Today: Steps to Knowledge - Part Two ~ Step 183 - I seek
experience not answers. (MP3)
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| “I seek experience not answers.” Step 183 |
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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