Step Sixty-Two

In the Moment

Step 62. Today I Will Learn To Listen To Life.

If you are present to the world, you will be able to hear the world. If you are present to life, you will be able to hear life. If you are present to God, you will be able to hear God. If you are present to yourself, you will be able to hear yourself.

Therefore, today practice listening. Upon each hour practice listening to the world around you and the world within. Repeat the affirmation and then practice this. It only takes a moment. You will find that regardless of your circumstances, there will be a way for you to practice this today. Do not let your circumstances dominate you. You can practice within them. You can find a way to practice that does not produce embarrassment or inappropriateness with others. Whether you are alone or engaged with others, you may practice today. Practice upon the hour. Practice listening. Practice being present. To truly listen means that you are not judging. It means that you are observing. Remember, you are developing a faculty of mind that will be necessary for you to be able to give and to receive the greatness of Knowledge.

Practice 62: Hourly practice.

Here you will find the entire book free for download http://stepstoknowledge.com/

Here you will find pointers for getting started if this is your first encounter with this practice: Taking the Steps to Knowledge.

January 22, 2012 Round One: Being present is awesome, particularly when I set my mind on not judging. A situation yesterday did not turn out the way I was expecting and hoping. My initial inclination was to feel hurt and annoyed. However, this Step was with me throughout the day, and I kept turning my thoughts to what is asked for here – practicing being present, practicing listening, which in turn helped me to be present to myself and hear myself. So instead of accusations, criticism and judgment, I was able to turn the situation around and find the best possible solution.

September 10, 2014 Round Two: Listening to life and being present to life, being in the here and now are states I wish to cultivate and embrace. It does make a difference when I make a conscious effort to listen and hear rather than wait impatiently for my turn to say something, put in my two cents’ worth. If I listen without judgment, remain alert to what I am hearing on the inside and seeing on the outside, it makes a difference. It makes a difference to my level of joy, level of equilibrium, level of wellbeing. I feel much more at peace with myself and am filled with a sense of contentment that transcends all else.

Today as I practiced listening and practiced being present throughout the day, I was rewarded with a deep feeling of joy and contentment. I heard things that brought a smile to my lips, I became aware of new levels of consciousness. The ascent continues.

August 24, 2018 Round Three: I am to practice listening on the hour in whatever circumstances I find myself, being present to the world around me and to the world within. By being present I can hear the world, hear life, hear God and hear myself. I am developing this faculty of mind so I can give and receive the greatness of Knowledge.

Today I am seeing evidence of the greatness of Knowledge in my life. Lera is the manifestation of the thoughts I’ve had for years about Michael finding his “other half.” I knew it would happen and now it has. I already love her as a daughter and Knowledge is with her, even if she is not yet with Knowledge. She is heading in the right direction. She asked me share the Steps to Knowledge in Russian with her.

I had an opportunity to talk to Volodya. I needed to know why he never pays for gas when Sasha takes him to Malyshevo, a village about 20 minutes away from our village, where there are shops, a pharmacy, a small bank, an administration office, and where the bus stops o

I had an opportunity to talk to Volodya. I needed to know why he never pays for gas when Sasha takes him to Malyshevo, a village about 20 minutes away from our village, where there are shops, a pharmacy, a small bank, an administration office, and where the bus stops on its way from Vladimir to Murom and back. He gave me an evil stare and said we owed it to him for the privilege of living in his house. (This is what I heard in his words.) I listened to him and understood a great deal about his character. He has disrupted the balance in our lives, but I need to make the best of it. I eased the conflict by saying I understood him and asking if I could give him a hug. He was open to that and his hooded gaze changed to one of greater benevolence. I diffused the tension further by asking how things were going for him. Were things going as planned? Was he happy with the results so far? They are and he is. I also told him how I resonated with the piece of philosophical writing he shared with me, saying that it echoed my own thoughts. He was obviously pleased about that. I resolved some inner negativity, on the one hand, but also realized I had missed an opportunity to clarify our situation, on the other. We were invited to live in Volodya’s house to look after it and not permit it to go to seed. This we have been doing and investing money in some improvements. We pay utilities, but not rent. I think if we paid rent, we would be off the hook about maintenance costs, it puts the responsibility back on the owner. Our situation is less clear, there is no definite understanding about who owes who what. Volodya is taking advantage of that and it is upsetting us. So the situation has not been resolved yet and there is still some negative feelings inside and perhaps some poor moves on my part. But yesterday, when I felt hesitant to talk to Volodya about what was on my mind, I told myself I would if he appeared. And he did. I still walked past him at first and thought I might not approach him. But he addressed me and said something. So I turned back. Then I plunged in. I felt we cleared the air. Sasha said I should have kept my mouth shut. Who is right? Maybe I still have lot to learn about listening to life.