David Hall's Non-Duality Blog

My name's David Hall. I'm the creator of this web site and its content. I live in Wales in the UK.
I developed the Celtic design software KnotWorker, I create electronic music as Goldcup7, and I've written books on spirituality and non duality.

Hope you enjoy this Non Duality blog. New blogs are added on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Please use the Contact page if you have any questions or would like me to discuss a topic.

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One SunWhen you recognise that there is only one, one infinite being that is expressed through many forms, it's generally important then to live in line with that understanding. I call it The Way of Oneness.

It takes some time and effort to change from the old way of living to the new way of living in line with oneness. If that's where you're at, you'll know that it's not easy to always see the world as one. Sometimes things frustrate us. Sometimes people frustrate us. Sometimes we are frustrated with our own sense of individual self. But with some effort it improves.

The trick is to let go of otherness. There really are no others. There is only what is. Our old way of thinking was that the world, people and animals, were others. They were separate from how we saw ourself. It was us and the world of others. Now we want to let go of those old notions because we recognise there is only Oneness. But the ego is stubborn and wants to hold onto things. We have to practise letting go.

So work at letting go of the idea of 'me and them'. See that your human perspective and other human perspectives are allowed to appear different. Here's a useful list to help you on your way to a deepening oneness:

  • Recognise selfishness and let it go, in favour of natural selflessness.
  • Be kind to others, even if they may be unkind to you.
  • Accept the world as it is, and don't seek to control it.
  • Drop the attachment to objects, that you may have thought were yours.
  • Drop the attachment to thoughts, that you may have thought were yours.
  • See distance and change as the play of the world.
  • Rest in the Here and Now that is your natural state.

Concentric CirclesThe human sense of being a separate limited self comes from the perception of distance and limits. The mind feels that it is at the centre of perception. The sense of distance spans outward from 'itself'. Through sight it perceives distance. Through sound it perceives distance, and also to a certain extent through touch. Even with our eyes closed we can perceive where our hands and feet are, and they are perceived as being a distance outwards from our centre of awareness.

This 'centre' or heart of awareness is not strictly accurate. It may be a conceptual point where all perceptions are known and where dimensions seems to be perceived from, but it is a relative centre dependent on the apparent outer shell. The mind has a sense that it is in the head, where the eyes see from and the ears hear from. But this is an assumption. Truly, if you reach out with the mind you will not find any limits.

Similarly, the mind can assume identity with the body and can feel that it is within the body. This is based on the faulty assumption that the body's limits are firm and impervious. But we know that the body or indeed any physical matter is not impervious. Matter gives an appearance of solidity, but we know that radiation can travel through matter that seems to be solid. For example, xrays are used to examine bones within the body, and ground penetrating radar is used to analyse buried structures beneath the soil.

Back to the human being. There is a sense of being within, because we perceive these apparent limits, the outer shell of the head and body, and the distance away from us that things appear. As I've mentioned elsewhere in these blogs and in my books, our perception of distance is always right here. We may recognise that, but there is still the sense of 'here' being within the human form.

Truly, this point 'here' is not enclosed. It is a spaceless space, within which the sense of inside and outside is experienced. We experience this sense of being within the apparently limiting human form from a field of open awareness. We perceive the imaginary limits of the heart and the whole from here, from nowhere.

So, although the spiritual seeker learns to look within to 'know thyself', it is found that there is no within. The heart of being its not a centre, because there are no limits to define it. But in seeking this heart of being we realise that there is no inside or outside, and that there is no divide that separates the heart and the whole. It is in realisation of the Infinite One that the sense of being a separate limited self falls away.

This is what is called enlightenment, self realisation, or nirvana, where the illusory separate self is "snuffed out". Maya, or the illusion of separation, is rooted out at the source and reality is perceived clearly as it is. The limits that seemed to define the separate self disappear, and it is revealed that there is no identity. Pure formless aware being.

 

Galaxy SwirlThe world appears as a flow of continual movement and change. Where stillness appears in the world it is illusory. For example, if you're sat at home on a sofa or on a bed, sat on a bench in a park, or even if you're sat on a train, there is a sense of stability and stillness. But the stillness of the sofa, the bed, the bench or the seat on the train, is illusory. It is a relative stillness. The seat on the train is relatively still in relation to the train, as it maintains its steady motion with the train. The sofa is relatively still in relation to the Earth, whilst the planet spins around. The Earth is continually spinning and swirling through the universe, and the universe is in continual motion.

This illusion of stillness in the world of motion is merely a play of opposites. What we see in the world is a reflection of the truth. Stillness is the reality, and motion is the illusion. But I don't mean the stillness that you can see. True Stillness is an infinite Singularity that has no form, no outside, no inside, no distance and no change. It is Stillness beyond any appearance of stillness, beyond space and time.

The appearance of The World of Opposites is the way in which the Singularity becomes visible. So the illusory world appears as the opposites motion and stillness, where motion is the opposite of the Singularity and stillness is its likeness. Yet the appearance of the world of opposites is itself the opposite of the Oneness of the Singularity. Hence the stillness that appears is not true stillness.

It is in this way that space and time appear as the opposite of the unseen Singularity that has no form, location, separation or change. This World of Opposites or the World of Motion is wholly illusory, yet infused with the reality of the Singularity. Space seems to stretch out indefinitely within the Hereness of the Singularity. Time appears to stretch out within the Nowness of the Singularity.

Distance and change appear within the Here and Now of the Singularity. So the illusion or maya of the world is itself illusory. There is only Reality. The illusion is held by the belief of space and time over the truth of the Singularity. Where is this Singularity, this True Stillness? It is right Here and Now. Wherever you may seem to go, however you may seem to have changed, you remain here and now as the True Stillness witnessing the world of movement and change.

