Knowing Self As “No-Thing”

For centuries, the world has seemed bent on having us define self as an object; it has stressed (through various criteria that change with the times), that a desirable object, an intelligent object, and rich object with a blueblood family name (insert Rocker-Something-or-Other) is more appealing than the alternative (Russell). Thus, those who pretend to know what’s in our best interest, have created the materialist interpretation of the world; a world in which some souls fall into the desirable class (exclaim: “I have made it!”), while the majority fall through the human abyss (pray: “Please let it all be over!”) and land in the undesirable heap. Sadly, the majority of beings often succumb to the human “story” and try to be one of the so-called “in crowd; instead of using their precious incarnation to find their way back to Oneness. I could swear right now, but I won’t. I’ll transform that energy positively and offer a quote from Ramesh S. Balsekar and his magnificent book entitled The Ultimate Understanding later in the article.

I have never favoured an interpretation of so-called reality in which some of my spiritual brothers and sisters feel inferior due to a botched world belief system that deliberately leads us away from Truth. A Cadillac, a Ferrari, a mansion, and an in ground swimming pool can never make anyone superior to someone else. Only a person would believe such lunacy. The system is appropriately labeled judgment, and our society is rampant with it. We are not now–or ever–the sum of our name and body-mind. Desirable objects and great financial wealth are not intrinsically bad; it is only our love of money above all else that creates problems. Those who would pretend superiority are merely caught in the misguided value system which is so prevalent on Earth.

Let’s cut to the chase, and practice some discernment (not judgment) about our essential nature. All experience–whether it be of the janitor or the Wall Street Tycoon–is known by One Knower, Consciousness. We cannot have any experience without the linchpin known as Consciousness. We are “That.” We have been conditioned to believe that consciousness is personal and dependent on neural processes of the body; but such is false. A search for “the hard problem of consciousness” via the internet will verify that scientists do not know how consciousness arises. We’ve also been conditioned to believe that we are a body-mind with a certain name; such is also false. It’s simply not the Truth. It’s why Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who was often termed the fiery sage of Bombay, stated the following: “You can only be what you are in reality; you can only appear to be what you are not.” Translation: You cannot be the body-mind. And now, the quote that saved you from my profanity at the bottom of the first paragraph:

“Therefore, the only conclusion is that on object does not exist–that the ‘observed’ object is an illusion,

and the observing can only be a noumenal functioning.”
The Ultimate Understanding by Ramesh S. Balsekar

“Who Am I?” is a question (when the answer is known directly) that can take us to the depth of our essential nature. The answer is beyond words; therefore, beyond any of the false definitions with which and by which persons attempt to define themselves. Such is more aptly termed the treadmill of human existence. It’s what leads to questions such as the following: “Dear, do you think a solid rhodium toilet could make us feel more special than the Joneses? Theirs is only gold.” You are not a thing. You are beyond any of the smarmy descriptions for which so many persons fall. Let’s think: How can you truly be a nationality, a physical description, or a professional or financial status? In short, you can’t.

The mind is the creator of everything, including our body-mind. True Self is prior to the mind; therefore, independent of it. The Bible describes this as “being in the world but not of it.” If you believe that you are the body-mind, you inherit all of the fears that come along with that belief. It is not the Truth. Through the practice of clear discernment (meditation is invaluable), you can knowingly rise above all circumstance. What’s more, you do not die; because the body-mind is an effect of mind. You are First Principle, Cause. It’s why Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj stated the following: “There is as much death present when a million die as when one perishes.” We need not fall for the fiction related to the human story. Truth is available, now and forever. We have only to seek It.

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

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Working For “The One”

The following fictional account didn’t take place–ever; but for fun, let’s go with it and pretend that it did. Special Note: The characters and events depicted in this article are fictitious. Any similarity to persons, either living or deceased, is purely coincidental. No persons were harmed in any way during the writing, editing, or subsequent publishing of this article. 🙂 Thank goodness, no one lost their job, either; came close, though.

***

“Have a seat, Bob,” said Mr. Swanger. He descended from a long line of Swangers, before swanging became a cultural phenomena in certain circles.

“Thank you,” said Bob. He slowly stepped forward and settled himself in the chair across from Mr. Swanger’s desk. He tried to appear calm, but his fidgetting fingers gave him away.

