Facing Great Change in the World | Revelation Broadcast Event

This has been a really big week for us. And when I say us, I mean Marshall, Reed, myself. And so with that said, we would love it if you could carry us tonight, so to speak, carry us with your sense of inspiration, your determination. Do you know what I’m saying? That’s what we’re calling for and that’s what we need and that’s what you can do for us. 

This is an important time. Marshall is with us. The New Message Revelation has largely been given. We have found it. Each one of us took a mysterious journey following some kind of an invisible light, so to speak. And we found the New Message and Marshall in his time.

The Great Waves are striking, they’re striking the world, even as we gather together now. The world is emerging into the Greater Community. Our world is undergoing intervention and colonization from forces from beyond. We’re taking advantage of the opportunity of this time. This is why Steps to Knowledge has been sent, to call forth Knowledge in us and all of humanity. It’s a pathway, a pathway of preparation. Humanity is being called. We’re being called. So thank you for responding. Knowledge is needed in the world. It’s needed in our lives. It’s needed in the lives of people all over the world. They need this deeper Intelligence that they have been carrying their entire lives. They need this. They need this. So thank you for being here with Marshall, with The Society, with each other. It’s wonderful. We’re grateful. 

Reed: Thank you all those who are up in the middle of the night right now. I can see you huddled in the dark. Thank you for being up and a part of this. I know that’s challenging, so we recognize that. Thank you for your intention, like Patricia said, and we need to receive from you, and you need to receive from each other. And all of you have something to give at the level of your intention, your wisdom gained, your conviction gained, your practices being done; so let’s contribute. Please bring what you have, bring who you are, bring where you are, into this environment, and contribute that tonight so that we can all leave stronger.

We’ve been on a multi-week journey starting on Night 1, May 26th, the opening Night. Each Night, some major wisdom being shared by Marshall, some by Patricia and I, and some by all of you: getting started with practice, the problem with problems, what takes you to Knowledge; and then two nights ago, the pathway. And tonight we’re just going to be with all of this, you know, be with what we’ve received and what stands out to us as important to us and what we might carry forward into remainder of the year, and how we can all get a little bit more centered, a little bit more well, a little bit more grounded in Knowledge over the next few months, as this Covid situation begins or continues to mutate and become more challenging, potentially.

So there are hard months ahead. So what would we do now? And what would we take forward from this Vigil that might help us? That’s our purpose tonight. 

And even before the Vigil began, we did a lot on skills for life in a new world, and then the necessary ingredients for practice—to begin, to continue and to undertake it. So we’ve been in this environment centered on skill building, on practice, on the tools that we will need to be successful in a more challenging world. And I think we all know what that is now starting to feel like, a challenging world at a mental environment level, physical environment level. So it’s a lot.

But tonight we’re going to step back. We’re gonna practice with Marshall, something we haven’t done yet in the Vigil, and something we typically, that’s really something the Vigil is centered around, a meditation practice each Night. So for the first time in the Vigil, Marshall’s going to guide us and be with us as we practice stillness with him.

Marshall: Welcome everyone. I’m happy that we can share this together. It’s so important for all of us within ourselves and between us, and even creating the mental environment together, something that’s very mysterious and yet creates power there. So our practice in stillness is just being present. You can use anything to still the mind: your breath—I use my breath—you can use a thought or an image, you can gaze, you can close your eyes. There’s various ways to do this.

So I invite you to take this time to practice stillness with me so that we can be together in this greater dimension that lives within us and beyond us and throughout the universe. So let’s take this time, about twenty minutes, to practice stillness together. You can read your Step first, if you’d like; that would be a good thing to do. If you’re not practicing Steps, you could just begin to practice stillness. And it’s all about being present to your deeper experience and allowing the mind to settle down. Good. Let us begin.

[stillness practice]

Feeling the Presence, the Presence within us, the Presence surrounding us. It’s always available to us if we could be still in the Presence, ourselves present to the Presence. It’s never far away. And we can only be far away in our own thoughts and distractions. But it’s ever-present, always with us, in our journey, here on Earth. Nasi Novare Coram.

RS: Thank you, Marshall. It’s good to practice together.

PS: Oh good. We’d like to hear from a couple of students speaking about their experiences of engaging with Steps to Knowledge. So we’ll prepare for that now. 

RS: Okay, thank you. We have Ben, I think from South Africa, right? Great, Ben, thank you for sending in your testimonial. And just be a second to bring that up.

Ben: Hello. My name is Ben. I’ve been doing the Steps for over a year. About a month ago, I started round two. And also about a month ago I started translating the New Message into Afrikaans. I live here in Cape Town, South Africa. And the Step that I want to share with you guys today is number 26 from the book: My errors give birth to my Knowledge. And I chose this one because I…My errors used to weigh very heavily on me. They used to give me a lot of pain. But now from learning that I can use my errors and make something good out of them, that has improved my life so much and it’s taken that pain away from me and I feel like a freer person because of it. Let me read this to you now.

It is pointless to justify error, but error can bring you to value truth, and in this it can lead to true Knowledge. This is it’s only possible value. We do not condone error, but if error occurs, We wish to make it serve your truest need so that you may learn from it and repeat it no more. It is not merely for you to forget your errors, for you cannot do that. It is not merely for you to justify your errors, for this will make you dishonest. It is not merely for you to look upon your errors as pure service to you, for they have indeed been painful. What this truly means is that you recognize that error is error and then you attempt to use it on your own behalf. The pain of error and the tribulation of error must be accepted, for this will teach you what is real and what is not, what to value and what not to value. Using your error for development means you have accepted the error, and now you are attempting to utilize it to derive value from it because until value is derived from error, it is error only and will be a source of pain and discomfort for you.

