The Light of Duality

Duality.
The curse of humanity.
And it's protector.
To be elevated to the ecstasy of love, and then crushed to the depths of pain.
Birth and death.
Gain and loss.

We all entwined in a myriad of ropes that both strangle and propel. Our genders, societies, cultures, dreams and deepest desires - nothing escapes the rules that duality imposes. Even within the freedom of our souls or the supposed autonomy of our minds - we are slaves to it. We yearn to grow and change what we do not like nor want - but resist the path that will take us there. We seek to connect to others and our world, but blind ourselves by the differences that separate us.

I find it fascinating that after evolving for so long, with so many discoveries absorbed and mysteries unveiled - we are still seeking the truth of who we are. And in that quest duality has remained the puppet master; that humanity can be so knowledgeable and ignorant both.

Is there an end to the spiral of truth?

Collectively we have peeled back so many layers of understanding. From the enormity of our galaxies to the infinitesimal wonder of particles. And still we know that the surface is just a reflection and we are yet to dive in.

Individually we mature and accept more and more aspects of our psyches, believing we have found the end of the tangled web and can now settle into security.

But what a beautiful illusion we have weaved for ourselves. There is no end. And no beginning.

There is only continuation.

Life is not meant to stand still.... perhaps duality is more powerful than the four forces of the universe that allow life to exist at all. Duality forces growth, expansion and reflection - there is no power available to halt its ruthless and never ceasing progression. It ensures the continuity of life through the cycle of death, and it demands that we never become complacent through inaction.

Inaction is not stillness though, for their outcomes will always be different. We might convince ourselves of their similarities but one requires thought and the other resistance.

Stillness; my most challenging manifestation of our dual existence - to be still within and honour the slow dance of our souls, while our outside lives twist and turn and churn up all you thought you knew.

Tonight I choose stillness.

It is a perfect summer's evening, the light is flickering because I prefer candles to the illumination that comes without shadows. I prefer shadows... they are a necessity to balance over-exposure. My latest classical love affair is playing loudly. I have deadlines and commitments piling up around me, commitments I need to meet and admin that should probably be faced.

But I choose tonight to rather write and ponder the ever changing landscape that is life. What a wonderful ability that is... that we can be both trapped within the responsibilities of our lives and still take these brief moments to say f*ck you world and f*ck you duality.

Tomorrow I will tackle the opposite of this peace for there is always a reckoning that cannot be escaped. But for now... I'll enjoy the stars a little longer and marvel at their size compared to mine.