Currently, the everyday dictionary does not yet have a definition for the word “nonduality.” However, I discovered several eloquent definitions on Wikipedia, which I believe do the term justice. Nonduality is “the interconnectedness of everything which is dependent upon the nondual One, Transcendent Reality” (Grimes, 1996). It is “the singular wholeness of existence that suggests that the personal self is an illusion” (Katz, 2007). Nonduality is a very pure state of awareness which is based on us identifying less with separate, singular experiences and more about embodying a profound sense of wholeness and interconnection with the entire Universe.

The term “nonduality” comes from the Sanskrit word Advaita meaning “not two” and “non-separation.” This is also known as “Oneness.” The non-dual perspective says that everything is interconnected (Sasson, 2023). “Non” translates to “no” which in this case could be a determiner, or even an adjective. “Duality,” which is a noun, is known as the condition of being separate. The term “nonduality” is similar to what we know as connection and non-separation, and is sometimes referred to as pure awareness or pure consciousness. “It is not an altered state of consciousness. It is an expansion of consciousness and living in the present moment” (Sasson, 2023).  

Nondualism was first developed in India, however, the first Indian scriptures, the Vedas, promoted dualism. The texts that came after the Vedas, the Upanishads, showed “the beginning of investigation into and commentary on nondual awareness (as well as other mystical topics), and are notably different in tone and flavor from the dualistic ritualism of the Vedas” (Taft, 2014). Buddhism stems from these reflections of the Upanishads, so it makes sense why the concept of universal interconnectedness is so central to Buddhist teachings. 

Buddhism promotes that we are the Earth walking on the Earth; we are not separate from the Earth. Our oldest ancestors are minerals of this planet and over billions and billions of years, we evolved to human form and at some point were infused with the spark of the Divine. With this evolving awareness, we began to create new things and new ways of being. In the midst of the challenges of survival, humans have always seen the world in terms of separation and differences. Many prophets who have walked this Earth have tried teaching humans methods to integrate the awareness of nonduality. Nonduality is an extension of consciousness where you become one with God, and because God is technically in everything, you become one with All.

Perhaps the most famous example of someone who understood and lived nonduality was Jesus. As the archetype teaches us, Jesus was able to cultivate extreme bravery in the face of severe public torture. Most of us could never do this. However, Jesus was in the awakened state of Christ Consciousness, also known as Unity Consciousness, meaning that he knew himself, he was himself, and he was one with the Creator. He committed to his divine mission, knowing that even though he was going to die, his sacrifice would reverberate through the centuries and guide the world into a higher state of consciousness, a state with a stronger connection to God. His soulful understanding of nonduality allowed him to stay strong and know that the life as “Jesus” was only temporary anyway. After his murder, he experienced the Transfiguration and went into an even higher state of nonduality and spiritual awareness. Today, his mystical energy continues to support billions of people, but sadly, his essential message of nonduality is getting very lost in translation.

Another example of nonduality comes from my personal experience with meditation. The feeling I experience when I achieve a large, concentrated “gap” of silence in between my thoughts during mindfulness stillness-based meditation. It is not a thought, but more so a “knowing” feeling. It is a very soft feeling, and as soon as I arrive here I always start smiling. It feels like “I’m home; I’m here.” It feels like I am happily floating inside a sturdy container. I am just part of my surrounding environment, listening to the natural hums and creaks of the house and hearing the birds and windchimes outside the window. I don’t have to identify the sounds as “bird, creak, chime” because I experience the sounds as being part of me. I am present without identifying anything, just pure consciousness. Whenever I’m in this state and I suddenly notice my heartbeat, I know it is God saying, “I love you.” It is an extremely comfortable and almost indescribable sensation to be in a long gap of nonduality; no thoughts, just meeting with God. No pressure, just love. “In order to understand what nonduality is, you have to be in a state beyond words and thinking” (Sasson, 2023).

With all of that said, if nonduality isn’t explained properly, it can be misunderstood and confused with the idea that life isn’t real. Some people may think, ‘If all I am is an illusion, what’s the point of living?’ Conversely, nonduality is the ability to recognize true present reality, which is in fact spirituality. And as Jesus said after the Transfiguration: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:36, 39). In nonduality, we know ourselves as spirits instead of humans. This awareness gives us eternal life. To be in a state of nonduality is to be in “heaven.” Nonduality is more real than our egoic desires, as those are only temporary. As spiritual beings, we will always be nondual.

In conclusion, nonduality is another paradox found within the mysterious and stunning Universe. Nonduality can be described as knowing that you are nothing and everything at the same time. It is knowing you have a unique mind, but your mind is also everyone else’s mind. Through nonduality, we see others’ suffering as our suffering. We see others’ joy as our own. Through nonduality, we can know peace, harmony, and true love.

Nonduality also supports the concept of Consciousness as the Creator. If this is true, then we are all a spark of this same initial Consciousness that made everything in the Universe. Nonduality teaches us that we aren’t the only ones evolving; God is evolving too. In other words, we are all One Consciousness just in different bodies. Ram Dass said, “Greet everyone you meet like God in drag.” Everyone you meet is God, since we are all nondual. With all due respect to Moses, I feel his famous declaration was too personal. He was trying to describe nonduality by saying, “I am that I AM.” Perhaps it is more accurate to say: “We are all that I AM.”

By Casey Allard, 2021

References:

Grimes, J. (1996.) A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in

 English. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-3067-5.

Katz, J. (2007.) One: Essential Writings on Nonduality. Sentient Publications. 

Sasson, R. (2023.) What is Nonduality? Definition and Meaning. Success Consciousness. 

www.successconsciousness.com/blog.

Taft, M. (2014.) Nondualism: A Brief History of a Timeless Concept. Cephalopod Rex.