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 Fridays.
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Development of Life Forms Life forms show the pattern of bifurcation and evolution throughout the universe.Bifurcation is a universal pattern where one divides into two. It stems (pun intended) from the 'initial' appearance of division, where the singularity splits into two. We have a theory of The Big Bang, where the singularity exploded from one into many. We don't necessarily think of it as one splitting into two, but the splitting into two would be the start of the explosion, which then multiplied.

An obvious example of bifurcation is a tree. A tree has many branches where the trunk bifurcates and a branch goes out from the main one. This extra branch repeats the pattern and bifurcates, forming another branch, and so on. The pattern can also be seen in leaves where the midrib of a leaf bifurcates to form the veins of the leaf. Bifurcation is further evident in the evolution of the human body, where the limbs have 'branched' outwards from the main torso, and where fingers and toes have developed from the limbs.

The structure of veins in the human body also shows this pattern of bifurcation. Not only that, but each birth of a child demonstrates the pattern. From procreative union, where two people unite, an 'offshoot' develops. If we look at a family tree, we see the pattern of bifurcation, where a 'source' couple have a child that grows to adulthood, unites with another, then has another child, and so on, creating a complex branch of diversity.

Recognising this universal pattern, it should be no surprise that planets other than Earth should form creatures in the same manner. In other words, it should be no surprise that planets can develop creatures or life forms, and these life forms would follow the pattern of bifurcation. Humans have two arms and two legs because of the universal pattern of bifurcation. That doesn't mean that life forms from other planets will necessarily have the same, but there is a good chance that multiple legs and appendages develop. So, just because there are reports of 'alien' beings or Non-Human Intelligence that have two arms, two legs, fingers and toes, it doesn't mean that they must be related to human beings or necessarily from this planet. Rather, their life forms show the pattern of bifurcation and evolution throughout the apparent universe.

Bifurcation is the universal pattern of division and multiplication. One divides into two. Each of the two can then divide again, creating four, and so on. From this pattern the whole universe of diversity is created. Kind of.

Why kind of? Well, the division into two is a play of division and not a true division. The One Singularity from which the universe seems to have expanded and diversified remains complete. The One doesn't really become many different ones. It only seems to do that with the play of division. A tree doesn't really have many different branches. 'Branches' is an idea or term that helps us describe what we see in the tree. But the tree is simply the tree. We have given names to what seem to us to be parts of the tree, but they are not truly separate parts.

The tree is a small-scale example of the whole universe. The division of the universe is only conceptual. In reality the Singularity of the universe remains timelessly as it is.

Space begins in the infinite and time begins in the timeless.It's generally assumed that the universe is limited and that individuals are limited. It is considered that the universe has a beginning and an end in time and space. It's also thought that we are individual beings with beginnings and endings. How can I put this? It's just not true, and there really has never been any valid evidence to say it is true. Let's explore it and see what the evidence shows.

No-one has ever found the beginning or end of time or space. It is generally accepted that the universe appeared from a singularity, bursting forth into expression, outwards from this centre. It is this bursting forth that is space and time itself. Before time and space the singularity was in a spaceless place timelessly. Only when the explosion of the universe happened could it be later said that it began there. But we can't really say when it began, because there was no time before, then there suddenly seemed to be time. Similarly with space, in the singularity there was no reference of separation and distance, so there was no space before space suddenly seemed to appear.

Really, if we consider the beginning of the universe we find that space begins in the infinite and time begins in the timeless, which means that the universe has no beginning or end. Similarly, if we look towards the end of the universe, space can only come to an end in the infinite, and time can only come to an end in the timeless. Where are the limits we have assumed were there? They cannot be found. If there were limits to the universe then that would mean there was something other or outside the universe limiting it. But when we consider that the universe includes everything, then there can't be anything else.

If we look at our individual limits, generally humans assume they are limited by the body, and anything that is not the human body is not them. But there are no fixed limits to the human body. The outer layer or skin isn't really separate from the environment. The skin is constantly being replaced by new skin as the old skin flakes off into the environment. Air flows into and out of the body. Food and liquids come into the body and go out. Really the body is a constantly changing appearance of a life form made of and within the planet. The body is never really separate from the planet, so the body is never really limited.

So our ideas of limitation are flawed. There is no limitation. That means there is no 'me'. What we think we are is not really who we are. We cannot be defined. We are nothing other than what the universe is. There is no real outside or inside of 'me'. Although there are thoughts that we are the thinker and the body, and everything else is outside us, that's not true. Thoughts are perceived but there is no limited individual that perceives them. Thoughts of being limited or not are perceived. The sense of identity is perceived, but there is no true identity, because identity means separation from what it is not, and that doesn't happen because there are no true limits that divide.

So where does this leave us and the universe? We are the universe. There are no others. There is only This. It means we can drop the old beliefs of limitation and live freely. Although there may appear to be limitations, we know that limitations are only make believe. We have no beginning or end. We have no restriction. We are freedom itself. The full recognition of this we call Liberation, Moksha or Enlightenment, where the sense of separate identity is cast aside and we are as we are.

Ownership is a human idea.We Non-Duality folk don't agree with sharing. I'm just having a little fun here, but it's true. In Non-Duality there is no sharing. There is no-one who shares, nothing that is owned, and no other to share with. So really we don't agree with sharing.
 
I should add that neither do we agree with selfishness and ownership. I'll explain. Non-Duality is the understanding or recognition that there are 'not two', or not many. It kind of means that reality is One, but even that's not wholly accurate, as the One is infinite. It's really no number. There is only This. Although the world may appear to be separated into multiple things, that is only an appearance of This, or What Is.
 
