It is important to use and apply practices that can bring a greater clarity and certainty to your life. The practices below are from the chapters of The Great Waves of Change and from other writings by MV Summers. With any practice, it is valuable to practice at regular intervals over time to deepen your experience. These practices build the kind of skills and awareness that you will need to prepare.
There are many practices here to choose from. Each is important. Choose what is most appropriate to your needs and interests at this moment, but do not neglect the others, for they are all important in deepening your connection to Knowledge, the Knowing Mind within you, and in preparing you for the Great Waves of change.
~ Where to live
Ask yourself, “Where should I live?” Keep asking, and the steps will begin to appear if there is any change you must make in this regard. You cannot ask only once. You must ask repeatedly. You must be with the question. You must live with the question and be open, really open, to what might be presented to you, particularly if you already sense that where you are is not permanent, or you have concern over its viability as a place to live in the future.
Chapter 2: The Great Waves and Your Life
~ Recognizing the signs
To begin, you must learn to become still and observant—looking without judging, looking without coming to conclusions, looking for signs. The signs are not everywhere, but they are abundant enough that if you are observant and give yourself to being observant as you pass through your day, then you will begin to see things, and they will stand out from everything else. They will stand out. They will impress you more than just the usual kinds of fascinating things or disturbing things you may hear about or read about. They will impress you at a deeper level. Pay attention. Write them down. Keep a record of them with a date and a time and a place so you can begin to bring the pieces of the puzzle together.
Chapter 4: The Freedom to Move with Knowledge
~ Where you are now
The great evaluation begins with taking stock of where you are now—how you spend your time, your energy, your focus and your interests.
- Where is your life being given away?
- What is it being focused upon?
- Where is it being assigned?
You only have so much energy in the day, so much time in the day and so much space within your mind to consider things.
- Where is that all going now?
- What are you doing?
- What are your priorities?
- Where are you gaining energy in your life, and where are you losing it?
- To whom are you losing it, or to what are you losing it?
- Where do you feel certainty, and where do you feel uncertain?
- What relationships are you in now that give you a sense of certainty and direction?
- Which relationships cloud that certainty or obstruct it completely?
- Where are you right now?
- Who are you with, and what are you doing with them?
- What do you own, and is it giving you strength or taking strength away from you?
- What do you believe, and are your beliefs giving you clarity, or are they a replacement for Knowledge itself?
- Where is your time going?
- If you sit in meditation, what is concerning your mind?
- Where is your mind going, and what problems is it solving?
Chapter 5: The Deep Evaluation
~ Possessions
Begin then with simple things. Review everything that you own. Everything that you own, even insignificant things, has a value to you of some kind and in a subtle way represents an influence. If your life is full of things that have no usefulness or purpose, then they are taking time and energy from you to a certain degree. You still own them, and so you are still in relationship with them. They are occupying space in your home and in your mind. Everything you own really either needs to be fundamentally practical and necessary or personally very meaningful, and that meaning must come in a way that supports who you are now and where you feel you are heading in life.
Chapter 5: The Deep Evaluation
~ Sorting out possessions
The process is one of sorting out, bringing a greater objectivity into your life—looking at every possession that you have and asking, “Is this really useful to me? Is it personally meaningful to me? And does it enhance and strengthen my awareness and understanding of myself?”
Chapter 5: The Deep Evaluation
~ Relationships
Regarding relationships that you choose and select for yourself, you must evaluate each one: “Is this relationship strengthening me or weakening me? Is this person moving in the direction that I must move? Do we have a greater destiny together, or should I release this person to follow their own journey in life?”
Chapter 5: The Deep Evaluation
~ Evaluating discomfort
The truth is you are not where you need to be in life, and you know this, and that is why you are uncomfortable. Do not try to get rid of the discomfort, for it is a sign within you that your life must move, that there is change that must be brought about, and that you must do it. Allow yourself to be with the discomfort. Feel it. See what it is telling you. See where it is taking you. Where are the points of discomfort? Where is the lie being lived in your life? What are the mistruths you are telling yourself about your relationship with this person, this place or this thing?
Chapter 5: The Deep Evaluation
~ What to watch for in the world
- You must become aware of situations around the world regarding the availability of food and water.
