We are in desperate need of changing the way we relate to reality, of discovering an alternative approach that allows us to feel connected and at peace, rather than isolated and in conflict with nature. In this article, I will argue that non-duality, a philosophical and spiritual concept that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, offers a solution to this problem. By experiencing non-duality, we may find a way to bridge the gap between ourselves and the universe, ultimately leading to a greater sense of peace and belonging.
The growing sense of alienation and conflict that many individuals experience in relation to life can be attributed to two distinct ways in which reality is explained within Western culture. Our society is built upon two myths or worldviews through which we attempt to make sense of the world around us. The first perspective is that of religion, while the second is the perspective of science. Alan Watts refers to the religious myth as “the ceramic model” and the scientific myth as “the fully-automatic model”. As we will explore together, both of these representations of the universe, for various reasons, contribute to the alienation of human beings from the rest of the cosmos.
The Ceramic Model
Within the ceramic model of the universe, the world is regarded as nothing more than a crafted artifact. Indeed, in the Book of Genesis, God is depicted as an architect who creates the universe in accordance with his grand design. God brings the world into existence by infusing his will into the primordial soup, much like a carpenter fashioning a chair from wood, or a potter shaping a vase from clay. The universe is composed of a primordial soup that possesses no inherent life or intelligence of its own, requiring an external entity to mold it into form. Without the will of God, man would be reduced to mere dust.
This paradigm implies an insurmountable separation between man and the divine, a separation between matter and spirit, between the created and the creator. Man is an artifact, trapped on earth, while God sits upon his heavenly throne, leaving no possibility for man to experience the Absolute. Earthly life assumes significance only in relation to the afterlife. The relationship between man and God mirrors that of a subject and a king, a bond characterized by submission.
It is rather intriguing to note that while the majority of Western states have adopted a republican form of government, most religions continue to explain the universe through the lens of a monarchical structure.
The Fully-Automatic Model
Over the course of time, science has disproven many of the dogmas associated with the ceramic model of the universe. However, it has borrowed from religions the notion that the universe is governed by precise laws. In religions, these laws are formulated by God, whereas according to science, they are simply laws intrinsic to the very structure of the universe. Indeed, one of the primary goals of science is to describe and predict the behavior of nature. The existence of God is irrelevant when it comes to formulating scientific theories. In this way, science has liberated itself from the creator of the laws but has retained the concept of laws itself.
The scientific revolution has given birth to the conception of a universe that corresponds to a mechanical entity governed by regular and predictable principles. In other words, the scientific paradigm perceives the universe as if it were a mechanism, a sort of Swiss watch.
Newton’s worldview, which forms the foundation for many of the paradigms of modern science, is based on the conception of atoms as billiard balls that collide and influence each other, giving rise to the world we perceive. According to this model, man is nothing more than a highly complex cluster of atoms, and the universe is merely energy devoid of intelligence. It follows that man’s existence, like that of other forms of life, is solely the result of chance.
Consequently, from one moment to the next, man could find himself in grave danger, as he is at the mercy of energy without purpose that could send him back to the oblivion from which he was born. This conception gives rise to the separation between man and nature, where man perceives himself as an entity distinct from the universe of which he is a part. As a result, nature becomes an enemy to be tamed and conquered without mercy: this is precisely the cause of the ecological disasters we hear about every day.
The root cause of the deforestation of the Amazon, the pollution of the oceans, the contamination of the atmosphere, or any other ecological disaster for which man is responsible, can be traced back to the erroneous perception of the human being as a foreign body in the universal ecosystem. An entrepreneur who disposes of his company’s toxic waste by dumping it into a river fails to understand that, in reality, he is not polluting a river but polluting himself.
What we struggle to comprehend in our culture, and what other cultures that we define as less evolved, such as that of the Native Americans, had very clear, is that being at war with nature is equivalent to being at war with ourselves. We do not need to subdue nature because we are a fruit of nature itself.
The Main Problem with Science
Some may raise an eyebrow at the comparison of religion to science. The primary issue with science is that it often struggles to question its own paradigms. However, to uncover something truly groundbreaking, as the discoveries of the past have taught us, we must be willing to challenge the prevailing worldview; otherwise, there can be no room for genuine progress.
