Category: Humanity

A Frog By Any Name

Once upon a pond named Earth, there lived a male frog. If viewed by us, frog might have been described as big and green and slippery-skinned; but to the frog, he was only is-ness. Frog was quite oblivious to the world around him. He gave no thought to yesterday or tomorrow; for frog knew not the silliness of humankind. Every day was a new and daring adventure. When nature decreed, he would do leap-laps around the perimeter of the pond, lazily swim out to the submerged log on the other shore, or perch upon one of the big rocks that surrounded the pond and cribbet frog opera just for the sheer love of it. Frog didn’t know a lick of Italian, but he never judged the quality of his croak-singing against any other frogs’ musical efforts–such would never have occurred to him. Frog felt at home in the pond because is-ness allowed him to instinctively know he was an integral part of the world as a whole. But then…

***

One day, “thought” entered the still voidness of frog’s consciousness and whispered “you should give yourself a name.” At first, frog was befuddled, hearing that little voice within his head; but the more frog listened to thought, the more he liked the idea. “Yes,” he thought, “I shall name myself–a name befitting a frog of my grand status within the pond.” Initially, frog was tempted to use alliteration, thinking that names beginning with an F might be quite appealing. For one full day, he mulled over names such as Freddy, Franklin, and Fernando; but frog finally settled on naming himself Ralph Lauren–no relation to the designer. Once he had chosen the name, frog sensed pride rise within himself; he felt as though he was wearing a king’s crown as he stepped smartly around the pond. Now he was a “somebody.”

As life would have it, within a few days Ralph Lauren caught the protruding eye of one of the lovely lady frogs that inhabited the pond. When Ralph Lauren noticed, he played it cool, very cool. In response to the voice in his head (which said, “Damn it frog, stand up straight and look your best!”), he stood up on his hind legs, squared back his shoulders, and puffed up his chest. To top it off, he nonchalantly smiled his “I’m-the-frog” smile and snagged a fly in mid flight without even looking. Lady frog, who was quite impressed, smiled back; and Ralph felt his heartbeat quicken. The voice in his head was very happy, indeed.

Within a few days, Ralph and lady frog arranged to go out on a date. They would have dinner on one of the lily pads with a view. In preparation, Ralph paid a visit to a local apparel shop not far from the pond. After much deliberation, and a silent “yes” from the voice within his head, Ralph selected a tuxedo–basic black, notch lapels, french cuffs, and silk pant stripe. Oh, how Ralph smiled as he strode from the shop, the tuxedo within a clothing bag over his shoulder. He was feeling on top of the world, and he was going to look oh-so-fine on the date!

The date, unfortunately, did not go as planned. When Ralph Lauren rang the doorbell at lady frog’s pad, she opened the door, took one look at his finery, and laughed him off her front stoop. “You think I’m going to go out with you if you’re wearing that!” she exclaimed. “What kind of frog wears a tuxedo to dinner?!” Dejected, Ralph Lauren turned and plodded home. All night long, the voice in his head tortured him. “If only I’d chosen a white suit,” he thought, “everything would have turned out fine.” Life had once seemed so easy; but Ralph was now miserable due to the endless commentary by the voice in his head. How Ralph yearned for the days when he was a nobody singing opera on the big rock at the pond.

In the following weeks, Ralph Lauren visited a local frog psychiatrist, who, after numerous sessions, diagnosed Ralph as displaying human-like behaviour, proclaimed him neurotic, and prescribed anti-anxiety medication, which he still takes to this day. The psychiatrist also advised Ralph to continue their appointments indefinitely. In an effort to alleviate his suffering, Ralph is currently seeking a guru to help guide him back to recognition of his true Nature–That–and the blissful life he knew before “thought-in-the-head” convinced him to believe that he could ever be anything other than what he is already. As of last report, frog had dropped the moniker of Ralph Lauren, preferring to simplify his life as much as possible. Be forewarned, folks. Could it happen to “you?” Special note: “Lady frog” soonafter shacked up with an old toad with a criminal background, and she’s put on a lot of weight. “Thought-in-the-head” would be happy.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Heart Bound

Today, a man on LinkedIn posted a short video of a happening that occurred within his family. I watched his presentation intently; and I’ll be honest, it moved me to tears. I literally wept. Why? Because what he shared resonated with the Truth of my Being. That “Being” is in me–pervading; and It is also in everyone else–pervading. It is the substance of That from which all of us are made. It’s Reality is undiluted Love in all its fullness. Here’s the account:

***

“My daughter did something wonderful this morning,” the man began. He then related that he had watched as his elder daughter placed some newspapers in the mailbox. He was puzzled, so he asked her why. She told him that her younger sister so enjoyed going to the mailbox and finding some mail. That’s why she did it–to be a source of joy for her little sister. The man then wondered to when the last time was that he had performed such a deed, purely for the sake of bringing joy to someone else. He also shared that when his younger daughter checked the mailbox, she was ecstatic!

