Are We “There” Yet?

Most parents will be quite familiar with the question that serves as the title of this article. The question (or variations thereof: “Soon? Much farther?”) often arises from our children during long car trips. To the children, the destination just seems so dang far away. The same mindset often lurks within us during our journey-less journey toward knowing recognition of true Self. In The Perennial Philosophy, by Aldous Huxley, he expressed this very clearly:

This ‘experience,’ which is a state of emotional excitement–an excitement which may be mild and enduring or brief and epileptically violent, which is sometimes exultant in tone and sometimes despairing, which expresses itself here in song and dance, there in uncontrollable weeping. But emotional excitement, whatever its cause and whatever its nature, must be died to by anyone who aspires to live to divine Reality. ‘Excitement’ about God (the highest form of this kind of excitement) is incompatible with ‘experience’ as immediate awareness of God by a pure heart which has mortified even its most exalted emotions.”

The point that Aldous Huxley made so eloquently is about the experience of awakening to our essential nature and how that relates to the person. To fully awaken is to live from the perspective of true Self; as opposed to the perspective of the illusory conceptual self that we refer to by name and form. As with so many points related to spirituality, a paradox applies: If we (as a person) are incredibly jubilant about having experienced recognition “of” the pinnacle of our essential nature, we have still not arrived. We are yet not there (liberated) until we’re presently living “as” true Self, and fully aware of What–not who–we actually are. From that perspective, such just is what it is. The situation is also described through the following quote from St. John of the Cross:

"The fly that touches honey cannot use its wings; so the soul that clings to spiritual sweetness ruins its freedom and hinders contemplation."

The toggle switch between awareness of That which we actually are and who we think we are is incredibly sensitive. When we are knowingly unaware, it can be triggered abruptly by habits that belong to the body-mind. We can be reminded of the difference by contemplating a few questions: “In awareness of the inherent fullness of our true nature, who is it that could possibly be feeling lonely?” “In this dream called life, who is it that could feel guilty of acts labeled bad or rejoice in those labeled good?” As we stabilize in recognition of our essential nature, we may be surprised to realize that–yet again–we have descended a rung or two on the ladder toward personhood. When such occurs, it’s often wise to become still, take a few slow breaths, and regain our center. In time, the egoic voice that’s habitually asking whether we have arrived yet will lose energy and fall silent. And that’s good news.

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 In Other”

I have just had an up-close-and-personal reminder of the incredible goodness (Godliness) that’s shining just beneath the surface of human experience. I was shopping at a store in my home town, when I was approached by a man who made a huge difference in my life. He’s one of the many to whom I owe so much gratitude. We smiled and shook hands; and within a couple of minutes, I started to thank him for what he did several years earlier. A little back story is required:

In 2006, the apparent life story of Art included a sudden divorce from a twenty-year marriage. The shock of the event was like being driven off of a cliff; the after effects, a free fall that lasted for years. At the time, it was one of the most challenging circumstances I had ever faced. That life had fallen apart was the last thought on my mind before sleep, and the first thought to cross my mind in the morning.

Several months after the initial shock, I was shopping in the grocery store where Mark worked. We didn’t really know each other, beyond making a few passing comments to each other. On that particular day, I must have been having a tougher time than usual, which Mark sensed. For the next ten or fifteen minutes, he listened while I attempted to empty myself of some of the incredible pain that I was feeling. Patiently, supportively, non-judgmentally, he listened. When we parted, I felt better and a little stronger. And Mark was the reason.

As I began to thank Mark again today, he (remembering what had occurred) just patted me on the shoulder, looked me in the eye, and said:

“Hey, we look after one another.

It’s what we do.

It’s why we’re here.”

I was driving the short distance home, when I realized that Mark had summed up the whole purpose of life in just a few words. Whether we realize it or not, we’re here to nurture and look after “One in Other.”

The One that’s shining in me–“as” me–is the same One that’s shining in you–“as” you.

In Truth, there are no “others.” When we see beyond the differences in our personalities and fleshy costumes and recognize the God in all of us, life flows so much more smoothly. Our human experience then literally shines with immanent divinity.

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Break Out The Champagne!

What great news, dear friends–a toast is in order!. The grandest, most important merger has occurred! It is a merger of “knowing” that you and the Lord of your Being are One! To this grand recognition we will be lifting our glasses in celebration. It’s that to which Rumi, the great Persian poet and mystic, was referring in the following quote:

“I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.”

Strictly speaking, of course, this cannot actually be defined as a merger; for such would imply that we had ever been separated. You see, we already are–and always were–One with God. Only the illusion of Maya has made it appear otherwise. Since birth, we were conditioned to believe that we are the body-mind of name and form. In John 10:30, the same message is told once again:

“I and my Father are one.”

