Consciousness HumAuto

Dial: 1-111-111-1111. Ringggg, ringggg, ringggg.

“Consciousness HumAuto. Wrench speaking. How may I help you?”

“Oh, hi. I’d like to schedule my holographic human for a tune up.”

“Haha–holographic human. Is there any other kind?”

“Good one. No, guess not.”

“Anyhoo, what can I-Am-That-I-Am do you for?”

“My human’s been acting up.”

“How so?”

“Well, it’s always been a little problematic–but even more so, lately. It runs hot or cold. Sometimes it brakes hard and pulls to the left–as though driven by fear; and sometimes it suddenly accelerates and veers right–as though chasing pleasure. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that it had a mind of its own.”

“If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that,” said Wrench. “Sounds like a governor issue, to me.”

“Oh, and another thing, for the last forty years or so, I’ve been hearing a loud tick, tick, ticking–kind of like an internal voice. It’s begins when the alarm goes off in the morning and it doesn’t quit until deep sleep.”

“Is your human judgmental?”

“It wrote the book! It’s also got a really bad shimmy–seems to worry about everything.”

“Humph, it sounds as though it’s picked up an ego-stone in your hubcap. Anyhooo, bring your human in to the shop; and I’ll lift it up on the hoist and give it a good going over. How’s Thursday at 1:00 work for you?”

“Perfect. See you then.”

***

Thursday at 4:00. Ringgg, ringgg, ringgg

“Yelloooow.”

“Hi, there, it’s Wrench calling from Consciousness Humauto. You can come over and pick up your human.”

“Oh, great, how’d you make out?”

“Let’s just say that’s it’s a miracle you were still keeping that human of yours on the road.”

“You don’t say. What did you find?”

“Well, I put it on the dynohumanometer–ran a battery of tests. The harder I pushed that human of yours, the more it resisted. Timing was wayyy off. It was back firing regrets about the past, and belching fears about the future that made my mechanics blush. I did the best that I could to center it in the here and now.”

“I apologize. Thanks for doing all that you could.”

“It’s all good. The main problem was that your Spirit Reserve was dangerously low–your I Am That I Am barely registed on the dip stick. I strongly suggest that you knowingly fill that up again–but that’s up to you. We can’t do it for you.”

“Really? How do I do that?”

“You gotta get out of your mind. I recommend daily meditation, even for just a few minutes. Second choice would be to go for a walk in nature. Just be. That should help put an end to that shimmy.”

“What about that ticking sound.”

“I guessed that one right–your human had picked up an ego stone. That’s what was causing the loud ticking. Yeowee, it was a big one! I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an ego that big. It thought it was running the show. No wonder your human was veering all over the place.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“No charge. This One’s on the House. Trust me, you’re doing the Universe a favour by getting your human in order.

“Thanks, I’ll do my best.”

***

Note: Contrary to public opinion, that loud and often annoying tick, tick, ticking narrative of your human isn’t the real YOU. That’s an ego-stone attempting to make your life miserable. The sooner you regain control of your human, the better. Just know that it’s going to rebel. It’s going to tell you that it’s the driver; that it’s normal to brake hard or suddenly accelerate right or left. It isn’t. There’s a balanced way to live in harmony; but to experience that you have to re-cognize (know again) your Divine Center. A word of advice: Don’t waste time searching for the Center outside of yourself. Turn within–it’s the only place you’ll find It; because you are It. Your essential nature has just been overshadowed by the false driver that goes by your name, form, and description. If all else fails, you can phone us at Consciousness Humauto and ask for Wrench. (If you’re eager to learn more about true Self, you’ll find the content of my YouTube video entitled “Awaken–Your Essential Nature is Consciousness” helpful.)