***

As I’m writing this, the joy of that account is still ripe within me. No happiness of the ego can touch its transcendent authenticity. The account reminds me of what my dear mother, who experienced her fair share of suffering, often wisely told me. She told me that the easiest way to shake off the blues was to do something nice for someone else. There–in the heart of this timeless moment–is the secret to a very rich life; a life devoid of the self-centered “what’s-in-this-for-me?” perspective of the little “i.” If you can catch that thief in operation, you’re on your way to being liberated from it.

The false self, the character of Mister or Misses “me,” is not the real Self. As far as natures go, those two are galaxies apart. True Self is giving. It is the Source of love, comfort, peace, and joy. We feel our way to It; and we recognize and appreciate It just as It is. The false self is the psychological me; the fictional self that outwardly may appear giving; but who inwardly interested in self-preservation, appearance, and taking. It is the author of The Book of Sly.

Today–right now–we can take back our birthright and be heart bound. We’ll recognize the nature of true Self by the way we feel. No thinking is required. When we rediscover the Center of our Being, we are once again home in our sense of belonging. True Self is closer than our breath–not a heartbeat away. One of the best ways to rediscover It is to live from the perspective of that elder daughter. What can we give? A friendly smile or kind word? Some financial support? Time spent sharing a talent? A telephone call to someone who’s lonely? And what of that “beggar” on the street–the one who shares the same true Self? Isn’t it time to truly live from our heart?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

All Our Petty Differences

How fervently humans hold their petty grudges, the offences we’ve deemed so important. How proudly we recount them through spiteful speech, like badges of woes pinned sharply to our lapel. How tightly we clutch to our “he-did-this” or “she-did-that” stories against us. I, too, have been guilty as charged. With that in mind, we’ll begin this article with a line from a book that a fellow blogger suggested that I might enjoy:

“We differ from others

–from criminals, for example–

only in what we do or don’t do, not in what we are.”

Awareness. by Anthony De Mello

Do those words, and the power within them, not strike us in the breastbone of our Being? Is Mr. or Mrs. Ego staggering from the punch? This short line begs us to ask the following: “How am I seeing?” Am I seeing with understanding born of the heart–from Truth, or am I seeing through the eyes of the petty little ego; the guy or gal who’s often so quick to judge; or reluctant or, perhaps unwilling, to forgive?

It’s been stated that individuals who hurt us personally, or collectively in society, are actually the ones most in need of love. This is perfectly logical. Why? Because such individuals are so far removed from their own knowing of love for themselves. For what other reason would they hate as much? How can we possibly give to another that which we, ourselves, don’t possess? We must also remember to extend the same loving forgiveness to our own “self;” for until we do, the healing is not complete.

All waves are identical in nature as the One Ocean in which they are immersed. How could they ever truly be different? Each wave undoubtedly expresses itself differently in form–peaking here, like a saint; or crashing there, like a sinner; but each and every one is made of Ocean. We are THAT. When we see with the love of One Heart, we will know how to truly look upon this world and, thereby, raise It.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With deep love,

Art

Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Dismantling Fences

There’s an old saying which states that “fences make good neighbours.” Although this may seem a logical way to deal with conflicts that invariably arise due to the human condition, it’s a shortsighted solution. On a larger scale, building fences–even mending fences–leaves us subject to judgmental behaviour that ignores our shared oneness. Relying on the fluctuating mentality of the masses only serves to separate us from the goodness that inherently unites us. Our only hope for lasting peace amongst neighbours and nations lies in dismantling our minds’ fences forever. Below, is an example of an event that occurred because we truly didn’t know one another:

December 1, 1955: On a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, the bus driver orders Rosa Parks and three other riders to give up their seats in the coloured section because the whites’-only section is filled. Rosa refuses to do so. As a result, she is arrested for civil disobedience and later fined ten dollars for violating segregation laws, plus an additional four dollars for court fees. A court case is launched and a bus boycott ensues for more than a year. The Supreme Court finally rules that segregation laws are unconstitutional. During this time, and for years afterward, Rosa and her family receive death threats...for standing up for rights and basic human dignities that should be–Must Be–afforded to All.

