Our Ruts of Fear

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of the word rut, as it relates to how I am applying it within this article, is as follows: “a track worn by a wheel or by habitual passage.” With regard to the human condition, persons often have certain ruts of fear that threaten, or outright sabotage, our quality of life. For example, some individuals may be fearful of spiders, crowds, or dogs, which, thereby, limit their exploration of environments in which any of those three might be present. For other persons, the ruts of fear may be related to larger subjects, such as love, success, or fame. In any of these cases, either specific or general, our mental ruts are formed by repeatedly travelling the pathways of our fears.

At subconscious levels of our Being, our personal ruts of fear–which pretend to keep us safe–apply their subtle and subversive techniques and manipulation. At the brink of escape, as we reach for that which we most yearn, so-called logic or common sense, often claws us back or blocks our pathway to success. It is then that the voice of the rut, most often disguised as a friend, whispers its haunting message: “Come back; come back to the safety of the known.” If given attention, our ruts of fear actually choke our lives of the very reason we breathe in the first place:

If not for the more joyful expression of the gifts within us,

why do we live?

Dear Readers: Please hear this message and let it resonate deeply within your heart. In all of our issues of life, greater awareness is the magic key to greater accomplishment and joy. Let not your ruts of fear keep you apparently safe, while the clock of your lifetime ticks the minutes away. It is only by examining our fears by the Light of Consciousness that they diminish.

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Omnipresence Overlooked

Books related to the law of attraction often share mysterious-sounding titles: The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne; The Hidden Power, by Thomas Troward; Discover the Power Within You, by Eric Butterworth; The Secret of The Ages, by Robert Collier; and The Master Key System, by Charles F. Haanel. Cynical readers might naturally assume that the intention behind such catchy titles is solely financial gain through the sale of books–that the content couldn’t possibly match the titles’ claims. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although I can’t speak to the content of every law of attraction book, I can speak for those listed above because I’ve read them. If you’re willing to move forward in faith and deep curiosity about your essential nature, perhaps you will one day agree.

The crux of the secret is related to true identity. To realize the mystery that lies beyond our assumptions, we must be a discerning safe cracker about “What“–not who–we actually are. We must apply ourselves to understanding with an open mind. If we persist, the tumblers will eventually click into alignment, and the safe door will yawn open. This isn’t an exaggeration. It’s the reason why the esoteric book entitled The Kybalion contains the following mystical passage:

“The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding.”

The passage means that a knower is wise enough not to share information until the student is capable of comprehension. Through the law of attraction, the teacher and student will be brought together when the time is right. To the teacher, the student’s earnest curiosity is a telling sign of readiness. With regard to this, another mystical saying is also true:

It takes one to know one.

What, though, is the benefit of realizing the secret to which the books allude? The secret that must be realized is quite literally priceless. In the Bible, it’s referred to as the pearl of great price. To find it (the kingdom of heaven), we must dive deep into the nature of our Being. When clearly understood, the secret gives access to power beyond compare.

The greatest challenge related to this mystical secret is that it can only be via direct experience. To gain information about it isn’t enough. To find the secret related to identity, look within–you’re not who you think you are!

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Washed By The Lord

In John 13: 1-7, it’s stated that Jesus washed his disciples’ feet the night before he was to be crucified. Why would He perform such an act? From my understanding, the reason was to signify that they, too, were temples of the living God; whether they realized it or not. His message to them—and to us, still—is that we must be cleansed of our erroneous belief that we’re the false self (ego) and realize that we are God incarnate, the Christ. By washing their feet (which would have been considered a humbling act), Jesus symbolically demonstrated that they were of equal greatness as He. The following two passages offer more information about our essential nature:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

John 14:12

***

“I and the Father are one.”

John 10:30

The confusion regarding our true origin is certainly understandable. For That which is One to take an apparently human journey (and experience the world which It, Itself, is creating on moment to moment basis), It must willingly veil Its true nature from Itself. There’s no other way that such may occur. The apparent strife that we witness is created by, and due to, confusion regarding our true identity. Because of this, humanity suffers the painful consequences of one another’s innocent ignorance. Another valuable passage is found in John 8: 32:

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The Truth that will set us free is a higher state of Consciousness. In other words, we must knowingly rise. When we recognize our essential nature, we are liberated from the delusional belief of being the person. This is not a conceptual occurrence, as many assume. It occurs when we realize—via direct experience—our true Self. Through meditation, we discover that we aren’t who we think we are.