Mr. Swanger leaned forward over his desk, which was distracting because he had a mole on his left cheek the size of Saskatchewan. His computer screen was open to Bob’s profile. “How long have you been working with us at The One?”

“Little over a month,” said Bob.

“I’ve brought you in here today,” said Mr. Swanger, “because there’s been a nasty rumor circulating, at the yellow ticker tape that surrounds the previously available water cooler.”

Bob leaned forward, an expression of innocent curiosity pasted on his face. “‘Bout what?” he said.

Mr. Swanger sat back and arched his hands together in the stereoptypical teepee power position. “This makes me very uncomfortable,” he began. “Rumor has it that you actually believe that you’re ‘Bob.’ That’s incredibly awkward, given that we all work for The One. See my point?”

“Can’t say that I do,” said Bob. “I’m not Bob?” He patted his knees; they certainly felt real.

Mr. Swanger rolled his eyes; inwardly he was wondering how Bob had slipped through the hiring process. “No,” said Mr. Swanger. “These bodies are what show up in the waking state. A few people still mistake that as reality.” Mr. Swanger turned his attention to the computer screen. “It says here,” he said, “that there’s evidence that you still believe you’re the doer.”

Bob crossed his legs and gripped the arms of the chair firmly–knuckles blanched. “I’m not?” he said.

“No,” said Mr. Swanger. “Not now–or ever, for that matter. These,” he said, moving his arms about with floating ease, “move by one power alone–Consciousness. This is idealism, Bob. We gave up that old software called naive realism years ago. That’s when we got with the times and formed the new company–The One.”

Bob began to fidget; he needed this job. He had nowhere else to go. Everyone these days was talking about the wonderful living immediacy of the present moment; the “Here and Now,” they called it. “What can I do to make it right?” he asked, learning forward. “I could stay late, make coffee. I have an advanced degree in Modern Sychophany,” he offered. “Would that help?”

“No,” said Mr. Swanger, with a wave of his hand. “Groveling is passé–went out with landlines and the notion of personal consciousness. Since enlightenment, we don’t work that way–we’re all equal here. There’s no solution except that you go home–now, of course–and spend some time in silent solitude. If you do so often enough, you’ll see that the true You isn’t Bob at all. This company is founded on the principles of The One. There’s no room for a bunch of persons running around like egoic chickens, thinking that they own the place. We work for The One; and the world functions a whole lot better when all of us know It.”

***

The meeting concluded a few minutes later, and Bob departed with a fearful I-could-soon-be-walking-down-the -road-kicking-my-lunchpail look. He was almost out of the building before he thought about the curious note with instructions that Mr. Swanger had handed to him before leaving. Politely but firmly, he had told Bob that if he wanted to continue working for The One, he should follow the instructions on the note closely. Bob’s pace slowed as his hand fumbled to remove the note from his pocket. It read as follows:

Meditate for ten minutes, once a day. Increase to fifteen minutes, twice each day.
Earnestly ask the question (“Who Am I?”) and don’t settle for the story self.
Read the works of Buddha, Jesus, Ramana Maharshi, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj; or, if you’re searching for any easier but informative book, R. Arthur Russell’s most recent work.
Watch this presentation on self-inquiry by Rupert Spira.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

The Raping of The Sheep

“Don” is in this life for himself, and he makes no bones about it. He frequently says “You gotta look out for number one,” and the expression perfectly reflects his attitude and behaviour in the apparent world. Behind his customers’ backs, he calls them foul names and ridicules their mannerisms. In business deals, which he approaches with utter lack of integrity, he’s proud of “raping the sheep,” which means getting the apparent upper hand through sly manipulation. The love of money is his sole reason for being. After a deal concludes, he smiles and shakes hands with his customers; but behind closed doors after they have left, he ridicules his sheep’s degree of gullibility. The memory of the sweet and easy deal with Rosie, one his trusting elderly neighbours, always brings a smile to his face; it was so easy to defraud her of an extra ten thousand dollars. In his personal relationships, he is no less ruthless; for his pleasure is what matters most. It is all about him. Although Don is six feet two inches tall, he is a small man; trouble is, he doesn’t know it.

