As Though By Magic

For individuals who are curious to learn more about the teachings of the Law of Attraction, a book entitled The Secret of the Ages by Robert Collier may be of interest. Mr. Collier was a leader in the New Thought movement in the early to mid twentieth century. A short account from Chapter Three (under the heading The Philosopher’s Charm) is worth noting; as I believe that it has the potential to help you achieve your goals. As strange as this may seem, it relates to the word “Abracadabra.”

Mr. Collier shares the account of a magician who informs a king that he has discovered a way of turning sand into gold. Naturally, the king is quite interested and employs the magician to do just that. The king listens attentively while the magician tells him the method, which seems plausible. The magician cautions the king that for the method to work, he must not think of the word abracadabra. Try as he might, the king cannot keep the word out of his mind.

And the point? It’s actually based in logic, especially for those who understand the correlation between what we’re thinking and what we’re experiencing in life. When we desire success in a certain aspect of our life–perhaps in health, wealth, career, or relationship–it’s imperative that we keep our focus on what we desire; not on thoughts related to doubt, fear, or failure. These are the equivalent to the king’s experience with the word abracadabra. 

While this may initially seem like hocus pocus, there are real implications. Do you believe that a business owner creates a successful venture by concentrating on everything that could go wrong? Do you believe a world-class high jumper sets a new record by envisioning a crashing bar? Do you believe an opera singer sustains that high note by imagining a faltering voice? Do you think that healing occurs by focusing on disease? Do you believe that thinking “I can’t do this” will yield the positive results achieved by persons who’ve trained themselves to think “I can” in every circumstance?

Although the word origin of abracadabra is uncertain, there are two translations that add to the importance of what we’re telling ourselves, through thought and/or word. The first is from Aramaic: I create like the word. The second is from the Hebrew: It came to pass as it was spoken. We might remind ourselves that words are merely the outer reflection of inner thoughts. The word abracadabra literally means that thought (imbued with feeling in mind) matters, or apparently becomes “real.”

Please let the positive message of this article seep into your Being. You might also remind yourself that you’re a spiritual child of the Most High. As such, you have neither been forsaken nor doomed to failure. In fact, you’re endowed with the greatest power–the power to choose the thoughts that you entertain. That, in itself, is the real magic that allows you to manifest your golden desires.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

The Death of “Me”

          

At one time or another, most of us have probably heard the phrase that serves as the title of this article: “That will be the death of me.” It implies that a stressful situation or challenging task will spell our end. What I propose in this article is that such is impossible. This basically means that you can never—”not”—be. Why? Because the true “Self” doesn’t die. This stance, although certainly contrary to common belief, isn’t new. It’s in alignment with the following quote attributed to Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj in I Am That:

“The real does not die; the unreal never lived.”

I’m not denying that body-minds (persons) die; for the daily news is filled with proof: an earthquake results in the deaths of several hundred persons; an armed gunman enters a mall and kills twenty-five innocent bystanders; a multi-vehicle pileup on the freeway leads to the death of eight persons. Why, then, do I state that we don’t die? The answer is related to the inscription that was engraved on the frontispiece of the Temple of Apollo, in Delphi, Greece:

“Know Thyself”

If you believe that all there is to “you” is the body-mind that’s apparently reading this article, you will have little choice but to scoff at its content. And who could blame you? But, if you’re eager to investigate a deeper dimension of Being that’s beyond name and form, you may be tempted to continue reading.

We get a taste of our essential nature through meditation; for when we become still, it’s possible to realize that Awareness is prior to mind. We are the Silent Witness of all sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. When we re-cognize true Self, we know through direct experience that we couldn’t possibly be a name; nor could we be a body, which is exchanging approximately three-hundred million cells per minute. Our essential nature is That; the changeless Source of all that is changeful.

In The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle (a famous spiritual teacher and author) shares an event that happened to him at the age of twenty-nine: “I woke up in the early hours with a feeling of absolute dread.” He had experienced similar occurrences many times previously, having suffered from anxiety for several years. Suddenly, he was caught off guard by the following repetitive thought:

“I can’t live with myself any longer.”

