Should You Trust Your Deepest Inclinations?

icebergStep 72 of Steps to Knowledge, “I will trust my deepest inclinations today,” is not the first time the word “inclination” has appeared in Steps to Knowledge. It is the first time the word has appeared the word has appeared in the actual step.

Should you trust your deepest inclinations?

In Step 16, “Beyond my mind is Knowledge,” inclinations is one of the ways Knowledge expresses itself. I listened for deeper inclinations. In Step 50, “Today I will be with Knowledge,” I was told that I had an inclination to know. I was told to trust that inclination. In Step 58, “Knowledge is with me,” I was told that I have “true inclinations,” as in “genuine and effective inclinations.” In Step 71, “I am here to serve a greater purpose,” I was told that I had an inclination toward that greater purpose. The inclination to know, and the inclination toward greater purpose are “bootstrap loaders” as it were, standards against which all inclinations are to be compared. Steps to Knowledge uses the word “inclination” in the common sense of the word, as in “tendency” or “predisposition.”

Just as it takes some work to sort out the voice of Knowledge from the tumult of inner voices, it takes some practice to sort out the deepest inclinations from the jumble of desires, compulsions and wishes. What do you want after the empty space has been filled? What do you want after the garbage has been taken out? What do you want after that itch between the shoulder blades that you just can’t reach has been scratched? I find these questions helpful to ponder when hunting for my deepest inclinations.

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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.

I Will Let Love Rule Today

This is the second in a series of three posts regarding the Step 70 review of Steps to Knowledge. In this review, three weeks worth of practice, from Step 50 to Step 69.  The first post in the series covered the Step 70 review of Steps 50 through 55. Step 56 was a review. This post will examine my Step 70 review of Steps 57 through 62, with some commentary.

I will let love rule today

Step 57 – “Freedom is with me today” – “I was not very good on hourly practice in this or any of the steps before Step 70 requiring hourly practice.” In my Step 63 review of this Step, I wrote “Freedom is doing what I know, being my True Self. Slavery is to follow my surface thoughts, the surface thoughts of others.” Between then and now, I’ve gotten more consistent at hourly practice by using my cell phone as an hourly alarm.

Step 58 – “Knowledge is with me” – “It is encouraging to even contemplate the possibility that Knowledge knows I’m approaching it, and likes it.” In my Step 63 review of this Step, I wrote “Knowledge desires to enfold my little self in itself. Someone on the inside has heard about it. My little efforts of my little part has caught the attention of Knowledge, my True Self, the God Seed within me. That is a comforting and encouraging thought.” The line “Someone on the inside has heard about it” comes from Minnesota poet Robert Bly, describing the experience of someone starting on a spiritual path.

Step 59 – “Today I will learn patience” – “Observe me without judgment. Observe the world without judgment. Repeat until eternity.” In my Step 63 review of this Step, I wrote “I am so impatient! I want half of America to change its beliefs right now! I damn myself for not going straight toward Knowledge right now! Time and time again I am told to observe without judgment.” I was much more politically opinionated when I did this Step than I am now. Is this a good thing? Maybe. I know I am suffering less about the things politicians say and do. Am I being more patient with politicians? Maybe.

Step 60 – “I will not judge the world today” – “See above. [the commentary on the previous step]” In my Step 63 review of this Step, I wrote “My standard m. o. [modus operandi, way of doing things when left to my own devices] is to judge, judge, judge. When I think that this is the world I have come to serve, I hear the voice of Timon in The Lion King saying ‘Whoa! Talk about your fixer upper!’ Every so often I hear ‘America is in need of the New Message’ not judging America as it plunges toward ruin.”

Step 61 – “Love gives of itself through me” – “Not judging is letting love rule, express itself.” I’m not a big Lenny Kravitz fan, but this song got me. If I don’t judge today, I will let love rule today.

Step 62 – “Today I will learn to listen to life” – “Being present is not judging is letting love rule.” If I am present with others, I will let love rule today.

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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.

Knowledge Is With Me – Again

Knowledge is with me - Sculpture in Oro Valley Library, Tucson, Arizona

Step 58 of Steps to Knowledge, “Knowledge is with me,” is the first step in Steps to Knowledge to repeat a portion of a Step.  In Step 1, “I am without Knowledge now,” we are told,

“You start here in the understanding that you are without Knowledge. That is not to say that Knowledge is not with you. It is simply to say that you are not with Knowledge.”

Step 2, “Knowledge is with me.  Where am I?” is the step that Step 58 is partially repeating.  We are told Knowledge is in a part of the mind we have not yet learned to access.

In the big Step 49 review, the phrase “Knowledge is with you” is used as a sort of benediction upon the efforts of the student:

“You have come this far. Congratulations! You have passed the first test. Be encouraged now to proceed, for Knowledge is with you.”

Knowledge is with me

And here we are now at Step 58.  The previous step was Step 57, “Freedom is with me,” and therefore I get the idea that part of the point of the Step is building a connection between freedom and Knowledge.

Step 58 is the first step since Step 31 “I wish to see a world I have never seen before,” where the only practice is a brief, hourly practice.  Another part of the point of Step 58 is to teach the idea that I can practice just about anywhere.

What kind of bridge has been built so far, between where I normally live and where Knowledge abides, in the time between Step 2 and Step 58?  I don’t recall having any remarkable experiences of Knowledge during this time.  I had a happy feeling of demonstrating to myself a certain degree of seriousness as a student.  I had a happy feeling that I was following the directions to the best of my ability.

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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.