I love NTI James 1. There are several statements in this chapter that I remembered vigorously (with active mental strength) as I went through my awakening process. These statements helped when I felt tired, vulnerable, uncertain or afraid.

Here are the sentences and phrases that came up in my mind repeatedly for several years exactly when I needed them the most:

Trust in all things.

Whenever I noticed my mind spinning with a story of fear, I would whisper to it and say, “Trust in all things.” Now, trusting all things has replaced fear as a habit. I still do not know what will happen in the future, but I trust it, whatever it is. Therefore, I am happy and at peace.

Trust the healing process.

Sometimes the healing process feels extreme. Situations that arise seem really difficult. Emotions are strong. The mind’s stories are anything but helpful. Whenever this occurred, I remembered that everything is for my healing, and I chose to trust the healing process. That helped me to face everything with healing as my only purpose.

Trust your own mind; it will rest.

Sometimes the mind spins and spins and spins with a story, and it seems like it will never stop. When this happened to me, I remembered, “Trust your own mind; it will rest.” I visualized it as an old fashioned wind-up toy that was currently all wound up, and I knew that if I didn’t wind it up again by giving it my believing attention, it would eventually wind down and stop. I trusted that, and I waited in trust for the chatter to die down on its own.

Listen within, with true desire as your focus.

I knew that if I went within with any goal other than my spiritual aspiration as my focus, ego would advise me. It was not beneficial to go within while wanting people to respect me, while wanting my daughter to be nice to me, while wanting more money, and etcetera. Before going within to seek guidance, I always came into contact with my desire for awakening first. I made sure that was the only thing  I wanted. With awakening as my only purpose, I asked for guidance, and I knew what I received was from inner wisdom and could be trusted as such.

Use all things to practice the true desire of the Heart.

For several years, every situation from simplistic to complicated had one purpose for me; its purpose was my awakening. I felt like I was under the surface of the ocean, and my only goal was to get to the top where I could live in the fresh air. Now, I feel like I live life in the fresh air. I breathe easily and naturally. Life is joyous. However, occasionally I slip, briefly, under the water again. Hence, my purpose now is stabilization. I still use all things to practice the true desire of the Heart, but my spiritual aspiration has been updated. Instead of awakening, my current spiritual aspiration is to be awake now. For me, all situations are an opportunity to be awake now. For you, all situations are an opportunity to practice your current spiritual aspiration. That’s all anything is for.

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.

Like many of you, I used to receive incredible guidance as I wrote with inner wisdom during contemplation, but then I would walk away from my notebook, forget about the guidance and live my day from the mind and from my conditioning. This sentence from NTI James 1 reminded me to stay with the guidance that I received. Keep that mirror with me, and look at it throughout the day. By continually looking in the mirror—by reviewing guidance and actively practicing it—I knew I would come to know my Self.

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.

~Commentary on Awakening~

 As one travels the seeming spiritual path, one is awakened one realization at a time. Each realization is a precious Gift from the Seat of Knowledge given to one who has readied himself to receive it.

Realizations are like opening one’s eyes after a heavy night of sleep. If one is grateful for the realization, one will open his eyes more and focus his Heart on it. But if one allows the sleepiness of night to again overtake his heavy eye lids, the realization is lost for a time while the depth of slumber is again experienced and cherished.

Let each realization be a time of awakening. Stay with it and appreciate it until you have fully awakened to the Knowledge that has come knocking at your door.

~From our Holy Spirit

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

The error that is the ego is attaching life to manifestation and identifying with that. It is attaching life to a body, a mind, and a personality, and then feeling that you are that. When you make the mistake of pinning life down to a specific form and identifying with that form, you also see form as alive, as if the form is primary and life is both secondary and temporary. That’s why you believe in death.

In reality, life is primary and eternal. Every aspect of manifestation is temporary, shifting and changing. And you are life, not the temporary form that you experience now.

To let go of ego is to let go of identifying with a specific manifestation as you and to let go of seeing others as specific manifestations. It is to fully accept that manifestation comes and goes, and life is beyond all manifestations. Life is the source of all manifestations; it is the essence of all manifestations, and life is what you are, just as it is what everything is.

The purpose of today’s reading is to help you accept this truth. Admittedly, it is not the truth the ego wants to hear. The ego (identification with a specific form) wants to believe it is eternal, but that simply isn’t the truth, nor will it ever be the truth.

Read today’s reading slowly and contemplatively. I recommend taking notes again today. Taking notes will help you absorb today’s teaching. You can also review and further contemplate your notes, which will further aid in absorbing this important teaching.

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