***

What Don and innumerable persons like him don’t realize is that our body-minds are expressions of The One, aka Consciousness. Consciousness is the only reality. Due to this, absolutely nothing can be hidden from The One–how could it? If such were, indeed, possible, how could we ever accomplish this miracle of hiding our best or worst from the Loving Power–“That”—which is Omnipresent? In Luke 12:7, KJB, we may read the following: “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. When we come to know Truth, we realize that there is only One Knower and One Doer masquerading as a multiplicity and diversity of apparent forms. Any act performed against an apparent other is actually an act against ourself. I make no pretense of being an authority on the Bible, but this truth is clearly revealed in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” It’s informing us that Consciousness knows whether you’ve been bad or good; so be good for goodness sake.

It’s important to realize that we are not punished for our sins (by some vengeful God in the sky); rather, we are punished by our sins (which is actually defined as to miss the mark). What we apparently do comes back to us. Fortunately, the same holds true as it relates to goodness. Thus, if we desire more love in the world, we must be more loving. If we desire to experience more compassion, generosity, and sincerity, we must be more compassionate, generous, and sincere. We can spare ourselves a lot of needless suffering by embracing high ideals on a regular basis. If we’re serving “we” on a regular basis, as opposed to the little “me,” we’re on the right track. Our human incarnation is of tremendous value; for it provides an opportunity to awaken to the Truth of our essential nature. We are so much more than name and form. We are divine Spirit having an apparent human incarnation.

***

Update: The majority of us are likely tempted to wish otherwise, but Don’s unethical business tactics went undetected while he remained in human form. However, nothing escapes the snares of karma. Subsequent to a major business deal in which he apparently raped all of the sheep involved, his body-mind passed from this world–not one soul attended the funeral. Don is currently serving time in Colorado, as an intestinal parasite in a sheep named Rosie. You might say, that’s he’s awaiting his extradition papers. With any luck and a little more grazing, he’ll be out in a day or so to continue his journey. Be kind; wish him well; embrace the love that flows through you–that is you–and be wise enough to turn the other cheek and seek not human revenge. Hold no evil wish against anyone. The wheels of this Universe roll along in unexpected and mysterious ways.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers“

The Body-Mind Manual

This article is likely going to seem irreverent, but if that’s what it takes to relate Truth, so be it. The manual which serves as the title of this article is also known as The Human Manual, the one that most of us didn’t receive. Almost all of us inherited our limited knowledge of body-minds from persons who had little or no understanding of their essential nature. This is not intended to blame; rather to inform. You might think of the manual as being similar to “The Proper Care and Maintenance of a Chia Pet.” There, as promised–irreverence. I’m not actually suggesting that we shouldn’t love our body-mind and take good care of it; quite the contrary. As with the Chia Pet, we should feed and water it and love it dearly. An object (and that’s what a person is) tends to perform better if it’s well maintained. The key point is that we–true Self–are meant to govern the body-mind; contrary to an abundance of evidence otherwise, it isn’t intended to govern us.

Identification with Truth is good, indeed. Identification with falsity never leads anywhere good. Such is true with regard to the proper care and maintenance of a human being. If you (as is the case with the majority of the world’s population) identify solely as a body-mind, you are bound to suffer. It’s just the way that humans function. They come–straight from the factory–with inherent desire. Due to this, they’re usually temporarily happy if they get what they desire; but, conversely, unhappy or fearful if they don’t. Some have been known to gripe for a lifetime if they don’t get their way. If you’ll refer to your manual (page 13, subsection C), under “Catch-22 Warning,” you’ll notice that fulfillment of your body-mind’s desires often leads to an inflated sense of “i” and an overabundance of needs, many of which are worthless and selfish. As a result, quality of life diminishes greatly.

Of note: You are wise to keep your body-mind under control. If that’s challenging (or seemingly impossible), enforced isolation may be required. In the company of other body-minds (persons), they have been known to exhibit the nasty habit of judging themselves against apparent others. Your body-mind may have been feeling perfectly fine, until it was brought into proximity of more attractive or more successful body-minds. If you pay close attention, you’ll sympathetically feel yours cringe when threatened. In minor cases, it may retaliate by spitting out a passive-aggressive remark (such as, “Have you always liked wearing mini dresses at weddings?”) at the offending party. In more serious cases, you’ll likely hear it utter a version of the following remark to make up for its feelings of inadequacy or unworthiness: “You know, when I was the president of The World, I was twice voted most popular by an overwhelming majority!”

