Gratitude 2.0

The wisest of the wise know the importance of gratitude. They state that it has the power to transform the quality of our life. Through sincere gratitude (which is thought, felt, and spoken), we raise our life and the lives of those around us. Platitudes and trite clichés are not permitted; for they are barren soil, incapable of growing the quality of life we desire to experience. Nothing less than heartfelt sincerity will suffice.

With regard to the subject of appreciation, many persons may be unaware that it is divided into two major classifications. Gratitude 1.0 is when we give thanks that we can do be, do, and have in our life. We are grateful that we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Likewise, we are grateful that we can walk, talk, and perform. We appreciate that we have a family, home, job/career, and food to place upon our table. We give thanks that we can lead a good life.

Gratitude 2.0 is of a more profound nature, one more closely related to the facts of deep appreciation. What, you might ask, is the difference? In Gratitude 2.0, we realize that we, as the body-mind (person) can do nothing. It is, and always has been, God (aka Consciousness) all the way. Although it appears that humans are the doers, we are not. We have been carried, and continue to be, for the duration of our apparent lives. In Gratitude 2.0, we realize the truth of Acts 17:28:

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.”

If we contemplate this even briefly, we may arrive at a deeper realization, one in which Gratitude 2.0 may literally take us to our knees with the most humbling appreciation. Do ‘i” really know how to heal a cut—or does the healing of a cut occur? Do “i” maintain my breathing while my body-mind sleeps—or does respiration occur? Likewise, do “i” digest my food, coordinate muscles, and maintain cellular functions? In Gratitude 2.0., we acknowledge that humans do not perform the miracles associated with daily living. We may give thanks, however, that God does.

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” 🙏🧡

Of Leprechauns and Gold

Caution: Before reading this article, please know that part of its content may feel unsettling. On the plus side, it also contains a pointer to great joy. Both are related to the following questions: Do you remember the story of a leprechaun who was chasing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Do you believe the leprechaun ever found that gold in the so-called “future?”

That devious leprechaun, which lies within everyone, can be so tempting. It attempts to convince us to follow it forever. With feigned wisdom and a sprightly dance, it exclaims, “Come follow me to great riches at the end of the rainbow!” To live in the manner it espouses, binds our apparent happiness to our senses and external circumstance; thus, we alternately experience great highs and lows. Only foolishness would have us believe the leprechaun’s advice. When we do, we trade eternal joy for the promise of an empty future; for as we realize, tomorrow never comes. To live a rich life, we must realize the truth of the following:

The gold of our Being is shining brightly, here and now

Nowhere beyond the eternal now may we mine our precious gold. The reason is simple: Nowhere else exists! Delusions of the mind would have us chase rainbows the world over–seeking happiness in fame, fortune, and perfect partners. Truly, think now, can another mountain climbed, another degree attained, or another relationship be the reason for our happiness? Can a real gift be found in an imaginal future? Tell, me if you will, has anyone actually found happiness that’s not–first–possessed within?

Now, dear friends, let’s approach this subject from Truth: I Am, I Am, I Am (Consciousness)—this is our silent, eternal song! I Am is the chorus, verse, and bridge! Our joy isn’t dependent on the leprechaun and the world; the leprechaun (body-mind) and the world are dependent on us! When we’re anchored firmly in the here and now, we realize that “I Am” is the rainbow, the pot of gold, and the gift!

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Shoot-Out at Self Inquiry Square

To set the scene for this article, please whistle a few bars of the theme music to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Alternately, a Clint Eastwood sneer might also be helpful.

***

Recently, my ego, “Gus,” and I hadn’t been gittin’ along so well; so it was decided that we would have a shoot-out. Huhhh, yep, that’s right–the old fashioned kind; pistols at midday, one hundred paces apart. It was time to put an end to the apparent suffering. Plus, I was getting tired of Gus’s cussing–cussed a lot, that varmint did.

At high noon, Gus and I stepped into Self Inquiry Square. It was uncomfortably hot, with occasional swirls of dust. A buzzard circled directly overhead. In the middle of the square, we positioned ourselves back to back, and then set off walking in opposite directions. With our spurs jangling, we counted off fifty paces and turned toward each other. Gus looked cocky, as usual, chawing tobaccy. For a few moments, we stared at each other, I to ‘i.” Suddenly, without batting an eye, Gus drew his gun and pulled the trigger. But lo and behold, the only sound was a click. Stunned, he angrily aimed his gun at me and repeatedly pulled the trigger; again, the only sounds were clicks.

