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”

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

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” 🙏🏻🧡

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”

An Epiphanic Star

Anyone who has followed my writing about the law of attraction (that we bring about what we think about) knows that I don’t believe in accidents. To me, this universe functions in an orderly manner: Summer follows spring not once in a while, but always; and fall precedes winter each and every year. When planted at the right time, in the right place, a corn seed grows into a corn plant–not a pea plant. On the human level, I believe that spiritual laws also apply: Our habitual thoughts form beliefs which lead to actions and results that we witness in our lives.

With regard to the apparent events that we experience, a revelation recently occurred to me. It was as though an epiphanic star blazed across my awareness and, by its trailing light, revealed a belief that had been hidden deep within my subconscious mind. There “it” was–the reason. We can learn what is contained within us by examining the repetitive patterns we experience; but to do so, we must be aware and pay attention.

The background: On a Wednesday in May, 1974, when I was sixteen, I returned home from high school and immediately heard my mom anxiously call to me from my parents’ bedroom upstairs. She thought that my father, who was lying in bed, might have had a heart attack. That was how the horror of that afternoon began. At about 10 p.m. on the Saturday of that same week, my father’s dead body was being removed from our house. In a grief-stricken blur, you soon find yourself standing with your sisters and mother in a funeral home, selecting a casket. How can that be?

Any memories of what I was feeling at that age will be tainted, as all memories are notoriously imperfect. I can, however, do my best to recall. As a shy teenager, who was unaware of the ways of the world, I might have quite naturally assumed that life would be hard without my father; that there would be challenges to deal with, made worse by my adolescent fears. Without him, how would I learn to be a man? How would I know how to perform the tasks and maintenance that he used to perform? Without his guidance, how would I find my way?

Has my life offered results of that belief? Yes. Of course, I realize that in hindsight we can draw faulty conclusions and build a case to fit the effects that show up in our life; but I also realize that to ignore our intuitive understanding is unwise. I have long believed that to experience different results we must be willing to change; and with that logic, I have applied the principle of the following ancient hermetic axiom for many years:

“As within, so without.”

The epiphany that shot through my awareness is this: I did, in fact, believe that “life is going to be hard without dad.” The tears which came, in a sudden and unexpected release of emotion, seemed proof. That they came, however, is actually good; because it means that I’m letting go of a belief that was formed by an adolescent mind. It’s time to feel that belief in its entirety and replace it with a better one. I, thus, deliberately choose the following:

Today, I live fully, completely, joyously. I am Life, itself.

I choose to embrace this moment and live with ease and grace.

Dear Readers: If you have been experiencing undesirable patterns in your life, I encourage you to dive deep into your beliefs and examine them for validity. Are they true? Do they serve you? If not, you can consciously replace them with ones that produce better results.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Recognizing YOU

Life has no shortage of circumstances that challenge our strength. On any given day, someone, perhaps you, is dealing with the impending death of a loved one; the heartbreak of a divorce; or the humbling conditions related to poverty. Our body-mind, which we once trusted to be full of vigor, may at some point seem a weakened traitor, both physically and mentally. In response to loss, strife, or fear, we may shudder as we hear a sorrowful cry of “this can’t be happening to me,” and later, vaguely realize, that the voice was our own. Doors that we open with so much enthusiasm may, instead, lead us to despair. Upon the seeming luck or fate of our little “i,” we attempt to base our happiness. At best, this is folly; at worst, a formula for varying degrees of suffering.

***

Dear Readers: Please join me, if you will, and sit still for a few minutes. You may also find it helpful to take three relaxing breaths. To find our way to the peace that we inherently are, it’s important that we distance our perspective from the mental noise related to our person and the stimuli of the apparent world. It’s also important that we investigate the nature of the little “i” who seems to be going through such trying circumstances.

Ever since our appearance on earth, we’ve been habitually conditioned to believe that we are a person (of name and form) in a world made of so-called “matter.” This is so strongly impressed upon us, that to even question it seems ludicrous. However, to recognize YOU (the deeper dimension of Self) and, thereby, live with greater peace, we must investigate that assumption for validity. The following questions may be of help:

Are you absolutely certain that you are a separate body-mind in a big world? (or, are the body-mind and the world actually within YOU, Consciousness?)
Do you know, for a fact, that matter exists beyond your awareness of it? If so, how?
Is it possible, that objects and persons within the waking state (defined as “reality” by the masses) could also be rendered via the mind that produces similar effects within the dream state?
Is the Awareness of your body-mind’s experience growing older, or is It ageless, changeless, and eternal?
Can you find a limit to the YOU that is aware of your body-mind?

The majority of persons are most likely unaware that science has been unable to identify matter that’s independent of the mind that perceives it. This is a pointer that can deepen our understanding; because it means that Consciousness and matter are intimately related. Let’s further our inquiry by taking a look at the meaning of the following verse from John 10:30:

“I and the Father are one.”

When we understand the meaning of the verse (which the Bible attributes to Jesus) the degree of suffering related to identification with the person may lessen. Many seekers conceptualize the Father as a distant God sitting atop a cloud in the heavens, but such a view doesn’t suggest the Oneness referred to in the verse. It implies a relationship that is based in duality: subject to object. Through enlightenment, we recognize–directly–that the Father (Consciousness) is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus’ body-mind would, therefore, be an appearance within Consciousness, as would ours. The old expression, The All in All, relates the same principle: The All (the Father) must, logically, be within us (the children); and we, therefore, are within the Father (the All). In I Am That, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj offers his sage advice through the following quote:

“Before the mind–I Am. ‘I Am’ is not a thought in the mind.

The mind happens to me, I do not happen to the mind.“

This indicates that Consciousness (Awareness) is prior to the mind; that Awareness is self aware and eternal. That we have erroneously identified with being a person, in an ever-shifting environment, is the cause of great suffering. Within each of us, there is a dimension of YOU (true Self) that’s untouched by anything that your apparent body-mind may seem to be experiencing. We need not wait for suffering to recognize our essential nature. When better than NOW to do so?

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

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Consciousness, Spirituality, & Law of Attraction

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

An Epiphanic Star

Recognizing YOU

Expressions of Divinity

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