Body-minds are also inherently selfish and self-centered. Again: programming. Honestly, it’s as though the apparent world revolves around each and every one. How absurd. Collectively, they have (get this, I don’t think you’ll believe it) gone to war against various nations under the guise of creating peace! The real cause of all conflict is lack of awareness about our essential nature. With understanding of our shared Oneness, how would we ever again lift a weapon? We are all of One, Consciousness, expressing Itself as a multiplicity and diversity of form.

The most important advice contained within the Body-Mind Manual is that we should never–ever–listen to the negative babble from the mind of your person. For that matter, we are also wise to ignore its absurd tales of grandiosity. Body-minds attempt to get your attention at all costs, often for prolonged periods. They thrive on imbellishment. If uncontrolled, they’ll try to convince you that everything is wrong. Body-minds occasionally lash out in anger if they’re feeling afraid; or convince you to listen to attacks against your inherent value. Spirits have been known to break under such extreme punishment. Rest assured that true Self is of inherent value because It’s a divine child of God. Don’t let your conceptual Chia Pet convince you otherwise.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Entertaining “The Beast”

I thought I’d share the account of an incident which happened a couple of nights ago: I was feeling a little lonely, so I thought I’d call an old friend of mine, Satan. I asked if he was free and whether he would like to join me for dinner at my place. I suggested that we could have something hot and spicy, perhaps pizza loaded with dragon’s breath peppers. For dessert, I promised that we’d have baked alaska flambé. You’re probably getting the picture–it was to be a theme menu. A couple of hours later, the doorbell sizzled and guess who showed up? Art, it was Art!

***

The point of this article harkens to the old story of each of us having an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. The angel refers to our higher Self, Awareness, which is Being and Knowing. It is What we truly are. The devil refers to the lower self, the psychological “me,” which is frequently mistaken as our true identity. It’s not. It is a fictional self-centered little “i” that comes in a wide variety of types. Some are nice, with a little bit of an edge; some are not so nice, but do their best to conceal that fact. At their core, all false selves are ultimately self-centered and, in varying degrees, selfish. The problem with the false self is that it often makes our life a living hell, in one way or another. For instance: With the promise of future happiness, the false self attempts to convince us to spend our life chasing persons, possessions, wealth, and achievement (so-called success) like a crazed donkey chasing a carrot! The false self, which expresses lower forms of consciousness such as greed, shame, anger, hatred, and selfishness, is the antithesis of true Self.

Our true Self is timeless and eternal. It is not of this apparently physical world. It is Life without beginning or end–the alpha and omega of all that ever was, is, and shall be. The devil self arises and develops when the body-mind appears in the world. It is a conceptual self only, formed from repetitive thoughts and perceptions. Because it was born, it is subject to death; for all that comes into form must fall out of form. To believe it is conscious is an error. It is not. Only Consciousness is Conscious. The key is to recognize What we truly are before the body-mind makes its exit. Collectively, the false selves make up “the devil,” that scary figure often depicted in various doctrines. It’s not an entity unto itself (for there is no opposite to our true Self, which is Consciousness, aka God), but it can certainly seem so. It’s in everyone’s best interest to recognize true Self as soon as possible. So…back to Art, at the door:

***

“How have you been?” I asked, with a fake smile pasted on my face. “Oh, good,” said Art, extending his hand to shake mine. I feigned having greasy fingers from food preparation to avoid shaking his hand. Little Satan boy Art seemed to accept my lame excuse. Trust me, once you’ve given up the devil in you, you don’t want to invite him or her back into your life. A moment later, I told Art that I saw a ten dollar note lying on the floor behind him. As quick as you can say “Beelzebub is bonkers,” he spun around to pick it up, and I closed the door and bolted the lock. Amidst his incessant knocks, I whispered, “Nobody home.” I’m having the locks changed tomorrow.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Rocking The Boat

The boat that I’m referring to in the title of this article is commonly called Materialism. It was christened so long ago that most individuals assume that it’s the only boat available. The boat is a large one, indeed; for it holds the majority of the world’s population who–in most cases unknowingly–drift along in what is termed naive realism, the “subject-object” dualistic interpretation of a world that is apparently made of stuff called matter. In this article, we’re going to do our best to rock that boat with information that suggests there is another valid way of interpreting reality. For the purpose of greater understanding (and as a pointer toward awakening), you’re welcome to board the alternative boat called Idealism via this article. We’ll begin rocking the more common boat by contemplating the following quote from Interpretation of Scripture: Unlocking The Secrets of The Bible by Neville Goddard:

“It is impossible to do. You must be in order to do.”

