Shaking The Maya Tree

If we shook a tree that was full of ripe oranges, we would–quite logically–expect to see oranges fall to the ground. Likewise, if we shook a tree that was loaded with ripe apples, we would see apples fall. To expect something other than the fruit of each tree (perhaps, coffee cups or lollipops) would be insane. With regard to the title of this article, I’m going out on a limb by stating that all that falls when the Maya (Sanskrit, loosely translated as illusion) Tree shakes is illusory in nature. The fruit of Maya is transient, changeful, and only relatively “real.” It could appropriately be called dreaming.

To transition from the view (subscribed to by the masses) that “reality” is only defined by what appears via our senses is not an easy task; and to be honest, only those rare Beings who are, indeed, ripe with curiosity for Truth will be willing to earnestly investigate their deeper nature. Until the dream of life turns challenging or outright nightmarish, it’s highly unlikely that individuals will question their blind assumptions about the nature of their identity. To take a figurative step in the direction of Truth, it will help if you know the following:

When Sri Ramana Maharshi (a realized sage) was questioned about the difference between Dream State and the Waking State (referred to as “reality” by the masses), he replied, “Waking is long and dream short; other than this there is no difference. Just as waking happenings seem real while awake, so do those in a dream while dreaming.”
From The Law of Success by Paramahansa Yogananda: “Mind is the creator of everything.” You might think of this as the shaking of the Maya Tree. Please note that he stated that “everything” is created by mind.
From The Wish Fulfilled, by Neville Goddard: “This world, which seems so real, is as much a dream as the dreams we encounter while sleeping.”
From The Final Truth, by Ramesh S. Balsekar: “All that appears is mind-stuff of which all dreams are made.”
From Man’s Eternal Quest, by Paramahansa Yogananda: “Live in the consciousness of Spirit, in that oneness with God wherein you know that life is a dream.”
From Before I Am, by Mooji: “World is not. You, me, and all else that you see within and without are unreal; they do not exist independent of yourself. The world you inhabit is created inside your own mind. It is all a dreaming.”
From my blog, more proof is offered through this article, entitled “Notes from Beyond.”
From William Blake: “As man is, so he sees.”
And finally, a photo passage from Open Secret, by Wei Wu Wei:

What’s the benefit of knowing this information? If your “life story” is ticking along fine, you’re most likely not reading this article. You’ll be apparently slaying dragons in the business world, or flying to your island home in your personal jet. However, if you’re finding that your story has run full speed into a brick wall, it may help to know that what you have previously assumed to be material “reality” isn’t, indeed, real in the way you’ve assumed. It’s the fruit of the Maya tree; which appears when the mind’s ability to perceive via the senses is functioning. The so-called real world recedes from waking state to dream state (a more ephemeral dream world), and is totally absent in deep sleep, which is without objects, time, and space.

The real Self is That by which the apparent world is co-created and known. So what of “us” is real–for it certainly seems that we exist? Consciousness–independent of form. Please contemplate this: Can anything be known in the absence of Consciousness? If you believe this possible, how could such ever be proven? Is that not like trying to know if the refrigerator light remains “on” when the door is closed? A tree in the forest that supposedly falls unwitnessed, neither exists, falls, or makes a sound; for such requires an observer to co-create the event and report its occurrence.

We are Divine Spirit, dreaming our character’s role of personhood. To know this now, while living, means that one is jivanmukta. If you’re tired of suffering the world of form, please join me on the other side of the bridge. The view is beautiful and eternal. You’re not who you think you are–never have been. You can only be what you are in reality—Spirit.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones), 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” 🙏🏻🧡

Invitation to Play

Please join me, if you will, on a journey of remembering the feeling of days when our spirit sang with freedom; when we were happily unaware of mind chores that claim they must be done; when the words yesterday and tomorrow held no meaning. “Such” is still alive within us.

During the next few hours, you’re invited to:

Withdraw from all news media; in spite of being fearful of being struck ignorant or uncaring.
Write a list of 12.279 things that must be absolutely right before you will enjoy life. Prove the list wrong by literally or figuratively burning it.
Drop the seeming importance of your medals, trophies, formal education, resumé, and achievements. Ask, “Are they?” Ask the same of your so-called failures.
Imagine how a child feels upon meeting a new friend.
Listen carefully to children playing. As you overhear them rant and complain, make a list of their sorrowful woes about the economy or state of the world.
Glance at your “To-Do” list of chores demanding attention; then just as quickly turn away.
Drop all of your mind stories related to “I did this” and “He/she did that.”
Close your eyes and follow your breath into an inner world of wonder. Return as awareness, carrying the sense of wonder with you.
Remove the stain related to “life will be better when” by asking if “when” ever arrives.
Take off your ego’s muddy galoshes, and run bare foot.
Acknowledge the Divine Power that’s beating your heart. Bow your head and whisper “Thank you.”
Pack a picnic (however meager) and dine at a new location, in the glorious fullness of Now.
Look upon everyone (the young and the seeming old) as a child of the Creator. They are.
For sixty seconds, feel your heart’s warm unity of Oneness with All. Repeat.
Count your “haves,” instead of your “wants.”
Be with your hands as they slowly open and close. Can you feel the miracle?
Through awareness, Be peace, here and now. Silently say “hush” if the mind attempts to intrude.
Give.
Love.
Be grateful.