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” 🙏🏻🧡

“Right,” Where I Am

Strange; this life can feel so strange. We are born into an environment that seems to compel us to reach and continue to reach. As children, we learn the rules early: Kindergarten is meant to lead to Grade 1, Grade 2, and so on. We are explicitly and implicitly taught that we should strive, become more, and make something of ourselves; and with that goal firmly established, we often unwittingly sacrifice a greater gift to the false gods of materialism, success, and wealth. The price of our innocent ignorance can be very steep.

Several years ago, the content of this article would have seemed nonsensical–it would have been impossible for me to understand. The idea of being “right,” (meaning, satisfied, content, or at peace) where I am would have been paramount to capitulation. Without a figurative mountain to climb or a vision to fulfill, I would have felt lost. Logic would have decreed that without purpose there would be no sense in living. At that time, my understanding of Be-ing was nebulous; for the nectar of life seemed to be in the dreaming, doing, and achieving. My misguided approach toward life seemed to offer only two paths, labelled Success and Failure; and who of us desires to tread the latter? I spent a lifetime trying to succeed, and in the process discovered that I had missed Be-ing Present.

Now (when I become still), I realize that everything is, was, and always will be “right.” Freed from the machinations of the mind, I realize that I don’t need to go anywhere, or attempt to be other than “I Am.” Here and now, I also know that I’m not alone. The One is with me; in fact, “is” me. One: pervading everything, everyone, everywhere. One: beyond space-time, eternal. One: within family, friends, and permeating so-called foes. One: in every rock, tree, and butterfly. One: the All in All, including me; how beautiful to know.

What does it mean to be “right” where I Am? It means that I’m fine with, and fine without. It means accepting that which is, and that which is not. It means living peacefully, without needing to change anything. It means creating joyfully, from the detached perspective of wisdom. It means resting easy and being grateful to the Creator; for I know that “right,” where I am; so, too, is God. (If you’d like to dive deeper into your essential nature, I offer more information through my YouTube video entitled “Magnify Awareness.”

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Ego-Bean Salad

I first heard of the following account this morning, through Source. I have no way of verifying if it’s true. I’ll leave that up to you to decide:

***

Once upon a time, there was a quaint little village named Eedon; which was named after A. & E. Eedon, who were the first couple to settle there in 1802. Nestled in a picturesque valley, the village consisted of seven-hundred kind souls. There was peace in the valley because everyone showed compassion to their neighbours and were generous of spirit. No one knew anything about bragging, boasting, and pride; in fact, they’d never heard of such behaviour. When a family was experiencing a challenging time, all of the neighbours got together and humbly pitched in to offer help. They built homes and barns together; helped educate one another’s children; tilled the soil and harvested crops together. All of the residents knew that they could count on one another. Until…

One day, at a town hall meeting, the Mayor, Mr. I-Come-Up-With-Bad-Ideas, suggested that they should hold a celebration in the center of town. They would have a feast. Everyone would contribute an ingredient from his or her pantry.

“What will we have for the meal?” asked Gwendolyn, one of the oldest residents in town. “Pork? Ribs? Potato salad?

Another man, Jed (who incidentally, barely kept his family fed) said, “No, let’s have fish. We have plenty of fish in the Eedone River, especially at this time of year.”

The polite discussion continued until the mayor proposed that they should have a special dish: Ego-Bean Salad. “Why, everyone’s got some degree of ego,” he said. “That way everyone can contribute to the meal. We’ll set up the cauldron in the town square, people will throw in their stash of ego-beans, give the mix a stir, and then step aside and make way for the next person. After the salad marinates for several hours, we’ll dine like royalty.

Although a few of the seniors doubted the wisdom of the planned menu, the mayor’s proposal was seconded by the deputy mayor, and the vote carried. A date was set.

On the day of the celebration all went well initially. People brought their families and musical instruments, and there was great merriment. The menu went over gangbusters, too. Bowl after bowl of Ego-Bean Salad was consumed. “More, please, more,” was the common remark as people lined up for seconds, even thirds. It’s rumoured that Jed consumed eight servings.

