Draw Nigh

The following verse is from James 4:8:

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

In response to this verse, the majority of us might ask; “And what the heck does that mean? In one short passage, we’re told that we have dirty hands, that we’re a sinner, and that we need to purify our heart and get rid of a mind!

I humbly offer my following interpretation: In the Bible, hands often symbolize the will; therefore, dirty hands would imply that we were living through the perspective of the person; instead of God’s (which is selfless and infinitely wise). To be a sinner means to miss the mark regarding the Truth of our being. To purify our heart would mean to cleanse our perspective of the thoughts and beliefs related to being the person; because to some degree or other, it is tainted with selfish motives. To be double minded would refer to the predominant world belief that there are eight billion separate persons who possess a mind of his/her own. The Truth is that God (the only Consciousness there is) is actually living us. That the former is believed is the cause of every conflict that arises.

How do we draw nigh (near) to God (and thereby improve everyone’s quality of life), when information can only relate knowledge about God? If we’re seeking union with God, it’s important to realize that the term “near” still implies distance; which means that we are still rooted in the dualistic perspective of subject to object. Our real aim is not only to draw near to God, but to actually merge in–and as–our true nature. For this to be known, we must be God in the apparent form of you, me, and eight billion spiritual brothers and sisters.

To draw nigh unto God can only be known directly. During meditation, the realization arises that the perspective of the person is witnessed by a No-Thing which isn’t localized in space-time. When this occurs, we realize that our sense of “I Am-ness” is not ours, but God’s. The strength of this revelation indicates the truth that the Self which we have been seeking is everywhere and, yet, nowhere. This also leads to the realization that our personhood is being lived as an appearance within Consciousness. Our understanding is reinforced through the following verse from Acts 17:28:

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

Dear Readers: Draw nigh unto God. Despite the appeal of the apparent body-mind perspective, it gives rise to tremendous suffering. This occurs because the body-mind (which is appearance only) exists in a dualistic environment. Good and bad are interrelated polaric opposites; therefore, one cannot be known without the other. When we know ourselves as That which we truly are, we know the peace that passeth all understanding.

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”

Jean and Jebediah’s B & B

Jean and Jebediah, who had been married for more than half a century, had operated their B & B in the Smokey Hills outside a town named Nowhereyou’dknow for the previous ten years. On this particular night, their only guest (a city slicker by the look of him, named Arthur) had arrived late that afternoon. It was now ten p.m.

Suddenly, Jean whisked into their bedroom and closed the door. “You are never–ever–going to believe what I just accidentally heard our new overnighter say on his cell phone when I was dusting outside his door for a minute or two!”

“Let me get this straight,” said Jebediah, who was propped up in bed, “you were dusting outside his room at this time of night?”

Jean’s face flushed. “My mother always taught me not to put off until tomorrow what you could do today.”

“I see,” said Jeb, with a nod and slow roll of his eyes. “So…spill the beans.”

“Well,” said Jean, as she climbed into bed, “Mr. Russell said that all the world really needs is love and more love. I mean–really! As though that’s going to fix everything!”

A moment passed before Jeb replied. “You know,” he said, “he might have a point.”

“You men–you’re always sticking up for one another!” exclaimed Jean. Exasperated, she pulled up the bedspread and looked idly at the ceiling.

“Speaking of love, “said Jedediah, glancing sideways at Jean, “you know, I’ve always found you very fetching in that plaid flannel nightgown.”

“With a lift of her eyebrows, Jean turned toward him and said, “I think you might be confusing lust with love, right about now.”

“Could be,” said Jebediah, “yes ma’am, could be.” And with that, they turned off the light.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Wisdom of The Ages

Oh, how our ego loves to prattle about its supposed IMPORTANCE. It might be considered a mental faucet without an off position. When it isn’t squawking out loud, it’s most likely still chattering within. Given just a moment of our attention, it will unabashedly steal countless years of time. The majority of Beings may, in fact, sleepwalk through the mist of Maya for uncounted lifetimes before awakening to Truth. Such was certainly the case for “me.”

