Step Eighty-Six

Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler in the 2013 Russian TV series

 Step 86. I Honor Those Who Have Given To Me.
To honor those who have given to you will generate gratitude, which is the beginning of true love and appreciation. Today in your two deep practice periods, you are asked to think of those people who have given to you, to think of them and nothing else during your period of practice. You are asked to consider very deeply what they have done for you. With those with whom you are angry and upset, try to see how they, too, have given service to you in the reclamation of Knowledge. Do not bear false witness against your feelings, but in spite of your feelings towards them, if there are ill feelings, attempt also to 
recognize their service to you. For you can indeed be angered or upset by someone that you recognize has served you, and this is often the case. Perhaps you will even be angry at this curriculum which seeks only to serve you. Why would you be angry at this curriculum? Because Knowledge flushes out everything that stands in its way. That is why at times you are angry and do not even know why.

Allow your two practice periods to be quite focused. Concentrate. Use the power of your mind. Think of those individuals who have served you. If individuals come to mind whom you had not considered having served you, think how they have served you as well. Let this day be a day of recognition. Let this be a day of restitution.

Practice 86: Two 30-minute practice periods.

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.

March 6, 2013 Round One: I didn’t feel any anger when doing this Step. It seems my anger is spent, although anger has never really been a big issue for me. This is a very healing Step because it allows students to see that people they may feel anger towards or even just have ambivalent feelings about can have something to teach them. It opens the eyes to greater discernment and understanding of the self.

In my own experience, the people I have felt any anger toward in the past (usually the people closest to me) have turned out to be my greatest teachers. It all boils down to keeping a more open mind, being willing to listen, even if what I am hearing is not what I think I want to hear. Life is a learning experience whatever form it comes in, and my task is to be aware of that and use every experience that comes to me as a tool for gaining greater insight and Knowledge. I am indeed grateful to all those who have served me, in fact there is not one person I can think of who has not served me in one way or another.

October 8, 2014 Round Two: This time as I practiced, I realized that the people who came to mind have served me by showing me values, attitudes, ways of behaving and ways of being that I do not wish for myself. They have served me by showing me my own deep need for Knowledge, my great desire to strive for other values, attitudes, ways of behaving and ways of being that arch beyond the limits. I have reassessed my own attitudes, values, ways of behaving and ways of being thanks to these people. They have helped me to seek self-improvement, self-awareness, and self-love. They have prompted me to pull my socks up and strive for more, prove to myself what I am really made of. So I can do nothing but honor them.

P.S. I have been watching the latest Russian serial about Sherlock Holmes with new actors and presenting a very innovative screening of this age-old story. When I see the relationship between Sherlock and Irene, I think of this Step. Sherlock at least tried to honor her.

 This post in a blog I follow seems to speak to this Step. I wish to share it. "Only Endless Unfolding."
September 21, 2018 Round Three: I did the two 30 minutes of reflection today. First - 4.36 - 5.06 in the front room and the second - 14.22 - 14.52 out in the garden lying in the sun after we went out in the forest to look for mushrooms to no avail. It was a beautiful day. The forest was glorious, but no mushrooms.


Again most of the people who come to mind have served me by bringing me to a deeper understanding of myself, showing me my defects and what I need to work on, showing me what I do not wish for myself, showing me a better way of being. Sasha has served me the most in this respect. I would not be where I am today or who am today without his influence and input. I honor those who have given to me, they show me what I am truly capable of.

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