Render Me “Human”

Spirit Child was four years of age, according to Earth years; but unlike almost all of his spirit friends, he still remembered his true Self. He was beginning to worry that his mission might be terminated due to incomplete memory loss. One night, he dreamed that he visited two men who were experts at teaching “Ways of the Human.” He humbly approached them, bowed, as a student to masters, and assumed a lotus position on the floor. The following is the content of his dream:

***

“We heard that you needed a little help,” said the first man. He and the other man were sitting upon a couch.

“Yes, Master,” replied Spirit Child.

“We don’t go for such formalities, here,” said the man. He tipped back a swig of beer. “You can call me, Sweenie.”

“Sweetie?” said Spirit Child, perplexed.

The second man broke into laughter. “He said, ‘Sweenie,’ little one! You can call me Darryl.”

“I apologize, Mr. Sweenie and Mr. Darryl; I misheard you.”

“It’s all good, kid,” said Sweenie. “Now, we better get on with this—we’ve got another consultation booked in an hour.”

“I understand. I would be eternally grateful if you could teach me how to be a human.”

“Sorry, kid,” said Darryl, with a wave of his hand. “If that’s what you’re looking for we might as well call this session finito right now.”

“Have I offended you in some way?” asked Spirit Child.

“No, Child,” said Sweenie. “It’s purely a glitch in understanding. We can teach you how to think like a human, how to talk like a human, and how to act like a human; but it’s important that you realize you can’t actually be human.”

“Why not?” asked Spirit Child.

Darryl took a draw on his cigarette, hacked a cough into his fist, and then addressed the question.”You see, little one, this so-called place is the Matrix; a world of apparent opposites. We label things good and bad; right or left; up or down. But you have to know that we can’t literally change your true nature, which is Oneness. Nobody can! Sweenie and I are the best of the best; but even we can’t do that! What you truly are can’t change; it’s actually the backdrop of everything that happens here.

“I see,” said Spirit Child.

Sweenie leaned forward and looked Spirit Child in the eyes. “At this point,” he said, “I think it will save a lot of time if you just close your eyes, relax fully, and let the messages that I’m about to tell you sink deep into your subconscious mind. Let me hypnotize you in the human ways. If all goes well, you’ll feel their full effects in the coming years.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sweenie,” said Spirit Child innocently.

Sweenie rolled his eyes at Darryl, and then said, “Okay, kid, here we go. Listen up.”

***

“To become an apparent human, it’s important that you absolutely believe that you are nothing more than name and form–no ifs, ands, or buts. You can’t question that for a second! When someone calls your name, you gotta stand up and know that you’re human! Anything beyond that has got to seem a pipe dream. Do you hear me?”

“Yesss,” replied Spirit Child softly. His eyes remained closed; his body, still.

Sweenie nodded to Darryl, who took a swig from his beer and then gave the “thumbs up” sign.

“If you want to act like a good human, you’ve got to treat everything as an object with a name—including persons. You have to see according to the dualistic way. There’s none of that Oneness stuff allowed here. Humans see life differently; everybody believes that they’re separate from one another. You’ve also gotta learn how to compete; and the sooner, the better. You have to place a great deal of importance on winning; and after you win, you gotta win some more. You have to chase happiness as though it’s great big ol’ teddy bear, waiting for you in an imaginery place called the future. Oh, and it really helps if you learn how to subtly brag. Name dropping, financial status, and social position are favored here; so do your best to fit in. You gotta be full of yourself; but the trick is to appear humble. In other words, be proud, but keep it your own little secret.

When life goes wrong (and trust me, it will), you have to blame others for all of your shortcomings and problems. To give this human life the best that you’ve got—indulge in a lot of fear, anger, guilt, shame, and sometimes even hatred; and if you’re expectations aren’t fulfilled and you have an opportunity to get stressed, take it! React, don’t respond; that’s the predominant human way. It’s also vital that you ignore your intuition; override it whenever you get a chance. Instead, try to find your way through the darkness by the light of your own noodle. Leave any thoughts of God and divine assistance completely out of the picture.”

***

Darryl signaled to Sweenie and tapped his watch; it was time for the session to conclude. “Okay, Spirit Child, your session is over,” said Sweenie. And with that, Spirit Child blinked his eyes, yawned, and stretched. It was time to get out of bed. His so-called real mom was calling him for breakfast.

