“Job, Well Done”

Humankind has it backwards. The trouble is, it thinks it’s doing a good job. All of our human mistakes occur, and continue to reoccur, for two basic reasons: 1. We’re unaware that we unaware we’re making them. 2. The majority of humans are unaware of their higher nature. Due to our ignorance (defined as: lacking wisdom or knowledge), humankind is constrained to act in accordance with ways that it thinks are best. However, to produce the best results, it’s not enough to embody the best that we think we can be; in daily living we must express “Being” the best that we are. Only when we awaken to the Truth of our essential nature will our results reflect our inner greatness.

If we allow ourselves to be governed by the finite mind of humankind, the work that we think we can do will always be somewhat stained by self-centered motives. Such means that no matter how good our intentions, we will still be ruled to a certain degree by human instincts and drive. No doubt, there is much goodness in human potential; but that’s not enough. Only when we knowingly live from our Being will we create the best-of-the-best conditions on earth. The following illustrates the difference:

If I allow Art to perform what he (the false self) desires to express,

the work, even if only faintly, will bear the stamp of getting.

In other words, there will still be self-interest of the little “me.”

Conversely:

If the Spirit of Infinite Living Mind (the true Self) expresses Itself through Art,

the work will bear the stamp of giving.

This means that everyone potentially gains.

In the first example, we can see that the work will still contain what’s in the best interest of Art. However, when we live and move and have our Being in accordance with the second example, we–in human form–become a conduit to the expression of Divine Greatness. Deep down, all of us know when we’re living according to the second way; for there’s not a hint of selfishness within the work.

At this point in human evolution, the majority of us are habitually expressing our finite humanity. Why? Because we’ve been conditioned to believe that we’re mere flesh and bones. Our results will dramatically improve when we fully express our Infinite Divinity. When we habitually express That, which is Infinite in potential and Glorious in actuality, will our work bear proof that we have knowingly climbed to the peak of our Being. Only then will we lovingly look at one another and truthfully say, “Job, well done.”

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” 🙏🏻🧡

The Still Small Voice

One day, Frank became aware.

He became aware that he had been living unaware; that for as long as he could remember he had been existing on automatic pilot. Every day of the week was pre-planned, and so a week, a month, and, thus, a year. With startling clarity, he realized the shadow of his future–scripted by forces not his own–was both frightening and depressing. The revelation foretold the story of a man, apparently alive, standing at the foot of his own grave, awaiting the fall.

As Frank’s level of consciousness increased, he noticed that for years untold, he had willingly subjected his “Self” to the “cacophony of the multitude.” The trend had been so insidious that its increasing noise had escaped his attention. Morning news (“weapons of mass destruction“) was parroted at mid-day and echoed, yet again, at night. Repeatedly, various media outlets offered identical sound bites. For most of his life, Frank had assumed that the intention of such programs was simply meaning to inform; but now, he realized that conform, conform, conform was their more likely message. He also began to notice that neighbours and colleagues, in somnambulistic reverie, were eager to instruct him in action that he should take…if he were wise. “They’re asleep,” Frank now realilzed, “as was i.”

When Frank examined what he had assumed to be his life, he discovered that the grooves of his own behaviour were very deep, indeed. He realized (from the perspective of witness), that he always stirred the milk into his coffee with three clockwise turns–not two, followed by a tapping clink of the spoon against his favourite mug. He realized that he prefaced many sentences with the word actually, for no apparent reason. After showering, he realized that if it were not for awareness, his right arm would always reach to dry his left shoulder first. From his new vantage point, Frank intentionally severed as many patterns as possible; and subsequently felt more alive than he had felt in years.

On that day that Frank became aware, he made a promise to himself, which he has kept. The promise is that he would always favour the Still Small Voice within, instead of the cacophony of the multitude. Much later, Frank discovered that the Voice that guides his actions is referred to in Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Frank also wisely follows another action. When persons ask him for his opinion, it is to “That”–their own Still Small Voice–that he politely suggests they turn.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

I’ll Be With You

Most of us are familiar with the saying, “I’ll be with you in a moment.” We’ ‘ve probably heard it or even used it ourselves. It’s often stated in polite conversation, to indicate that there will be a short delay before an intended interaction will occur. In the majority of cases, it’s uttered perfunctorily; in much the same way that an empty glass is handed to someone who is thirsty for water. If we care about the depth of our communication (and I hope that we do), we would be wise to contemplate the deeper meaning of the expression.

