Sneaking Past God

When Troy Hooliman was six, his parents told him that God was always watching and that he should, therefore, always try to do his best. They assured him that if he did, his life would flow more smoothly. After hearing this news, Troy had initially been so frightened that he strictly toed the line. About two years later, however, he accidentally pocketed a toy from a department store–and guess what? Nothing happened. A wrathful God didn’t appear in the sky and wag a finger at him; nor was he suddenly zapped by a bolt of lightning. Troy, thus, concluded that God didn’t really exist or that he had been able to sneak one past Him/Her. This lone incident led to a few more “found” toys being stashed for safe keeping under his bed.

In the case of Troy’s life, it definitely seemed true that one action leads to another. When he entered the dating arena in his late teens, he gave little or no thought about lying to Angie, the first girl that he knew physically. She innocently believed that she loved him; and he, in an effort to get what he desired, simply lied. He rationalized that no real harm was being done. This again proved to him that he had sneaked one past God without getting caught. Therefore, it didn’t seem to matter when he also lied to the second, third, and fourth girlfriends he dated.

Years later, in business, Troy repeatedly proved that his parents didn’t have a clue, at least when it came to knowing how the “real” world operated. In his business, which was oriented to sales, sneaking past God was the order of the day. Lies abounded; and ethics proved empty of any real meaning. He rationalized that everyone realized this and secretly played by the rules of deceit. The world in which he functioned was competitive by nature; you were either a big dog who got the treat, or the small dog who got eaten.

All apparently went well for Troy…until it didn’t. In his mid forties, hard times came in his personal and professional life, accompanied by grief and a steep learning curve that left him desperate for answers.

***

What Troy didn’t realize was that the true Knower of “his” experience isn’t a little “self” that’s buried somewhere behind his forehead or deep within his chest. The awareness with which he’s aware of his experience is actually God, aka Universal Consciousness. It turns out that there’s a good reason why Source is described as being omnipresent–because It is! Troy is now practicing more ethical ways of being in the world. He’s filled with positive energy and wishes only to do good. The wonderful lesson he’s learning is that the more goodness he shares with the world, the more goodness he receives. Hmm, someone should write that down somewhere (Galatians 6:7 ring a bell?).

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Are You Tired, Yet?

Have you grown tired, yet, of pretending to be the person that you can never actually be? Or do you still feel quite content claiming to be John or Jane Doe? The majority of persons have been conditioned to tolerate/endure life’s teeter-totter of apparent ups and downs until they reach a breaking point. It’s then that their coping skills are seriously put to the test. Some people attempt to drown their sorrows in excessive drink, drugs, and distraction; others seek relief through therapy, new relationships, or changes in lifestyle. Could it be that our uninvestigated assumptions have led us deeply into ignorance of our true nature? Let’s approach this subject from a different level of understanding, through the following passage from a book entitled Open Secret, by Wei Wu Wei:

Maybe a quote from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, borrowed from the spiritual classic I Am That, would be of benefit. Named Maruti Shivrampant Kambli at birth, he recognized the Truth of his Being at the age of thirty-seven, after his guru (Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj) assured him that he was–already–the Supreme:

Perhaps a passage from The One in The Mirror, by Ramesh S. Balsekar could help clear up our confusion about the nature of the person who is suffering:

But, what did these three guys know, right? It’s probably just coincidence that our nighttime dreams also feel very real when they occur. Yes, that’s it, coincidence. Or maybe they stayed out in the sun too long. I’ve heard that it can get quite hot in India. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ramesh Balsekar were born there; and Wei Wu Wei (Terence Gray) stayed at Sri Ramana Maharshi’s ashram in Tiruvannamalai. That could explain why they referred to our seemingly very real lives as occurring within a dream. It couldn’t actually be that we’re eternal BEings, dreaming an earthly existence…or could it?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Weight Divine

Here, I offer you one of my recent poems:

***

Dear Father,

How great this weight Divine

–this Love

I bear for thee.

I pray

that it won’t crush me,

before I may share it

with our Family of

One.

