We have been conditioned to believe that “each” apparent body-mind that we term a “person” has a separate and independent consciousness that arises at birth (however that is defined) and ends at death. Such is the predominant view held by the masses. It is BUNK; synonyms being: poppycock, balderdash, and hogwash. In this article, I offer information that I hope will provide reasons to contemplate any uninvestigated assumptions related to that perspective.
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In 1945, near the village of Nag Hammadi, Egypt, two peasants found several leather-bound texts in a large jar. One of the texts turned out to be The Gospel of Thomas, which is comprised of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. The prologue begins as follows: “These are the hidden sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Judas Thomas the Twin recorded.” Please consider next, the 29th saying:
Jesus said, “If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit
came into being because of the body, it is a marvel of marvels. Indeed, I am amazed at
how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty.”
The wonderment expressed by Jesus (regarding persons’ belief that the body-mind gives rise to consciousness) has recently been echoed by David Chalmers, a philosopher and cognitive scientist. He is well known for coining the term “the hard problem of consciousness,” which refers to the challenge that neurologists encounter when they attempt to explain how neuronal processes give rise to consciousness. Here’s why: They don’t. There is a correlation only; not cause.
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You are not who you think you are. The following question may naturally arise: “Then, Who/What am I?” You are actually God incarnate (Christ Consciousness, The Tao, Buddha Nature, Brahman, etc), whether you are knowingly aware of this or not. How can this be so? Because there is only One Consciousnessl and It is Universal in nature. The Father and I are One. All that is form, is representation, only; it is the manifest of That (God, Consciousness), which is forever Unmanifest. This is why it is expressed in Luke: 17:21 that you cannot point “lo, here” or “lo, there” to your Being. Consciousness is omnipresent, but we do not, and cannot, experience it with our senses as a thing. Because Consciousness is not a thing, it is impossible to define or objectify it with the mind. To discover the kingdom of heaven, we must look within.
We’ll end this article with saying number 3, in its entirety:
3. Jesus said, “If your leaders say to you, ‘Look, the kingdom is in heaven,’ then the birds of heaven will preced you. (2). If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. (3) Rather, the kingdom is inside you and it is outside you. (4) When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. (5) But if you do not know yourselves, then you dwell in poverty, and you are poverty.”
From my understanding, our greatest poverty is to believe that we are separate from God. We may knowingly recognize the Truth; and such will, indeed, set us free from the suffering that is associated with believing we are the person of name and form.
Dare to Dream (and care for one another).
With heartfelt regards,
Art
Copyright © – 2022 – 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. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. 🙏🧡
Think2wice 
The Gospel of Thomas is such an interesting discovery.
I’d echo this sentiment and add to the proof that every parent goes through watching their baby come into this world without any sense of a separate boundary between themselves and others. It’s only when they are about 2 that they develop a sense of self which should point us all to the truth that our mind is a construct in a way that our spirit never is.
Thanks for an interesting post, Art.
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Thank you, Wynne, for sharing your thoughts about this. Rupert Spira once stated the “neti neti” process (I am “not this, not that” ) that most people associate with discovering “what” we truly are. I even suggest this in my book. What he also related, however, that a baby, as you stated, sees no difference between itself, mother, father, crib, and all other surroundings. Gradually, however, it “learns” to be an apparent separate self, by an process in which it assumes, “I am this–a boy/girl with a name, a baby/infant who responds to and recognizes name, likes this type of foot and activities, etc. It is a mental self, an identity fabricated from mind. Most humans believe they are “it” for the remainder of their apparent life…unless they “re-cognize” their true Self–Awareness. The wool once pulled over the eyes, often remains there. 🙏
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Lucid 🙏
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Beautifully written 😊 There are lots of pearls in Christianity
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Thank you very much, Monica! I agree! 🙂 I’m currently also reading another wonderful book entitled “Practicing the Presence of God,” about Brother Lawrence. Very rich.
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