Affirming Truth

It’s almost inevitable that anyone who is earnest about studying the Law of Attraction will come across the following famous quote attributed to Henry Ford. It has become an integral part of the human story, especially as it pertains to motivation. Unfortunately, the depth of its meaning is often lost to most persons. The quote reads as follows:

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

The quote is truly inspiring; but it may lead many individuals to conclude–understandably so–that if we focus on our goal, work extremely hard, and apply ourselves diligently that we can achieve whatever we desire. However, there is a huge chunk of missing information that must be known and understood if we desire to manifest more effectively. For the majority of individuals, the information will seem so astonishing as to be unbelievable. Before we delve deeper, please read the next quotation; it’s from Andrew Carnegie, who was once considered the richest man in the world:

“Any idea that is held in the mind, that is emphasized, that is either feared or revered, will begin to clothe itself in the most convenient and appropriate form available.”

Are you curious why a man who–apparently–achieved such incredible financial success would write such a quote? What could he possibly have meant by writing that ideas held in the mind would begin to clothe themselves in form? Mr. Carnegie did not inform us to work really hard, forfeit our heath, and sacrifice our family life in an effort to achieve our goals. So, just what was he really suggesting? Could it be that he and a relatively few others knew a secret–unrealized by the masses–by which they wielded a scepter of great power? Let’s open our minds to more understanding by reading the following quote from Napoleon Hill, who was commissioned by Mr. Carnegie to write Think and Grow Rich, which is still considered one of the best motivational books of all time:

“More gold has been mined from the minds of men than the earth it self.”

What could Napoleon Hill have possibly been trying to convey through such a quotation? I mean, really, Napoleon–get a grip! Let’s read his words again in an attempt to absorb their full meaning: “More gold has been mined from the minds of men than the earth it self.” Nonsense–at least from the human perspective; for any logical thinking human knows that gold is mined from the earth–that real stuff beneath our feet. The following passage from Mark 9:23 may add to our growing curiosity:

Jesus said unto him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Could it be that the Bible and other sacred books actually hold great truths that have been thrown aside by the majority of persons due to innocent ignorance? Is it possible that we could be healed if we changed our fundamental beliefs about the nature of reality? Could this explain why placebos (sugar pills) often outperform supposed “actual” drugs in test trials? The next quotation is borrowed from This Mysterious Universe by James Jeans, who was a noted English physicist and astronomer:

“The Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter… we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.”

The true secret related to the Law of Attraction eluded me for many years, in spite of my reading a great many books related to the subject. Such is understandable; for we’ve been strongly conditioned to blindly accept the materialist perspective, which supposes that objects exist independent of the mind. They do not. For more than one hundred years, science has realized that mind and matter are irrefutably linked. The original Buddha shared Truth twenty-five hundred years ago through the following quote:

“Events happen, deeds are done, consequences happen, but there is no individual doer of any deed.”

To understand this fully, we must deeply investigate the very nature of our Being. We must be relentless; we must ask ourselves What–not who–we truly are. Here’s the answer: We are Spirit, whether we’re aware of the fact or not. What is impressed upon the mind (as Andrew Carnegie expressed) will be expressed as the apparent circumstances of our so-called human life. Right now, as you read the lines upon this page, YOU ARE DREAMING; but the majority of human beings are asleep to this fact. Let’s add to my words through a passage from Open Secret, by Wei Wu Wei, who was a respected author and scholar of philosophy and metaphysics:

“Our dreamed ‘selves,’ autonomous in appearance, as in life, can be seen in awakened retrospect to be puppets totally devoid of volitional possibilities of their own.”

The person that you think you are is rendered by the mind and is conceptual only. Enlightenment means to awaken from the dream of personhood to the awareness of our essential nature, which is Presence. Sages have been aware of this since time immemorial. We do not live on a planet made of matter; we live in a realm that exists in Consciousness, as do our body-minds.

For readers who believe this is ludicrous, it may help to know that René Descartes considered this, although he ultimately backed away from the position. His famous quote–“I think, therefore I am”–is backward; rather, it should read: “I am, therefore I think.” To realize this can be of tremendous benefit. According to our degree of faith, we may remedy at least part of our apparent lacks–in health, wealth, and relationships–through a change in our beliefs. This means, of course, that we must be careful about what we intentionally–and unintentionally–impress upon the mind. And, yes, this definitely applies to what has been impressed upon us during the current world situation. Wake up, wake up, wake up!

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” 🙏🏻🧡

“True-Self” Centeredness

Regarding the title of this article: Please know that I am not advocating living a lowercase “self”-centered life; we already have more than enough of that present in the world. I speak from experience; for I kept “Art,” the persona that I once believed myself to be, fed, watered, and distracted for many years. In the end, “he” (although well-intentioned) proved not only tiring but also frustrating. Such is the way of the false self; it is never satisfied.

