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

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Visits From “Art”

The purpose of this article is not to ramble on about “Art” and his apparent life. We’ve all heard enough “then-i-did-this” stories to realize that they usually, if not always, become quite boring. That is not to say that I do not love “Art” or appreciate his apparent journey; I do. It’s just that if we desire to recognize (know again) the Truth of our Being, it’s important to gain and maintain figurative distance between true Self and the character who you’ve erroneously assumed yourself to be. Most persons do not; and as a result there is the experience of suffering, both personally and collectively.

Physical, mental, and emotional suffering is related to a variety of circumstances; but despite the variety, all apparent suffering shares one root cause: our ignorance-based identification with the character that is masquerading as “you.” This identification is understandable, because from Day 1 of our appearance, we are conditioned to believe that we are the person of name and form that is experienced. The truth is that we are not.

We may illustrate this point by imagining that we are a court lawyer (true Self) who–day after day, year after year–is forced to defend the same defendant (our character) as though “our” very life depended on it! The defendant and we seem so closely united as to appear inseparable. On some days, it’s relatively easy to arrange bail for our character (which gives rise to happiness); on other days, it’s impossible to escape a harsh sentence (which gives rise to unhappiness). This is the human condition. It manifests as experiences that alternate between pleasure and pain.

For persons who experience the suffering related to identification with the egoic character, please know that there is a solution. It’s called enlightenment; which means to awaken from the dream of personhood and, thus, be liberated from identification with our character. It can happen in much the same way that persons awaken after sleep and realize that the events that occurred during the dream state were only dreams. It’s important to realize that true enlightenment refers to freedom from the perspective of the person, not as the person. No person ever becomes enlightened.

Regarding the title of this article, Visits From Art refers to remnant energies related to my character “Art” and his attempts to impress me with his realness. He and the apparent world are not absolutely real; they are both rendered in the waking state (termed reality by most persons), by the same Infinite Mind that creates dreams in the dream state. Occasionally, my character still whispers, or demandingly cries, that life must bend to “his” will. A few years ago, knowing Awareness was freed from Its delusional identification with “Art;” and the feeling of freedom and expansion that followed has been, and is, amazing. Now, when the imposter (Art) comes to visit, the natural tendency is to become still and settle knowingly in, and as, Truth. So, too, can YOU. You are not the body-mind character that has been suffering. True Self is immortal and infinite.

***

For those who are earnestly eager to recognize true Self, you might find my YouTube presentation beneficial. I’ll leave you with a quote from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, and his spiritual classic entitled I Am That:

“To be a person is to be asleep.”

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”

Trusting The Heart

Because a person’s focus is habitually turned outward, the majority of us attempt to make our life “right” by controlling external circumstances. We do this for the sake of happiness. For a time, this superficial strategy may seem to work; meaning, we get the perfect relationship, the incredible promotion, and the shiny objects that attracted our attention. On the occasions when the strategy doesn’t work, our natural instinct is to push harder, stressing all the way. “Damn it,” we cry, “I’m going to win or die trying.” Most people inevitably reach a point at which all of their strategies fail miserably. It’s at that point that the real work of living rises to the surface. If we’re courageous, we face it; if not, we often turn to distractions for solace. Such is the human condtion. It is rife with suffering.

In our brokenness, when we’ve been unable to achieve the goals that we erroneously believed would make us happy, we may find ourselves turning inward, to the real solution to our suffering. There, in the depth of our Being, so long overshadowed by ego, it’s possible to discover that our essential nature “is” happiness, itself. We knowingly realize that we are the broad, deep ocean of Consciousness, not the apparent wave. As Consciousness is everything, It needs nothing to enjoy the glorious moment-to-moment experience of life. Only the needful ego cries, “I need this or that,” to be happy.

When we see with clear discernment, we realize that it’s not our unfulfilled desires which are the source of our misery. It’s the assumption that their achievement could make us happy. Through an erroneous belief, we attribute the source of our happiness to apparent objects and circumstances. When we awaken to our essential nature, we realize that no such mechanism is required. Thus, we’re free to enjoy our apparent human experience. Here (breathe) and Now (breathe), we may trust the heart and live as peace and joy. I Am is prior to the human tales that attempt to define us.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Eric VonBlissville’s Notes

One day, several years ago, Eric VonBlissville (honestly, who could make up these names?!) awakened. This doesnt mean that he opened his eyes after a good night’s sleep, yawned, and then went to the bathroom to empty his bladder. He awakened to the very Truth of his Being. To say that such felt odd is and understatement.

