Personal & Spiritual Development

[Totoro]

I wonder what you mean by "we're all created equally and equally different", and what does that concretely imply for an individual. I don't see it.

It may sound redundant, but I like to phrase it that way because simply saying "we're all equal" or "we're all one" kind of removes the idea that I think we're also all here to appreciate and learn from each other through our differences as well.

Duality is a concept that appears many times in many ways and I think it's something that's often forgotten about, but it's important to integrate for growth.

 

[baro-san]

simply saying "we're all equal" or "we're all one"

I was pondering about the benefits and the drawbacks of thinking about yourself (I use here the impersonal sense of "you", "your", ...) that "you are equal, or were born equal to everybody", or that "you are one with everybody". Using such phrases generically, seems to me to give misleading signals which are counterproductive to your growth, to realizing your potential, that are disempowering, even discouraging when facing day to day life.

This is why I asked about what you meant with "we're all created equally and equally different", equal in what ways, and what does that mean for the individual, for how he sees himself in his quest for growth as a personality, quest to do whatever he was born to do here, now.

If you consider it is not the place, thread, to share your thoughts about these, or have no interest in doing so, it's okay with me.

 

[Totoro]

@baro-san probabaly a new thread is the best way to go, so we don't get the other one off topic.

equal in what ways, and what does that mean for the individual, for how he sees himself in his quest for growth as a personality, quest to do whatever he was born to do here, now

Not to sound like chat GPT, but let's unpack this..

First of all, we were all created or eminated from the Source (the one, God etc, as you please). In that sense, we were all created equally.There's no hierarchy, no better, worse, no leaders, no servants. We are all equal in being created equal, while also containing our own spark or piece / portion of the Source.

We are also all different from one another, as there'd be nothing to gain or learn if we were all the same. We might has well have just stayed in the source not doing anything.. So we all learn through contrast with one another as well.

How can you apply this spiritually towards spiritual growth? The quote below posted by @cloud potato in this thread I think is a good summary.

When you look steadily into her eyes with dignity, when you speak to her as a full human being rather than a body, you give her something rare—recognition of her true worth.

Just replace her with him, or even dog, cat, horse, sky, ocean or whatever is in front of you. We should strive to see everyone and everything's true worth as it stands before us: expressions of the same source we are all a part of. Everything simply based on that deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

That doesn't mean to give support and effort to people that don't return it, you still need to be careful about that, but in this context, it simply means "I see you as I am and while I may have a difference with you, I won't seek to lower you either in status beneath me either".

When everyone begins to look at things that way, that's when things start to change for the better. The discussions on this forum are an example of that. We all have different opinions and viewpoints, yet through mutual respect, we're all collectively learning from one another, even if all we learned is mutual respect.

Now for your own personal development, that's up to you. Everyone in this case is trully different. You have your own skill sets, interests, predispositions and other things and even karma and soul contracts. Those are up to you to explore and navigate within your own lifetime.

There's much advice out there that can help you explore all of that, if you wish... contacting spirit guides, angels, meditation etc.

 

[lesserwatch]

This is such a thoughtful exchange.

The way you’re both circling around “we’re all created equally and equally different” really does echo what we see again and again in the reincarnation cases—same spark, different stories.

From a research view, and also just a lived one, both things seem true. Each of us comes from the same Source (call it God, Spirit, the One—whatever fits your vocab), and each life we take on lets that same light try a new shape. Equality is the shared spark; difference is how the learning happens.

Carol Bowman wrote about this in her essay Beyond Disbelief—how the “continuum of personality” carries identity forward but keeps adapting, reshaping, trying again in new bodies and families. So “equal” doesn’t mean “identical.” If anything, our differences are 'the classroom'.

Maybe the trick is to hold both truths at once?

• See the sameness in every soul.
• Respect the variety as the point of the whole adventure.
• Let the contrasts teach you, not divide you.

When we start seeing it that way, duality stops feeling like a flaw in the system. It’s just the rhythm of how we grow—together, again and again.

Chuck

 

[Totoro]

@lesserwatch I mentioned duality in the other thread as well.. I think it's a key concept, a sort of fractal like pattern that keeps showing up over and over as the sort of glue behind experience and existence.

 

[baro-san]

duality stops feeling like a flaw in the system. It’s just the rhythm of how we grow

I mentioned duality in the other thread as well.. I think it's a key concept, a sort of fractal like pattern that keeps showing up over and over as the sort of glue behind experience and existence.

This sounds interesting. What duality are you talking about?

Definition of Duality​

Duality refers to the quality or state of having two different or opposite parts or elements. It can be understood in various contexts, including philosophy, physics, and everyday life.

Key Aspects of Duality​

• General Meaning: The state of being dual or having two parts; often described as a dichotomy or division into two opposing groups.
• Philosophical Context: In philosophy, duality often refers to the coexistence of two contrasting concepts, such as good and evil, or mind and body.
• Scientific Context: In physics, duality is exemplified by the wave-particle duality, where light and matter exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.

Examples of Duality​

• Human Nature: The duality of human emotions, such as joy and sorrow, highlights the complexity of our experiences.
• Everyday Life: Concepts like light and dark, success and failure, or love and hate illustrate the balance of opposing forces.

Understanding duality helps in recognizing that many aspects of life exist on a continuum, where opposites are interconnected and define each other.