Armed in the strength of I Am, I began marching toward him. As I closed the distance, I emptied both of my six-shooters, throwing down the following books, rapid fire:

“I Am That“

“The Power of Now“

“The Nature of Consciousness“

“Who Am I?“

“The Ultimate Understanding“

“Illusion vs Reality“

“Wake Up And Roar, Satsang With Papaji“

“Open Secret“

“I, Reality and Subjectivity“

“The Untethered Soul“

“A Parenthesis in Eternity“

“This Taste of Flesh and Bones“

With each book tossed, Gus’s level of fear increased. He was beyond scared, quaking so much that his spurs were jangling non stop. He knew that his perspective of ignorance would soon be dead. Less than ten feet from him, I sat down in the dusty street, crossed my legs, and finished him off with a few minutes of meditation.

When I opened my eyes (and saw clearly), Gus was nowhere in sight. By some accounts, the moment I closed my eyes, he turned tail and ran, lickety-split. Later, I searched town high and low; but I couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. It was as though he had never really existed. What about your “Gus,” you know, the guy/gal that goes by your name and claims to be who you really are? Is that little “i” still trying to run your life, or is I Am in charge?

***

For those who are interested, here is the above list of books, with their respective authors: (I Am That, Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj),translated by Maurice Frydman; (The Power of Now), by Eckhart Tolle; (The Nature of Consciousness), by Rupert Spira; (Who Am I?), Sri Ramana Maharshi; (The Ultimate Understanding), by Ramesh S. Balsekar; (Illusion vs Reality), by Shri Ranjit Maharaj; (Wake Up And Roar, Satsang With Papaji), by Eli Jaxon-Bear; (Open Secret), by Wei Wu Wei; (I, Reality and Subjectivity), by David R. Hawkins; (The Untethered Soul), by Michael A. Singer; (A Parenthesis in Eternity), by Joel S. Goldsmith; (This Taste of Flesh and Bones), by R. Arthur Russell

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Deliberate Creation 5:5

Persons who’ve heard about the law of attraction will most likely have polarized views. There will be a large camp of people who believe that it’s absolutely ludicrous; and there will be those in my camp, who’ve investigated it deeply, and believe in its validity. With the hope of helping you make an informed decision, I’m going to list five books about the law of attraction that I’ve read during a period of forty years. I also share five quotations that relate great insights; for those who are ready to receive them. Let’s begin:

Number 1: My overall favourite book about the law of attraction is entitled The Master Key System, by Charles F. Haanel. The book may seem a challenging read (it was for me the first few times); but I believe that its difficulty is offset by the amazing depth of content. Mr. Haanel was a heavyweight when it came to his level of understanding about our essential nature and manifestation. Here’s an important quote from Part Eight:

“It is the few who know that the things which they see are only effects, and understand the causes by which these effects were brought into existence.”

Number 2: Another book that holds a valued place in my small library of carefully chosen books is entitled The Power of Awareness, by Neville Goddard. He possessed a wealth of knowledge and expressed a great deal of it within this small book. I highly recommend this as an introductory book for anyone who desires to gain a deeper understanding. Here, I offer a quote from Chapter Thirteen, Acceptance:

“However much you seem to be living in a material world, ‘you are actually living in a world of imagination.’ The outer, physical events of life are the fruit of forgotten blossom-times–the results of previous and usually forgotton states of consciousness.”

Number 3: The next book on our list, entitled The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, is undoubtedly the most well-known book about the law of attraction; but I believe that Ms. Byrne may not always receive the credit that she deserves. She’s still very passionate about helping people improve the quality of their life; and even more importantly, she’s also shares rich information about our essential nature. Here, I offer a quote from Dr. John Hagelin, found in the chapter entitled The Secret to You:

“Quantum mechanics confirms it. Quantum cosmology confirms it. That the Universe essentially emerges from thought and all of this matter around us is just precipitated thought. Ultimately we are the source of the Universe, and when we understand that power directly by experience, we can start to exercise our authority and begin to achieve more and more.”

Number 4: Neville Goddard’s depth of understanding about the law of attraction was so great that I’m going to include another one of his books, entitled Neville Goddard’s Interpretation of Scripture. I highly recommend it for persons with at least a moderate degree of knowledge about the teachings. Here, I offer a quote from page fifteen:

“Things have no reality other than in consciousness. Therefore, get the consciousness first and the thing is compelled to appear.”