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” 🙏🏻🧡

In The Case of “Stupid”

“All rise,” said the bailiff in a booming voice–there was a loud shuffle of feet as members of the courtoom stood. The bailiff continued: “Court is now in session. The honourable Judge Mary Bullwinkle is presiding.”

The judge ascended the two steps to the raised platform and assumed her position behind the bench.

Mr. Travolta, the attorney for the defense, raised his hand.

“Something on your mind?” said Judge Bullwinkle, with a frown.

“Yes,” your Honour, “may I approach the bench?”

“Only if you do a funny walk.”

Without batting an eye, Mr. Travolta stepped out from behind his desk, did a slide step right, a scoot to the left, and a two-step goose step. After a brief moonwalk, he was there–in front of the bench. Ms. Ciriello, the Crown Prosecutor, sedately stepped forward and joined him.

“Nice work, Travolta,” said Judge Bullwinkle as she leaned forward. “You realize this is highly irregular. We haven’t even begun.”

“Yes, your Honour, I’m well aware; but I believe I can supply evidence that can end this trial before it even begins.”

“Hmph, we’ll see about that,” muttered Ms. Ciriello.

While the members of the court remained standing, the two attorneys conferred in whispers with the judge. Finally Judge Bullwinkle gave a nod and motioned for the bailiff to approach the bench. After he listened to her instructions, he nodded assent and turned around to face the members of the court.

When the attorneys were standing behind their respective desks, the bailiff nervously said, “All of you may now be seated–ahem, except the stupid ones.”

A great kerfuffle erupted. The members of the court sat, stood up again, turned right and left, and yo-yoed between standing or seated positions.

“Do I look stupid?” one elderly woman beseechingly asked the person next to her. “Not particularly,” came the reply.

“I got a “C” once in Home Ed. Does that count?” asked another lady.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” exclaimed a man behind her. “Letters don’t count–numbers do!”

“I’ve never been good with directions,” said one woman nervously. “I got lost twice coming here!”

“I don’t know a great deal about cooking,” stated one man with a glum expression. “I’ve been eating bacon and eggs for years–don’t know how to cook anything else.”

“I flunked History and Geography in high school,” said a young woman.

“My ten-year-old son had to solve my Rubik’s Cube for me,” stated a mother, close to weeping.

“I once purchased polyester slacks,” blurted another lady. “Honestly, I thought they were cotton!”

“I’ve been married six times,” said one lady. “Does that make me stupid?”

“Of course not!” exclaimed the man to her right. “I’m on my seventh–practice, my dear, practice!”

The see-saw of the members of the court seemed unstoppable. With a stern expression, Judge Bullwinkle finally reached for her gavel and slammed it down hard. “Order!” she exclaimed. “All of you–sit down, now!”

Mr. Travolta adjusted his tie. “May I, your Honor?,” he asked with a wave of his hand.

“I wish that you would,” replied Judge Bullwinkle, “since you’re the cause of this mess.”

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” he began.

Suddenly the doors at the back of the courtroom flung open as Jack Nicholson burst into the room and snapped off his trademark sunglasses. After positioning himself mid aisle, he shook a scowl onto his face and bellowed, “You can’t handle the truth!”

“C’mon, Jack, ” said Mr. Travolta, “is this really necessary?”

“Not at all,’ said Jack, grinning nonchalantly. “A guy named Art Russell asked me to do a walk-on.” He then saluted the court, snapped his heels together, and marched from the courtroom.

Mr. Travolta rolled his eyes at the court reporter and said, “Now, where was I?”

The reporter carefully scanned her computer and said, “yada, yada, yada.”

“Oh yes,” said Mr. Travolta, “thank you. I assert that my client, Mr. Dimwatt, has been unjustly accused of “Gross Stupidity” and that all charges against him should be dropped immediately! We’ve just had proof–right here, in this very courtroom–that even you fine folks can’t determine if you’re stupid unless you compare yourselves against someone else. Humans have this insane habit of judging themselves by appearance and performance. It’s nonsense! Isn’t it true that each and every one of us has strengths and weaknesses? Aren’t all of us gifted in our own ways? I’ll tell you what’s really stupid, folks:

Trying to be like everyone else!

Be yourself, shine!

