In NTI Acts, we learned about the first three phases of the spiritual path:
- The Search (NTI Acts 19)
- Purification (NTI Acts 20 & 21)
- 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:
- Questioning to discover the true cause of an upset
- 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.