If “Art” were permitted to tell the story of his life, it’s a sure bet that he would inform us of his apparent birth in 1958 and that he was raised with two lovely sisters by loving parents. There’s a high probability, that he would then sprinkle his history with several “i-did-this” accounts of special events; followed by a pinch here about his status, accomplishments, travels, and education (which would, of course, be quite impressive) and a dash there about his failures (which most egos, quite naturally, prefer to list as few). The remaining hours of Art’s dissertation about himself would be filled with a whole lot of yada yada about nothing. We can be grateful that free packets of anti-nausea tablets, bowls of sedatives, and (for those experiencing more severe reactions) hang nooses would be available upon a nearby table.

To help us gain clarity about our essential nature (which is Spirit, aka Consciousness), I offer the following passage from a book entitled The Lankavatara Sutra. It reveals wisdom that was shared by the historical Buddha about the very nature of so-called “reality:”

“All that is seen in the world is devoid of effort and action because all things in the world are like a dream, or like an image miraculously projected. This is not comprehended by the philosophers and the ignorant, but those who thus see things see them truthfully.”

To understand the full meaning of this passage requires that our ego be transcended by the knowing recognition of the Truth of our essential nature. No apparent “thing” (including our body-mind, aka the person) has existence independent of the mind that perceives it. What this basically means is that our body-mind and the apparent “world” arise together. From the spiritual classic entitled I Am That, I also offer the following wisdom as expressed by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj:

“Realisation is but the opposite of ignorance. To take the world as real and one’s Self as unreal is ignorance, the cause of sorrow. To know the Self as the only reality and all else as temporal and transient is freedom, peace and joy. “

We are given another valuable pointer through the passage in John 10:30 of the Bible, which is attributed to Jesus:

“I and my Father are one.”

How can this possibly be the case? Because the Consciousness that knows the finite experience of the “person” is actually Universal Consciousness (God)–not a limited consciousness, which is assumed to arise from neuronal processes of the body-mind.

Ramesh S. Balsekar also possessed a profound understanding of our essential nature and the apparent world. He expressed the following passage in The Final Truth, which is one of his many incredible books regarding the Truth of our Being:

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

Here’s the bottom line of this article: Our body-mind and the apparent world arise together, in much the same manner as the contents of dreams arise in the dream state. This cannot be experienced via the mind, but it can be known directly by our essence. Most Beings have been conditioned to believe that they are the ego, which is actually non-existent. It is, in fact, only a repetitive “i”-thought. I prefer to be as I Am, eternally here and now. One way liberates; the other way leads straight to the table mentioned above.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Trading Beans

The Grade One lunch break was extra special for Harry and Harriet because they liked to inspect each other’s lunch pail and trade food items–or not. A glance was usually enough to tell. To be considered a fair deal, the swap had to be mutually beneficial. Harriet’s parents often packed her a bun with turkey and cheese, which was Harry’s favourite; and Harry’s parents often packed him a clementine, which was Harriet’s favourite. Most of their trades involved base metal commodities such as cheese wedges, fruit and nut bars, and carrot or celery sticks; but a small bag of chips or a piece of chocolate was as good as gold on the lunch market. On this particular day, they were dining at a small plastic picnic table in the corner of the cafeteria.

“Do you want to try a different type of trade today?” asked Harriet.

“May…be,” said Harry, with a tentative roll of his eyes. “What kind of trade?”

“Instead of trading fruit or sandwiches, today let’s trade our Being.”

“But my parent’s didn’t pack me any beans!” exclaimed Harry.

“Uh, uh,” said Harriet, with a smile. “I said Being.”

“What’s our Being?” asked Harry.

“It’s what we really are,” said Harriet, expressing intuitive wisdom. It’s beyond who we think we are, and beyond how we appear.”

“Okay,” said Harry, with a shrug of his shoulders, “but how do we do it?”

“Here’s my plan,” said Harriet. “We sit facing each other; then we hold out a hand, almost touching the other’s. We close our eyes and go deep inside; and when we feel ready, I send my Being to you, and you send your Being to me.” We touch hands to signal when we’re done, and then we open our eyes.”

A few minutes later, the magical trade was done. When their palms touched, Harry and Harriet opened their eyes and looked at each other with wide-eyed curiosity. “Do you feel any different?” asked Harriet.

“Nope,” said Harry, exploratively patting his chest, “I feel the same.”

A bright smile lighted Harriet’s face. “It’s just like I thought!” she exclaimed. “At our Being we’re One!”