How does being washed by the Lord improve living conditions on Earth? Let’s logically contemplate the question and see if we may discover a sensible answer. The majority of us have most likely witnessed, or directly experienced, the strife that can arise when persons disagree. When this happens in our personal relationships, we experience conflict or abuse in varying degrees. When it occurs amongst nations, we are subjected to wars that promise peace via violence against one another. How in heaven’s name can such an approach ever bring peace?

A solution of deeper understanding is available. If we are washed with the Spirit of the Lord and, thereby, recognize one another’s shared Unity, what conflict could arise? Who, in seeing their Self in an apparent “other” could ever lift a hand in aggression? Who, in knowing the Truth of our shared Being, could live in a manner contrary to peace, harmony, and love? The sooner that we are all washed by the Lord the better our apparent world will be.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The “I Am” Family Reunion

As Katherine Dafoe marched toward her office, her anxious expression revealed that she was lost in thought–the majority of which were negative and troubling. The hectic pace at which her week had begun showed no signs of slowing down. Details of her impending divorce, concern for her children’s welfare, unexpected bills, and discontented clients loomed in her mind. If she had believed in God, she would have stopped then and there to pray. Her common sense approach to life wouldn’t allow such foolisheness, however; so she kept on marching.

Katherine was cutting across the yard that led to the side door of her office, when she noticed a shiny postcard lying face up on the grass. For some strange reason, she broke her hurried stride and picked it up. When she turned it over, she read the following message:

***

Dear Soul,

Here and now, you are invited to attend the “I Am” Family Reunion. Everyone is welcome. You need bring no-thing by which you have previously defined yourself. Please leave your identity-related conceptions such as name, form, status, race, colour, nationality, and gender behind. In our “I Am” Family, everyone sees one another equally. We are creators, not competitors. Please know that this is a “come-as-you-are” celebration–not a “come-as-you-think-you-are”–party. The only intention of this reunion is to spread love, peace, and harmony far and wide.

To attend this joyous reunion, you need only surrender your false beliefs. When you let go of who you “think” you are, your real Self–“I Am”–is recognized. You, my divine child, are within me; and I Am within you.

God

***

Katherine was still holding the invitation card when she entered her office and softly closed the door. For unknown moments, she stood there, questioning her sanity and the incredible message that she had just read. From deep within her, she suddenly felt a soft energy arise within and tingle throughout her body. As her legs became weak, she sat down; and for the first time in years, she wept. Warm tears filled with good release flowed down her cheeks.

***

Dear Readers: There is a deeper dimension of Self beyond who you “think” you are. You, too, are invited to attend the “I Am” Family Reunion. Self inquiry into your essential nature is the way. Can you feel Grace whispering to you?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Time To Be Still

In the folly of my teenage years, I had a default coping strategy which, although not actually acted upon, most likely set the stage for some problematic years and experiences. Whenever a troubling circumstance or situation felt beyond my skill set, I would visualize running as fast as I could and jumping a freight train. Where was the train headed? In my adolescent mind, the answer was always: “Wherever I could escape having to experience the damned feelings running through me.” The great flaw in this strategy, of course, is that wherever you go, there you are. To run, run, run, run-runaway makes no sense at all. Neither, truly, does anger, when it is a means of coping with fear.

Although I stopped visualizing jumping a freight train to escape uncomfortable or fearful situations many years ago, my childish strategy for dealing with the stresses of life may have covertly morphed into other mechanisms (such as distraction, or a bull-dog “let’s-make-this-right” attitude) that are also ineffective at dealing with the root of the issues. In the first, we’re basically ignoring the hurt through redirection of our attention; in the second, we’re putting our shoulder against the world and expecting it to move. The main point is that unfelt issues related to the human experience–such as loss, embarrassment, guilt, shame, regret, grief, loneliness, ridicule, resentment, and fear–are potentially going to turn around and bite us where it hurts unless we acknowledge them at the time…and feel them. The following are examples of situations that might give rise to uncomfortable feelings:

What does it feel like to lose a loved one?
What does it feel like to experience sudden divorce?
What does it feel like to be given a life-changing diagnosis?
What does it feel like to be faced with homelessness?
What does it feel like to be forced to change careers midlife?
What does it feel like to be estranged from family members?
What does it feel like to have high expenses and low income?