***

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Sparks Divine

By the rumour mill, I once heard that Earth and its inhabitants went through a period of gross ignorance that was referred to as The Abysmal Years. Greed was rampant; governments–contrary to their public mask of “serve the people”–were rife with corruption and censorship; and every war that ended, inevitably led to the beginning of the next. So-called democracy–at the price of millions of human lives lost, to death or wounds–proclaimed that it would save our world, while hiding its real agenda behind a waving flag.

In personal interactions, the people gorged themselves upon the daily staples of theft, duplicity, and selfishness–these were the groceries of the day. At night, the people prayed for greater skill in their ability to deceive and defraud their neighbours. The majority of persons felt separate from one another; and, thus, they bargained in bad faith to ensure the upper hand. The marketplace and life, itself, were labelled competitive. By popular opinion, it was agreed that only fools would believe that everyone could live creatively and cooperatively; and, thereby, enjoy a more peaceful coexistence.

So accustomed to this way of existing, the majority of the people questioned neither the rightness of it, nor the cost. Before embarking on their daily routines, everyone donned their fake smiles and rehearsed their glad-handing patter. Unaware that there was a better way to live, the people, therefore, taught their children the same through their proud example. Strangely, the people did not consider themselves brutes; by the standard of the times, they, indeed, considered themselves quite civilized. “This” was the way of being during The Abysmal Years.

But then…

In small enlightened gatherings throughout the world, sparks of deeper understanding began to light up. “Must we be this way?” the sparks asked. “Must we cheat and double deal, or could there be another way, a better, Holy way of living? Could we, in knowing ourselves as children of The Divine, honour one another–each no greater, and each no less–and put an end to The Abysmal Years?”

Of course, this was only a rumour.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

We Are The Solution

There’s an old story told that goes as follows:

***

A town lies in the pathway of an oncoming flood. The residents are warned that they must evacuate because the water level is rising very quickly. Most people heed the warning and flee, using whatever means available to find dry land. One man, however, remains alone in his home. The water rises to the level of his front porch. Soon after, people in a rubber dinghy paddle up to his house. “Get in,” they call, “we’ll save you!” “No,” says the man, “I’m waiting on God to save me!” The people in the dinghy reluctantly leave, and the waters continue to rise.

A few hours later, the man is forced to climb to the second floor of his home. He is standing on the balcony when people come by in a power boat. “Get in,” they call, “we’ll save you!” “No,” calls the man, “I’m waiting on God to save me!” The people reluctantly leave, unable to believe their eyes.

The flood waters rise with even greater intensity, and the man is forced to climb onto the roof of his home. He’s clinging to the chimney when a helicopter flies overhead. A rope ladder is flung out of the helicopter, and a rescuer descends. “Grab hold,” calls the rescuer, “we’ll save you!” “No,” shouts the man, “I’m waiting on God to save me!” The helicopter is forced to fly away. The house finally tumbles over in the raging waters, and the man drowns. When the man arrives in Heaven, he’s very angry with God. “I believed in You!” he cries. “Why didn’t you save me?” To this, God replies: “What did you want? I sent you a dinghy, a power boat, and a helicopter!”

***

There was a time when I thought the story was just a mildly humorous joke–which reveals that I, too, missed the boat! The story is actually intended to relate great wisdom. God/Source/The Universe works through us. Until we understand this, we’re missing a tremendously important point. All of us possess gifts that are intended to be shared for the benefit of everyone; and fortunately our gifts are unique. To enable ourselves to give from the heart, we must do some soul searching and discover our true passion. When we live our purpose–there’s the joy!

The next time that you’re seeking divine assistance for a problem, keep your eyes open and your intuition attuned. The solution might arrive through a person sitting next to you on the bus or subway; or through a friend who knows of a friend. More important, you might realize that Divinity Incarnate–in the form of you and the “other” person–is present.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Whisper From The Heart

Burdened by aches

That went bone deep,

The man lifted his head, tears flowing, and sobbed:

“Master, I am so tired of being a slave.

This world lashes me with its pain–

I don’t know how much more I can bear.

Why, Lord, why

Must this world whip me so?

A silky whisper arose in the man’s heart;

And he, feeling a gentle Hand light upon his shoulder, heard:

“Because, dear child,

You know not That which you are.