Eckhart Tolle then became increasingly aware that the sentence implied two: the “I” and the “myself,” which was the cause of all of his suffering. As his puzzlement deepened, he began to wonder if only one of them was real. It would be the night of his awakening to true Self; which basically means liberation from identification with the false self. Humankinds’ confusion about death occurs because the majority of beings remain asleep to a deeper dimension that transcends name and form. In short, we erroneously believe that consciousness is personal; when, in fact, Consciousness is impersonal and Universal—the Foundation of all that is. This knowledge may help to explain the following passage from Psalm 23:4 and its use of the specific word shadow:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

To merely believe the information that I’m sharing in this article is pointless; for such means next to nothing when the rubber meets the road, so to speak. To know it as reality, we must be willing to set aside our assumptions related to identity and directly investigate our true nature. Can you really be Jane or John Doe? Please contemplate this deeply. Can letters strung together in the form of words (which are merely symbols that refer to things) actually “be” you? No; of course not. It’s why the noted author and speaker Alan Watts stated that you can’t get wet from the word water. If you can acknowledge that a word is only a symbol for that to which it refers, you’ll easily apply the same logic to your name. It’s what William Shakespeare meant when he penned the following famous line from Romeo and Juliet:

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Although persons might accept that a name cannot possibly be their identity, most will struggle to accept that they’re not their body-mind. We’ve been conditioned since infancy to believe that we are the person; thus, that deep belief is completely understandable. However, it may help us dive deeper into the nature of our Being if we understand that all effects (including our person) are rendered by the mind. In The Law of Success, Paramahansa Yogananda stated the following:

“Mind is the creator of everything.”

Consciousness, not a supposedly material world made of “matter,” is the substance of every form and experience. We could not, indeed, have any experience in the absence of consciousness. This also helps us understand why the following, attributed to Jesus, is stated in Luke 17:21: “Neither shall they say, lo here! or, lo there! for behold the kingdom of God is within you.” He meant that Consciousness cannot be located in time and space as an object. Contrary to popular belief, our body-mind is actually a function of mind; not an independently-existing entity. Our true identity is Spirit, aka Consciousness. Could all of this, as Edgar Allen Poe penned, actually just be a dream within a dream? Most definitely.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Constructive Thinking

Are you ready? Got your hammer? Your saw? Tape measure? Carpenter’s apron? Safety boots. Hard hat? Nails? Lumber–and plenty of it? Good. We’re almost ready to build.

***

Now, I’ve heard a rumor that you’d like to build the life of your dreams. That’s great, because at least you know what you desire! It means that you’re ahead of ninety-nine percent of the world’s population, who are simply waiting for what will come next. Not you, though–you’ve got a plan! Before we make that first saw cut, however, let’s take a look at what you’ve got in mind.

When it comes to building, or dreaming, there’s an important point to remember. Now please pay attention; I’m only going to write this once. You can’t build a bungalow by focusing on the plans for a barn. Amazing? Astounding? How incredibly insightful? Best darn obvious advice you’ve ever heard? And what the heck could that possibly have to do with manifesting your dream?

My point is that you can’t manifest what you want by focusing on what you don’t want! In my illustration, if you actually want to build a beautiful little bungalow, it’s imperative that you never focus on the plans for a barn. If you give more thought to the plans for the barn, well…you’ll end up building a barn! The same holds true for the following: focusing on disease, instead of health; focusing on poverty, instead of prosperity; and last but not least, focusing on losing, instead of winning!

The key is to concentrate on what you desire, as though you already possess it. Let your thoughts be playful and detached; but keep them focused on your vision. If you desire wealth, imagine it. If you desire greater health, imagine that. If you’d like a great relationship, imagine that too. Engage as many of your senses as possible and feel the reality of the end result. It all begins in the mind; and is, in fact, manifested by the mind.

So, by now you realize that I used a catchy little alliteration to make a point. Let it serve you. Apply it to your dreams and what’s important to you. Oh, and one last word: If a barn is what you really desire, then don’t, of course, focus on plans for a bungalow; because so-called reality will always match the blueprint in your mind.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Ride-Out Day At Spirit Hall Ten

It was Manuel’s first ride-out day at Spirit Hall Ten. The previous few months had been spent in the college classroom; but now he was going to have the opportunity to experience the practical side of saving lives. A banner just inside the entrance to Spirit Hall Ten read: “Humbly Deflating Egos Since 1882.” His preceptor, Michael, greeted him at the door and introduced him to his partner “Buster” (as he was affectionately called) and his colleagues who would be using the second rig at the hall. “My boots haven’t looked that shiny since–never,” quipped Michael with a smile as he pointed to Manuel’s footwear. Manuel blushed; he had wanted to make a good first impression.

After all of the gear had been checked on the rigs, the crews of Spirit Hall Ten retired to the crew room. A few poured cups of coffee; others began to make a light breakfast. Within minutes, the emergency tones blared, and a dispatcher’s voice said: “Respond for a 99 slash 1. Repeat, 99 slash 1. More details on the air.” The other crew, who was first up, stopped what they were doing and smartly headed out to their rig.

“Your turn will come,” said Buster, noticing the glimmer in Manuel’s eyes.