This strategy related to feeling is not intended to bog us down in self pity or remorse. Its effect is actually the opposite–to liberate us. By feeling what needs to be felt, we gain greater clarity of perspective and allow ourselves to positively move forward. I believe that the following quote from Joseph Campbell expresses the best potential result:

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

By simply being with our fears (and, as a dear friend suggested, even welcoming them), we disarm so many of their negative effects. When we take time to be (with the good, the bad, and the ugly), we allow their energies to be felt and accepted. Our intention is not to judge anything; for this is the grand territory of Isness, not the petty place of rightness or wrongness. From the vantage point of Being, we realize that nothing can truly harm us. We are not our stories of triumph or tragedy; nor are we the character playing the starring role in our life movie. Fear, when faced, loses so much of its imagined power.

In my life story, I have come a long apparent way. No longer am I seeking to run away from my fears on a freight train headed for who knows where. Now, I’m willing to sit with what frightens me–including sides of my personality that are less than perfect, and circumstances that feel uncomfortable. This, I believe, is opening me to all of the incredible goodness that this life has to offer. May such also happen for you.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones–released September 8, 2020), press here. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. 🙏🧡

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

I Walk With You

To go for a stroll with someone you love is one of the grandest experiences we could ever have. In the right company, with the right prevailing spirit, a walk hand-in-hand is sublime–a blessing for both. It’s both comfortable and exciting at the same time. When we’re moved by deep love, the conditions don’t matter. Most persons quite naturally assume that they walk under their own power. They are absolutely certain that it’s their hips, legs, and feet (in combination with other body systems) that propel them forward. What if, however, such isn’t truly the case?

Whether we realize it or not, the wonderful relationship that I described abov is occurring with our Divine Creator. If it wasn’t, walking–and every other human activity–wouldn’t occur. To our logical minds, this seems ludicrous. Humans are conditioned to accept a set of beliefs that are based upon, and founded in, innocent ignorance. By this, I don’t mean to imply that humans are stupid. In its root form, ignorance (derived from Latin, ignorantia) simply means lacking knowledge. The following Bible passage (John 15:4) may help us understand the principle more clearly:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

Is this not true? Have you ever seen a fruit that grew unto itself, by itself? Or did it need to be connected to the Life-Giving Vine to express the juicy gift within it? The easiest way that I can relate this principle is not coincidentally) through the analogy of a set of Christmas lights. Did you ever see a single light that shone by its own power, or did it have to be connected to a source of power? Perhaps another passage from the Bible (John 14:10) will give rise to another insight within us:

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”

As much as we’ve been conditioned to believe otherwise, the principle of connection to our Source also applies to humans. Through confusion about our essential nature, it is, indeed, possible for us to believe we are disconnected from our Creator (as related in the parable of The Prodigal Son); but such can never actually be the case. Unless our body-mind (person) is connected to our divine power Source, it cannot manifest as a living form. It is, therefore, true that we never walk alone. To do so is impossible.

Through enlightenment, we interpret the activities of our body-mind and the occurrences within the world from a vastly different perspective. We realize that just as we could not possibly be the person who is walking in our nighttime dream state (although it definitely feels as though we are during our dreams), we are, likewise, not actually performing our own walking now, in the waking state. In Truth, it is more accurate to state that we, as the apparent body-mind, are being walked. We are an aspect of our Creator, having an apparently human life. When we directly recognize That which walks by our side at every moment, all of our human mountains become so much easier to climb. In other words, when we draw nigh unto our Creator, our Creator draws nigh unto us. Hiking boots anyone, or would you prefer sandals or sneakers?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Love So Deep

The Bible might be unfamiliar territory to a lot of readers (myself included), but the majority of persons may know of the following well-known passage. Found in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, the passage describes the nature and qualities of God/Love:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

By comparison, the egoic love of humankind can seem barren, or lacking, in any real substance. It’s a poor imitation, which is often unstable and dependent on circumstances and/or behaviour. This type of love might be termed the “thought” of love, because it’s based on the sliding scale of polarity. Such explains why many persons experience a version of love that feels hot one day, yet frigid the next.

