Spiritual Explainer: Living in Paradox
The Spiritual Paradox Challenge: Can You Be “Both/And”?
[Updated July 13, 2022] Global ascension & awakening require a paradoxical shift from “either/or” to “both/and” thinking.
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Nonduality Oneness
Most spiritualists nowadays agree we have limited perception and understanding in our human experience. Our True-Self is deeper and larger than what we normally experience. It is the entire Universe, as in this cartoon I saw on Facebook ⬇️.
The most common spiritualist belief is that our true reality is one thing. That belief is the foundation of — nondualism (there is only oneness behind all diversity), — pantheism (God/Source is everything), — panentheism (God/Source is everything and more), — panpsychism (everything is consciousness, including the universe), and — quantum field theory (everything is an aspect of a uniform field of energy).
There are also dualistic belief systems, which separate God/Source from humans (us). Most religions are dualistic, except in their gnostic and esoteric forms. And most of us humans also live in dualism most of the time.
Many say our 3rd Dimension (3D) physical reality is the most dualistic of all spiritual realities and dimensions. In our daily lives, dualism is more real than nondualism. We incarnate in 3D specifically to experience duality at its peak.
The main reason dualism is so strong in 3D is because we fully identify with our ego-self and lose all identity with our True-Self. Our ego is the most dualistic aspect of our existence. It is the sense that I am separate from everything else.
Many spiritualist teachings say all our problems and suffering come from an overemphasis on our ego and its attachments to physical reality.
We live in dualism until we awaken to nondualism. Freedom, liberations, awakening, self-realization, and enlightenment all refer to a shift of our identity from our limited ego-self to our True-Self.
For more on our ego-self, see:
3 Spiritual Views of Nonduality
- Everything is one, and there are teachings and practices that we (our dualistic ego-self) can do to return to or experience oneness (nonduality). — That is what most New Age spiritual teachings do. They offer knowledge and techniques to help us awaken and achieve higher states of consciousness. In Hinduism this form of nonduality is called Advaita Vedanta. — One belief along these lines is that because everything connects to everything else in nonduality oneness, everything is a teaching and learning experience. We are learning and integrating both duality and nonduality through our 3D experience.
- Everything is one, but we (our ego-self) cannot do anything to return to or experience oneness because nonduality is beyond anything the dualistic ego-self can do or even comprehend. — That approach is called Radical Nonduality (or Neo-Advaita). says awakening or enlightenment happens spontaneously by the “grace” of God/Source. Spiritual practices prepare us for it, but it cannot be forced. — To even talk about nondualism (like I am doing in this article) is a limitation because our words can never encompass its reality. Spiritual teachings can point to it, but our dualistic thinking mind will certainly impede true or full understanding.
- The 3rd approach is a combination of the first 2. Everything is one, and there is something you can do, and there is nothing you can do. That is a paradox. You are called upon to hold 2 opposite beliefs at the same time. One is dualism and the other is nondualism. That approach recognizes that we are both separate individuals (dualism) and the universe (nondualism) at the same time. That is sometimes called a “both/and” approach, rather than an “either/or” (either one or the other, but not both) approach.
For more on Radical Nonduality, see:
Spiritual Paradox as the 3rd Approach
“Across planes of consciousness, we have to live with the paradox that opposite things can be simultaneously true.” — Ram Dass
The 3rd Approach is like a Zen Koan — it tries to break or stop our thinking mind (ego-self) to open us up to our deeper True-Self. So, it is a dualistic technique (1st approach), but it seeks to violate all the rules of dualism to point to the unknowable (2nd approach).
Here is a list of Spiritual Paradoxes (or Koans). In general, one of the statements is true from a 3rd Dimension/ego-self perspective, and the other is true from a Source/God/True-Self perspective. (There are some exceptions to that.) From a 3rd Approach perspective, both statements are true.
As you read these, where do you stand? Your options are: (a) Yes, they are the same thing, and so both are true statements (b) No, they are opposite things, and only one is a true statement (c) No, they are opposite things, and neither is a true statement
- Everything is Separate & Different (I am separate from you), and Everything is All One Thing (I am you, & you are me) (Diversity/Separation/Self & Other = Oneness/Unity/No Separation)
- We have Free Will to Create and Manifest our Reality, and we have No Free Will in a Controlled/Limiting Matrix or Universe of Cause & Effect (Free Will/Create Our Reality = No Free Will/Matrix/Cause & Effect)
- The Universe/Reality Exists as Real Forms & Events (it can be Objectively known by 3D science), and the Universe/Reality is an Illusion Created from the Formless & Emptiness by our Subjective Minds (it can never be known by 3D science) (Real/Objective = Illusion/Subjective) & (Form/Event = Formless/Emptiness/Silence)
- There are Opposites of Good/Bad, Positive/Negative, Right/Wrong, & Ying/Yang things, and there are No Opposites, No Good/Bad, No Positive/Negative, No Right/Wrong, & No Yin/Yang (Judgment/Polarity = No Judgment/No Polarity)
- My Truth is True, and All Truths are True, and No Truths (including mine) are True (True/Truth = Not True/No Truth)
- We are all Students, Gradually Awakening & Spiritually Ascending, and We are all Teachers, Already Spiritually Awakened & Enlightened (Student = Teacher, Unawakened = Awakened/Enlightened)
- The Past is Fixed, Present is Now, & Future is Unknown (time is real), and there is only the Moment Point in which the Past, Present, & Future Exist & Change Simultaneously (time is an illusion) (Past = Present = Future)
- Science & Religion/Spirituality are Opposites, and there is No Difference between Science & Religion/Spirituality (Science = Religion)
- Amazing Things are Rare & Unique, and Ordinary Existence is Amazing (Ordinary = Amazing)
- Everything in Existence has Meaning & Purpose, and there is No Meaning or purpose to Anything (Purpose = No Purpose)
- I Make Decisions & I Do Things (actions), and No One is Doing Anything (there is no doer), actions just happen (Doer/I or Me = No Doer/No I or Me)
- There is an Individual Being, Soul, or Self, and there is No Individual, only Source/God/The Absolute (Individuality = Source/God)
- The Universe/Reality is Finite & Bounded, and The Universe/Reality is Infinite & Eternal (Finite Space & Time = Infinite Space & Time)
Dualisms are everywhere. I used to teach a university social science research methods class. Below ⬇ is a slide of dualisms that I suggested students could use to kick start their thinking about their research framework or problem statement. (There is some overlap with those listed above.)
