See What Large Letters I Use

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Douglas

The Apostle Paul by Rembrandt

Shortly after the death of Christ, a great controversy arose among the followers of Jesus as to the essence of his message. On one side was a group of people who were first called “the circumcision party,” and later known as the “Judaizers.” These people insisted that gentile Christians should be circumcised, and live under Jewish customs. On the other side was the apostle Paul, who taught that the death of Christ rendered the observance of Jewish law and custom to be irrelevant for both Jews and gentiles. The book of Acts reports that this controversy brought Paul and his colleague Barnabas “into sharp dispute and debate with them.” (Acts 15:2, New International Version). This controversy was solved by the compromise of the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15.

See what large letters I use

Paul wrote that he had bitter enemies within the Christian community. Some of these enemies were philosophically opposed to Paul. Some of these enemies were motivated by envy and jealousy. Paul wrote to the Philippian church that some people preached the gospel during Paul’s imprisonment out of selfish ambition (Philippians 1:17, New International Version).

Some of these enemies went so far as to write letters to Christians in Paul’s name to promote their own teachings. Paul mentioned an instance of this in 2 Thessalonians 2. In signing his letter to the Galatians, he writes “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!” (Galatians 6:11, New International Version) Many Bible commentators have suggested that Paul was authenticating his authorship.

I share this to share something else with you. In my mind, it is a certainty that in the future, letters will be written to people in the name of Marshall Vian Summers, attempting to promote this teaching or that. What is our strategy to prevent this? Completing the publication in written form of the New Message from God, before the death of its Messenger. The currently published books of the New Message (such as Greater Community Spirituality, Steps to Knowledge, The Great Waves of Change and others) will be portions of a 6-volume set of revelation. The revelations which have not yet found their way into one of the currently published books will be portions of this 6-volume set of teachings.

It is as if the source of the New Message from God is making an effort to prevent the promulgation of false teachings in the name of its messenger. Not only that, it is as if the source of the New Message is making an effort to prevent controversy from arising after the death of its messenger. Some people complain that the books of the New Message are repetitive. The New Message seems to consider that a feature instead of a bug. It is as if the New Message was making an effort to authenticate itself. It is as if the New Message was saying “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!”

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Welcome to Mystery of Ascension! We are students and advocates of the the New Message from God. We are members of a worldwide community. We seek to assist the world in successfully navigating difficult times ahead. We seek to assist the world in successfully emerging into a greater community of intelligent life. You will also find some poetry. Find out more about us here. Contact us here.

Соприкосновение с внутренней тишиной

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Alisa

«Шаги к Знанию» придают большое значение соприкосновению с внутренней тишиной (или, как я понимаю, более принятая фраза на русском – “внтуреннее безмолвие”).

Эта тишина впервые упоминается в Шаге 8. Сегодня я пребываю в здесь и сейчас и расширяется в Шаге 9. Внутренняя тишина, где тайное становится явным. Я поделилась своим опытом по этим шагам в моей записи «Внутренняя Тишина, или Пребывание в Здесь и Сейчас».

Хочу сегодня привести другой шаг – Шаг 184 (из 365 шагов в книге «Шаги к Знание: Книга внутреннего познания»).

Шаг 184. Мои искания существеннее, чем я предполагал

Твои искания на самом деле намного существеннее, чем ты предполагал. Хотя, пожалуй, твои вопросы возникали из непосредственных обстоятельств, ты ищешь намного большего, нежели немедленного решения непосредственных ситуаций. Ты получишь немедленное решение, но из Великого Источника. Ты ищешь именно этого Великого Источника, ведь ты хочешь познать свою сущность в этом мире, и ты хочешь найти ту подготовку, которая позволит тебе отдавать свои дары и тем самым полностью выполнить свою работу. Поэтому, пойми, что ты здесь, чтобы служить. Ты здесь, чтобы отдавать. И поступая так, ты выполнишь свое великое предназначение. И это принесет тебе счастье.

Во время двух более длительных занятий сегодня, войди снова в состояние покоя и тишины, осознавая, что тишина делает твое сознание восприимчивым. В тишине ты обнаружишь то, что ты уже знал, но до сих пор упускал. В результате этих практик, твой ум станет более утонченным и глубоким, способным к большему средоточию и вниманию ко всем аспектам жизни.