“What’s a 99 slash 1?” asked Manuel.

“Your teachers haven’t taught you that yet?” asked Buster

“Nope,” said Manuel. “Dispatch codes aren’t until next semester.”

“A 99/1 is one of the most dangerous calls in the book. It’s when the body-mind, aka person, is extremely out of balance–99% human, with only 1% recall of Spirit.”

“That sounds bad,” said Manuel.

“It is,” said Buster. “Balance is key. Most persons forget to nurture the Spirit.”

“Have you ever gone to a 100/0?”

Oh, here we go, thought Michael, with a soft wince. He sat down on the couch; for he knew the direction that the conversation was headed.

“You might want to pull up a chair, ” said Buster. “I remember it like it was…yesterday.”

(Insert flashback scene lighting and music here):

***

“What do we have?” asked Buster as he approached the police officer on scene.

“It doesn’t sound good,” said the officer. He tipped back his hat. “I’ve already talked to the family members. It seems the patient’s been using ‘I, Me, My, and Mine’ excessively for the last few weeks. There was nothing they could do to stop him.”

“You had a look at him yet?”

“Only through the living room window,” said the officer. “I know this is your field of expertise.”

Buster hustled back to the rig to get his equipment. Michael and he knew they had to follow the book on this call. Only one of them would be allowed to attend. It was too dangerous to place both of them at risk. When he returned a few minutes later, he was carrying a kit of Deflato SyringesTM and a ten-foot extension pole with a pin attached at the end. He had donned his protective chest shield, helmet, boots, and gloves. He was about to turn toward the residence, when the officer called, “Just so you know, he’s bloated…real bad.”

It took a belly crawl, a dash this way, and a scoot that way for Buster to make his way close to the patient. He tip-toed the last few steps into the dim-lighted living room. The air was filled with the unmistakable putrid stench of ego. The patient appeared unconsciousness; his respirations irregular and shallow. He was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “It’s All About Me” His entire body was bloated like an overinflated balloon.

Years of experience told Buster that the situation was beyond the use of syringes. The patient was so full of himself that only the pole and pin would do. If he could just deflate that ego a…little…at…a…time. Inching closer, chin tucked toward his chest, he was about to apply the pin, when the patient suddenly exploded: BAA-BOOMMM! Windows shattered, floor boards up heaved, and Buster was catapulted across the room. When he gathered his senses, all that Buster could see were signs of ego splattered everywhere. Pride was stuck to the ceiling; ignorance and arrogance covered the walls; the glop of lust, fear, envy, jealousy, greed, anger, and hatred were dripping from the furniture. There was nothing he could do.

***

“You okay?” called Michael. “You okay?”

“Uh, huh,” said Buster, obviously shaken by the traumatic memory of the call. He took a deep breath and blinked. Everything was fine; they were safe and sound at Spirit Hall Ten.

Manuel looked pale, indeed. “You know,” he said to Buster, “my mom always wanted me to be an accountant. I’ve always been good with numbers. I think I’ll serve humanity that way.” And with that, he got up, grabbed his books, and exited Spirit Hall Ten without looking back.

***

We’ll conclude this article with a quote from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, borrowed from I Am That: “The real doesn’t die; the unreal never lived.” You’re Spirit, folks–now and forever.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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. May it help you in your spiritual journey. 🙏🙏

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

“I Will Fear No Evil”

As most of you probably realize, the title of this article is borrowed from Psalm 23. Please consider with me, if you will, that it could actually be possible to “fear no evil.” Imagine how much more light-heartedly we would live our lives; how good it would feel to shrug off the heavy burden of worry that most persons carry. Is this delusional to suggest that it’s possible to fear no evil; especially when we’re bombarded with negative news each day? No, dear friends, it’s not. When we know more about our essential nature, we can, indeed, fear no evil. Before we dive deeper into the article, I offer the 23rd Psalm in full for you to contemplate:

***

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

***

I’d like to share some facts that may have a bearing on whether you take anything of value away from this article. I apply a logical approach to the subjects of consciousness and spirituality. In my opinion, a bridge built solely from belief–without the supporting structure of understanding–is too weak to support a crossing from ignorance to knowing. To know that it’s possible to live without fearing evil, we must understand a few key points:

  • Fear belongs to the body-mind, also referred to as the “person.” You may be thinking, “Hey, wait a minute, bucko, I thought you said that I could live without fear of evil, and now you’ve just contradicted yourself!” To understand this more fully, please read the next point.
  • You’re not the body-mind. The body-mind (person) is rendered totally via the mind. To support this, I’d like to offer a quote from The Tibetan Book of The Dead: “Phenomena only ‘exist’ in the mind that perceives them.” Another quote, borrowed from a book of esoteric knowledge entitled The Kybalion, supports this: “The All is mind; the Universe is mental.”
  • Consciousness is not created by the brain. Although the majority of persons assume that there’s a little “i” located somewhere behind their forehead, there isn’t. That this could possibly be true is easily verified by a search on the internet. Please enter “The hard problem of consciousness” in your browser. You’ll find many interesting articles and discover that the term was first coined by David Chalmers, an Australian philosopher and cognitive scientist. Science has basically assumed that consciousness arises from neural processes. It doesn’t.
  • Matter doesn’t exist. That’s right, you read correctly; matter doesn’t exist (independent of the mind). “But, how the heck can that possibly be?” I can hear you asking. “I exist, and I’m pretty darn real!” The answer is that so-called matter is rendered via the mind. Please do another internet search and look up the famous “Double-Slit Experiment,” which was first performed by Thomas Young. Quantum physicists have known for more than a hundred years that light behaves as both a wave and a particle; and that the observer is exerting an effect with regard to what’s witnessed. So-called matter is comprised of packets of energy that are flashing in and out of existence at an incredibly rapid rate.
  • Human life is a dream. To understand this fully, we must realize that what most persons erroneously assume to be “reality” is actually the Waking State. It’s similar to the nighttime dream state, but it’s more clearly defined and has a continuing plotline. When asked about the difference between the two states, Ramana Maharshi (who was a realized sage) replied: “Waking is long and dream short; other than this there is no difference. Just as waking happenings seem real while awake, so do those in a dream while dreaming.”
  • You’re true Self is Awareness, aka Consciousness. You’re an aspect of God. As such, you are an eternal Being. Logically, if what is happening now is a dream, what is there to fear? This may help you understand why the following line is included in Psalm 23: “Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Isn’t that an interesting choice of words?
  • God (Consciousness) is All There Is, playing a multiplicity and diversity of forms, including your body-mind and mine. By spending a little time in meditation, it’s possible to directly realize that you witness your sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. They’re not who you are. You can also witness your body; for it is also an object in consciousness–not the subject of Being as you have previously assumed. The true YOU is prior to the mind.

There you have it, dear friend–my attempt to explain why it’s possible to actually live without fear. The key is recognition of true Self. The great news is that when we realize Truth, we’re free to live so much more fully.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

The “Discernment Show”

Backstage, in the Green Room,

ten minutes before the interview is about to begin:

Two guests, Mr. Ego-Head and Ms. IAmThatIAm, are sitting in chairs as the secretary to the host of the show preps them before going onstage. “So,” Ms. Hathaway, began, “because this is a live show, we’ve decided to set a timer for your replies–just to be fair about the interview. You’ll both be given three minutes in which to make your statement, and then the other guest will be given an opportunity to make a statement and/or a rebuttal. That sound, okay?”

Mr. Ego-Head said, “Certainly, Ms. Hathaway. Thanks so much for having me. By the way, that’s a lovely dress you’re wearing.”

“Certainly,” said Ms. IAmThatIAm with a smile.

“Great,” said Ms. Hathaway. “Let’s get you into your chairs onstage and we’ll roll in about five minutes.”

***

And…rolling:

“Welcome, folks, I’m your host Donald Discerning; and this is the “The Discernment Show;” a show in which we get to the bottom of topics that range from ants in your pants to quantum physics to the use of the media to control the masses. Our guests today–who have widely differing approaches to life–are Mr. Ego-Head and Ms. IAmThatIAm (cue applause). Donald nodded to both of the guests and then said, “Welcome to both of you.”

“Thanks for having me,” said Mr. Ego-Head.

Ms. IAmThatIAm nodded, smiling.

“So,” continued Mr. Discerning, “we tossed a coin backstage (honestly, this has nothing to do with a guy named Art Russell guy who pretends to write these articles) and the toss went to Mr. Ego-Head. We’ll begin with you.”

A smile the size of Saskatchewan (hint: Canada) spread across Mr. Ego-Head’s face.

“If you will, please tell our viewing audience a little about your approach to life.”