What, pray tell, could Neville Goddard have meant when he coined that sentence? Didn’t he realize that the majority of persons believe–with absolute but unverifiable certainty–that they are the doers of their actions. Surely, he must have meant to write, “to accomplish anything, you must work like a slave;” that is, unless he realized that this–right now (including the typing of these words) is happening in what is termed the Waking State; a state not that dissimilar from the state in which nighttime dreams occur. He, no doubt, was informing us–as did Paramahansa Yogananda–that “Mind is the creator of everything.” Perhaps another quote, this time from Plato, will help us rock the boat a little harder:

“Reality is created by the mind; we can change our reality by changing our mind.”

It’s well known that Plato was an idealist. In case you’re not familiar with idealism, the following is the definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “a theory that ultimate reality lies in a realm transcending phenomena.” This basically means that all so-called matter is mental phenomena created by mind; and that our body-mind and the world exist solely in Consciousness. Buddha was spreading this very message when he stated that nothing had independent existence. William Blake and Anaïs Nin, respectively, delivered a similar message through the following two quotes:

“As a man is, so he sees.“

“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”

The position of idealism is at the very core of any worthwhile teachings of the Law of Attraction. It’s also what allows mystical verses from the Bible, such as “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee” from Job 22:28, to make sense. From the perspective of persons aboard the common boat called Materialism, the Law of Attraction may seem little more than positive thinking; but when you examine the current world situation (run by materialists), are you really so certain that you desire to continue to float along in their boat? If you board the boat christened Idealism, you’ll be setting out on the grandest voyage of discovery about your true Self–not the conceptual “i” that you’ve been conditioned to accept as identity. It’s obvious that if all takes place within a dream (the Waking State), there is no room for flesh and bones. Truth deems that we are so very much more: We are divine Spirit having an apparently human experience.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

“Feeling” The Prayer

Prayer, as everyone realizes, is a highly personal subject. Some persons pray every day, some only when a grave concern arises, and others never. The manner of prayer also differs greatly. Please know that I’m not trying to tell anyone the proper way to do anything. The purpose of this article is to offer a viewpoint and understanding of prayer expressed by Neville Goddard, which varies greatly from the common approach. Of Barbadian descent, Neville lived in the United States, where he lectured about mysticism and the Bible. Many, if not all, of his books are available in the public domain. I first discovered his numerous books through my passion for studying the Law of Attraction.

One of the key points related to the Law of Attraction teachings is that “we bring about what we think about.” As that relates to the subject of prayer, Goddard added that we must imbue our thoughts with the feeling of the wish fulfilled. When we’re imagining our desire, we must picture it “from” the desired end–whatever that might be. To visualize “of” the end, implies subject-object duality and, therefore, separation from the very results that we desire. So many persons are praying to a conceptual deity with the hope of “getting” a desired result in the future. It’s like trying to get wet from the concept of water. As Oneness and Nowness is the underlying Truth of the Universe, we must align our method of praying with that. To do so, we must claim (in our imagination) what we desire as existing NOW. Time (and space) is a concept rendered via the mind; but all experience occurs NOW–not at some conceptual future date. If this seems nonsensical, please try to experience “next Tuesday.” When Tuesday arrives, it can only be experienced NOW. Below are four teachings relating to prayer, which I’ve borrowed from Goddard’s books:

***

***

***

Many individuals approach prayer with an attitude of begging. While being humble in all of our dealings is certainly wise, an attitude of begging only amplifies the feeling of distance from the desire fulfilled. Contrary to popular belief, God does not play favourites with His children–bestowing blessings or curses based on good or bad behaviour. In mind, we must exemplifly our ideals (set a clear pattern) before they will become apparent through the senses. We must claim what we desire NOW; for what is impressed in the mind, will be expressed.