Now, I realize that “my” happiest days–paradoxically–are when there is little sense of a personal “i.” My suffering, which could not be alleviated through the usual ways of this world (think: possessions, careers, relationships, and vacations), finally led to a crack in the shell of the guy that professed to be me. I saw that beneath the facade of Art there is a profound Reality that does not need to try to be anything. It just is. It is true Self, Universal Spirit. By this I do not mean to suggest that I found a new way of being, or acquired some sort of spiritual badge to be pinned to Art’s lapel. I recognized (to know again) the domain of true Self, the silent witness of our human drama.

To be established in true Self is, indeed, to live from the center of our Being. It is a Unitive Power; for it recognizes Itself in everything and everyone. There are no strangers from this perspective of living; for we are all recognized as spiritual family. It is That–uppercase “Self”–to which the title of this article refers. To state that such is pure bliss may be an overstatement; but to knowingly live from the perspective of Truth is definitely more peaceful than existing as the false self. Why? Because the false self, which is divisive and competitive by nature, is actually the root of all of our so-called problems. Now, from the perspective of Awareness, the thoughts of “what’s in this for me?” rarely, if ever, occur. If they do, they are recognized as the shenanigans of the little self attempting to diminish the unconditioned quality of life.

How do we realize true Self and establish ourselves in the center of our Being? The good news is that there is nothing to be done; for no amount of doing can transform us into what we already “are.” There is nothing to be acquired. Only ego would dare to proclaim that climbing yet another mountain is required to be enough. We need only recognize that we are–already–That which we seek. I know of no better way to recognize this Truth than to let go of all of our doing. The transcendent dimension of true Self can be found in silent stillness; for that is the trademark of Its nature.

There, dear friends, is what I meant by being “Self Centered.” This is true Self, the Source in which we live and move and have our being. It is unchanging, immortal, eternal, and irreducible. This is the discovery beyond all discoveries; the inner treasure for which we seek. It needs nothing; for out of It arises everything. It is the center of our Being, and It can be known–directly–now.

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”

Bye, Bye, Ego–Hello “Videhi”

For many long years, I believed (as you may still believe of yourself) that I was the body-mind, aka “person.” It would have seemed insane to deny the apparent but erroneous conclusion. Thus, if Art’s body was physically satisfied and his mind mentally stable, “i” was content and happy. If such was not the case, Art used distraction, deliberate focus, and self-help books to rectify the situation. But here’s the rub, of which you’re probably well aware: At some point after circumstances slide to the polar opposite of pain and suffering (pain free happiness), the forces of this earthly realm, which are always in play, invariably slide the person back into challenging situations. Such is the human predicament.

Although none of us would choose suffering as a first (or last) choice as a method to “wise up,” it does serve a useful purpose. As I’ve mentioned previously, suffering reminds us that we have strayed too far from the Truth of our Being and need to change our ways. The degree of our suffering will be different for each of us; for although we are one in Essence, we are unique in character and form. Problems are relative to the person having them. We might view suffering as a tireless loving parent. “Be careful,” suffering shouts, “you’ll get burned if you touch the hot stove!” And time and again, we reach for the hot stove. Is there a way to avoid such needless suffering?

Yes! The solution (which is seemingly insane, yet paradoxically beautiful) occurs when we transcend the perspective of the person and recognize our essential nature. We discover the Truth: That we are in the world, but not of it. Problems are inherent to the body-mind perspective because the person is a creation of mind and, therefore, unstable. One minute, the person is happy; the next minute sad. To overcome suffering, we must realize that the body-mind is not who we are; it’s a constume that’s worn during this incarnation.

Let’s now investigate the Marathi term videhi from the title of this article, in the hope of gleaning more understanding. I was unfamiliar with the word until I noticed it in a book entitled Amrut Laya, The Stateless State by Shri Sadguru Siddharameshwar. In the book, he shared the account of a king who sought a guru to help him recognize his essential nature beyond name and form. The king eventually did; and thereafter the king was referred to as a videhi, meaning “he without a body.” From an online Marathi-English dictionary, we find the following definition: 1. Disembodied, released from the body. 2. Weaned from bodily and earthly enjoyments and pursuits. Please don’t be alarmed by the term disembodied; it’s not as ghoulish as it may seem. Such only means that you realize–here and now–that you’re not the body-mind. You know that you can’t possibly be who you think yourself to be.

Truth: You are Consciousness, Itself–an immortal Being, beyond this place called Earth. Your true Self is of the same quality and nature as that of God, only varying in degree. Your entire life story is but a divine play of God. To realize this directly, I earnestly suggest that you enter the stillness of meditation on a daily basis; for it’s in the placeless place beyond the mind that you will discover that, indeed, you are now–and always have been–a videhi. Awareness is commonly assumed to arise due to body-mind functions; but such has never been proven by science, and it never will be. The Truth is that the body-mind arises due to Consciousness; not the other way around. Bye, bye, ego. Please take your suffering with you.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

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

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

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”

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Empowerment

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Bye, Bye, Ego–Hello “Videhi”

Tree House Talk

Beyond “Mice and Men”

A Calling To Be True

Fabrics Of Reality

Self–Capital “S”

The Master Key

The Hidden Treasure of “I Am”

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