“Does this mean that now I’m going to be as great at soccer as you are, and you’re going to be as good a speller as I am?” asked Harry.

“Uh, uh,” said Harriet, with a toss of her hair, “that’s only surface stuff anyway.”

***

Dear Readers: What the innocent children in this account didn’t realize at the time of the trade is that Harriet’s body-mind is white, and that Harry’s body-mind is dark. They had to be taught the difference. Perhaps we can learn from their example; and more importantly, express their unconditional love.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Song Of The Soul

The conditioning that is prevalent in the majority of western-type societies has created a mythological version of happiness that is highly conditional. It is founded upon ignorance of our essential nature and offers an empty promise that is dependent on one simple word–“when.”

Led by the relentless desires of our ego, we often conclude that life will be dandy: when I find the love of my life; when we move into our new home; when all of our bills are paid; when the dishes are done; when I complete my first marathon; when we have financed our children’s education; when I receive a pay raise; when I summit another mountain; when my book is published; when I buy another fifty pair of shoes; when I buy another motorcycle/boat/thing; when the economy improves; when so-and-so is elected; when our neighbours behave; when I receive an apology for what he/she did twenty-two years, three months, and two days ago; when it’s Friday; when the weather is just right; when the waiter arrives; when I lose/gain twenty pounds; when I’ve had another three (ten?) beers; when I’m living on the west coast (east coast); when he/she/ loves me; when my bank account reflects a certain amount of numbers; when my talent is appreciated; when I can bench press a Buick; and last, but not least, when I’m perfect.

The voice of the ego temptingly assures us that we will be happy when our desires are fulfilled; but here’s the catch–it’s LYING! The overlooked twist to this conditioning is that NOW is all there ever IS. When we attempt to be happy by fulfilling the desires of the time-bound phantom “self,” we overlook the very non-thing whose nature is happiness Itself. Our BEing is not dependent upon anything to be happy. It rejoices in LIFE, as LIFE. It revels in Isness. Can you, here and now, become still and feel the delightful song of your soul?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Based On Assumption

The quality of our experience within so-called “reality” depends upon one assumption that is rarely, if ever, questioned. The assumption is this: That apparent “things” have existence apart from the mind in which they are seen. Because of this, we exhibit great confusion about our essential nature (which is Spirit) and the actual substance of the “world” in which we live. Believing our little “i” to be made of flesh and bones, we must assume that it requires a physical world made of “matter” in which to live. To this, I offer the following quote from an advanced-level law of attraction book entitled The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel:

“All things have their origin in mind, and appearances are the result of thought. So we see that things in themselves have no origin, permanency, or reality. Since they are produced by thought, they can be erased by thought.”

Our instinctive reaction to this will most likely be as follows: “But, I can see myself; I can feel myself; I know that I am real as the body-mind.” At one time, I would have definitely agreed; but I can no longer. Having recognized true Self, I now realize that my body-mind is an appearance within Consciousness only. In spiritual terms, this is sometimes referred to as waking from the delusional belief of personhood. Let’s stoke this spiritual fire through the following quote from Neville Goddard and one of his wonderful books entitled Neville Goddard’s Interpretation of Scripture:

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

Let me be clear: This is not to say that things are not real; only that they are not absolutely real in the way that most readers may currently believe. An apparent person crossing the street who is struck hard by a car will still experience an injury and feel pain. The example of a desert mirage is often related; for although we know the mirage is not real (in the absolute sense), it still has an apparent reality within consciousness.

This glorious incarnation is an unparalleled opportunity to truly KNOW THYSELF. To awaken to true Self is to realize that our apparent human life is being lived within the waking state; which the majority of Beings erroneously assume to be foundational reality. Through comparative contemplation, we can realize that apparent matter, buildings, and persons are also experienced within the dream state. They must, however, be rendered only via the activity of the mind; for there is nothing other than mind from which they could be made.

With this knowledge, does the well-known placebo effect (in which an inactive ingredient within a pill yields a positive effect) now make more sense? Our beliefs (whether good or bad) that are habitually impressed upon the subconscious mind will be expressed as our apparent circumstances. Through more understanding, of ourselves and the way that creation occurs, we can deliberately choose our focus wisely and, thereby, attract the best outcomes possible.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Home in The Heart

Home in The Heart

How lovely

To look upon

You, and you, and you

And recognize true Self shining

Resplendent through all.