Take, for instance, a researcher like Rupert Sheldrake, who has faced harsh criticism from the scientific community for his theories, not on the basis of his actual findings, but simply because what he has discovered goes against what science currently holds to be true.
The 13 Pillars of Non-Duality: A Deep Dive into the Essential Teachings of Non-Duality
In a world often perceived through the lens of separation and duality, the concept of non-duality offers a profound shift in perspective. This exploration delves into the heart of non-dual philosophy, unraveling the illusion of separateness and revealing the interconnected nature of all existence. Through these 13 pillars, we will journey from our relationship with the Earth to the very fabric of the universe, challenging our conventional understanding of reality and self.
1. Non-Duality and the Human-Earth Relationship
Alan Watts suggests that “man is a fruit of the planet Earth in the same way that an apple is a fruit of an apple tree.” If we can imagine an apple tree “appling”, then we can similarly conceive of the planet Earth “peopling.” In other words, humans, like every other animal or plant species, are a consequence of the Earth’s existence and are, quite literally, a fruit of our planet.
“The earth is not a big rock infested with living organisms any more than your skeleton is bones infested with cells. The earth is geological, yes, but this geological entity grows people.”
– Alan watts
Just as your body grows your hair as an integral part of your being, the Earth gives life to humans as an extension of itself. This perspective emphasizes the deep, intrinsic connection between humans and the planet we inhabit. However, fully grasping this profound connection between ourselves and the rest of the cosmos can be challenging, largely due to the pervasive religious and scientific paradigms that shape our perception of reality. These paradigms often reinforce the notion of separation between humans and the natural world, making it difficult for us to recognize and embrace our fundamental unity with the Earth and the universe as a whole.
2. Transcending Separation: Non-Duality and Our Connection to the Universe
The most widely accepted theory currently used to explain the birth of the universe is the Big Bang theory. According to this theory, the universe began with an explosion of immense power that set in motion the expansion of matter, which continues to this day. Assuming that our universe did indeed begin in this way, you are not merely the result of the process that started with the Big Bang, but you are the process itself. You are the primordial energy of the universe, expressing itself in the guise of a human being.
“You and I are all as much continuous with the physical universe as a wave is continuous with the ocean.”
– Alan watts
Your skin does not separate you from the universe; rather, it unites you with everything around you. The Kybalion, a book that explains Hermetic philosophy, states, “As above, so below.” This seemingly simple phrase is, in my opinion, a valuable key to unlocking many of life’s secrets.
“As above, so below” means that the way nature expresses itself is the same in both large and small systems. We can find the same intelligence of the universe by analyzing the movement of atoms or the movement of the solar system. Using this lens, we can liken the human body to a cell within the universal organism. Consequently, every human being is nothing more than a cell within the organism we call the universe.
Each of us is an infinitesimal part of the universe, a tiny cell in the cosmic organism. The mistake we make is perceiving our identity as separate from the rest of reality. It would be akin to a cell in your body believing it was not part of you. The universe is not separate from you; it is an extension of you, and you are an extension of the universe. You are a point of view, an aperture through which the universe experiences itself.
3. Non-Duality and the Paradox of Self-Reference
Following this logical thread, one arrives at a rather bizarre conclusion: you come to understand that at every moment of your life, you are inside yourself.
But how can you be inside yourself? Wouldn’t that imply that there is nothing outside of you? This statement is a paradox, what Douglas Hofstadter defines as a strange loop. A strange loop is an object or system in which the end also corresponds to its beginning. It is something impossible, something that defies reason, but that nevertheless occurs. It is the same situation we encounter in the illustration, which you have likely already seen, of two hands drawing each other.
Or, in the symbol present in numerous ancient cultures, the ouroboros, the serpent biting its own tail. Both of these images hint at the notion that perception, the process of perception, and the self that perceives are one and the same. In other words, life is a singular process; there are no separate events in the universe, just as you can see in the image of the eye perceiving itself.
4. Non-Duality and the Oneness of Existence
When you walk down the street, you are not merely walking down the street; you are walking inside yourself. If you find yourself within yourself, the question arises spontaneously: what lies beyond yourself? In other words, what exists outside of reality? The answer is that there is only you, not you in the sense of your ego, your body, or your mind, but the universal Self, the Absolute, Spirit, Life, or whatever you want to call it.
