In the quiet stillness of early morning, where the first rays of sunlight touch the earth with gentle warmth, lies the perfect metaphor for the journey from duality to non-duality. It begins with an awakening, a gradual awareness of the present moment, as if the mind, long distracted by shadows and echoes, suddenly notices the brilliance of the light within.
Imagine standing at the edge of a dense forest, the trees thick with the illusions of duality. Each tree represents a concept, an idea, a belief that separates "self" from "other," "right" from "wrong," "desire" from "disgust." The forest is vast and overwhelming, with paths leading in every direction, yet all returning to the same tangled thicket of confusion. This is the realm of duality, where the mind is caught in an endless cycle of thought, dividing the world into fragments and categories, always seeking but never finding peace.
But then, in a moment of clarity—perhaps brought on by meditation, self-reflection, or a simple pause in the day's routine—you grasp the "sword of self-enquiry." It is not a physical weapon but a sharp and discerning awareness that cuts through the illusion of separateness. With each careful stroke, you question the very roots of these dualities. "Who am I?" you ask, not as a rhetorical question but as a deep, sincere inquiry. The sword slices through the beliefs that define you as separate from the world, revealing the interconnectedness of all things.
As you continue this practice, the forest of duality begins to thin. The trees, once imposing and solid, now appear as mere shadows, insubstantial and fleeting. The path becomes clearer, and the air lighter. The "sword of non-dualism" now comes into play—a sword forged in the fire of self-enquiry but wielded with the understanding that there is no true separation between the wielder and the world. This sword does not cut; it unites. It dissolves the boundaries between "self" and "other," merging them into a singular, unified field of consciousness.
You find yourself standing in a clearing, where the sun shines unobstructed, illuminating everything with equal brilliance. Here, in the heart of non-duality, the distinctions that once seemed so vital now appear as illusions. The forest, once dense with dualistic thinking, is revealed to be nothing more than a mirage. The pointers that guided you—the sword of self-enquiry, the sword of non-dualism—are no longer needed. They dissolve into the air like morning mist, leaving only the pure, direct experience of the present moment.
In this state, you realize that enlightenment is not a destination but a process, an ongoing practice of appreciating the present moment with absolute precision. Each moment holds the potential for profound insight, but it requires no intelligence, no extra sensory perception and no mind to fully grasp it. And yet, once grasped, the insight itself vanishes, leaving no trace, as the craving for true understanding or explanatory stories is no where to be found.
How often do you reach this state, where all dualities dissolve and the mind rests in the pure awareness of non-duality? This is the measure of lasting change, the degree of enlightenment. It is not a static state but a dynamic, living process, one that requires, for most of us, constant vigilance and practice to unwind the conditioning that defines us. The path is not easy, for it demands the destruction of all pointers, all concepts, even the very notion of self. But in this destruction lies the ultimate freedom, the realization that you are not separate from the world, but one with it, in every breath, every heartbeat, every moment.
Thus, the journey from duality to non-duality is not a journey at all, but a return to the source, a recognition of what has always been—the light of consciousness, shining in the present moment, unclouded, eternal, that was here before you were born, and will be here after you are gone.
Love this Ramesh! The sword of oneness! Practice wielding the sword brings agility and ease to the swordsman. 🙏🏻❤️