In some dramatic stories, it seems as if the seventh step of awakening is transcended all at once. For example, watch this scene from the movie, Little Buddha, and then continue reading the tip below:
In this scene, it appears as if the final temptations of the ego came all at once, in one short meditation, and were transcended by Siddhartha as he watched everything without believing it. It looks as if the seventh step was transcended in only a few hours or less.
For most of us, however, the seventh step stretches over a period of time. It can last many years. It doesn’t occur in one dramatic meditation. It occurs more slowly through everyday life. During this time, the ego can be very deceptive. Most people fall for its deception easily.
In order to transcend the temptations that occur during the seventh step, one must want awakening more than anything else. It is as we learned through NTI Revelation 6:
The first of the seven seals on the scroll of Life represents that which must always come first. The rider of the white horse “bent on conquest” represents full dedication to the true desire of the heart.
Today’s reading asks us to feel within and notice our desire for awakening. How strong is it truthfully? How much resistance still remains? What other goals do we want to accomplish more than we want awakening?
We aren’t looking at ourselves today in order to condemn ourselves. We simply want to be honest. If awakening is at all important to us, self-honesty is also important. If our desire for awakening is not strong enough to see us through the seventh step, it is good to focus on increasing our desire for awakening.
It’s just as we learned from Michael Langford in Gentle Healing Year 1:
Awakening the extremely intense desire for Liberation is the most important first step that can be taken towards being liberated here and now in this lifetime. …
Of all of the factors that determine whether you will or will not be free, the intensity or lack of intensity of your desire for liberation is the most essential factor.
Therefore, whatever you can do to most effectively increase your desire for liberation should be done.
Today, take the opportunity to look honestly at your desire for awakening, and then ask for guidance about how you can increase that desire. Be willing to follow the guidance you receive. Often, people receive absolutely perfect guidance, but then they go about their daily lives and do not follow the guidance they received.
Remember what we learned through NTI James 1:
Do not merely listen to My words without practicing what I say. To listen, but not to practice, is to be like a man who looks in the mirror, but then goes away and forgets what he saw.
Before reading today’s reading in NTI, please read the Revelation 11:1-12 in the Bible.
Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.
