Tree House Talk

One might naturally assume that with the last name of Biggley, Hector would have been saddled with a few extra pounds; but such was not the case. He was quite thin, despite having an appetite that easily convinced him to clean his plate at every meal. On the other hand, Ronny Rail, was on the heavy side, despite being force-fed leafy greens by his parents. Such is life. The boys, who were ten and nine respectively, had been best friends for five whole years. On this day, they were sitting in their shared tree house, talking about life. Topics such as smoking, stealing, and doing drugs had already been discussed and unanimously voted down; and the subject of dating girls wasn’t yet on the agenda.

“My mom is a big fan of somethin’ called the Law of Attraction,” blurted Hector. He opened a small bag of salt and vinegar chips and began to munch.

“What’s that?” asked Ronny. He dug into his coat pocket and removed the tupperware container with carrot sticks that his dad had packed for him.

“She says that it’s a spiritual law; that what we send out as thoughts comes back to us, kinda like a boomerang.”

Ronny’s mind immediately dashed off to the time when he and Johnny Brewer had gone to a playground with Johnny’s new birthday boomerang. They’d thrown that thing for hours, but couldn’t get it to come back. “Carrot stick?” Ronny said temptingly, as he held out the Tupperware container.

“Nah, thanks, though,” said Hector as he continued to munch his chips.

To Ronny, Hector’s response seemed to disprove this whole thing about the Law of Attraction. He took a bite of a carrot and said, “What else did she say?”

“She said a lot,” said Hector. “She said that the Universe was always watching–that it knew everything. She said that when you gave something, you had to offer sincerely or the offer was more like bartering.”

“Bartering?”

“Yeah, you know. That’s when you offer something but you’re really thinking about getting instead of giving.”

Ronnie’s adam’s apple bobbled and his eyebrows raised by their own volition. “You don’t say,” he said. Point noted, he filed it away in his young mind. “She tell you anything else?”

“She said the law of attraction really works–that it was how she’d turned our home business into a success. She tol’ me that she visualized every day, just for a few minutes.

“What’s that?” asked Ronny.

“You know. It’s when you imagine what you really want. You picture it as already having it in your mind.”

Again, Ronnie’s mind darted off to the image of the chips, the bag of which was now crumpled on the tree house floor. “Maybe next time I’ll focus more strongly,” he thought.

“Mom tol’ me that when we think positively, send out good feelings to the Universe, and are kind to people, it’s a lot more likely that we’ll get that kind of treatment back. She said we should be nice to everyone.”

“Everyone?” said Ronny.

“Yup, everyone,” replied Hector.

“You don’t think that means we even have to be nice to our little sisters?”

Hector paused for a moment, giving the question its full due. “Nah,” he said, with a shake of his head. “That’s different.”

“Whew,” said Ronny; and with the subject settled, the boys descended the tree house ladder and headed home.

***

One of the verses that sums up this spiritual law is found in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” The verse is intended as good advice, to help us improve the quality of our lives. What do you think, folks, worth a sincere try?

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Beyond “Mice and Men”

John Steinbeck, who is one of my favourite authors, won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1962. His novella entitled Of Mice and Men would undoubtedly be considered one of John Steinbeck’s literary gems. Although shorter than some of his other masterpieces, which include Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, it is on par with their greatness. This morning, I was struck by an epiphany, which I believe may be at least part of what dear Mr. Steinbeck desired to share with the reader. The revelation relates to the subject matter of my blog and my passion for sharing knowledge related to our higher nature. For those who may not be familiar with his novella, the plot is summarized as follows:

***

The protagonists of the novella, which is set in Soledad, California during The Great Depression, are George Milton and Lennie Small. George is an intelligent man and plays the role of a brotherly figure to Lennie, who is big, strong, and mentally challenged. They both work as migrant farm labourers whenever opportunity presents. We first meet them in a secluded setting down by a river. Lennie has convinced George to retell the details of their dream to one day own a little place which they can call home.

