Invitation to Play

Please join me, if you will, on a journey of remembering the feeling of days when our spirit sang with freedom; when we were happily unaware of mind chores that claim they must be done; when the words yesterday and tomorrow held no meaning. “Such” is still alive within us.

During the next few hours, you’re invited to:

Withdraw from all news media; in spite of being fearful of being struck ignorant or uncaring.
Write a list of 12.279 things that must be absolutely right before you will enjoy life. Prove the list wrong by literally or figuratively burning it.
Drop the seeming importance of your medals, trophies, formal education, resumé, and achievements. Ask, “Are they?” Ask the same of your so-called failures.
Imagine how a child feels upon meeting a new friend.
Listen carefully to children playing. As you overhear them rant and complain, make a list of their sorrowful woes about the economy or state of the world.
Glance at your “To-Do” list of chores demanding attention; then just as quickly turn away.
Drop all of your mind stories related to “I did this” and “He/she did that.”
Close your eyes and follow your breath into an inner world of wonder. Return as awareness, carrying the sense of wonder with you.
Remove the stain related to “life will be better when” by asking if “when” ever arrives.
Take off your ego’s muddy galoshes, and run bare foot.
Acknowledge the Divine Power that’s beating your heart. Bow your head and whisper “Thank you.”
Pack a picnic (however meager) and dine at a new location, in the glorious fullness of Now.
Look upon everyone (the young and the seeming old) as a child of the Creator. They are.
For sixty seconds, feel your heart’s warm unity of Oneness with All. Repeat.
Count your “haves,” instead of your “wants.”
Be with your hands as they slowly open and close. Can you feel the miracle?
Through awareness, Be peace, here and now. Silently say “hush” if the mind attempts to intrude.
Give.
Love.
Be grateful.

Through awareness, we may reignite so much of the joy that we felt as children. This world, Life, needn’t seem like such a bothersome chore. We don’t have to manage it, change it, or define it according to the mind’s perspective. Wonder, amusement, and excitement are waiting to be born into experience through Presence.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Neighbour Blues & Good News

It was Gwen’s fourth night in her new apartment. At forty-six, she was starting over; her divorce papers had been signed only a month prior. The pace of unpacking had slowed; and now, with some favourite knick knacks in place, her living space was beginning to feel like home. A smile lit its way across her face as she surveyed her efforts. At quarter to midnight, she climbed into bed; eager for a good night’s sleep. She felt tired but content. All seemed right in her world until she heard of the strident voice of her neighbour Harriet (who she had met briefly the previous day) explode in an uncontrollable tirade. “Get the f#%k out!” Harriet screamed. “Get out, you f#u%ng loser–NOW!” She was a spigget of profanity turned on full force. A fearful thought spiked into Gwen’s mentality as she pulled the covers higher: “Oh, dear God, have I just traded one hell for another?”

For the next half hour, Gwen was tossed by fearful thoughts as Harriet subjected anyone within earshot to her continuing explosion of anger. Harriet was demanding that a woman who was visiting must leave; but the woman, who was also screaming profane replies, refused to leave. Admidst the turmoil, Gwen came very close to notifying the superintendent or the police. However, she finally found peace–even during the event–when the following thought entered her mind:

“Persons who appear most unlovable actually need our love the most.”

With that anchor of understanding, Gwen gradually found her own fearful thoughts being crowded out by feelings of loving compassion. “No one in their right mind would deliberately choose to live this way?” she said to herself silently. “What inner fears are driving this release of pent up energy? What kind of hellish environment must Harriet have been raised in, or exposed to, to give rise to such behaviour?” As the noise from the apartment beneath her lessened in intensity and frequency, Gwen was finally able to fall asleep.

***

Dear Readers: Attempting to ensure that home “without” always remains peaceful is a losing battle; for our outer environment is subject to ever-shifting circumstances. It’s only when we recognize home “within,” (that placeless place beyond name and form) that we realize the peace that passes all understanding.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

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. 🙏🧡

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

One Serving One

In 1998, Joseph decided to follow his passion; he took a leap of faith and opened his small diner. By the menu standards of other restaurants, the food that he offers is basic–burgers and fries, hotdogs, chili, stew, pulled pork sandwiches, and homemade soups and biscuits. Joseph runs his business simply but efficiently. When customers arrive, they’re directed to approach the front counter, place their order from the large menu board, and then take a number when they pay. When their number is called, they return to the counter to pick up their tray of food.