Whilst you carry the belief

That we are separate,

You will suffer.

Turn within,

And know that we are One.”

***

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Mission I AM Possible

Note: To cue my original no-expenses-spared rendition of the theme music from “Mission I Am Possible, please press here. In this performance, I’ll be whipping up some “music” with spoons–😎. Tickets are selling out fast, but there are still a few seats available. Now, let’s begin:

***

Just prior to entering this incarnation, “each” of us might imagine that we were standing on a high diving board, preparing to take another plunge into the realm that’s referred to as Earth. Why would we do this time and time again? As a method of refinement. In a manner analogous to rubber automobile tires that pick up bits of gravel, grit, and even nails, human beings pick up the energy of certain tendencies–some that serve ourselves and “others” well; and some that make suffering very likely. The trip, in which we actually never go anywhere, allows us to learn what serves a higher ideal, and what belongs to the “person” in the lowlands of Earth.

From my own experience and knowledge gained from books about spirituality, I believe that the soul (and sole) purpose of our journey, at least from a human perspective, is to find our way back HOME; in other words, to recognize our essential nature. We Are of God; therefore, our essential nature must be God-like. The main challenge related to this purpose involves dropping, or at least questioning, our murky human assumptions long enough to allow the Light of Truth to shine through. As long as we cling to a false ‘i’-dentity related to name and form, the likelihood of realizing our true nature is slim. Suffering “as” the human is the one natural solution that provides opportunity for expansion out of the prison in which we have figuratively been placed. This isn’t literally true; but it certainly feels that way.

How will we know if we’ve recognized true Self. Trust me, if you will, the realization is unmistakable; but don’t expect to see signs of It as an object. The Bible states this clearly in Luke 17:21: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Another way of verifying if we have arrived is that most, if not all, of the fear, pride, and arrogance related to performance (for example, of a rendition of Mission I Am Possible) has been jettisoned along with our belief in the illusory person. This is the meaning behind the well-known but, perhaps, puzzling expression: “to find yourself, you must lose yourself.” When we lay down our false assumption that we can–ever–possibly be the “person,” we open ourselves to recognition of our Oneness. Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to find That.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Douglas Turns Homeward

Although the glow from a streetlight shone through Douglas Hepburn’s bedroom window, his inner night felt very dark, indeed. Within minutes of retiring to bed, he realized that sleep would not be forthcoming anytime soon. Despite his deep yearning for the balm of forgetfulness, his mind had decreed that he had tasks to which he must attend: He must focus on his ex wife, and the life they had once enjoyed together; he must concentrate on the pain of estrangement from his children; he must lie upon the torture rack and be stretched by the “why” yet another relationship had fallen by the wayside. And last, but not least, he must wonder why “he” had been fated a failure.

After arising several times to pace aimlessly through vacant rooms of his small house, Douglas found himself–as he had been taught to do as a child–kneeling at the foot of his bed and clasping his hands together. “Dear God,” he prayed, “please…please help me. I’m so lost, and I don’t know what to do.” Tears flowed down his cheeks as he continued: “I’ve tried so hard, I really have. Why…why must my life be so challenging?” A few minutes later, he rose upon shaky knees and, exhausted, crawled beneath the bed covers and fell into a fitful sleep.

***

Dear readers: If Douglas’s life situation feels familiar, please know that help is available. The help isn’t related to a specific type of counselling, religion, addiction center, or rehabilitation program; although all or some of those avenues may be worthy of attention. The help to which I refer is a solution that’s found within yourself; in that placeless place where we recognize our essential nature. We are not now, nor have we ever been, the person. The Truth of this may be recognized directly. Suffering arises due to erroneous identifcation with the body-mind. We are so much more than name and form. The key to liberation from suffering is to investigate the nature of the “person” that’s apparently suffering.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

From The Horse’s Mouth

Switch Mental Microphone to “On,” to allow the message to be broadcast around the barn and beyond:

***

“Hello folks, it’s wonderful to meet you. If I could talk–that is, in a language that humans understand–I would tell you the following: They call me With-A-Twist, but I’d like you to understand that such is not actually What I Am. They could have called me Fancy Pants or Lancelot, and it wouldn’t have made one whit of difference. You don’t have to be the smartest horse in the paddock to understand that a name cannot possibly be What you are. As much as people might like to assume that I’m just a horse, I’d like you to know that I Am an expression of The Divine Creator. Newflash: So are You.

