Nonduality and Community of Being

The heart-based consciousness is nondual and nonlocal. This infinite and eternal consciousness is the perfect unity of being–no conflict or separation. The unity consciousness of the heart is our true self in Divine unity. In this awareness, we live our transcendent consciousness from the heart through the dimensions of mind, feeling, emotion, and physical body. Thus, we are an infinite unity expressing throughout a multiplicity of vibrations whithin the physical dimension and higher energy spiritual dimensions.

As we transform to our true mystical consciousness, we go beyond the fear-based consciousness of the ego personality which has been conditioned in lack, control, conflict, and separation. We open to an awareness where we are one with other human persons, all creation in the cosmos, and the uncreated Divine energy.

At this depth and height of nondual awareness, do we maintain a unique experience and expression of being? Some say that the awareness of self drops away entirely in the nondual consciousness of pure being. I believe that the ego and any human conception of self is transcended. In the Christian mystical tradition, these stages of consciousness begin to be expressed in Teresa of Avila’s seventh interior castle of spiritual marriage, John of the Cross’ highest stages of mystical unity, and Meister Eckhart’s breakthrough to the Godhead. The mystic way of being of Eckhart, John Tauler, and John Ruysbroek relate to the understanding and experience of nonduality in the Hindu and Buddhist mystic way.

In order to restore and transform to our true being of infinite unity, we need to live in the nondual and nonlocal consciousness of the heart. However, the ultimate reality of the true self in Divine unity is not an experience of no-self–it is a radical change of condition of self. Swami Abhishiktananda, in his book Saccidananda: A Christian Approach to Advaitic Experience, points toward this complete change of condition of the self. When one truly lets go and opens to the nondual experience, we are on the path to entering the true relational community of being.

Within nondual unity, there is no separation with Divine Being, and the being of others. However, in pure nonseparation, being and consciousness is revealed as participation and community in being. When all human known concepts of ego and self are relinquished, the pure mutually self-giving “I” is a “We.” But in this “we,” which is nondual unity, a new experience of unique self (“I”) is revealed. In the advaita Vedanta of the Hindu tradition, this “I” is experienced as being, consciousness, and bliss. Christ reveals the Divine Being as Father, Son, and Spirit. This awareness is that the oneness of being is relational–infinite unity is the coessence of unique gift. This is the unitary consciousness of the heart that is love and creativity. The true self is a unity, identity, and communion in Divine Being. Consciousness and being is a unique relation in identity.

The higher stages of mystical consciousness can be understood as 1. spiritual marriage of union, 2. nonduality in identity, and 3. community in Being. This last stage of identity in participatory community is a dynamic restful action beyond time and space of the mutual self-giving of love and creativity–it is a nonlocal infinite and eternal participatory exchange of the dynamic energy and light of the never ending Being of love.