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.

Judgment Departs, Love Remains

Mercy triumphs over judgment - judgment departs love remains

Once upon a time, I heard a Christian preacher make the following argument: 1) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God (1 John 5:1, NIV), 2) God is love (1 John 4:8, NIV), 3) Love is patient, kind, and numerous other desirable qualities (1 Corinthians 13), 4) Therefore, it is consistent for a Christian to affirm or confess that they possess the desirable qualities of 1 Corinthians 13, since they are born of the source of those qualities.

Steps to Knowledge expands upon statement 1).  We were told back in Step 24, “I am worthy of God’s love,” that at the very core of ourselves, we are God’s love:

“You are indeed worthy of God’s love. In fact, you really are God’s love. Without pretense of any kind, at the very core of yourself, this is your True Self. It is not the Self you yet experience, and until you do experience it, do not pretend that this is your experience. But hold in true awareness that this is your Self. You are a person, but you are greater than a person. How can you be unworthy of God’s love if that is what you are?”

It’s not just people who believe certain things that are born of God; people are born of God.  It takes some effort to reclaim one’s birthright.

Judgment departs, love remains

Step 61, “Love gives of itself through me,” follows from Step 60, “I will not judge the world today,” in my opinion.  The point is not to make an explicit effort to be loving, but to open to love’s expressing itself.  The Step didn’t say this, but I got the idea that love could express itself more freely in the absence of judgment.

As I pondered this Step, I saw a picture in my mind’s eye.  In this picture, the pronouns in the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear were replaced with the word “Love,” and the word “fear” was replaced with the word “judgment.”  It made the last three lines like this.

Love will permit judgment to pass over love and through love
And when judgment has gone past, love will turn the inner eye to see judgment’s path
Where the judgment has gone there will be nothing…Only love will remain.

Judgment departs, love remains.  Try it on and see how it feels.

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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.