Theo McFacts

Theo McFacts was forty-four going on ninety four, with a spirit so mired in body-mind debris that he seemed more dead than alive. His perspective was almost always buried in the dank grave of his current circumstances and personal life story. If asked to tell of the last time he really felt joy, he would have been hard-pressed to offer an answer.

The point of sharing this information about Theo isn’t to ridicule him. The point is that without being aware of it, Theo had developed the unconscious habit of arguing for his “I-can’t” attitude. If he had been a defense lawyer, he would have won every case! The reason why he couldn’t fall in love again was that he had experienced a painful divorce ten years prior. The reason why he couldn’t start a successful business was that he had started three that failed in the past. The reason why he was destined to carry the excess weight was that he had already tried every diet in the books. He would love to date a lovely woman, BUT, it could just never work out. He would love to dream big, BUT, that just isn’t practical. He was allowing the wake (story) of his boat (person) to determine the destiny of his life.

All there is, is NOW. The past doesn’t exist if we stop carrying it forward, through our attention to it. If you know someone like Theo, perhaps the following quotations will help him/her break free:

“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”

(Plutarch)

***

“There is but one consciousness in the universe able to think; and when it thinks, its thoughts become objective things to it.”

(The Master Key System, by Charles F. Haanel)

***

“In the great universal mind man [woman] is a center of intelligence, and every time he thinks he sets mind into action.”

(Creative Mind,” by Ernest Holmes)

***

“No thought of form can be impressed upon the original substance without causing the creation of that form. A human being is a thinking center and can originate thought.”

(The Science of Getting Rich,” by Wallace D. Wattles)

***

“Certainty, Faith, Belief, is a necessary part of creating wealth–or anything else for that matter. It is that which gives the universe a go-ahead to do as you wish it to do.”

(A Happy Pocketful of Money, by David Cameron Gikandi)

***

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men [women], for they act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.”

(T. E. Lawrence)

***

Dear readers: Life is far more magical than you may have assumed. The ideas, thoughts, and beliefs that we habitually entertain make a tremendous difference in the apparent circumstances that manifest in our life. When we awaken to our essential nature (Spirit), we realize that daily reality is occurring within a D-R-E-A-M. That’s why the quality of our thoughts are so important. Are you imagining your best life?

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” 🙏🏻🧡

Tale of a Coffee Maker (Audio)

Dear Readers,

As you’re well aware, sometimes life’s challenges can weigh heavy upon us. In this “article,” I offer the audio version of one of my original posts, which I hope will inspire your to keep going. I believe in YOU and your innate power and ability.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Spirit of Four-Minute Focus

Note: This post is a revamped edition of the first article that I posted on my blog, on January 17, 2016. I hope that it will inspire you to turn within and activate more of the innate greatness that’s the real YOU.

***

Until May 6, 1954, a mile had never been run in under four minutes. Think of it: under four minutes to run 1,760 yards, 5,280 feet, or 1609.34 meters. That a human can run that distance, that fast, is still an amazing feat. The math works out to an average of fifteen miles per hours.

At the time, the idea of running a sub four-minute mile was inconceivable to most people. The human body was believed incapable of moving that fast; as though opposing forces were shouting “impossible!” and that we had to listen. That assumption stood as a seemingly solid and unbreakable barrier until it crumbled under the will, belief, and ability of one man–Roger Bannister; who ran a race that was fueled by the indomitable power of his spirit. His world record of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds was set at Iffley Road Track in Oxford, England.

There’s a rumour that I’m going to use for the purpose of this article; and it doesn’t matter one whit if it’s true. Years ago, I read that in preparation for his famous run, Roger wrote a time–sub four minutes–on a slip of paper and placed it in his shoes.

Imagine how keeping his desire close

and being reminded of it

could motivate him to achieve his goal.

You, too, can write a note to yourself, about any desire that you choose. It’s important to be specific and clear. By doing so, we bring our intention to life. We’re not leaving our life to fate; we’re writing our own destiny! For this technique to be effective, ensure that you read your note (goal card) every day, with an attitude of calm and receptive faith. If the logical mind comes knocking, don’t open the door.

For those of you who may wonder how doing what I’ve just described could possibly make any difference, please know that I “hear” what you might be thinking. We’ve been conditioned to believe that we must be extremely fortunate, born lucky, or work extremely hard to achieve our goals. But such is not actually the case. In support of this, I offer the following quote, which is attributed to Andrew Carnegie, who was one of the wealthiest men in the world:

“Any idea that is held in the mind, that is emphasized, that is either feared or revered,

will begin at once to cloth itself

in the most convenient and appropriate form available.”