At what level do we do begin to dismantle fences? Nothing short of a spiritual approach can deliver the best results. However, there’s a common misconception that enlightenment (which may be defined as waking from the dream of apparent personhood) is something that’s done; a spiritual activity that adds a better dimension to our life and make us better persons. To be interested in matters spiritual might even be branded as being namby pamby; an interest shunned by those who have better ways to use their time. Nothing could be further from the truth.

To embark upon a spiritual quest is the bravest, and most significant, journey we will ever undertake. It’s a figurative journey that involves travelling from conditioned ignorance to the awareness of our true Self. Such is a courageous act because recognition of our essential nature involves surrendering the false self, with whom we’ve identified for the majority of our so-called personal life. Such can feel like a great loss; it requires that we surrender our pride, historical story, and every triumph that we may have held dear. In short, we realize that our personal trophies never belonged to us; for there is truly no one here to receive them.

True enlightenment is not freedom as the self; it is freedom from the self.

Until we see beyond our own mask, it’s literally impossible for us to see the true nature of “others.” Spiritual teachings may, at best, lead to more civilized and tolerant behaviour; but also create a smug piousness. The solution is to directly experience our shared oneness. When such is realized, our fences fall by their own accord.

The journey to Self, and a better world, requires that we engage a deep sense of earnest curiosity; a daringness to discover That which is beyond the egoic costume that’s masquerading as our identity. this journey holds unparalleled value; for when we discover the Truth within ourselves, we are, thus, enabled to see It shining as the glorious identity in everyone of varying class, colour, and nationality. With clear insight, we realize that persons on the opposite side of the fence are, indeed, ourselves.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

The Fire of Our Being

In this article, we’re going to figuratively gather around the collective “Fire of Our Being.” We might imagine it as a large bonfire that’s glowing with flames that are dancing lively and flicking their sparks toward the evening sky. The burning wood snaps with sizzling crackles as its energy is released. Around the fire, there are benches and chairs on which we can sit and be comfortable. Gleeful children, who aren’t yet ready to listen to our chat, are playing tag behind us. When we gaze upward, we see stars in the heavens that sparkle like diamonds; and the brilliant moon is so close–we can see the “man” who lives there smiling at us. Here on Earth, we’re sitting together as brothers and sisters. We’re taking turns to share, listen, congratulate, and embrace one another tightly. Everyone is welcome to sit around our fire. It’s my turn to talk…so I begin:

***

“My brothers and sisters,” I say, with my arms spread in welcome, “a trick has been played upon us. And it has fooled the majority of us for too long. NOW is the time for knowing better. When we first came to Earth, we–each of us–were given a name. Our names come in great variety; and we speak with many accents, depending on where we live. But it’s important that we know our True Identity. We are not our names! A name is only a word that refers to that which it represents. You can never get wet from the word water!

We’ve been conditioned to believe that there is a separate “me” looking out from each of us. But that’s not the case. Only the mind attempts to fool us this way! There is only One Knower, and our body-minds shine by Its Light. When we become still and quiet our mind, we can realize through our heart that the Knower in you–Consciousness–is also the same Knower in all of us. In Truth, we are One.

What are we…truly? We are aspects of That which makes this Earth, the sun, and galaxies. Out of The One arises everything–all that was, is, and shall be! We are born of The One that makes all of the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers; if it was not for The One, nothing would flow, including us. The One is the only Creator; and, we, creations of The One. We are alike in nature–Spirit; and differ only in degree. Our body-minds are on this Earth, but we–Spirit–are not. We belong to, and exist through, The One. We are intended to work together, help one another, and express the best that’s within us. And the best within us is God.”

***

The fire burned until the wee hours of the morning; and we, brothers and sisters, huddled around it. At one point, a shooting star blazed across the inky sky; and soon after, another one–playing tag–flamed behind it. To stay warm, we gathered closer when the fire died down to embers. The atmosphere was bathed with rich Love–the real, everlasting kind. There was no talk of nations or division; no line drawn in the sand to separate this and that. We knew the harvest of the world was intended to be shared equally. Everyone had enjoyed much talking and laughing, eating and drinking, sharing and caring. And when we departed to go our apparently separate ways, we were happy to know that we were expressions of the One.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Service…With a Smile

Guilty–as charged! Yes, the title of this article is cliché, but there’s good news: the content isn’t. As you may have guessed, the content relates to service–the real kind; not the smarmy “have-a-nice-day” (insert roll of the eyes) kind. On a deeper level, service can be interpreted as Purpose, with a capital P. Through wisdom, we learn that Being, Life, and Purpose are all so interdependently woven that one thread cannot be withdrawn without tugging on the others.

