Step Twenty-Two

Healing Presence by Bruce Harman

Step 22. I Am Surrounded By The Teachers Of God.

You are indeed surrounded by the teachers of God, who have undertaken a training in many ways similar to the one you are doing now. Though given in many different forms, in different eras, in different worlds, a very similar kind of training was given to them that was geared wisely to their former state of mind and circumstances in life.

Today, in two 15-minute practice periods, feel the presence of the Teachers of God. You cannot yet see them with your eyes, and you cannot yet hear them with your ears because these faculties of sense have not been refined sufficiently yet, but you can feel their presence, for their presence surrounds and protects you. In your practice, let not other thoughts interfere. Do not give in to doubt or confusion, for you must prepare to have the reward that you seek, and you must know that you are not alone in the world to have the strength, the confidence and the resource of Wisdom necessary to achieve that which you were sent here to achieve.

You are surrounded by the teachers of God. They are here to love, support and direct you.

Practice 22: Two 15-minute practice periods.

Here you will find the entire book free for download http://stepstoknowledge.com/

Here you will find pointers for getting started if this is your first encounter with this practice: Taking the Steps to Knowledge.

November 25-26, 2012 Round One: Faith is certainly the key here for me. As far back as I can remember, I have always believed in angels, in a benevolent power looking after me, and even hoped there was a personal angel just for me. I can visualize this presence, these Teachers of God, when I meditate, and even feel their love, but unfortunately, even here, doubt creeps in. Am I not just believing what I want to believe (Step 5)?

My mind is an amazing thing, I can convince myself of anything I want, but is this the Truth?

I just copied and pasted the Rays of Initiation text to my files and will study it.

The Power and Presence, the Angelic Presence, the Angelic Assembly - I am wondering if these are all the same as the Teachers of God? I have been reading and rereading the Rays of Initiation. My first reaction was that I feel I am missing some vital point, I am not ready, I am still asleep, and this was a very humbling thing to feel.

Then I wondered "How can this be?" since I have had many "awakening" experiences, although not born of despair and frustration, but rather from seeking for something more real, more authentic, more permanent and more essential - that has certainly been my experience in the past. Until I moved to Russia - now all those things I sought are present in my life. So I am wondering, did I respond to my greater calling, greater purpose back then, before I was conscious of all that is presented in the New Message? And now I am living my real life, the life I was destined to live at this time. Or am I indeed missing some vital point?

I am thinking that it must be possible for people to respond to their greater calling unconsciously.

July 21, 2014 Round Two: I tend to like to visualize things and want to see the teachers of God in forms I can identify with (hence the picture I chose to illustrate this Step). However, I understand that this is only a convenient way for my mind to give some form and shape to what is unseen.

Out in the woods during the first practice, I felt this presence as a light that both penetrates and surrounds. It is benevolent and caring. I do feel as though I am protected and not alone in the world. I feel as though I receive support and kindness from some deeper source within me.

Second practice – I am moving away from the idea that was with me the first time I did Steps of having some personal guide or guardian angel just for me. Although there may be some benevolent spirit or spirits who are closer to me than others, I am beginning to embrace a more expansive concept of my individual self/soul being a part of the whole. Given this, how can I not have the support of something greater than myself? It stands to reason that if I am not separate, not apart from life, then I have the immensity of the whole at my fingertips, metaphorically speaking.

I accept that the teachers of God love, support, and direct me.

July 9, 2018 Round Three: The Teachers of God have been through a similar training geared to meet their particular former circumstances. I can feel their presence, even though I cannot see them or hear them. I am not to conjure up images of them. They show me that I am not alone in the world and have the strength, confidence and resource of wisdom necessary to achieve what I have been sent here to achieve.

First 15-min practice - 5.08-5.23. Out in the greenhouse, sitting on the bench. It was quiet and warm. Yesterday’s rain has given way to today’s coolness and overcast skies. I crept about so as not to rouse Volodya. I can always feel the presence of my Teachers when I make the conscious effort. I no longer see specific images for I feel these are false and imposed on my mind by other forces. I feel a benevolent presence, an energy, light, and ethereal forms with no outlines or shape come to mind. Like ghosts. Sometimes unsavory forms appear but I banish them, saying, only entities from the Christ-consciousness are allowed in my space. I would say I was moderately successful with my practice this morning.

Second 15-min practice - 20.56 - 21.11. Lying in bed. Sasha distracted me. He didn’t know I was meditating, so no wonder, but I find it amusing that he always seems to interrupt and need my attention right at the wrong time. Other times he is totally oblivious to me. I feel the presence of my Teachers at all times.