In the first two years of business, Joseph began to wonder if opening his diner had been a mistake. On many days, the flow of customers was pitifully slow. Initially he blamed the situation on the fact that his diner wasn’t on a major thoroughfare; but then he also noticed that first-time customers who trickled in rarely returned. He worked long hours just to make enough to pay the bills. In his desire to “get” success, Joseph seemed to be failing miserably.

The situation changed soon after Joseph experienced a startling revelation about his essential nature. His focus turned toward “giving” each and every one of his customers a successful dining experience; which meant serving them the best meals possible in a kind and courteous manner. He wanted them to feel his love for them. In the following months, his business quadrupled; and many of the first-time customers became regulars. Family and friends assumed that his business had only been saved by luck; but Joseph knew the real reason:

For more than twenty years, Joseph has secretly whispered to himself when customers come to pick up their food at the counter. Although he outwardly calls their number tag (e.g. “Serving #17”), in his heart he knows the truth that he’s actually “One Serving One.” He realizes that his customers are within him; and he’s within them. Together they’re a success. God in apparent form is serving God in the forms of guests. And therein lies the secret of his success. As a result, the people who visit his restaurant often think of it as a loving sanctuary, more than a restaurant.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Song of The Soul

The conditioning that’s prevalent in the majority of western-type societies has created a mythological version of happiness which is very conditional. It’s based upon ignorance of our essential nature and offers an empty promise that’s dependent on the concept of one simple word–“when.”

Led by the relentless desires of our ego, we conclude that life will be dandy: when I find the love of my life; when we move into our new home; when all of our bills are paid; when the dishes are done; when I complete my first marathon; when we have financed our children’s education; when I receive a pay raise; when I summit another mountain; when my book is published; when I buy another fifty pair of shoes; when I buy another motorcycle/boat/thing; when the economy improves; when so-and-so is elected; when our neighbours behave; when I receive an apology for what he/she did twenty-two years, three months, and two days ago; when it’s Friday; when the weather is just right; when the waiter arrives; when I lose/gain twenty pounds; when I’ve had another three (ten?) beers; when I’m living on the west coast (east coast); when he/she/ loves me; when my bank account has a certain amount of numbers; when my talent is appreciated; when I can bench press a Buick; and last, but not least, when I’m p-e-r-f-e-c-t.

The voice of the ego temptingly assures us that we will be happy when our desires are fulfilled; but here’s the catch: it’s LYING! The overlooked fact to this conditioning is that Now is all there ever IS. When we attempt to be happy by fulfilling the desires of the time-bound phantom “self,” we overlook the very non-thing whose nature is happiness Itself. Our BEing isn’t dependent on anything to be happy. It rejoices in LIFE, as LIFE. It revels in Isness. Can you, here and now, become still and hear the delightful song of your soul?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Expressions of Divinity

I begin this article with a bold assertion that will probably be questioned at least or, perhaps, even strongly denied:

Everyone, and everything, is an expression of Divinity.

After reading my claim, some readers may be tempted to call 911 for my apparent rescue and/or straight jacket. Given the apparent state of our world, their common-sense perspective might also give rise to the following question:“Where, dear laddy, do you sense evidence of divinity here on earth?”

A glance at world media news–with its reports of murder, war, greed, corruption, and abuse of mother earth–would certainly seem to justify such an imaginal question. Based on superficial review, it might appear that we do, in fact, live upon a Godless planet in a Godless universe; but for readers who may be seeking a deeper revelation, I’ll offer more:

Due to our deeply conditioned beliefs, the expression of “That” within us which is divine is greatly hampered by the degree to which we remain ignorant of the Truth of our origin. In other words, it’s impossible to express our highest nature if we are unaware of It. The majority of Beings quite logically believe themselves to be a body-mind limited to time and space, and express themselves accordingly. Such belief leaves little room for appreciation that all Life flows from a Divine Source, and that our essential nature is unlimited.

Beings who are unaware of their innate Divinity may, quite naturally, assume that their circumstances arise because they have been blessed or cursed by a distant God. This may lead to an “if-I-had-only-lived-more-wisely” attitude and the feeling of tremendous guilt. The underlying spiritual principle is as follows:

We are not punished for “our” sins; but, rather, “by” them.