The Truth, of course, is not that one highly notable figure named Jesus was the only son of God. He came to make our lives more abundant by sharing that such was the birthright of every man, woman, and child. Logically, the Creator must be imminent in “all” of Its fruit:

Our true heritage is Divine, because we are of–and from–One Divine Creator.

The eyes of understanding open wide when we realize that just as our nighttime dream experiences are created by Consciousness in the dream state; so, also, are all of the objects, events, and circumstances in the waking state experience; which the masses erroneously believe to be foundational reality. Such is actually occurring within a dream. The following passage from Hebrews 11:3 will help to make clear this stunning revelation:

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”

It’s important to have a clear understanding of the material shared within this article. I am NOT stating that experiences are unreal; but that they are only relatively real within the contextual framework of a dream. Does this information help you understand why placebos give rise to cures and alleviate many conditions? It’s our belief “in them” that creates their effects. As Paramahansa Yogananda stated, “Mind is the creator of everything.” Such means that although the champagne referred to in the title is not real (in the way that we would have previously assumed), it can still make our legs wobbly. Now, let’s pop the bubbly and pour!

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

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

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

In Him We Live

The following verse from Acts 17:28 may leave many of us scratching our head; especially if we interpret it thorugh the materialism perspective of reality: “For in him we live and move and have our being.” The “Him” (God) referred to often seems missing in action, and our logic begs the question: “If God is real, where is He/She/It? That we are puzzled by the verse, or write it off as complete insanity, is due to ignorance of our essential nature. The situation is made worse because we are unaware that we’re unaware.

During our waking-state reality, we believe with absolute certainty that we are persons living in a world made of matter. Our challenges appear very real; as do our triumphs. We mourn the passing of a dear friend; and we are joyous to receive a promotion. Due to our conditioning, we assume that we are persons and, thus, the doers of actions. In time, this often leads to feelings of pride or guilt.

The verse is easier to understand when it’s contemplated in relation to dreams within the dream state. Such dreams (which may include people, events, and circumstances that seem absolutely real during the dream) are assumed to arise within the brain of the person; but this is erroneous. They occur within Consciousness. The evil person who chased us, and the lovely person who invited us for tea, were both made of Consciousness, by Consciousness. It becomes obvious that any apparent matter must have been rendered by the mind.

If we replace “Him” in the above passage with “Consciousness,” we realize that the dream characters did, in fact, live and move and have their being in Him. This is completely logical. When we apply that template of understanding toward our experience within the waking state, the light of greater awareness shines more brightly within us. Through direct experience, we may awaken from our delusional belief of being the person and realize that the experience of our body-mind within an apparent world is also occurring within Consciousness. As we stabilize in Truth, the sense of doership lessens; and we realize that Infinite Living Mind is the doer of all actions and events.

As shocking as this may be, our so-called human lives are being dreamed in their entirety—including the writing of this article! We are characters of Consciousness who live and move and have our being in Him—God. Our ego (which is only a repetitive thought related to a conceptual person) will strongly rebel against this information; for its psychic realness is based upon the assumption that it lives of its own accord. Such is a falsity that creates tremendous suffering within Consciousness. The good news is that when that which is false (the ego) is crucified, the Truth of our being is recognized as Life eternal. We are made of the very God that many deny.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Eavesdropping on God

Not once upon a dead time in history, but continuously in the living here and now, I, God, create and recreate the apparent world and all objects, events, and persons contained therein. I Am the immanent and transcendent Mystery; the Creator of all that is, was, and ever will be. It is written in the Gospel of Thomas, “Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there.” As I am omnipresent; nowhere am I not. I Am the alpha and the omega; for everything known begins with Me and ends in Me. It could be no other way; for I Am all that IS.

Due to confusion and innocent ignorance about your essential nature, humans continue to assume that they are the source of their own being. This mental story has spread like wildfire and burned its falsity into the human psyche. This erroneous perspective is based upon illusion and gives rise to suffering. Only through I do you live; for I Am Life, Itself. That humans live is the very proof that I Am.

Distracted by the apparently outer world, the majority of humans spend their life struggling against challenges which, they, themselves are creating. Like spiders, they unwittingly spin thought-webs that promise happiness for a false self in a future that doesn’t exist. Feeling lost and alone, they’re unaware of My divine inner Kingdom, which may be discovered by turning their attention within. There, I, the Light of their very Being, lie waiting to be recognized. We are One in quality and nature, varying only in degree. It’s true that I will never leave you; for I Am in you, and you are in Me.