During the next two years, Eric gradually stabilized in his new reality. Every situation and experience seemed bright and new. His conditioned ways of processing the world from the body-mind perspective were no longer appropriate; for he realized that such was founded upon falsity. In time, Eric adjusted. People, who sensed the change in his behaviour, were naturally drawn to him and asked questions about spirituality. Soon he began to hold satsang (spiritual discourse or sacred gathering) with seekers who were earnest to recognize Truth.

At the end of one such gathering, a woman named Sally stayed late and asked Eric a few questions in private. As she was about to leave, Eric handed her a pamphlet of information about his insights. She expressed sincere gratitude and took it home to read before heading to bed. Here’s the content of the pamphlet:

***

During the nighttime dream state, various perspectives are experienced. In one dream, we might be the pilot of an airplane that’s flying through a lightning storm. In another dream, we might be a camel herder, traversing a vast desert. In yet another, we might be a business tycoon, directing a worldwide conglomerate. In dreams, we experience a wide variety of circumstances and situations. We walk, talk, travel, and interact with other persons. Our dream character eats food and drinks beverages. The dreams feel absolutely real…until we awaken and realize that all was but a dream. At this point, we accept that mind rendered all of the experiences.

When we awaken from the dream state, we naturally assume that we “are” the character that arises. We have been conditioned to believe this without question. It feels so incredibly real to walk, talk, eat breakfast, and prepare for school or work. We are absolutely certain that we are the doer of our actions and, likewise, the thinker of our thoughts. Without proof, we assume that the world (Earth) exists as matter and, we (the person), as flesh and bones. The sun appears to rise in the east, and its heat feels very hot, indeed. When it rains, we get wet. To only a relative few does the thought occur to question what sages have known for millennia.

What the sages have known is this: The mind is the creator of everything, including this, our apparent world, here and now. The following quotes affirm this knowledge. The first is from The Final Truth, by Ramesh S. Balsekar: “What we ‘think’ we are is merely an appearance, an insubstantial shadow, whereas what we really and truly ‘are,’ is Consciousness itself, the formless Brahman.” The second is from The Abundance Book, by John Randolph Price: “Know that this entire experience is but an illusion, an outpouring of your beliefs, an effect of your consciousness.” The third is from Illusion vs Reality, by Shri Ranjit Maharaj: “Whatever happens in illusion, is only illusion, and in fact nothing ever happens. So many things happen in this world, birth and death, but it is only a dream.” The fourth is from The Heart of Suffism, by Hazrat Inayat Khan: “Every experience on the physical or astral plane is just a dream before the soul. It is ignorance when it takes this experience to be real.”

When we meditate, as advised in the Bible (Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I Am God), we realize that we’re the witness of our sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts); that we’re apart from them. To realize this is to recognize that our true nature is Consciousness (aka God). The reality is that we are the Christ incarnate. If such seems blasphemous, please ask yourself whether it’s actually more blasphemous to deny our inherent divinity and believe that (humankind) can exist independent of God. As God (Consciousness) is the only reality, of what else could we be created?

To experience a human life, Consciousness temporarily forfeits knowledge of Itself and becomes the apparent character (the “person”). In other words, “That” which we are dreams the dream of being a person. All of our so-called human experiences are only possible within a dream. Knowing this helps us understand the true meaning of Acts 17:28: “For in Him we live and move and have our being.”

Persons who have not yet awakened to their essential nature (to be precise, Consciousness awakens from the delusional belief of being the “person”) may claim that we have lost our sanity. Such only reveals that they’re still unaware of the Truth of their Being. Science has known the truth about the “material” world for many years. Atoms, which were once believed to be the building blocks of the apparent world, are actually 99.999% empty space. They are more accurately termed whirling clouds of energy. The apparent world is actually made of energy; as is your body-mind and mine. Thus, all of our experiences only “exist” within a dream.

Much love, Eric

***

So there you have it, dear readers. Are you, like Sally, curious about your essential nature, beyond name and form? To knowingly recognize what you truly are is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Gratitude 2.0

The wisest of the wise know the importance of gratitude. They state that it has the power to transform the quality of our life. Through sincere gratitude (which is thought, felt, and spoken), we raise our life and the lives of those around us. Platitudes and trite clichés are not permitted; for they are barren soil, incapable of growing the quality of life we desire to experience. Nothing less than heartfelt sincerity will suffice.