То, что ты ищешь сегодня существеннее того, о чем ты предполагал. Ты хочешь понять смысл твоего Знания через его проявление.

Практика 184: два практических занятия по 30 минут каждое.

Когда я прошла этот Шаг (23 августа, 2013), я написала в своих записях: “Очень кстати для меня сегодня! Я действительно стремлюсь к тому, чтобы обнаружить Великий Источник, тем самым стремясь познавать свое предназначение в этой жизни и готовиться к тому, чтобы внести свой вклад. Таким образом, мои искания действительно существеннее, чем я раньше предполагала, они не проистекают из моих непосредственных обстоятельств, они – намного больше чем немедленное разрешение непосредственных вещей. Я учусь дотронуться до таких понятий, которые я на самом деле уже знаю в своем более глубоком уме, но которые теряются в постоянной болтовне и занятости моего поверхностного ума. Я стремлюсь к тому состоянию внутренней тишины, где все становится явным. Я ищу Правду, и я чувствую, что справлюсь с ней.

Соприкосновение с внутренней тишиной

Состояние внутренней тишины – ничего нового. Как мне видится, все мыслители, просвещенные люди, люди мудрости практикуют тишину, устремляются к соприкосновению с внутренней тишиной.

Например, Экхарт Толле пишет:

“Когда ты теряешь соприкосновение с внутренней тишиной, ты теряешь соприкосновение с собой. Когда ты теряешь соприкосновение с собой, ты теряешь себя в этом мире.

Твое самое сокровенное чувство себя, чувство — кто ты такой, неотделимо от тишины. Это то самое…, которое гораздо глубже имени и формы”.

Экхарт Толле. Свобода от мыслей (часть 2, рус / ger)

Ещё нашла интересный прием, может, кому-нибудь пригодится.

Одним из самых важных моментов на пути к Знанию является остановка внутреннего диалога. Опустошение ума. Это признается всеми сколько-нибудь стоящими школами и направлениями. На востоке стараются опустошить свой разум, спустить ум из головы вниз, в область нижнего даньтяня, перестать думать «Обезьяньим разумом». Есть это у толтеков, есть у современников. Понадобится это и нам на пути Спаса.

Смысл остановки ВД, как я понимаю, очень прост. Являясь сосудом с некими заполнившими нас «программами», мыслями, желаниями, существами, связями мы растрачиваем нашу энергию попусту, и не можем ощутить силу нашего намерения. Мы болтаемся… хм… туда-сюда. Поэтому нам нужно просто опустошить сосуд и запитать действительно необходимые нам для реализации себя слои.

Читайте дальше тут.

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God’s Will Is For Me To Be Unburdened

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Alisa

I affirm today that God’s will is for me to be unburdened.

Often I feel as though I was born under a lucky star, since on the whole I seem to sail through life without any major mishaps. I will take the precaution and “knock on wood,” however, after making such a bold statement. Of course, I understand I am not immune to mishaps, and it would be a bit hare-brained and frivolous on my part not to look before I leap. Nonetheless, I do feel as though I have led a charmed life so far and been guided and protected along the way.

I am sharing this because today I am on Step 96. “God’s Will Is For Me To Be Unburdened” of Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing for the second time and revisiting my practice of this step the first time. I wrote in my journal that day (March 19, 2013) that I had been reading the New Message teaching “Healing Relationships” and realized that none of my relationships in the past or present have hampered me in any way, I have always had the freedom to move with Knowledge. I went on to say that this realization speaks to me in this Step because I see how it has been God’s will for me to be unburdened.

When I looked up the Healing Relationships teaching again, I discovered an inspiring page I wish to share with you. You can find it at the link below.

Healing Relationships

A New Message Listening Experience
with Marshall Vian Summers
at the Greater Community Sanctuary
November 7, 2008

God’s will is for me to be unburdened

Reading back over what I wrote the first time and while engaging in the practices this time, I reached a deeper understanding of this concept that God’s will is for me to be unburdened. Life is meant for enjoying, not for suffering through. I have always believed that I make my own misery, so if I can do that, I can just as easily free myself from my own fetters. No one says I need to suffer and be miserable. It is all a state of mind anyway. Even in physical prison, I can choose to be free. No one and nothing can put a weight on my mind unless I allow them to. No one can make me wear a crown of thorns, let alone place that crown on me themselves.

