The Pendulum of Duality
Happy Sunday friends!
Hope you are well.
I am in California this week with my family, and I will be back next week to starting to do more lives streams next Friday and Saturday just so you know.
~Max 💫💖
What does a pendulum have to do with abiding nondual awareness? Well, a lot. When I want to convey to my students what living in duality is, I often use the idea of a pendulum. I think that this idea really does help us to understand what duality is and how the separated self can begin to see the insanity of duality. After all, it is only when we see what’s going on that we can have a choice. And this metaphor hopefully will help you to make a choice.
Imagine a pendulum, swinging with its rhythmic motion, as metaphor for the oscillation between dualities. Imagine the bottom of the pendulum where there is the most amount of movement. It moves constantly between two extremes: good and bad, success and failure, beauty and ugliness, doing and no doing, etc. The bottom of the pendulum is where the separated self lives. The bottom is all it knows. Constantly going back and forth pursuing one thing and letting go of another. It doesn’t matter if it’s a career or health or personal relationships, the separated self keeps making sure that it is on one side or the other. This is why the separated self will never ever be satisfied. Because it is in constant motion between these extremes and literally lives at the bottom of the pendulum. Most of the people that I work with come to me because on some level they are living on or toward the bottom of the pendulum, and they want to understand or learn how to change that. Now I want you to imagine the fulcrum at the top of the pendulum. The fulcrum does not move. It is stable, or as stable as a fulcrum can be.
So, now we have two ends. One is wildly swinging, and the other is calm, stable and constant. This is this metaphor…at its peak, where does the pendulum exhibit the most movement? It's at the bottom of course, where the swings are widest and most pronounced. Conversely, at the top, near the fulcrum, there lies a perceived stillness. This awareness is where the learning or awakening can begin to happen. Once there is a realization of these two polarities, a tiny awareness can take place. An awareness that then can literally change one’s whole experience in this life.
Now, picture yourself slowly ascending this metaphysical chain, what begins to happen to the swing of duality? It lessens. The swing isn’t as extreme. The polarities are not as far from each other. As the separated self begins to have an awareness that climbs upward, life’s extremes have less and less effect. This is where the concept gets very exciting. Because as the ascension proceeds upward one can begin observing the chaos below with a newfound clarity. The grip of duality loosens its hold as we transcend its limitations. No longer are we mere victims of circumstance, tossed about by the whims of fate. Instead, we can become more deliberate conscious creators, detached observers of the ever-changing landscape below at the bottom levels of the chain. We can then develop what I have always termed, “healthy objectivity”.
This concept mirrors the teachings of Buddhism and various spiritual philosophies. We are akin to the pendulum, traversing the chain of existence. Through inner work and consciousness elevation, we ascend, distancing ourselves from the tumult of duality. What once stirred us - the highs and lows of life - now appear distant, almost insignificant from our vantage point atop the chain.
Yet, the journey is not without its challenges. The ascent definitely requires keen awareness and introspection. It requires us to confront our inner turmoil, to navigate the turbulent waters of our own psyche. If we are completely honest with ourselves, living at the bottom of the pendulum chain is utterly exhausting. Once we begin to admit to ourselves the massive amount of energy it takes to swing at the bottom of constantly oscillating between highs and lows, a choice can then be made. Many people just assume that this is how life works. But others are open to something else… That is when the journey up the chain can begin…
There are many ways that this trip up the chain can be taken. Of course, for me and my students this is exactly what studying and applying the principles of A Course in Miracles does. It points us away from a constant carrot and stick existence to a freedom and clarity of oneness and allowing. It moves up the chain towards abiding non-dual awareness.
But there is also a very interesting thing that can happen at the bottom. A giving up, a real resignation and choosing to remain stagnant at the bottom. This is where many psychological maladies of modern life begin: depression, anxiety, purposelessness etc. can manifest. As many people know these can be equally draining of energy. This resignation and stagnation breeds complacency, a sense of powerlessness in the face of the insanity of duality.
In our pursuit of true Freedom, we are invited to embrace the ebb and flow of existence, but not from the bottom of the pendulum. Attempting to embrace it while you are still on the bottom is almost impossible. Some form of a conscious ascent needs to be implemented. This is what many people would call “the work” We are also invited to acknowledge that the journey is not linear; it's a continuous cycle of growth and regression. Even when we feel we've regressed, we're often farther along the path or up the chain than we consciously realize. The peaks and valleys are but illusions anyway. There are but fleeting manifestations of our perception.
One of the most effective ways to ascend the chain lies in acceptance, in embracing the inherent flux of life instead of resisting it constantly. By making peace with the pendulum's swing, we begin to transcend its influence. We become calm amidst the storm, anchored in our inner awareness of being aware as the world whirls around us.
This is the Freedom that we are all looking for in the end.
So, as you navigate the highs and lows of life, remember the wisdom of the pendulum. Do whatever you can to seek solace in the stillness at the top, knowing that every swing can actually catapult you closer to enlightenment. Also, I really want you to remember that there is no right and there is no wrong. That is the massive illusion that lives at the bottom of the pendulum. The whole message of the pendulum is that it is not real. It is a figment of an imagination that has no real place in nondual awareness. It’s all an illusion…
But alas! It is usually only when we ascend the pendulum that we really know this.
I wanted to add some questions and considerations that may help you here:
Reflecting on your own life journey, where do you currently find yourself on the pendulum of duality? How has this awareness influenced your perspective on life's highs and lows?
Consider a time when you felt trapped in the relentless swing of the pendulum, constantly oscillating between extremes. How did this experience impact your sense of fulfillment and inner peace?
As you ascend the metaphysical chain of consciousness, what practices or insights have helped you cultivate a greater sense of "healthy objectivity" towards life's challenges and triumphs?
Explore the concept of acceptance and embracing the inherent flux of existence. How can making peace with the pendulum's swing empower you to transcend its influence and find calm amidst life's storms?
In your journey towards true freedom and enlightenment, how do you envision applying the wisdom of the pendulum to navigate the complexities of everyday life? What steps can you take to seek solace in the stillness at the top, amidst the chaos of the world below?
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