This is precisely why it is so challenging to experience your true identity; your identity is everywhere, it is infinity itself. We are like waves in an infinite ocean, not realizing that we are water, precisely because everything we see or perceive is water. The most effective way to conceal a treasure is to hide it in plain sight, rendering it nearly impossible to recognize. Jed McKenna, one of my favorite authors, describes man as “A caged bird in a boundless sky.” The cage in this metaphor represents the idea of separation. The cage, in reality, does not exist; it is merely an idea.
5. There Are No Others
Jesus’ golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is not only a principle of ethical behavior but also a profound statement about the reality in which we live: if everything is one, what you do to another person, you are ultimately doing to yourself. Sri Ramana Maharshi, one of the most influential mystics of the past century, echoes this sentiment. When asked how one should treat others, he replied that there are no others.
The world’s great religions contain teachings of non-duality, the concept that everything is one, that the manifestation of the universe is nothing other than the manifestation of the spirit, “I and the Father are one.” The primary issue with religions is that these teachings are often manipulated by people’s egos and transformed into teachings imbued with fear.
6. You Are What You Are Seeking
When you recognize your true identity, when you perceive Reality for the first time, you can’t help but smile or cry with joy, or both simultaneously, because you comprehend that you have always been everything you’ve been seeking. Truth has always been right before your eyes, but you have never been able to grasp it because, indeed, it was everywhere. This is why the Buddha is often depicted with a broad smile.
“I have lived on the lip of insanity, wanting to know reasons, knocking on a door. It opens. I’ve been knocking from the inside.”
– Rumi
7. Why Does the Universe Exist According to Non-Duality?
The fundamental question of why the universe exists can be explored through the lens of non-duality. As explained in the “Conversations with God” book series, Consciousness imagines itself as separate from itself, creating the illusion of duality in the world, in order to experience itself. To illustrate this concept, imagine the absolute as an infinite light, without beginning or end. While the light can know that it is light, it cannot experience itself as light in the absence of darkness. Only when darkness appears can light truly experience itself as light.
At the core of our being, each of us yearns to know ourselves and to become one with infinity. All our actions, whether consciously or unconsciously, are directed toward the search for infinity. However, we often seek infinity in misguided places, such as drugs, relationships, sensory pleasures, or the pursuit of material success at any cost.
It is crucial to understand that experiencing infinity through finite means is impossible. The reason why any outwardly directed attempt will never suffice is that you cannot become what you already are; you can only be what you already are. To experience the Absolute, a shift in perspective is necessary, requiring a different perception of reality. The separation we perceive between ourselves and the outside world is, in truth, nothing more than an optical illusion. By recognizing this illusion and embracing our innate connection to infinity, we can begin to experience the profound unity that underlies all of existence.
8. How Non-Duality Accounts for the Existence of Evil
One of the most challenging reconciliations to make in order to understand that reality is nothing but the actualization or movement of Spirit is to realize that if Spirit is infinite, by definition, Spirit must contain every possibility. Consequently, even what we perceive as wrong or evil from a human perspective must exist; otherwise, Truth would not be infinite.
We often think that the All should be only love and mercy, when in fact, it encompasses the totality of every single possibility because if it were not so, the All would not be the All. In Eastern traditions, God is also perceived as horror, terror, pain, and suffering. For example, the Hindu deity Shiva is known as the destroyer of worlds, and the All is also Shiva.
I am not suggesting that doing evil is right from an ethical standpoint. What I am asserting is that even what we define as “evil” is part of Reality. Moreover, from a purely psychological perspective, to be able to consciously choose to be good, you must understand that you are capable of being evil. If you wish to explore this topic further, I recommend reading Orwell’s book 1984.
Consider the possibility that the notion of God we are accustomed to believing in our culture is, at the very least, naive.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
– Rumi
9. When You Forgive Another, You Are Loving Yourself
This principle also has profound implications for your own self. For instance, if you do not accept your body and believe you have flaws, what you define as “flaws” are, in reality, an essential manifestation of the entire cosmos. Without what you label as “flaws,” Truth would not be Truth because it would not encompass the set of all possibilities. In other words, God would not be complete without your current incarnation, without your unique perspective.