As dusk fell, a man known as Sparky casually sauntered into town. He almost always had a half-finished cigarette dangling from his lips. As he approached the town center, a flash explosion was suddenly set off. From miles away, people assumed it was a dazzling display of the northern lights. The first explosion was followed by several others and aftershocks that shattered windows in neighbouring towns. The cauldron still hasn’t been found.

***

And the moral of this tale? Why, this is just a little story about the hazards related to eating too much salad, right? It has nothing to do with letting our ego be in charge of our life. (If you’re earnestly eager to recognize your true Self, my YouTube video entitled “I Am: The Infinite” will be helpful.)

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Down The Rabbit Hole

I’m sure that most readers are probably familiar with the expression “down the rabbit hole,” which suggests “following a path of curiosity or investigation that becomes increasingly deep and complex.” When I was a teenager, I unwittingly fell into a metaphysical rabbit hole by following my instincts to read books about the law of attraction and our spiritual nature. I had no idea where my strong interest would lead.

Since 2017, following an experience that’s commonly referred to as enlightenment (meaning: to awaken from the dream of personhood), that rabbit hole has dramatically deepened. Habitual patterns and conditioned ways of interpreting experience and the “world” occasionally still pull my perspective back into Maya (Sanskrit: “illusion“); but such occurs much less frequently now. I know my true Self is Consciousness. In part, I am helped by many priceless quotes that I’ve collected during years of study. Some of the most potent are taped to the inside of my kitchen cupboards, to serve as reminders of the deeper level of “reality” whenever I view them. It’s my hope that the following quotes will help to elevate your understanding and be valuable pointers to your essential nature:

“Mind is the creator of everything.”

– Parmamahansa Yogananda, The Law of Success

***

“What you are seeing and hearing right now is nothing but a dream. You are dreaming right now in this moment. You are dreaming with the brain awake.“

– Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

***

“However much you seem to be living in a material world, you are actually living in a world of imagination.“

-Neville Goddard, The Power of Awareness

***

“Everyone is sleeping. When you see other, when you see otherness, when you see duality, it is called dreaming. Only in the dream do you see objects.“

– Papaji, Wake Up And Roar, Satsang With Papaji, by Eli Jaxon-Bear

***

“Our entire experience arises in awareness. Is that clear to you?“

– Rupert Spira (noted author and teacher of non duality), Youtube

***

“Remember that your perception of the world is a reflection of your state of consciousness. You are not separate from it, and there is no objective world out there.“

– Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

***

“Nothing comes from without; all things come from within–from the subconscious. It is impossible for you to see other than the contents of your consciousness.“

– Neville Goddard, Feeling Is The Secret

***

Note: (If you earnestly desire to investigate your essential nature, which is Consciousness, my YouTube video entitled On The Count of Three–Wake Up will be helpful.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Beyond Time

Times change; they surely do. In fact, change is paradoxically one of the constants in this changeful realm called “Earth.” On a daily basis, perpetual change is witnessed–minute to hour; morning to evening, and year to yesteryear. We know with absolute certainty that what’s popular and apparent today–in science, medicine, politics, and culture–will surely change. It’s just the way of expression here.

As a teenager, I once wrote a poem about the nature of time. Curious then, as I still am, I wrote that I didn’t want to know what made the clock tick–I wanted to know what made the tick tick. From my unaware perspective, I suppose I was searching for meaning in this mysterious clockwork mechanism in which we’re apparently enmeshed.

Initially, we may be somewhat unaware of the flow of time; for we, who are seemingly being swept along in it, barely notice its movement. From the perspective of the “person,” our attention is almost always focused on objects of fancy, or those which we wish to avoid. One year, such may be a goal to achieve business success; the next year, a romantic relationship; and the following year, plans to travel the world. Change, change, change–all of which we’re accustomed to labelling favourable or unfavourable.

