Practices

"With simplicity, humility and without false assumptions, remembering that you are a beginning student of Knowledge, you will be able to learn how to reveal greatness in the world."

"In your practice in stillness, if you are able to experience something greater than the mind, the mind will yield to Knowledge."

"We give only so much methodology as is necessary to aim your mind in the proper direction."

Directives

"Carry forth that which you need to do to deepen your practice, to utilize your practice, to utilize your experience in the world for practice, to carry your practice into the world and to allow your world to support your practice. Do not neglect this, for if you neglect this, you but neglect yourself, your certainty, your fulfillment and your happiness."

Core practices

Regular habits particular to The Way of Knowledge

Step practice

Following the guidelines in the texts Steps to Knowledge and Steps to Knowledge Continuation Training for consistent and thorough practice is an efficient initiation into the Way of Knowledge for those who haven't found adequate resource in other traditions. The texts require a three- to five-year commitment for completion.

"In your hourly remembrances and in your longer meditations in stillness today, allow your efforts to supplement the efforts of others, which will supplement your efforts. Allow the combination of your mutual dedication, then, to be a source of strength which you will experience this day and which will be experienced by those whom you have not yet met in this life."

Hourly

Suggestions for hourly practice

"Upon the hour think [about today's idea] after you repeat the idea for today."

"Upon the hour practice looking and seeing. Check the mental environment. Check how you feel. Check what is going on inside of you, taking this moment to come back to yourself."

"Repeat [the] affirmation upon the hour and consider it in light of all things that happen today."

Daily

Suggestions for meditation

"Enter into stillness and peace once again. Do not petition for answers because you do not need to do this in your meditation practices. Your time now is to practice receiving Knowledge."

"Repeat your idea for the day and enter into stillness once again. Allow this to be a day where Knowledge is strengthened."

"Attempt to give yourself wholeheartedly to your practice."

=Invocative language

"Enter into stillness using the word RAHN to take you deep into meditation."

"Upon each exhale, speak the word RAHN. RAHN. RAHN. You only need speak the word RAHN upon the exhale in your meditation. Let this be your total focus. This word will serve to stimulate Ancient Knowledge within you and give you the strength that you most need at this time."

Suggestions for contemplation

"Actively engage your mind in considering the idea for today. Its true meaning is not superficial, and you must investigate it to understand its full value. Do not be complacent with premature conclusions. Do not stand on the outside of Knowledge and attempt to judge it for yourself. Enter into it so that you may be a student today, for you are now a student of Knowledge. You are now giving yourself to the world in your preparation."

"Actively engage your mind in thinking about [the idea for the day]. Let your mind be a useful instrument of investigation. Once again review all your ideas and beliefs that are associated with today’s idea."

"Engage your mind actively in attempting to understand the depth and the meaning of today’s idea. Recognize objectively all of the feelings and the thoughts that are in favor of it and all of the feelings and the thoughts that are opposed to it. Take special care to recognize any objection that you might have to today’s idea. Then, recognize the power of this idea within your own mind. This will give you a recognition of today’s idea and its true meaning. This will also help enable you to realize objectively the current construction of your mind. This is all part of your education as a student of Knowledge. Give yourself to considering today’s idea and do not be complacent with simple answers and explanations, for today’s idea contains a gift you have not yet experienced."

Weekly

Steps review

"Review objectively the extent of your involvement and realize the opportunities to give yourself more fully and more completely."

"Try to gain an overview of all that has transpired in the past [week or two]. Try to see how you could deepen and improve your practice. Recognize how much time and energy are wasted in ambivalence and idle speculation. Realize how much of your energy is being wasted in doubt and confusion when you need only abide with Knowledge."

Occasional practices

Practices particular to our time or purpose

Community

"In your deeper practices in stillness, receive the benefit of all who practice with you. Remind yourself that you are not alone and that their rewards are given to you as your rewards are given to them. Thus, you share in your accomplishments together. The power of your undertaking is so tremendously supported by the endeavor and the giving of others that it far exceeds your own abilities. When this is realized, it will give you all manner of encouragement and will banish forever the idea that you are inadequate to the tasks that are given to you. For your giving is supplemented by the giving of others, and this represents the Will of God in the universe."

"In your longer practice periods, engage your mind actively in attempting to understand ... what Spiritual Family really means. Try to understand that it is intrinsic to you. You did not choose it. You are simply born of it. It represents your accomplishment in Knowledge thus far."