“Well, Donald, thank you for asking. “Why, it was just the other day that a good friend of mine–a well-known professor at Yale–was asking me for advice about that very topic. I said to him, Barney, I’ll tell you the same points that I shared with the president. I said blah, blah, blah, blah, yada yada yada, blah, blah, blah, blah–and then I said yada blah blah, yada blah blah, yada blah, yada blah, yada yada, blah blah. Well of course, I laughed; and my friend just howled–he has such an infectious laugh! I tell you, I slapped my knee more than once! But it was important that he realized this:

***

3 Minutes

(Donald waves, in a polite attempt to get Mr. Ego-Head’s attention)

***

…yada blah haha, yada blah haha. Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti do, MEEEEE-so-so, MEEEEE-so-so. La, la, la, la, laa laa laa. La, la, la, la, laa laa laa. This-life-is-all-about-ME and ME and ME and Me and MEEEEE. This-life-is-all-about-ME and ME and ME and Me and MEEEEE. Yada yada, bling, so-ho. Yada yada, bling, so-ho. He saw my point–he truly did. He said to me, you are so wise–perhaps the wisest man I’ve ever met. How fortunate I am to have a friend like you…

***

13 Minutes

(Donald is standing, waving, stomping his feet; signaling for help from crew members back stage)

***

….and so I said to Sylvester, Stallone, that is, I said, ‘Sly, why don’t you do a film about boxing; you could call it Rocky.’ He wasn’t too sure, but thank goodness he listened to me. Rata tat, haha, rata tat, haha. I was a gifted child. Chug-a-chug, chug-a-chug, me me meeee. Chug-a-chug, me me meeee. Got straight A’s–in everything! Yada bling, yada bling, so so so. Steve–you know–Jobs, was once asking me for advice; and I said, ‘Why don’t you go with something fruity–maybe an apple, with a different look to it.’

***

47 minutes…and counting

(Backstage

(Crew Member One: “Can you get a bead on him?” Crew Member Two: “No, he keeps moving too much.”)

***

Finally

Donald Discerning fanned his hands at Ms. IAmThatIAm to signal there was nothing more he could do. Through it all, Ms. IAmThatIAm had remained peaceful and calmly detached. She appeared as though a serene bird that was perched high in a tree. Below her, a different bird was busily building its nest and tasting of fruit that was either bitter or sweet. Ms. IAmThatIAm was not bothered by such nonsense; for she realized that so much of what people worry about really doesn’t matter. Mr. Ego-Head was still talking when Donald Discerning signaled to Ms. IAmThatIAm that they might as well leave. They stood and quietly walked off stage. Stage hands soon appeared and began to sweep the floor. When they were finished, the stage manager turned off the overhead lights. As far as we know, Mr. Ego-Head is still there.

***.

Special Note: What’s the point of this little drama above? My intention is to illustrate that we have a choice–one largely unrecognized by the masses–about what type of Being/guest we invite to be dominant in our life. We can let Ego-Head dominate, especially if we desire to listen to negative and meaningless chatter all day; or we can discover that deeper dimension within ourselves and live with the peace of I Am That I Am. (P.S. The statement “get a bead on him” at the forty-seven minute mark referred to a water gun…just in case you were wondering.)

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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. May it help you in your spiritual journey. 🙏🙏

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Interviewing “Art”

The radio host’s name was Donny Jay, which was convenient–they called him “DJ” for short. Art Russell, who was his next guest for the radio show at WK-WHY-IN-THE-WORLD, sat quietly in his chair. Across the desk from him, DJ was wrapping up his previous segment. “As always, folks, thanks for listening. We love to serve you here at WK-WHY; the radio station that brings you the latest and the greatest music, sports, interviews, and news updates from around the corner and around the globe. Our next guest is Art Russell, a man who hails from a small town in Ontario, Canada. He’s passionate about sharing his love of Oneness.” DJ disconnected his microphone, played a 15-second taped commercial, and then signaled to Art; counting 10, 9, 8, 7, 6….” And we’re live:

***

“So, Art–do you mind if I call you, Art?

“No, that’s fine–it’s just a name, right?”

“We’re so glad that you could join us for the show today.”

“Thanks for having me.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like you to tell our listening audience a little bit about yourself.”

“Sure, DJ, I’d be glad to. My name is Art Russell, from a little town in Ontario, Canada. I’m here to spread the word about Oneness.”

“By Oneness, Art, what do you mean?”

“That’s a good question, DJ–one that stumps a lot of persons. It literally means not two–only One.”

“But how can that be?” said DJ, as he leaned toward his microphone. “I mean, it’s quite obvious that there’s a lot of separate persons and objects.”

“I hear what you’re saying, DJ. The key is that all of them take place in Consciousness; Universal Consciousness, to be exact.”

“I hope this won’t sound rude, but why do you want to spread the word about this Oneness stuff?”

“Because suffering arises when Beings erroneously believe they’re a body-mind. They’re filled with fear and anxiety about a future that’s just a concept in the mind. When more of us realize this, it will also help to end conflicts between people and facilitate peace among nations. Logically, if we knew that we are One, how could we ever go to war against one another?”