Today, in your 30-minute practice periods, look at specific errors that you have made that have been very painful. Do not try to dismiss the pain of them, but see how in your current circumstances in life you can use them for your own benefit. Using errors in this way can show you what you need to do and what corrections or adjustments need to be made to enhance the quality of your life. Remember that any resolution to error always engenders true recognition and true discernment in relationship.

In your practice periods review the errors that come to mind as you sit quietly alone, and then see how each one can be utilized to your current benefit. What needs to be learned from them? What must be done that was not done before? What must not be done that was done before? How can these errors be recognized in advance? What were the signs that preceded them and how can such signs be recognized in advance of error in the future?

Use these practice periods for this introspective process and when you are done, do not speak of the results to any other person, but allow the investigation to continue naturally, as it naturally will.

Thank you.

PS: Thank you Ben.

RS: Okay, we have a testimonial from Heather from Montreal.

Heather: Hi everybody. My name is Heather, and I’ve been a student of Knowledge for two years. I’ve been a seeker all my life. Probably when I look back now, I realize I was a spiritual seeker all my life, feeling lost, wondering where am I? What am I? What am I supposed to be doing? Feeling a little very alone and sometimes even alien, like what am I doing here? Trying to find my way. I tried dozens of things. I had many, many efforts to to figure out what it was that I was meant to be doing on this planet. I studied religions and tried many careers. I went through relationship crises over and over again. I took up causes, big causes and little causes; traveled a lot. And when I look back, I just can’t imagine where I got all the energy to do all those things. I was really constantly restless and it was exhausting. Just about when I was thinking of just forgetting about it all and stopping it all, I came across the New Message and Marshall Vian Somers, and I’ve been a student—a very grateful student—of Knowledge ever since. And I’ve been studying the steps to Knowledge and working the Steps to Knowledge. I’m on my second round go round now. And my…the Step that just popped out to me this morning is Step 38: God knows the way to Knowledge. And I would like to read a little bit of that to you today. 

God knows the way to Knowledge. How can you find your way when you are lost? How can you know certainty when you value the temporary so greatly? How can you know the power of your own life when you are so intimidated by threats of loss and destruction? Life is kind to you, for it offers not only the reward but the way to the reward. If it were left up to you, it would be cruel indeed, for you would have to attempt every single possibility that you could conceive of, and then you would have the possibilities that others have conceived of and even the opportunities to reach Knowledge that others have used successfully but which may not in fact work well for you. In your brief span of time in the world, how can you accomplish all of these and still maintain your vitality? How can you maintain your encouragement for Knowledge when so many ways will disappoint you?

Take faith today in knowing that God knows the way to Knowledge, and you need only follow the way that is being given. In this way, Knowledge simply emerges in you because it is acknowledged, for only God knows Knowledge in you, and only Knowledge in you knows God. As the two resonate together, they both become more apparent. In this, you find peace.

Nasi Novare Coram

PS: Thank you Heather. Beautiful.

RS: Yeah, Ben and Heather, thank you for bringing forward what you’re working with and your journey thus far and…

PS: Really.

RS: …how it’s how it’s helped you and led to change. I think that’s inspiring to see real change happen as a result of this. Good to know you both. Wonderful. 

Well, we’re going to go into small groups now. And I have a very simple question to give to you. And I’m going to leave it on screen for a minute or two before you go into your groups just so you can get a good look at it. It’s simply:

What has come up for you during this Vigil that you would like to stay with as you go forward? 

Maybe it’s something inspiring. Maybe it’s something disturbing. Maybe it’s something grounding. Maybe it’s something to do with change and less stability. It can be anything. I think it would be very great for all of us just to hear what’s come up for us. And we’ll have a little open floor afterwards where you can share what you heard from others, or what you shared to others in your group. We’ll have 30 minutes for these groups. If you are having issues as a moderator with audio, please reach out immediately to Robert, Alison or Roberto, I believe. And we can get the folks in your room into another room that has good audio, so continuing to work out bugs. But I think it’s been going pretty well. So with that, we’ll see you back here in the main room in 30 minutes. 

[Breakout groups convene.]

Okay, welcome everyone. I’ve got a pull up, just to see how this worked for you, continuing to work out the bugs here. I do want to say if you are having audio issues getting into a group and others can’t hear you, I recommend dropping out of the Zoom and calling in from a phone on a phone line and then we’ll bring you back to your group. But I heard from a few groups there were some audio challenges, so we’ll just keep refining this. So I’ll leave that up for the next couple minutes. 

But we wanted to open up the floor and see what came up for you, if there’s anything you’d like to contribute or a need or issue or challenge that you think others might have that you would like to bring into the space. The floor is open. You can raise your hand in Zoom and that is the order in which we will go. So please raise your hand if you’d like to share what came up in your group or what’s up for you in general, being a part of this Vigil. Looks like we have Nassim has raised his hand. 

Nassim: Yeah, yeah.

RS: Go ahead, Nassim. Yes, we can hear you.

Nassim: Yeah? Okay, my case, for me the most important message in this Vigil was the pathway. The last Monday we talk about the pathway, especially the part in the unburdening. We have too much-filled space in my house with possessions, in my mind when I think about the past, thinking about the past, about the future [unclear]. And these things that keep me from going forward, certainly, in Steps Knowledge. 

