Greetings All –
I will not be poor today. Step 228 (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.
Picture: 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.
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.
