Focal points in Steps to Knowledge

"The true content of your mind is buried beneath all that you have added since the day you were born. This true content wishes to express itself in the context of your current life and current situation. To discern this you must listen carefully and in time realize the difference between the true content of your mind and its messages for you and all the other impulses and wishes that you feel."

"Practice feeling the truth. Do not think the truth. Practice feeling the truth."

"Realize what is required to follow the instructions as they are given and involve yourself with them as fully as possible. Remember that you are learning to learn, and remember that you are learning to reclaim your self-worth and your true abilities."

"Let nothing dissuade you. You need only relax and be present."

An Internal Point

"Begin by taking three deep breaths and then focusing on an internal point. It may be an imaginary point or it may be a point in your physical body. With eyes closed, simply give this your full attention, without judgment and evaluation."

The Breath

"Use your breath to take you deeper, for your breathing will always take you beyond your thoughts if you adhere yourself to it conscientiously."

Gazing

"Practice looking upon one simple mundane object. Do not take your eyes off of that object, but look and practice looking very conscientiously. You are not trying to see anything. You are simply looking with an open mind. When the mind is open, it experiences its own depth, and it experiences the depth of what it is perceiving. Choose one simple object that has very little meaning for you and gaze upon it."

Sitting

"Sit quietly with your eyes closed, breathing deeply and regularly, attempting to feel the truth beyond the constant restlessness of your mind."

Still Point

"Attempt to feel the truth within you. Focus your mind on one point, either a physical point or an imaginary point if necessary. Let everything settle down inside. Let yourself become as quiet as possible, and do not be discouraged if there is difficulty."

Inviting the Mind to Take a Vacation

"Let nothing distract or dissuade you. If something permeates your mind and you have difficulty releasing it, tell yourself that you will look at it a little later, but that right now you are taking a small vacation from your mind."

Where You Are

"Think about where you are, not just physically or geographically, but where you are in terms of your awareness of yourself in the world. Think very, very carefully. Do not allow your mind to distract you from this orientation."

"Concentrate on accepting things exactly as they are."

"Take a moment and look at the world without judgment."

"Practice looking with your eyes open, looking without judging. Look about your immediate environment. Look only upon things that are actually there. Do not engage in imagination. Do not let your thoughts wander to the past or to the future. Witness only what is there. As thoughts arise that are judgments, simply dismiss them without considering them."

Who You Are with

"Practice today listening to another. Do not become engaged with what they are saying. You need not respond inappropriately to them, if they are speaking directly to you, in order to practice with them. You will be engaging your whole mind in your conversation. Take time, then, to practice listening without speaking. Allow others to express themselves to you. You will find that they have a greater communication for you than you might at first have anticipated. You do not need to figure this out. Simply practice listening today so that you may hear the presence of Knowledge."

What You Know

"Give your full attention to feeling the truth arising within yourself."

"Practice feeling the strength of your own will. Do not let fear and doubt cloud your mind. You need not try to feel the will of God. It is simply there. It only requires your attention for you to recognize it. Therefore, practice deeply by simply being present to this experience."

"Honestly evaluate your participation. Assess your apparent successes and failures. Your successes will encourage you, and your failures will teach you what you need to do to deepen your experience."

Presence

"Concentrate in meditation upon feeling the presence of your Spiritual Teachers. This is not something you have to try to do. It simply means relaxing, breathing and allowing your mind to open."

"Practice feeling the presence of God, silently, in stillness. Not thinking about God, not speculating, not wondering, not doubting, but simply feeling. It is no fantasy that you are concentrating upon now, though you are used to concentrating upon fantasy. In stillness and quiet, everything becomes apparent. God is very still, for God is not going anywhere. As you become still, you will feel the power of God."

"Allow yourself to open to the presence of love in your life. Sitting silently and breathing deeply, let yourself truly feel the presence of love, which signifies the presence of a greater purpose in your life."

Time

"Try to practice each hour. Remain conscious of your time."

See also

Breath

Further Study

• Steps to Knowledge, Step 44: I wish to know my own strength.

• Steps to Knowledge, Step 53: My gifts are for others.

• Steps to Knowledge, Step 57: Freedom is with me.