PDA

View Full Version : Triangulation - stepping beyond duality



BlueStar
December 7th, 2009, 02:14 PM
I posted this on my blog but felt compelled to share here. Hope you find it of some help. It's been a challenging week, but the difficulties often push me toward my greatest understandings. Without them I'd have no impetus to wake up. I guess the same is true of us all :) I'd love to hear what you think.


TRIANGULATION: Stepping out of duality

I wanted to share some thoughts - and an insight I had - on the nature of duality and a process called triangulation.

This world of ours and “our lives” (such a term jumps out at me now - the notion that we somehow ‘own’ a life, rather than simply being expressions OF life!) are steeped in duality. And we all too willingly play along. What is in fact an indivisible whole is deconstructed by the mind into constituent parts, which we believe exist in isolation and independently of the whole. In fact, the mind doesn’t even like to acknowledge the whole at all - most people genuinely believe that life consists of separate ‘things’, one after the other, each seemingly independent and barely related. We divide reality into ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘light’ and ‘dark’, ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ and with those labels come judgements: one polarity is deemed desirable and the other is to be rejected, denied or repressed.

And so we traverse the uneven, bumpy path of duality. We’re locked into a certain pattern and mode of relating to the universe and it’s very hard to step out of it. The mind just digs this stuff - it thrives on reductionism, in labelling, categorising, conceptualising; in cutting reality down into bitesize chunks, designating each chunk as either good or bad, positive or negative, to be sought after or avoided.

Duality can be visualised as a straight line; one end is labelled positive (or ‘light’ or ‘good’) and the other is negative (or ‘dark’ or ‘bad’).

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/amoyan/IMG_2020.jpg

And between the two poles we chug, ever moving to the left or right.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/amoyan/IMG_2021.jpg

Because we perceive one pole as good and the other as bad, we remain locked in the cycle of attachment and aversion that the Buddhists highlight as being the sticky super-adhesive that keeps us bound to samsara, or the world of suffering. No matter how ‘good’ we think we’re being, no matter how much we aspire to the ‘light’, the very concept of light automatically creates not-light, or darkness. When we excessively attach ourselves to the one polarity, we automatically strengthen the other. Life is a never-ending cycle of balance, as symbolised in the great symbol of Taoism, which depicts the perfect balance of yin and yang.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/amoyan/yinYang.gif

It’s a symbol that’s really worth meditating upon and reflecting. It encompasses perfect balance, harmony and unity. This is not achieved by deciding that yang is better and more desirable than yin or vice versa and clinging to what the mind deems is best. It is a perfect dance, a symmetry, an absolute acceptance and recognition of the whole, rather than a clinging to its constituent parts, which are actually inextricably interconnected anyway, despite the appearance to the outward senses of separation.

As long as we’re locked into the mode of duality we’re going to suffer: there’s going to be ‘good’ and ‘bad’, pain will always follow pleasure and any ‘positive’ feeling or experience will inevitably be accompanied by a ‘negative’. There will be ‘good people’ and ‘bad people’, ‘nice weather’ and ‘nasty weather’, ‘happy times’ and ‘sad times’. This is simply the nature of the material world as we experience it. It is only really a problem - and creates suffering - when we are locked into duality, when we believe that things ‘should’ be a certain way and ‘shouldn’t’ be as they are.

The key to transcending this mindset and finding peace amid a seemingly imperfect world is triangulation. You no longer stay stuck on the straight line of duality, being swept toward either positive or negative and perhaps desperately trying to paddle in the ‘right direction’. (Sorry for all the inverted commas, but they are kind of necessary to demonstrate my point!) What happens is you create a third point, above and midway between the positive and negative poles. With this third point, you can join the lines and what you have is a triangle. The third point is the zero point (another discussion entirely) and which I call the point of LOVE. It bridges the poles of duality and creates a whole new mode of being. It is a balancing point. There’s no longer ‘good’ and ‘bad’ existing in isolation, but a whole. This is a far more accurate representation of reality than the old model.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j236/amoyan/IMG_2022.jpg

If we remain rooted in the point of Love, we remain in a state of harmony, balance and, most importantly, integration. We no longer skip between duality, but are able to see the bigger picture, the interconnectedness and the fact that no events, people or ‘things’ exist in isolation. We are able to embrace the whole with love and acceptance. There’s no clinging to one polarity and desperate aversion of the other. Each are as night and day and the passing of the seasons. Some experiences remain more pleasant than others and some are inevitably painful, but when viewed from this higher vantage point, we can accept and embrace all with love. Every part of the mosaic is necessary and together each seemingly separate part is joined.

