In NTI Acts, we learned about the first three phases of the spiritual path:

1. The Search (NTI Acts 19)
2. Purification (NTI Acts 20 & 21)
3. Service and Merging (NTI Acts 22)

NTI 1 Corinthians focuses on the third phase. It teaches us how to be the servant of inner spiritual wisdom. As the servant, we are in service to unity consciousness as we merge with unity consciousness. As we pass through the third phase, we experience less and less “me” or false self. Through the third phase, the one that ‘I think I am’ is gradually laid aside until it cannot be said to exist anymore.

As we learned on Day 131, the second and third phases of the spiritual path overlap. You may be in service as you go through the purification phase, and purification will continue to one degree or another in the service phase. You may not be able to find a distinct point in time when you cross from one phase to the other. Therefore, it is okay to see yourself as in service and in purification simultaneously, if that is how it feels to you. You don’t have to complete purification to begin service.

At the same time, one mistake that many people make is being overly eager to enter the service phase. The symptom of this mistake is seeking  service. Said another way, the hallmark of this mistake is when your self-will  wants to serve.

The purpose of the service phase is to relinquish  both self-will and the false self. Therefore, if the self-will and false self are boosted through service or the idea of service, it is the antithesis of the purpose of the third phase.

Instead of wanting to serve, which may be ego driven, it is better to want to be empty of self. The desire to be empty of self is never ego driven. The ego can want to help others; it can want to be a spiritual teacher; it can want to be wise; etcetera, but it does not ever want to be empty of itself. If you focus on the desire to be empty of self—to have no self-will—any service that is to occur will occur naturally.

In NTI 1 Corinthians, “empty of self” and “empty of self will” are called “the empty shell.”

As already mentioned, the purification and service phases overlap to some degree. That’s why today’s reading says:

The ego is still within your mind, and it may seem to persist for some time. …you are to remain aware. For if you do not remain aware and alert to the ego in your mind, you may forget to question your thinking and believe you are listening to Me when you are not. If you remember and remain aware of the ego in your mind, you can continuously question your thinking and seek for the reason you hold. As My servant, you will desire to hold to right-reason…

Both forms of Root Cause Inquiry will help you “question your thinking.” The two forms are:

1. Questioning to discover the true cause of an upset
2. Questioning to discover your motivation, which was taught on Day 128 & Day 130

You can review the characteristics of the ego’s reasoning and the characteristics of right-reason by reading NTI Acts 19 (v23-41) – end.

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.

On Day 157, we learned that the Loving All Method is the way to collapse the apparent many things into one thing, consciousness.

Yesterday, we learned that surrender is the way to end the apparent false “I,” which is the final obstacle to non-dual realization.

Today’s reading provides guidance on how to be until the previous two goals are accomplished.

Please take notes as you read today’s reading. Taking notes will help you remember what you read.

If there is something in the reading that you do not understand, ask inner wisdom for clarity.

As you read, remember how Jesus was in NTI Mark. Jesus of NTI Mark is the role model that demonstrates the way of being that is described in today’s reading. Imagine yourself being the same way in your daily life. Prepare yourself to follow the lead of our role model, Jesus, by envisioning yourself being that way.

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.

Yesterday we learned that the Loving All Method, or the declaration, “It is what it is,” is the way to undo the illusion of many things.  On Day 139, we learned that surrender is the way to “unweave your way out of fantasy.”

Let’s pause for a moment and look at how these two practices work.

At its most basic level, illusion is the appearance of two things, the subject (you) and the object (everything else). You are the “I” that experiences everything else, which is “not I.”

The “not I” or object appears as many things, some that are judged as good or desired and others that are judged as bad or not desired. The Loving All Method undoes the judgment that creates the many things and collapses them into one object, which is consciousness.

Once the apparent many things collapse into one object, consciousness, there is still the feeling of “I,” the consciousness that sees, and “it,” the consciousness that is seen. In other words, the complicated many things collapse into the simplistic two things.

Surrender is the practice that removes the “I”. In NTI Acts, removing the “I” through surrender is called merging. When merging is complete, “I” no longer exists, so there can’t be a feeling of “I” and “it.” There is only consciousness. Without the “I,” non-dual (not two) being is realized.

Today’s reading focuses on the process of merging through surrender in order to collapse the “I.”

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.

Today, we return to NTI Romans. To me, today’s reading is very exciting, because it very clearly lays out one simple thing we can do to reverse the declaration that makes illusion seem real.

On Day 138, we learned about a wish, which created the creative principle, which in turn makes everything in manifestation. We also learned that the creative principle is the judgment, decision or declaration that something is real.