In the deepest sense of the saying, it’s actually impossible to “be” with someone in a moment. By the most literal interpretation, Being only occurs in the eternal and timeless Now. To accept anything less means that we’re dealing with the concept of time and, thus, interacting with conceptual selves. It means that the thought of “me” is dealing your thought of “you.” While this may seem to be of trifling consequence, I assure you it’s not.

To the degree that the interpretation of the expression differs, the communication between persons is highly vulnerable to conflict or misinterpretation. Why? Because the definition of a “moment” is subject to various opinions. To one person, a moment is literally one second–one little blip of a digital time piece. To another person, a moment, used offhandedly, might signify a lapse of five or ten minutes. Of course, we’re well aware that all of our words are not interpretted literally; it’s up to us to determine when we are speaking literally or figuratively. A personal best habit, however, would be to choose our words wisely.

The most important point of this article (of truly being present) can be understood more easily through the following: Have you ever shared the company of someone and asked, or been asked, “Where are you?” If so, you understand that the two persons, although physically close, were dimensions apart. One might have been quite present, awaiting a reply. The other, for whatever reason, may have drifted mentally and, thus, not been present. To truly “be” with someone we must meet them at the level of the heart. In this placeless place of sympathetic resonance, words and actions are not required.

If we desire to truly share openly and honestly with other dear souls who are taking this apparent journey called “life,” we owe it to ourselves and them to be “here” with them Now. To do so requires that we get out of our busy mind and be present: Such is the price of admission to real, meaningful communication. In time, everyone is being defrauded in varying degree. When we, as Presence, are there for “others,” we also benefit; for this means that we’re not functioning on behalf of the “voice in the head” that claims to be our real identity. With regard to issues that really matter, to settle for anything less than heart-based communication is to offer an empty glass.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Chain of Gratitude

Recently one morning, I had finished eating my breakfast of poached eggs, when a thought entered my mind about gratitude. I was actually brushing my teeth when it occurred. I found myself thinking, “thank you for my breakfast.” Just as quickly, another thought related to gratitude entered my awareness; leading to the following chain:

Thank you for the eggs.
Thank you for the bread, butter, and plate.
Thank you for the frying pan and stove.
Thank you for my kitchen.
Thank you for my refrigerator.
Thank you for my apartment, electricity, and running water…

As you can readily tell, the list of related items and conditions for which I gave thanks are like links of a chain. I soon actually chuckled to myself, because I realized the chain is endless. I’m glad that a willing and eager desire to offer thanks is within me. Such is part and parcel of realizing a good life.

I am not advocating a Pollyanna approach to life–far from it. People who deliberately give thanks still encounter challenging situations. My point about offering sincere gratitude is related to the science of neurophysiology. Hebb’s Rule, or Cell Assembly Theory, basically states the following: neurons that fire together, wire together. By practicing gratitude, we’re actually training our mind to deliver a positive outlook, which equates to less suffering.

As this relates to the law of attraction, it’s important to know the following: Whatever we practice is performed more easily. It, thus, becomes our habit. This also includes suffering and pity parties, in which we have trained our mind to label situations negatively. We can avoid worsening challenging times by ingraining a perspective in which we seek for the good that surrounds us. It’s here. Napoleon Hill, who wrote Think and Grow Rich, was well aware of this. I offer one of his famous quotes:

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

Gratitude, habitually and sincerely expressed, has the power to transform our lives. Circumstances and events that might have been considered commonplace (such as a breakfast of poached eggs) become miraculous. You might ask yourself the following: “What have I trained my mind to focus upon–that which I’ve labelled good, or that which I’ve labelled bad?” If you’re seeking to improve the quality of your life, I highly recommend introducing, or continuing, the practice of gratitude. Breakfast anyone?

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Almighty Fearlessness

Have you experienced fear that robs you of the joy of each moment? Have you, as the person, been afraid of the so-called future? Have you, in the dark of night, tossed in a bed of worries about the coming day? If such is the case, there’s a solution of which you may be unaware. We lead into it through the following passage from Teachings of Ramakrishna:

Q: What is the nature of absolute reliance?

A: “It is like that happy state of comfort and satisfaction which is felt by a weary man when, reclining on a pillow, he smokes at leisure after a hard day’s toil: it is the ceasing from all anxiety and fear.”

The peace that’s described in the passage is not achieved by actions taken by the person. In fact, to attempt any actions from that perspective will almost certainly fuel our anxiety; or at best allow a brief reprieve. To discover the peace that passes all understanding, we must recognize our essential nature beyond name and form.

To understand this clearly, we must realize that persistent anxiety and fear belong to the perspective of the false self, also referred to as the person. Our body-mind is imbued with natural protective instincts that are intended to keep it safe; these usually function perfectly and should be heeded. However, prolonged anxiety and stress is generated by the fictional “i,” which believes it’s separate from All That Is. Fear of any nature doesn’t belong to true Self, because there’s literally nothing to oppose It.