The process of triangulation is powerful and transformative. And the symbols of this vital key have been around us for millennia; they are demonstrated in the shapes of the Great Pyramids and even in the figure of the sitting Buddha, whose body forms an almost perfect triangle.

How does this relate to the way we live our lives? I guess it might help us stay rooted in the Tao, living as embodiments of the perfect balance of yin and yang. We can have greater acceptance and awareness that all is part of an overriding perfection. This may not bring everlasting happiness, for happiness tends to be related to specific events happening (this is even the root of the word ‘happiness’) and it is the nature of life that it’s impossible to be happy at all times and in all circumstances. But there will be a peace and a oneness with life; an acceptance of the less pleasant experiences and less attachment to the more satisfying ones. Instead of desperately clinging to the day (and youth, beauty, success, wealth and possessions) we can also embrace and welcome the night and enjoy it for its own unique beauty and gifts (wisdom, stillness, maturity, exquisite emptiness and simplicity and a stripping away of all that is not us). The limited, grasping mind ceases to be the dominant, driving force behind our lives...and a greater intelligence is free to make itself manifest through us.

The way out of duality is the way to freedom and peace. Of course, there’s nothing new in all this. It’s very much in line with what the Buddha taught around two and a half millennia ago (boy, we’re slow to catch on, aren’t we?!). Stop creating duality. Step out of the mind and its universe of concepts, divisions and constituent parts. Get yourself off the treadmill of duality and embrace ALL with love. It’s ALL OK. ALL of it. Even the seemingly ‘not-so-OK’ bits.

SoulChild
December 7th, 2009, 02:51 PM
Thanks for taking the time to post this. I must say...as soon as I started to read your post, I got this overwhelming feeling of dejavu! Ifelt as if you posted this before and I have read it before. This time around reading it, I promise to take the time and read it slowly, and allow all your information to sink in. Thanks again!

BlueStar
December 7th, 2009, 06:36 PM
Hehe I've maybe posted some similar points. It always seems to come back to the same simple truth for me. I was sitting in meditation when I suddenly knew I had to write this, so I took a day off regular writing to get some of this stuff down on paper. I hope it helps or inspires at least someone.

Lion Spirit Walker
December 8th, 2009, 04:31 AM
Congruos Coexistance
Between Mind and Heart

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss70/psy_Michael/celtic-bird-5-1.gif

BlueStar
December 8th, 2009, 01:15 PM
Congruos Coexistance
Between Mind and Heart

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss70/psy_Michael/celtic-bird-5-1.gif

Very well put, I love that :)

Lion Spirit Walker
December 12th, 2009, 08:03 AM
This topic deserves very real consideration. And it would be truly unfortunate if the thread were to simply slip away.
Lucid, what you speak of here is the fabric of reality. And the path by which we as a species can in all truth grow.
I have for years understood this truth. But I have never been able to convey this understanding to others as to bring about a lasting effect. And yet it seems so very simple, and is in fact.
This thread should not be lost.

BlueStar
December 12th, 2009, 02:26 PM
Thanks Michael, I'm glad that I managed to express it in a way that made sense. I also feel it's a key understanding and one that needs full realisation (real-isation) and expression in our lives. It's a growing understanding. Maybe we can think up some ways to express and live this truth in our day to day lives?