What if, however, our habitual understanding of our “self” and time is all backward? What if we’re not the “person” within time in a great big world, but actually the true Self in which the apparent “person,” time, and the world appear? This shift makes a tremendous difference in how we process experiences and interactions with “others.” From my understanding, there’s only one thing (not a thing) that holds eternal value. The knowing of it, at least to me, is what makes the tick tick. Through all of the changing times and seasons, I believe the only tick that gives REAL MEANING to our lives is this: to express, and exemplify, the quality of our true Self, which is LOVE.

Note: (If you’re eager to investigate the deeper dimension of true Self, you may find my YouTube video entitled “Children of The Light” helpful.)

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Love, Being Love

As we delve into the nature of our true Self, please imagine, if you will, what it’s like for a newborn baby to look upon the “world.” Everything would literally seem new, fresh, and alive. Without the function of higher mental faculties, the baby would be incapable of discerning the difference between its arm, foot, or hand and the sides of its crib. The baby would be innocent; it would not have learned that it was a “baby” and that it was different from “other” babies. It, would, thus interpret everything through it unique focal point of I Am.” True to its essential nature, the baby would naturally be Love, Being Love.

So, the point, Mr. Russell? My point is that our mask, or avatar of name and form, is a learned perspective. It’s an apparently physical-psychological costume comprised of name, gender, race, nationality and other downloaded bits of data related to an Earthly “i”-dentity. It’s not the foundation of our essential nature. Before I ever knew that my full name was Ronald Arthur Russell, “I” was and still “Am.” My true Self is that irreducible essential nature that’s impossible to remove. In spite of all the triumphs and tribulations that Mr. Russell may have taken so seriously, I remain “I Am.” Such also applies to the real “YOU.”

While its understandable that we must don a costume in order to assume our role in this Earthly play, it becomes problematic when all that we know of ourselves is the costume. It leads us into temptation to use “others’ for our own benefit and is the cause of great suffering within Consciousness. Depending on the environment into which we are born, we learn all or some of the following:

I’m different from “others.”
I’m more special than you or, sadly, believe to be not as good.
“They” aren’t our kind of people.
I must compete, and win, to have value.
I can only love people of my same colour, race, nationality, and creed.
I will take from “you,” so that I (the “person“) can thrive.

Due to our identification with a purely conceptual “i”-dentity, actions are performed against “one another” that Love would never knowingly do. Most “humans” don’t realize that when we harm another, we literally harm ourselves. Why? Because…

LOVE recognizes that we are all One.

***

Every Being that dares to dive deep into Self inquiry and knowingly recognize his/her essential nature elevates the expression of God on Earth; and where there’s more God Awareness…

there’s more love, more joy, and more peace.

Surely, surely, surely that’s a worthy goal.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Absolute: Consciousness

I offer you my latest video about our essential nature, which I’m suggesting is Consciousness.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Who’s Ruling Your Castle?

Many, if not most, of us are familiar with the children’s rhyme: “I’m the king of the castle, and you’re the dirty rascal!” It relates to a children’s game in which boys and girls race to the top of a hill and defend their right to proclaim that they’re the king or queen of the castle. The origin of the game seems unclear; but by some accounts, it was played in 16th-century France and 17th-century Scotland and, perhaps, earlier.

Let’s investigate the rhyme and discover if it could possibly refer to an underlying spiritual meaning related to our essential nature. In support of this, I offer the following verse found in John 8:58:

“Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I Am.”

To be clear, the verse doesn’t state that Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I, ‘Jesus,’ was”–it states “I Am.” I offer that Jesus was conveying that “I Am” (Consciousness) is prior to physical form (as illustrated by mentioning Abraham). Consciousness is the very foundation of our Being. Objects, both physical and mental, appear in Consciousness and are known by Consciousness. Research into the field of consciousness adds weight to this assertion; for try as they might, scientists have been unable to determine how physical processes give rise to consciousness. Ancient teachings assert that the body-mind arises in Consciousness; not the other way around, as materialists assume. In other words: “I Am” (Spirit, Consciousness) is the Reality (Castle) of each apparent King or Queen. A similar message is stated in 1 Corinthians 6:19:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”

My dirty rascal, “Art,” had it backwards for apparent years. “He” fooled everyone, including “himself.” Due to ignorance, ego “me” declared that he was the king of Being. Such seemed to occur only because the Real King–“I AM“–hadn’t, as yet, been recognized. Because of the veil of amnesia, which is an inherent mechanism of our apparently human journey, we must set out on a spiritual journey to knowingly rediscover our True Self. When we do, we knowingly assume our rightful “place” as Universal Consciousness, which is our eternal nature.

