The boat that I’m referring to in the title of this article is commonly called Materialism. It was christened so long ago that most individuals assume that it’s the only boat available. The boat is a large one, indeed; for it holds the majority of the world’s population who–in most cases unknowingly–drift along in what is termed naive realism, the “subject-object” dualistic interpretation of a world that is apparently made of stuff called matter. In this article, we’re going to do our best to rock that boat with information that suggests there is another valid way of interpreting reality. For the purpose of greater understanding (and as a pointer toward awakening), you’re welcome to board the alternative boat called Idealism via this article. We’ll begin rocking the more common boat by contemplating the following quote from Interpretation of Scripture: Unlocking The Secrets of The Bible by Neville Goddard:
“It is impossible to do. You must be in order to do.”
What, pray tell, could Neville Goddard have meant when he coined that sentence? Didn’t he realize that the majority of persons believe–with absolute but unverifiable certainty–that they are the doers of their actions. Surely, he must have meant to write, “to accomplish anything, you must work like a slave;” that is, unless he realized that this–right now (including the typing of these words) is happening in what is termed the Waking State; a state not that dissimilar from the state in which nighttime dreams occur. He, no doubt, was informing us–as did Paramahansa Yogananda–that “Mind is the creator of everything.” Perhaps another quote, this time from Plato, will help us rock the boat a little harder:
“Reality is created by the mind; we can change our reality by changing our mind.”
It’s well known that Plato was an idealist. In case you’re not familiar with idealism, the following is the definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “a theory that ultimate reality lies in a realm transcending phenomena.” This basically means that all so-called matter is mental phenomena created by mind; and that our body-mind and the world exist solely in Consciousness. Buddha was spreading this very message when he stated that nothing had independent existence. William Blake and Anaïs Nin, respectively, delivered a similar message through the following two quotes:
“As a man is, so he sees.“
“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”
The position of idealism is at the very core of any worthwhile teachings of the Law of Attraction. It’s also what allows mystical verses from the Bible, such as “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee” from Job 22:28, to make sense. From the perspective of persons aboard the common boat called Materialism, the Law of Attraction may seem little more than positive thinking; but when you examine the current world situation (run by materialists), are you really so certain that you desire to continue to float along in their boat? If you board the boat christened Idealism, you’ll be setting out on the grandest voyage of discovery about your true Self–not the conceptual “i” that you’ve been conditioned to accept as identity. It’s obvious that if all takes place within a dream (the Waking State), there is no room for flesh and bones. Truth deems that we are so very much more: We are divine Spirit having an apparently human experience.
Dare to dream (and care for one another).
With heartfelt regards,
Art
Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell
P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones–released September 8, 2020), press here. May it help you in your spiritual journey. 🙏🙏
Think2wice 
I love this post! We live in the mind whether we know it or not. Wishing you well Art 🙏
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Hi AP2, great to hear from you again. Thanks for your comments. Not sure if we’re on the same page or not–maybe. It’s my knowing (not saying that anyone else should agree), that the true Self is prior to the mind. That’s were the eternal part of our Being comes in. Appearances occur in mind, due to mind, but we are not them. In my book, I stated it as: “If you can see it, you can’t be it.” From Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, in “I Am That:” “Before the mind–I am. ‘I Am’ is not a thought in the mind. The mind happens to me, I do not happen to the mind.” I love hearing your thoughts about these deep subjects! Thanks for sharing!
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Hi Art – sorry for my tardy response. I’m with you – I think. A bit like when in a deep meditation. You see the thoughts arise – you’re looking at them as opposed to thinking them. They just happen. It makes you realise you are not your mind – or at least there is something beyond it. Does that make any sense? I think of it as awareness – this place beyond our thoughts looking on. Whether that’s eternal or not I don’t know… I certainly wish to explore the topic further. Thanks Art
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It’s all good, AP2–nice to hear from you anytime. Yes, that’s what I meant–we are beyond the mind. I think you might enjoy some Youtube presentations by Rupert Spira (not sure if we’ve discussed him before). My article called “This Mental Universe” (complete with some photo messages from books I’ve read) may help. Anything we can see is created by mind. I appreciate our sharing very much. I’m going to past in the link to a Rupert Spira presentation (just in case it feels right to you–not pushing). Wishing you a great day! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb3PzxwEKCQ&t=98s
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Awesome Art – I just gave it a watch. Very well explained by Rupert. My understanding is along those lines. I must admit I still have difficulty removing the I from my collection of thoughts and memories. That was a great exercise that helped a lot. Thank you for deepening my understanding. I’ll be sure to look up your article as well. 🙏
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You’re welcome about the presentation–I’m glad that you liked it. Rupert has played a fundamental part in deepening my understanding. There’s a search box on the cover page of my blog. I think you’ll like the article “This Mental Universe,” if only for the highlighted sections from various books. When I started to “see” how often this was shared in books, I was amazed. I initially read of it in The Kybalian, a book that was mentioned about the Law of Attraction–about how “we bring about what we think about.” Idealism allows that to make sense, but not naive realism (in which “this” is supposed to be a world of matter). To get past my doubts, I had to question deeply. Meditation allowed me to “see” the real me–Spirit, aka Consciousness. It’s the linchpin of any experience–impossible without it.
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Hello Arthur, this is the first time I am writing to you, I am on the same page with your thoughts. I know who and where I am, and that I am a part of all thoughts and creation. During my meditations which I started about 30 years ago, it became clearer every time. The only thing is that the physical me sometimes did not agree. But these are just temporary setbacks. The material world can be very strong and interfering. It takes a while to understand especially for newcomers to see the World beyond.
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Hello Iris. Great to hear from you. Thank you for sharing about your experience. I “hear” what you’re expressing about the physcial “you” not agreeing at times. I call it toggling–the experience of a back and forth between the old conditioned “self” and the Truth of our Being. The materialist paradigm is very strong–and the majority are under its influence. I certaintly was, but liberation feels wonderful.
Wishing you a great day. I hope you keep in touch.
Art
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