- You must become aware of changes in climate and its effects upon food production in the world and its effects upon the well-being of people in both urban and rural environments.
- You must be aware of political and economic instability and how it is manifesting within certain places.
- You must be aware of any outbreaks of pandemic illness.
- You must be aware of conflicts that continue to exist and conflicts that may emerge in the future. When you look at the world, look for these things. Just bear witness to them and see if there are any signs. Not everything you will look at is important. Not everything you look at will be a sign.
Chapter 6: Relationships and The Great Waves
~ Doing what you know
Ask yourself, “What must I do now in order to prepare myself and my family?” Already there are things you know you must do. Perhaps you have known them for some time. You must do them now. Do the things you know you must do today, and tomorrow you will know other things that you must do. If you do them, you will know more things that you must do. It is by doing that you gain greater clarity. Completing the tasks you know you must do shows you the other tasks that must be completed.
Chapter 7: Preparing Your Family
~ Assets and liabilities
You must think of these things now—not emotionally, but reasonably—considering your advantages and disadvantages based upon where you live, how you live and how you travel about. What assets do you have? What are your liabilities? What is the strength of your position? Do you need to change your living circumstances radically in the face of the Great Waves of change? If so, you will need to do this fairly quickly because these things take time, and time is what you do not have a lot of. If there are shortages of fuel, or if the price of everything escalates beyond what you can afford, what will you do then?
Chapter 8: The Danger of Isolation
~ Escaping isolation
You must bridge your isolation. Become involved in your local community. Speak in your local city councils and governments. Find out what your town or your city or your nation is doing to prepare for these great difficulties. Read, become educated, go visit people, participate. Escape your isolation and self-obsession. Become involved. Become an advocate. Share the revelation in this book with other people. Read what other people are discovering as they begin to discern the Great Waves of change. This is healthy for you. It is redemptive for you. It will give you confidence if you act. If you do nothing, your confidence will fall away, and you will sink into despair. Then you will be truly powerless and truly vulnerable.
Chapter 8: The Danger of Isolation
~ Dangerous places to live
If you live in a desert region of the nation, you may have to leave, as there may be no water for you in the future, and it may be very difficult for food to reach your community. Do not live near moving water, near rivers that will overflow in the face of violent weather and changing climate conditions. It is wise to move away from coastal regions that will be affected by violent weather and in many cases from certain large cities that will be subject to extreme social unrest.
Chapter 8: The Danger Of Isolation
~ How Knowledge speaks to you
Knowledge will speak to you through your thoughts, through your feelings. But it will not speak through fear, it will not speak through fantasy, and it will not speak to your preferences. You must be open, asking Knowledge within yourself, “What must I do now? What is the next step for me? How shall I regard this particular situation? What decision should I make regarding this particular thing?”
Chapter 8: The Danger of Isolation
~ Bringing questions to Knowledge
Here you must bring everything to Knowledge. Ask Knowledge, “Is this a good idea?” Ask Knowledge, “Should I follow the recommendations of this person?” Perhaps you will feel resistance; perhaps Knowledge will be silent. Both indicate that you should stop and not proceed with that decision or follow that person.
Chapter 8: The Danger of Isolation
~ People and community
Rethink your life—your relationship with where you live, the house you live in, your work, your transportation, your relationships.
- Who is wise amongst those whom you know?
- Who has skills?
- Who is strong?
- Who can face the Great Waves of change?
Learn what the resources of your community are.
- What can they provide?
- What assets do they really have that can support you and your community?
Chapter 8: The Danger of Isolation
~ Where to place your faith
- Your question, then, is where will you place your faith?
- Where is your faith placed even right now?
- What will give you true strength, confidence, courage and determination?
- What will give you the power to overcome your own weaknesses, your own ambition, your own inhibition and your fear of disapproval by others?
- What will give you the power to overcome your social conditioning to meet a greater need and a greater set of problems?
- What will keep you above fear and hopelessness?
Chapter 11: Where Will You Place Your Faith?
~ Beginning guidelines
“Recommendations for Living in a Great Waves World” are really only beginning guidelines because everyone’s circumstances will be somewhat different, and everyone has a unique mission and purpose in life to discover and to fulfill. So beyond establishing initial steps and building a basic foundation, you will have to rely upon Knowledge within yourself and Knowledge within others to navigate the changing and uncertain times ahead.