To realize the Ruler of the castle we must be It. When such occurs, it is not a pretense made by the mind; it is a “remembering” or re-cognition of that which is our true Self. The realization can be facilitated through meditation. Psalm 46:10 directs us clearly to the method: “Be still and know that I am God.” In John 14:6, the following is stated: Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Can you see the parallel message contained in the nursery rhyme (“I Am the King of the Castle“) and the Biblical verses mentioned?

What can we do with this recognition? Live by it, as it. By being That, the quality of life will improve dramatically. Old energies related to the perspective of the false self will fall away as we remain as “I Am” Awareness. And when “I Am” notices thought patterns related to fear and competitiveness, we can turn away and deliberately focus on our positive visions. “I Am” is intended to be the ruler of our kingdom. As Spirit, our essential nature is beyond name and form. (For those who would like to delve deeper into this subject, I offer my YouTube video entitled “Children of The Light.“)

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Dreaming of Coffee

At precisely 7:00 a.m., Bob Brightman heard the sound of the alarm on his bedside table and slowly wakened from his slumber. He shut off the alarm, stretched his arms wide, and ambled to the washroom. A few minutes later, he groggily joined his wife, Helen, in their rustic kitchen. The room was aglow with the warm sunlight that was shining through their kitchen’s eastward-facing window.

“Coffee?” Helen asked, as he approached her and kissed her softly on the cheek.

“You know it,” said Bob, with a grin. He added milk to the coffee and assumed his favourite position in the glider chair next to the window. The first few sips of his coffee tasted like morning nectar.

Holding her own cup of coffee, Helen moved into a chair directly across from her dream guy.

“You know,” began Bob, “last night I dreamed that I was drinking coffee that tasted every bit as real as this.”

“Tell me more,” said Helen.

“Well, I was holding my favourite mug, the one you and boys got me for my birthday. I could feel its weight, the heat of the coffee, and even smell the aroma of the freshly-ground coffee beans. Strangely enough, just like I’m doing now.”

Helen took a few sips of her coffee and looked around their kitchen. “It’s incredible, isn’t it,” she said, “how the mind can replicate reality in our dreams.”

“It definitely is,” said Bob, “even to the point of fabricating skyscrapers, mountains, and people.”

“Truly amazing,” said Helen.

Lost in thought, Bob seemed to freeze momentarily. “You know,” he said, with a puzzled expression, “it almost makes you wonder if the mind could be rendering this, right here and now.”

“What do you mean?” asked Helen.

“You know, dreaming us, drinking coffee in our kitchen.”

“Well, that’s preposterous,” said Helen.

“Is it?” said Bob.

Helen smiled and softly pinched her cheek. “I feel pretty real to me,” she said.

“But we feel real in our nighttime dreams, too,” said Bob. “When we dream that we’re skiing, driving a car, or eating a meal, it all seems very real.”

“Oh, you–you crazy Mr. Brightman!” exclaimed Helen.”Don’t be so silly. Enjoy your coffee and then get your butt into the shower. “Our backyard lawn really needs to be cut today.”

Bob smiled and slowly sipped the remains of his coffee; but as he showered and, later, cut the grass, the question about the nature of reality kept begging to be answered. As Helen washed the breakfast dishes, she also found herself pondering the following question: “How would we know if our lives were a dream?”

That afternoon, Bob was rummaging through his collection of books about spirituality when he came across the following quotes. Given what Helen and he had talked about earlier that day, it gave him pause to contemplate the issue very deeply:

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind, wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.”

