Eric VonBlissville’s Notes

One day, several years ago, Eric VonBlissville (honestly, who could make up these names?!) awakened. This doesnt mean that he opened his eyes after a good night’s sleep, yawned, and then went to the bathroom to empty his bladder. He awakened to the very Truth of his Being. To say that such felt odd is and understatement.

During the next two years, Eric gradually stabilized in his new reality. Every situation and experience seemed bright and new. His conditioned ways of processing the world from the body-mind perspective were no longer appropriate; for he realized that such was founded upon falsity. In time, Eric adjusted. People, who sensed the change in his behaviour, were naturally drawn to him and asked questions about spirituality. Soon he began to hold satsang (spiritual discourse or sacred gathering) with seekers who were earnest to recognize Truth.

At the end of one such gathering, a woman named Sally stayed late and asked Eric a few questions in private. As she was about to leave, Eric handed her a pamphlet of information about his insights. She expressed sincere gratitude and took it home to read before heading to bed. Here’s the content of the pamphlet:

***

During the nighttime dream state, various perspectives are experienced. In one dream, we might be the pilot of an airplane that’s flying through a lightning storm. In another dream, we might be a camel herder, traversing a vast desert. In yet another, we might be a business tycoon, directing a worldwide conglomerate. In dreams, we experience a wide variety of circumstances and situations. We walk, talk, travel, and interact with other persons. Our dream character eats food and drinks beverages. The dreams feel absolutely real…until we awaken and realize that all was but a dream. At this point, we accept that mind rendered all of the experiences.

When we awaken from the dream state, we naturally assume that we “are” the character that arises. We have been conditioned to believe this without question. It feels so incredibly real to walk, talk, eat breakfast, and prepare for school or work. We are absolutely certain that we are the doer of our actions and, likewise, the thinker of our thoughts. Without proof, we assume that the world (Earth) exists as matter and, we (the person), as flesh and bones. The sun appears to rise in the east, and its heat feels very hot, indeed. When it rains, we get wet. To only a relative few does the thought occur to question what sages have known for millennia.

What the sages have known is this: The mind is the creator of everything, including this, our apparent world, here and now. The following quotes affirm this knowledge. The first is from The Final Truth, by Ramesh S. Balsekar: “What we ‘think’ we are is merely an appearance, an insubstantial shadow, whereas what we really and truly ‘are,’ is Consciousness itself, the formless Brahman.” The second is from The Abundance Book, by John Randolph Price: “Know that this entire experience is but an illusion, an outpouring of your beliefs, an effect of your consciousness.” The third is from Illusion vs Reality, by Shri Ranjit Maharaj: “Whatever happens in illusion, is only illusion, and in fact nothing ever happens. So many things happen in this world, birth and death, but it is only a dream.” The fourth is from The Heart of Suffism, by Hazrat Inayat Khan: “Every experience on the physical or astral plane is just a dream before the soul. It is ignorance when it takes this experience to be real.”

When we meditate, as advised in the Bible (Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I Am God), we realize that we’re the witness of our sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts); that we’re apart from them. To realize this is to recognize that our true nature is Consciousness (aka God). The reality is that we are the Christ incarnate. If such seems blasphemous, please ask yourself whether it’s actually more blasphemous to deny our inherent divinity and believe that (humankind) can exist independent of God. As God (Consciousness) is the only reality, of what else could we be created?

To experience a human life, Consciousness temporarily forfeits knowledge of Itself and becomes the apparent character (the “person”). In other words, “That” which we are dreams the dream of being a person. All of our so-called human experiences are only possible within a dream. Knowing this helps us understand the true meaning of Acts 17:28: “For in Him we live and move and have our being.”

Persons who have not yet awakened to their essential nature (to be precise, Consciousness awakens from the delusional belief of being the “person”) may claim that we have lost our sanity. Such only reveals that they’re still unaware of the Truth of their Being. Science has known the truth about the “material” world for many years. Atoms, which were once believed to be the building blocks of the apparent world, are actually 99.999% empty space. They are more accurately termed whirling clouds of energy. The apparent world is actually made of energy; as is your body-mind and mine. Thus, all of our experiences only “exist” within a dream.

Much love, Eric

***

So there you have it, dear readers. Are you, like Sally, curious about your essential nature, beyond name and form? To knowingly recognize what you truly are is one of life’s greatest gifts.

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” 🙏🏻🧡

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

Train Station Truth

Rupert Spira is a noted author and speaker about our essential nature. Through his seminars, held online and in various locations throughout the world, he also relates valuable information about non-duality. I owe him a debt of gratitude; for he has played an important role in deepening my level of understanding about true Self. This article was inspired by one of his free daily notes that really struck a chord with me. I hope that its message will also resonate with you. All credit is given to Rupert Spira for the following quote:

“See thoughts and feelings like a train that enters a station and then leaves;

be like the station, not like a passenger.”

From the moment of our arrival on “Earth,” we’re conditioned to believe–with absolute certainty–that we are the apparent body-mind (the “train,” in the analogy). This perspective is directly opposite to the one that Rupert advises us to be. As young children, we are told that our train (the body-mind) has a name, and that it functions autonomously in the world. As our egoic “train” gains momentum and apparent realness, it also gathers various judgments and opinions about itself. Through comparison, our train habitually judges itself as worthy or unworthy based on shifting criteria that it deems important. One day, our body-mind feels blessed by wonderful circumstances; on another, it feels cursed by terrible conditions. As long as we blindly assume that we are the train, we’re bound to experience suffering. Due to this perspective, which has been ingrained in us since childhood, we see no choice but to take life’s vagaries personally and very seriously, indeed.

We may, however, investigate the validity of this perspective. What if our perspective (as the train) was based on uninvestigated assumptions–not Truth? Can we, through a practice of meditation that allows our mind to become still, understand that we, in Truth, are the Station of Awareness, in which, and through which, we experience our train (body-mind) and the world? A deeper understanding related to Rupert’s note may arise within us when we realize that our body-mind (which feels so incredibly real and autonomous) is actually being rendered by the mind. In The Law of Success, Paramhansa Yogananda wrote the following:

“Mind is the creator of everything.”

Mind creates our ephemeral experiences in the sleeping dream state; and, likewise, it creates our 3-D experiences in the waking-state dream. Through enlightenment, we recognize that we’re actually the empty station of Awareness, dreaming an apparently human train ride. Self-inquiry is the ticket that can help make our apparently human journey more joyful.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

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

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

Holy Water

I once believed that water deemed Holy was water that had been blessed by a priest, minister, or other holy person; that it was contained in a vessel and would be used as a sacred symbol in services such as christening or baptism. Now, having shed at least part of my ignornance, I also know it as follows:

***

Holy Water

This,

Container and contained,

Is–All–Holy Water. It permeates,

And is.

Everything perceptible

And conceivable,

From the most beautiful sunrise,

To a garbage-filled gutter. Holy Water, pervading,

Pours through, and is,

Every plant, rock, and animal. It glistens as Life Itself,

Through every human. No thing and no one,

Is left untouched. Ant, bear, and eagle,

And, yes, your body-mind and mine,

Are made of a drop divine.

***

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

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Category: Truth

Eric VonBlissville’s Notes

Gratitude 2.0

Train Station Truth

Of Leprechauns and Gold

Shoot-Out at Self Inquiry Square

Insights From Ashtavakra

I Am ( _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )

Holy Water

With

Be Curious: (Gospel of Thomas)

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