How do we adopt this point of view? From the human perspective, we don’t attempt to do anything; for by repressing our fears, we would only add another layer to the belief in the false self. To arrive at true fearlessness, we must go within and knowingly recognize That which we actually are. When we become still (meditate)and know that I am God; we realize that we never were the person. We are Consciousness, in which the perspective of our body-mind appears. It was only our human conditioning that has made us interpret experience in such a fearful manner.

When we recognize that our higher Self is actually in charge of our life, we realize that we are free to live fearlessly. We learn to trust and have faith during circumstances that seem very uncertain. And the more that we trust That, which is our true nature, the more easily we flow with life. The verse from John 14 offers more inspiration: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Spelling” Success

In the following fictional account, I share real tips that I hope will help you experience more success in your life, both personally and professionally. As the title suggests, it relates to casting “spells:”

***

Kate and Sloane, who are now forty-three and forty-five respectively, first met when they were young children. They liked each other immediately and soon became best friends. During the long hot days of summer, they enjoyed spending time together as often as possible. They took great joy in sharing their secret dreams; of countries they desired to visit, businesses to start, and possessions to acquire. Excitedly, they would high-five each other and exclaim, “Yes, we can do this!“

When they were in college, the difference in their approaches to life became evident. Although they both faced challenges, Kate somehow managed to surmount them fairly easily. Sloane’s life was filled with struggle–with his grades, part-time jobs, and relationships. Undaunted, he vowed to work harder to achieve the success he deserved. Over time, their friendship slowly drifted apart. Their lives diverged in other ways, too. Kate did, indeed, achieve the success she envisioned; but Sloane did not.

From a law of attraction perspective, the difference in their level of achievement resulted from the ways that they were spelling success. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is casting “spells” via our habitual thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Kate happily performed her work “from” the perspective of already being successful. She was living her passion, which made it natural to feel successful. This was the paradigm (pattern, or example) that she carried within her wherever she went. Sloane, on the other hand, performed his work with the dream “of” one day being successful. He reasoned that if he worked hard enough, he would finally achieve his dreams. The subconscious paradigm that he mentally carried was of his self-proclaimed past failures. He talked about them frequently. In contrast, Kate mentally claimed her success before it manifest. Sloane was mentally chasing success; but Kate was embodying it.

***

The reason for the varying degrees of success experienced by Kate and Sloane is related in the following passage from Matthew 13:12:

“For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance;

but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

“Whoever has” refers to those who have claimed their success and prosperity in consciousness (in health, wealth, and relationships) and, thus, carry it with them in the core of their Being. “Whoever does not have” refers to those who carry subconscious paradigms of failure and poverty.

This message is echoed in the following passage from Proverbs 23:7:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

If you’re seeking success (as you, yourself, define it), you might consider asking yourself this question: Do I already possess my success at the core of my being, or do I hope to experience it in the future? Just for the record, no one has ever experienced the future. In other words, “you can’t get there from here.” All there is, is Now.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Eternal Now

Alice kept a close eye on time. It was a major driving force in her life. She was fascinated by it, at least when it wasn’t driving her around the bend. The thought of ever being late was a stimulus that could set heart racing. She had a small collection of watches; one for every occasion. Every spring and fall she synchronized them with Greenwich Mean Time to ensure that they were as accurate as possible.

One afternoon, Alice and Blake (the new tenant down the hall) engaged in a brief conversation. It began when they stepped onto the elevator of their apartment building, and he noticed her glance at her watch.

“Nice watch,” Blake said, smiling. “Is it new?”

“Thank you,” said Alice. “I’ve had it for about a year.”

It’s odd, isn’t it” said Blake, “we count something that doesn’t exist.”

“Say what?” said Alice, with a puzzled look.

“Time; it’s just a concept. All there actually is, is the eternal now; but humankind mentally slices it into arbitrary measures that we label seconds, minutes, hours, and days.”

“But there’s even atomic clocks,” said Alice. “They’re incredibly accurate.” The elevator doors slid open, and they stepped out, onto the 8th floor.

“Yes, I know,” said Blake, “but they’re still just measuring a concept.”

“I’m not sure that I know what you mean,” said Alice.

“Can we sit for a minute?” said Blake, with a glance toward the bench opposite the elevator. Alice nodded, and they sat down.

“This might help,” he said. “Time is just a convenient concept. It’s basically a framework that we use to arrange our lives. It allows us to get to appointments on time, and schedule a conceptual future.”