With regard to the subject of appreciation, many persons may be unaware that it is divided into two major classifications. Gratitude 1.0 is when we give thanks that we can do be, do, and have in our life. We are grateful that we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Likewise, we are grateful that we can walk, talk, and perform. We appreciate that we have a family, home, job/career, and food to place upon our table. We give thanks that we can lead a good life.

Gratitude 2.0 is of a more profound nature, one more closely related to the facts of deep appreciation. What, you might ask, is the difference? In Gratitude 2.0, we realize that we, as the body-mind (person) can do nothing. It is, and always has been, God (aka Consciousness) all the way. Although it appears that humans are the doers, we are not. We have been carried, and continue to be, for the duration of our apparent lives. In Gratitude 2.0, we realize the truth of Acts 17:28:

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.”

If we contemplate this even briefly, we may arrive at a deeper realization, one in which Gratitude 2.0 may literally take us to our knees with the most humbling appreciation. Do ‘i” really know how to heal a cut—or does the healing of a cut occur? Do “i” maintain my breathing while my body-mind sleeps—or does respiration occur? Likewise, do “i” digest my food, coordinate muscles, and maintain cellular functions? In Gratitude 2.0., we acknowledge that humans do not perform the miracles associated with daily living. We may give thanks, however, that God does.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Train Station Truth

Rupert Spira is a noted author and speaker about our essential nature. Through his seminars, held online and in various locations throughout the world, he also relates valuable information about non-duality. I owe him a debt of gratitude; for he has played an important role in deepening my level of understanding about true Self. This article was inspired by one of his free daily notes that really struck a chord with me. I hope that its message will also resonate with you. All credit is given to Rupert Spira for the following quote:

“See thoughts and feelings like a train that enters a station and then leaves;

be like the station, not like a passenger.”

From the moment of our arrival on “Earth,” we’re conditioned to believe–with absolute certainty–that we are the apparent body-mind (the “train,” in the analogy). This perspective is directly opposite to the one that Rupert advises us to be. As young children, we are told that our train (the body-mind) has a name, and that it functions autonomously in the world. As our egoic “train” gains momentum and apparent realness, it also gathers various judgments and opinions about itself. Through comparison, our train habitually judges itself as worthy or unworthy based on shifting criteria that it deems important. One day, our body-mind feels blessed by wonderful circumstances; on another, it feels cursed by terrible conditions. As long as we blindly assume that we are the train, we’re bound to experience suffering. Due to this perspective, which has been ingrained in us since childhood, we see no choice but to take life’s vagaries personally and very seriously, indeed.

We may, however, investigate the validity of this perspective. What if our perspective (as the train) was based on uninvestigated assumptions–not Truth? Can we, through a practice of meditation that allows our mind to become still, understand that we, in Truth, are the Station of Awareness, in which, and through which, we experience our train (body-mind) and the world? A deeper understanding related to Rupert’s note may arise within us when we realize that our body-mind (which feels so incredibly real and autonomous) is actually being rendered by the mind. In The Law of Success, Paramhansa Yogananda wrote the following:

“Mind is the creator of everything.”

Mind creates our ephemeral experiences in the sleeping dream state; and, likewise, it creates our 3-D experiences in the waking-state dream. Through enlightenment, we recognize that we’re actually the empty station of Awareness, dreaming an apparently human train ride. Self-inquiry is the ticket that can help make our apparently human journey more joyful.

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

Shoot-Out at Self Inquiry Square

To set the scene for this article, please whistle a few bars of the theme music to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Alternately, a Clint Eastwood sneer might also be helpful.

***

Recently, my ego, “Gus,” and I hadn’t been gittin’ along so well; so it was decided that we would have a shoot-out. Huhhh, yep, that’s right–the old fashioned kind; pistols at midday, one hundred paces apart. It was time to put an end to the apparent suffering. Plus, I was getting tired of Gus’s cussing–cussed a lot, that varmint did.

At high noon, Gus and I stepped into Self Inquiry Square. It was uncomfortably hot, with occasional swirls of dust. A buzzard circled directly overhead. In the middle of the square, we positioned ourselves back to back, and then set off walking in opposite directions. With our spurs jangling, we counted off fifty paces and turned toward each other. Gus looked cocky, as usual, chawing tobaccy. For a few moments, we stared at each other, I to ‘i.” Suddenly, without batting an eye, Gus drew his gun and pulled the trigger. But lo and behold, the only sound was a click. Stunned, he angrily aimed his gun at me and repeatedly pulled the trigger; again, the only sounds were clicks.