When the quote is interpreted through the materialism lens of “reality,” the part about an idea “clothing” itself in form seems ludicrous. The KEY of understanding the principle of deliberate manifestation is to know your true Self (beyond the ego) and realize the following:

Awareness is all that there is. Every person, object, and event is made of Awareness. It’s impossible to have an experience in the absence of Awareness. Such explains why the nature of the thoughts and feelings that we entertain is so important. They’re the mental blueprints for our life.

Now, I ask you: What will you write on your goal card? Would you like to lose a few pounds? If so, write an affirmation, phrased in the present tense, and assume you’re at your ideal weight NOW. If it’s financial prosperity that you desire, write that affirmation and assume you’re that rich NOW. Make it your habit to read your goal card when you first awaken in the morning, and before drifting off to sleep at night. These are the times of day when our subconscious mind is receptive and highly impressionable. Believe that you have your desire NOW—because NOW is all that we ever experience. The past and the future are only concepts. So what’s your desire? Better health? Greater success? Loving relationships? You know what to do.

Based on the title of this article, I also suggest setting aside a minimum of four minutes each day to envision your goal in as much sensory vividness as possible. Imagine a scene that implies that your goal has already been achieved. By doing so, you’re planting a seed of intention in the garden of your mind. Through gentle but persistent repetition, the subconscious mind will accept your new belief and prompt you to act upon intuitive nudges. The more that you trust, the closer you’ll move toward the fulfillment of your goal.

In case you’re curious, Roger’s record for a sub four-minute mile lasted for only forty-six days before it was broken by John Landy, on June 21, 1954. So, where does the world record stand now? Has it been lowered by a few more seconds, or a minute or two? According to Chatgpt, the current record for a human running the mile was set on July 7, 1999 by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco. His time stands at 3:43.13. This didn’t happen by chance.

The mysterious power of belief was involved…every…step…of…the…way.

Special Note: To add to your understanding about the nature of our “reality,” I recommend reading some or all of the following articles in my blog. They contain information that supports what I’ve already shared. Here’s list of titles, with links that lead directly to the articles:

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

We Are The Solution

There’s an old story told that goes as follows:

***

A town lies in the pathway of an oncoming flood. The residents are warned that they must evacuate because the water level is rising very quickly. Most people heed the warning and flee, using whatever means available to find dry land. One man, however, remains alone in his home. The water rises to the level of his front porch. Soon after, people in a rubber dinghy paddle up to his house. “Get in,” they call, “we’ll save you!” “No,” says the man, “I’m waiting on God to save me!” The people in the dinghy reluctantly leave, and the waters continue to rise.

A few hours later, the man is forced to climb to the second floor of his home. He is standing on the balcony when people come by in a power boat. “Get in,” they call, “we’ll save you!” “No,” calls the man, “I’m waiting on God to save me!” The people reluctantly leave, unable to believe their eyes.

The flood waters rise with even greater intensity, and the man is forced to climb onto the roof of his home. He’s clinging to the chimney when a helicopter flies overhead. A rope ladder is flung out of the helicopter, and a rescuer descends. “Grab hold,” calls the rescuer, “we’ll save you!” “No,” shouts the man, “I’m waiting on God to save me!” The helicopter is forced to fly away. The house finally tumbles over in the raging waters, and the man drowns. When the man arrives in Heaven, he’s very angry with God. “I believed in You!” he cries. “Why didn’t you save me?” To this, God replies: “What did you want? I sent you a dinghy, a power boat, and a helicopter!”

***

There was a time when I thought the story was just a mildly humorous joke–which reveals that I, too, missed the boat! The story is actually intended to relate great wisdom. God/Source/The Universe works through us. Until we understand this, we’re missing a tremendously important point. All of us possess gifts that are intended to be shared for the benefit of everyone; and fortunately our gifts are unique. To enable ourselves to give from the heart, we must do some soul searching and discover our true passion. When we live our purpose–there’s the joy!

The next time that you’re seeking divine assistance for a problem, keep your eyes open and your intuition attuned. The solution might arrive through a person sitting next to you on the bus or subway; or through a friend who knows of a friend. More important, you might realize that Divinity Incarnate–in the form of you and the “other” person–is present.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Place Your Reservation

Imagine with me, if you will, that you walk into a fast food restaurant and approach the woman behind the counter. You look her in the eye and innocently say, “Yes, my last name is Smith and I have a reservation for two, at seven thirty. My friend and I would like a table with a view.” What type of response do you think you would receive? Imagine with me, also, that you visit the beautiful state of Utah. However, instead of appreciating the beauty of it’s amazing vistas and rock formations, that you’re disappointed because you can’t reserve a hotel room with a view of the Pacific! And–you’re probably asking yourself–the point of this?