Chapter 12: Your Purpose and Destiny in a Changing World
~ The importance of inner preparation
Your inner preparation here is more significant than anything you do on the outside, for whatever you do on the outside is a temporary expedient. You cannot store food for the rest of your life. You cannot protect yourself from every event and eventuality. You cannot stockpile for decades. And there will be no place on Earth that will be entirely safe or beyond the reach of the Great Waves of change.
Chapter 12: Your Purpose and Destiny in a Changing World
~ Knowing the truth
There are three stages in knowing something: seeing, knowing and acting. The knowing aspect of this, the second part of this process, involves a deeper resonance and self-inquiry. One must ask, “Is this the truth? Must I take action regarding this?” You can even take a position against what you are seeing to see what kind of response occurs within you. You may test it in this way. You may challenge it. But in the end, if it is true, you will see there is a great certainty that action must be taken regarding that which you see and know.
Chapter 14: Seeing, Knowing and Taking Action
~ Studying the Great Waves of change
One must be willing to look, to really look at something, to really look at the Great Waves of change—to read about them, to investigate them, to see what they are, to learn more about the Great Waves and how they are affecting people in the world today and their potential for altering the course of human history. What are the implications? People have studied this. Intelligent people have looked at this and are warning others. What is the meaning of this? What are its implications? How could it alter your life and the lives of other people?
Chapter 14: Seeing, Knowing and Taking Action
~ Being with what you know
Then there is being with what you know and have seen. “What does this really mean for me? Is this really true? And what must I do?”
Chapter 14: Seeing, Knowing and Taking Action
~ What undermines your certainty
Observe yourself. See what your mind tells you. Listen to the different voices within you. Do you use reason or emotion or the consensus of others or authority figures to dissuade you from being with something that you see? What are the ways that you undermine your certainty and invalidate your own experience? Do you use reason or faith or assumptions or other people’s authority or convention or history—what do you use to betray yourself and your experience? You must know this. You must know both your strengths and your weaknesses. You must know your tendencies regarding seeing, knowing and acting.
Chapter 14: Seeing, Knowing and Taking Action
~ What you will follow
The Great Waves of change are coming. They are building. They are emerging on the horizon. They are already affecting millions of people around the world.
- What will you do now?
- What will you follow?
- What voice within yourself will you follow?
- What wisdom beyond yourself will you heed?
- How much courage will you muster?
- How far will you go in your preparation?
- How seriously will you take the situation?
- To what degree will you compromise yourself to meet the intentions or the expectations of others?
Chapter 14: Seeing, Knowing and Taking Action
~ Preparing your children
You must prepare your children, for they will be living and entering into a world of ever greater change and difficulty. You strengthen them not by telling them what is coming, but by strengthening their connection to Knowledge, by teaching them the difference between fantasy and reality, by helping them to discern the nature of their own strengths and weaknesses, by sharing with them the wisdom that you have learned in life and by showing them where they can gain greater wisdom through the experiences of others.
Chapter 14: Seeing, Knowing and Taking Action
There is much more wisdom to be found at www.greatwavesofchange.org
~
Stillness Meditation Practice
Practicing stillness is essential if you are to experience the deeper movement of your life and to receive the guidance of Knowledge within yourself in preparing for the Great Waves of change. Here you will be going beneath the surface of your mind to experience quieter levels of thought or even no thought at all. This is extremely restful and rejuvenating.
There are four important elements to build a meditation practice of this kind. First, it is important to practice in a quiet place without distractions or interruptions. Dedicate, if possible, a small place in your home for this purpose and enhance that environment to support your practice.
Second, you need to be physically comfortable while you practice. Since you will be sitting for this practice, find a comfortable chair or cushions to support you.
Third, you will need to approach your practice with a passive attitude. This means that you are in a relaxed state of mind, not trying to get anything such as insights or answers. You are moving towards achieving a state of stillness or meditation.