In the book of the Wisdom of the Greater Community, in the second book, one thing that inspired me a lot was the part that called about the purpose, the most important question that you can do in your life: What is my purpose? And the answer is, you need to look at the world. You need to look at the necessities of the world. What necessity calls you to go and engage with the world it was inspired me. 

RS: Mm-hmm. That’s what’s calling you, Nassim, is the necessity that arises from engaging in the world? Did I hear that correctly?

Nassim: Yeah, yeah.

RS: Yeah. It’s like the world is calling and part of us would respond to that call or that message from the world. But if our lives have too much, you know, too much going on, too much stimulation, possessions, you can’t…it’s almost like the response is happening, but it’s muffled. It’s like happening from deep, deep, deep within and it can’t get out.

Nassim: Sometimes, yes. 

RS: Thank you. Where’re you? Where are you in the world, Nassim? 

Nassim: In South America. Argentina.

RS: Argentina? Okay, yeah, wonderful. We were down there last year. Didn’t make it Argentina, but good to meet you. Thank you. 

RS: We have Nestor. You’ve raised your hand. Go ahead, Nestor. 

Nestor: Thank you, thank you. Okay, so we’re in South America and I’m in Colombia. So we’re staying in the continent. Okay, so the thing that has stayed with me during the Vigil is that because I’m not a spring chicken anymore I had the rush to do more than one Step at a time because I felt that I was running out of time. And I realize that I have to learn how to walk before I can fly. And this is the thing that I have…I think it’s going to stay with me because I realize that this is not just the only place where I am going to be with Knowledge in this planet and in this particular environment. I imagine that I will have been here before elsewhere in the community. So I will, even though I might pass on this life, I will continue to Knowledge. So this is the thing that stays with me from the Vigil. Thank you.

RS: Okay, Nestor.

PS: Thank you.

RS: Okay, we have Tom. Go ahead Tom.

Tom: Hi there. One thing that came up with a few people in our breakout group was just how much we all seem to appreciate seeing everybody’s faces here and really feeling the Community of feeling a lot more connected. And that was something in the Vigil that’s been…come up to me for me is how, yeah, I want to be more connected. And actually I had an idea, and I, you know, I don’t know how it would work, but the idea would be, you know, how would this work in a Campfire Chat scenario? I think that would be quite remarkable if we, I don’t know, if we could apply this kind of thing like breakout groups for a Campfire Chat.

RS: Mm-hmm.

Tom: Anyway, that’s just a thought.

RS: Okay, we do have some ideas underway to use this more on an ongoing way, so not just once a year. But I know for Marshall, Marshall’s releasing certain revelations that are very important. And it would be very special if we gathered this way to listen to that revelation and then just have an open floor together or a breakout group together. And so that’s one idea that’s been out last few weeks. But yeah Tom, I know. It’s a response you have, right, just to seeing everyone’s faces, and there they are and we’re all in whatever state were in, right, discouraged, exhausted, alone and then, boom, there’s this wall of people facing you. It’s like that Secret [Secrets of Heaven; cf. Secret 46] that says something like if you only knew how many knew of you and were connected to you, and yet you have hundreds or thousands. It’s a little moment of that. 

Usuario, if I’m pronouncing your name correctly, feel free to open your microphone.

Usuario: Hello, can you hear me?

RS: Yes, how do I pronounce your name? 

Usuario: It’s not my name. It’s like user in English, it’s a standard nickname. The question is what I stay with this Vigil two things basically. One is the analogy of the hospital that Marshall said. You know, in this quarantine I was moved; I was renting a house. And someone in the meantime entered to my house and robbed. They take an important amount of material things. And I only have to remember this and this analogy of the hospital that there is many, many different states of mind and necessities out there. And well, it is what it is. 

And the other thing is completely different about what Marshall said the last Vigil two nights ago: the question that of our Spiritual Family asks us when you return. And this question was not if you were happy here, rather than if you did what you had to do. Those, these two things are what I will keep for myself from these nights.

MVS: That’s good, Usario.

RS: Where in the world are you, Usario, if you wouldn’t mind?

Usuario: Also in Argentina, in Buenos Aires.

RS: Good. Okay, David. 

David: Hello Reed. The thing that I wanted to share that I’m taking from this Vigil is that the worst mistake I could make in my life would be to stop moving. (There’s some noise outside.) The worst mistake I could make would be to stop moving just because, you know, to think that, you know, if I’m comfortable and that’s enough I think would be such a big loss for the world because this Vigil has taught me that each person has just so much strength inside of them. And I’m never going to quit on myself. I’m going to continue to push myself to see what’s around the corner. I think that’s really important just to have that mindset. And I really appreciate you guys.

RS: Yeah, we’re keeping on and so are you. 

PS: Thank you David. There just seems to be a natural pressure that begins to build and has to do with lack of movement or something that we need to do or to realize or to take on. So to pay…I know that’s been a consistent thing I’ve had to pay attention to is a sense of pressure. 

RS: And I think someone very famous said this—I want to say Winston Churchill—but “When you find yourself in hell, keep walking.” So if we are at the gates of hell or 100 yards in or halfway through Death Valley, keep walking. You know, don’t stop in the middle of Death Valley and don’t try to go back. I’ve never been to Death Valley, but I’m assuming that holds true there. Rudy’s giving me a nod—yes, it does. Yeah, got to keep going 

You know, I think it’s good to take note of the ways we start to stop moving. We start to check out on the process of moving that we have been involved in probably for years. So whether that’s distractions, whether that’s moods and states of mind, addictions, depressive tendencies, it’s…that is natural in a state of overwhelm. You start to want to numb yourself to the world or to how you’re feeling or to what the next step is because it’s so big. So it’s just to be just checking in. 