Armed in the strength of I Am, I began marching toward him. As I closed the distance, I emptied both of my six-shooters, throwing down the following books, rapid fire:

“I Am That“

“The Power of Now“

“The Nature of Consciousness“

“Who Am I?“

“The Ultimate Understanding“

“Illusion vs Reality“

“Wake Up And Roar, Satsang With Papaji“

“Open Secret“

“I, Reality and Subjectivity“

“The Untethered Soul“

“A Parenthesis in Eternity“

“This Taste of Flesh and Bones“

With each book tossed, Gus’s level of fear increased. He was beyond scared, quaking so much that his spurs were jangling non stop. He knew that his perspective of ignorance would soon be dead. Less than ten feet from him, I sat down in the dusty street, crossed my legs, and finished him off with a few minutes of meditation.

When I opened my eyes (and saw clearly), Gus was nowhere in sight. By some accounts, the moment I closed my eyes, he turned tail and ran, lickety-split. Later, I searched town high and low; but I couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. It was as though he had never really existed. What about your “Gus,” you know, the guy/gal that goes by your name and claims to be who you really are? Is that little “i” still trying to run your life, or is I Am in charge?

***

For those who are interested, here is the above list of books, with their respective authors: (I Am That, Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj),translated by Maurice Frydman; (The Power of Now), by Eckhart Tolle; (The Nature of Consciousness), by Rupert Spira; (Who Am I?), Sri Ramana Maharshi; (The Ultimate Understanding), by Ramesh S. Balsekar; (Illusion vs Reality), by Shri Ranjit Maharaj; (Wake Up And Roar, Satsang With Papaji), by Eli Jaxon-Bear; (Open Secret), by Wei Wu Wei; (I, Reality and Subjectivity), by David R. Hawkins; (The Untethered Soul), by Michael A. Singer; (A Parenthesis in Eternity), by Joel S. Goldsmith; (This Taste of Flesh and Bones), by R. Arthur Russell

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Deliberate Creation 5:5

Persons who’ve heard about the law of attraction will most likely have polarized views. There will be a large camp of people who believe that it’s absolutely ludicrous; and there will be those in my camp, who’ve investigated it deeply, and believe in its validity. With the hope of helping you make an informed decision, I’m going to list five books about the law of attraction that I’ve read during a period of forty years. I also share five quotations that relate great insights; for those who are ready to receive them. Let’s begin:

Number 1: My overall favourite book about the law of attraction is entitled The Master Key System, by Charles F. Haanel. The book may seem a challenging read (it was for me the first few times); but I believe that its difficulty is offset by the amazing depth of content. Mr. Haanel was a heavyweight when it came to his level of understanding about our essential nature and manifestation. Here’s an important quote from Part Eight:

“It is the few who know that the things which they see are only effects, and understand the causes by which these effects were brought into existence.”

Number 2: Another book that holds a valued place in my small library of carefully chosen books is entitled The Power of Awareness, by Neville Goddard. He possessed a wealth of knowledge and expressed a great deal of it within this small book. I highly recommend this as an introductory book for anyone who desires to gain a deeper understanding. Here, I offer a quote from Chapter Thirteen, Acceptance:

“However much you seem to be living in a material world, ‘you are actually living in a world of imagination.’ The outer, physical events of life are the fruit of forgotten blossom-times–the results of previous and usually forgotton states of consciousness.”

Number 3: The next book on our list, entitled The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, is undoubtedly the most well-known book about the law of attraction; but I believe that Ms. Byrne may not always receive the credit that she deserves. She’s still very passionate about helping people improve the quality of their life; and even more importantly, she’s also shares rich information about our essential nature. Here, I offer a quote from Dr. John Hagelin, found in the chapter entitled The Secret to You:

“Quantum mechanics confirms it. Quantum cosmology confirms it. That the Universe essentially emerges from thought and all of this matter around us is just precipitated thought. Ultimately we are the source of the Universe, and when we understand that power directly by experience, we can start to exercise our authority and begin to achieve more and more.”

Number 4: Neville Goddard’s depth of understanding about the law of attraction was so great that I’m going to include another one of his books, entitled Neville Goddard’s Interpretation of Scripture. I highly recommend it for persons with at least a moderate degree of knowledge about the teachings. Here, I offer a quote from page fifteen:

“Things have no reality other than in consciousness. Therefore, get the consciousness first and the thing is compelled to appear.”