I would like to share a poem at this juncture, a poem that has been with me from a much younger age, a poem I found stashed away in an old diary and written in my mother’s hand. She must have copied it down from somewhere and given it to me years ago, before I was married, before I was really grown. The author is unknown, although certain claims have been made to authorship. No matter, the important thing is that this poem has touched many a woman’s heart. It particularly touched mine after I was married for the second time. It helped me to see that relationship does not mean expecting the other person to make you happy and meet your needs. It means recognizing your own pain and healing yourself. It means joining in a meaningful union to heal together. It means not blaming others for what has gone wrong in your life, but seeing where you can change, what you can do to better yourself and, by extension, better the lives of those around you. God’s will is for me to be unburdened.

COMES THE DAWN

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining the soul and you learn that love does not mean leaning and company does not mean security; and you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts and presents aren’t promises. You begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child; and you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much, so you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

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An Antidote For Obsession – 2014 Encampment Day 2

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Douglas

I believe you have met people demonstrating a certain obsession with their religion or ideology. My grandparents would describe such a person as being “so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.” They never told me that to my face, but I think they may have thought it once or twice.

An antidote for obsession

I share this with you to share that I take great comfort in the teachings of The New Message from God which emphasize well-being. I have already written about the teaching “Building the Four Pillars of Your Life.”

This teaching offers an antidote for obsession. On the second day of the 2014 Encampment, a gentleman expressed appreciation for this image. He also expressed a desire to meet the person whose four pillars of health, relationships, work/providership, and spirituality were as strong and balanced as this image suggests. I want to be that person, but it may take a bit of work.

Step 165 “My duties are small. My mission is great.” of Steps to Knowledge considers the activities for maintaining one’s well-being as part of the price of admission for engaging with one’s greater mission. Step 165 offers an antidote for obsession.

“Your duties in the world are small. They are meant to secure provisions which you need physically and to maintain those alliances with others that are beneficial for your well-being and for their well-being as well. These duties are important, but your mission is greater. Do not undermine your ability to receive your mission by being in failure concerning your duties. This is only a form of self-avoidance. Carry out your duties specifically this day regarding your employment and your engagement with others. Do not confuse this with your mission, which is something far greater that you are only now beginning to receive and to experience. Thus, your duties will provide a foundation for you as you undertake the preparation for the reclamation and the contribution of Knowledge.”

I share this with you because on the night of the second day of the 2014 Encampment, I had a dream. In this dream, I was driving north from downtown Dallas on Stemmons Freeway (I-35E). I have driven on this stretch of highway many times in the years I lived in the Dallas area. I was pulled over by a policeman in my dream for driving too fast, and driving unsafely. That was the end of my dream. As I pondered over the significance, I got the idea that I needed to work on my preparation. I needed to take the next step in Steps to Knowledge. I needed to work on building up the weakest of my Four Pillars. I needed to follow the next prompt or restraint of Knowledge. I needed to write the next blog post. I needed to take an antidote for obsession.

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I Do Not Know How To Ride Or Fight (Yet)

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Douglas

I confess a certain curiosity and admiration of St. Joan of Arc (ca. 1412 – 1431). I have written a few posts about her in the past two years.

I do not know how to ride or fight

Joan of Arc lived during a time when France was internally divided between two hostile factions, the Armagnacs and the Burgundians. Joan’s entire life took place during the Armagnac-Burgundian civil war. Furthermore, a large portion of northern France was under English subjugation.

When she was 13, she began to experience inner voices speaking to her, whom she identified as St. Margaret, St. Catherine, St. Michael, and others. I consider these voices to be the voices of Joan of Arc’s Teachers, who are mentioned in Step 22, “I am surrounded by the Teachers of God” of Steps to Knowledge.

When she was 16, the voices encouraged / insisted / commanded her to help Charles VII of France. She demonstrated instances of inexplicable knowing which caused people to take her seriously. For example, Joan knew of the French defeat at the Battle of the Herrings outside Orleans in February of 1429 before others in her region. Joan knew the location of the sword buried behind the altar at the church of St. Catherine. Joan knew of a secret prayer Charles VII prayed months before they had met.