Spiritual AcceptanceAcceptance is an important spiritual practice. In returning to a state of oneness it is necessary to accept what comes and accept what goes. Acceptance is our true nature.

It is natural to accept what is and not to yearn for what was or what could be. But it doesn't seem natural because the human experience is one of holding on to what we've got, losing those we love and care about, being disappointed by life, and having difficult times that we'd rather not have. It's common to hope for something, to want a better life, and to not want to lose people and things that are important to us. But the world won't satisfy our wants and needs. The world is always changing and moving on, and presenting us with challenges.

We can feel cheated by other people or organisations, taken advantage of, neglected, misled, or mistreated. We raise complaints. We blame others. It dwells in the mind. We tell people about how badly we've been treated. Some people hold onto these feelings all their life. Admittedly, there are times when complaints should be raised, and misjustices heard and dealt with. But there is a time when we need to accept what is. Even during this raising of the issue, it needs to be accepted that this is how the world is.

It can be hard for people to accept when they lose someone close. Maybe they have died, or they moved away. It can be devastating and difficult to come to terms with. But for spiritual progression we need to accept this. We need to accept that that's just the way it is. It doesn't help to fight against the universe, to hold onto what's gone, or to wish for life to get better. Life may get better, but it may get worse again. Many people choose this way of life, longing and losing, and that's fine. But if your aim is spiritual progression then that's not really the way for you.

Acceptance is about letting life just be. It's going to just be anyway, so why fight it? Let go of holding on. Let the world flow. But know that you are not flowing. You are the stillness that perceives the flow of the world. In truth you cannot really hold on. The holding on is an imaginary sensation in the mind. Let it go. If your human experience involves difficulties and challenges let this come and go. Know that you are the witnessing of this.

You are not the human who longs and loses. You are the Still Centre, from the human perspective. You are complete. You are perfect. You are pure peace and love. I'm not just saying nice words here to pick you up. This is the nature of your infinite being. Your true nature is found at the heart of your being. But when it is found it is known to be an infinite oneness. It does not need or want. It is perfect peace. Through the practice of acceptance and letting go, our attention sinks naturally into this state of oneness that is complete and content. It is holding on that holds us back.

Laugh when you stub your toe. That's life. It's the sort of thing that happens. Accept it when people move on. That's the way of the world. I don't mean for you to be emotionless. Accept the emotions. If you cry, let the crying happen. Accept it all. If your bus is delayed, smile and accept it. If the traffic slows to a halt, smile and let it be. If you forget something, it's okay. Humans aren't perfect. Mistakes will happen.

In fact the world cannot be perfect. You are the perfect peace and stillness. You are the singularity that experiences the world of opposites, with its ups and downs, highs and lows, happiness and sadness. The world is a reflection of your perfection. Acceptance is your natural state. Accept the world and be as you are. Perfect peace is the nature of your being.

 

Celtic Knot PanelIt's important to understand the ego and its influence in each human life and humanity as a whole. The ego is the sense and belief of being a separate self, an entity separate from others. The ego grows from the mind's identification with the human form. The stronger the ego, the more it is identified with the human form and its sense of importance in and against the world. The extreme ego has a hardened mental shell that protects itself from others and distances itself from others. It clashes with others, often other egos with hardened mental shells. We are talking here of a clenched fists, angry, hateful, destructive ego, narcissistic and sadistic. It's sounds harsh, but that's the extreme of the ego. It will cause misery and suffering to others wherever it goes.

Human history has seen this kind of ego dominate others and enrol others in its egotistic aims. We should be cautious of giving power to ego dominated people, yet it continues to happen. Sometimes people see a person with a strong ego as charismatic, and that may be the case, as it can often present as a distinctive personality with a certain charm and flair. A good lesson to learn is to recognise the ego when you see it, and to know its pitfalls.

Recognising the ego in others can also lead us to recognising the ego in us. Ultimately we experience the body, the perceptions, the feelings, the thoughts, and the identity within the mind. We experience the ego identity. It is not who we are. It is more like the opposite of who we are. The ego is the sense of separate self. Our true nature is the infinite and undivided selfless self. The ego is incomplete. It needs and wants. Our true nature is complete, without need or want.

The ego is the phantom ego, the mistaken identity, the great pretender, the false king. It is a bundle of thought forms that cling to its imagined identity with the human body. We perceive this. We are the Awareness that perceives the play of the ego and the world. It is through this sense of identity that we perceive the world.

What do we do about this pesky ego? There are things that we can do to lessen its control (it loves to control). Recognising that you are not the thoughts is a good starting place. See that the thoughts that arise are perceived by you but not thought by you. When thoughts about 'me' and 'mine' and 'others' run along, step back and know that you are perceiving them. Recognise that there are no limits to anything. There are no things. There are no limits that define who you are.

There are also practical actions that can be taken:

Peace - be at peace. Allow peace to permeate through the mind, the ego, the body, and to others and the world. You are the peace at the heart of being. You are unshakeable stillness. You cannot stop the motion of the world, but you can recognise the peace and stillness of your being. This allows peace to permeate through the human nature in its contact with others.

Acceptance - accept the mind, the ego, the body, others and the world. Let it be. Don't get caught up in it. It's okay for the world to be as it is. Know that you are unaffected by the ego's problems. This acceptance and realisation brings a centring of your being. It helps withdraw the mistaken sense and belief of identity and ego.

Love - be the love that you are. Allow love, the highest love, to shine through the mind and the ego, out into the world. Show kindness to others. Be selfless and caring and non-judgemental. Help where you can. But know that you are not the doer. You are not a body, ego or mind. This expression of love and kindness comes from the heart of your being and shines through the human form, bringing light into the world.

 

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