We’re meant to share our unique gifts for the common good.

I strongly urge you–in fact, I beg of you–to find Mr. Dimwatt NOT GUILTY, on all counts! Finally, Mr. Travolta spun around to face Judge Bullwinkle and spiked his best Saturday Night Fever impression. He then bowed and said, “Your Honour, I rest my case.”

Given a few moments to reflect upon the case (and the secret knowledge that she had flunked the Bar Exam twice, and always been a Jack Nicholson fan), Judge Bullwinkle snapped down her gavel and proclaimed, “Case dismissed! Mr. Dimwatt is free to go.”

***

Believe it or not, there’s actually a point to the story: The competitive mindset of humankind is the cause of great suffering and misery. If we desire to express our greatest potential, we must learn to accentuate what’s positive and embrace our innate creativity. We must cast aside our habit of judging ourselves against the appearance and performance of so-called others. Each of us is a miracle, with unique talents and intrinsic value. Isn’t it time that we learned to love ourselves…just…as…we…are?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Affirming Truth

It’s almost inevitable that anyone who is earnest about studying the Law of Attraction will come across the following famous quote attributed to Henry Ford. It has become an integral part of the human story, especially as it pertains to motivation. Unfortunately, the depth of its meaning is often lost to most persons. The quote reads as follows:

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

The quote is truly inspiring; but it may lead many individuals to conclude–understandably so–that if we focus on our goal, work extremely hard, and apply ourselves diligently that we can achieve whatever we desire. However, there is a huge chunk of missing information that must be known and understood if we desire to manifest more effectively. For the majority of individuals, the information will seem so astonishing as to be unbelievable. Before we delve deeper, please read the next quotation; it’s from Andrew Carnegie, who was once considered the richest man in the world:

“Any idea that is held in the mind, that is emphasized, that is either feared or revered, will begin to clothe itself in the most convenient and appropriate form available.”

Are you curious why a man who–apparently–achieved such incredible financial success would write such a quote? What could he possibly have meant by writing that ideas held in the mind would begin to clothe themselves in form? Mr. Carnegie did not inform us to work really hard, forfeit our heath, and sacrifice our family life in an effort to achieve our goals. So, just what was he really suggesting? Could it be that he and a relatively few others knew a secret–unrealized by the masses–by which they wielded a scepter of great power? Let’s open our minds to more understanding by reading the following quote from Napoleon Hill, who was commissioned by Mr. Carnegie to write Think and Grow Rich, which is still considered one of the best motivational books of all time:

“More gold has been mined from the minds of men than the earth it self.”

What could Napoleon Hill have possibly been trying to convey through such a quotation? I mean, really, Napoleon–get a grip! Let’s read his words again in an attempt to absorb their full meaning: “More gold has been mined from the minds of men than the earth it self.” Nonsense–at least from the human perspective; for any logical thinking human knows that gold is mined from the earth–that real stuff beneath our feet. The following passage from Mark 9:23 may add to our growing curiosity:

Jesus said unto him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Could it be that the Bible and other sacred books actually hold great truths that have been thrown aside by the majority of persons due to innocent ignorance? Is it possible that we could be healed if we changed our fundamental beliefs about the nature of reality? Could this explain why placebos (sugar pills) often outperform supposed “actual” drugs in test trials? The next quotation is borrowed from This Mysterious Universe by James Jeans, who was a noted English physicist and astronomer:

“The Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter… we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.”

The true secret related to the Law of Attraction eluded me for many years, in spite of my reading a great many books related to the subject. Such is understandable; for we’ve been strongly conditioned to blindly accept the materialist perspective, which supposes that objects exist independent of the mind. They do not. For more than one hundred years, science has realized that mind and matter are irrefutably linked. The original Buddha shared Truth twenty-five hundred years ago through the following quote:

“Events happen, deeds are done, consequences happen, but there is no individual doer of any deed.”

To understand this fully, we must deeply investigate the very nature of our Being. We must be relentless; we must ask ourselves What–not who–we truly are. Here’s the answer: We are Spirit, whether we’re aware of the fact or not. What is impressed upon the mind (as Andrew Carnegie expressed) will be expressed as the apparent circumstances of our so-called human life. Right now, as you read the lines upon this page, YOU ARE DREAMING; but the majority of human beings are asleep to this fact. Let’s add to my words through a passage from Open Secret, by Wei Wu Wei, who was a respected author and scholar of philosophy and metaphysics:

“Our dreamed ‘selves,’ autonomous in appearance, as in life, can be seen in awakened retrospect to be puppets totally devoid of volitional possibilities of their own.”