The central teaching of Jesus is rooted in this idea. If everything is one, when you forgive another for a wrong they have committed against you, you are, in essence, forgiving yourself. “Forgiving” is another term for “loving,” so when you forgive another, you are loving yourself. Imagine the extraordinary level of consciousness one must possess to forgive those who are crucifying you. The Absolute accepts itself so deeply that it allows every single aspect of itself, even the most terrifying aspects, to exist.
10. What Does Infinity Mean?
For centuries, philosophers and scientists have sought to uncover the fundamental building blocks of matter, yet their quest has remained unresolved. The reason for this mystery lies in the very nature of reality itself—it is infinite in both the microscopic and macroscopic realms. If we had a microscope powerful enough, we could zoom into any object infinitely. The opposite is equally true; if we had a telescope powerful enough, we could observe the vastness of the universe infinitely. To better grasp this concept, I recommend watching the following short video called Powers of Ten.
If the universe is infinite, it follows that everything is relative, depending on the point of view from which we observe things: your hand is as vast as the Milky Way, and the Milky Way is as small as a grain of sand. A hundred thousand eons are a second, and a second is a hundred thousand eons. That’s why the question “where is the universe located?” has only two possible answers: the universe is not located anywhere, or the universe is located everywhere. “God is a circle whose center is everywhere but whose circumference is nowhere.” This phrase, attributed to several philosophers, brilliantly encapsulates this idea.
11. You Are Always at the Center of Eternity
To state where an object is located, you need to have a second object to relate to the first object, but if there is only a single object, it is impossible to state where this object is located because there is nothing else to relate it to. Above or below, right or left, inside or outside – these are merely conventions we use to relate to each other and navigate our daily lives. Try to imagine being an astronaut traversing the vastness of space. In this mental experiment, it is impossible to determine your position because you cannot perceive any object outside of the absolute void with which to orient yourself.
Therefore, wherever you may be, or at whatever moment you may find yourself, you are always in the same position, or rather, you are always at the center of eternity. You could travel in any direction for millions of light-years, but the place where you will find yourself at the end of your journey will always be the center of the universe, precisely because there is nothing outside of reality.
12. Awakening to Non-Duality: Beyond the Boundaries of Perception
One of the most significant obstacles to overcome in order to experience the connection between ourselves and the universe is the conception of the existence of events and objects separate from the universe itself. The limits, that is, the names we impose on reality through language, do not exist in reality itself; they are mental projections. This means that reality has no boundaries. As mentioned earlier, the idea that you are only your body or your mind is just that – an idea. To delve deeper into this topic, I highly recommend reading the book No Boundary by Ken Wilber.
There are no objects separate from each other; the universe is a single organism of which each of us is an integral part. In other words, any object you can perceive is the expression of the entire universe, from its beginning with the Big Bang to the present moment in which you are perceiving it. In our everyday lives, we struggle to understand this because we live in a conceptual reality constructed by our minds.
13. Non-Duality and Interdependent Origination
The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh explains this teaching beautifully by analyzing a common object, such as a page of a book:
If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper. The cloud is essential for the paper to exist. If the cloud is not here, the sheet of paper cannot be here either. So we can say that the cloud and the paper inter-are. “Interbeing” is a word that is not in the dictionary yet, but if we combine the prefix “inter-” with the verb “to be,” we have a new verb, inter-be. Without a cloud and the sheet of paper inter-are. If we look into this sheet of paper even more deeply, we can see the sunshine in it. If the sunshine is not there, the forest cannot grow. In fact, nothing can grow. Even we cannot grow without sunshine. And so, we know that the sunshine is also in this sheet of paper. The paper and the sunshine inter-are. And if we continue to look, we can see the logger who cut the tree and brought it to the mill to be transformed into paper. And we see the wheat. We know the logger cannot exist without his daily bread, and therefore the wheat that became his bread is also in this sheet of paper. And the logger’s father and mother are in it too. When we look in this way, we see that without all of these things, this sheet of paper cannot exist. Looking even more deeply, we can see we are in it too. This is not difficult to see, because when we look at a sheet of paper, the sheet of paper is part of our perception. Your mind is in here and mine is also. So we can say that everything is in here with this sheet of paper. You cannot point out one thing that is not here-time, space, the earth, the rain, the minerals in the soil, the sunshine, the cloud, the river, the heat. Everything co-exists with this sheet of paper. That is why I think the word inter-be should be in the dictionary. “To be” is to inter-be. You cannot just be by yourself alone. You have to inter-be with every other thing. This sheet of paper is, because everything else is.