Bob Proctor, who is noted for his outstanding career related to the Law of Attraction, adds to this knowledge with the following statement: “You can only attract what you’re in harmony with.” To pray effectively–for improved health (even cure), abundant wealth, greater success greater–is to envision yourself with your desire fulfilled NOW. If you’re envisioning your desires as occuring in the future, such results are doomed to remain in a conceptual future. Given the challenging conditions that so many persons are experiencing, the subject of prayer–and pointers leading to more effective praying–seemed highly relevent.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

The “Real” McCoy

Many humans will only purchase brand name items. They wouldn’t be caught dead buying anything less. They want the genuine article, the best of the best; and yet how easily they are fooled into buying into a false “i”-dentity. The latter was certainly true of me. With regard to the subject of “Know Thyself,” we most often–through lack of awareness–settle for a knockoff. The origin of the expression that serves as the title of this article is debatable; but several sources state that it relates to Elijah McCoy. Born in Canada in 1844, he was the inventor of a lubricating device for steam locomotives that worked exceptionally well. Other inventors came up with imitation devices; but theirs were considered far less effective. Therefore, when persons desired the best, they asked for the “Real McCoy.” Do you?

***

Without knowing it, the majority of persons are letting the imitation “McCoy” run their lives without permission. This occurs for one simple reason: they’re unaware that it’s happening. The false self to which they’re accustomed seems to get the job done with vaying degrees of success; although most individuals admit that it swings between happiness and despair–often dramatically, in a short period of time. However, because the imitation McCoy is all that they consciously know, they put up with its imperfections and often patch it (the ego) up with a drink (or three), an affair, or a new car. Thus, happiness is regained, albeit temporarily. Without knowledge of the Real McCoy, we dwell in poverty. In the spiritual classic, I Am That, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj summarized the situation through the following words:

“Your begging bowl may be of pure gold, but as long as you do not know it, you are a pauper.”

We can logically understand that individuals never seek what they don’t know is missing. That’s why suffering–which no one would consciously invite–often provides the fertile ground for the growth of self-inquiry. When the imitation McCoy isn’t functioning well (perhaps due to divorce, financial struggles, or health issues), we may finally open our consciousness to a spiritual solution. We might find ourselves listening to a spiritual teacher, purchasing a book about our essential nature, or praying to God for the first time. The key that unlocks awareness of our deeper dimension is often handed to us very subtly.

There’s a simple test that can help you know if this is occurring in your life. Question: Do you believe that all you are is a person? If so, the false self (which is merely a collection of habitual thoughts and beliefs) has misdirected you with conceptual sleight of hand and convinced you that it is your sole identity. It’s not. As for the body, it’s a representational form within consciousness, whose apparent credibility is supported by sensations. The real “You” is removed from the polar swings that occur within the false self. It has no fear of death whatsoever because It knows that it is Life, Itself; therefore, beyond time, space, and all objects that apparently come and go.

We needn’t let the egoic self, which is rendered by the finite mind, rob us of our birthright of a joyful life. Our Real McCoy is Awareness, aka Consciousness. For some persons, it may feel more appropriate to refer to It by a reverent name such as God. Please realize, however, that the name can never be It. In daily life, all of us informally refer to it as “I.” To know our Real McCoy is to live an abundant life–to live from the still point of our Being. A little investigation (called self-inquiry) will help us discern the difference between the little “me” and true Self. The Real McCoy, is eternal, immortal, and irriducible. It is prior to the mind. Anything less is a poor imitation.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With deep love,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Not Until “I Am”

The world, as all of us realize, is currently reflecting a state of tremendous confusion. Everywhere we see evidence of this. Even if we’ve unplugged from mainstream media, someone–somewhere–is going to inform us of ongoing fear and strife. There is the continuing world story about an apparent virus; conflict related to a presidential election; illogical regulations and restrictions; joblessness; hunger; homeless persons living in tent cities in the middle of previously prosperous cities. Entrenched ways that were corrupt–and heartless–at their core are being revealed. This is not intended as a rant; for what we resist does, indeed, persist. The heart of this article relates to the Law of Attraction and the following verse from Proverbs 29:18:

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

What does this mean? It means that if we desire positive change beyond our current circumstances (refer to the above paragraph), we must see with eyes not of this world. In short, we must envision a new world. The Law of Attraction (we bring about what we think about) applies both personally and collectively. If we–through ignorance of our essential nature–continue to believe that we are merely stick figures called persons, our challenges will continue unabated. Ignorance of our true nature does not relieve us of the effects that we, as co-creators, are creating. We must apply vision–such a rare commodity these days. We must learn to ask ourselves–and know–what we desire to see. What kind of world do we wish to inhabit? Is it a world in which we live free? Is it a world in which we value qualities such as love, honor, and respect? Or is it a world in which only robotic actions, performed by unaware persons, are welcomed? To move beyond what is currently presenting, we must learn to have faith–not in a God outside of us; but in a vision which we, as incarnate aspects of God, envision. I offer the definition of faith, as defined in Hebrews 11:1:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