The following day, they begin work on a nearby ranch. As usual, George guides Lennie forward, and all goes well for a while. Key characters are introduced, including the bosses’ son, Curley, and his wife. As the plot unfolds, we’re given a glimpse the characters’ underlying hopes, fears, and dreams. It’s also revealed that Lennie enjoys petting mice, which he often likes to keep in his pocket. At one point, George discovers that Lennie has accidentally killed another mouse; an issue about which he has previously warned him. Within a few days, Lennie accidentally kills a puppy he’s been given, which foreshadows more drama to come.

The suspense builds towards climax when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s flirtatious wife by breaking her neck. He’s clearly incapable of controlling his inherent nature. When her body is discovered, several of the farm workers form a lynch mob and search for George and Lennie, who have fled the ranch and sought refuge back at the secluded location by the river. The book ends with George mercifully shooting his friend before the approaching lynch mob have a chance to hang him.

***

Although the specific details relating to characters and goals differ from ours, are the general ones really that dissimilar? Don’t all of us desire to find our place in the sun and feel content and at peace? However, all of our hopes and dreams–even if one day achieved–will eventually pass away. To the masses, this may seem tragic; but such will appear particularly so if we’re deeply attached to the person, which is our false identity. Buddha referred to the human condition as dukkha, which basically means suffering or frustration. Jesus endured persecution by the ignorant masses in an effort to reveal to us our true nature. Must we die, as did the helpless mouse and puppy? Human incarnation is a precious gift; for it provides a unique opportunity to recognize our essential nature. Unfortunately, such is often squandered by the masses. Is there an escape from such a seemingly tragic predicament? Yes.

The solution is to discover (re-cognize, know again) the true Self that transcends the “person,” which is actually illusory. We are so much more than body-minds. Discovering Truth requires that we become earnestly curious about our essential nature. In a strange paradox, we discover What–not who–we are by shedding the layers of the false self. Our true Self is eternal, immortal, and irreducible. And that, my dear friends, is a glorious non-end worth realizing before your character’s life draws to a conclusion. Here and now is a great place to begin.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

A Calling To Be True

There was a time when Suzanne, now forty-nine, had conned herself so well that she forgot she was faking her life. She delivered her various roles–of daughter, lover, wife, mother, and business woman–with believability and ease, without so much as a nervous twitch or a blink of an eye. No one would have guessed that she was acting upon stages which left her feeling empty inside. Still, she persisted; he was not a quitter. Had theater critics been called to review her performances, they would have proclaimed her an “actress extraordinaire.” But now on this, her birthday, the ache of her acting days felt too heavy to bear. She fell asleep after dutifully eating a piece of cake for which she had no appetite. She’d even offered a lifeless smile before blowing out the candles–an act that seemed to symbolize the better part of her life now extinguished. In a dream that night, she heard the following words as clearly as those spoken in daylight. They seemed of God but were delivered tenderly in a voice that she intuitively recognized as her own:

"Stop Suzanne; please stop fooling yourself and those who love you. By playing roles that aren't true to your heart, you're not only sacrificing years and yourself but also depriving your family and the world of your gifts. How will anyone ever know the real you if you keep acting? You're a talented artist; you know it and so do I. Form, shape, colour, tone, texture, composition, and canvass make your heart sing. When was the last time you picked up a brush and painted for the joy of it? How long will you wait until you say, "This time is for me?" Are years standing still for you? What time would be better than now to express your talent?"

"What should I do? How to I begin?" asked Suzanne.

"You know as well as I. All that's lacking is action. Begin now. Take that first step." And with those words, the voice faded to the void out of which it had arisen. Suzanne's dream was over.

When Suzanne wakened in the morning, she felt pleasantly renewed. A weight had been lifted from her Being. After she washed and prepared for the coming day, she realized that she had reached a fork in the road. The choice was hers–as it always had been. She could keep to the left and continue to live more of her old tired ways; or she could turn right, and take a step in the direction of her dreams.

***

Dear Readers: This life is your opportunity to be true to your heart. You’re not here by accident; for nothing in this universe occurs by chance. Your talents are calling to be expressed. What gifts do you desire to share with the world? Although you may have sacrificed the truth in your past, you needn’t continue to lie to your future. There’s still time to blaze a trail to your dreams fulfillment.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Fabrics Of Reality

The sign above the small shop midway down the cobblestone alley read “Fabrics of Reality.” When Franco opened the door, an old-fashioned brass bell above the door tinkled his arrival. May I help you?” asked a pleasant-looking woman standing behind the counter.

