CT Step 60 - Today I will listen to the world. – Journal – CT Step 59

Today:  CT Step 60 - Today I will listen to the world. (MP3)

Today I will listen to the world. CT Step 60

Today’s practice in listening is listening to what the world is telling you. Go someplace where you can be in contact with the world, where your feet can be on the ground, where you can be connected with nature, and ask, "What is the world telling me?" Just become relaxed and still and listen. Perhaps you may not hear anything except the conversation in your own mind. Perhaps you may only hear sounds around you. That is fine. The point here is you are listening. You are asking the question and you are listening.

Many people ask questions, but they never listen for the answer. They just give themselves an answer or they choose an answer from someone else that they like. "Oh, I like that answer. I'll go with that." But they never listen. They have no patience. They have no discernment. They cannot stand the stillness. They are afraid of it, of what it might reveal. Let this not be the case for you.

Let listening be a constant exercise. Remind yourself upon the hour and during your meditation practice, practice listening within yourself. But take occasion today to listen to the world, and ask yourself, "What is the world telling me?"

Practice 60:   One 30-minute stillness practice.

                 Contemplation practice.

                 Hourly practice.

Picture:  The Wall – a stillness and listening place in the Shenandoah National Park I have used for decades.

Plan B - If the MP3 doesn’t work, here’s the link to the folder: New Message - Student Spoken Steps CT Recordings - Steps to Knowledge Continuation Training - Working file

From the journal:  CT Step 59 - Today I will be attentive to others.

October 23, 2001

6:55 a.m. At some point this life will end. Have I made my contribution? It doesn't seem so. Time is passing – there is confusion. I'm not hearing the Knowledge I need and responding. I'll be still and attentive and perhaps will be able to hear and act.

7:43 a.m. I can listen. I will listen.

8 a.m. Body → Mind  → Spirit> Culture, Conflict, war – Victor Davis Hanson's work inspires me more? Its perspective is useful. Theocracy doesn't motivate long term.

In terms of what I need to Know, I'm only starting. Life with Cindy, Sarah, David, Mom & Dad, and the rest of the family is stable. Those prayers are answered. I just need to keep to my practice.

> Menus and trends –

– transportation

                         > means of supporting relationships

– communication

– spirituality

– the world/universe – all at once

Food, clothing, shelter – just the minimum

Relationships, work, health, spirituality

                              Inside out at first 

then – outside – perspective

– war – crude communication

7:22 p.m. Contemplation – Step 59 – "Today I will be attentive to others". Probably did this better than yesterday's Step of being attentive to my own self talk. The day went more smoothly. Work got done. I had to take my PC in again. At least I don't have to fight that tonight. The PC unreliability has taken 6 – 10 hours in the past week

→ it turns out to have been had electricity from the circuit 11/11/01

In my day’s listening there was Knowledge in a few places.

> Technology can overcome distance, that which physically separates.  Joe –

Learning to listen. Simple, not easy. We continue.

NNC

Note: If you’ve some interest, but this is the first time you’ve seen 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. Begin at the beginning.

If you do know about Steps, but have not done Steps twice completely, read the related materials, and have a sense of the direction of this study, you won’t get the experience. The Introduction begins:

“This is the Steps to Knowledge Continuation Training. It is designed to build upon the Steps that were learned in Steps to Knowledge to enable you to experience the grace, the power and the direction of Knowledge in your life and to become an expression of Knowledge in everything that you do. If you have completed the book, Steps to Knowledge, twice through and have followed the instructions as they were given without altering the curriculum in any way, then you are now ready to begin this more advanced study”.

If you are an independent student, that is certainly an option. 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.