The point relates to an axiom of the Principle of Correspondence in the Kybalion, a book of ancient wisdom. It states: As Above, so Below; As Below, so Above. Meaning? It means that there is correspondence–or correlation–among the planes of being and life. The three planes– The Physical, Mental, and Spiritual–are not actual planes but arbitrary divisions or degrees in the scale of life. Such divisions are not hard and fast but shade in and out of one another. The Principle of Correspondence is important to understand, for with it, we can–and will–manifest more effectively.

What does this mean, practically? It means that to manifest more effectively we must align ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically. In the spiritual: We must habitually be whatever we desire. In the mental: we must habitually think of what we desire. In the physical, we must habitually act in ways that reflect what we desire. The three states must align–or correspond–before we’ll experience the manifestation.

Using the analogy of the reservations from the first paragraph, that means that we cannot manifest prosperity by being, thinking, and acting poor. That means that we cannot enjoy health by being, thinking, and acting sick. That means that we cannot enjoy success by being, thinking, and acting failure. To be, think, and act in ways that contradict what we desire–does not make sense; in the same way that seeking a view of the Pacific from Utah does not make sense. You just can’t get that from there.

So, what do we desire? Is it great health, increased wealth, wonderful relationships, or more success? If so, it’s time to place our reservations. How to you do this? Through the powers of our imagination–first. Be it, think it, act it! We must imagine what we desire, and concentrate with patient and detached persistence. By doing so, we’re placing our reservation with the Universe. After that, we have only to remain strong in our faith, and then act upon our intuitive nudges. Law will bring what we desire.

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”

Preemptive Strikes

Most of us, unfortunately, will be familiar with the term preemptive strike, which is usually used in the context of war. From Wikipedia, its basic definition is as follows: A surprise attack launched with the stated intention of countering an anticipated enemy offensive. In theory, the first to strike will gain an advantage, likely by catching the enemy off guard or unprepared.

As this relates to the Law of Attraction, a preemptive strike is not against an enemy but against ourselves and our goals! In many cases, the action reveals hidden fears or subconscious beliefs of unworthiness, rather than any real reason why our goals can’t be achieved! This covert operation is often habitual, a mechanism related to memories of past goals attempted without success. It works thus: Instead of allowing our goal to manifest, through intuitive guidance toward action required, we unconsciously defeat it with our negative thinking. Once again, this type of mentality offers proof that we bring about what we think about! It is destructive in nature, not constructive. This is the strike; the attack against our own aspirations.

Why, though, would our mind attack a goal that could potentially enrich our life? Because a new goal requires us to shift out of our comfort zone, and that can be a terrifying experience! In fact, many motivational speakers claim that if a goal doesn’t scare us a little that it’s probably not big enough! When the mind strikes down a goal, we may temporarily feel some relief, just to have the matter settled. However, in the quiet hours of the soul we realize what’s being sacrificed.

Regarding preemptive strikes in war, who would know the best action to be taken? This, however, is certain regarding the achievement of our goals: Unless we remain open to possibilities, we doom our dreams. The mind that’s launching preemptive strikes would have us believe that it’s being of benefit; that it’s protecting us from painful future experiences. But such a mentality negates the value of lessons learned from attempting in the first place! It’s actually sabotaging our dreams before they’ve been given a chance.

How do we counter such attacks? By recognizing them for the enemy they are! By questioning their validity and, if appropriate, refusing to accept that our goal can’t be achieved just because we don’t know the way now! Such requires patience, persistence, insight, faith, and action! The subconscious will undoubtedly attempt to convince us to be realistic; to accept that some people are lucky and some not. The truth, however, is that luck has nothing to do with it.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

The Way of Trust

All of us bring attitudes to the situations of our life. Some situations we may label as good; some we may label as bad; some perhaps a mixture of both. Whatever the case, it’s unavoidable that we will bring our habitual thoughts and feelings with us. However, for the sake of manifesting the best of life, let’s share a perspective that may help us greatly.

We dream of the way we’d like life to be. We want this, that, or the other thing. We want a relationship to be just so; our career to happen this way but not that; travel to unfold according to our expectations; and solutions to arrive on our schedule. Alas, this is often not the case. Life surprises us, shocks us, knocks us, confuses us, and downright rebels against our most valiant efforts. However…

What if we adjusted ourselves–and our beliefs–to life; rather than expecting life to adjust to us. Would there be a benefit? Could we actually find ourselves flowing with the tide of life, rather than against it? The undeniable and unequivocal answer is yes! Could we arrive at a state of Being–deep within ourselves–in which we accept every moment as it is? And could we adopt the belief that life is always working in our favour, even if at first glance it appears otherwise?

