Welcome to a series of podcasts based upon the teachings of Russell A. Smith, a man who discovered an objective and accelerated way of awakening our innate higher consciousness, the seats of conscience, pure reason, and impartiality. Russell’s work expands upon the Fourth Way teachings of George I. Gurdjieff and deciphers much of what Gurdjieff left behind.

In this episode, Russell guides us through the transformative "I AM" meditation, a profound practice that unifies knowledge and being through intentional breath and presence. By focusing on the inhale ("I"), representing all that we know, and the exhale ("AM"), embodying all that we are, it helps bring us into the present moment with greater awareness.

This practice strengthens the connection between the instinctive, emotional, and physical aspects of ourselves, ultimately fostering a harmonious integration of our being. As we progress, the exercise deepens self-awareness, culminating in a powerful sense of presence and unity. It reminds us of our unique ability to consciously recognize and declare our existence, offering a transformative experience of mindfulness and self-discovery.

What is “I AM?” I think we'll just do an I AM exercise, so everybody prepare yourself. I'll take you through an I AM exercise and maybe we'll get a little better understanding of it. There's these two words called I AM. And these two words I'm going to use to try and bring myself to presence because they kind of reference the two parts of myself, the knowledge and the being. What I know and what I am, my knowledge and being. The two parts of God, God's name, I AM.

So I'm going to use those two words and I'm going to say them to myself, finally. And the way I'm going to do it is I'm going to say I on the inhale and I'm going to use the I to reference everything I've acquired, all that I know, all my personality, all that that I've got. And then when I say I AM and breathe out, I'm going to take that as the meaning of all that I've become, my being, my knowledge and my being, the I and the am. So here's all I know and from that here's what I am.

Now, somebody told me I should kill the guys in Northern Ireland. So that's what I know and that's what I am. It could be right, knowledge could be wrong, knowledge, but still knowledge is still what I've acquired and what I am. But I'm trying to use these two words to be present. So I'm saying the all-inclusiveness of my knowledge and the all-inclusiveness of my being are the totality of what I am.

So let's say it, I on the inhale, am on the exhale and then I said it. And then I say to myself, there you go, you said it. You did something, congratulations. And then I say, does that mean you exist now? Because you said that. And I said, well, I got a little something from it. Well, then I say, well, let's do it again. Let's see if we can make another one better than the one we just did.

And so I decide the next breath that I'm going to do it. I on the inhale, gathering all that I know and am on the exhale, wishing it down through all that my being offers when I become because of what I know. And now I say, oh, I did it a second time. That's better. I got a little bit more out of that one. Now, maybe I have to do it five or 10 or 15 times, trying to make each one I do a little bit more inclusive of the totality of myself than the one before and see how I can do. And maybe it happens on the 10th or 15th, but I say it, oh, my goodness, I'm there. There's a sense of me and there, here and now, knowledge and being, all that I am, present in that moment, responding to these two words, thank you very much. It took me 15 of them, but that's okay. Each time I tried to make the next one better than the last one. And, phew, we got there. Good job, guys.

Okay, that's a sense of I am. But then I kind of do what Ronald was talking about. I say, all right, well, now that there's a sense of me here doing this, my knowledge and my being, let me do it in various parts, instinctive center. Okay, just you guys. Say I am. Just instinctive. I just want a sense. Here on the back of my neck ought to be sticky. I'm ready. I on the inhale, am on the exhale. And I do several that way. I on the inhale, am on the exhale. Just with the instinctive center, whatever that represents in me, of the sensation, you know, like when I do my eye body as an April Fool's or picture center, my instinctive center.

It's all to bear on the I and M. Like it says, we're here, we're holding everything is on red alert and sensing and this is not saying we're here, I and am. I'm in this exercise. And after 4, 5, 6 of those, I go, good job, guys. Pardon me. All right, let's move on to just the emotion. And now it's your turn emotional, guys. I on the inhale and am on the exhale. And now I realize that this is a feeling. This is emotion. This is different than a sensation. And I try to feel my I am in presence.