– T. E. Lawrence

***

“Live in the consciousness of Spirit, in that oneness with God wherein you know that life is a dream.”

– Man’s Eternal Quest, by Paramahansa Yogananda

***

“Everyone is sleeping. When you see other, when you see otherness, when you see duality, it is called dreaming. Only in the dream do you see objects. When there is other, it is a dream, and prior to this dream, you must be sleeping. Sleeping is ignorance. When you wake up from this state, you wake up to awareness.”

– Wake Up And Roar, Satsang With Papaji,” by Eli Jaxon-Bear

***

Dear Readers: We can awaken, now. When you realize this, a world full of new and exciting possibilities opens up before you. We’re informed of this in Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” You are Spirit eternal. (If you’re curious about learning more, you might find my YouTube video entitled “Living The Dream” and my blog article entitled “Notes From Beyond” helpful.)

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Fooled By Your Name”

The title of this article is borrowed from a line in The Book, by Alan Watts, who was a noted British author and expert on Buddhism, Taoism, and theology. The subtitle of his book, On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, hints of a door to a dimension of Self that most may never be tempted to knock on, let alone open.

Our conceptual “person” can never know lasting peace and joy. It’s like asking an illusion to produce something that’s “real.” But beneath the world of name and form, in which we refer to things by words, there lies the most mysterious of mysteries. Our true Self is prior to the mind; therefore, beyond the scope of definition and comparison. It’s nature is peaceful, singular, and all-pervading; there’s, literally, nowhere that It is not. The key that unlocks the door to this dimension is stillness. When we turn away from sense objects and become still through meditation, it’s possible to “re-cognize” (know again) the very nature of our Being. We discover that we’re not our thoughts; nor our sensations, feelings, or perceptions. These, and everything else, are known by the real You, Awareness. Its nature is pointed at through the following quote from Chapter 25 of the Tao Te Ching:

“There was something formless and perfect before the universe was born. It is serene. Empty. Solitary. Unchanging. Infinite. Eternally present. It is the mother of the universe.”

Even a little investigation can reveal invaluable insights. Think: For objects to be known, they must be known by something. True Self is not a thing in the common use of the word; nevertheless, it is present; or, more accurately, Presence. Wherever we are, Consciousness is. It’s impossible to think “I don’t exist” because the very thought requires Consciousness to think it. Our essential nature is That which registers impressions from an apparently external world. It is also Consciousness that registers the name and form of the body-mind that we erroneously believed to be our personal identity.

Why should we care, especially when life seems to be ticking along just fine? For that very reason. The hands of our body-mind’s clock are moving; but we need not wait for the “alarm” of its impending death to recognize true Self. There’s a multitude of benefits that can be realized now; not the least of which is that we are immortal Beings. Our true Self is immune to the human drama; thus, not tainted by suffering and fear. No event, circumstance, or situation can harm it. The Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord) points to our true nature through the following quotes:

“Weapons cannot cut it, nor can fire burn it; water cannot wet it, nor can wind dry it.”

“I am the Self, O Gudakesha [one who has conquered sleep or ignorance], seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings.”

Dear Readers: There’s a Source of Love within you that’s waiting to be rediscovered. Due to the veil of forgetfulness that’s required for a “human” journey, we forfeited knowledge of our true nature; but forgetting can never erase That which we truly are. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare summarized a deep truth about names, through a line spoken by Juliet: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The essential You is That sweet fragrance–not the name and form through which true Self expresses Its divine nature. (If you’re curious about learning more, I believe you would find the content of my YouTube video entitled “To The Point: I Am” helpful.)

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: God

Consciousness HumAuto

“Right,” Where I Am

Ego-Bean Salad

Down The Rabbit Hole

Beyond Time

Love, Being Love

The Absolute: Consciousness

Who’s Ruling Your Castle?

Dreaming of Coffee

“Fooled By Your Name”

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