The person that you think you are is rendered by the mind and is conceptual only. Enlightenment means to awaken from the dream of personhood to the awareness of our essential nature, which is Presence. Sages have been aware of this since time immemorial. We do not live on a planet made of matter; we live in a realm that exists in Consciousness, as do our body-minds.

For readers who believe this is ludicrous, it may help to know that René Descartes considered this, although he ultimately backed away from the position. His famous quote–“I think, therefore I am”–is backward; rather, it should read: “I am, therefore I think.” To realize this can be of tremendous benefit. According to our degree of faith, we may remedy at least part of our apparent lacks–in health, wealth, and relationships–through a change in our beliefs. This means, of course, that we must be careful about what we intentionally–and unintentionally–impress upon the mind. And, yes, this definitely applies to what has been impressed upon us during the current world situation. Wake up, wake up, wake up!

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Role” Call

Many of us may be familiar with an old but well-known hymn entitled “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder.” It’s been performed by numerous musical artists, including Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, and Willie Nelson. From what I know of the hymn, its lyrics relate hearing the trumpet call and being called back to be with the Lord, in the non-physical realm, For many, the song may offer comfort in times of grief; and to those I offer my sincere apology in advance as I share this article, which relates an account of a very different “role” being called. I’ll set the scene by sharing that it occurs up yonder and involves an interaction between God and a spirit child with a playful nature. Off we go:

***

God (thinking, clipboard in “hand”): “Okay, please listen up, folks. I’ve just received a somewhat urgent request for a baby on Earth. A couple who lost a baby boy at birth a couple of years ago has their hearts set on conceiving again.”

Spirit Child (eagerly peering over the shoulders of other spirit children, thinking): “Ahh, lovely, a baby, for a couple who dearly desire another child. That’s so nice. “

God (intending clearly and informatively). “The mission is set to depart at 07:00 tomorrow (their time); so whoever goes would be wise to pack their spiritual bags tonight.”

Crowd: (muffled whispery-type thinking): “Ruh-bah, ruh-bah, ruh-ba-hah. Wonder who it will be!“

Spirit Child (shifting, feeling an intuitive twinge at The Master’s call, thinking): “But I don’t really want to leave so soon. I just got back, realitvely speaking; and that last trip was a doosey, as you well know. Mexico–lovely country, but had a dreadful time. Intestinal bug, abundant diarrhea. Ring a bell?”

God (shifting “eyebrows,” with stern but loving look, thinking): “Do you want to evolve…or not?”

Spirit Child (hopeful of being excused): “Oh yes–love to learn. Nothing like it. Let me tell you, I learned a lot during that Mexican vacation. Eat at the resort–ONLY!“

God (making a symbolic “check mark” on the list on the clipboard, followed by a wink): “Love you!”

Spirit Child (rolling eyes): “Love you, too. Don’t worry, I’ll make you proud. I better go pack–07:00 comes early.”

***

Now, to the actual point of this article: You are not now–nor ever were–the role you play here on Earth. That’s it. You are not your body; not your mind; not your gender; not your career; not your degree of success or failure; not your bank account; not your nationality; not your colour, not your race; neither a writer (say, what!) nor non-writer. All of us are far grander than any of our descriptions. In I Am That, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj stated the following: “You can only be what you are in reality; you can only appear to be what you are not.” We are Spirit (Consciousness), eternal. Our suffering occurs when we erroneously identify with being the role we play. There’s a deeper dimension of Self that’s waiting to be recognized. Are you curious? If so, look within.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Arrogance, Thy Name is “Human”

Humankind (collectively) is free, indeed, even to display its ignorance. In celebration of our apparent dominion over nature and foreign nations, we are free to march our merry band and proclaim ourselves rulers of the Universe; but as we do, we simultaneously–unknowingly–proudly wave our own arrogance and ignorance like flags of honour. Time and time again we do this; for we are unaware, but unaware that we are unaware. How staunchly humankind proclaims that God has no place in the Universe; that we arose to our self-appointed high-and-mighty position through our ingenuity and marvelous talents. Like dancing apes, we pat ourselves over the latest Plexiglas innovations deemed to keep ourselves safe; for we, humans, will prevail. H O G W A S H. We are gnats (although fine ones), unaware that we are riding an Elephant. “Look how mightily we thunder along!” we cry. “We stomp; we shake the earth; we know!”

