A Course In Miracles (ACIM) has 365 exercises. I did those in 1988, benefited from the course, and still consider myself a student. Compared to ACIM, the "Steps" are simply worded. The intent is "experience." An ACIM reader will recognize concepts. Steps leads one to engagement in the world - not minimizing it as an illusion.
In this respect, "Steps" logically carries forward from The Urantia Book which ends with an emphasis on the life of Jesus as an example of how humans could live, but doesn't provide direction. I've been a reader since 1982.
Steps to Knowledge is a method for self-development. It is a way to find your small part and contribute to the world. I completed the Steps 7/16/00 - took a month off and began them again, now at Step 128 (12/25/00). It encourages one to be a beginning student, regardless of age or prior work.
The exercises normally contain two 30 minute meditation sessions of stillness and silence. The books say the precepts of Knowledge are resident in earth's religions and this teaching comes for this time. Meditation is the key practice, one used for human spirituality for thousands of years. Psalm 46 says "Be still, and know that I am God." I have been a student of the Bible since childhood. I've also studied other traditions, including Native American spirituality.
All of the human races have biological unity, as recently proved by DNA analysis. It is cultural imprints which divide us, making humanity vulnerable to exploitation by the short-sighted and greedy among us, as well as external forces. It is for these reasons that humanity needs to act on this and similar teachings which empower humanity to care for our local planet habitat and integrate the cultural flavors of our evolving human spirituality. Each culture's vision of heaven reflects that culture. The symbols are different, but the heaven is one.
The earth is flooded with messages at this time. There are many creation stories, with little commonality among them. Knowledge (Holy Spirit) is a integrative path for earth, the local planet for humanity.
Peace Dynamic
Tom
Rating: 5 out of 5
How to Find the Answers from Within
What I find most inspiring and important about this Teaching is the emphasis on achieving stillness....The ability to listen to the wisdom that is within each of us has been a very profound realization. I knew that I could not find answers from without. But until I began doing Steps,I didn't know how to find the answers from within.