Please hear this: Your soul reason for living is to come to recognize your true origin and, thus, experience life more abundantly. This cannot possibly occur until you realize That which you truly are. It’s time to cast aside your identification with the false self and recognize the eternal dimension of “I Am” within. The Truth will, indeed, set your free. To know this is to live in peace and harmony.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Yogananda’s Diving Board

Paramahansa Yoganda was a famous yogi who brought knowledge about meditation and Kriya Yoga to the west. He also wrote many fine books about our essential nature; including Autobiography of a Yogi and Man’s Eternal Quest. Please stand with me, if you will, on the following quote from the latter. We’re going to springboard from it into deeper spiritual water:

Sssplaasshh! Please just catch your breath and tread water alongside me as we contemplate the meaning of his quote. If what Paramahansa Yogananda expressed is true (and it “is“), that would mean:

About the contents of “my” life:

Yes, it’s all occurring within a dream.

***

About the belief that I’m the body-mind:

Yes, it means that I can’t possibly “be” the person.

***

About the nature of the world:

Yes, that it’s only relatively real; an appearance within Consciousness.

***

About being the apparent doer of actions:

Yes, such is impossible. We’re also certain that we’re the doer during nighttime dreams.

***

About all of our worries and cares:

Yes, they relate to an illusory “self” that’s known by “our” name and form.

***

About the nature of space-time:

Yes, it’s not fundamental. It’s rendered via the mind; as is everything else.

***

About my belief that death of the body-mind means the death of “me.”

Yes, it’s totally bogus. We never “were” the body-mind. It’s an appearance within a dream.

***

About God (Consciousness/Awareness) being illusory:

Yes, that God is All there actually is.

***

Now that we’re at the edge of the pool: “Would you like to dive from another quote from Paramahansa Yoganda, or should we grab our towels and call it a day?

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 related to 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 proclaims that we will be happy when our desires are fulfilled; but here’s the catch: it’s LYING! The overlooked fact 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 ignore 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 Is-ness. Can you become still here and now and hear the delightful song of your soul?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Based On Assumption

The quality of our experience within so-called “reality” depends upon one assumption that’s rarely, if everr, questioned. The assumption is this: That apparent “things” have existence apart from the mind in which they are seen. Because of this, we exhibit great confusion about our essential nature (which is Spirit) and the actual substance of the “world” in which we live. Believing our little “i” to be made of flesh and bones, we must assume that it requires a physical world made of “matter” in which to live. To this, I offer the following quote from a law of attraction book entitled The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel:

“All things have their origin in mind, and appearances are the result of thought. So we see that things in themselves have no origin, permanency, or reality. Since they are produced by thought, they can be erased by thought.”

Our instinctive reaction to this will most likely be as follows: “But, I can see myself; I can feel myself; I know that I am real as the body-mind.” At one time, I would have definitely agreed; but I can no longer. Having recognized true Self, I now realize that my body-mind is an appearance within Consciousness only. In spiritual terms, this is sometimes referred to as waking from the delusional belief of personhood. Let’s stoke this spiritual fire through the following quote from Neville Goddard and one of his wonderful books entitled Neville Goddard’s Interpretation of Scripture:

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

Let me be clear: This is not to say that things are not real; only that they are not absolutely real in the way that most readers may currently believe. An apparent person crossing the street who’s struck by a car will still experience an injury and feel pain. The example of a desert mirage is often related; for although we know the mirage is not real (in the absolute sense), it still has an apparent reality within consciousness.

This glorious incarnation is an unparalleled opportunity to truly KNOW THYSELF. To awaken to true Self is to realize that our apparent human life is being lived within the waking state; which the majority of Beings erroneously assume to be foundational reality. Through comparative contemplation, we can realize that apparent matter, buildings, and persons are also experienced within the dream state. It’s obvious, however, that they must be rendered only by the activity of the mind; for there’s nothing other than mind from which they could be made.

With this knowledge, does the well-known placebo effect (in which an inactive ingredient within a pill yields a positive effect) now make more sense? Our beliefs (whether good or bad) that are habitually impressed upon the subconscious mind will be expressed as our apparent circumstances. By understanding more about ourselves, and the way that manifestation, occurs, we can deliberately choose our focus wisely and, thereby, attract the best outcomes possible.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Home in The Heart

Home in The Heart

How lovely

To look upon

You, and you, and you

And recognize true Self shining

Resplendent through all.

Suddenly, the question—“Where do I end

And you begin?—is realized as being absurd;

For the illusion of separateness is shattered

When we see everyone and every thing

As Holiness expressed.

Here, now,

There exist no fences or boundaries between us.

In the stillness of the heart,

Everyone is back home,

Cradled in Love.

– R. Arthur Russell

***

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

Are We “There” Yet?

“One In Other”

Break Out The Champagne!

Neighbour Blues & Good News

In Him We Live

Eavesdropping on God

Yogananda’s Diving Board

Song of The Soul

Based On Assumption

Home in The Heart

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