“What do you mean by body-mind?”

“That’s another term for a person, DJ.”

“I see. So let me get this straight, you don’t think we should consider ourselves as persons?”

“That’s right.”

DJ’s eyes rolled upward, his head tilted. “So what do you think we are?”

“Souls, Spirit, aspects of Consciousness.”

“And…you can prove this?”

“No, DJ, I can’t. But our essential nature can be experienced–directly–if persons will turn within and be still. When we meditate, it becomes quite obvious that we can witness sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. We are That, the witness. Our modern world has had it backward for centuries. We’ve been led to believe that a fictional substance called matter, which is actually rendered by the mind, somehow magically gives rise to consciousness within the body-mind. It doesn’t. Consciousness gives rise to the mind and the body. They both appear in Consciousness.”

“That’s quite the statement you’re making. Just for the record, you didn’t eat one or two of those magic station brownies while you were waiting for this interview to begin, did you?”

Art smiled understandingly. “Nope.”

“So you’re also saying that matter doesn’t exist?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying. It’s actually rendered via the mind. Maybe a quote from the Tibetan Book of the Dead will help: Phenomena only exist in the mind that perceives them.”

“Wowsers, Art. Now, you’re scaring me! Maybe I should have one of those brownies.”

“You might want to have two, DJ,” Art said, smiling.

“This is pretty radical stuff you’re sharing with us.”

“Definitely is,” said Art. “Let me see if I can help. Have you ever considered how eyesight works?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

“Neither did I, until about ten years ago. You see, DJ, most persons believe that there’s a little “i” running around somewhere behind their forehead who’s looking out at a world.”

“And there’s not?”

“No, there’s not. That’s the fictional self; sometimes called the ghost in the mechanism. As far as the body-mind is concerned, it’s more accurate to think of it as a camera, than a photographer. Just bear with me for a moment and truly consider how you see anything. When the eyelids open, light enters the eyes. Through neural and chemical processes, light is then translated into a variety of forms and shapes at lightning speed. What we believe that we experience as an outside world is actually rendered within the mind.”

DJ fanned his hands at the equipment and the walls of the booth. “So, let me get this straight. You’re saying that all of this is occurring within the mind.”

“Yup,” said Art, “that’s what I’m saying. Every form we experience is merely a representation. Perception is our world. That’s at the heart of the teachings of the Law of Attraction. It’s why we can change our lives by changing the quality of our minds. We have absolutely no way of proving anything beyond it exists.”

“Have you considered visiting a doctor, Art? Maybe having a check-up?”

Once again Art smiled. “I know what this sounds like, DJ–it sounds crazy; but it isn’t. The world that you see around you isn’t solid. It’s made of light, interpretted as form. The famous Double-Slit Experiment proves it.”

“What’s that?”

“It was first performed by Thomas Young…in 1801, I believe. He was a physicist who set up an experiment to determine if light was a wave or a particle.”

“Fascinating,” said DJ.

“More research into the experiment in the early 1900’s gave birth to the field of science called quantum physics. Subsequent experiments found that light contains packets of energy called quanta–it’s actually the basis of everything in our world. They’re called waves of probability. Atoms, which people once believed to be the foundation of matter, are actually 99.999% empty space. They’re more appropriately called clouds of energy.

“You mean like this?” said DJ, as he tapped the top of his desk.

“Exactly,” said Art. “Everything in this world is made of energy, including our body-minds.”

“How can this be?”

“Because this–Earth–is a dream world. The ancient sages had a term for it–‘Maya, in Sanskrit, which is loosely translated as illusion. You might feel more comfortable calling it a simulation. Nick Bostrum, Elon Musk, Donald Hoffman, and Dr. Bruce Litpon are only a few of the many persons who realize this is true. There’s only Consciousness, DJ. It’s the only reality. Basically you can’t be who you think you are. The good news, however, is that you can recognize the Truth that you’re an eternal Spirit. You couldn’t die if you wanted to–only the idea of a person dies. We suffer in degree to our ignorance of the true nature of our Being.”