Number 5: Last, but definitely not least, on my list of books with incredible value related to the teachings of the law of attraction is entitled A Happy Pocket Full of Money, by David Cameron Gikandi. He relates a wealth of knowledge about quantum physics, our essential nature, and techniques for manifesting. His book also contains a great affirmation that is repeated throughout the book. Here, I offer a quote from Chapter 4, Images of the Mind, The Blueprints of Life:

“The world is an illusion, as we will see much more clearly as we move on. See it as an illusion; believe it to be an illusion, an illusion designed to help you know and experience your Self. Once you do so, you will always remember to create the next version of the illusion that you wish to have. You literally create the next version of the world by painting your mind’s images with certainty.”

***

As you can see from the above quotes, to fully understand the law of attraction requires a paradigm shift toward so-called reality. Initially, this will undoubtedly seem strange; but if you allow your mind to open, you will discover the amazing benefits. A couple of questions may help: “Is not a world created within the dream state every night? Then, why is it not conceivable–in fact, quite probable–that Infinite living Mind is also creating this world of reality right now? To shift towards this perspective requires that we surrender our ingrained belief of being a body-mind. It is an appearance in Consciousness. The degree to which you might find this unbelievable signifies the strength of the egoic grip.

The law of attraction applies to every aspect of our life–health, wealth, and success. For readers who are earnestly eager to learn more about our essential nature and how to manifest more easily, I suggest that you click here to watch my five-minute video, and also read more of my previous articles. The information has been inspired from my personal experience and the study of more than one hundred books.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Insights From Ashtavakra

Note: Readers who are ready to receive an important message related to Truth, will find it within this article. To all others, the content will pass as words, just words.

Thanks to Janki Parikh, we have a wonderful translation of the Ashtavakra Gita (song of Ashtavakra), which is considered one of the holy texts in Hinduism. It relates a dialogue between King Janaka and a sage named Ashtavakra, about the our essential Self and the nature of reality. The dialogue occurs after a troubling event in the king’s life:

***

One night, King Janaka fell asleep and had a terrible dream. In the dream, his kingdom was invaded by a brutal enemy. Although he and his army fought valiantly to defind his kingdom, they lost the battle. In exile, King Janaka found himself living as a beggar. People who had once been his subjects now ignored him completely. Seeking food and shelter, he wandered through the streets, lost in misery. At one point, someone took pity on him and handed him a bowl of watery rice; but before he could consume the food, the bowl slipped from his hands and shattered upon the street. In deep despair, he fell to his knees and wakened–back in his royal bed. However…

His misery soon transformed into deep confusion. He wondered: “Which is real?” He felt caught between two worlds, with a question that he couldn’t answer: “Am I really a king who dreamed I was a beggar, or am I really a beggar dreaming that I’m a king?” In the following days, his condition worsened; to the point at which his ministers and servants wondered if he was losing his mind. In desperation, they summoned sage Asktavakra. With great wisdom, Ashtavakra questioned King Janaka about the state in which he appeared to be a king, and the one in which he had imagined himself to be a beggar–both which came and went. Finally, King Janaka knowingly recognized a glimpse of his true nature. The following passages in bold are quotes from Ashtavakra Gita, by Janki Parikh:

“Then it’s simple, O King. If that [you as a king, in a kingdom] doesn’t always exist, and this [you as a beggar, in the street] doesn’t always exist, then neither this nor that is real!”

“What is real, then?” asked King Janaka.

“Then, Dear King, neither this is real, nor that is real. Only YOU are real!”

***

Now, dear readers, please allow me to ask: Do you know–with absolute certainty–that you are the person who is reading this article, or have you merely assumed it so? Do you know beyond doubt that you experience a body-mind, or do you actually experience thoughts, sensations and perceptions that imply a body-mind? Could it be that the mind that creates nighttime dreams also creates the waking state, which the majority of persons refer to as “reality?” Are you really a king, queen, or beggar reading this article, or is all of this occurring within a dream? Could the real YOU be all-pervading, Consciousness, immortal and eternal, dreaming a so-called human life? I freely admit that I, true Self, witnessed “Art” apparently writing this article. Recognition of true Self is at the heart of nonduality. Wake up, dear soul, 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–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”

I Am ( _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )

With regard to the rather strange title of this article, I’m going to pose an odd question: “Do you dare?” That’s it, at least in part. Now here’s the question in full: “Do you dare fill in the blanks with the desire–most dear and important–that you hold in your heart?” At one time, I was too afraid to claim what I most desired. As a result, it couldn’t manifest. That was then. This is now.

