply be
swayed by them. Look at your beliefs. Don’t simply follow or deny them. Learn
this objectivity, and you will learn to see with Knowledge, for Knowledge looks
on all things mental and physical with equanimity.
PRACTICE
202: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.
Picture: Looking
down from the skies - what a greater community vehicle would see.
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.
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.
