x2 Step 148 – My practice is my gift to God. Journal – Step 147

Today:  Step - 148 My practice is my gift to God. (MP3)

“My practice is my gift to God.” Step - 148

 

YOUR PRACTICE IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD, for God wills that you receive Knowledge so that you may give it to the world. Thus, you are honored as the recipient and as the vehicle for Knowledge, God is honored as the source of Knowledge, and all who receive it will be honored as well.  This is your gift now — to undertake the true preparation that you are involved in currently.

THEREFORE, TREAT EACH PRACTICE PERIOD TODAY as a form of giving. Upon the hour, give yourself in each circumstance in which you find yourself. In your two deep meditation practices, give yourself completely. Do not come begging for ideas or information, but come to receive and come to give. As you give yourself, you will receive and in this you will learn the ancient law that to give is to receive. This must be born completely in your experience so that you may fully comprehend its meaning and its application in the world.

YOUR PRACTICE IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD. Your practice is your gift to yourself. Come to your practice today to give, for in your giving you will realize the depth of your own resources.

PRACTICE 148: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

From the journal Step - 147 Review

 

8:30 a.m. Saturday, January 13, 2001 –

Freedom – David, you’re 24, a father – I set you free, because I have no more help to give. No more money – I've got to take care of my own future.

Today, up and on the net – I like the New York Times headlines, and my online global community. It makes me feel connected – within the illusion.

S2K gives me perspective within the illusion. It feels accurate. A double veil?

– monopolar world – my pole is the pole –

4:51 p.m

. At Tysons Corner – here in the retail wilderness completing the long practice review. Completed the 3 x 5 card notes for past two weeks. Sent GCW [Greater Community Way] info via email to Jean Hudon. Need to send it to Bill S….

10:39 p.m. Back from nova – wine and Nachos – someday will give those up too. California is having a Commission on regions. A guy signed up for regions work – address "CA" so I sent him some emails. Too bad I don't have a fully articulated theory. It is still coming through, and I've been indolent.

> Can there be integration without pro-active integrators? Change agents with the vision of cooperation and integration of thoughts, actions, processes – and feedback loops – a communications loop.

Vision is the easy part…

> S2K is moving me now…imperfect as I am. I'm being unburdened further – David – he's now on his own financially – I can help no more. Emily and Lane – what becomes of them? I said we'd take Emily. That is supported by Cindy – and so – we can do something together, though it seems unlikely that Jamie would agree w/o a court taking the kids. Still – that option unburdens me. I lent David $5500 to get a truck with a $300/month payment – not the $600+ he has.

I told mom today. She wanted to read her own spin into it. Cindy as well. I am prepared to accept the outcome – David & Jamie crashing, the children at risk. David could hurt himself/kill himself – or others – so – we could make the news, there could be pain, suffering, trauma and death – public spectacle and humiliation/embarrassment.

What lies ahead… I cannot know – but I will trust knowledge.

Some heavy thoughts and situations in the journal this day. As of 2015, the circumstances have been survived by most of those mentioned. Spirituality helped me get though tough periods, but it does not solve problems. Some problems have no solutions, according to the GCW teachers.

That miracles could be managed; sent to a circumstance with a little shift from those who have to those who don’t, was implied in A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and that was my understanding. In traditional Christian prayer, we are told that God answers all prayer, but sometimes the answer is “no” or “not now.” The AICM teaching that our life in the separation is an illusion may be true, but personally, I don’t have the sense that my mind is great enough to have constructed this illusion. I began to look for something to help me understand life in this “temporary” existence, that is, “illusion management” skills. That is what I found in Greater Community Spirituality.

Life relationships can be quite difficult and made more so by the difficulty of communicating values and truth to others, such as your children. In the middle of such difficulties it is normal to ask, I think, “Why did I choose this life?” and “How did I end up with these people?” and “What did I do wrong?” Is it Karma?

