Step One Hundred and Sixty-Eight

Step 168. Review

Review the week that has passed. Review each lesson as it was given and each practice that you experienced. Review the entire week so that you may fortify the learning that you are now undertaking. Remember that you are learning to learn. Remember that you are a beginning student of Knowledge. Remember that your evaluation, if it is not born of Knowledge, will not be helpful. Without this evaluation, it will be apparent how to strengthen your involvement, how to strengthen your preparation and how to make adjustments in your outer life to support you in your endeavor. This can be done without self-condemnation. It can be done because it is necessary, and you are able to respond to that which is necessary without punishing yourself or the world. This preparation is necessary, for it represents your will.

In your long practice period today, review the week with sincerity and depth. Give this your full attention so that you may receive the gifts that you are now preparing to receive.

Practice 168: One long practice period.

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.

July 12, 2013 Round One: This review has taught me about keeping things in perspective and understanding that everything falls into place in its own sweet time. I am focusing here on

"you are able to respond to that which is necessary without punishing yourself or the world."

I have the tendency to “drive” myself rather than allowing Knowledge to gently move me where I need to go, where I need to focus my time and energy. I want to be free to do the necessary small tasks with lightness and joy in order to fulfill my greater mission. This week of Steps has shown me how vital it is to keep things in perspective, allow each small step to move me further on, but without pushing myself, without self-condemnation, without biting off more than I can chew, instead doing things naturally, gently, gradually, knowing that I am going where I need to go.

January 12, 2015 Round Two: This review speaks directly to my experience this week, so again Steps are right on cue. The lessons provide potent tools for dealing with life’s vicissitudes. 

I am involved with life and will not allow fear to overtake me. I am trying to live without condemnation of myself and others.

Knowledge is always available to me beyond my thoughts and self-preoccupations, I take it with me wherever I go. I respond to each seeming failure with the resolve to continue. I do not lose heart, I keep on keeping on.

I honor what I know, I allow Knowledge to abide with me and guide me, and I heed its promptings. I can be confident that what I know deep within, beneath the surface of my individual mind, is true and permanent, it is given by the Universe.

I have small duties to carry out in the world and I can do them happily. They help to build a solid foundation from which I can launch forth to fulfill my mission.

Greatness is expressed through the smallest thing, so I continue to do small things, since Knowledge can be expressed through them. My small duties are a vehicle for expressing the greatness of Knowledge.

With Knowledge I am free to do what I am to do in the world, always keeping in mind that it must be for the greatest benefit of all those involved. This is not an individual enterprise aimed at self-fulfillment, this is a contribution to the wellbeing of the whole. Knowledge knows what is best and I will follow Knowledge.

P.S. Today is Saturday, June 17, 2017. Yesterday I became a property owner. I bought a plot of land in the village I am living with plans to build a house on it. I have finally come home. I feel so grounded. I am returning to my True Self. Step-by-step, increment-by-increment, Knowledge has led me where I need to go. This has been my experience. This I can now say is true.

P.P.S. Today is Sunday, June 17, 2018. In the past year, we have put a temporary roof on the part of the house built by the previous owners in order to keep the basement dry and prevent further deterioration of the wooden logs. We have reinforced the basement and added extra weather-deterioration prevention. We will be putting up a fence in a couple of weeks. We have been clearing the plot of extra rubble and garbage and tending to the area we plan to have our vegetable garden. We have been keeping the grass mowed.

December 16, 2018 Round Three: My evaluations will not be helpful if they are not born of Knowledge. I need to review with sincerity and depth. I don’t know how sincere and deep I am being. This preparation is necessary because it represents my will. On this day last year, Volodya was here and announced his plans to do up the guest house and live here. Sasha and I were aghast, not knowing what to expect. Now, a year later, we are doing our best to escape from his clutches. I did not sleep well last night. I am tired now and don’t feel into this review. I am free of fear, obligations, and expectations. I do my small duties and through them Knowledge will express itself in the world and manifest itself through me. I am not into the Christmas season and passing on good wishes. It all seems like a waste of time, superfluous and irrelevant. I make my routine replies and leave it at that.

P.S. Today is Tuesday, June 16, 2020. In the past year we have built a smaller house on our plot to live in while we save money to build the bigger one. We are still living in Volodya's house and putting up with his presence, but we are trying to move as soon as possible.

This year it is not possible due to the coronavirus pandemic and my inability to make enough money. We are being patient and managing as best we can. At least we are still able to live in Volodya's house, for which I thank my lucky stars.