Generally in the human experience sharing is considered to be a good thing. It's considered kind to share things, and of course it is. But strictly speaking there is no sharing. Sharing means to give some of what you have to others or let others use some of what is yours. Well, in Non-Duality there is no you and others. There is only this Infinite One. The notion that there is a 'you' separate from the world is incorrect. It is additionally incorrect that there are things that belong to this idea of 'you'. There is no separate you and there are no separate things. Also, there is no ownership of things. Ownership is a human idea. Truly no human owns anything. Even more truly, there are no separate humans and separate things. The world is one infinite indivisible What Is.
 
So sharing may seem good and is a good human practice, we could say, but it's not factually correct. The act of sharing is of course good, because it breaks down the supposed barriers of separation. So it is to be encouraged. But it is not to be believed. What that means is that it's good for humans to share, as it's a good expression of Oneness, but it should ideally be done with the knowing that nothing is 'yours' anyway. Allow the play of interaction to play out. It is the Oneness playing at separation and unity.
 
Let's also consider selfishness. We might say that the more selfish someone is, the less they will share. Selfishness is the opposite of the reality of Infinite Oneness: it is a limited divided separateness. Selfishness is always lacking and wanting, whereas true Oneness is complete in itself. Selfishness seeks ownership and likes to define its separation from others by claiming its own identity. Selfishness isn't satisfied in being on its own. There is an emptiness it tries to fill by collecting and owning things. Ownership becomes important to selfishness. It is then that selfishness refuses to share what it feels it owns.
 
However, when selfishness does begin to soften and drop its hardened defences, it begins to allow sharing. It gives away what it felt was its own. It didn't really own anything anyway. But it thought it did, and it may feel the loss in sharing. But it can be therapeutic then to share. Sharing expresses the breaking down of barriers from 'others'. Sharing brings the selfish one closer to the Infinite One. Sharing drops the limitations that the selfish self has built around itself. Through repeated sharing the selfish self gives more and more of itself away, until there is no self left. There is only This.
 
Truly nothing is gained or lost in reality. It only seems to come and go. Reality is always right here, complete and content. What is perceived as a world of opposites is a play of giving and taking within the Infinite Oneness of reality. Nothing is given. Nothing is taken away. Reality remains complete and unlimited.
Remain strong in kindness.Why not allow your human self to become a vessel of Love and Peace? It's the highest achievement for humanity. The reason it is the highest is because Love and Peace is reality. You could say it's the Way, the Truth and the Light. It surely is.
 
How can Love and Peace be reality when we hear so much about war, abuse and atrocities in the world? Love and Peace are Oneness. This world plays out as if it is far from the reality of Oneness, as if it is a world divided against itself. It plays out an appearance of separation, clashing, conflict and selfishness, which are the opposites of the reality of Oneness. Humanity gets caught up in this play of separation, and the love and peace of oneness seems to be a rare thing.
 
But why run around with drama after drama, with a life of conflict and confusion, selfishness and division? Let's look at how people can become vessels of Love and Peace. It's not really that 'we' become vessels of Love and Peace. We are Love and Peace. It's about letting this come through into the human world. It's not that we need to change, but that the human experience can change to one of peace and love. How do we bring this about?
 
Firstly, let's dismiss the idea that love and peace are happy hippy notions. Love and Peace is the nature of reality. By that, I mean that reality is an infinite indivisible singularity. Love is the coming together in unity of beings that have assumed separate identities. Love is Oneness, in other words. The singular infinite being is One, and what we experience as love is this closeness to Oneness. Similarly, Peace is a harmony beyond separation. When conflict turns to peace it is coming back to Oneness. It is this Oneness that is the reality of life. It is Love and Peace itself. Anything other than this is a play of opposites within the Oneness of life.
 
So that's the theory, if theory is needed. Love and Peace is good and right, because it is the nature of reality. Why then engage in ideas of conflict and division? Start bringing this Oneness into the human life. Let go of ideas of 'me' and 'them'. There are no others. You are not limited by the human body, and there are no others limited by human (or non-human) bodies. There is only the Infinite Oneness. Show love and kindness; it brings about peace and oneness. Humans have mental barriers that prevent this Oneness being expressed. The more that humans drop these barriers, the more the notion of separation drops and Oneness is revealed to be ever-present.
 
Dropping the barriers doesn't mean that people should unlock the doors to their homes and let everyone run in and take over. We know that humans are at different levels of realising oneness, and some seem very far from this, competing, fighting and claiming things for themselves. So people cannot open their doors, literally or metaphorically, to allow unscrupulous folks to take advantage. Some caution is required. Some barriers are needed for protection, to allow the work of openness and oneness to take place. What that means is that people need to look after themselves and protect themselves whilst allowing Love and Peace to shine through. It's the flag and flagpole scenario: the flag of freedom will be blown away on the wind if it doesn't have the firm grounding of the flagpole. This is how Love, Peace and Truth can function in this seeming world of opposites. There needs to be a balance to allow freedom.
 
So we drop the human notion of separation, we recognise that there is only One, and we allow our actions to be those that lead towards love, peace and oneness. We show love and kindness in our actions. But we also maintain the stability of this and not allow it to be taken advantage of and ruined. We remain strong in kindness. We show kindness to others but drop the sense of others. We drop selfishness as much as possible. It gets easier with practice, and we become less selfish and freer as a result. I say 'we', but it should be noted again that we are not this person or that person. We are What Is. There are no limits to who we are, so we cannot say this is me and that isn't me. Recognise that there is only Oneness, and this is Love and Peace.
 
Allow Love and Peace to freely flow through the human experience. This message is for the body-mind of the human reading this. It is the body-mind that can free itself and benefit the world by dropping its ideas of selfishness. Peace and Love is the ultimate answer. It is the only answer. Peace and Love will inevitably prevail.

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