To understand what we’re currently witnessing on a deeper level, we may conceptualize humanity as a shared basket. All of us, whether knowingly or not, are spiritual basket weavers. Everyone is contributing, because what everyone thinks matters through the power of attention. We may ask ourselves what type of energy we are contributing to our universal basket. Are we offering the energy of fear or FAITH? Are we offering the energy of selfishness or GENEROSITY? Are we offering the energy of hatred or LOVE? Are we reinforcing–through focus–the current situation, or are we envisioning a BRIGHT NEW WORLD?

Not until we collectively unite and envision a positive future, will we see it. Not until we envision peace, will there be peace among nations. Not until we envision brotherly and sisterly love for everyone, will our interactions reflect that love. Not until we envision feeding the world’s hungry people, will everyone’s belly be full. Not until our hearts are purged of the negativity that has permeated our lives, will we see beauty rise, glorious and transcendent. Not until we have stopped gorging ourselves on problems, will we eat the fruit of solution-based thinking. Not until “I Am” reigns supreme over egos, will the selfish fires of humankind be extinguished.

What I’m asking you to do is to step outside the costume that has been masquerading as “you” and flex your spiritual power of Beingness. You, dear friends, are neither the body nor the mind; no more so than the boots in the corner of my kitchen. You are Divine Spirit…now. United in vision, we are capable of creating a bright new future. We arrive at that tomorrow by envisioning it as already existing…today, here and now. We are wise to embrace it, embody it, and wear it with every fiber of your being; for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

There Walk “I”

Existing on the superficial strata of life, we appear as though we walk and interact with apparent others. There is John; there is Mary; there is Bob, and there is Alice. They have a form, and they have a name; as do we. When we know ourselves only as the superficial little “i,” we, therefore, can only relate to the little “i” of everyone else. It’s just the way the system works; it is the balancing of perception. As we rise in consciousness, we gain clarity and understand more; we leave the level of egoic identity behind. Thus, “Dear God, please give me more understanding” is such a valuable prayer; outdone only by a heart full of gratitude for what is as it is.

The Truth is that each and every one of us is being walked. Under the illusion cast by Maya, we assume with absolute–but erroneous–certainty that we are the doers of our actions. Such is not the case; nor was it ever. How could characters in a dream life (the Waking State) actually walk themselves? There’s no room in this matrix for flesh and bones–only the appearance thereof. According to the nature of our hidden beliefs and conditioning, we are being walked by One Power; and the experience–both within and without–is known by One Knower. There is nothing but God, appearing as a multiplicity and diversity of forms. We–Divine Spirit–wear the disguise of apparent human of name and form. However, we are wise to remember that following expression is true, indeed: appearances can be deceiving.

This knowledge can lead to a deeper understanding that transcends the appearance of things. “There is John, Mary, Bob, and Alice,” thus, becomes “there walk I.” All sense of separation falls away, as easily as the sun slipping beneath the horizon. Everything and everyone is actually the Self, Consciousness. In Truth, such was always the case; only ignorance made it appear otherwise. The apparent personal “i” of name and form is but an illusion rendered by the mind–a total fabrication. When such is clearly understood, all conflict dissolves. A boxing ring with only One is lacking an opponent with whom to box.

What does this mean in terms of real and lasting effect when realized on a worldwide basis? When we are no longer a stranger to our real Self there dawns the realization that no one else is a stranger, either. They, too, are I; and I, too, am them. We, quite literally, become “One for All; and All for One.” Upon recognition, must we all don musketeer outfits? Of course not, we may keep our apparent individuality; but in our heart–where it matters most–we realize that We Are One. With this knowledge , the lyrics “mine eyes have seen the Glory” becomes so much more than words. They come to symbolize the path of transcendent peace and love.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Knowing Self As “No-Thing”

Working For “The One”

The Raping of The Sheep

The Body-Mind Manual

Entertaining “The Beast”

Rocking The Boat

“Feeling” The Prayer

The “Real” McCoy

Not Until “I Am”

There Walk “I”

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