Paradox as Balance & Equanimity
“Every situation is God Sent. With this supreme wisdom of life, any situation can be used to our advantage and regarded as a blessing of Mother Nature.” — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Existence is a paradox and mystery. It can never be known by the human mind. But our human mind-body-ego does all it can to know the unknowable.
It does that to secure its place in the physical reality of the 3rd Dimension. Our ego’s very existence depends on belief in the reality of duality and separation, in finite time and space, and in the existence of polarities, truth, and moral judgments.
Believing that is understandable, because that is how we experience the 3rd Dimension. But identifying solely with our mind-body-ego beliefs causes human suffering.
Identifying with our True-Self replaces physical reality beliefs with spiritual beliefs. Spiritual beliefs are truer in the larger scheme of things and bring less suffering. But in practical 3D applications, they can easily be seen as spiritual bypassing.
The 3D goal is to be both our mind-body-ego-self and our True-Self. That is what Maharishi Mahesh Yogi called in living 200% of life — 100% in outer reality and 100% in inner reality.
From that state of being, we are in harmony, balance, and equanimity with the spiritual paradoxes listed above. We give full value to both propositions in each paradox in a way that is more feeling than logic.
Personal and global awakening and ascension require us to shift away from “either/or” approach of judging one truth/idea/person over another. We need to adopt a “both/and” perspective to be inclusive of all realities, known and unknown to us, because they are all manifestations of the one Source/God.
So, embrace paradox. Live a life of paradox. And marvel at the wonders of our 3rd Dimensional reality.
Some Paradoxical Quotes
“Each of you is perfect the way you are … and you can use a little improvement.” — Shunryu Suzuki
“Behind all faces there is one face.” — Seth/Jane Roberts, session 587
“The more conscious we become of what limits us, the more limitless becomes our life.” — Guy Ginley
“Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.” — Shunryu Suzuki
“As soon as you give it all up, you can have it all. As long as you want power, you can’t have it. The minute you don’t want power, you’ll have more than you ever dreamed possible.” — Ram Dass
“We are on a journey of becoming that which we already are. That is the impossible paradox of our lives.” — Adyashanti
“The moral dilemma is to make peace with the unacceptable.” — May Sarton
“I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” — Plato, The Republic
“Don’t believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” — Douglas Adams
“Every opinion followed through to its end will become its opposite.” — anon.
Meditating on Paradox
Consider, can you be Both/And?
- Female & Male
- Human/Ego/Individual & God/Divine/One
- Me/Us & Other
- Russia & Ukraine
- Left & Right; Democrat & Republican
- Right & Wrong; Moral & Immoral
- Active & Silent
- Angel & Devil
- Wise & Ignorant
- Purposeful & No Purpose
- Everything & Nothing
- Finite/Limited/Bounded & Infinite/Limitless/Boundless
- Imperfect & Perfect
- Attached & Unattached
- In Time & Outside of Time/Timeless
- And Beyond All These…
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bhodi Svaha!
(Beyond, Beyond, Gone beyond to the opposite shore, Gone completely to the opposite shore, That is enlightenment!)
Related
- ⬇️ I previously wrote about the Law of 3, which is about finding the Third Perspective on dualisms. That earlier article could be considered Part 1 to the article above, which would be Part 2.
- As stated above, life and spirituality are full of paradox. ⬇️ This article is about one of the biggest spiritual paradoxes of them all…
Many of my other articles also address the paradoxes of our 3D experience and our True-Self experience. The following two collections might be the best places to check.
- ⬇️ For more on the Spiritual Awakenings, see this collection of articles:
- ⬇️ For more Spiritual Explainer Articles, see this collection:
- Note that the articles in the 2 collections above are behind the Medium paywall. For paywall-free access to my articles go to www.AlanLew.com, linked below.
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- Written in collaboration with my Energy Group/Higher Self. This is our perspective of the truth and not the whole truth of reality.
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