Wayward thoughts and beliefs, which lead to actions that create negative circumstances, eventually lead to suffering that causes us to change within and realign with higher ideals. God’s system, which is founded upon goodness, was never intended to work against Itself. It functions as a metaphysical mirror that reflects the nature of our thoughts and beliefs. Negative circumstances indicate that we have gone astray. We’re, thereby, guided to turn our attention toward God and raise the quality of our thoughts. It’s absolutely true that when we turn our attention to God every aspect of our life improves.

Without knowledge of true Self, it’s impossible for us to knowingly express Its inherent nature. Such would be akin to requesting that we use a tool that we didn’t know we possessed. The atrocities that we witness, and also our lesser sins, are not caused by an apparently Godless Universe. Such conditions arise due to humankind’s ignorance of its origin. Fortunately, every divine spark that recognizes its true nature can ignite a blaze within the masses.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Muscleman Joe

Muscleman Joe was “the man” at his local gym, and knowing that filled him with quiet pride. He had dedicated a major amount of his time and energy to achieving that status. All of the other weightlifters and bodybuilders, both male and female, considered him as the epitome of their sport. He possessed the strength, bulk, and definition that made the majority of them stand back in awe. He was the king of the chest press, squat, and deadlift. He had lost count of the number of first-place trophies that he’d won at various competitions.

In Joe’s mind, he (not surprisingly) held a crystal-clear image of who he thought he was. In his mind’s eye, he imagined himself as a successful bodybuilder, a veritable physical legend. Unbeknownst to Joe, however, his mind contained various other images, which (having been unwittingly impressed with feeling into the subconscious mind) were creating their effects. Like the greater unseen portion of an iceberg, these contents were causing other areas of Joe’s life to sink like the Titanic. His personal relationships were filled with conflict; his financial debt load was heavy; and his career path always veered from success.

One night after leaving the gym, Joe got into his truck and attempted to start the engine. Instead of hearing the familiar sound of a cranking engine, however, all that he initially heard was silence. It seemed to envelope him and force him to remain still. Within a few moments, he became even more bewildered when he heard a soft voice utter the following words:

“You’ve been attempting to live a lie, Joe. Mistakenly, you believe that you are a physical bodybuilder. Given the conditioning of your environment, it’s understandable that you would believe that you are a person and, therefore, the doer; but such is an erroneous perspective. There is only one doer, Joe, and I Am That. Despite appearances to the contrary, I Am the One who lifts the weights…through you. I also beat your heart and breathe your lungs. To improve aspects of your life that you currently deem a failure, you must change the nature and quality of your thinking. There is no other way.”

When the message from the voice ended, Joe shook off his disbelief at what had occurred and pressed the starter button again. The car’s engine started without hesitation. Shaken with puzzlement, he then slowly drove home and soon fell into a deep sleep that lasted all night long.

***

In the coming months, Muscleman Joe began to flex spiritual government of his mind. Meditation and visualization became a regular part of his daily routine. Just as he deliberately chose which foods to include in his diet, he learned to deliberately choose which thoughts to allow entry into his mind. No longer did he dwell upon negative circumstances. It became his ingrained habit to remain strong in his true power; to seek opportunity in every situation. By embracing a new vision for his future (through persistent positive thoughts, imbued with the feeling of having already achieved his goals), he finally turned his circumstances around. In fact, in some circles he is now better known as Spirit Man Joe.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

I Am Aware

The most troubling days of “my” life–and not coincidentally, the worst for those Beings with whom I interacted–occurred when the light of awareness was unable to shine through the density of my mind. Sleep deprivation, excessive stress, and hunger might have been some of the obvious causes. It was then that the apparent little “i,” which could periodically range from mildly offended to defensive to angry, was left alone to wreak its havoc. And wreak havoc, it did.

When ego is in charge, our experience is never going to be of the highest quality. It’s like being aboard a captainless battleship, with a set of programmed reactions standing at the helm. The governing idea on the radar screen is self survival; not the petty concerns of apparent “others” who might be cruising within range. At such times, “our” needs, “our” goals, and “our” desires are deemed most important; and be damned the people who attempt to interfere. When this occurs between two or three persons, varying degrees of conflict may arise. When it occurs in mass numbers, there is the high probability for war.

Does this feel familiar? If so, you are not alone; for we’ve been conditioned to believe that our apparent “i” is more important than anyone else’s. Our unspoken motto–even as we care in our own way–is often “better him/her than me.” We’ve been programmed to believe that it really matters whether this blog post is read by five persons, five thousand, or no one; that it really matters whether Elon Musk’s dream of colonizing Mars is realized; that it really matters whether the person filling our coffee order pours in milk, not cream!