Anyone with even the slightest interest in neuroscience realizes that we don’t have a clue how consciousness arises. We guess, we theorize, and we assume. Scientists observe correlative activity in the brain; but the fact remains: We Do Not Know. Yet, we presume that we rule the Earth via a strange and magical combination of neural processes that gives rise to the little “i” within each of our cranium. We claim this, but we cannot prove it. Why? Because it’s an assumption that is false through and through. The Elephant referred to in the first paragraph is God, aka Consciousness. The majority of humankind rides ITs back without knowing that our very lives depend upon IT. If God were not, we would not be. Simple as that. From Acts 17:28, we may read the following:

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

Our collective egos gag in discomfort with this verse; for it not only suggests but states–outright–that humankind is not as independent as it claims. Oh, yes, we are willing to admit that we let God do some activities (such as creating our babies, healing our cuts, and pumping our hearts), but still we insist on burying God’s light within the depth of our own ignorance. For what? Is human pride and belief in lies worth that much? What is to be gained by denying the way, the truth, and the life that lovingly and unconditionally gives that we, too, may live?

The fact is that humans are being lived. To believe that we possess volition from the body-mind perspective is to believe–as does a child seated behind the wheel of an electric circus car–that we are steering. The majority of persons will strongly deny this fact; for their egos cry, “Balderdash, I decide and I act!” For a contemplative few, this might seem depressing; but such need not be the case. Although living by Truth, as an aspect of Truth, involves surrender of the false personal identity, we, thereby, gain understanding that we are an aspect of That which is real and everlasting. From this vantage point, we realize that humanness is bondage, but Spirit is absolutely free.

Until humanind recognizes it’s true nature, the creation will express less power and knowledge than the Creator; yet with sly arrogant pride, humankind beats its chest and proclaims that it somehow–miraculously–creates itself. How, dear readers, would we even begin from the human perspective? Do we have the slightest clue of how to propagate our species? We realize, of course, the functions of gender required in mating, but do we know how to orchestrate the grand cellular symphony required to create a human? No, that is done for us–a gift of God. How patient God is, silent and still, as humankind takes bow after bow upon this stage called “life on Earth.” Upon reflection, we have opportunity to richly express our thanks for our very life. It may become our heart song of gratitude to our Creator.

Special Note: I, Art Russell, did not write this article. By myself I can do nothing. It is the Father that dwelleth in me that doeth the works.

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”

“True-Self” Centeredness

Regarding the title of this article: Please know that I am not advocating living a lowercase “self”-centered life; we already have more than enough of that present in the world. I speak from experience; for I kept “Art,” the persona that I once believed myself to be, fed, watered, and distracted for many years. In the end, “he” (although well-intentioned) proved not only tiring but also frustrating. Such is the way of the false self; it is never satisfied.

Now, I realize that “my” happiest days–paradoxically–are when there is little sense of a personal “i.” My suffering, which could not be alleviated through the usual ways of this world (think: possessions, careers, relationships, and vacations), finally led to a crack in the shell of the guy that professed to be me. I saw that beneath the facade of Art there is a profound Reality that does not need to try to be anything. It just is. It is true Self, Universal Spirit. By this I do not mean to suggest that I found a new way of being, or acquired some sort of spiritual badge to be pinned to Art’s lapel. I recognized (to know again) the domain of true Self, the silent witness of our human drama.

To be established in true Self is, indeed, to live from the center of our Being. It is a Unitive Power; for it recognizes Itself in everything and everyone. There are no strangers from this perspective of living; for we are all recognized as spiritual family. It is That–uppercase “Self”–to which the title of this article refers. To state that such is pure bliss may be an overstatement; but to knowingly live from the perspective of Truth is definitely more peaceful than existing as the false self. Why? Because the false self, which is divisive and competitive by nature, is actually the root of all of our so-called problems. Now, from the perspective of Awareness, the thoughts of “what’s in this for me?” rarely, if ever, occur. If they do, they are recognized as the shenanigans of the little self attempting to diminish the unconditioned quality of life.