You know, this is what it means to drive a vehicle, right? You’re always panning the mirrors; you’re looking at your speed; you’re looking at the road around. You’re aware of what’s happening to your vehicle as you go down the highway. So just checking in weekly, how am I doing? What’s the trendline? Is it trending down on me all of a sudden? Can I flatten that out? And then the next week, can I uptick that? And just keep yourself flat or rising, right, instead of week by week, you’re falling, falling, falling, falling. But you’re not aware you’re falling, you know? 

So it’s just really important, I think, to be aware of our tendencies in a state of overwhelm, you know, and just to see where we’re going in that up or down because you can only go up, down or hold, you know? Those are the options. Yeah.

Roxane, I see you have your hand raised. Feel free to open your mic.

Roxane: Hello? Hello. Thank you. There’s something that came up before you said something pray harder when it’s the hardest to pray also. It just came up as well. But that’s not what I wanted to say. For me, it’s been like the Vigil has been addressing things that I’ve been in sort of the back of my mind, or in this place that I wouldn’t think consciously about certain things, but I would know they are something that is occurring in the world and in myself, or certain problems or certain…yeah. And it was very amazing because it seemed to really back the experience I am currently having in my practice. And so it was at the same time very overwhelming emotionally because it was just confirming I feel like sometimes I can know something. But having another student or Marshall saying something about it and it just becomes a hundred times true, when before I don’t trust myself, I don’t know. But it’s just yeah, and it came on the front, like right in front of my face. And I feel very energized and even quite shocked that it’s a miracle for me. And so I’m very, very thankful and…yeah. 

RS: Thank you, Roxane. It’s good that you’re that energized in the middle of the night in France. Paris, right? 

Roxane: I jetlagged myself for the whole Vigil.

RS: Right, right, hopefully, you’re getting some sleep at some point. That’s good. Well, you know, we all have…like we’re all bearing seeds, you know, seeds within us of truth and insight and realization. And it takes a little bit of water and light and the right environment, and then the seed comes out, you know. But like the forest bears all these seeds, and it sometimes takes a forest fire for some of those seeds to become activated and nothing else will do it—rain, wind, forest fire, light. So hopefully these gatherings provide a little bit of all of that. So good, good to hear. Thank you. 

RS: Eric, go ahead and open your mic when you’re ready. I think we lost you, Eric. Yeah, feel free to raise your hand again if you’d like. John, your hand is raised.

Roberto: I think Eric is unmuted, but his audio doesn’t seem to be working.

PS: Okay, good, thanks Roberto.

RS: Go ahead John.

John: I would say the Vigil…that this is my first vigil and I’d say that you know, my mood and my overall well-being has been up and down, probably at a down part right now. I have a very addictive personality and I would say every three months I cave. But you know, I have this feeling in me that, you know, you can’t go back. There’s no going back. The Presence will leave you. And for some reason, that’s…it’s more frightening. And I also have this feeling in me that you have something important to do, like, you know, it’s specific to you and it’s important. Its timing is crucial. You can’t waste time. So you know, it’s what keeps me going is that the longer I’ve been doing this, the more confidence I have in those down moments where I’m really low and very lonely and exhausted that you just have to keep going. And I know I appreciate listening to other people here and listening to their stories and people from Africa—people from South Africa. Some of the testimonies that come in, I think the other session I really enjoyed the one from the Middle East and the girl from South Africa. So yeah, everyone here has their story and it’s a good community and it’s good. I think people set a good example. So thank you very much.

PS: Oh, thank you John.

RS: We’re here for you, John, and for each other. You know, we’re all going through a lot. And we’re all in dramatically different circumstances, like you said you know, from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, in the US, in Europe at all levels of, you know, challenge, so…And it’s going to get harder so we have to be compassionate with ourselves and know that we’re all walking through the valley, whatever that valley is for us, you know: hot valley, cold valley, populated valley, isolated valley. So it’s an experience. And you know, you’re not alone in that. We all have our ups and downs. And this is not a walk in the park, you know, this endeavor to be a student of Knowledge in the world of Separation that has shaped us. I mean, we grew up in the world of Separation before, long before, decades before we were ever a student of Knowledge. So the nature of the challenge is such that it’s good to be compassionate and have lower expectations with ourselves, but keep coming back; keep getting up.

PS: It’s really something to become a little acquainted with each other and each other’s journeys and to know that we each are out-picturing what this looks like in a very unique way and just imagine the thousands of people coming. They’re walking that road now, many of them alone. When they arrive finally, they could be like we were, in pretty tough shape for the journey. Right? Yeah. I know—long journey as many of us have spoken of. So thank you so much for bringing forth what it’s been like for you to make it to this point, to this meeting point. Yeah. 

RS: Yes, sometimes I think how I look out in the world and I know I get a sense of what people are going through: deep trauma, tremendous conflict internally or in relationship, war conflict, addiction, physical violation. It’s all happening out there. And I think the New Message is meant to welcome all, everyone in every one of those situations. I think the New Message will be almost a microcosm of the whole world eventually. And so we need to welcome each other coming in from every doorway, you know, in life. Every door is a different door and the hallways lead to the center, but it’s a different journey in. Yeah. 

