Today: Step 189 - My Spiritual Family exists in all places.
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| “My Spiritual Family exists in all places.” Step 189 |
YOUR SPIRITUAL FAMILY IS GREATER THAN YOU REALIZE.
It exists in many worlds. Its influence is everywhere. That is why it is so
meaningless to consider yourself to be alone when you are part of something so
great that serves the greatest of all purposes. You must relinquish your
self-condemnation and your sense of littleness to know this, for you have
identified with your behavior in the world, which is little. You have
identified with your personal mind and your physical body, which are little. Yet,
now you are beginning to realize your relationship with life itself through
Knowledge, which is great. This is done without punishing the personal mind or
the physical body, for they become useful and enjoyable as they learn to serve
a greater purpose. Then the body has health and the personal mind is utilized,
rendering them meaning which they now lack.
YOUR PHYSICAL NEED IS FOR HEALTH, but your health
is to serve a greater purpose. You need right utilization for your personal
mind, which will give it meaning and value, for it only seeks to be included in
that which is meaningful. What enables your personal mind and your physical
body to find their rightful place in your life is Knowledge, which provides
purpose, meaning and direction for you.
THIS IS TRUE IN ALL WORLDS. This is true throughout
the physical universe of which you are a citizen. Expand your view of yourself
so that you may learn to be objective about your world. Do not merely cast
human values, assumptions and goals upon your world, for this blinds you to the
world’s purpose and evolution and makes it far more difficult for you to
appreciate that you are a citizen of a greater life.
TODAY, IN YOUR TWO LONGER PRACTICES, engage your
mind in active investigation of this idea. Spend the first fifteen minutes
engaged in this investigation in both of your two longer practice periods. Try
to seriously investigate the meaning of today’s idea. Then, when your investigation
is complete, allow your mind to re-enter stillness. Realize the contrast
between active mental engagement and mental stillness. Understand that both are
important and complement one another. Upon the hour repeat the idea and
consider it as you view the world around you.
PRACTICE 189: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly
practice.
No review this seventh day. Another week of Steps
before we Review again.
“My Spiritual Family
exists in all places,” is the Step. All places means, of course: “all places”! I could have
picked any number of “place” pictures, and each would have been applicable, but
this one of an American suburb from the air seemed most challenging. One might
need to go door to door to find Spiritual Family members in this territory, but
we also know there are educated people in such homes that should be of a mind
to respond.
4:30
p.m. Friday, February 23, 2001 – left work at 3:30 – should have left at 2. My
3.5 hours off were really then 1.5 Good feedback from the Data Users #10 sent
in the mail merge. After several years – I figured out how to do that. It took
3 hours, but was worth it.
…
11:25 p.m. A night of relationships. Called
Mom & Dad. They are doing fine. Unwilling to spend money on themselves. I
call Diane to tell her. She has horrible memories of her visit. I told her all
we can do is nag – the 3 telling them to do the right thing. She finally came
around. I went out for beer. Sarah called – she & Leland are going to keep
the baby. Not an unexpected event.
Work and family, nothing directly of the Step.
Notes on the page:
The notes in blue at the bottom make a list from
the first paragraph:
1.
There is only purpose
Understand:
2.
essence not stimulation is the measure of greatness
3. this
distinction lets one discern greatness from smallness
4.
this integrates small pers mind & body w greatness of K
Trying to understand; integrate these ideas. Let us
continue.
NNC
Note: 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.
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