Think: As life is always changing, is it safe to say that we never truly arrive? Is not every moment merely a stepping stone to the next? Can a supposed arrival ever truly be static? And with this knowledge, may we conclude that the outcome we have desired–which has not yet appeared–doesn’t have to be labelled as disappointment? Could the fulfillment of our desire still be on its way? Or could that which didn’t occur, still turn out to be for the best? And could we, thus, learn invaluable lessons?

To live in this manner is to live by the way of trust. We may believe that whatever happens in life–the loss of a recent relationship; the end of a business venture; an unexpected displacement from the workplace–is in our best interest. From our limited and small perspective, we so often assume that we know best. The truth, however, is that life’s detours often yield the best results…and the greatest joy!

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

To Think Deliberately

Eckhart Tolle is well known as one of the most influential spiritual teachers of our time. In the last several years, he has risen to prominence not only for his books–which include The Power of Now and A New Earth–but also for his television appearances and spiritual seminars. Although he has much to offer us on the discovery trail to our deeper nature, he is also skilled at teaching us the art of deliberate thinking. It’s for this reason that I include him in this article.

Regarding the subject of deliberate thinking, many individuals may question whether such is, indeed, possible. Undoubtedly that’s because most people have neither attempted nor practiced it. For these people, thoughts just occur as they may, most often randomly and repetitively. Consequently, their lives are a reflection of thought processes that lack intention.

Some experts believe that we cannot possibly know what our next thoughts will be; that we are not, in fact, capable of producing them. This may or may not be true; but through deliberate effort, we can at least attune ourselves to the nature of thoughts we receive. In one presentation, Eckhart likened the process to the following:

Imagine that we are sitting on a park bench. We have no particular agenda in mind except to enjoy time in nature. A few minutes pass but then a dog runs into our field of vision. It sniffs the ground in one location; paws the earth at a second; stops to urinate at a third. The dog goes on and on. In this example, the dog–of course–is analogous to our thinking process. Must we follow that dog–and focus on it exclusively–merely because it entered our field of vision? If our answer is yes, we are training ourselves to be the subject–not master–of every other dog (thought) that enters our mind. Negative and ugly dogs undoubtedly lead to more thoughts of a similar nature, connected as though by an invisible leash. Fortunately, however, the same is true of positive thoughts.

What does this mean in practical terms? That we may choose not to follow painful thoughts related to our ex spouse, business deals that went wrong, or financial worries that would keep us awake at night. That we may choose not to focus on relationship thoughts–be they platonic, romantic, or familial–that would cause us stress, worry, or concern. We are not being negligent when we choose not to do so; we are nurturing a better state of mind and preserving our sanity. And we may remind ourselves just who gives importance, relevance, and meaning to all of our thoughts and experiences. Do they come labelled as Win, Lose or Place apart from our own thoughts toward them? Of course, not! We are the scepter holders of opinion.

With practice, we may train ourselves to follow the thoughts we wish to entertain. Thus we become the master. There will also be times when we may choose not to think; to remain, instead, in the bliss of present awareness without engaging the thinking process. We may also liken thinking to our arms or legs: Just because we have them, must they always be in motion? No, they may be at rest…as may our thinking. If we have nothing good to think, we may choose not to engage negative thinking just to fill time. Such, in fact, will benefit us greatly.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Ride On

I’ve just returned from a 13, 000-kilometer motorcycle trip in which I visited the west coast of Canada and also a few of the States of America. I was away for thirty-three incredible days. It was a great trip, and I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to travel in a way that provides both excitement and joy.

My passion for motorcycling struck me when I was a teenager, and despite a period of over twenty years in which I didn’t ride, my passion returned several years ago. How glad I am that it did! Several friends I know also ride, but we have strikingly dissimilar belief systems when the subject of continued riding in future years comes up. Two people I know have even planned the exact age when they will quit riding–stating reasons such as, “Well, you know that your reflexes get slower as you age,” or “you have to be very sharp when you’re riding on two wheels.” I don’t deny that these statements are true; but both negate that safe riding can still be possible, in part due to benefits that we’ve acquired as we age. We’ll look at the subject from a Law of Attraction viewpoint:

The Law of Attraction basically states that what we think about, we bring about. When we apply this to the subject of safe motorcycling, it, thus, means that if we focus upon the day when we will quit, to be safe, we will actually manifest that as a consequence of our thinking. Our mind, when directed in such a manner, will offer ample evidence as proof of why this should be so. My approach is much different.