“Yes,” said Franco with a smile, “I have an appointment for a reality consultation with Jason Esoteric.”

She scanned the schedule atop the counter. “Certainly, walk this way.” She led Franco to a small glass-walled office in the back corner of the shop. A middle-aged slim man stood upon their arrival and prompted Franco to sit in a chair in front of his desk. “What can I do for you today?” asked Jason.

“Well,” said Franco, “I’m redecorating my life, and I wanted your advice about reality fabrics.”

“I see,” said Jason. “Well, it really boils down to two choices.”

“What are they?”

“The first fabric is based on the outdated paradigm of matter, which is the way that the majority of people interpret reality. They believe that it’s hard, fixed, and objective. They assume it’s independent of the observer. Science disproved this interpretation more than a hundred years ago, partly due to the stunning revelations of the double-slit experiment; but most persons still believe in it. If we were comparing this reality fabric to linen, you might say that its thread count is 200 or below, which is much coarser vibration. People who choose this fabric, which is relative, mistakenly believe that it’s absolute. They also believe their body-mind is an object in space-time. Such grossly limits their opportunities and the ways in which they can decorate their life.”

“Price?”

“It’s more common, therefore cheaper; but it requires a lot more effort to maintain. In the long run, it can cost you all of your dreams! I’ll be straight up–it’s an inferior product. We don’t even keep swatches of it in stock anymore.”

“Yes, it certainly doesn’t seem appealing,” said Franco. “What can you tell me about my second choice?”

“The second choice is our premium fabric,” said Jason, leaning forward with enthusiasm. “It’s based on Consciousness only; and it’s got a reality thread count of well over 1000, which is a much higher vibration. It’s preferred by Beings who aren’t satisfied with the status quo and desire to fulfill their dreams. Because they’ve investigated their essential nature and know that Consciousness is all that there is, they realize that reality is pliable, based upon belief, and subjective. They also know that their essential nature is Spirit and that the body-mind is actually an experience, not an object. They live by one of the affirmations of Napoleon Hill, who was the author of Think and Grow Rich: “What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”

“Any downside to it?”

“Just one,” said Jason. “You’re going to be laughed at by the masses that prefer the common thread count; but at the end of the day, it’s your reality you’re building–not theirs.”

“Price?”

“Just the cost of investing in you and your dreams.”

“Sold!” exclaimed Franco. When can we start?”

“Today,” said Jason, “don’t waste another minute! When you get home, find a quiet location and envision what you really desire. Dream big–without limits. This fabric works great in every aspect of your life–health, wealth, and relationships! You’ll know that you’ve hit pay dirt when it feels as though your dream has already come true. It’s important that you believe that such is possible. Feel the truth of your dream reality. Write your goal in the present tense on an affirmation card and refer to it several times each day.”

A few minutes later, the door bell tinkled as Franco departed. He was on his way to living his dreams!

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Self–Capital “S”

The Self that’s referred to in the title of this article is One with a capital “S.” It’s the Self that’s routinely overshadowed by the majority of persons, who blindly accept that their identity is name and form. All of us are very familiar with the lowercase self; but most are unaware that it’s a conceptual self only. It’s illusory through and through; a thief that’s robbing us of the true joy which is our birthright. It’s my fervent desire to help you become knowingly acquainted with uppercase “Self” via this article. Let’s begin with the following thought-provoking quote from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, from his spiritual classic I Am That:

“To be a person is to be asleep.”

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, “I Am That.”

“So, Mr. Russell (writer guy), what the heck are you talking about?” For many, the notion of investigating the nature of our Being may seem a very boring, and unnecessary, subject matter; but such isn’t the case. It’s the most exciting journey that we may ever undertake. There’s good reason why the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, Greece was inscribed with the words “Know Thyself.” That culture realized that recognition of true Self was the way to transcend the tribulations that accompany the apparent life of a person. Most of us are very familiar with the polar swings between happiness and unhappiness. In spiritual terms, this is sometimes referred to brittle happiness, because it’s dependent on circumstances and, thus, easily broken.