– Thich Nhat Hanh
Non-Duality in Practice: Exercises to Deepen Your Understanding
An effective exercise to intuit your connection with reality is to observe your hand and try to pinpoint the exact point where the outside world ends and your hand begins, while setting aside any preconceptions you may have about reality. Let go of the belief that you are solely your body, your mind, your thoughts, your name, or any other idea you might identify with. In essence, look at your hand as if you were seeing it for the very first time. Through this exercise, you might be able to dissolve, even if only for a few fleeting moments, the knot of concepts that constitutes your ego and understand that there is no true boundary between your hand and the space surrounding it.
Alternatively, to grasp the infinite nature of reality, I find it helpful to reflect on the fact that each and every moment of life is distinct from the one that came before it. For instance, when you walk down the street, try to meditate on how everything you perceive is nothing but infinity: a plastic bag carried by the wind, the movement of the leaves on the trees, the chirping of the birds, the people walking in the opposite direction – they are all merely the movement of infinity.
Above all other exercises, I encourage you to rediscover the beauty of asking questions about existence: “What am I?”; “What is life?”; “What is death?”; “What is reality?”; “What is truth?”; “What is the difference between being and not being?” and so on. Remember that you are the only valid authority; no one can answer these questions for you. The mistake that virtually every human being makes is to deny their own authority and accept the answers to life’s fundamental questions that are provided by the society into which they are born.
You should not blindly believe anything I have written; on the contrary, I invite you to reflect and draw your own conclusions. My aim is to encourage you to question your beliefs, to ask questions, to ponder, to marvel at the miracle that is existence. This article is nothing more than an invitation to embark on your own search; everything I have written has already been expressed, in various forms, by mystics, philosophers, writers, and artists throughout the ages.
Non-Duality and the Nature of Spiritual Enlightenment
One of the most common misconceptions about spiritual enlightenment is that it is a singular realization, that you are either enlightened or not, much like a light bulb being switched on. In reality, there are different levels of spiritual understanding and development of consciousness, which explains why so many people who speak about spirituality seem to contradict each other. Furthermore, different teachers come from diverse cultures, use varied terms, focus on a single facet of understanding reality, and neglect others.
Imagine the understanding of reality as if it were a mountain; some teachers have not reached the summit, and thus, they do not have a comprehensive view of the path to be taken. This does not mean that their teachings cannot be valuable to you, but simply that they are not complete. At some point, you will have to leave them behind and continue your journey alone or by embracing the teachings of someone who has reached a higher point on the mountain.
The more I delve into my research in the realms of spirituality, philosophy, religion, and science, the more I realize how intricate reality is, the more I recognize how deep the rabbit hole goes. Therefore, I advise you to conduct your research as extensively as possible without ever abandoning your critical spirit. Apply what you deem valid and discard the rest.
Spiritual growth and psychological maturation are not necessarily intertwined. This means that even if you have a profound spiritual experience, the problems in your daily life will not magically resolve themselves. For example, if you have issues in your relationships, these issues will still be present after your experience. Your problems will persist; what will most likely change is the meaning and importance you ascribe to them, the way you relate to life as a whole. Ken Wilber, one of the pioneers of integral thought, eloquently explains this distinction in his books.
Final Considerations
It’s essential to remember that I am not a guru; I am simply an individual passionate about wisdom and fascinated by the profound mysteries of life. The ideas and concepts presented in this article hold true value only when verified through your own direct experience and understanding.
If you feel inspired to further explore the concept of non-duality, I highly recommend engaging with the work of Leo Gura. Additionally, I invite you to watch a beautifully crafted animation of a short story titled “The Egg,” which encapsulates the core essence of the non-dual perspective discussed throughout this article.
As you embark on your journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth, keep in mind that the path is not always linear or straightforward. Embrace the challenges, be open to new ideas, and trust in the process. Remember that true wisdom comes from within, and no external authority can replace your own inner guidance.
Lastly, I encourage you to approach this subject with a curious and open mind, while maintaining a healthy sense of discernment. Take what resonates with you, and feel free to discard what doesn’t align with your personal experience or understanding. The journey of self-realization is a deeply personal one, and it is up to you to determine what truths hold meaning in your life.