Yes, the day will undoubtedly come when I will stop riding, but until that day appears I’m going to focus all of my efforts on staying in the saddle. Why not? I’m going to tell myself that such is possible for as long as possible. The point? It’s definitely not solely about riding a motorcycle! It’s about indulging in and enjoying all of our interests! Golfing, skiing, running? Travel, adventure, passion? I’m saying “Yes!” to all of my interests. Isn’t it wiser to let life determine when the time is right to forgo an interest, and trade that one for yet another? The details will look after themselves. We need not plan for the day when we figuratively park our motorcycle for the last time, or shelve our helmet. In fact doing so, only makes such occur that much sooner!

Why was my trip only 13,000 kilometers long? Simple: Because I started to entertain thoughts (which brought about corresponding actions) that it was time to turn eastward and return to life in Ontario. If I had continued to think about riding in other States–perhaps heading further south–it would have been much longer. This little example applies to so many of our other interests? Why are we not travelling anymore? Because we stopped entertaining the idea that we could or should? Why have we given up on driving, maintaining our own home, or hiking the surrounding parks? Quite often it’s because we stopped thinking that such was possible; long before any physical reason presented that actually inhibited our ability to do so.

In a book entitled In The Flow of Life, the author, Eric Butterworth, tells the account of a businessman named Joseph McDonald, who, despite being eighty years of age, was vibrant, energetic, and doing the same amount of work of employees many years younger. At lunch one day, a young employee politely asked Mr. McDonald his age. Without missing a beat, Joseph replied, “My son, my age is none of my business!” What he was so wisely saying was that his age need not ever be his focus. Must we squeeze ourselves into the stereotypical definitions of someone who is sixty, seventy, eighty and beyond? No! We can let age take care of itself. It will. In the meantime, isn’t it time to be planning our next trip?

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Awakening To The “Now”

There’s a paradox related to the Law of Attraction: From the beginning of our study, we’re told that we must govern our thinking; to choose our thoughts wisely; to concentrate on what we desire to experience, not on what we don’t! The importance of being the watchful guardian of our mind is stressed repeatedly. We’re taught that positive thoughts create positive outcomes; negative thoughts, negative. Intuitively, we realize this is true, for our instincts inform us nothing good can come from entertaining negative thoughts. So, what’s the paradox?

That thinking, the very tool we use to attract the good we seek, can become a hindrance. When used correctly, thinking is undoubtedly one of our greatest gifts. Used incorrectly, however, it can be more a curse than a blessing. Not only is it important to know how to direct our thinking, but also how to get out of it! Contrary to popular belief, we needn’t have endless thoughts and opinions about every aspect of life; nor in our best interests to do so. But how do we enter the transcendent beauty of the present moment?

By directing our attention out of the mind and into a dimension apart from thinking. Eckhart Tolle, a renowned spiritual teacher and author of The Power of Now and A New Earth, advises us to leave the mind’s incessant chatter by focusing our attention into the body. A deep breath may help us enter–then anchor in–the present moment; for the breath is a potent reminder of life that’s happening right now, moment to moment. To exist in a conceptualized realm is not to live. An overactive mind, subject to thoughts that hijack our attention, may render us incapable of truly enjoying the fruits of our labours. What sense in that?

With practice, we may regain our sense of innocence and wonder, as though reborn into the world as a child. We may surrender to life as it is. By doing so, we discover that the good we sought is naturally present, closer than we previously thought. Awakened, we realize that our experiences come vibrantly alive. The difference is not related to the activities themselves, but to the degree of presence we bring to them! That sense of aliveness has been shining there all along, obscured by conceptualization.

Life happens now. Plain. Simple. Real. True. The present moment is all there is. When we think about the past, we do that now. When we think about the future, we do that now. There’s definitely a time to visualize, to dream and mentally reach beyond our current circumstance. However, there’s also a time to enjoy–fully engaged in the aliveness of experience. As always, balance is key.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

“Thank You” & “Note to Publishers”

Think2wice

CONSCIOUSNESS, SPIRITUALITY, & LAW OF ATTRACTION

Tag: Inspiration

Theo McFacts

Tale of a Coffee Maker (Audio)

The Spirit of Four-Minute Focus

We Are The Solution

Place Your Reservation

Preemptive Strikes

The Way of Trust

To Think Deliberately

Ride On

Awakening To The “Now”

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