Today’s reading says:

Remember that everything you experience, every person, every place and circumstance, is a thought within the mind of you. And each judgment keeps the veil of illusion alive, which hides You from you.

“You” is not the person that you think you are. “You” is consciousness, which is what you actually are. When you judge someone or something, you are not a person thinking meaningless judgmental thoughts. You are consciousness utilizing the creative principle to generate another appearance based on the very same energy that is embedded within your judgment. That’s why your judgment “keeps the veil of illusion alive.” And within that veil, you appear to be a person in a world instead of the consciousness that you are.

The world is referred to as an illusion, because it is consciousness appearing as something other than consciousness. Since it is consciousness appearing as many different things, “nothing is at it seems.”

Why does consciousness appear as many different things, some of which cause extreme suffering in the world?

As we learned on Day 138, it is because you had a wish:

What if nothing was as it is?
What if I could make something completely different,
and make it whatever I want?
What would that be like?

If you look very carefully at judgment, you will notice that judgment, which is the creative principal, is actually an extension of that wish. For example, if I judge someone as too slow, I am wishing that one was faster, which is “something completely different” and not “as it is.” If I judge someone as rude, I am wishing that one acted “completely different” and that the situation was not “as it is.”

In other words, just as consciousness extends itself to create the many appearances of manifestation, the wish extends itself to create the creative principle. Each time we judge something, we are literally keeping the illusion that we judge alive.

It’s clear that we do not want the illusion, because we are judging it, but our judgment keeps it going. So, what are we to do?

Our reading says:

In that way, the only judgment that can be applied is that it is what it is.

“It is what it is,” also known as acceptance, is the only judgment, decision or declaration that undoes illusion.

If the waitress is moving slowly, it is what it is.

If the cashier is impolite, it is what it is.

“It is what it is” is a decision to accept the experience exactly as it is, including how you feel about it, without wishing it to be different.

If you examine “it is what it is” very carefully, you will notice it is The Loving All Method. In other words, the practice that reverses the declaration that makes consciousness appear as many things is a practice that we’ve been practicing for more than a year now:

The Loving All Method

It’s a little reminiscent of the scene from the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy discovered that the pair of ruby slippers, which she’d been wearing all along, was the tool she needed to awaken from the dream and return home. Here are two short videos that depict that scene from the movie. I recommend watching these brief videos before starting today’s reading, because the videos capture the essence of the reading perfectly:

 

 

 

Note: I recommend printing this tip for future reference.

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.

Please read and contemplate the following commentary in the same way that you read and contemplate the Thought of Awakening. The commentaries are designed to enrich your understanding of the Thoughts of Awakening.

~Commentary on Discernment~

Not acting for “me” is acting for all, because whenever “me” is absent, all is there.

One role of the mind is discernment. The mind was not made without the ability to discern. This is the height of knowing within the mind of man.

Discernment is a skill that is perfected through practice. Discernment tunes in to a pitch that is beyond the communication of mind and informs mind of the source based on its pitch.

Once the source of communication has been identified, true communication is known. This is the height of knowing within the mind of man.

~From our Holy Spirit

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.

Please read and contemplate the following commentary in the same way that you read and contemplate the Thought of Awakening. The commentaries are designed to enrich your understanding of the Thoughts of Awakening.

~Commentary on Fear~

You fear the idea of surrender, because you see it as unknown. You see surrender as unknown, because you see it as a place without you.

Know that nothing could be further from the truth.

The mind that tells stories is not you, although it has captured your attention. The spirit that is calm is your truth, although you are afraid of looking there.

Go within the calm. Take time to recognize your Self there. Then when you return to the stories, they will have less meaning for you, because you will know you have been to the place of calm, and you were at home there.

~From our Holy Spirit

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.

Please read and contemplate the following commentary in the same way that you read and contemplate the Thought of Awakening. The commentaries are designed to enrich your understanding of the Thoughts of Awakening.

~Commentary on Calm~

Fear is a voice that has had your attention because you have believed it has something to give. You listened to fear, and thoughts of fear, because you believed they spoke of your own best interests.

Watch your mind when it is busy with fear and turmoil. Notice it believes your best interests are at heart.

Now turn your attention away from the thought (or fear) of your own best interests, and place your attention with your desire to know the all as one…to know the all as in harmony and in love.

Focus your mind and your heart and all of your attention on the desire to know the all as one harmonic whole. Seek nothing but this, and you are immersed within a confident peace that is calm.

~From our Holy Spirit

Note: The next tip will be available tomorrow morning after 3:50am ET at this link.