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.

Patience Is Power

Patience is Power by Dennis Montera

“Patience is Power” by Dennis “Sio” Montera

I have a dim memory of one of my elementary school teachers writing on the blackboard, “Patience is a virtue.” (Would she be allowed to do that today?)

There is a gospel story about a women with an issue of blood, who touches the border of Jesus’s garment, and is healed.  In the King James Version, Jesus says “Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” (Luke 8:46) In the New International Version, Jesus says “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Patience is power

Catholic Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979) (declared “Venerable Fulton Sheen” by the Catholic Church in 2012) has something to say about patience that I find helpful:

Fulton Sheen said that patience is power“Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is ‘timing,’ it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.”

Why are our minds impatient?  Step 59 of Steps to Knowledge, “Today I will learn patience” says our minds are impatient because they are tormented, they are restless, and they seek their worth from temporary things.  Our minds are tormented by our judgments of ourselves and others.  Our minds are restless because they devote themselves to the care and feeding of the animal soul.  Our minds are restless because they think dying with the most toys constitutes success.

What’s the remedy?  Focus on long-term development. How long a term?  They didn’t say, but I get the idea that it’s something I could spend the rest of my life working on. Observe one’s self more. Criticize one’s self less. This sounds to me like a recap of Step 29, “I will observe myself today to learn of Knowledge.” Strive to be more objective, so that we can be more certain.

What we’re headed toward in Steps to Knowledge might take some time.  It seems to be part of the process to learn to enjoy the journey, or at least not suffer from it.  Patience is a virtue.  Patience is timing.  Patience is power.

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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.