The expression that serves as the title of this article implies wholeness and integrity. Nothing is lacking. I’m using the expression to refer to the “knowing” that we experience when we recognize the Truth of our essential nature. To “become” a knower of true Self is unmistakable because it’s incomparable. Anything less is just spice and sauce–a poor imitation.
Why, though, is knowing it so important? Because at some point, most persons will become dissatisfied with life as it is. I’m not being negative or pessimistic; it’s just an inherent part of the shifting sands of the human experience. The historical Buddha called it Dukkha. In spite of having good health, great relationships, and adequate wealth, many feel that something (not a thing) seems missing. No matter how great our efforts, the results that we achieve give rise to only temporary happiness. This is when many individuals embark upon a spiritual journey of discovery.
When we begin our spiritual investigation we may initially feel fulfilled by visiting distant ashrams, temples, or cathedrals. We may enjoy studying scriptures or listening to gurus, rabbis, ministers, or priests share their knowledge. The practice of meditation or daily prayers may also seem new and exciting. For a while, the disruptive narrative of the ego may decrease or briefly stop; but seekers often discover that even this new spiritual activity also loses its thrill. Still, something seems to be lacking.
The solution may arise in an unexpected way. In deep sleep, we have intimate experience of the peace that’s inherent with Being our essential Self; for in that placeless place, we know nothing of a world, space-time, or the challenges that are associated with the perspective of the false self. When we merge again with the waking state (erroneously assumed to be daily reality), we may find ourselves in the same happiness quandary. Perhaps the following content from Who Am I?, by Sri Ramana Maharshi (who awakened suddenly to his true self at the age of sixteen) will be helpful:
5. [Seeker] Will there not be realization of the Self even while the world is there (taken to be real)?
[SRM] There will not be.
6. [Seeker] Why?
[SRM] The seer and the object seen are like the rope and the snake. Just as the knowledge of the rope which is the substratum will not arise unless the false knowledge of the illusory serpent goes, so the realization of the Self which is the substratum will not be gained unless the belief that the world is real is removed. Note: The reference to the rope and snake is related to a story in which a monk was once greatly frightened because he erroneously believed a rope to be a snake. It’s an allegory for the human condition. When we erroneously believe ourselves to be the “person,” we suffer.
Enlightenment means to be freed “from” the tyranny of the conceptual “person” who’s dissatisfied with the human experience, not “as” the person. An illusory character can’t possibly become enlightened because it doesn’t actually “exist.” If we’re still carrying the burdensome perspective of our personal John or Jane Doe, we haven’t yet knowingly experienced The Whole Enchilada. (If you doubt that this can be true, I believe that you’ll find the information within my YouTube video entitled “Pointers to Self & Power” interesting.)
With heartfelt regards,
Art
Copyright © – 2026 – 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), press here. My YouTube videos can be found at Think2wice@I-Am-Aware. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. “Thank You” & “Note to Publishers” 🙏🏻🧡
Think2wice 
it’s not clear how I could go out of my own Dukkha, would your video help?
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Hello Cristiana,
Yes, I believe that it will, or at least could. The video is only about 9 minutes long and explains the difference between the materialist and Consciousness models of “reality.” In short, we aren’t the thing (called the “person”); rather, our essential nature is the Consciousness in which the “person” appears. Consciousness = Spirit. 🙏🏻
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I think you might also find my YouTube video entitled “Ruminating on Rumi” helpful. It’s very short. Please know that I’m not sharing this just to get views. I’m hoping that this information will help awaken Beings to a deeper dimension of Self.
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I remember very rarely my dreams…about the book “Be who you are” I don’t want the ego to take the command of myself, but sometimes is difficult because of societal commitments and impositions that would leave to unjustified judgements. And I want to avoid it. I’ll watch the other video now.
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Hello Cristiana. Yes, I’ve read “Be Who You Are,” too. Thank you for sharing so openly. I “existed” at the mercy of my egoic “person” for most of my character’s apparent years; but in 2017, a startling occurrence happened–awakening to a deeper dimension of Self.
I’m attaching the link to another very short video of mine, in case it can be helpful. It includes an example of something that you may find strange, but I assure you that I’m not kidding in any way. We can have this effect upon clouds because they’re a projection of Mind. Just as everything within a dream occurs within “Consciousness,” so, too, does the waking-state “reality” of daily life occur within “Consciousness.” We are the still PRESENCE.
Here’s the video. Please reach out if I can be of help in any way. Sincerely, Art
youtube.com/watch?v=OdoMAZ_hwbU
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I watched the videos on the clouds. If you can make things disappear, you could change all the reality, like stopping floods and fires, or any other major events. So, how to be sure that no one will abuse of this power?
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Hello Cristiana. Please know that I’m not trying to push any ideology, etc. Everything that we see is a representational image–apparent “things” have no intrinsic “thingness” apart from the mind. Just as “things” in nighttime dreams aren’t made of “matter,” they’re made of mind.
As far as abusing the power that’s actually available to us, mankind has been doing just that! When we don’t know That which we truly are, we create for selfish purposes related to the ego…which says, “this whole experience is about me, me, me. It’s not!
I’ve been searching for another video of mine that could be helpful. Here it is, if you’re interested. I back up what I share with quotes from various books. Sincerely, Art
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Hello Cristiana,
The last thing that I want to do is overwhelm you with videos that may seem confusing; but I was watching a video today that I thought might be helpful…perhaps even with alleviating physical issues. The video is of a woman having dialogue about deliberate creation and also about our true nature, as creators. I’m not offended if it’s not for you, but I at least wanted to offer it.
In some ways, it’s similar to one of my short videos entitled “Shiva With Amnesia,” which refers to True Self, having forgotten its true nature, to take an apparently human journey.
Here’s the link, in case it can be of help. Sincerely, Art
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