I do believe the old dualistic ways are no longer functioning. They are crumbling. Even the cutting edge scientists (and not those still seeped in the illusions of the old Newtonian paradigm) acknowledge that there is no 'us' separate of everything else, but rather a field of infinite oneness and interconnection.It's time for us as a species to move beyond old limited conceptualisations and understandings and to ditch dualistic thinking, dualistic spiritual and religious paradigms and embrace the ALL with love and compassion. We're not separate from it. We ARE it :)

Lion Spirit Walker
December 19th, 2009, 10:13 AM
And it slides ever deeper into the shuffle of the deck.
I find it difficult to believe that this topic is not timely for or felt by other members here.
We are all of 'it'. Deep within each of us is a unique/shared understanding of this Truth. When expressed consciously we experience a unique/shared growth unlike any other.
Through this we truly realize the wonders of being of the Universe, as the Universe is of us in all truth. We realize that magick and miracles are in truth Life in and of this Universe.
Such an understanding is achieved that all is made apparent. All apparent in it's simple beauty and amazing complexity.
We come to understand the Truth of who and what we are.
And it is so very wonderous.
"Take the water to the mountain. Let's become a light again." -Yes

BlueStar
December 19th, 2009, 04:04 PM
I love your words Michael, beautifully expressed. You've got it, got it, got it! Beyond duality there's no subject and object, no separation between us and the universe, it is all us.

I never know whether a thread or topic will get much attention or not. Sometimes I'm surprised. But one of many lessons I learned from the Tao Te Ching is to do the work then let it go. There are many reasons for people not jumping on board. They might disagree with it, or might just not get it, or might simply have nothing to add. Everyone is at a different stage on the path and some are not ready to go too deep into this and that is perfect too. When you move beyond duality it can be like a cold, hard slap in the face: it wakes you up! But it can sting a little. Our entire view of the world and ourselves crumbles. Many are averse to this, even though it is the ultimate ticket to liberation.

My perspective have changed so much over the past year. It's like I've had a massive bonfire (and this is actually a powerful visualisation that one can try) and onto it I've thrown everything; all my old self definitions, all my old beliefs and knowledge, my personality traits both good and bad, my ambitions, my desires, my fears...absolutely everything. And it burns away and I feel so much lighter and I realise that all that's left is pure being; a being that is in no way separated from the whole. It reminds me of some of the Nisargadatta quotes, for he points to nonduality with such breathtaking lucidity. When you relinquish all, you gain all. Of course, the old patterns keep coming back, and habits of mind, but each time I'm just a little more aware of them.

There has been great family drama around me lately. Today in particular has been chaotic - major conflicts, lots of pain body stuff, cries of stuff along the lines of 'I will never forgive so-and-so', tears, tantrums, fear and to top it all off a minor car accident on icy roads. Through it all I was amazed that I never slipped out of peace...I was there to help, calm and pacify but I didn't get pulled into the angst, because I got Michael's message this morning and it reminded me of triangulation; of not getting lost in duality, in the seemingly good and bad, positive and negative. I embraced the whole situation and remained centred. (This may not happen every time but it did today!). Everything sorted itself out, as it always did. Still tensions, but I am embracing the whole with love.

One last comment is another hidden message in the triangle that connects positive and negative with love. The triangle is the image of arms open wide - arms open wide, embracing all that is with love. We can choose to reside within the triangle, rooted in the centre, observing all with love.

Kiran
December 19th, 2009, 10:01 PM
I do believe the old dualistic ways are no longer functioning. They are crumbling. Even the cutting edge scientists (and not those still seeped in the illusions of the old Newtonian paradigm) acknowledge that there is no 'us' separate of everything else, but rather a field of infinite oneness and interconnection.It's time for us as a species to move beyond old limited conceptualisations and understandings and to ditch dualistic thinking, dualistic spiritual and religious paradigms and embrace the ALL with love and compassion. We're not separate from it. We ARE it :)

I have to agree with what you say here Rory about things crumbling....we are being made move forward...if not we will crumble.
I have to say since I have stepped off the straight line, things are much clearer and you put this in such a simple yet fully comprehensive way!
I agree with Michael too...this is too vital and fundamental to let this slip away.
Thank you honey for sharing.

Logio
December 20th, 2009, 04:32 AM
http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/paraboloid.jpg

More dimensions have always existed; they need only be discovered. Sometimes "Yes or no, "black or white" can be useful, but limited to only "yes or no", "black or white" things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimension

Nathan

BlueStar
December 20th, 2009, 01:06 PM
Thanks for your comments guys, i love hearing your input, everyone brings their own unique perspective and understanding to the table, enabling a multi-faceted understanding.

My brain is in shutdown right now, but it's an interesting discussion and was a key understanding for me. More words will come later I'm sure :)