Number 5: Last, but definitely not least, on my list of books with incredible value related to the teachings of the law of attraction is entitled A Happy Pocket Full of Money, by David Cameron Gikandi. He relates a wealth of knowledge about quantum physics, our essential nature, and techniques for manifesting. His book also contains a great affirmation that is repeated throughout the book. Here, I offer a quote from Chapter 4, Images of the Mind, The Blueprints of Life:

“The world is an illusion, as we will see much more clearly as we move on. See it as an illusion; believe it to be an illusion, an illusion designed to help you know and experience your Self. Once you do so, you will always remember to create the next version of the illusion that you wish to have. You literally create the next version of the world by painting your mind’s images with certainty.”

***

As you can see from the above quotes, to fully understand the law of attraction requires a paradigm shift toward so-called reality. Initially, this will undoubtedly seem strange; but if you allow your mind to open, you will discover the amazing benefits. A couple of questions may help: “Is not a world created within the dream state every night? Then, why is it not conceivable–in fact, quite probable–that Infinite living Mind is also creating this world of reality right now? To shift towards this perspective requires that we surrender our ingrained belief of being a body-mind. It is an appearance in Consciousness. The degree to which you might find this unbelievable signifies the strength of the egoic grip.

The law of attraction applies to every aspect of our life–health, wealth, and success. For readers who are earnestly eager to learn more about our essential nature and how to manifest more easily, I suggest that you click here to watch my five-minute video, and also read more of my previous articles. The information has been inspired from my personal experience and the study of more than one hundred books.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Insights From Ashtavakra

Note: Readers who are ready to receive an important message related to Truth, will find it within this article. To all others, the content will pass as words, just words.

Thanks to Janki Parikh, we have a wonderful translation of the Ashtavakra Gita (song of Ashtavakra), which is considered one of the holy texts in Hinduism. It relates a dialogue between King Janaka and a sage named Ashtavakra, about the our essential Self and the nature of reality. The dialogue occurs after a troubling event in the king’s life:

***

One night, King Janaka fell asleep and had a terrible dream. In the dream, his kingdom was invaded by a brutal enemy. Although he and his army fought valiantly to defind his kingdom, they lost the battle. In exile, King Janaka found himself living as a beggar. People who had once been his subjects now ignored him completely. Seeking food and shelter, he wandered through the streets, lost in misery. At one point, someone took pity on him and handed him a bowl of watery rice; but before he could consume the food, the bowl slipped from his hands and shattered upon the street. In deep despair, he fell to his knees and wakened–back in his royal bed. However…

His misery soon transformed into deep confusion. He wondered: “Which is real?” He felt caught between two worlds, with a question that he couldn’t answer: “Am I really a king who dreamed I was a beggar, or am I really a beggar dreaming that I’m a king?” In the following days, his condition worsened; to the point at which his ministers and servants wondered if he was losing his mind. In desperation, they summoned sage Asktavakra. With great wisdom, Ashtavakra questioned King Janaka about the state in which he appeared to be a king, and the one in which he had imagined himself to be a beggar–both which came and went. Finally, King Janaka knowingly recognized a glimpse of his true nature. The following passages in bold are quotes from Ashtavakra Gita, by Janki Parikh:

“Then it’s simple, O King. If that [you as a king, in a kingdom] doesn’t always exist, and this [you as a beggar, in the street] doesn’t always exist, then neither this nor that is real!”

“What is real, then?” asked King Janaka.

“Then, Dear King, neither this is real, nor that is real. Only YOU are real!”

***

Now, dear readers, please allow me to ask: Do you know–with absolute certainty–that you are the person who is reading this article, or have you merely assumed it so? Do you know beyond doubt that you experience a body-mind, or do you actually experience thoughts, sensations and perceptions that imply a body-mind? Could it be that the mind that creates nighttime dreams also creates the waking state, which the majority of persons refer to as “reality?” Are you really a king, queen, or beggar reading this article, or is all of this occurring within a dream? Could the real YOU be all-pervading, Consciousness, immortal and eternal, dreaming a so-called human life? I freely admit that I, true Self, witnessed “Art” apparently writing this article. Recognition of true Self is at the heart of nonduality. Wake up, dear soul, wake up.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Consciousness, Spirituality, & Law of Attraction

The Story of Gain and Loss

Visits From “Art”

Trusting The Heart

Eric VonBlissville’s Notes

Gratitude 2.0

Train Station Truth

Of Leprechauns and Gold

Shoot-Out at Self Inquiry Square

Deliberate Creation 5:5

Insights From Ashtavakra

Menu