Suddenly, the question—“Where do I end

And you begin?—is realized as being absurd;

For the illusion of separateness is shattered

When we see everyone and every thing

As Holiness expressed.

Here, now,

There exist no fences or boundaries between us.

In the stillness of the heart,

Everyone is back home,

Cradled in Love.

– R. Arthur Russell

***

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Recognizing YOU

Life has no shortage of circumstances that challenge our strength. On any given day, someone–perhaps you–is dealing with the impending death of a loved one; the heartbreak of an unexpected divorce; or the humbling conditions related to poverty. Our body-mind, which we once trusted to be full of vigor, may at some point seem a weakened traitor, both physically and mentally. In response to loss, strife, or fear, we may shudder as we hear a sorrowful cry of “this can’t be happening to me,” and later, vaguely realize that the voice was our own. Doors that we so eagerly open, and imagine to be leading to our shining promises, may, instead, lead us to despair. Upon the seeming luck or fate of our little “i,” we attempt to base our happiness. At best, this is folly; at worst, a formula for varying degrees of suffering.

***

Dear Readers: Please join me, if you will, and sit still for a few minutes. You may also find it helpful to take three relaxing breaths. To find our way to the peace that we inherently are, it’s important that we distance our perspective from the mental noise related to our person and the stimuli of the apparent world. It’s also important that we investigate the nature of the little “i” who seems to be going through such trying circumstances.

Ever since our appearance on earth, we’ve been habitually conditioned to believe that we are a person (of name and form) in a world made of so-called “matter.” This is so strongly impressed upon us, that to even question it seems ludicrous. However, to recognize YOU (the deeper dimension of Self) and, thereby, live with greater peace, we must investigate the assumption for validity. The following questions may be of help:

Are you absolutely certain that you are a separate body-mind in a big world? (or, are the body-mind and the world actually within YOU, Consciousness?)
Do you know, for a fact, that matter exists beyond your awareness of it? (If so, how?)
Is it possible, that objects and persons within the waking state (defined as “reality” by the masses) could also be rendered via the mind that produces similar effects within the dream state?
Is the knower of your body-mind’s experience growing older? (or is It ageless, changeless, and eternal?)
Can you find a limit to the YOU that is aware of your body-mind?

Many Beings may be unaware that science has been unable to identify matter that is independent of the mind that perceives it. This, in itself, is a pointer which can deepen our understanding; because it means that Consciousness and matter are intimately interconnected. Let’s further our inquiry by taking a look at the meaning of the following verse from John 10:30:

“I and the Father are one.”

When we understand the meaning of the verse (which the Bible attributes to Jesus) the degree of suffering related to identification with the person may lessen. Many seekers conceptualize the Father as a distant God sitting atop a cloud in the heavens, but such a view doesn’t suggest the Oneness referred to in the verse. It implies a relationship that is based in duality: subject to object. Through enlightenment, we recognize–directly–that the Father (Consciousness) is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus’ body-mind would, therefore, be an appearance within Consciousness, as would ours. The old expression, The All in All, relates the same principle: The All (the Father) must, logically, be within us (the children); and we, therefore, are within the Father (the All). In I Am That, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj offers his sage advice through the following quote:

“Before the mind–I Am. ‘I Am’ is not a thought in the mind.

The mind happens to me, I do not happen to the mind.“

This indicates that Consciousness (Awareness) is prior to the mind; that Awareness is self aware and eternal. That we have erroneously identified with being a person, in an ever-shifting environment, is the cause of great suffering. Within each of us, there is a dimension of YOU (true Self) that is untouched by anything that your apparent body-mind may seem to be experiencing. We need not wait for suffering to recognize our essential nature. When better than NOW?

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Expressions of Divinity

I begin this article with a bold assertion that will probably be questioned at least or, perhaps, even strongly denied:

Everyone, and everything, is an expression of Divinity.

After reading my claim, some readers may be tempted to call 911 for my apparent rescue and/or straight jacket. Given the apparent state of our world, their common-sense perspective might also give rise to the following question:“Where, dear laddy, do you sense evidence of divinity here on earth?”