DJ’s eyes were as big as saucers. “Okay, folks, it looks as though we’re just about outta time. Our guest today has been Art Russell. We’ve been talking about non-duality. I’m your host, Donny Jay. Next up…”

***

Note: If you’re curious about learning more about non-duality and our essential nature, there are many great books on the subject. Here’s a short list: The Nature of Consciousness, by Rupert Spira, The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle; I Am That, talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj; The Ultimate Understanding, by Ramesh S. Balsekar; The Tao of Physics, by Fritjof Capra; Open Secret, by Wei Wu Wei; Who Am I?, by Sri Ramana Maharshi; The Mystical I, by Joel Goldsmith. To that list, I humbly offer my own book listed below.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

In The Spirit of Oneness

As Tom sat on the bench at the edge of the park, the beauty of the warm spring day caught his ego off guard. It stole his attention and dissolved his personhood in the transcendent unity of the present moment. He was limitless, beyond time. It was impossible to say where he began or ended; for there was only here and now. The birds, squirrels, and flowers, and even the ants at his feets, seemed to shimmer with innocent aliveness. Everything looked so beautiful. There was no impulse to judge this as right, or that as wrong. He was afloat in the world of Is-ness; his heart overflowing with gratitude. Any thought of work or need or duty or fear had vanished. The faint echo of Spirit called to him; and he found himself mouthing, “Hello.”

“Hello,” said Spirit. “I’ve been missing you.”

Without thought or pause, Tom said, “And I, You.”

“Please come and visit,” said Spirit.

Tom smiled, and a shiver of delight swept through his Being. It had been a long time since he had visited that placeless place. “What do I need to bring?” he asked softly.

“Nothing,” whispered Spirit. “Just come as you are.”

“But don’t I need to bring my trophies, or at least my résumé? ” asked Tom.

“No, Little One,” said Spirit. “You need bring none of those things.”

“What does it cost?”

“Nothing, it’s free to everyone.”

“Do I need to schedule an appointment?” asked Tom.

“No,” said Spirit with a smile that Tom could feel, “it’s always Now when we visit.”

“What should I wear?” asked Tom. “Is this a formal or informal affair?”

“This is a LOVE affair,” said Spirit, “and everyone is welcome. Just come as you are. In fact, it’s impossible to bring anything else.”

“That’s so different from the human way,” said Tom, incredulous. “Here, it’s the custom to pride ourselves on being above one another. Almost all of our societies implicitly and explicitly command our members to feel superior or inferior based on criteria that ultimately mean nothing.”

“Yes,” said Spirit, “I know. That’s the human way; but such is not My Way. With Me, everyone is welcome. My love doesn’t discriminate. It embraces all in all.”

“A current of relief swept through Tom’s body. “You mean I’m good enough just as I Am?” he asked.

“Oh, yes,” replied Spirit, “most definitely.”

A fluttering butterfly brought Tom’s attention back to the bench. Tom looked at his lunch bag, which was untouched. Had he dreamed the enlightening conversation with Spirit? No, he had not–it was real. In fact, his experience felt more real than the world around him. A glance at his watch told him it was time to return to work. He ate his sandwich as he walked back to the office. Later, at home, he would make time to meditate; to commune once again in the Spirit of Oneness.

***

Dear Friends: I’m sure that you reaize this isn’t just a sweet account of a man daydreaming on a park bench. It’s far more than that. Through the use of the story, my intention was to illustrate an inner dimension–of true Self–that’s beyond the conceptual little “i” of name and form. This dimension goes unnoticed by the majority of persons, who’ve become lost in the apparent world of form. The price of admission to knowingly enter this dimension is to become still and quiet the mind for a few minutes each day. In doing so, we escape the clutches of the mind and ascend to a vantage point where we may recognize our true nature. From The Mystical I, by Joel Goldsmith, I offer the following quote: “The reason we meditate is that the Kingdom of God may be established on earth as it is on heaven.” It’s possible–here and now–to wake up from the dream of personhood. We are neither the body, nor the mind. We are Spirit, eternal.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

A Message From Source

“Source:” Godhead, The Fountainhead, The Absolute, The All in All, Noumenon, The Universe, That. In truth it matters not the term by which we refer to Source; for words deal only with concepts and, thus, always miss the mark. To believe that a name could actually “be”–That–which is Most High only reveals our innocent ignorance and creates a false idol. What matters most is that we think and speak of That Which Cannot Be Named with utmost reverence. This article, which is intended for everyone, contains a message from Source that’s writing itself through the form known as “Art:”

***

“I,”–the only true Self there Is–don’t see you as you see yourselves from your finite perspective. In I, there is no judging of greater or lesser, favoured or unfavoured, sinner or saint. As you are in and of Me, how could I love some of you more and others, thus, less? To do so would be an act against Myself. I Am Love, Itself; and all of you are my spiritual children. It is only through confusion and innocent ignorance of the nature of your Being that you have erroneously believed that you are unloved, unlovable, or separate from Me.