“Conceptual?” said Alice, perplexed.

“Yup, conceptual. Let’s try this,” said Blake. “If I asked you to meet me at McMillan Park this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. to go for a walk, when do you think that would take place? That is, if you agreed.”

“Well, this Saturday at 2:00 p.m.”

“This is where time gets tricky,” said Blake. “Our walk at the park could only take place now.”

“But that’s crazy!” exclaimed Alice. “Now, we’re sitting on a bench in our apartment building.”

“Is it?” asked Harold. “Can you ever live the future, even half an hour from now?”

Alice became still, and a grin swept across her face as she arrived at her answer. “No, I guess not.”

“We only live now,” said Harold. “It’s all there is.”

“I agree,” said Alice. “It’s important to be in the moment.”

“We can never actually be in a moment, either; because a moment is still a measurement of time. It might help if you considered the Now as a constant backdrop, rather than a measurement. We literally can’t escape it.”

“This is so strange,” said Alice.

“I agree,” said Blake. “We live our lives as though a real past and a real future actually exist; but they don’t. And they never will. The past is just a conceptual period in memory; and the future is just a conceptual period in imagination.”

“So, if I understand you correctly,” said Alice, “you’re saying that this morning at my job doesn’t really exist.”

“Not beyond memory, no,” said Harold.

“Sure feels real,” said Alice.

Harold smiled. “I know. I learned something from Eckhart Tolle that helped me understand this stuff more clearly. Here’s an example he gave about the past: He said that if you had a time machine and could push a button and travel backward in time–say to the 17th century, that you would still step out of the machine and say, “Now, I’m in the 17th century!”

“I get it,” said Alice, smiling. “And now, I guess I better get these frozen groceries into the refrigerator before they melt!”

With that, Alice and Blake stood and headed off in opposite directions to their apartments. He had only taken a few steps, when he turned around and said, “What do you think about having a walk in McMillan Park? Would you like to go sometime?”

“Sure,” said Alice, with a smile. “Now?”

***

Dear Readers: Have you been carrying worries that belong to the false self of space-time? They don’t belong to the real YOU.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Story of Gain and Loss

The paradigm of reality which I relate in this article is radically different from the one that we’ve been conditioned to believe. Almost everyone, particularly in western-type cultures, has been programmed to blindly accept that they are a separate self (the little “i”) who either gains, and is, therefore, labelled a success; or losses, and is, therefore, labelled a failure. Due to this, we naturally judge the value of our life and that of the people around us by this criterion. Such could be described as a competitive way of living, at best; a treadmill of despair, at worst.

For many, this societal system based upon comparative ranking is the cause of many sleepless nights and an underlying stress to perform. “Yes,” says the little i-voice within us, “if i perform well enough, i will then receive what i need.” That need is usually the desire to be loved. The trouble is that this little i-voice toggles between success and failure on a regular basis. It’s a fickle phantom, inclined to whimsically praise or criticize. Success that’s achieved is eventually replaced by so-called failure. It is this erroneous belief that leads to false pride and boastfulness in so-called winners; and their opposites in the so-called losers. We might contemplate the situation of a star athlete who is happy as long as his/her career is going along well. What happens in retirement, after the glory days are over? What then?

The compass related to the “personal” story of gain and loss points only outward or inward. In the outward direction, persons continue to believe that if they work harder, perhaps in a different arena, they will achieve the success for which they yearn. In the inward direction, the failure-related suffering can be so great that Grace appears and points us to a deeper dimension of Self, which transcends the world of the person. The majority of persons may be unaware that success based soley on outer circumstance must ultimately fall to its opposite. How could it be otherwise in an ever-changing world?

What I’m suggesting is that the quality of everyone’s worldly experience improves dramatically when we catch the thief—the egoic “i”—before it steals more of our innate joy. Being is easy. Attempting to be a “successful person,” however, is riddled with pitfalls and problems. Buddha called such Dukkha, which loosely translated means “stress” or “suffering.” When we investigate the nature of the little “i” that has been blindly chasing gains and shunning losses, we may discover that the “i” that we’ve been attempting to appease doesn’t truly exist.

In the paradigm of reality that I refer to as Truth, every person flows from One Fountain of Divinity. As droplets of The Divine, each of us possesses unique talents that are intended to be expressed. We might imagine this as dipping our ladle into the Ocean of Universal Consciousness prior to incarnating. The droplet of consciousness labelled as John Brown, might later express a talent for carpentry or the practice of medicine; while the droplet of consciousness labelled as Jane Smith might later express a talent for writing or the practice of law.