Neville Goddard is one of the teachers that can help us learn how to manifest our deepest desires. Born in the Barbados, Goddard later moved to the United States. There, he met an Ethiopian rabbai named Abdullah, who taught him many of the mysteries of the Kabbalah. In following years, Neville wrote several books and held lectures about spirituality and the law of assumption. The following quote is borrowed from one of his books entitled Feeling is The Secret:

“The dominant of two feelings is the one expressed. I am healthy is a stronger feeling than I will be healthy. To feel I will be is to confess I am not; I am is stronger than I am not.“

To understand this more deeply, it will helpful if we examine the subject of time. Please become still with me now, and ask yourself the following question: “When but now could you experience any event?” Last night’s dinner was eaten now. Tomorrow’s breakfast will be eaten now. When you get married, or graduate, or move into your new house, you will do so now. How can this be? Because time is conceptual only; the past and the future don’t exist.

This is why we must claim what we desire Now.

By gently and repeatedly claiming our desire as though achieved (through feeling-imbued affirmations and visualizations), we impress a clear paradigm (mould or example) upon the subconscious mind. Let’s go deeper via a quote from Proverbs 23:7:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

The heart is the real YOU beyond the “person” of name and form that you’ve assumed yourself to be. To manifest our dreams, we must claim–here and now–what we desire. To believe that our desire can be achieved in a conceptual future (that doesn’t exist) is to doom it to remain a dream unfulfilled.

So, I lovingly dare you: Please fill in the blanks (written in a few concise words) with the desire–already achieved–that you hold most dear in your heart. In private, quietly affirm it to yourself repeatedly, in a calm and relaxed manner. Write your goal on a card and place it in your wallet, pocket, or purse, and refer to it often. In your mind’s eye, from a first person perspective, see your desire fulfilled in every detail. Engage as many of your senses in the imaginal scene as possible. As doors swing open that lead to your desire, fearlessly step forward. You deserve all the goodness that you imagine.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

With

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the preposition “with” includes the following definitions: “used as a function word to indicate the object of a statement of comparison or equality;” and “used as a function word to express agreement or sympathy.” For the purpose of this article, we’re going to combine both definitions and think of “with” to mean whether humanity is capable of living in harmony. On a personal level, such is often described as a state of “flow.”

We can be fairly certain of the following: If two persons are within a room for a certain period of time, said persons will eventually reach a point of disagreement. The disagreement may be subtle or overt; voiced or unvoiced; implied or demonstrated. No matter how well attuned those two persons are, they won’t agree with each other’s viewpoints, all of the time. In politel socieity, such may appear to be the case; but since no two persons actually live in one another’s shoes, have had the same experiences, or process life in an identical manner, this conclusion is inevitable. When we place ten, twenty, or one hundred people in a room, the effects are multiplied. When eight billion people share an apparent world, the consequences of various desires often lead to disastrous consequences; including war.

How may the ugliness of war and its atrocities be avoided? Through the profound realization that the word with, and its apparent opposite against, actually unite in the middle. As explained in many esoteric books, apparent opposites aren’t actually opposite at all. This is often illustrated through an example of hot and cold. We are asked if we can determine a point at which hot ends and cool begins. The answer, quite clearly, is “no.” They’re actually one, expressed in varying degrees.

When we apply this principle to billions of persons who are struggling to get along with one another, while living their apparently separate lives, a solution is revealed: We must realize our Oneness. Who, realizing That which we truly are, would be prideful? Who, realizing That which we truly are, would be unwilling to forgive? Who, realizing That which we truly are, would defend the illusory “person” or ever desire to injure a so-called “other?” We must clearly know, not just believe, that all persons of various colours, creeds, and nationalities are but apparent variations of the One. Thus, when we look at one another, we see our spiritual brother and sister.

God always gets along with everyone in all ways. From God’s vantage point, there’s actually no-thing apart from Him/Her/It; logically, therefore, God is always at peace with all circumstances, all events, all people, and all nationalities. The position of against is only related to the delusional perspectives of our egoic selves, which are conceptual only. They’re based on who we think we are–not That which we are in reality. When we recognize humanity by the Light of our Oneness, what difference do we see? Isn’t it time to experience peace by bringing Truth down to Earth?

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Be Curious: (Gospel of Thomas)

We have been conditioned to believe that “each” apparent body-mind that we term a “person” has a separate and independent consciousness that arises at birth (however that’s defined) and ends at death. Such is the predominant view held by the masses. It is BUNK; in other words, poppycock, balderdash, and hogwash. In this article, I offer information that I hope will provide reasons to investigate that assumption more deeply.