Paul, your hand is raised. Go ahead; just go ahead and unmute yourself Paul if you’re able. I know you, I think you were having audio issues before. We will ask to unmute you and if it’s not gonna work. Okay, we’ll move on Paul. Eric? 

Paul: Can you guys hear me?

RS: Yes. Sounds good.

Paul: Excellent, great. I was having some issues, but now I’ve changed computers. So I’d like to talk about the revelation, Exercising Your Authority, that came over. And that was key for me. So taking a back step, being in the right place, the right people, doing the right work. I can definitely say I need to improve all of those. And I’m going through a stage of unburdening and rebuilding the foundation. I think this revelation Exercising Your Authority with Knowledge is key because you really have to take charge and take control with Knowledge with your circumstances or else they won’t change. So that, I think that idea of just you’ve got to take control and you got to move on, it’s up to you has really made a big difference for me, so where I am right now. 

RS: Thanks Paul. I’m curious if others, if you’ve had a chance to read that revelation. Maybe you can put your hand up or something that visually tells us: Yes, I read Exercising Your Authority. Okay, good. Maybe a third of those on my screen right now. But yeah, I mean talk about the empowerment to do whatever’s next. And I’m curious to hear how that goes for you, you know, the experiences identifying a step, a need and doing it with your authority. 

PS: Wow. Should I read a couple of passages from it? Okay. This was received in 1995 by Marshall. That was five years after our getting to Boulder. And we were well on our way with regard to getting into position for this blizzard of Revelation to come to Marshall. You know, Steps To Knowledge had come six years before, approximately. And with it, I don’t know how many other books right within the timeframe that Steps was received. So this is what this revelation is saying: 

The Creator has given you authority over the affairs of your life. This authority extends to what you think and to what you do, to your decision-making and to the results of these decisions.

The Creator has empowered you to become the captain of your own ship. Within this sphere of responsibility, you are encouraged to exercise your authority and to learn how to manage your thinking and affairs with wisdom.

The Creator knew that you could not do this on your own without Divine guidance within you, so the Creator has given you Knowledge—the greater Mind within you, a Mind which dwells beyond the reach of your intellect, beyond your grasp, but not beyond your experience. This is the greatest of all endowments, and this is the source of your authority.

 And then one more, one more verse. 

The Creator gave you this power so that you could learn to become strong and responsible, and so that you could find the road to union within yourself and the means for uniting with others. [from the published text]

Marshall…

MVS: This reminds me that we have to learn to be flexible enough to relinquish authority at certain moments in our life and other times to exert authority. Certainly, we have our own realm of our personal life and affairs within which we are given authority. But regarding the greater work that’s drawing us, and that calls to us, we have to give over authority because we’re doing something with God. And you know, the basis of any meaningful relationship is what you can do together. This has nothing to do with romance and all the allurements that are attached to that; it’s really what you can do together. 

So our relationship with Knowledge is based on what we can do together. Your relationship with God is based on what you can do together. God gives you authority over your affairs, yet God has authority over your direction. So the authority is shared, you see, at different levels. And this is very confusing for people because they think either they have to take charge of everything or they just give up all authority and let God guide them. And that’s not going to work. God doesn’t want to guide your life. God wants you in the driver’s seat. But God will be in the backseat whispering in your ear when you need a little direction or need to stop or turn or accelerate or slow down or maybe go get some fuel for your tank.

So we’re in a dynamic now that is not just our personal dynamic. We’re actually beginning to work in a relationship with a Higher Authority. And we can’t give our power over the High Authority. But we also can’t claim the power of the High Authority because we each have our own domains of responsibility. 

So you are responsible for your thoughts and your actions and the consequences of your actions. But who you are and what sent you into the world and what you’re here to do, that’s part of something bigger. And so for this, you must learn to follow and have confidence that the journey has many steps, and certainly day to day, you won’t really understand the journey. Sometimes you’ll gain a vision of it or have a sight of it, and then you lose sight of it. It’s like the distant mountain out there and you see it at certain high points. And then, of course, you descend into the forest and you don’t see it anymore. And you journey a long time in that forest through valleys and over small hills and you don’t see the mountain and then all of a sudden, there it is again a little bit closer.

So you take the steps. And the steps are really important because the journey is what shapes and refines you. It’s almost like everything that isn’t you begins to fall away; either consciously you give it up or it just leaves you. And that sense of things leaving you is, I think, very important. But day to day, you know, we can’t put it all together and have it all make sense because we’re now working in concert with Higher Powers, and we only can see parts of it that are our parts, and not necessarily the bigger parts.

And sometimes you feel very strongly about where you’re going in life and sometimes you’re really confused. But you’re still going. So the New Message says if you keep taking the Steps, you get up the mountain. If you stop and try to control or understand, then you don’t make progress because you’re only going to see certain things in climbing a mountain that’s going to give you the panorama. In fact, you have to get pretty far up the mountain to really see the panorama, still down in the trees, still down in the forest. So there are days to take control; there are days to relinquish control, depending on what you’re focusing on. Certainly your personal daily affairs, that’s your responsibility. God is not going to manage your life or tell you what to buy at the store. 

But the things that really matter in terms of your real destiny and who you choose to be with, the big decisions you make, that’s something that engages a Higher Power because that will affect your destiny. And the things that really will affect your destiny, that’s something you really have to call for help: “Please show me what I need to know about this situation.” 