"In your longer meditations attempt to penetrate [the] idea [of one world community]. Do not be complacent here, but actively engage your mind as your mind was meant to be engaged. Try to recognize your own ambivalence about the world becoming one community. Try to recognize your fears and concerns about this. Try to recognize as well your desire for one community and your understanding that this is necessary. Once you take inventory of your own thoughts and feelings concerning today’s idea, you will further understand why the world is in its current predicament. The world has a certain destiny and a certain course to follow, yet it is ambivalent about everything. Thus, the world itself must unlearn ambivalence, as you are now learning to do, and your accomplishments will assist it in its great undertaking, for this is your contribution to the world."

Practices addressing human needs and desires

Topical issues with remedial practices

Ambition

"Allow yourself to be without ambition, for you do not know what to do with Knowledge. In your longer meditations, allow this to free you so that you may enter stillness and leave the world of physical things."

"Allow yourself to be instructed in how to reveal greatness in the world. Realize that the world is ambivalent and accept this, for this is the current state of the world. Realize that you must give with Wisdom and discernment. And realize that you must let Knowledge give of itself and not try to give from your own ambition or need to avoid a sense of inadequacy. Allow your giving to be true and your giving will be true."

Ambivalence

"Strengthen your conviction that you must escape from ambivalence. Realize the deadly cost of ambivalence. See how it keeps people lost in their ideas, denying their engagement with life. See the human cost around you. It is tremendous. Realize that with certainty everyone will find their rightful place."

"Once again realize how ambivalence is still robbing you of inspiration, robbing you of motivation, robbing you of courage and robbing you of relationship."

"In your deeper practice periods, escape your own ambivalence and re-enter the sanctuary of Knowledge where in stillness and in peace you can fully experience the power of Knowledge and the truth of your own nature."

"Recognize thus far how ambivalent you have been regarding your life and regarding this preparation. Realize that for this reason, this preparation has been given to you in very incremental steps, one step at a time, day after day. One step at a time, you learn to develop and to accept your desire and capacity for Knowledge and you learn to express Knowledge as well."

Fear

"Evaluate the existence of your fears and remind yourself that your reality is beyond them, but that you must recognize them to understand their damaging presence in your life. Close your eyes and repeat the idea for today; then consider each fear that arises in your mind. Remind yourself that the truth is beyond that specific fear.Allow all fears to arise and be evaluated in this way."

Capacity-strengthening practices

The gifts of The Way of Knowledge

Certainty

"Allow your confidence to dispel fear, doubt and anxiety. Support your efforts today, for they require your support on behalf of a greater certainty that you are now learning to receive."

Confirmation

"Silently and in stillness, as you sink into the depths of Knowledge, receive the peace and the confirmation that are your birthright."

Determination

"Try to see in your observations of others how captivating the world is and how captivating the mind is. Ultimately, the only thing that can keep you from Knowledge is the mind. It may seem like the world is dominating you, but in reality it is the mind. Observe this. You will not have to look far. It is all around you. You can look at your own experience to see how close at hand this is and how important it is for you to be present wherever you are and with whatever you are doing."

Intercession

"Think of someone in need and then give them a quality that you wish to receive yourself. Send that individual that quality. Send them love or strength or faith or encouragement or determination or surrender or acceptance or self-discipline—whatever they need to bring about resolution in their lives.”

Potency

"Know that all of your efforts on behalf of Knowledge are supplemented by those who practice with you—those whom you can see and those whom you cannot see. In your deeper practices allow your own self-discipline, which prepares you to enter into stillness and peace, to be supplemented as well."

Purpose

"In your deeper practice periods today, actively engage your mind to review all of your small personal problems. Review all of the things you think hold you back and all of the things you think you must resolve for yourself. As you look at each one objectively, without denial, remember and remind yourself that a greater calling is given you which will correct these things or make their correction unnecessary. Remind yourself that Knowledge will provide correction at all levels as your life becomes uniform and directed, as your Knowledge begins to emerge and as your true sense of self begins to be recognized and received."

"Upon the hour remind yourself not to define your purpose, and begin to think of the cost of doing so in terms of your own past experience."

Resolution

"What are the behaviors that you engage in now that are not in keeping with your values or your sense of integrity? Write these down and really focus upon them. And see what kind of behaviors or activities can replace these things that would be in keeping with your values and sense of integrity."

Further study

• The Great Practices

See also

Spiritual practice