Phase Six
The next step of our journey, “Seek through prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with God as you understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will, and the power to carry that out.” There are a lot of different aspects to this phase, and when “practiced” properly it has no ending.
So let's break it down. “Seek through prayer and meditation...” Richard Rohr points out in his book Breathing Underwater that at the time these steps were first written, meditation was virtually unheard of in circles where prayer was involved, so it is important to note its inclusion here.
We are seeking improved contact, and when taken as one, prayer and meditation form an amazing dynamic. This involves opening channels of the mind to receive, not broadcast, thus the next aspect “praying only for knowledge of His will for us...” What this really does is move us further into releasing our false identity, which has its own designs and plans, and accepting our true nature and our oneness with the Creator.
And so, we are “improving” the contact we have already made in working through the previous phases, our “conscious contact”, the actual touching and integration of the mind of God, “with God as we understand Him...” The importance of operating from our own understanding of God must not go unnoticed. This aspect means that you are now operating from a personal relationship with God. We are not using a preconceived notion. This is a living, dynamic, personal relationship.
“Praying only for knowledge of His will for us...” Seeking only oneness, and to have our mind enlightened by the Divine plan. Moving beyond the “s”elf into the Self.
“And the power to carry” out the will of God. It seems prudent to sit with this for a moment. The power.... to carry..... the will of God. We are praying to become the instruments of God's will. God's Agents.
There are a multitude of meditation techniques available on the market. My introduction to the observer was not by choice, but necessity. Three hits of acid in my early twenties exposed my mind to a dimension it was not quite ready to assimilate, so I got to observe my mind as it broke and was put back together again (a liberating process:)
By far the most important aspect of meditation which I have encountered, and one which fits in with all other forms I have found, is conscious breathing. Mental focus on the breath. This type of meditation can be done anywhere at anytime that we are conscious; driving, in line at the supermarket, before sleep, upon awakening, and forms a strong foundation for all other practices.
I also highly recommend improving the heart-mind connection that we use in the key and catalyst dynamic with a practice of consciously breathing into the heart space. Researchers have discovered that the heart contains the same type of cells found in the brain, called neurites in the heart. Linking these two centers, the heart and the brain, is the key to wholistic evolution. This can be done simply by bringing the focus of the mind into the heart center by breathing into that space and merging with the energies there.
With practice, we can make our lives a state of prayer and meditation. This program gives us the action items to make this a reality.
The last phase of our trek begins “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps...”
from the Lachlen Paul French translation of The Gospel According to Thomas, passage 36
If you find that trying to govern your universe and life is exhausting,
then let go. Listen on the inside to your divine intuition, and obey it.
How? Just do what seems the appropriate thing to do in each moment.
And do whatever feels peaceful. Remember:
With inner quietness and confidence, you will always find strength. [W]
If you focus continuously on your all-loving, all-providing
spiritual Vibration within, you will stay in touch with bliss.
If you permeate your awareness with the graceful power of ‘I Am One’
you will see Divine Grace manifest throughout your life by its guidance
of you. Any unpleasant conditions manifested so far in your life will drop
from you, since their existence lived only from your attention anyway.
Your staring at painful circumstances only keeps them with you.
Do not stare at your current negative situation. Go within yourself daily
to feel your oneness with Divine Being and obey God’s leading from there.
Let your heart-centered feelings regarding each moment of the day
and each activity, be your GUIDE as to the appropriateness of your
thoughts and deeds.
If your heart remains peaceful before and during an activity,
instead of anxious, then you do well.
Trust that your life is actually being guided, and it will be.
Practice friendship with the Divine by listening to divine leadings.
‘Acknowledge God in all your ways so God will direct your Paths in bliss.’ [F]
‘He shall keep him in perfect peace whose mind, thoughts and imagination
are stayed on Him’ [V]
Look within all day long as you look without,
and your Divine heart leading will direct your steps.
Follow your feelings moment-to-moment and let blissfulness be the guide.
By doing this, your heart shall rest in peaceful oneness, and your mind
shall be filled with lighted Awareness.
It is .. a continual dedication.