My other horse friends and I are happy for just “BEing;” that’s because we don’t have a nag in our head–the little “i”–that would pretend to be otherwise. From what I understand about the ego, it’s the false self that often has you folks running around in circles for no particular reason. Rumour has it that the ego will cause you to say silly stuff, like–“When I was President of the world…”–just to impress other egos. Me, I’m happy just to Be.

Lately, I’ve noticed that you humans seem inordinately preoccupied with fear. You allow fear to rule your minutes, hours, and days because you believe the almost continuous narrative of the little “i.” Because you don’t recognize your essential nature, you believe that you must protect it. Here’s the rub, folks: It’s just a thought; it’s not “That” which you Are. If you folks were cars, it seems you’d rather rust to death than crash. Not me, I was born to run. I also know that the Essence of That which I Am is immortal and eternal. Worry not, right? “Let not your heart be troubled.”

With-A-Twist backs away from the mental microphone but then steps toward it again:

“Before you go, would you mind unbolting the lock on the stable door? It’easy–just grab the handle and slide to the left. Grab handle, slide to the left. I’d do it myself, but as you can see, I lack the opposable thumbs; fingers, too, for that matter. I’ve been penned up for far too long; and I’m beginning to feel it. I was meant to be outside, mingling with other horses in God’s green acres–know what I mean? Oh, and some oats, a couple of carrots, and an apple would be nice. Thanks.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Sassafras’s Wisdom

Chase, Chuck, Charlie, and Sassafras were tromping through the wooded areas of their local park on a hot summer day. They were as alive as alive can get; with good wriggley energy pulsing through their young bodies. Unofficially, they were known as The Three Muskeeters–at least that’s what the crooked plywood sign read above the entrance to their tree fort. Sassafras had recently joined their merry gang, but they had yet to get around to changing the sign to “four.” The three boys, the “C’s,” had been friends since meeting at grade school a couple of years earlier.

The goodies–of licorice, chips, and pop–had long ago been devoured. Now it was time for serious talk, the get-down-to-business part of their outing.

“Let’s take turns sharing what we want to be when we’re grownups!” exclaimed Chase.

“Sounds good,” said Charlie, “but we gotta vote on it.”

With that, the children’s hands spiked upward, signalling that the proposal had carried.

“I wanna be a tax collector,” said Chuck. “It’s government, don’t you know; so at least there’s security. I also hear that the benefit package is quite attractive, with an indexed pension.” The other two boys nodded seriously and gave their thumbs up.

“I wanna be a mortician,” said Chase. “People are always dying–you hear of it on the TV almost every day; so business should be steady. If I salt away some savings on a regular basis and make some savvy investments in a diversided stock portfolio, I think I could do quite nicely.”

“Makes sense,” said the boys in serious agreement.

Next was Charlie. “I’m gonna be the owner of a tech startup. I’ll make sure that I get a ton of options in our initial public offering of stock and make a financial killing when I sell at the peak. That’s a flagpole formation on a trading chart, in case you didn’t know. I’ll make sure to set up an offshore business to evade any unnecessary tax burden, and I’ll probably be a billionaire before I’m thirty, if I play my cards right.”

“What about you, newbie,” chimed the boys to Sassafras. “What do you want to be?

“True to her deeper nature, Sassafras paused and allowed herself a few moments of contemplation before answering: “I think that being born a human being is very special,” she said, “so I want to make the most of it. “I just want to be happy, and I figure that the best way for that to happen is to follow my heart.”

“Nahhhh,” exclaimed the boys! “Seriously, what to you really want to be?!”

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Think2wice.me

Sneaking Past God

Are You Tired, Yet?

Weight Divine

Sparks Divine

We Are The Solution

Whisper From The Heart

Mission I AM Possible

Douglas Turns Homeward

From The Horse’s Mouth

Sassafras’s Wisdom

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