Wise & Shine

Language, even with our most precise usage, proves totally inadequate at expressing the Truth of the Absolute; for it soon becomes apparent that expressions about It are forced by their inherent limitations to remain verbal or written representations–not the original, Itself. Thus, in describing via our “A, B, C’s” (or equally valuable letters of other languages), we create a distorted view of That which is beyond definition. The finite expression (we) can never replicate the Infinite. In other words, the Absolute is a One Off, a No-Thing impossible to be copied. Despite our best diligence, we unwittingly create conceptual false idols by the desire to express our understanding about the nature of our Creator and, thereby, know the Truth of our origin. The “catch” which is inherent to the divine system is that although we can never know the Absolute, we can–through divine revelation–“Be” It. One example of an attempt to explain That which cannot be known takes the form of the following question and answer from a book entitled All There Is, by Tony Parsons:

“When you say ‘just this’ [referring to the Absolute], would you call it a vibration or energy?”

“You could call it energy. You could call it life. All there is is life. There is no one living a life–there is life. All there is, is life apparently happening–only apparently.”

In an attempt to convey “knowing” which is impossible to convey, I offer this: We, as the apparent body-mind (person), are actually a function “of” the Absolute. In an environment (realm) that is forever in flux, how do we logically believe that it’s possible to get anything lasting (the person), when even space and time are elements within the dream? They are, in fact, the stage upon which the illusion of our lives is played. Our biggest blunder is our ignorance-based assumption that we exist independent of the Creator. Such is analogous to Leonard the light bulb believing that he shines by his own power, without being connected to the electric source by which he is illumined!

That we don’t exist as persons (I am being absolutely serious) is more easily understood when we realize that the substance of the characters within nighttime dreams are only a function of Infinite Living Mind. During the dream, these conceptual characters sing, dance, and even sit around bon fires roasting marshmallows; but the Substance of them, as with us–right here and now–is only the Absolute, d-r-e-a-m-i-n-g. To that daring statement, I add the following quote from the spiritual classic entitled I Am That, by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj:

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

That this content may seem ludicrous or impossible to believe is understandable; but before closing your mind to it, please consider reading the following passage (number 50 of 114 sayings attributed directly to Jesus) from The Gospel of Thomas:

(1) Jesus said: “If they say to you, ‘Where have you come from?’ say to them,

“We have come from the light, from the place where the light came into beinb by itself, established [itself], and appeared in their image.

(2) If they say to you, ‘Is it you?’ say,

‘We are its children, and we are the chosen of the living Father.’

(3) If they ask you, ‘What is the evidence of your Father in you?’ say to them,

‘It is motion and rest.'”

Note: Does that sound like the description of an Infinite Movie Projector to you? God/Consciousness is FIRST, and humans (ideas that are “created in Its image and likeness“) are projected into time and space, where we (as expressed in Acts 17:28) “live and move and have our being through Him.” This correlates with teachings about the law of attraction and explains why the “image” you hold of yourself is so vitally important. Jesus expressed the same message when he said, “be it done unto you according to your faith.”

The most important question related to self inquiry into our essential nature is this: Are we willing to let go of an apparent lesser thing (the illusory person), to Be a No-Thing beyond limitation and definition? Even if our answer is “no,” we cannot escape actually Being It.

Dare to dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2022 – R. Arthur Russell

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If you enjoyed this article (originally published at my personal blog), you can find more of my writing at https://think2wice.me/. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. 🙏🧡