Today’s reading is full of helpful pointers.
Prayer
Prayer is typically defined as a request for something or an expression of gratitude for something. NTI says that prayer is the unceasing act of thought. In other words, through our thinking we are constantly asking for things or expressing gratitude for things. (And remember, what we are grateful for increases.)
As an example, let’s pretend that I worry about money a lot. Worry is a low vibrational option. By focusing on a low vibration (worry), I am praying for a low vibration experience.
As far as experience goes, it would be much better to trust that all is well, regardless of the current appearance.
However, today’s teaching in NTI reaches even higher than that. Today’s teaching says that with each thought I am praying for nothing or everything. NTI would define any experience that reinforces the idea that I am a person as “nothing,” because it reinforces the untrue.
Today’s reading recommends praying for everything by laying personal thinking aside and contemplating the Holy Spirit’s thoughts. The Holy Spirit’s thoughts are really ways of being. Specifically, those ways of being are:
Forgiveness – Watching one’s self to notice the current vibration of thought. Letting go of low vibration thinking.
Love – In this case, love is a childlike trust and innocence (opposite of the I-know mind), coupled with following intuitive guidance unquestionably.
Acceptance – Content with what is as it is without seeking more or different.
Gratitude – Specifically, gratitude for being. Paying attention to awareness because one wants to pay attention to awareness is an example of gratitude.
Rejoicing – Causeless happiness, happiness for being. This is the pinnacle of acceptance and gratitude.
The Extension of Love
Today’s reading says, “Your Father is the extension of Love.” In this context, love is defined as life-awareness, which is the First Principle of God. When NTI says that our Father is the extension of Love, it means that life-awareness is the only present reality.
We are asked to see anything that isn’t love (life-awareness) as meaningless and valueless. Since everything is life-awareness in reality, what isn’t life-awareness?
Mental interpretation isn’t life-awareness. We are to see mental interpretation as meaningless and valueless.
In other words, ego-judgment is meaningless and valueless. Worry is meaningless and valueless. Desire (seeking more) is meaningless and valueless. Condemning one’s self is meaningless and valueless. Regretting the past is meaningless and valueless. Jealousy and envy are meaningless and valueless. And etcetera.
Resistance
NTI defines resistance as “nothing more than your desire to keep things the same.” Resistance is the attraction to one’s current vibrational level, whatever that vibration level is. It comes from the mental idea that the known is safer than the unknown.
Today’s reading will list ways that we unknowingly listen to resistance and maintain our current vibrational level. Pay close attention to that list. It might be helpful to take notes as you read the list. Write down specific examples of how you’ve listened to resistance recently without realizing it. For example, when you read, “[Resistance] gives you things to do that must be done if you are to be seen as worthy by the outside world,” a person might write a list of things s/he does in order to avoid being judged by others.
Taking the time to make this list specific to you is helpful, because it will help you see all the ways you are maintaining your current vibrational level. After making the list, it’s helpful to ask inner intuition, “What do you want to say to me now that I’ve seen this?”
Safety and Security
Everyone desires safety and security. No reasonable and loving spiritual teacher would ever encourage anyone to take an action that would put him/her at risk. (Unfortunately, “magical” spiritual thinking does put people at risk. A good spiritual teacher will discourage “magical” spiritual thinking. Examples of magical spiritual thinking include not going to the doctor when something appears wrong with the body, driving the car with one’s eyes closed, not taking wise precautions with wildlife, and etcetera.)
At the same time, the vast majority of thinking about safety and security is ego, and its only real purpose is to maintain the ego. One who listens to ego’s thinking about safety and security may manage a temporary sense of security through listening to that thinking, but since the ego is a problem-solution mechanism, that sense of security will not last. Even if one attains great financial wealth, which was the ego’s plan for safety and security, one will worry about maintaining that wealth or will start to worry about other types of security such as health, beauty, power, popularity or belonging.
There is no lasting security with the ego. The only way to reach a permanent sense of security is awakening to reality.
What is it for?
Today’s reading encourages us to ask, “What is it for?” whenever we use time for anything. The question is a tool for discernment, not self-condemnation. We may ask, “What is it for?” and find an egoic reason driving what we are doing. Then, we might change what we are doing or we might simply adjust our reasoning.
For example, I just got back from 5 days alone in La Veta. Let’s imagine I got there in my little cabin and then asked, “What is this for?” Let’s imagine that I noticed I wanted to escape my busy lifestyle. I sensed a judgment and a need for things to be different in my desire to escape. I realized ego brought me to the cabin.
After seeing this, I could then ask, “What do I really want?” That question will realign my intention with my heart. I would realize that I want to embrace my life as it is and let go of thinking that judges my life as unsatisfactory. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean I need to leave the cabin. With clarity, I then ask for current moment guidance, and I follow that, whatever it is.
Sometimes we may be guided to change what we are doing if ego drove us to do it. Other times, we may be guided to change the reason for doing what we are doing. If one asks for clarity and guidance with self-honesty and with awakening as his/her purpose, one can trust the outcome of asking, “What is this for?” and “What do I want?”