A glance at world media news–with its reports of murder, war, greed, corruption, and abuse of mother earth–would certainly seem to justify such an imaginal question. Based on superficial review, it might appear that we do, in fact, live upon a Godless planet in a Godless universe; but for readers who may be seeking a deeper revelation, I’ll offer more:

Due to our deeply conditioned beliefs, the expression of “That” within us which is divine is greatly hampered by the degree to which we remain ignorant of the Truth of our origin. In other words, it is impossible to express our highest nature if we are unaware of It. The majority of Beings quite logically believe themselves to be a body-mind limited to time and space, and express themselves accordingly. Such belief leaves little room for appreciation that all Life flows from a Divine Source, and that our essential nature is unlimited.

Beings who are unaware of their innate Divinity may, quite naturally, assume that their circumstances arise because they have been blessed or cursed by a distant God. This may lead to an “if-I-had-only-lived-more-wisely” attitude and the feeling of tremendous guilt. The underlying spiritual principle is as follows:

We are not punished for “our” sins; but, rather, “by” them.

Wayward thoughts and errant beliefs, which lead to actions that create negative circumstances, eventually lead to suffering that causes us to change within and realign with our higher ideals. God’s system, which is founded upon goodness, was never intended to work against Itself. It functions as a metaphysical mirror that reflects the nature of our thoughts and beliefs. Negative circumstances indicate that we have gone astray. We are, thereby, guided to turn our attention toward God and raise the quality of our thoughts. It is absolutely true that when we turn our attention to God every aspect of our life improves.

Without knowledge of true Self, it’s impossible for us to knowingly express Its inherent nature. Such would be akin to requesting that we use a tool that we didn’t realize we possessed. The atrocities that we witness, and also our lesser sins, are not caused by an apparently Godless Universe. Such conditions arise due to humankind’s ignorance of its origin. Fortunately, one divine spark can ignite a blaze within the masses. When the majority of us realize That which we truly are, the quality of our world will improve dramatically. It’s law.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

To The One

In the barren lands of earth, our gestures of gratitude can often seem hollow and trite–an obligatory Thank You note written here; a box of chocolates given there; handshakes, hugs, and gift cards, though well intended, can also prove lacking. The worst, of course, is when someone’s precious gifts of time, effort, and heart are overlooked and entirely taken for granted.

There comes a time–and that time is NOW!–when debts of gratitude must be expressed to the fullest degree possible. Despite the best of efforts, our attempts may still, however, fall short of the mark. How can we ever repay gestures of kindness, which, in themselves, are priceless? To directly name those to whom I owe gratitude will not occur here; my intention is to thank That which they are–not who they appear to be. From my heart, I offer the following:

To the One…

who helped teach me how to be a man. Thank you.
who loved me unconditionally. Thank you.
who lovingly guided me, and still offers guidance. Thank you.
who loved me during times when I could barely love myself. Thank you.
who split wood and washed my vehicle….just because. Thank you.
who baked cupcakes for me on my first Valentine’s Day alone after divorce. Thank you.
who took a chance on me and my skills in the workplace. Thank you.
who drove me to surgery and waited with me. Thank you.
who repeatedly listened to my incredibly important woes. Thank you.
who carried my workload, on days when I could barely carry myself. Thank you.
who chose to overlook my inadequacies. Thank you.
who taught me painful, but necessary, lessons. Thank you.
who tolerated me; even when I displayed intolerance. Thank you.
who cut me down, when my pride had risen too high. Thank you.
who chose to forgive me. Thank you.
who offered food and shelter to me, a stranger. Thank you.
who saw my fear, yet pretended they didn’t. Thank you.
who prayed for me and my safe arrival back home. Thank you.
who gave me a compass when I retired; so that I would never lose my way. Thank you.
who helped me “see” the Light, in so many ways. Thank you.

***

Dear Readers:

Do you owe anyone heartfelt gratitude? If so, to whom? Is it family members, friends, peers, or mere acquaintances? The list above is pitifully short; it is, of course, an impossible task for me to list everyone to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. Perhaps you will display greater wisdom than I once did. If you can, please love those to whom you are grateful as though they are God. Because. They. Are.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Truth

Draw Nigh

Jean and Jebediah’s B & B

Wisdom of The Ages

Trading Beans

Song Of The Soul

Based On Assumption

Home in The Heart

Recognizing YOU

Expressions of Divinity

To The One

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