I have spent Canada Day, which we, Canadians, celebrate on July 1, with my friend, Joan. Many people know her, since she used to work with me for quite a number of years.

Most of our conversation has been dedicated to the duality of our life. Not only due to our existence in duality of this part of the Universe being constantly exposed to “up & down”, “day & night”, “male & female” etc., but also due to quite a different life we live inside, in our mind, emotion and soul level and our outside life, which is strictly the physical existence with all the behavioral and social problems.

The inner life depends on at least two aspects – how much are we aware of it and what is the level of our spiritual development. Awareness of our infinite existence on the spirit level is a key to not only enjoying it, but most of all truly, really living it at every moment of our life: knowing, remembering, and being present. The level of our spiritual development allows us to perceive our 3-dimentional reality in a certain way, to deal with life predicaments with inner awareness that they come and go, that our spiritual life really does not depend on them, since they are only to deliver opportunities for the inner growth and better understanding of ourselves. I do not want to convince anyone that just because of that, all our hardships become “a picnic”, but if we could just look at them from a higher and wider perspective, they become less of a headache.

Outer life, our physical existence can be at times really, truly hard. As Buddha said in first of his Four Noble Truths: “Life is suffering” (The Truth of Suffering). First of all because we take everything unpleasant as waste of meaningful time in this one, short lifetime. Secondly because we are very limited in our reactions to whatever happens to us, since our physicality restricts us so much. Most of the unpleasant incidents create physical pain, we can move and relocate in a very limited manner, there is always not enough time to do things we plan to do, achieve our goals etc. Life limited to strictly physical existence, sooner or later, leads us to heart conditions, circulatory problems and/or respiratory maladies. And that is only the beginning, since being aware only about our physicality we treat only physicality, which in turn creates more troubles with other, related organs and systems.

As all of us, actively involved in spiritual development movements, know the best, most desired state is to have both “lives” balanced. Being aware of both sides of the coin. That is right, but… how much effort and everyday “spiritual hygiene” it requires! For most of us it is a lot easier to care just for our clean teeth, a groomed body and ironed clothes. Physical appearance. But, apparently more and more of us are becoming aware of this “other” life – we feel uncomfortable in the presence of some individuals, because we feel their feelings and get frighten or do our best to avoid any contact with them.

It is up to us to make a choice – is physical enough? Or maybe both lives make more sense even though it requires more effort? I opt for latter one as more enriching and fulfilling. What about you?