Through awareness, we may reignite so much of the joy that we felt as children. This world, Life, needn’t seem like such a bothersome chore. We don’t have to manage it, change it, or define it according to the mind’s perspective. Wonder, amusement, and excitement are waiting to be born into experience through Presence.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Choices from “I Am” Now

Hello Everyone,

Please step out of time and join me–here and now–in the glorious beauty of our true nature. We are so much more than the person we “think” we are. I offer you my latest video:

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones–released September 8, 2020), press here. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. 🙏🏻🧡

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

We Needn’t Suffer Our “Person”

Hello Everyone,

In an effort to lessen suffering related to confusion about our true nature, I offer my latest YouTube video.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Healing of Jim McBrown

“It’s not looking good, said the doctor. “We’ve found something suspicious on the MRI. Jim, who was sitting across from the doctor, suddenly became pale as he attempted to process the news. Further tests in the coming week would confirm a diagnosis. Treatment began as soon as possible. One night, after Jim had spent a long day in hospital, he fell asleep; and while he slept, the following was revealed through what he would later refer to as The Voice:

***

“You are consciousness,” said The Voice. “You are of the same nature as I Am That I Am. You are neither the body nor the mind. The body has become ill because you are holding negative emotions that have not yet been processed in a healthy way. The greatest power is spiritual power. It flows from the highest gradient downstream–much like water–to the lowest. That which Spirit habitually envisions (especially if imbued with great feeling) flows down through the mind and is made apparent as matter. This applies to what humans label good and bad. If you let go of that which is negative, there will be room for That which is positive to heal you. This is the reason for the account of Job, in the Bible:

“For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me,

and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”

“Job experienced such tremendous suffering because he always focused on the negative. To him, his apparent world was always wrong. Trust, me,” said The Voice, “I speak truth unto your ear. Please listen again to scripture which has revealed the veracity of that which I share:

Mark 9: 23: “Jesus said unto him,

If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

As Jim was rising from the drowsy wispiness of sleep, he again heard The Voice: “If you pay more attention to what is right and good within–trusting upon me–then such will appear within your world. I will give unto you that which you believe.” The last words that Jim heard were these: “Let not your heart be troubled.”

***

In the coming weeks, Jimmy continued to have treatments; but a change had occurred within him. He knew that if he focused upon his vision of healing it would be so. He didn’t have to know the way that such would occur. The treatments progressed and somehow, Jim realized that–whatever happened–all would be well.

Note: This article is not intended to convince anyone of any course of treatment during an illness of the body or the mind. It’s intended only to provide spiritual inspiration that is supportive of healing.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With warm regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Pointing To Truth

In this article, I offer several quotes from various authors and deep thinkers that point to a different reality from that which the majority of persons assume to be true. It’s my hope that they will resonate with you and inspire you to investigate your essential nature beyond name and form:

“The world as seen only exists in the mind of the observer. It has no independent existence.”

– David R. Hawkins.

“This world, with all its animate beings and inanimate objects, is nothing but the creation of the mind. When the activities of the mind cease, there is no world, no duality. There is only God.”

– Gaudapada

“Every phenomenon that exists is a creation of thought.”

– Huang Po

“The truth is that God is the mind and life of the individual. God is the only I.”

– Joel Goldsmith

“Your Self without ‘you’ is the one you seek.”

– Mooji

“God is man’s consciousness, his awareness, his I Amness. The drama of life is a psychological one in which we bring circumstances to pass by our attitudes rather than by our acts.”

– Neville Goddard

“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”

– Plutarch

“The universe is a mere appearance and the ego-sense is a mere concept.”

– Ramesh S. Balsekar

“There is no difference in our actual experience between the substance of the apple that appears in memory and the substance of the apple that appears in ‘real time.’ Our only knowledge of both is made out of mind–out of seeing, touching, smelling, and tasting, and the substance of mind is only Awareness.“

– Rupert Spira

“Everything is in consciousness, nothing else.“

– Shri Ranjit Majarah

“Thought creates the world. Thoughts bring things into existence.”

– Sri Swami Sivananda

“Phenomena only ‘exist’ in the mind that perceives them.”

– Tibetan Book of The Dead

“No thought of form can be impressed upon original substance without causing the creation of that form. A human being is a thinking center and can originate thought.”

– Wallace D. Wattles

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Deliberate Attunement

The nature and quality of the information to which we attune makes a tremendous difference in ourr apparent life. We naturally realize this, although we may not consciously contemplate the principle involved. Who of us after–first–attending a hostile debate, or–second–a spirited birthday party, would not admit to feeling negative after the former; and positive after the latter? To allow entry of harmful and meaningless content into our mind is not to practice wise government. We were given the power of choice; and it’s vitally important that we exercise it wisely.