Joan at the siege of Orleans, Jules Lenepveu, 1889

She was well-known for helping the French lift the siege of Orleans in 1429. About a year after that, she was captured. She was tried for heresy and witchcraft by an English-friendly ecclesiastical kangaroo court. She was burned at the stake in 1432.

I share all of this with you because I thought about St. Joan of Arc during the 2014 Encampment. One thing I recalled was that not everyone joyfully received Joan’s claims that saints and angels had spoken to her. When Joan first spoke to the Armagnac commander Robert de Baudricourt, he sent her home, saying her father should give her a whipping. Another thing I considered was that Joan must have realized how she appeared to other people. She protested to her voices “I am a poor girl. I do not know how to ride or fight.” But her voices persuaded her, and not long after that she both rode and fought.

I wrote the following in my Encampment notes for Day 2

God told Joan of Arc to save France. God is telling me (and my colleagues) to save the world. Joan insisted “I do not know how to ride or fight.” I don’t know how to cleanse a dirty river, or grow my own food. God told Joan, and me “Too bad.” Joan rode and fought. I seem to need to get smarter about some things.

Perhaps if Joan had said “I do not know how to ride or fight yet,” her voices might not had to have been so insistent. I therefore consider it non-well-formed for me to say “I do not know how to do thus-and-such an activity” without qualifying it with the word “yet.”

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Do You See Aleppo? 2014 Encampment Day 2

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Douglas

Souq Khan Al-Wazeer, Aleppo, Before and After

There is a city among troubled humanity. This city vividly represents the difficult times ahead predicted by the New Message from God. This city is the city of Aleppo, Syria.

Archaeologists have discovered evidence of human activity near Aleppo from the period of 10,700 to 9,500 BC. Excavations at Tell as-Sawda and Tell al-Ansari show that the area was occupied from around 5000 BC. There was a temple to the storm god Adda in Aleppo about 5,000 years ago. Legends among both Jews and Muslims say Abraham passed through Aleppo as he journeyed from Ur of the Chaldees. But the point is that Aleppo is a symbol of human civilization.

Dar-al-ifta (The House of Fatwa Issuance), Aleppo, Before and After

Do you see Aleppo?

In 2009, Marshall Vian Summers travelled to Aleppo with his grown son, Reed Summers. During that time, Marshall Vian Summers received the revelation “The Race to Save Human Civilization.” That revelation contained the words:

“At this moment, you can stand in the middle of a city of two million people and in 20 years, it will be desolate.”

Reed Summers shared his experience of that time in a post entitled “The Prophecy of Aleppo’s Collapse.” I have added further information on the destruction which has taken place in Aleppo since 2009.

Aerial photographs of Umayyad Mosque and vicinity, Aleppo, before and after

I mention this because on the morning of Day 2 of the 2014 Encampment, Reed Summers shared his experience of that time. And what is happening in Aleppo now? Vice News reports:

Aleppo, one of the world’s oldest cities, is now a wasteland. Since the Syrian civil war reached Aleppo two years ago, Syria’s commercial and industrial capital has been the scene of bitter house- to-house fighting, as both the rebels and regime struggle for overall control.

I believe no joy was taken by Marshall Vian Summers or Reed Summers at the 2009 prophecy of Aleppo’s collapse. I believe no joy was taken by the people in the room at Encampment at the prophecy of Aleppo’s collapse. I believe they realized that if Aleppo, a city with millennia of habitation and civilization, can be desolate, then that seems to say something about the difficulty of the times ahead. During this time, I wrote in my notes the words of a voice in my mind’s ear:

“Do you see Aleppo? Without the New Message, that is the world’s future.”

“Do you see Aleppo? Without a lot of [the participant who said “All my life has been preparation for this.”], that is the world’s future.”

“Do you see Aleppo? Without a lot of you’s, that is the world’s future.”

What do you see when you look at Aleppo? Do you see Aleppo?

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How Shall We Prepare? 2014 Encampment Day 2

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Douglas

I have mentioned on earlier occasions that the New Message from God teaches people to prepare for difficult times ahead. These difficult times will not just be in one place, but worldwide. These difficult times will not be caused by one particular event, but by a series of big ongoing disruptions. The New Message from God calls this series of big ongoing disruptions The Great Waves of Change.