And then when I move on to moving, well, I'm not moving. So I freeze my body. I become a piece of stone. I'm an engraving artist statue. And in that holding my body in that stillness with nothing moving, it's the moving center I on the inhale and am on the exhale. They're saying, we're here. We're our part. We're present by this frozen posture all letting everybody know that there's no part of us twitching moving that isn't paying attention and not here and now in this moment. I all that I know and am all that I am.

And so I do moving. And then I finally talk about the fact that I can say I am. I'm the only creature on the face of the earth that can say I am. That's this meaning. This has helped the emotion. What does it mean that I'm the only creature that knows I'm here? Oh, my God. There are so many millions of creatures of mid-year have died off and new ones that have come. And yeah, I'm the only one out of all of them that can say the name of God. Are you kidding me? I am. A chance to be present. A chance to be atoms that are so organized. They know they exist. Oh, my God. I feel that. It's important.

And I say I am. There's before five six with the emotional center. So now I've done all three of these parts of myself. Sensing the moving and the emotional. And I say good job, guys. But now let's do it all together. All back together. All do I am at the same time. And I start the I am. On the inhale and exhale. Trying to sense. Trying to feel. Trying to freeze my posture again to acknowledge that it's this present. I am there. I am now in the world.

And I've heard you said at that moment God in the devil or no account because I'm higher than they are. And I applaud myself and thank myself for being present. Thank all the guys for acknowledging their existence in this moment of I am. And then I end my exercise with a crescendo. I say, okay, okay, okay. Let's do one final I am. But we'll just hold the I. We'll say I and we will let it build. Every time we say I and sometimes I just take those sips of air. So I'm kind of like filling my lungs over a couple minutes with just little inhales that just keep the I getting bigger and the I getting bigger.

Now I can do it in and out of there. Doesn't matter. But I kind of sipped here. And the I gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger. I don't say I am. I'm just letting the I grow. All that I know. All that it means and all that I know. And finally, the August to such a moment that I'm an explode of it. I'm saying I am. So at that moment, I breathe out and say I am. And I wish that all down my body and I tingling. It's pretty enough for me. It's a pretty amazing moment. So that's what I am is knowledge and being what I know. And what I am. 

Summary

This exercise outlines a profound meditation practice centered on the phrase "I AM." At its core, it explores the relationship between knowledge and being—what we know and what we are—using God's name as a framework for self-presence. The exercise progresses through distinct phases, each building upon the last. It begins with simple repetition, encouraging you to make each attempt more inclusive than the last, until a genuine sense of presence emerges. This might take 10-15 attempts, but patience is part of the process. 

We hold a special place in creation as the only beings capable of consciously recognizing and declaring our own existence.

This exercise offers a practical path to presence, unifying our various aspects—instinctive, emotional, and physical—into a coherent whole. Through regular practice, it will deepen our sense of self-awareness and connection to the present moment, ultimately leading to a more integrated state of being.

Like any meaningful practice, its power lies not in perfect execution but in sincere engagement and regular repetition, allowing each attempt to build upon the last while maintaining an attitude of patient self-discovery.

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Thank you for listening.

If you would like to learn more about Russell’s work on how you can attain to objective consciousness with a proven and reliable method of awakening based upon simple rules and laws that govern this universe, then visit our website thedogteachings.com and acquire Russell Smith’s book, The Blueprint of Consciousness - An Accelerated Path to Awakening, which is also available as a PDF download.

There, you will also be able to listen to other talks, access transcripts of these podcasts, diagrams, animations, supporting videos, and much more.

But most importantly, you may fulfill your true potential, which is your right, and it no longer takes a lifetime to achieve.

As a reminder, we have two ZOOM classes every Sunday to assist you; one is for purchasers of Mr. Smith’s book, and the other is for those who have additionally obtained the Master Exercises and the Double or Nothing Exercises to awaken the Higher Mental Center. See under Resources/Zoom Classes for more details.

At the thedogteachings.com. 

That’s T H E D O G  T E A C H I N G S  Dot Com.

Goodbye, until next time.