Now, some people want to know the next step, but you know, your next step may be six months away because your next step has to do with other people’s next step. It’s part of a Greater Coordination. This is why you can’t see the big picture because it’s no longer just you anymore. It’s you in a Greater Coordination. And you’re being prepared to be in that Coordination part of that because that’s your destiny. Your destiny isn’t here just to be fulfilled as an individual. What does that mean? 

So there’s some days are diamonds and some days are stones. It’s actually a song with that title. So you keep moving forward and you remember: “My Teachers are with me. I must keep going forward.” And you will see things you have to give away and certain things will fall away and certain things you need to take on. And that way, you build that which must be built and you relinquish that that must be relinquished. It sounds simple but day-to-day it takes real confidence. You have to talk to yourself kind of the way that Steps talks to you; after a while, you have to start talking to yourself like that. The only way you can fail this is to quit. And even if you quit, at a certain point you can’t quit because at a certain point freedom is no choice. That’s mysterious. But someday it will make perfect sense to you. 

RS: This is the wisdom of mountain ascent if you prefer the mountain analogy; or the open ocean, sailing the open ocean if you prefer the sailing analogy. But what is it like when you’re actually going somewhere, right? It’s this. When do you take control, when do you let go of control—learning how to balance upon those points. And when to do this, when to do that. So…

PS: You know, I sit here and I have the opportunity, maybe you do too from where you are, you’re seeing so many faces on the screen. And you know, we’re the evidence of this emerging Worldwide Community. And the question is: “What are we doing together?” You know? “What are we doing together as part of this Great Coordination?” We actually are doing something together, you know? And it has to do with responding to Knowledge within our own lives and being an open ear for when we hear it emerging from other people or the need for it to move in other people’s lives—developing an eye for that. 

So we are part of a Greater Coordination, and there’s even a greater Coordination beyond that, beyond the visible, right? But that remains fairly mysterious, and perhaps it’s best that it does. I believe we are engaged in a Greater Coordination here. And that’s…after a long lonely road to get here, it’s sometimes disorienting, you know? You almost get accustomed to that long lonely road and now here you are.

RS: And what one thing that unites us in action is being able to receive actual guidance from Knowledge within us to do something, to go some way, to connect with some person. And in order for that to happen over time repeatedly such that a journey takes shape, we have to clear the way so the unburdening work, the undoing work, the foundation building work, the practices, the structure of our practice, managing the mind, our mental health and emotional wellness—all these components are really to support ultimately knowing and being guided by Knowledge specifically. And that is a lifelong process of learning how, how that is.

MVS: There’s a writer named James Howard Kunstler who had an interesting idea that really stuck with me. And that’s the psychology of previous investment, which is whether you know it or not, whether you have set a direction for yourself or it has been set for you by others or by circumstances, but you have a certain direction. And say that direction is going here, but where you really need to go is over here. So when you start to go through that turning point, it gets very confusing because you thought you were going over here but now you’re really not going over there. So there’s loss and apprehension, self-doubt. And you really don’t know where you’re going yet because you really haven’t turned the corner enough to see what that direction might be. And it’s a big corner. 

And part of the problem of psychology of previous investment is where your mind is wired up to do what you do, where you’re going, whatever direction you are in and have been in for some time, and something now is changing your course from the inside out—naturally. But it creates a lot of confusion. And you go through a period of prolonged confusion about what you’re doing. And there’s a sense of loss, apprehension, uncertainty; self-trust issues come up. Your own lack of confidence in yourself certainly arises, becomes an obstacle. But you are in essence in the process of turning a corner. 

And it’s a big corner. It’s not like you turn it in a day or a week or a month or a year. You’re turning incrementally because your life is like a ship that’s been going in one direction for a long time and you’re going to turn that ship to go in a different direction. And you’re being propelled both by Higher Powers and by Knowledge within to make this turn. But you have to make the decisions on a daily basis to keep turning because you’re in the driver’s seat. And God wants you in the driver’s seat.

So I just want to share this perspective because I’m hearing many of you and it’s…I can really relate to this sense of “I’m not going where I used to be going, but I’m not sure where I’m going now.” And that really, I think, reflects this great turning point that I’m talking about. The New Message has some teachings on the turning point, including a teaching called The Turning Point, which would be really helpful to read.

But it’s a big transition. And it’s kind of a reshuffling of your whole deck of: Who am I and what do I think and what should I follow within myself? What are my real values? What are my…what are the values I’ve just picked up from society? What’s the real me? What’s not the real me? All these things have to go through a process of gradual re-evaluation as you make this turn. It’s not your plan. It’s a plan that was put within you at a certain point that you would have to take and you’re you’re in that process, probably. 

RS: Thank you Marshall. Well everyone, this is a lot to be with. And I’m going to leave you with a series of questions. We were going to do this during the broadcast together tonight, but I think we’re running low on time. So what I’m going to do is give this to you as a take-home journaling practice. Let’s see my screen is not sharing. There it is. And when we gather again on the last day of the Vigil, which will be this Sunday in the morning at 9:00 a.m., I’d like to ask you all to share a little bit of what comes out of this for you. Because I think it will inspire each of us to see what each of us is intending to do as we go forward.