And now, to the main point of this article: I took the attached photo last week, in a nearby city. When there was opportunity, with “I Am Aware” fully at the helm of my body-mind, I approached the man who was standing near the tent, and we engaged in polite conversation. Not surprisingly, we shared not a word about the importance of my blog, whether humans will ever live on Mars, or the milk versus cream dilemma about coffee. I wonder what matters to him as he lays in a sleeping bag, in a tent, in Canada, with winter approaching.

To spare ourselves the pitiful circumstances that can arise when “me” (and “my” needs) attempts to take the helm, we are wise to govern through “I Am Aware” as often as possible.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Cautionary Tails

During my spiritual quest, I learned that Sri Ramana Maharshi (an Indian sage who suddenly recognized true Self at the age of sixteen) used the analogy of an electric fan–rotating again, after having been switched off–to refer to the return appearance of egoic behaviour and perspective. Mooji, who is a noted speaker and author of books about non duality, refers to the same phenomena by stating that “the tail of the snake is still in the room.”

Language is a major obstacle in the discussion of Truth (in fact, it’s impossible to relate it via words); but most Beings who have recognized their essential nature would probably agree that the realization of true Self (a “person” never becomes enlightened) is not without its setbacks. Habitual ways of behaving in the world often surprise us when we are least aware. Knowing when/if the “tail of the snake” is back in the room can make a tremendous difference in the quality of our life experience. The following is a partial list of signs that indicate that the tail of the snake has reappeared:

Selfishness.
Defensiveness
Stubborn desire to be “right.”
Holier-than-thou-ness.
Judgmental behavour.
Dishonesty.
Hatred
Pride
Blame.
Shame.
Guilt.

When the tail of the snake appears, the perspective of Truth may be regained by becoming still. This provides an opportunity to recognize whether attention is flowing from an object of experience (the person) or from the formless Knower of it. We may also find it helpful to ask: “Who is it that’s expressing this self interest right now? What is its nature?” If circumstances permit, a few minutes of meditation may help to re-center in Presence.

Our egoic structure attempts to convince us that it’s vitally important—that the world would fall to ruin if it were to vanish; but the fact is that the expression of life actually becomes richer when we recognize (Latin: cognoscere: to know again) our essential nature beyond name and form. The ego doesn’t have to be annihilated. Of most import is to be firmly established as Spirit; instead of defending the perspective of the person who, ultimately, is illusory.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Don’t Map Me In

Recently, I was invited to be on a podast with Troy Headrick, who’s one of the talented writers for a wonderful blogsite entitled WiseandShine. I feel very fortunate to be able to publish some of my writing there, also. The topic of our discussion was What’s Important?. I enjoyed our relaxed conversation very much, but I felt especially moved by an account that Troy related of a ceremony that took place at the end of his Pre-Service Training for the Peace Corps. During the training, they studied Polish language, history, and culture and also learned intercultural sensitivity. This is my interpretation only, but I feel that the heart of the ceremony demonstrated a much broader scale of the priniciple related to the following quote attributed to Alfred Korzybski:

“The map is not the territory.”

For seekers who are eager to dive into self inquiry, the meaning of this quote is tremendously important to understand. This single insight can open our mind and help shine a light of comprehension on many more. If we contemplate the quote, we may easily realize that a map cannot actually “be” the territory, because it’s a representation only–not the actual territory, itself.

When we apply this principle to our identity, we realize that all of the definitions “of” our person (body, mind, gender, race, nationality, status) cannot possibly “be” our essential nature. To do so would mean that we had erroneously believed the descriptions “of” the person (the visual representation, in the example of the map) to “be” identical to the person’s essence. This, of course, isn’t the case. Strangely, however, this is exactly what the majority of the world’s population believe, day after day. In the Bible, this occurrence is expressed through the account of the prodigal son, who turned his attention away from his “Father” (the Source of his Being, Consciousness), and focused his attention solely on his body-mind in the apparent world. To do so means that we have unconsciously confused descriptions “of” the person with his/her essential nature. When this occurs, we believe–with blind certainty–that we’re a separate “self” living in what can often seem a harsh and threatening world.

