Printed in the Spring 2022 issue of Quest magazine.
Citation: Hebert, Barbara, "Viewpoint: Beyond Duality" Quest 110:2, pg 10-11
Barbara Hebert
National President
Many spiritual concepts seem paradoxical. A less tenacious student may look at the contradictions in such ideas and drop the subject entirely. However, those who are willing to dig more deeply and ponder the contradictions may find spiritual treasure. One such paradox is the idea that duality exists within the unity of all life. It is helpful to contemplate these two seemingly disparate concepts in more detail.
Contemplation of the unity of all life brings the idea of a whole: an undivided, harmonious, Oneness. This Oneness is fully inclusive. All life is contained within it, without differentiation, division, or separation.
On the other hand, some individuals may perceive duality as two conflicting forces that oppose one another. Examples of these opposing forces might be up/down; in/out; push/pull. Others may perceive duality as the difference between subject and object. If I am the subject, then everything I observe is the object. Duality is based on differentiation, division, and separation: the exact opposite of unity. Paradoxically, then, duality exists within the unity of all life.
The Theosophical perspective provides some of the treasure that underlies this paradoxical statement. Although continued contemplation may lead to even more gems of wisdom that can only be found by looking within, let’s consider some of the valuable insights that are provided in Theosophical literature.
From Theosophical teachings, we learn that duality (differentiation or separation) only occurs in the manifested universe. In The Secret Doctrine, H.P. Blavatsky writes, “The ‘Manifested Universe,’ therefore, is pervaded by duality, which is, as it were, the very essence of its ex-istence as manifestation” (1:15).
Because duality occurs only in the manifested world, it is in the physical realm that we perceive differences and see separation. As I walk down the street, I see the trees as separate from me and from one another. I compare the dark green of the leaves to the vivid blue of the sky and perceive they are different things. In the pasture, I see cows and horses grazing on the green grass. Again, I perceive them as separate from me and from one other. Furthermore, I perceive that they are different kinds of animals. My brain has further separated them into categories: cow and horse. If I pay enough attention, I realize that my brain has categorized the brown cows into one class and the black and white cows into another.
Certainly duality or differentiation is a part of the manifested universe and the way our brains perceive the world in which we live. Many other examples of differentiation are at hand. In the international president’s message for the Theosophical Society’s 146th International Convention in late December 2021, Tim Boyd said, “Our experience is fragmented—joyful/sad, here/there, before/after, outer/inner.” In addition, we can look at other ways in which we separate ourselves and the world in which we live: male/female, old/young, me/you, them/us.
Yet according to Theosophical teachings, we are not separate at all. At the core of our being, we are one. In The Secret Doctrine, HPB tells us that there is “one absolute Reality which antecedes all manifested, conditioned being” (1:14). Moreover, “the opposite poles of subject and object, spirit and matter, are but aspects of the One Unity in which they are synthesized” (1:16).
In discussing duality in relation to Theosophy, Vic Hao Chin writes, “Theosophy is a nondualistic philosophy. It posits an Absolute principle beyond all manifestations and dualities. It is only in manifestation that there is duality and multiplicity.”
We realize that the manifested world in which we live, while it is real to us as we exist within it, is illusory from the perspective of the Absolute. Therefore, duality, division, and separation are also illusory if we view them in a more universal or higher way.
What we have discussed to this point has been theoretical. In his article “Essentials of Theosophy,” published in The Theosophist in May 1981, John Algeo writes:
There are two aspects of Theosophy whose essentials need to be considered: the theoretical aspect and the practical. The word theory comes from the Greek theoria, “a view or way of looking at things.” A theory is a window on the world. Sometimes, indeed, the word is used to refer to something unreal or impractical, as when we say, “Oh, that’s just theory.” But to reject theories is to reject windows and therefore to remain in a closed and viewless room. As “The Golden Stairs” tells us, we need open minds; and for the mind to be open, it must have windows—that is, theories—and it needs more windows than one.
In addition to being theoretical, however, Theosophy is also practical. The word practice comes from the Greek praktike, “a concern with action,” from the verb prassein, “to pass through, experience, act.” Theory is looking; practice is doing. The two are complementary, each being indispensable to the other. If we wish to sail across the “perilous seas,” we need both a chart to guide us and a skilled crew to run the ship. Lacking either, the ship is lost. So theory without practice is a map that is not followed, whereas practice without theory is a journey with no direction.
Therefore, while theoretical discussions about the Absolute, Duality, and Oneness are fascinating and can keep us enthralled in discussion for quite some time, it is essential that we look at its counterpart. From a practical perspective, we may ask, “If duality is an integral component of physical life, what are we supposed to learn from it? What is the value of duality in my day-to-day life?”
It has been said that to appreciate light, one must know darkness; to experience happiness, one must experience sadness, and so on. Therefore, in order to know Oneness, we must experience separateness. How would we know Oneness without having first experienced separateness?
Assuming that experiencing separation allows us to more consciously know Oneness, we recognize the value of living in a world that is dualistic in nature. We realize that it is a spiritual challenge on our journey: to exist in a world that is filled with differentiation and separation yet become consciously aware of the unity that exists beyond the duality. Our spiritual journey compels us to move beyond division and separateness toward the essential Oneness.
If the manifest world is inherently dual in nature, then we must move beyond the manifest toward the unmanifest. We must reach beyond the temporary components of ourselves: the physical as well as the emotional and “lower” mental aspects of our being. We must attempt to touch the higher aspects of our nature. As we do this, we reach toward that Oneness.
The question then becomes: how do we attempt to touch the higher aspects of our nature? Each individual’s journey is different, yet striving toward a connection with the higher aspects of our nature is an important component of our spiritual quest. Some may connect through contemplation or meditation; others may connect by spending time in nature; others, through interactions with others; still others, through an intuitive leap during intense study. Regardless of how we come to this connection, we are, at least for a moment, touching that higher aspect of ourselves.
While connecting with that higher aspect of ourselves may last for only a brief moment, a split second, we have accessed the Eternal. We have come, as much as possible, to a conscious understanding of the unity of all life.
With this conscious understanding of Oneness comes a deepening moral and ethical perspective. The way we perceive our world and those who inhabit it are changed. We no longer see ourselves as separate from and perhaps competing with others; rather, we see ourselves as united at our core. We work for the benefit of all living beings. We realize that what happens to one of us happens to all of us, because we are the same.
This is at least part of the treasure we find buried under the paradoxical statement that duality is inherent within the unity of all life. In order to consciously experience Oneness, we must first experience duality and differentiation. Experiences rooted in separation compel us toward an understanding of the essential unity of all life. As we move in this direction and touch those higher aspects of ourselves, we change. As we change, the world changes.
Sources
Algeo, John. “Essentials of Theosophy.” The Theosophist, May 1981: https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/statics/the-essentials-of-theosophy.
Blavatsky, H.P. The Secret Doctrine. Two volumes. Wheaton: Quest, 1993.
Chin, Vic Hao. “Duality.” Theosophy World, accessed Jan. 3, 2022: https://theosophy.world/encyclopedia/dualism.