Are You Separate?

 

Pause for a moment and take a look at your surroundings. Do you feel separate from the world? Or do you feel non-separate or connected to the world in some way?

 

In the non-enlightened state, you experience separation. You feel separate from the world and the things in it. And the world itself also contains countless things that are separate from each other.

 

However, in both the partial and the full states of enlightenment, you no longer experience separation—at least, not exclusively. Instead, you experience non-separation. Non-separation can be thought of as simply the opposite of—and the absence of—separation.

 

The most common experiences of non-separation are those of union, oneness, and non-duality. If you’ve read spiritual books or encountered spiritual teachings before, you’ve likely come across some (or all) of these terms. These three terms—union, oneness, and non-duality—are often used interchangeably, but they are not interchangeable, as you’ll soon discover.

 

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(End Book II Quote)