Our modern-day societies are bombarded with stimuli; so much so, that it’s often challenging to find temporary sanctuary from the incessant visual and auditory bombing raids. Repeatedly, we are informed that conditions within the world are horrendous, and that they’re inevitably turning from bad to worse. With news of doom and gloom being reported on a worldwide basis, is it any wonder that suicide rates are high and enthusiasm for life often depressingly low? What nature of conversations are we being stimulated to parrot?

This article is not intended to be a rehash of bad-news bombing raids. It gladdens me that (no matter how bad outer circumstances may seem) each of us has a refuge within–a placeless place of stillness and peace. When I attune to Infinite Being within, I know that all is well; in spite of appearances to the contrary. I know that Infinite Living Mind is beating my heart, breathing my lungs, and circulating my blood. Through Deuteronomy 31:6, we also know the following:

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

These words are far from hollow in meaning. They are pointers to a deeper dimension of Consciousness, and the realization that true Self is always with us. At the divine center of Truth, we realize that The Father and I, are One. If we’re wise, we’ll habitually attune to That to help lighten our load and harmonize our way in the apparent world.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

“That” Which Cannot Be Defined

I offer you my latest video about our essential nature:

“That” Which Cannot Be Defined:

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Strangest Dream

It was Celine’s weekend off work, so she was still dressed in her nightgown and robe when she meandered into the kitchen. Her long blond hair was tousled from the previous night’s sleep. As she reached for a mug from the cupboard, she said, “I think I’m going to need two cups of java this morning!”

“That tired?” asked her husband, Frank.

“No, it’s not that,” said Celine. “I just want an extra jolt of caffeine to get over a troubling dream that I had last night. It was so strange.”

“How was it strange?” said Frank.

After pouring her coffee and adding milk, Celine walked to the kitchen table and sat down across from Frank. “It’s kind of difficult to put into words,” she began, “but in the dream it felt as though my very being had been taken over by a strange, almost alien, force.

“That does sound weird,” said Frank.

“This thing–whatever it was–assumed complete control over me. I felt so constricted and bound. During the dream, I was forced to accept a name that I didn’t want–Neaera, whatever that means; and I had to believe that I could be defined by whatever thoughts entered my mind, especially negative ones. If I heard words such as dumb, ugly, or loser, I had to accept them as personal traits. I think I rarely, if ever, heard a positive word.

“Initially, I was resistant to such rules; but as the dream progressed, my spirit became beaten down and I willingly accepted them. I began to speak negatively about myself, and I lived in almost perpetual fear of what persons thought of me. I never felt at peace, and I was defensive most of the time. When situations didn’t meet my expectations, I often became resentful, and sometimes even enraged. Get this, I actually even hated some people!” At the thought of her last words, Celine felt a tremor shake through her body.

“Whew,” said Frank, as he reached to touch Celine’s hand, “well, at least the dream is over now.”

“Yes,” said Celine, “thank God. Now, I can go back to being who I Am. Get you another cup of coffee, Honey?”

***

Dear Readers: Does the term “ego” ring a bell? Are you living from the center (and power) of your essential nature, or merely existing by the so-called standards of your ego? There’s a deeper dimension of YOU; and It’s divine.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Hashtag (#) Everyone

How paradoxical truth IS…

Humankind is being sold a story of the apparent good life, and the majority of persons unwittingly buy it without examining it for value. I, for one, buy it no more. On the surface, the story seems bright, shiny, and sensible; a story that deserves to be placed on a high shelf in our lives. At some point, however, many of us learn that the degree of truth contained within the story is equivalent to the facts found in the rag magazines at the grocery store checkout line. The story promises, but it doesn’t deliver.

There are various versions of the story related to name, fame, and achievement; but the theme always remains the same: “If you, little Johnny or Mary, work hard enough, sacrifice enough, and keep your nose to the grindstone long enough, you can make something of yourself. You can be a success, become a somebody, and, thus, be happy.”

With that dangling carrot in mind, the false donkey “i” within us pulls back its shoulders and goes to work. Thoughts inform us that we must build an impressive resumé and be noticed to be worthy of the happiness we desire. We practice our hashtagging skills at every opportunity. We #this about ourselves, and we #that; #I was #here–don’t you know; and #I was #there. In our mind, life revolves around me and my story.

As long as we continue to feed the insatiable appetite of our ego, we will #never…#be…#happy. Through wisdom, we can finally realize the insanity of the story we’ve been telling. How long is it–really–before the luster of the shiny new car wears off? How long is it--really–before the promotion that promised happiness is realized for what it is? How long is it–really–before the perfect partner we adored doesn’t meet our needs?

So what’s the paradoxical truth alluded to at the beginning of this post? That the happiness we seek is recognized when we are empty of the “self” that requires anything in order to be happy. We discover–quite surprisingly–that we’re naturally most joyous when we:

#Give of our Heart,

#Be of Service,

and

#Share our Resources

And that’s not a story–it’s the Truth. I can’t imagine an emptier way to live than for #me, #me, #me.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Love

Shaking The Maya Tree

Invitation to Play

Choices from “I Am” Now

We Needn’t Suffer Our “Person”

The Healing of Jim McBrown

Pointing To Truth

Deliberate Attunement

“That” Which Cannot Be Defined

The Strangest Dream

Hashtag (#) Everyone

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