When we discover Self–capital “S,” we transcend our belief in the false self and, thus, are at peace.

Now it’s time for logic, which may ignite a spark of curiosity. Please contemplate this: Can you really be your name? Can you get burned from the word fire? Can you get wet from the word water? If you’ve been able to answer “no” to both of those questions, you’ve realized that the word is only a term by which we refer to the objects. Now, if you apply that very same logic to the case of your name, you’ll realize that you can’t possibly be your name. Surely, then, this will naturally cause the question (“Who Am I?”) to arise within you.

Time for more logic: When persons understand that they cannot possibly be their name, most will quite naturally assume that they must be their body. This assumption proves, once again, to relate to a fleeting ghost of a thing;” for the body is changing–literally–from one split second to the next. How can such a changeful thing (which is actually a process of Infinite Living Mind) be me? The answer: It can’t. “But,” you may claim, “I feel so real, within; then, I must be my mind.” This also proves to be a very fleeting identity; for our thoughts, which seem so personal, are changeful, too. The “personality” may seem stable; but it’s actually fabricated by discrete flashes of intelligence, memory, and a repetitive “i”-thought. There’s no long-lasting person independent of mind. How could there be when mind is the creator of everything?

Doubt can be a powerful motivator to help lead us toward Truth. Let doubt serve you. Let doubt cast a shadow over the false self, which the majority assume as their identity. By turning your attention from the apparent outer world, to the still world within, you’ll discover that there’s a deeper dimension of “You” that’s awaiting recognition. That is the Changeless, the Eternal, the Immortal Self–capital “S.” We are Spirit.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Master Key

A “master key,” as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is as follows: “a key designed to open several different locks.” In the ordinary sense of the word, we might imagine someone–perhaps a landlord–who, in an emergency, might need to gain access to various apartments. In this article, however, we’re interested in the extraordinary–the meaning that can help us recognize true Self and, thus, unlock esoteric powers to co-create that are not in the domain of those who still assume they are the persons they’ve been conditioned to believe themselves to be. Accompany me, if you will, as we journey toward a deeper understanding of master key:

***

The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel (who was a successful businessman and new thought author and teacher) is a foundational book for anyone with a keen interest in the Law of Attraction. To the uninitiated, it may not seem an easy read; but it is definitely a worthwhile read, for the teachings contained within its pages are unparalleled. Originally published in 1912 as a correspondence course for those interested in the study of new thought, it was first published as a book in 1916. It begins as follows: “It is my privilege to enclose herewith Part One of the Master Key System. Would you bring into your life more power? Get the power consciousness. More health? Get the health consciousness. More happiness? Get the happiness consciousness. Live the spirit of these things until they become yours by right. It will then become impossible to keep them from you. The things of the world are fluid to a power within man by which he rules them.”

Those of you who–believing yourself to the sum total of body-mind–may now be tempted to throw up your hands in frustration and shout “lunacy”–or worse! But if you’re keenly interested in manifesting a more successful life, you may be curious enough to keep reading. What Haanel was stating is the same truth that all successful motivational speakers still inform us of today: If we desire to change what “appears” without (the phenomenal world), we absolutely must–FIRST– change our paradigms within. A paradigm (again, courtesy of Merriam-Webster Dictionary) is defined as follows: “example, pattern; an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype.” With regard to deliberate manifestation, we might consider our paradigms to be a set of closely-held subconscious beliefs related to every aspect of our apparent life.

Key to understanding this subject matter on a deeper level is this: We can only manifest that with which we are in harmony. Meaning: We’ve got to be it (our desire) before we can see it. If we’re telling ourselves that we’re financially rich but still embracing a poverty mindset (as evidenced by our shopping patterns and the words that we speak–“I can’t afford that!”), we have more work to do with regard to changing our paradigms. There are various ways to change our paradigms, but repetition of new beliefs (stated in the affirmative, present tense: “I Am rich,”–not “I Am not poor.”) is the most powerful. In conjunction with putting the mind to work, we must also put our Awareness to work; for Awareness is the guardian at the gate of our mind. Through Awareness, we govern what we permit access into our mind and that which we don’t. Please remember this: What is habitually impressed upon the mind will be expressed as our “reality.”

