x2 Step 328 - Today I will honor those who have given to me. – Journal – Step 327

Today:  Step 328 - Today I will honor those who have given to me. (MP3)  

Today I will honor those who have given to me. Step 328

ONCE AGAIN WE AFFIRM THIS LESSON which will affirm the reality of love and giving in the world. Your ideas concerning giving are far too limited and small. They will need to be expanded so that you may recognize the extent of giving in the world.

UPON THE HOUR REMIND YOURSELF to remember those who have given to you. Do not only think of those who you are certain have given to you, but remember those who you feel have hurt you, who have denied you or who have stood in your way. Remember them, for they have given something to you as well. They have given you a reminder that Knowledge is necessary, and they have demonstrated to you a life without Knowledge. They have demonstrated to you that Knowledge is attempting to emerge in them as well. Whether they accept or resist this emergence, it is still present and still manifesting itself.

YOU ARE ADVANCING because others have demonstrated their inspiration and their errors to you—their acceptance of Knowledge and their denial of Knowledge. If there were no denial of Knowledge in the world, you could not learn here. You could not recognize the importance of Knowledge. Contrast in learning will teach you what is valuable and what is not, and this will teach you to be compassionate and to be loving. Understanding this will enable you to serve in the world.

UPON THE HOUR RECOGNIZE WHO IS GIVING TO YOU at that moment and recognize who has given to you in the past. In this way, this will be a day of gratitude and appreciation. You will understand how important your preparation is and how many have given themselves to you to serve you so that you may undertake this preparation.

IN YOUR TWO DEEPER MEDITATION PRACTICES, repeat today’s idea and then allow to come into your mind each individual that awaits to be recognized and blessed by you. As you do this, all individuals who need to will present themselves to you. Look and see how they have served you and thank them for their service to you. Thank them for helping you to recognize your need for Knowledge. Thank them for showing you that there is no alternative to Knowledge. And thank them for strengthening your participation in Knowledge. Bless each one and allow the next individual to come to mind. In this way, you will bless all who have been in your life and are in your life currently. In this way, you will learn to appreciate your past and not condemn it. In this way, love will emanate from you naturally, for love must be born of gratitude, and gratitude must be born of true recognition. It is true recognition that you will practice today.

PRACTICE 328: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Yesterday:  Step327 - I will be at peace today.

This Step focuses on the: “… fire of Knowledge and take comfort in its warm presence. Realize that within this fire all things that are imaginary and harmful are consumed. The fire of Knowledge will not burn you, but it will warm your soul. You can enter this fire without fear of pain or harm. It will purify and cleanse you, for it is the fire of love.”

In my journal the first time at this Step I wrote, “I remember perceiving stillness two months ago or so – as a warm, red glow – which S2K text for Step 327 reveals.” 

A question is asked and answered: “How can you be so active and have such challenge and still be at peace? The answer is that Knowledge is with you.” Years earlier I’d coined the term, “Peace Dynamic,” in recognition of the fact that peace itself was a moving concept in the manifest. It is not a destination where one can reside. There are always ups and downs. Steps confirms, for me, that perspective. Thoughts you have had about the nature of life, existence and spirituality may find confirmation here, as well as correction. That is why we are students after all, beginning students at that.

From the journal:  

8:10 a.m. July 12, 2001 – The world expects your soul to Know and to make your life successful, on their terms, regardless of anything that happens in your life. There are no excuses. If you do not learn/self teach/draw from inner wisdom – you fail and are jailed, imprisoned, or otherwise marginalized. The responsibility to Know is yours. You will be fed imagination, anger, fantasy, pain…from parents, adults, invisible forces. You are thrown into a pit with dead bodies and must climb out and heal yourself. (Story of a Nun tortured in Central America) You may have/rejected healing advice because (you don't know why – perhaps you didn't know the language to understand).

Do as the Romans – intuit

What that is and stay within the lines your kind is given – Know also your kind.

Expect mixed, conflicting messages that you can't follow or understand.

9:21 p.m. Practice #2. I should be editing my interview, but I'm too burned. David called – I can't get back to him. Both David and Sarah seem lost to me. I'm powerless. Somehow they must learn from where they are with what they have. I don't think they'll do it. This is a sad feeling.

1:03 a.m. July 13 – What do I know? The experience and viewpoint/perspective I have of regional community is valuable and I need to share it – try to do so. This is my one person role. All else is – I don't know what?

I told David tonight to that Mary Ellen and I had run out. There was nothing left to give.

Being at peace this day, for this Step, and being at the end of my rope with my son. We have nothing left to give. These Steps may allow us to change, but do people in the world change? What goes wrong? No good answers. 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.