How do we realize true Self and establish ourselves in the center of our Being? The good news is that there is nothing to be done; for no amount of doing can transform us into what we already “are.” There is nothing to be acquired. Only ego would dare to proclaim that climbing yet another mountain is required to be enough. We need only recognize that we are–already–That which we seek. I know of no better way to recognize this Truth than to let go of all of our doing. The transcendent dimension of true Self can be found in silent stillness; for that is the trademark of Its nature.

There, dear friends, is what I meant by being “Self Centered.” This is true Self, the Source in which we live and move and have our being. It is unchanging, immortal, eternal, and irreducible. This is the discovery beyond all discoveries; the inner treasure for which we seek. It needs nothing; for out of It arises everything. It is the center of our Being, and It can be known–directly–now.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Bye, Bye, Ego–Hello “Videhi”

For many long years, I believed (as you may still believe of yourself) that I was the body-mind, aka “person.” It would have seemed insane to deny the apparent but erroneous conclusion. Thus, if Art’s body was physically satisfied and his mind mentally stable, “i” was content and happy. If such was not the case, Art used distraction, deliberate focus, and self-help books to rectify the situation. But here’s the rub, of which you’re probably well aware: At some point after circumstances slide to the polar opposite of pain and suffering (pain free happiness), the forces of this earthly realm, which are always in play, invariably slide the person back into challenging situations. Such is the human predicament.

Although none of us would choose suffering as a first (or last) choice as a method to “wise up,” it does serve a useful purpose. As I’ve mentioned previously, suffering reminds us that we have strayed too far from the Truth of our Being and need to change our ways. The degree of our suffering will be different for each of us; for although we are one in Essence, we are unique in character and form. Problems are relative to the person having them. We might view suffering as a tireless loving parent. “Be careful,” suffering shouts, “you’ll get burned if you touch the hot stove!” And time and again, we reach for the hot stove. Is there a way to avoid such needless suffering?

Yes! The solution (which is seemingly insane, yet paradoxically beautiful) occurs when we transcend the perspective of the person and recognize our essential nature. We discover the Truth: That we are in the world, but not of it. Problems are inherent to the body-mind perspective because the person is a creation of mind and, therefore, unstable. One minute, the person is happy; the next minute sad. To overcome suffering, we must realize that the body-mind is not who we are; it’s a constume that’s worn during this incarnation.

Let’s now investigate the Marathi term videhi from the title of this article, in the hope of gleaning more understanding. I was unfamiliar with the word until I noticed it in a book entitled Amrut Laya, The Stateless State by Shri Sadguru Siddharameshwar. In the book, he shared the account of a king who sought a guru to help him recognize his essential nature beyond name and form. The king eventually did; and thereafter the king was referred to as a videhi, meaning “he without a body.” From an online Marathi-English dictionary, we find the following definition: 1. Disembodied, released from the body. 2. Weaned from bodily and earthly enjoyments and pursuits. Please don’t be alarmed by the term disembodied; it’s not as ghoulish as it may seem. Such only means that you realize–here and now–that you’re not the body-mind. You know that you can’t possibly be who you think yourself to be.

Truth: You are Consciousness, Itself–an immortal Being, beyond this place called Earth. Your true Self is of the same quality and nature as that of God, only varying in degree. Your entire life story is but a divine play of God. To realize this directly, I earnestly suggest that you enter the stillness of meditation on a daily basis; for it’s in the placeless place beyond the mind that you will discover that, indeed, you are now–and always have been–a videhi. Awareness is commonly assumed to arise due to body-mind functions; but such has never been proven by science, and it never will be. The Truth is that the body-mind arises due to Consciousness; not the other way around. Bye, bye, ego. Please take your suffering with you.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Tree House Talk

One might naturally assume that with the last name of Biggley, Hector would have been saddled with a few extra pounds; but such was not the case. He was quite thin, despite having an appetite that easily convinced him to clean his plate at every meal. On the other hand, Ronny Rail, was on the heavy side, despite being force-fed leafy greens by his parents. Such is life. The boys, who were ten and nine respectively, had been best friends for five whole years. On this day, they were sitting in their shared tree house, talking about life. Topics such as smoking, stealing, and doing drugs had already been discussed and unanimously voted down; and the subject of dating girls wasn’t yet on the agenda.