So the first step is at the level of vision. Just take a moment to look ahead in your life. That could be in the next few weeks. That could be the next few months, or even until the end of this year or beyond. At a visioning level when you look ahead, do you see anything, do you sense anything, how does that look to you? Okay. So establish a little bit of vision for yourself, some perspective on the mountain, really asking you to turn and look left and right. You’re marching up the trail, right? Look left and right. Stop. Find a rocky outcrop and look around. Look at the base of the mountain. Look at the sides of the mountain. Look at the weather. Look at the season. What’s happening around you? And then ask:

What do you need to be focusing on and working on, working toward for the remainder of this year? 

What do you need to be focusing on and working toward for the remainder of this year? 

And lastly:

Where do you need to be? Where do you want to be, internally and in your outer affairs toward the end of this year and the beginning of next year? 

We’ve asked a question like this at Encampments in the past. Which is: Where do I need to be this time next year? Where do I need to be at within myself in my affairs? Can you get a sense of your next waypoint on the trail—the mile marker? You’re at mile marker number four. Which mile marker? Number five maybe? Number six? And what is that mile marker for you? And again, this could be at the level of inner work, outer work, practices, mental wellness or Pillar needs that you feel you need to address.

So hopefully this Vigil has helped you find that clearing in the forest for yourself, gain some space, some calm, and given you a perspective perhaps, getting you up above the trees even, to get a vision of the landscape. We have this changing world, right, that’s changing rapidly—unknown how this is all going to play out. 

We have our Pillars, we have where we’re physically at in the world. We have what Marshall presented, which were the major things that lead to change in our lives: the people, the place, the things, the relationships, the work—those kinds of major components of life. 

So take some time. Make some mental space. Get into a position of vantage where you can see, and then feel out this next year for yourself. I think this will serve you so that as one of you said, that kind of frenetic quality to life, the ever-moving, ever frenetic nature of life, doesn’t just have to speed you down the road; and now it’s the end of 2020 and you’ve lost the opportunities of this year. So this year has opportunities even though it has denied some opportunities, right? With COVID, it’s opening some opportunities.

So I’ll leave that with you all. And at the beginning of our next gathering, I’ll just ask you to share: Just what is this going to be for you? What are you seeing to do? And it can be anonymous. And it’s just to gain some inspiration from each other. Wow, somebody is seen to do this in their life or take on that in their life. Wow, Okay.

So before we conclude Patricia and I are going to read the Steps received this night. We have 41 steps received 31 years ago on the edge of a municipal golf course in Albany, New York, at a very mysterious and challenging time in my family’s life.

PS: Yeah.

RS: Never thought I’d be up here on stage doing this. But when I think back to myself then, I think I was recovering from chickenpox or something. And I was a mess. And I was, how old was I? 1989. I was 6 years old. And we’re moving around the country in a weather-beaten Winnebago. Going here. Going there. And a lot of uncertainty in the air.

PS: Mm-hmm.

RS: But a lot of mystery and Presence and good-hearted fellowship that we shared together—Marshall, Patricia, Darlene and I, and a couple others who were here at that time, or in the mix so to speak. So elsewhere in the country, but in the mix.

PS: Mm-hmm.

RS: So here we are:

Step 275: Today I seek freedom from uncertainty. (Hm, wow, that is very appropriate.) Step 276: Knowledge is my salvation. Step 277: My ideas are small, but Knowledge is great. Step 278: What is changeless will express itself through me. Step 279: I must experience my freedom to realize it. Step 280: Review. Step 281: Above all else I seek Knowledge. Step 282: I will learn to accept the responsibility of carrying Knowledge in the world. Step 283: The world is ambivalent, but I am not. Step 284: Stillness is my gift to the world. Step 285: In stillness all things can be known. Step 286: I carry stillness into the world with me today. Step 287: With Knowledge I cannot be at war. Step 288: Enemies are only friends who have not learned to join. Step 289: Today I am a student of Knowledge. Step 290: I can only be a student. Therefore, I will be a student of Knowledge. Step 291: I am grateful to my brothers and my sisters who err against me. Step 292: How can I be angry with the world when it only serves me? Step 293: I do not wish to suffer today. Step to 294: Review. Step to 295: I am now penetrating the mystery of my life.

PS: Step 296: Nasi Novare Coram. Step 297: Novre Novre Comey Na Vera Te Novre. Step 298: Mavran Mavran Conay Mavran. Step 299: Nome Nome Cono Na Vera Te Nome. Step 300: I receive all those who are my Spiritual Family today. Step 301: I will not lose myself in anxiety today. Step 302: I will not resist the world today. Step 303: I will step back from the world’s persuasions today. Step 304: I will not be a student of fear today. Step 305: I feel the power of love today. Step 306: I will rest in Knowledge today. Step 307: Knowledge is living within me now. Step 308: Review. Step 309: The world I see is attempting to become one community. Step 310: I am free because I desire to give. Step 311: The world is calling me. I must prepare to serve it. Step 312: There are greater problems for me to solve in the world. Step 313: Let me recognize that what is complex is simple. Step 314: I will not be afraid to follow today. Step 315: Today I will not be alone. Step 316: I will trust my deepest inclinations today.

Goodness gracious. Marshall, Marshall, Marshall. What was this like for these 41 steps to just flow through him? Through his mind? Through his voice? What was it like? He wrote in his journal:

Forty-one Steps. It flowed and then I stopped. Felt clear-headed for the first time in two days. 

316 of Steps, 365 steps—such a huge process. Yes, I know. He’s holding up Steps to Knowledge. There he is, Marshall, yeah, yeah…

MVS: For me this is the center of the wheel right here in terms of preparation. Do you know that this teaching is, well, far older than human civilization? It’s actually far older than humanity. It’s been in the Greater Community for eons, given to individuals, mostly, through a process of initiation, but given to our world in a very rare situation, made available to people everywhere—which rarely happens in the universe—because of the urgency of our times, because of our emergence into the Greater Community of worlds in the universe and the hazards and opportunities of that. 