It has been stated that I will never forsake you; that I will be with you beyond the end of time. Such is absolute Truth and you may know this–directly–now. You, space, and time are, in fact, in Me. Before all forms (of whatever nature), Am I. It is I That causes the sun to shine; likewise, your lives shine due to me. I Am the Rock of your Being; and you may lean on me for strength, love and compassion, and I will freely give to you. Each and every one of you are in ME; it’s, thus, impossible for you to ever perish. Through grievous error, you have adopted the belief that you exist due to the body-mind. Such is backward. The body-mind and the Universe appear because “I Am.” You are eternal, immortal, an aspect of That which is beyond the appearance of birth and death.

My dear dreaming children, please awaken to what you ARE. One of your great sages, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, clearly stated that “To be a person is to be asleep.’ You have become mesmerized with the world of form. You are neither the body, nor the mind; to believe so leads to tremendous suffering. We are One, Spirit, differing only in degree. Have I not told you through sacred texts that you were created in my image and likeness? I Am the ocean of Consciousness; and all of you are waves in Me. It’s, therefore, impossible to state where I begin and you end. I give rise to all that ever was, is, and will be–for such is my nature. The world and all forms are only relatively real. The real “You” exists eternally because I exist. Lastly, my dear children, please know that you are loved beyond measure.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Consciousness HumAuto

Dial: 1-111-111-1111. Ringggg, ringggg, ringggg.

“Consciousness HumAuto. Wrench speaking. How may I help you?”

“Oh, hi. I’d like to schedule my holographic human for a tune up.”

“Haha–holographic human. Is there any other kind?”

“Good one. No, guess not.”

“Anyhoo, what can I-Am-That-I-Am do you for?”

“My human’s been acting up.”

“How so?”

“Well, it’s always been a little problematic–but even more so, lately. It runs hot or cold. Sometimes it brakes hard and pulls to the left–as though driven by fear; and sometimes it suddenly accelerates and veers right–as though chasing pleasure. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that it had a mind of its own.”

“If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that,” said Wrench. “Sounds like a governor issue, to me.”

“Oh, and another thing, for the last forty years or so, I’ve been hearing a loud tick, tick, ticking–kind of like an internal voice. It’s begins when the alarm goes off in the morning and it doesn’t quit until deep sleep.”

“Is your human judgmental?”

“It wrote the book! It’s also got a really bad shimmy–seems to worry about everything.”

“Humph, it sounds as though it’s picked up an ego-stone in your hubcap. Anyhooo, bring your human in to the shop; and I’ll lift it up on the hoist and give it a good going over. How’s Thursday at 1:00 work for you?”

“Perfect. See you then.”

***

Thursday at 4:00. Ringgg, ringgg, ringgg

“Yelloooow.”

“Hi, there, it’s Wrench calling from Consciousness Humauto. You can come over and pick up your human.”

“Oh, great, how’d you make out?”

“Let’s just say that’s it’s a miracle you were still keeping that human of yours on the road.”

“You don’t say. What did you find?”

“Well, I put it on the dynohumanometer–ran a battery of tests. The harder I pushed that human of yours, the more it resisted. Timing was wayyy off. It was back firing regrets about the past, and belching fears about the future that made my mechanics blush. I did the best that I could to center it in the here and now.”

“I apologize. Thanks for doing all that you could.”

“It’s all good. The main problem was that your Spirit Reserve was dangerously low–your I Am That I Am barely registed on the dip stick. I strongly suggest that you knowingly fill that up again–but that’s up to you. We can’t do it for you.”

“Really? How do I do that?”

“You gotta get out of your mind. I recommend daily meditation, even for just a few minutes. Second choice would be to go for a walk in nature. Just be. That should help put an end to that shimmy.”

“What about that ticking sound.”

“I guessed that one right–your human had picked up an ego stone. That’s what was causing the loud ticking. Yeowee, it was a big one! I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an ego that big. It thought it was running the show. No wonder your human was veering all over the place.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“No charge. This One’s on the House. Trust me, you’re doing the Universe a favour by getting your human in order.

“Thanks, I’ll do my best.”

***

Special Note: Contrary to public opinion, that loud and often annoying tick, tick, ticking commentary that your human makes, isn’t the real YOU. That’s an ego-stone attempting to make your life miserable. The sooner you regain control of your human, the better. Just know that it’s going to rebel. It’s going to tell you that it’s the driver; that it’s normal to brake hard or suddenly accelerate right or left. It isn’t. There’s a balanced way to live in harmony; but to experience that you have to find your Divine Center. A word of advice: Don’t waste time searching for the Center outside of yourself. Turn within–it’s the only place you’ll find It; because you are It. Your essential nature has just been overshadowed by the false driver that goes by your name and description. If all else fails, you can phone us at Consciousness Humauto and ask for Wrench.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2021 – R. Arthur Russell

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” 🙏🏻🧡