“My mom is a big fan of somethin’ called the Law of Attraction,” blurted Hector. He opened a small bag of salt and vinegar chips and began to munch.

“What’s that?” asked Ronny. He dug into his coat pocket and removed the tupperware container with carrot sticks that his dad had packed for him.

“She says that it’s a spiritual law; that what we send out as thoughts comes back to us, kinda like a boomerang.”

Ronny’s mind immediately dashed off to the time when he and Johnny Brewer had gone to a playground with Johnny’s new birthday boomerang. They’d thrown that thing for hours, but couldn’t get it to come back. “Carrot stick?” Ronny said temptingly, as he held out the Tupperware container.

“Nah, thanks, though,” said Hector as he continued to munch his chips.

To Ronny, Hector’s response seemed to disprove this whole thing about the Law of Attraction. He took a bite of a carrot and said, “What else did she say?”

“She said a lot,” said Hector. “She said that the Universe was always watching–that it knew everything. She said that when you gave something, you had to offer sincerely or the offer was more like bartering.”

“Bartering?”

“Yeah, you know. That’s when you offer something but you’re really thinking about getting instead of giving.”

Ronnie’s adam’s apple bobbled and his eyebrows raised by their own volition. “You don’t say,” he said. Point noted, he filed it away in his young mind. “She tell you anything else?”

“She said the law of attraction really works–that it was how she’d turned our home business into a success. She tol’ me that she visualized every day, just for a few minutes.

“What’s that?” asked Ronny.

“You know. It’s when you imagine what you really want. You picture it as already having it in your mind.”

Again, Ronnie’s mind darted off to the image of the chips, the bag of which was now crumpled on the tree house floor. “Maybe next time I’ll focus more strongly,” he thought.

“Mom tol’ me that when we think positively, send out good feelings to the Universe, and are kind to people, it’s a lot more likely that we’ll get that kind of treatment back. She said we should be nice to everyone.”

“Everyone?” said Ronny.

“Yup, everyone,” replied Hector.

“You don’t think that means we even have to be nice to our little sisters?”

Hector paused for a moment, giving the question its full due. “Nah,” he said, with a shake of his head. “That’s different.”

“Whew,” said Ronny; and with the subject settled, the boys descended the tree house ladder and headed home.

***

One of the verses that sums up this spiritual law is found in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” The verse is intended as good advice, to help us improve the quality of our lives. What do you think, folks, worth a sincere try?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Beyond Appearances

The conversation, which had begun pleasantly enough with idle chit-chat about the weather, sports, and the price of fuel, was morphing into ugliness right in front of Walt’s eyes. The tow truck driver, “Mike” by the name tag stitched to his coveralls, seemed oblivious to the pain he was inflicting. Had it not been pouring rain, and his Volkswagen Rabbit not been hooked to the winch, Walt would have told Mike to stop the truck and gotten out. Non responsiveness wasn’t working, either; it only seemed to fuel Mike’s pressing desire to talk. His hatred seemed boundless as he spewed forth racial slurs, epithets, and insults upon anyone who he deemed deserving.

Onward they travelled westward, jostling in the truck. The windshield wipers obliged with clichéd wump-wump as they beat back the rain. The town in which Walt lived, and the dealership at which they would drop off his car, was only a few minutes away. Walt mouthed a silent “thank you” that he had learned long ago (during a lengthy learning curve) that to engage in verbal battle only risked losing the war. Years prior, he would have foolishly stood toe to toe with such a judging character and, thereby, ignorantly proclaimed himself as judge and jury also. No, not this time. He would be a good soldier and stand down for the rest of this ride.

Not soon enough, they arrived at the dealership. Mike proudly exited the cab; and Walt, as though on automatic pilot, stepped down from the cab and watched as Mike unhooked his car. His only subtle retribution was to refuse to bite the bait of Mike’s hint that “for a few bucks” he could do him a favour by breaking company rules and taxi him home from the closed dealership. “No, thanks,” Walt said, “the walk will do me good.”

“Have it your way,” Mike said, with a toss of his head. Walt watched as the tow truck sped away, and then slung his small backpack over his shoulder and began to walk.