So what is in this book is really ancient. The words are chosen for the human mind and within the English language. And it’s now being translated in many languages, of course, thanks to many of you. But it is the center of the wheel. It’s not how much we understand; it’s who will take the journey. It’s not how refined our thoughts become; it’s who will take the journey of really being recreated as we were really meant to be and as we truly are.

So Steps is a vehicle for that, something we could not achieve on our own. We just can’t remake ourselves like that. It takes a Greater Power and a Greater Force to do that. We can be changed by life, but often not in good ways. We can be damaged by life, but we really can’t be transformed by life, not on the mundane level. It’s a good thing.

PS: Thank you Marshall. You know earlier in the evening we were referring to the pressure, the pressure, which is often the movement of Knowledge within us before we move. And I remember Marshall, in the few years leading up to Steps to Knowledge being received, and the pressure that was building in him, if you can only imagine. 

And we weren’t where we needed to be for Steps to Knowledge to be received. But we couldn’t leave until we could leave. So the pressure grew, too, circumstantially. And we needed to leave where we were because something was going to happen there. And we were not…it didn’t feel appropriate for us to have that experience, so we had to leave. And ultimately what happened was there was an earthquake in that part of California—pretty sizeable earthquake. But in either event, Steps to Knowledge was building. And finally we were able to get into position for this to happen. And yeah, it’s a good thing; it was a good thing for Marshall that it finally came actually, I think.

MVS: This just reminds me of, it’s such a lesson of life because the big thing that needs to happen for you may be 150 steps down the road of your life. And from where you stand, you can’t see it. All you can feel is the pull to go in that direction. So after a while, the pull becomes enough. You don’t need the understanding. You don’t need the validation. You don’t need to have a reason. Because you’re just becoming stronger with the force of Knowledge because Knowledge is primarily a force, a gravitational force, and sometimes different than our emotions, different than our passions, different than our compulsions. It’s trying to take us somewhere in terms of not just self-realization, but where we need to be in life.

So I had to go to a very…to a place I never expected to ever go to receive this book because that’s where it had to be received. Yeah, it’s only after and consequently following that, I began to understand why that was the case. But if you’re going to engage with the Higher Power, it’s just going to be mysterious. And you will know things profoundly within your domain. But beyond that, you can only take the Steps.

Who will follow the mystery, the invisible light? Who has the courage and self-confidence to do that? Who has the honesty to do that? So I pray you will do that, and you’re doing that already and continue to do that. You’ll hit that point where something big will happen, but you have to get to that point. And it’s not just something in your mind. It’s a place, a situation, maybe even a location.

PS: Thank you, Marshall, wonderful. It’s been wonderful being with you all on this Vigil night. We have a few more days remaining in our time of holding Vigil for Knowledge, Knowledge’s emergence in our lives and in the world. So may we make the most of these next few days. 

I would also like to bring to your attention that tomorrow—the 11th, the 12th, and the 13th of June—is the 12th anniversary of Marshall receiving Life in the Universe. I just so… I mean, Marshall…here we’re considering what it has taken for him to receive 365 Steps, right, in a 20-day period. Wow. Well, God, this…Marshall’s receiving of Steps to Knowledge prepared him to receive the Revelation in even greater intensity if you can imagine. So over the next three days back in 2008, Marshall received the entire Life in the Universe book.

And I’d love to read these chapter headings to you. Tomorrow, the 11th, he received five chapters in a day. Chapter 1: Facing a Greater Community of Life. Chapter 2: A Brief History of Visitation to Earth. These are whole chapters, full chapters. Chapter 3: The Limits of Space Travel. Can you imagine? Chapter 4: Trade and Commerce in this Region of Space. Chapter 5: Technology and the Different paths to Stability. Those five chapters were received 12 years ago tomorrow. 

The following day, the very following day, he received five more chapters in a day. Families and Genetic Manipulation: Chapter 6. Chapter 7: Competition, Influence and the Mental Environment. Chapter 8: Freedom in the Greater Community. Chapter 9: Religion in the Greater Community. Chapter 10: The Power of Knowledge.

And then on the 13th, 12 years ago, he received four final chapters. Unseen Forces in the Universe—an entire chapter. Creation and Destiny, God of the Greater Community, Your relationship with the Greater Community. [all chapters via above link]

And then a mere five days later, Marshall received the entire Allies Three Briefings, all seven briefings in one day. It’s amazing. Fragile but strong. Stable. Amazing. Yeah. So thank you Marshall. Yeah.

RS: Yeah.

PS: Wonderful. This is wonderful being together. Thank you so much everyone. And we look forward to our concluding night at the Vigil coming up on the 14th—in the morning. I’m sorry, thank you in the morning, yes. Until then be well. Make the most of these days. Be with Steps to Knowledge if you can. Be with your practice if you can. Yes.

RS: Yes. We will take advantage of this time. And we can gather again on the 14th at 9:00 a.m. I believe. The same link, same place. So instead of the, no, the Chat will be the day before so it’s on this Sunday. So see you on the Chat this Saturday, and then see at the Vigil gathering on the day after. 

So take care everyone. Feel free to open up your mic as we all sign off and say…give a loud hoot and holler and hello.

[chorus of very grateful voices]