Samuel Seeger had been seeking true Self for more than twenty years. Faithfully, he had meditated for a minimum of twenty minutes every day. Intuitively, he realized that there something to him–not a thing–that was beyond his name and form. “I mean, really,” he thought, “it’s impossible to actually be a name; for a name is merely a term for that to which it refers.” The word for a glass of water is not the same as holding an apparent glass of water; he reasoned that the same logic must, therefore, apply to Samuel Seeger. Of his body, he also realized that its cells were changing moment to moment. Despite the appearance thereof, there was nothing solid about either. He was seeking the eternal changeless, not the finite changeful. One day he read the following passage in a book (Who Am I?) by Sri Ramana Maharshi:

“At last,” he cried joyously, “I’ve finally recognized Truth! Tears of joy ran down his face as he realized that his so-called reality was actually occurring in a dream. For the next few days, everything he experienced through his senses took on a dreamy feel and texture. He erroneously assumed that he was now awake. All of his years of seeking had paid off. Yes, it only made sense: Why couldn’t it be that his life was occurring in a dream? Didn’t his nighttime dreams feel real? In a dream could he not imagine that he was flying a plane, riding a motorcycle, or eating a meal? All was well…until Samuel happened upon the following passage in a book entitled The Law of Success by Paramahansa Yogananda:

Initially, Samuel did not realize the import of the words; but as he contemplated the passage more deeply, he focused upon the first line (Mind is the creator of everything) and felt an emotional shock run through his body. “But that,” he thought with nervous puzzlement, “would mean that mind must also be the creator of my body-mind. How, then, can my body-mind be real in the way that I’ve previously assumed it to be? Less than a week later, he came across the following two passages. The first is from Amrut Laya, The Stateless State by Shri Sadguru Siddharameshwar Maharaj, and the second is from Hebrews 11:3:

“That which is seen, only appears, it does not exist.”

***

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,

so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”

During the coming weeks, Samuel’s understanding stabilized. The realization occurred that what was occurring was the surrender described in so many holy books. On some days, a feeling of tremendous sadness arose; but gradually, there came the understanding that it was only the illusory loss of being Samuel Seeger that was being mourned. Nothing real was ever lost, for he had never been Samuel. Only innocent confusion had made it appear so. What was gained was the knowing recognition that he was an aspect of That, the Divine Creator, the All in All.

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. 🙏🙏

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