To know and express God’s love, we must become It. No shortcuts exist; there’s no other way. We know that we’re dealing with real–So Deep–love by the depth of our emotional capacity. To pour forth as that which is pure, we must first be emptied of that which is impure. For instance: If the love that we profess is dependent or tainted by self interest, it’s not pure. If there are motives that are suspect, self-serving, or selfish attached to the love we express, such a love is also impure. If there’s the faintest hint of getting, instead of the purity of giving, we are dealing with imitative love. Logically, this makes sense. As God is already everything, what could It possibly hope to gain? If, on the other hand, our love is abundant, non judgmental, and overflowing with sincerity, we have tapped the Golden Fountain of Love. At this point, we aren’t loving “like” God, but “as” God.

Awareness is the key to helping us to express, as much as humanly possible, the shining fullness of our Creator’s Divine Love. Left to his own resources, the guy named “Art” is incapable of expressing Love So Deep; but when he is surrendered, God is enabled to flow in and express a love that’s deep, rich, and real.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Evil Overheard

One day, Michael Angelo (no relation) felt the call of nature and entered the men’s bathroom at his local shopping mall. The bathroom appeared empty as he quietly stepped into a stall. He was lowering his trousers, when he realized that someone, indeed, was occupying the second stall to his left. As Michael sat upon his throne, pondering the big questions of life (What am I doing this Friday night? I wonder who will win the playoffs? Did humankind really land on the moon?), he heard a gruff voice from the stall begin to speak, as though dictating a memo to a secretary:

***

“This message has got to get out to our agents as soon as possible,” began the voice in a hushed tone. “The public are beginning to awaken to their essential nature and attempting to gain the upper hand. That’s not going to happen–not under my reign. We’ve got to use all of our resources. Humans are highly susceptible to fear, and ignorant of their own latent abilities; we’re going to use that to our advantage. Release as many fearful stories as possible, regarding every type of event far and wide. Ensure that the incidents appear real, and back them up with video clips of officials reporting on scene. Flood the public with images and stories of hatred, racism, and violence–via print media, television, radio, and mobile devices–with a subtlety that won’t be noticed. Use subliminal messages when you’re certain that they won’t be detected. If anyone hassles you, get back to me and I’ll take care of the matter. Bribe anyone willing to take the money; and if that doesn’t work, use blackmail. Beyond that, hire violence; but ensure that any deaths appear accidental. It’s important that any hint of resistance is squashed immediately.”

***

And just as quickly as the voice had begun speaking, it abruptly stopped. As Michael listened quietly, with the back of his neck becoming clammy, he suddenly smelled a foul odour emanating from the stall to his left. The stench seemed the perfect punctuation to the end of the evil message. When he heard the stall door rasp open, he silently lifted his feet off the floor so that his presence wouldn’t be noticed.

Michael assumed that the character must have been the devil–what else could be that menacing and evil? Unbeknownst to him, the unidentified figure appeared much like you or me. Just for the record, he didn’t wash his hands.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The High Way to Healing

Life, as everyone realizes, can wear upon us. The challenges of unfamiliar circumstances may overwhelm us. Our fears may be high, and our reserves of strength low. On their own, each pelting raindrop of trials and tribulations may seem innocuous; but collectively, such drops can seem like a torrential downpour intent on drowning us. “Dear God,” we pray, “please..please stop the rain and give me peace.”

The details of the challenging events in my life story are unimportant. For the purposes of this article, it’s enough to share that part of my healing included several long solo motorcycle trips. On the surface level, the trips were about visiting new places, meeting new people, and learning how to live on my own again. In hindsight, however, I now understand that the trips were about so much more. Learning how to outride our history is a tremendously important lesson; for unless we stop carrying our personal baggage–both the good and the bad–it will prevent us from riding into a glorious new future. It’s also vitally important that we investigate the nature of the person that we believe is carrying the baggage.