***

In 1945, near the village of Nag Hammadi, Egypt, two peasants found several leather-bound papyrus codices in a jar in a hillside cave. One of the texts turned out to be The Gospel of Thomas, which is comprised of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. The prologue begins as follows: “These are the secret words which the living Jesus spoke, and which Didymus Judas Thomas wrote down.” Please contemplate the meaning of saying 29:

Jesus said, “If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit
came into being because of the body, it is a marvel of marvels. Indeed, I am amazed at
how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty.”

The wonderment expressed by Jesus (regarding the belief that the body-mind gives rise to consciousness) has recently been echoed by David Chalmers, a philosopher and cognitive scientist. He’s well known for coining the term “the hard problem of consciousness,” which refers to the challenge that neurologists encounter when they attempt to explain how neuronal processes give rise to consciousness. Here’s why: They don’t. There is a correlation only; not cause.

***

You are not who you think you are. The following question may naturally arise: “Then, Who/What am I?” You are actually God incarnate (Christ Consciousness, The Tao, Buddha Nature, Brahman, etc), whether you are knowingly aware of this or not. How can this be so? Because Consciousness is the only reality, and It is Universal in nature. The Father and I are One. All that is form, is representation, only; it is the manifestation of That which is forever Unmanifest. This is why it is expressed in Luke: 17:21 that you cannot point “lo, here” or “lo, there” to your Being. Consciousness is omnipresent, but we do not, and cannot, experience it with our senses as a thing. Because Consciousness is not a thing, it’s impossible to define or objectify it with the mind. To discover the kingdom of heaven, we must look within.

We’ll end this article with saying 3, in its entirety:

3. Jesus said, “If your leaders say to you, ‘Look, the kingdom is in heaven,’ then the birds of heaven will preced you. (2). If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. (3) Rather, the kingdom is inside you and it is outside you. (4) When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. (5) But if you do not know yourselves, then you dwell in poverty, and you are poverty.”

Our greatest poverty is to believe that we are separate from God. We may knowingly recognize the Truth; and such will, indeed, set us free from the suffering that’s associated with believing we are the person of name and form.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Footfall Of An Ant

We begin this article with a quote from Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna. Although its message may seem ludicrous to the masses, it will strike a resonate chord to those who’ve realized their true nature. Here, I offer the quote:

“Pray to Him in any way you will. He is sure to hear you,

for He hears even the footfall of an ant.”

What nature of Power could possibly hear the footfall of an ant? Is this message to be taken seriously, or is it merely an exaggeration intended to grab our attention and ease our troubled heart? To understand the quote more clearly, we’re going to set aside our assumptions and dive deeper into our very own nature.

Although the Holiest of Holy cannot be defined (for such would be the foolish attempt to limit That which is Limitless), the following three terms are often used to guide us to recognition: Omniscient Omnipotent, and Omnipresent; meaning, all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere present. For the purposes of this article, I’m going to refer to It as the All in All.

If we contemplate these descriptors seriously (and I hope that we do), we realize that all forms, including ours, must be within, and comprised of, this All Powerful Field. To exclude our body-mind from the All in All would be illogical. Thus, the energy of this field pervades everything, including you, me, and eight billion apparent “others.” Taken further, this Field must (for how could it not?) pervade the body-mind of the ant. Therefore, when the ant makes a footfall, the All in All has to be there to hear (know) it. From Its perspective, the footfall may seem thunderous.

Logically, this must also apply to us. When we practice self-inquiry, we’re enabled to knowingly recognize the Treasure Within. A few questions will help point to that realization: Could it be that an erroneous assumption has been made regarding the nature of the “i that permeates our Being? Could it be that the All in All (which is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent) is the real Knower, and that It has been overshadowed by a fictional “i,” whose only apparent existence is derived from a repetitive, and usually negative, thought pattern? What is That which knows all experience? When true recognition occurs, and the identification with personality is shed, epiphany reveals that the YOU that knows your body-mind, and the YOU that knows mine, are One.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Quit Thy Childhood, Wake Up

The inspiration for this article arose from two recent events. The first was related to the poignant account of a man whose wife had recently passed away; of how he and his wife had walked a pathway together for many years, including periods when her body-mind had been ill. The second occurred when I read the following quote attributed to Jean-Jacques Rousseau:

“Sors de l’enfance, ami, revéille-toi!”