It’s been shared in the past, but the message is so important that it’s worth repeating again: “We’re not here to ‘get a life’ but to express the life that ‘is’ us.” The majority of persons may find this a perplexing statement; because from the perspective of the little “i” that presumes to be running our daily lives, it can certainly seem as though we live for the sake of our “self.” The “me-kind” of purpose, which most of us may have demonstrated at one time or another, is ultimately empty and meaningless; for such means that our sole reason for living is to keep the egoic self fed, watered, and physically and mentally satisfied. Such is a brochure to a destination, and a way of living, that most individuals wouldn’t want to visit.

There’s a spiritual saying that can is paraphrased as follows: “Before you can move into the big house, you must first move out of the little house.” It means that before we can recognize our true Self (the Big House), we have to move out of the little house (the ‘i”); and we do so by investigating its nature. The question “Who Am I?” is a good place to begin. One of the glorious realizations during my transition of houses occurred when I read, and understood, the following quote. Its measure of truth–a 10/10–is deserving of center stage:

“The tree does not eat of its own fruit.”

What a powerful quote–so vibrantly ripe with meaning! The words resonate with the core of our Being. They barge right past the little guy or gal who’s been pretending to be “me” and shout: “Why do I live? What’s my purpose? How may I help, contribute, and serve? When we find the answer, we discover the gold that’s to be shared with everyone! Does this describe a life of self-sacrifice? Yes, most definitely! But here’s a related point that’s referred to in the first paragraph: The self that’s surrendered isn’t real. We only sacrifice the thief that’s been robbing our life of true joy.

A secondary, yet important, point is worth making: When we knowingly discover our true Self, our lingering energies of the little house may tempt us to remark about the purpose that others express. It could be tempting to judge. Resist; better yet–don’t. Would such behaviour express our highest ideal? No. Everyone one of us is at a different stage in our journey; due to this, all of us–at heart–are doing the best that we can, given our vantage point. A note of profound meaning is worth remembering:

With love as our benchmark, we can’t go wrong.

A perfect world (balanced in Harmony, Truth, and Love) demonstrates that the real reason we live is for one another. That means that the good that I do serves you; and that the good that you do serves me or one or more of our worldwide brothers and sisters. Everyone is included; for the All That Is has no room for exclusion. The phrase that describes such a way of living is Peace on Earth.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Snakes and Ladders

When I was a young child, one of the games I used to enjoy playing was a board game called Snakes and Ladders. It’s actually still available to this day. It consists of a board with horizontal squares numbered 1 to 100; beginning in the bottom left corner. The objective of the game is very simple: A player wins by being the first to land his/her gamepiece at the square marked 100. Players take turns rolling a die and advance their gamepiece accordingly. If players land on a ladder, they can scoot upward; conversely, if they land on a snake they must slither downward. So, what’s the point?

What I didn’t realize until recently is that this simple game is based on an ancient board game from India called Moksha Patam. Moksha, for those who may be unfamiliar with the term, means to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. This occurs through enlightenment; a term which refers to the recognition of True Self (which is Spirit) and, thus, the falsity of the conceptual person. The game was originally intended to help teach basic lessons regarding morality and how to better live with one another. The ladder represents our noble qualities–such as love, compassion, kindness, generosity, and empathy. The snake represents our ignoble instincts–such as lust, greed, anger, selfishness, and hatred.

On a human–grown up–level, we can still learn many valuable lessons through analogy of our life and the game of Snakes and Ladders. It reminds us to be aware, especially with regard to our thoughts, speech, and actions; for these are building our character and, thus, creating our destiny. If we allow our life to be driven by our little egoic “i,” we are certain to lose; for a self-centered cannot help anyone win. Such will be a shallow life, to say the least; one lacking the depth and richness that ultimately makes life worth living. To truly win, we are wise to apply ourselves to helping others climb their way to success. In effect we, thereby, become the ladder for their ascension and let our life stand humbly in the background. Sweet idea, isn’t it? Even better lived.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell

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”