Greetings from Russell's Remnant:

Russell Whitesell loved "fiddlin' and flyin.'" They were his passion - from his days in Atlantis where aircraft flew along on magnetic force fields and from his days as a wandering minstrel in Europe following the Troubadour tradition. In fact, in this life when people would admire his violin playing and compliment him on his gift - he would often say, "Gift, hell! I worked hard to get to this level as a musician." He had been a musician for many lifetimes. He had earned the right to have "perfect pitch." His family provided a music teacher for him until that teacher realized that he could no longer help Russell. This first music teacher prevailed upon another music teacher to accept Russell as a student. This new teacher did not take many students. He only worked with the very best talent. He tested Russell and immediately took him as a student.

Russell was now on the path to become a concert violinist - not just a symphony violinist. There is a great distinction between the two. Concert violinists are a breed apart from even the most accomplished symphonic violinist. This second music teacher told Russell, "Don't play for the audience, play for the musicians. The audience does not know if you are great or just good. The musicians know. The audience does not know that you have made a mistake, but the musicians do - so play for the musicians."

Russell later used this same admonition in another form when he told one young man in the Tuesday Night Group who loved the Teachings so much and wanted to save everyone in the world, "Son, don't play to masses, play to those who know." He told the young chela that they were both Gnostics or Knowers and consequently must be economic in the work. Don't waste the Teaching on those who don't know. He said that you can't save everyone. Wait until the great law of suffering brings each human into the Work. Then they will be ready for some of the knowledge. That is why the Zen master admonishes those who come to him, "Don't come to me with a full teacup!"

So often in this work, people come to the teacher with a full teacup. You cannot teach anyone who thinks they already know. Russell's young chela was often heard to say in his class, "An ignorant man translates what a wise man says into something he can understand." Russell stated it in another way, --- each teacher taints the work as he tries to transmit what has been given to him. By this token, Christ tainted the Truth, Buddha tainted the Truth, - even Sanat Kumara taints the Truth. All Truth that we try to broadcast in words loses something. That is why intuition is so important. When each of us tap into that Truth, we get a much clearer picture of Truth.

Russell almost made it to the concert stage, but he chose to sacrifice himself to another human being who needed help. His musical teacher told him that he had to choose between becoming a concert violinist or supporting a wife. He left the concert violinist path to take a job to support his new wife. He taught others how to fly airplanes, he also taught violin lessons; and he became an assistant concert master in a symphony. He loved his violin, but he was dedicated to serving others first.

After one of his illumination experiences, Russell was at symphony practice. While playing a piece from Aida, Russell levitated several feet into the air. He did not know that he was not seated in his chair. He heard gasps from his seat mate, then gasps from the other members of the orchestra. Finally, he knew something was wrong when the music stopped, and he saw the conductor looking straight at him. It was then that Russell knew the situation was not normal. The conductor then made some comment to the effect that Russell must have practiced a lot in previous lifetimes to be able to play in such a manner. That was true. His lifetimes of music prepared him for that exact moment. He really was playing to those who know.

He never stopped learning and practicing. He told us that you only have an opportunity to grow in the last quarter of your life - make the most of it. He would always begin his music practice by warming up with one of the most difficult violin pieces ever written. He often would play his violin before his lectures. It relaxed him as well as gave him inspiration for his lectures. He was a holy man who played a wonderful violin. If he played in your home, your home was blessed. If he played for you, you have been blessed. He played for those who know.