From the time that we were young children, all of us mentally absorbed the habitual beliefs of our parents, neighbours, and persons in positions of authority. We had little choice to do otherwise; for our persona (which would become more apparent later) had not fully developed its right to govern what information to believe or disbelieve with regard to the world. Thus, if our parents believed that money was hard to come by, such also became our belief. If they habitually spoke of apparent lack, limitation, and disease, we naturally assimilated their negative paradigms unless those beliefs were challenged as “untrue” by persons with greater influence and more positive worldviews.

I offer now a couple passages from the Bible, which I believe have the power to help you manifest that which you desire. The first is from Mark 11:24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” We must claim that our desires have already been fulfilled NOW–not that they will be in the future (which is non-existent). The second is from Job 22:28: “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” It’s important to understand that the apparent “reality” we sense is rendered by the mind–only. As Paramahansa Yogananda stated in The Law of Success, “Mind is the creator of everything.” We’ve all been programmed to believe that we are the body-mind (aka person) and that we must work–very hard, indeed–to achieve what we desire. However, we are not now, nor were we ever, the doer. Mind is the doer. We are living Spirit, witnessing an apparently human experience in the Waking State.

Not by accident (for there truly are none), I selected a photo that has a heart-shaped lock within it to accompany this article. The heart represents an important ingredient toward successful manifestation. We must feel the truth of our affirmations (against all logical protests from the little “i”) if our desires are ever to manifest. Time spent in meditation is beneficial on two counts: It helps us become acquainted with true Self (the silent witness), and we can also use the quiet solitude to visualize the end results that we desire. If doing so, it’s important to visualize yourself from the perspective of your desire fulfilled. To do so sends a very clear paradigm to The Universe, which, according to spiritual law, must manifest.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

A Coin So Thin

The Law of Attraction–always functioning, ever present, one-hundred percent of the time. What we think about, we bring about. Due to it, we’re able to co-create in accordance with the habitual feeling-imbued thoughts with which we resonate. With that in mind, let’s examine the title of this post in more detail.

Most of us may be familiar with the custom of tossing a coin to make a determination. It might have played out as follows: A coin is selected and both sides–Heads and Tails–are shown. A spokesperson for the players involved–perhaps two teams of children–states his/her choice and waits for the coin to be tossed into the air. Then everyone watches. The coin is caught and slapped onto the back of the tosser’s other hand. The covering hand is lifted, revealing the verdict. It’s simple: Heads you win; Tails you lose: The team that called it goes first, or plays from a certain end. How that coin toss applies to the Law of Attraction is found through a saying of mine: You can never slice a coin so thin that it will not have two sides. Please read that again and contemplate it deeply. What do I mean?

Based on the circumstances that we witness, it can often be easy to assume that Life is dividing us into categories, in much the same way as the coin toss. On one side, Heads, we may mistakenly believe that only winners are allowed. They will be the rich, the famous, the ones with the great career, great family, and great health. On the other side, Tails, we may mistakenly believe that only losers are found. They will be the poor, the downtrodden, the ones with minimum wage jobs, dysfunctional families, and poor health. In this article, we’re going to challenge that belief through the Principle of Polarity, which is discussed in a book of esoteric teachings entitled The Kybalion.

All of us are aware of opposites: light and dark; up and down; right and left. The Kybalion informs us that both (although apparently opposites) are actually just poles, or extremes, of one thing. In the matter of “Hot” and “Cold,” no one can state where hot begins and cold ends; for both are merely differing degrees of the one. So, how does this mystical teaching apply to our lives? It means that if we are experiencing the negative pole of any situation, we should mentally begin to slide our attitude toward the other pole. This would be accomplished through deliberate and conscious mental effort. Using my example of the coin, we should figuratively toss the coin again–seeking the good that absolutely must be there! If a situation seems unfavourable, toss the coin again! Please contemplate the following: The Head side of the coin literally can’t exist without the Tails! In time, as we mature as co-creators, we realize that we (via our thinking) possess both sides of the coin about anything. The coin is always ours–both sides! Each and every time, we may choose to toss the coin again and discover the good that inherently must exist.