Journal when you can, particularly when in difficult, long term, disconcerting situations. When recording thoughts, be open to contemplation breaks and spontaneous stillness periods. Listen for helpful thoughts and/or images/visions to record them; write or draw, which are seeds for solutions, of the current problem – or others in the future. The value may not be immediately recognized, which is why it is important to review your journals more than for the Steps review periods.

When you go on a trip or for vacation, instead of taking a book or magazine, or reading electronically, take some older journals and “read yourself.”

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.

x2 Step 147 - Review - Journal – Step 146

Today: Step - 147 Review (MP3)

IN YOUR REVIEW THIS WEEK allow yourself to realize the lessons that are being presented to you. Take special care to recognize the empowerment that is being offered to you as you exert your will for good. Note as well the requirement that you accept yourself beyond your current understanding, that you honor yourself beyond your current evaluation of yourself and that you experience life beyond your own thoughts and prejudices. Recognize the opportunity that is being given to you, and realize that each moment that you spend in sincere application furthers your progress tremendously and establishes a permanent advancement for you. If you think of what you would want to give to the world, give your advancement. From this all good things which you have come to give, according to your nature and your design, will be given completely. Thus, your gift to the world now is your preparation so that you may learn to give.

IN YOUR LONG PRACTICE PERIOD, review the past week—your lessons, your practices, your experiences, your accomplishments and your difficulties. View this objectively and determine how you may give yourself to  your practices more completely in the future.

PRACTICE 147: One long practice period.

From the journal Step - 146 I will honor my teachers today.

Friday, January 12, 2001

On waking→I see a whole local planet made up of regions of localities and I want to share that vision to make it useful to others. Regional Intelligence – Making Regions Local by Building Regional Community

The key to understanding is that the terms local and regional are scalable. In the physical sense – Earth is our local planet. It is whole – and bounded, relative to human life by the atmosphere. There is natural vertical penetration by mountains, man made penetration by buildings. Yet this year itself is used through aviation.

Earth is our local planet.

Public policy research tasks and products

–A scale for local/regional – based on governmental boundaries/units

– Relationship to other regional delimiters – bio – region, watershed

– Paradigm shift: Think local planet, act regionally (2 or more).

→Citizen goals – awareness of the regional option

→Whole planet through local regions.

6:50 AM. My life is changing, moving – there will be progress.

…

→Needs to be intentional – great intent went into the formation of countries, states, counties, towns, cities.

→Support to development & promotion of a new paradigm – local planet regions

– Local planet local regions local governments/settlements.

– Human activity leads to alteration of the physical world in a built environment which leads to waste – dilution has physical limits – Waste is a breeding ground

– The less you have, the greater the need to cooperate. Incentives for overcoming extreme isolation can be fostered by government.

Humanity is tribal and warlike –

…

There are networks of localities – regional community is made up of many geographically nearby communities

Rural Prosperity – small, rural government need the State – since the responsibilities Lane upon them in mandates task the natural land-based economy well. In order to be more effective, State agency programs need to be aligned for economy of scale that matches how local governments work together.

…

1:45 PM. I honor my Teachers today by writing and learning.

…

Region is geographic, but also relates to all manner of relationships among entities.

Regional intelligence is the antidote to the tragedy of the commons. It is not a "system," but it can be used to determine the relationships between systems.

Things needed:

– ISO adoption of scale and formulation of basic geography –

– Standard names & abbreviations with registration for all – and a search engine that tells by name/postal code/the regions in which someone resides.

You can be the center of your own global region. – You are the center of a spherical globe in a multi-– spherical global society –

…

4:55 PM. Writing/re-– writing – "regional intelligence" – What is it? How can I explain it. I must make it understandable. – Show the map, explain the map, show the earth – showed/explained how it is local – you can't fall off the edge – everything connects. Our local planet – NIMBY – my backyard is the planet.

We are creatures of our habitat. If it goes, we go. No habitat, no context, no lights in the physical.

Technology can allow life support in marginal or hostile environments.

