Nonduality. The oneness or unity that envelops all sides of duality. In spiritual terms, nonduality describes God, the absolute, or divine consciousness. While duality implies subject/object relationships and the apperceived sense of separate self that exists in time and space, nonduality represents the totality of the present moment. Like the word infinity, nonduality eludes precise description in conceptual language, making it difficult for the dualistic mind to comprehend.
Relative Reality. The conventional, dualistic world of relational beings and changing worldly conditions. Relative reality is marked by the ephemeral nature of time and space and the unsatisfactoriness that impermanence fosters, including the pain of birth and death. The relative world has no enduring reality to it; it only has the interdependent transient conditions of the moment. Everything is relative to everything else, and at no time are any two beings identical or even experiencing the same thing. Each and every being has its own relative point of view that is based upon its personal experiences, associations, and interpretations.
Religion. Any system of beliefs, tenets, and practices ostensibly for the purpose of realizing spiritual truth. To be religious implies following a wholesome ethic and form of disciplined training that leads beyond mere beliefs, hopes, and fears. Belief systems that do not accurately point to realization or strive to make one whole cannot be considered true religions. Since awakening divine consciousness is up to each individual and requires no special items, blessings, or intercession, religious affiliation is not necessary for spiritual enlightenment, although it can be useful for guidance and societal ethics.
Self. The subject of one’s own experiences as a distinct personality with an individual identity. The self is an assemblage of mind and body as a unique relational being with a personal point of view. The sense of separate self is a useful, albeit fictitious, construct of our brains. The extremely rapid procession of arising and passing mind moments in our brains creates the illusion of a permanent and substantial self. The conventional belief in this illusion tends to disguise the underlying nature of our being, which is an unfolding process in constant change.
Self-importance. The mental bias towards one’s own self-centered and self-serving interests. Self-importance can range from self-indulgence and ego-centricity based on pompous self-conceit to isolation and guilt based on holding a negative self-image. The attitude we hold about ourselves becomes a basis for understanding morality in terms of selflessness (for the whole and not only for oneself) and selfishness (for oneself regardless of the whole) behaviors. Leading a spiritual life and understanding the heart of consciousness require our ability to discern the difference between wholesome and unwholesome behaviors, and seeing the sometimes subtle effects of self-importance is key to this discernment.
Soul. The essence of being, the heart of consciousness. Soul does not imply a fixed entity, but it is often interpreted that way when used to name the part of us that continues after death into a new form. But what actually continues is the inertia of the mental process, which itself is not consciousness, and therefore is not soul. Some traditions use the capitalized word Soul to refer to divine consciousness, and the lowercase soul to refer to the personal, but confusion about the nature of consciousness—and how it is distinct from our mental lives—remains at the core of most spiritual misunderstandings. To hold belief in separate souls can hinder clear understanding since it affirms dualistic divisions of consciousness that ultimately do not exist.
Spiritual. Pertaining to the heart of consciousness. Spiritual practice pertains to awakening realization of divine consciousness, supreme being. Like the word soul, however, the word spiritual can have ambiguous meanings because of common usage. It might refer to almost anything people want to hold special and elevate in status—even if it has nothing to do with consciousness and concerns only personal thoughts and feelings. There are so many belief systems based in forms of spiritual materialism that it’s best to use the word carefully; if not, it will lose meaning.
Wisdom. Knowledge of the truth. Relative wisdom pertains to relative truth, and absolute wisdom pertains to absolute truth. The link between the two is intuitive wisdom (insight). Cultivating wisdom is crucial for overcoming innate ignorance and delusion about one’s true nature. Spiritual wisdom arises within one’s own blood and being—from understanding the heart of consciousness and the way of awakening. Wisdom is as important to liberating the mind as love and compassion are to awakening the heart. There is wisdom in sharing love and compassion, as there is love and compassion in sharing the wisdom of awakening to help others be free from suffering.
