In today's reflection, Father Richard says, "Without great love and/or great
suffering, human consciousness remains largely at the fight-or-flight, either/or,
all-or-nothing level. The dualistic mind, that we can now prove is the lowest
level of brain function, will never be able to access, much less deal with, the
really big things that are invariably 'mysterious.'
What are the big things? I would list love, freedom, evil, God, eternity, nonviolence,
forgiveness, grace and mercy. These, the dualistic mind cannot comprehend, and
in fact, it usually gets them utterly wrong because they each have a paradoxical
character that demands some degree of non-dual thinking."
The Question: Do you tend to think dualistically? Does it help you to be more loving?
Does it help you to be more obedient to the gospel.
I'm not really sure why, but I've not ever been inclined to initially think dualistically.
I would guess that one of the reaons I don't tend to think that way is because
of the legacy of my parents. My Mom and Dad had lots of room for people and they
were capabale of offering great freedom to me as well.
I more often have dualistic feelings that might or might not lead to dualistic thinking. If someone I love really hurts
me or is hurt by me, I tend toward either/or thoughts. And those thoughts do
not help me to be more loving. Instead they cause me to be irrational, fearful,
imaginative in a negative way and suspicious. I wonder if the same is true of
people who think dualistically as a matter of habit? I don't know.
I do know this. Love, real love, is not dualistic. It is not either/or but rather
both/and. I also know that the gospel is all about loving. However, I don't know
exactly what I think about my personal realization today that I have dualistic
feelings that seem to lead to dualistic thinking.
Jesus said, "Let anyone with ears listen!" Matthew 11:15
I am listening.