Thursday, July 2, 2015

x2 Steps to Knowledge - Part Two ~ Step 183 - I seek experience not answers. – Journal – Step 182



Today: Steps to Knowledge - Part Two ~ Step 183 - I seek experience not answers. (MP3) [Open in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive – Step PDF also.]

“I seek experience not answers.” Step 183


Steps to Knowledge - Part Two 

IN THE SECOND HALF OF OUR PROGRAM OF PREPARATION we will undertake to explore new arenas, to further cultivate your experience of Knowledge and to prepare you to be a contributor of Knowledge in the world. In the days to come we shall explore things with which you are familiar and things with which you are not familiar, things which you have recognized before and things you have never seen before. The mystery of your life calls for you because from mystery come all things of concrete value in the world.

THEREFORE, IN THE STEPS TO COME, give yourself with increasing dedication. Allay your sense of doubt. Allow yourself to proceed with greater certainty. Your participation alone is required, for as you stimulate Knowledge, Knowledge will arise on its own. It will arise on its own when the mental and physical conditions of your life have been properly prepared and adjusted.

LET US NOW PROCEED with the next step of your preparation.

Step 183 - I seek experience not answers. 
SEEK EXPERIENCE TODAY, for experience will answer all questions and make questioning unnecessary. Seek experience today so that it may lead you to greater and greater experience. It is better for you to ask questions of Knowledge and then receive the experience that Knowledge can give you. You are accustomed to receiving so little in response to your inquiries. An answer is so very little. A true answer must be an invitation to participate in a greater preparation, in a preparation you have not prepared for yourself but which has been prepared for you. Therefore, seek not for little things that give you momentary relief or comfort. Seek for that which is the foundation of your life, which can provide life to you as never before.

TODAY, IN YOUR TWO DEEPER PRACTICES, become receptive to this experience. You may use the word RAHN if you find it helpful, but enter deeply into the experience of Knowledge. Do not seek for answers. Ideas will come to you in their own time and in their own way. You can be assured of that. As your mind is prepared, it will become truly receptive and truly capable of carrying out what it receives. This is the acknowledgement that you need. It must be born of great experience.

UPON THE HOUR REMIND YOURSELF OF YOUR PRACTICE, and realize it is genuine experience that you are seeking and not answers alone. Your mind is full of answers, and they have not answered your questioning thus far.

PRACTICE 183: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

One can read about sailing, but to do so is all experience. So, this is the picture choice for Step 183 – “I seek experience not answers.”

From the journal:     

8:15 a.m. Saturday, February 17, 2001 Look at the experience of regional community rather than the idea of regionalism.

Focus on the experience of regional cooperation and the emergence of regional community rather than the ideal of regionalism. The strategic implementation of the the VADA – set Virginia's regions and state agency districts in alignment. The data alignment has led to coordination of programs and benefit to Virginia.

There is a statistical benefit that I believe can be measured.

> The necessity and benefit of cooperation is Knowledge/Wisdom that must be kept alive and evolving in the world always.

independence worked for a period of our history, like revealed in the water study – now, given that all the country is settled, the local units must cooperate to remain sustainable – a new new exploration.

Winchester’s crossroads as center of their own monopolar world, but they have no water – only transportation.

Step 182 – Review – This is the midpoint review. My second time through. I've been here before – but must have been in a coma?

5:31 p.m. Having reviewed Step 182 & the prior weeks from 1/14/2000 and the end of the first pass through steps July 15 – 16, 2000.

In the review today, it said: "Review the past week and think now of what has transpired in your preparation thus far. Observe the development that has occurred within you these past few months – (1) the growing sense of presence, (2) the growing sense of inner certainty, (3) the growing sense of inner power.

To items (1) and (2) the answer is an easy yes. To #3 – "the growing sense of inner power," draws a blank. I looked at the midpoint last year and the end to see what the verdict on power was. I'd made no notes.

I have never wanted capital P – POWER. I know I need the energy to live – but POWER seems to mean Power over others – which I've always tended to reject.

The reference is "inner power," but still – I'm uncomfortable. I experience ideas that are powerful, but the ideas are not me.

Have I misused power so? Or am I fearful of attack for being perceived as powerful – the promoter of ideas which led to personal attack and loss of status/face?

Though that was a useful unburdening which could have been done better if people didn't fear me…I Know I was perceived as having influence if not power.

– comfort with power – the responsibility it brings – that is a big, big challenge – and I don't know where it comes from. The sense of presence and inner certainty do lead to self-confidence – which can be expressed as egocentric inner power. I want ideas to have power – not me. I don't want the risk of error for misused power.

I am still a beginning student. The lessons I need will, I'm certain, get to me. Therefore I remain suspicious of "inner power" without knowing fully why? S2K says I should be getting it – yet I'm uncomfortable – a mystery.

Amen & Amen
T-om Su-ne

10:15 p.m. Where am I? At 6 p.m. – Upon heading out to the path I was instead directed to Big Lots (?) too cold to hike. I wandered around the store try to figure out what – if anything was there or if there – or if there was a person to meet? I found some tea to try, crackers, olives – and realized I need picture frames for the kids…wandered – saw speakerphone – 13.99 – and an emergency light – but not compelling needs…then drawn to cassettes & CDs – a few interesting…then I hit on some 4.99 CDs – Vision, Courage, Opportunity, Building Success – the CDs with motivation music. The Building Success CD said "Discipline is the bridge between goals and achievement." No CD on Power. Although the vision CD caught my eye first, I went with "Building Success" because that seemed closer to what I need, as though music would make a difference. When I first heard the CD – I wondered – cut 11 was very good and the 2nd pass through - much better. Was it K? Why would it be? A test – again – a test.

12:54 PM. What will I take, if anything, to Alan Voorheis?

S2K – Part Two

"The mystery of your life calls to you because from mystery come all things of concrete value in the world."

I am mystified by my life. What do I do Monday? How do I balance all the directions I'm pulled or inclined?

A busy day. Listening for the direction of Knowledge in a store is an odd exercise, but one that students go through. Prior to my Greater Community studies, in A Course in Miracles, one was to be guided by Holy Spirit. I would follow directions. Sometimes it led to a meeting with another or some positive outcome. In most cases, there was nothing particular. It seemed these events were tests as to whether or not I could listen. To this day, I still do the same. Get in a situation and wonder if there is something else is to be the outcome rather than my original intent. 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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