This isn’t an exercise in trite sayings. It’s fact. We are the one having our life experiences, and we are the one labelling them. I’m not saying that challenging life situations will never occur; for they do. I’m saying that in every situation we may toss the coin again (applying The Principle of Polarity) and discover the favorable side of the coin. On a grander scale, we may come to realize that situations once labelled “bad” were actually blessings in disguise. Through conscious use of our creative abilities, we’ll come to understand that we have always held both sides of the coin; and that we can toss it again whenever we please. We can change ourselves (our attitude and thinking) and thereby attract to us accordingly.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Hidden Treasure of “I Am”

What if you were told that there is far more to “you” than meets the eye. Would you be curious? Would you be tempted to set out on a journey to discover your essential Self that is beyond name and form? As a young man living in Bombay, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli in 1897) was earnestly curious; and as a result he realized true Self at the age of thirty-seven. Soon after, be began to hold informal satsang (spiritual discourse, sacred gatherings) with seekers in his humble home in Bombay until the passing of his body in 1981. One of my favourite quotes from his spiritual classic entitled I Am That reads as follows:

“Your begging bowl may be of pure gold, but as long as you do not know it, you are a pauper.”

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj wasn’t talking about the number of coins in our pocket, or the status of our bank account; although such is the prevalent worldly defintion of wealth. He meant that as long as we are still identified with name and form (as our society has conditioned us to believe), we have not discovered the treasure of “I Am.” We may also think of I Am as That without a Second, Source, or The Light of Pure Awareness. It is eternal, immortal, and limitless. The treasure referred to in the title of this article is true Self–“I,” Consciousness. It is the very foundation of our Being. Contrary to popular belief, consciousness is not an epiphenomenon of biological processes. In fact, the common world paradigm of materialism is backward; for the body and the mind arise within Consciousness; not the other way around as is predominantly believed.

To help with our understanding, let’s begin the process of discerning between what is real (lasting and changeless) and what is false (transient and changeful). As we know, our body is losing millions of cells every moment–by some estimates as many as 300,000,000 cells per minute. How, logically, can we claim to be that which is changing so rapidly? At what precise moment could we stop the clock and exclaim, “There I am!” The same logic can be applied to our sensations, images, feelings, thoughts, and perceptions; for all of these are also transient and changeful. However, true Self does not come and go. Our true “I Am” is the same today as it was when our person was ten, twenty, forty, or sixty. There’s a good reason to explain this: Consciousness is beyond the limitations of time and space; for both are constructs of the finite mind. The true “I” is infinite and eternal.

Our name is another good place to further investigation into our essential nature; and we may do so by understanding that a name is a representation for that to which it refers. In short, we can’t get wet from the word water; nor can the word quench our thirst. That means, of course, that common names for persons cannot literally be them. This alone–this opening for doubt about our essential nature–may provide the stimulus for us to investigate our true nature via the question “Who Am I?” –and not relent until we’ve discovered the treasure of “I Am” within. It is the heart of our Being–eternal, immortal, and limitless. We have nothing to fear; for we are Life itself. The body and mind have a beginning and an end; but true Self does not. The person and the world are within us–not the other way around.

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. May it help you in your spiritual journey. 🙏🙏

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Beyond The Mask

We’re going to begin this article with a poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar. The following is sourced from Wikipedia: “He was an American poet, playwright, and novelist; born to parents who were enslaved before the American Civil War.” In 1902, his body passed at the tender age of thirty-three. How talented a writer; how rich his writing. I include his poem because I believe it clearly relates his understanding of true Self–That, which is beyond our mask of name and form:

***

We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

– Paul Laurence Dunbar –

***

We may also discover true Self, That, which is beyond any of the human drama that may have apparently occurred in “our” life. We are not now–nor were we ever–the mind’s sharpness or dullness; the body’s health or disease; our apparent failures or successes! We are neither our costume nor our story. We are beyond the mask! We do not rise or fall by our mask; the mask shines by the light of true Self. We are That which cannot be defined. I Am is our true Self–SPIRIT!