***

At home, Walt immediately changed out of his soggy clothes and gave thanks that the evening was drawing to a close. Still, the events of the evening ride in the tow truck lingered. He realized that persons such as Mike were actually full of self loathing. But what did he know beyond assumptions of Mike’s background? Had he been exposed to such abuse, or even battery, when a child, or told that he was worthless? How had he become filled with such hatred of others? Walt knew that to give love, you must first have it to give. Mike hadn’t expressed anything that even remotely resembled love.

Walt climbed into bed and shut out the light on the bedside table; but he soon realized that sleep was playing hide and seek with him; and no matter how much he tossed and turned, he just couldn’t find it. As with all matters that bothered him, especially those labelled “don’t-know-what to-do,” Walt surrendered the troubling issue to his divine Creator. He followed his instincts and quietly mouthed the following words:

Dear God,

Please help me to see with Your understanding;

To look beyond this world of appearance

And be a conduit of Your wisdom.

Oh, and please look after Mike.

Amen.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Beyond “Mice and Men”

John Steinbeck, who is one of my favourite authors, won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1962. His novella entitled Of Mice and Men would undoubtedly be considered one of John Steinbeck’s literary gems. Although shorter than some of his other masterpieces, which include Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, it is on par with their greatness. This morning, I was struck by an epiphany, which I believe may be at least part of what dear Mr. Steinbeck desired to share with the reader. The revelation relates to the subject matter of my blog and my passion for sharing knowledge related to our higher nature. For those who may not be familiar with his novella, the plot is summarized as follows:

***

The protagonists of the novella, which is set in Soledad, California during The Great Depression, are George Milton and Lennie Small. George is an intelligent man and plays the role of a brotherly figure to Lennie, who is big, strong, and mentally challenged. They both work as migrant farm labourers whenever opportunity presents. We first meet them in a secluded setting down by a river. Lennie has convinced George to retell the details of their dream to one day own a little place which they can call home.

The following day, they begin work on a nearby ranch. As usual, George guides Lennie forward, and all goes well for a while. Key characters are introduced, including the bosses’ son, Curley, and his wife. As the plot unfolds, we’re given a glimpse the characters’ underlying hopes, fears, and dreams. It’s also revealed that Lennie enjoys petting mice, which he often likes to keep in his pocket. At one point, George discovers that Lennie has accidentally killed another mouse; an issue about which he has previously warned him. Within a few days, Lennie accidentally kills a puppy he’s been given, which foreshadows more drama to come.

The suspense builds towards climax when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s flirtatious wife by breaking her neck. He’s clearly incapable of controlling his inherent nature. When her body is discovered, several of the farm workers form a lynch mob and search for George and Lennie, who have fled the ranch and sought refuge back at the secluded location by the river. The book ends with George mercifully shooting his friend before the approaching lynch mob have a chance to hang him.

***

Although the specific details relating to characters and goals differ from ours, are the general ones really that dissimilar? Don’t all of us desire to find our place in the sun and feel content and at peace? However, all of our hopes and dreams–even if one day achieved–will eventually pass away. To the masses, this may seem tragic; but such will appear particularly so if we’re deeply attached to the person, which is our false identity. Buddha referred to the human condition as dukkha, which basically means suffering or frustration. Jesus endured persecution by the ignorant masses in an effort to reveal to us our true nature. Must we die, as did the helpless mouse and puppy? Human incarnation is a precious gift; for it provides a unique opportunity to recognize our essential nature. Unfortunately, such is often squandered by the masses. Is there an escape from such a seemingly tragic predicament? Yes.

The solution is to discover (re-cognize, know again) the true Self that transcends the “person,” which is actually illusory. We are so much more than body-minds. Discovering Truth requires that we become earnestly curious about our essential nature. In a strange paradox, we discover What–not who–we are by shedding the layers of the false self. Our true Self is eternal, immortal, and irreducible. And that, my dear friends, is a glorious non-end worth realizing before your character’s life draws to a conclusion. Here and now is a great place to begin.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Render Me “Human”

In The Case of “Stupid”

Affirming Truth

“Role” Call

Arrogance, Thy Name is “Human”

“True-Self” Centeredness

Bye, Bye, Ego–Hello “Videhi”

Tree House Talk

Beyond Appearances

Beyond “Mice and Men”

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