How shall we prepare?

I have read The Great Waves of Change. I have a review of The Great Waves of Change at Amazon. I have an expanded review of The Great Waves of Change at this blog. On the second day of the recent Encampment, a good bit of time was spent contemplating the difficult times ahead in specific detail. We considered disrupted climate, environmental degradation, declining resources, involuntary human migrations, the wars of desperation that might result from the above events.

How shall we prepare? Many participants shared their experience of thinking about these difficult times ahead. One might think that contemplating such difficulties might put a damper on the enthusiasm that was in the room on the previous evening. But it’s not like the people in the room haven’t considered the Great Waves of Change on previous occasions. I didn’t share my experience with the room. I recalled the song lyric “‘Cause there is no more new frontier, we have got to make it here.” I recalled the lengthy Robert Heinlein quote ending in “Specialization is for insects.” I felt a need to cultivate adaptability.

One participant shared a feeling of “a quiet resolve,” and offered gratitude for the warning being provided. Another young man spoke of the need for resourcefulness and creativity. One participant said “All my life has been preparation for this.”

This took us to about halfway during the morning session on Day 2. How shall we prepare? I’m still thinking about it, but I know I need to prepare. I need to encourage others to prepare. How shall I do that? I don’t know, but I know I need to encourage others to prepare.

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And I Heard A Million Voices Singing – 2014 Encampment Day 1

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Douglas

“And I heard a million voices singing
Acting to the story that they had heard about
Does one child know the secret and can say it
Or does it all come out along without you
along without you
along without you” – Yes, “The Ancient: Giants Under the Sun”

The Encampment of the New Message from God took place last week in the Rocky Mountain National Park, northwest of Denver, Colorado in the United States. I had a relatively short trip from Minnesota. Many participants came from much further away. There were participants from as far north as Sweden and South Korea and as far south as New Zealand and Brazil.

And I heard a million voices singing

Many participants from outside the Denver area get to the Encampment through Boulder, where the Society for the New Message from God is located. Boulder lives under the gaze of the Flatirons, shown above. It was my hope to meet some participants the night before, but it seemed more important to be mentally focused, well-rested, etc.

In some ways, the Encampment is like other conferences. The afternoon session of Day 1 was devoted to introductions, thinking of people who wanted to be there, but were not. I considered it one of my duties to remind people that Alisa was there in spirit, to be eyes and ears on her behalf. There were about 20 people whom I had met at the 2012 Encampment. There were a number of people with whom I have online relationships, whom I met in person for the first time. There were some people I had never met before.

At the 2012 Encampment, it took me about a day and a half to arrive at the idea that my fellow participants were more or less like me. This time it only took a couple of hours, a definite improvement.

Part of the modus operandi of the New Message from God involves questions. The asking of questions, the pondering of possible answers for questions, the being with questions, the asking for guidance regarding questions. During the evening session, one of the questions we were invited to ask ourselves was “Why am I here?” I had a number of answers, but the one I wish to share is:

I am here to witness a miracle.

I had an opportunity to share this answer. I found it remarkable that there was such an atmosphere of triumph in the room. I said “I don’t know about you, but I hear the angels singing already, and we’re just getting started.” I was speaking figuratively, but the sense of accomplishment was shared and palpable.

Does it mean something that this is the seventh annual Encampment of the New Message from God? Maybe. Does it mean something that we have more people at this Encampment than we have had at any previous one? Maybe. All I know is that the efforts I made to get to Encampment were already being rewarded. And I heard a million voices singing.

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Mystery of Ascension

A great mystery / Is my true self that I bring / From my ancient home

Monthly Archives: October 2014

See What Large Letters I Use

See what large letters I use

Соприкосновение с внутренней тишиной

Соприкосновение с внутренней тишиной

God’s Will Is For Me To Be Unburdened

God’s will is for me to be unburdened

An Antidote For Obsession – 2014 Encampment Day 2

An antidote for obsession

I Do Not Know How To Ride Or Fight (Yet)

I do not know how to ride or fight

Do You See Aleppo? 2014 Encampment Day 2

Do you see Aleppo?

How Shall We Prepare? 2014 Encampment Day 2

How shall we prepare?

And I Heard A Million Voices Singing – 2014 Encampment Day 1

And I heard a million voices singing