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. May it help you in your spiritual journey. 🙏🙏

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Working For “The One”

The following fictional account didn’t take place–ever; but for fun, let’s go with it and pretend that it did. Special Note: The characters and events depicted in this article are fictitious. Any similarity to persons, either living or deceased, is purely coincidental. No persons were harmed in any way during the writing, editing, or subsequent publishing of this article. 🙂

***

“Have a seat, Bob,” said Mr. Swanger. He descended from a long line of Swangers, before swanging became a cultural phenomena in certain circles.

“Thank you,” said Bob. He slowly stepped forward and settled himself in the chair across from Mr. Swanger’s desk. He tried to appear calm, but his fidgetting fingers gave him away.

Mr. Swanger leaned forward over his desk, which was distracting because he had a mole on his left cheek the size of Saskatchewan. His computer screen was open to Bob’s profile. “How long have you been with us at The One?”

“Little over a month,” said Bob.

“I’ve brought you in here today,” said Mr. Swanger, “because there’s been a nasty rumor circulating, at the yellow ticker tape that surrounds the previously available water cooler.”

Bob leaned forward, an expression of innocent curiosity pasted on his face. “About what?” he said.

Mr. Swanger sat back and arched his hands together in the stereoptypical teepee power position. “This makes me very uncomfortable,” he began. “Rumor has it that you actually believe that you’re ‘Bob.’ That’s incredibly awkward, given that we all work for The One. See my point?”

“Can’t say that I do,” said Bob. “I’m not Bob?” He patted his knees; they certainly felt real.

Mr. Swanger rolled his eyes. Inwardly, he wondered how Bob had slipped through the hiring process. “No,” said Mr. Swanger. “These bodies are what show up in the waking state. Contrary to public opinion, they’re not your essential nature.” He turned his attention to the computer screen. “It says here,” he said, “that there’s evidence that you still believe you’re the doer.”

Bob crossed his legs and gripped the arms of the chair firmly, knuckles blanced. “I’m not?” he said.

“No,” said Mr. Swanger. “Not now–or ever, for that matter. These,” he said, moving his arms about with floating ease, “move by one power alone–Consciousness. This is idealism, Bob. We gave up that old software called naive realism years ago. That’s when we formed the new company–The One.”

Bob began to fidget; he needed this job. He had nowhere else to go. Everyone these days was talking about the wonderful living immediacy of the present moment; the “Here and Now,” they called it. “What can I do to make it right?” he asked, learning forward. “I could stay late, make coffee. I have an advanced degree in Modern Sychophancy,” he offered. “Would that help?”

“No,” said Mr. Swanger, with a wave of his hand. “Groveling is passé–went out with landlines and the notion of personal consciousness. Since enlightenment, we don’t work that way; we’re all equal here. I think it best if you go home–now, of course–and spend some time in silent solitude. If you do so often enough, you’ll see that the true You isn’t Bob at all. This company is founded on the principles of The One. There’s no room for a bunch of persons running around like egoic chickens, thinking that they own the place. We work for The One; and the world functions a whole lot better when all of us know It.”

***

The meeting concluded a few minutes later, and Bob departed with a fearful I-could-soon-be-walking-down-the -road-kicking-my-lunchpail expression. He was almost out of the building when he became curious about the note that Mr. Swanger had handed to him before leaving. Politely but firmly, he had told Bob that if he wanted to continue working for The One, he should follow the instructions on the note closely. Bob’s pace slowed as his hand fumbled to remove the note from his pocket. It read as follows:

Meditate for ten minutes, once a day. Increase to fifteen minutes, twice each day.
Earnestly ask the question (“Who Am I?”) and don’t settle for the story self.
Read about the teachings of Buddha, Jesus, Ramana Maharshi, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, and similar sages.
Watch this presentation on self-inquiry by Rupert Spira.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Empowerment

Tree House Talk

Beyond “Mice and Men”

A Calling To Be True

Fabrics Of Reality

Self–Capital “S”

The Master Key

A Coin So Thin

The Hidden Treasure of “I Am”

Beyond The Mask

Working For “The One”

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