Upon recognition of the truth of our Being, we naturally transition from the competitive mindset and embrace our collective talents and abilities. Everyone is viewed as being essentially equal. No one is above or below “another;” for ultimately we realize that there is no “other.” In recognizing our Oneness, we appreciate All. When this occurs on a grand scale, everyone experiences a more peaceful and beautiful way to live. The phantom storyteller of gain or loss is nowhere to be found.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Of Leprechauns and Gold

Caution: Before reading this article, please know that part of its content may feel unsettling. On the plus side, it also contains a pointer to great joy. Both are related to the following questions: Do you remember the story of a leprechaun who was chasing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Do you believe the leprechaun ever found that gold in the so-called “future?”

That devious leprechaun, which lies within everyone, can be so tempting. It attempts to convince us to follow it forever. With feigned wisdom and a sprightly dance, it exclaims, “Come follow me to great riches at the end of the rainbow!” To live in the manner it espouses, binds our apparent happiness to our senses and external circumstance; thus, we alternately experience great highs and lows. Only foolishness would have us believe the leprechaun’s advice. When we do, we trade eternal joy for the promise of an empty future; for as we realize, tomorrow never comes. To live a rich life, we must realize the truth of the following:

The gold of our Being is shining brightly, here and now

Nowhere beyond the eternal now may we mine our precious gold. The reason is simple: Nowhere else exists! Delusions of the mind would have us chase rainbows the world over–seeking happiness in fame, fortune, and perfect partners. Truly, think now, can another mountain climbed, another degree attained, or another relationship be the reason for our happiness? Can a real gift be found in an imaginal future? Tell, me if you will, has anyone actually found happiness that’s not–first–possessed within?

Now, dear friends, let’s approach this subject from Truth: I Am, I Am, I Am (Consciousness)—this is our silent, eternal song! I Am is the chorus, verse, and bridge! Our joy isn’t dependent on the leprechaun and the world; the leprechaun (body-mind) and the world are dependent on us! When we’re anchored firmly in the here and now, we realize that “I Am” is the rainbow, the pot of gold, and the gift!

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

With

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the preposition “with” includes the following definitions: “used as a function word to indicate the object of a statement of comparison or equality;” and “used as a function word to express agreement or sympathy.” For the purpose of this article, we’re going to combine both definitions and think of “with” to mean whether humanity is capable of living in harmony. On a personal level, such is often described as a state of “flow.”

We can be fairly certain of the following: If two persons are within a room for a certain period of time, said persons will eventually reach a point of disagreement. The disagreement may be subtle or overt; voiced or unvoiced; implied or demonstrated. No matter how well attuned those two persons are, they won’t agree with each other’s viewpoints, all of the time. In politel socieity, such may appear to be the case; but since no two persons actually live in one another’s shoes, have had the same experiences, or process life in an identical manner, this conclusion is inevitable. When we place ten, twenty, or one hundred people in a room, the effects are multiplied. When eight billion people share an apparent world, the consequences of various desires often lead to disastrous consequences; including war.

How may the ugliness of war and its atrocities be avoided? Through the profound realization that the word with, and its apparent opposite against, actually unite in the middle. As explained in many esoteric books, apparent opposites aren’t actually opposite at all. This is often illustrated through an example of hot and cold. We are asked if we can determine a point at which hot ends and cool begins. The answer, quite clearly, is “no.” They’re actually one, expressed in varying degrees.

When we apply this principle to billions of persons who are struggling to get along with one another, while living their apparently separate lives, a solution is revealed: We must realize our Oneness. Who, realizing That which we truly are, would be prideful? Who, realizing That which we truly are, would be unwilling to forgive? Who, realizing That which we truly are, would defend the illusory “person” or ever desire to injure a so-called “other?” We must clearly know, not just believe, that all persons of various colours, creeds, and nationalities are but apparent variations of the One. Thus, when we look at one another, we see our spiritual brother and sister.

God always gets along with everyone in all ways. From God’s vantage point, there’s actually no-thing apart from Him/Her/It; logically, therefore, God is always at peace with all circumstances, all events, all people, and all nationalities. The position of against is only related to the delusional perspectives of our egoic selves, which are conceptual only. They’re based on who we think we are–not That which we are in reality. When we recognize humanity by the Light of our Oneness, what difference do we see? Isn’t it time to experience peace by bringing Truth down to Earth?

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Behavior

“Job, Well Done”

The Still Small Voice

I’ll Be With You

The Chain of Gratitude

Almighty Fearlessness

“Spelling” Success

The Eternal Now

The Story of Gain and Loss

Of Leprechauns and Gold

With

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