The ceremony that Troy shared with the listeners illustrated the antithesis of this position, especially as it relates to the stereotypical “identities” so often associated with nations. During the ceremony, Troy and his peers crossed a stage and unpinned a pushpin that marked their “home town” and then crossed the stage again and pinned the location on a map that indicated where they were going to serve. In Troy’s case, that was Tarrow, Poland, from 1994 to 1996. Through this symbolic act, they physically illustrated that they were stepping beyond the limited identity related to one nation and embracing a perspective in which they stood united in their humanity.

With regard to awakening to our essential nature, enlightenment means that we (as a perspective of Consciousness, in Consciousness–not a “person’) cross the stage from where we believe that we are who we “think” we are, to knowing recognition of That which we actually “are.” On the one side of the stage, we are living from the conceptual version of ourselves (name and form); and at the other side, we realize that our true essence is the formless No-Thing (Consciousness) in which the world and everything within it appears. The Truth of our Being is referred to in the following quote from the Bhagavad Gita:

“Weapons cannot cut it, nor can fire burn it; water cannot wet it, nor can wind dry it.”

When this is lived on an interpersonal level, the quality of our relationships improves dramatically; it means that we’re seeing the world and everyone within it from a perspective that’s beyond the definitions related to our personal mask. In other words, the “guy” or “girl” down the street is no longer viewed as just a guy or girl. We, thus, see them as expressions of the same fullness–the ONE–that shines through us. When this occurs on a much broader scale amongst nations, there will be peace on Earth. Is that not reason enough to awaken to true Self?

Note: This post is dedicated to Troy Headrick and “others” like him, who serve the best interests of humanity, instead of the self-serving interests related to the false self.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Letting Go

The following is one well-known method to catch a monkey: A hunter makes a small hole in a coconut and scoops out the contents with a special tool. Afterward, some fruit or nuts is placed inside as bait, and the coconut is then tied to a nearby tree. The trap works because the monkey is able to insert its empty hand, but it’s unable to extricate its hand while holding the bait. Due to the monkey’s greed and desire to keep the apparent prize, it’s trapped. The monkey could easily escape, if it would only let go of the bait.

The human condition shares many similarities with the monkey and trap described. Due to ignorance of our essential nature, and desires related to the “person,” there is suffering. We want this to occur but not that. Based upon apparently outer circumstances, we habitually judge a day as good or bad, successful or unsuccessful. We conclude that if we get what we desire, and avoid that which we don’t desire, we will be happy. Because of our deeply ingrained belief that happiness is dependent on getting, we spend our lives competing for the prizes that we believe symbolize success. For many persons, such might be a promotion, a raise, a spouse, or a beautiful house. We will, and often do, sacrifice our health, time with family, and years of our life to attain–what? Can our happiness really be guaranteed by acquiring a shiny trophy in a bookcase, or a bank account with a specific amount of numbers?

I am not advocating a desireless life spent upon a courch; for such a strategy would soon reveal itself as only a softer, but ultimately no less painful, trap. To do nothing isn’t the answer. The solution is to let go of our identification with the person who’s adamant that things or achievements will ensure happiness. Through deepening awareness, we learn that we can set a goal and–quite remarkably–still remain happy in spite of the results. In a paradoxical twist, we often achieve more and experience greater fulfillment by letting go.

We’ve been strongly conditioned to believe that objects, people, and certain circumstances hold the power to grant us happiness. This belief is the bait of the human trap. From a wisdom perspective, it’s well known that it’s not objects, people, or certain circumstances that actually yield happiness–but the end of the state of desire! When we get what we desire, or avoid getting what we don’t desire, we are briefly happy. Through self investigation, we can realize this directly. How long did the new house, spouse, car, or promotion yield happiness before another desire arose?

This strategy is not some drummed-up belief system in which we pretend that we are not Jane or John Doe. It involves understanding the mechanism related to desire, and self inquiry into the nature of our Being. This is most often facilitated through periods of stillness. There, as Silent Awareness, we may witness sensations, images, feelings, thoughts and perceptions; which clearly indicates that we are not them. We are the eternal, immutable witness. We don’t have to experience the suffering of monkeys; for we have the ability to investigate our erroneous assumptions related to identity. In short, we may ask “Who Am I?” and not relent until we directly know the answer.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Behavior

Invitation to Play

Neighbour Blues & Good News

One Serving One

Song of The Soul

Expressions of Divinity

Muscleman Joe

I Am Aware

Cautionary Tails

Don’t Map Me In

Letting Go

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