Lastly, you need something to focus your mind on so that it does not constantly wander. You can do this either by following your breath or by uttering silently a meaningless word or sound. If your mind begins to wander to thoughts or memories, gently bring it back to your breath or to the sound that you are using. Whatever happens, just keep bringing your mind back to your breath or your sound. Keep bringing your attention back. Using your breath or this sound will, over time, bring you into the experience of deeper and more subtle levels of the mind, like a pebble sinking into a deep pool. Here you are entering the realm of Knowledge, beyond the reach of the intellect.
Therefore, to begin, take time and go to your dedicated practice space. Turn off your phone and any other devices that could interrupt your practice time. Sit up comfortably in a chair or on the floor. Take a series of deep breaths in order to relax. Close your eyes and begin to focus on either your breathing or upon a word or sound. You can naturally follow your breath or you can utter a word silently. In the study of Steps to Knowledge, the sound Na Rahn is recommended. Here you say to yourself softly Na on the inhale and Rahn on the exhale.
Whether you follow your breath or use a sound such as Na Rahn, it is important to stay with it. Your mind will tend to wander, calling up images or problems, memories or concerns. As you continue, practicing stillness will become easier, and you will find yourself experiencing a very relaxed, but alert state. If you find initially that you tend to fall asleep, this is all right. It just means that you may have a pronounced need for rest. Eventually you will not fall asleep, but instead, achieve a state of meditation, which is actually even more restful then sleep.
Be patient in learning to meditate. It could take several months to establish this practice. Twenty minutes of meditation, twice a day, will bring tremendous rewards. Studying Steps to Knowledge will give you a solid foundation for building this and other practices that will deepen your experience.
Here you are taking a journey beneath the surface of your mind into deeper states of consciousness. You are building a strong connection to Knowledge, a connection that will stay with you in all circumstances. This will give you strength, clarity and certainty in the increasingly uncertain times ahead.
~
Four Pillars Review Practice
Take some quiet time each week to review the Four Pillars of your life, remembering that each Pillar is important. Though one may require more effort or attention at any given moment, they are all equally important. Like the four legs of a table, each must be strong. No one Pillar can be sacrificed for the others. You cannot build one to the neglect of all the others, or nothing great can be given to you or realized because you will not have built a strong enough foundation.
Come to the first Pillar, the Pillar of Relationship, which includes your relationships with people, places, possessions and even with situations and conditions in the world. Feel the condition of this Pillar, the condition of your relationships. Ask within yourself, “Is there anything I need to know about any of my relationships?” Ask this question in such a way that only yes or no can be the answer. If the answer is no, that is fine. Yet if the answer is yes, then seek out which relationship this might be. If a relationship comes to mind, ask yourself, “Is there something I need to know here?” Then open yourself to receive what that could be. This may only take a moment, but you must be very present. Insights can come to you during practice or at any time afterwards. What is important is that you are making yourself available to Knowledge and that you have the willingness and readiness to know.
The Pillar of Career and Providership
Now go on to the Pillar of Career and Providership, the Pillar that deals with work, money and contribution in the world. Feel the condition of this Pillar. Continue the same process: “Is there anything I need to know regarding my career and providership in the world?” If something comes to mind, ask yourself, “Is there something I need to know here?” Then open yourself to what that could be. Your insights may come to you in the form of images, ideas, feelings or strong physical sensations, depending upon your individual nature and orientation.
Then go on to the Pillar of Health, which includes your physical, mental and emotional health. Feel the condition of this Pillar. Ask yourself, “Is there anything that I need to know about my health or about the health of those who are close to me?” If something comes to mind, ask yourself, “Is there something I need to know here?” If there is, open yourself to it. Face it. Receive it.
The Pillar of Spiritual Development
Then go on to the Pillar of Spiritual Development and feel the condition of this Pillar. Ask yourself, “Is there something I need to know regarding my spiritual development?” And as with all of the other Pillars, if something comes to mind, ask yourself, “Is there something I need to know here?”
The Four Pillars Practice over time will yield important insights about your life. It is important to record these insights in a journal and review them periodically. Some insights have immediate significance, and others become relevant over time.
As you continue this practice and record your insights, you will see that you really are receiving insights from Knowledge and signs from the world.
In visiting your Four Pillars, take as long as is necessary to complete this process. This will give you the structure you can use to maintain an awareness of these four fundamental areas of your life. As you practice over time, you begin to build, brick by brick, stone by stone, a foundation that the world cannot shake or undermine.