11:11 PM. Saw Tom D.. tonight – talked briefly. What happened I now wonder? I was attacked and did not know to fight back or even now. I didn't answer Greg's charges – couldn't believe them – and so, as Ed D… told me, if I didn't respond they'd be taken to be true. Thus the slippery slope – and here I sit unburdened – not in a ceremonious way – I learned all the way down, though have yet to become a fighter…. Now more cautious perhaps, but the pull toward RI will leave this rough patch in the past. The learning continues.

Today, Step 146 – "I will honor my teachers." It is Mom & Dad's 55th anniversary – October 16 – was my goal to leave PDC – I'll be too busy burning up leave to build RI to consider it. Mom & Dad have been teachers… I honor them.

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.

x2 Step 146 - I will honor my teachers today. Journal – Step - 145

Today: Step - 146 I will honor my teachers today. (MP3)  

 

“I will honor my teachers today.” Step – 146

YOUR TEACHERS, WHO ARE MYSTERIOUS and who live beyond the visible, abide with you while you are in the world. Now that you have begun the steps towards the reclamation of Knowledge, their activity in your life will become stronger and more evident. You will begin to give your attention to this, and their need for you to develop will be greater, as your need for them will be greater.

UPON THE HOUR AND IN YOUR TWO LONGER PRACTICES, remember your Teachers and actively think about them. Honor your Teachers, then, for this proclaims that your ancient relationships are indeed alive and are present now to give you hope, certainty and empowerment. Honor your Teachers so that you may experience the depth of your own relationship with them. In your relationship with your Teachers is the spark of memory that reminds you of your Ancient Home and of your true destiny. Honor your Teachers so that you may be honored, for it is your honor that you must reclaim. In spite of whatever errors you have committed, it is your honor that you must reclaim. If this is done truly, it will be done in humility and simplicity, for as you honor yourself, you honor the greatness of life, of which you are a small but integral part.

PRACTICE 146: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly practice.

Note: “Honor your Teachers so that you may be honored, for it is your honor that you must reclaim. In spite of whatever errors you have committed, it is your honor that you must reclaim.”

The worn edges of my Steps book, first opened in June, 1999, reflects its use on my journey. The wear and tear honors my Teachers, as it demonstrates use and effort. They got me to the Steps and have kept me involved.

I would never consider getting a shiny new copy. Using the Steps text from these posts on my phone and PC has saved some wear, but the book has been flattened and stretched for photographs. To flatbed scan the pages, I would have had to cut the binding! Thus the page picture quality varies based on time of day or night when I shot the picture, the camera used and the position of the page in the book.

Maintaining Steps practice honors our Teachers, including the one who has brought us this gift: Marshall Vian Summers, The Messenger. There are, of course, other ways to honor our Teachers, so let us be alert to that.

From the journal Step 145 - I will honor the world today. [general link at time of publishing]

8:03 a.m. Thursday, January 11, 2001 –

10:40 p.m. This is a day. Getting ready for Practice #2 –

I've written the cover letter to Bill S--- for my proposal – Tomorrow I begin it in earnest. I told David on the phone that he & Jamie had to get their act together.

I must go forward with RI – this I must do. It will be my work, my life – though it has only begun – The 27 PDC years are only prologue to the real work.

11:24 p.m. Something changed today. It has to do with reading and understanding "disappointment" yesterday.

11:31 p.m. My disappointments – I am disappointed that David has not matured and that it puts Lane and Emily at risk. I'm disappointed that I will not leave the Commission as Director, I'm disappointed that Sarah has not yet found her way, I am disappointed that I did not take simple steps that would have improved my investments; I am disappointed that the relationship with M--- did not connect, I am disappointed in myself for not being strong enough to ask hard questions and get the answer – which made me too accepting, I am disappointed that I hurt people, I'm disappointed by my own high expectations,

A painful understanding this day? Perhaps, but that is how idealism crumbles, and ultimately, that is beneficial for our growth. 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.