“Quit thy childhood, my friend, and wake up.” [tr]

The purpose of this article is to ease suffering that’s associated with the human perspective. Its content is a distillation of ingredients derived from my apparent personal challenges, and my passionate interest in the nature of consciousness, spirituality, and the law of attraction. The information will naturally pour forth to anyone who feels inclined to hold out a cup.

Every “thing” appears to have a beginning and an end, including persons. A sapling appears in the forest, and we realize that (if it grows unimpeded) someday an aged tree will fall. Due to our conditioning, the predominant belief held by humans is that we “are” the objective body-mind that appears. The body-mind (person) has a birth date and also a death date. The conclusion, therefore, is often that death must spell our end. Directly and indirectly, we experience the suffering the comes with this perspective. My personal story includes the sudden loss of my father when I was sixteen.

Let’s deepen our understanding NOW, by contemplating the meaning of the quotation above. By writing, “quit thy childhood,” Jean-Jacques Rousseau seems to be urging us to abandon our childlike nature and be adults; but, surely, he realizes that those who read his work are adults. How nonsensical! And what did he mean by, “wake up,” punctuated by an exclamation mark? The quotation seems like an apparent slap in the face. The key to a deeper realization is closely related to the subject matter of the book in which I found the quote: The World As Will And Representation, by Arthur Schopenhauer. In the first few lines, a strong clue–directly stated–is found for those who are ready to decipher its meaning:

“The world is my representation: this is a truth valid with reference to every living and knowing being, although man alone can bring it into reflective, abstract consciousness.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the first definition for the word representation is as follows: “an artistic likeness or image.” The majority of humankind may exclaim, “But, surely Schopenhauer didn’t mean this literally!” The “world” to which he refers cannot possibly be imaginal–it’s real, material, and objective, independent of our perspective! We are absolutely certain of this; but here’s the catch:

We’re certain, not because we truly know; only because we assume it so.

Many readers may, understandably, exclaim the following: “But my body, it’s real–I can feel it and sense it!” This, indeed, is a major component in the illusion that is being cast. The Sanskrit term for this is Maya. When we stay rigorously present with our direct experience (as Rupert Spira advises), we can acknowledge that we experience sensations and perceptions (via tasting, touching, seeing, hearing, and smelling) but never an actual body or world. It is only via the mind that we “know” anything objective. We assume that objects, including our body-mind and the world, possess independent existence; that we are merely observers of them. This, however, is assumption. That which is Real, eternal and immortal, is the Knower, not the apparent phenomena. To recognize this directly, we must turn within and discover the deeper dimension of ourselves that is beyond flesh and bones.

My interest in the nature of consciousness, spirituality, and the law of attraction paid an unexpected dividend. True to what sages, saints, and gurus have shared for millennia, this world, and our experience of it occur in a dream. It is to this that “quit thy childhood, wake up” refers. To avoid needless suffering, we must shed our childhood perspective and mature in the knowing of what we really ARE. Sri Ramana Maharshi advocated self-inquiry via the question “Who Am I?”, termed jnana-vichara in Sanskrit. In Truth, we are Consciousness, Spirit, dreaming a so-called human experience. To know this directly is what can ease the suffering that is part and parcel of identifying with the human perspective.

If this seems too ludicrous to consider, please contemplate the nature of your dreams at night. Do they not also seem real when they occur? However, in the morning do you see any evidence related to them, beyond fleeting memory? No, of course not. What Schopenhauer realized is that our true nature is Spirit eternal. When awaking occurs in the morning, we merely enter a deeper level of dream. Once again, we don the perspective of a separate “self,” with a continuing plotline for the character that is known by our name and form. The erroneous belief is that we can actually be that character. We cannot.

To believe that we and the ones we love are merely flesh and bones is to perpetuate a most enfeebling perspective about reality. It is founded upon ignorance (meaning unawareness) of our true Self. When we assume it, we are apparently limited to the abilities of that level of consciousness. To promote it through our own uninvestigated assumptions about our identity is to invite great suffering. This needn’t be so. Please, ask yourself, “Who am I?”–really. Any answer short of Truth will not suffice.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Think2wice.me

Gratitude 2.0

Of Leprechauns and Gold

Shoot-Out at Self Inquiry Square

Deliberate Creation 5:5

Insights From Ashtavakra

I Am ( _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )

With

Be Curious: (Gospel of Thomas)

Footfall Of An Ant

Quit Thy Childhood, Wake Up

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