Although I was unaware of it at the time, divine magic was definitely at play during my High Way to Healing. From the depths of suffering, there arose a great gift. Please join me now, if you will, and look at some of the following photos that “somehow” caught my eye as I rode away the pain during those lonely kilometers:

These photos (and several more that I haven’t shared) reveal a strong religious theme. The images naturally caught my eye while I was riding my motorcycle. For some of the photos, the attraction felt so strong that I was compelled to turn around and backtrack to ensure a photograph. Please keep in mind that prior to my departure, it was never my intention to capture a religious collage. The photos simply occurred.

By a few of the photos, it might be easy to assume that I was then, or that I am now, this religious guy who follows a particular spiritual doctrine; but such isn’t the case. With regard to our spiritual nature, I’m more comfortable with how Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj expressed our shared Oneness in his spiritual classic I Am That:

“The same water is in all the wells. You just draw from the nearest.

In my case the water is within me and I am the water.”

The story of my life also includes off road healing that occurred through the reading of many books by some of the greatest spiritual leaders, past and present. I became familiar with, and was nurtured by, the works of Rupert Spira, Eckhart Tolle, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Mooji, Neale Donald Walsch, Sir Ramana Maharshi, David R. Hawkins, Swami Vivekananda, and Ramesh S. Balsekar; to name but a few in very long list. The content which they generously shared helped to unearth a spiritual knowing buried deep within me. My deepest appreciation goes out to each and every one of them.

I’m happy to report that The High Way to Healing occurred through the Grace of our Creator. I now clearly understand that the real cause of our suffering is not our apparent life circumstances, but our delusional belief that we are–or ever could be–separate from our essential nature. The Bible expresses this very clearly in Acts 17: 28: “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” The most important message in this article is this: The healing recognition of true Self can also happen for you. My wish is that you’ll discover the peace that you’re seeking. Here’s a clue: look within. To seek elsewhere, is to search in vain.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Walking on Water

I am not certain if the content I relate in this article will resonate with readers; but I feel compelled to share it. Most persons who delve into the subject of spirituality are doing so for one of two reasons: (1) Due to suffering, they are seeking solutions beyond the normal scope of daily living; or (2), for reasons unknown, they have been naturally drawn to investigate life at a deeper level. My life contained both components, with the balance periodically tipped toward suffering that provided the driving force to find answers NOW.

For many of my years, I lived in the opposite manner implied by the title of this article. I felt as though I was walking on eggshells–that circumstances could go horribly wrong at any moment. When we live in a fearful mode for extended periods, we unconsciously invite fear to stay, as though it were an old familiar friend. In my case, the behaviour may have been fostered by the sudden passing of my father when I was sixteen. It was then that I learned that unforeseen events can arise swiftly, without warning. What we assume is guaranteed–isn’t. Not even close. In hindsight, it’s not surprising that my fearful subconscious paradigms gave rise to circumstances that mirrored them. The tendency to worry provides situations that prompt an even greater degree of worry.

One of the practices that helped shift my perspective from fear to FAITH was the daily use of positive affirmations expressing gratitude to God. At the time, I wasn’t aware of the deep significance of them; but they definitely felt good to say. They helped me learn that I could trust that all was actually well, in spite of apparent circumstances. The following affirmation is still one of my favourites:

“Thank you, God, for being my Infinite Source and Supply.”

What, you might ask, has this to do with the title? Am I now proclaiming that I’m capable of walking on water? No. However, I can relate that a dramatic shift in my life makes me feel as though I could, if the need arose. The shift is due to recognition of my essential nature, true Self. Now, I realize That which is the true Source of power and intelligence. The resources of Art Russell are as naught without the loving benevolence of The Absolute. Through That, I know peace that was previously lacking. I also realize that wherever I walk, through whatever nature of circumstances, I never walk alone. EVER. It is this direct recognition, dear readers, which I wish for you.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Our Ruts of Fear

Omnipresence Overlooked

Washed By The Lord

The “I Am” Family Reunion

Time To Be Still

I Walk With You

Love So Deep

Evil Overheard

The High Way to Healing

Walking on Water

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