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Nondualism is the belief that dualism or dichotomy are illusory phenomena. Examples of dualisms include self/other, mind/body, male/female, good/evil, active/passive, and many others. A nondual philosophical or religious perspective or theory maintains that there is no fundamental distinction between mind and matter, or that the entire phenomenological world is an illusion (with the reality being described variously as the Void, the Is, Emptiness, or the Nondualism).

Many traditions (generally originating in Asia) state that the true nature of reality is non-dualistic, and that these dichotomies are either unreal or (at best) inaccurate conveniences. While attitudes towards the experience of duality and self may vary, nondual traditions converge on the view that experience does not imply an “I”.

In Western philosophy, nondual views are often called monism. Many postmodern theories also assume that the dichotomies traditionally used are invalid or inaccurate. For example, one typical form of deconstruction is the critique of binary oppositions within a text while problematization questions the context or situation in which common myths such as dualisms occur. Nondualistic beliefs also include monism and pluralism.

Terminology
The term “nondual” is a literal translation of the Sanskrit term advaita.

In the context of postmodern feminism and Tibetan Buddhism, Anne Carolyn Klein (1995, p.151), defines “dualism” as “an opposition that presumes a differance or tension that goes beyond taking account of qualities unique to logically related categories, for example, subject and object, sacred and profane, or enlightened or unenlightened.” She defines cognitive, ontological, and evolutionary nondualism. Simultaneous perception of self and other or joining of subject and object, simultaneous perception of one’s conditioned and unconditioned aspects, and one’s potential or inherent enlightenment, respectively.

Nondual realization
To the Nondualist, reality is ultimately neither physical nor mental. Instead, it is an ineffable state or realization. This ultimate thing can be called “Spirit” (Aurobindo), “Brahman” (Shankara), “God”, “The One”, “The All” (Plotinus), “The Self” (Ramana Maharshi), “The Absolute” (Schelling) or simply “The Nondual” (Bradley). Ram Dass calls it the “third plane”—any phrase will be insufficient, he maintains, so any phrase will do.

It should be pointed out that, technically, there can be no such thing as a nondual perspective or theory or experience, only a realization of Oneness or nonduality. One cannot accurately claim to experience nonduality, because the concept of experience depends on the subject-object distinction, which is a duality. The subject experiences an object, which is something separate from the subject. This is incompatible with a truly nondual realization. Thus, technically, there cannot truly be an accurate verbal account of this union, only words that insufficiently point to the realization.

Nondual religious and spiritual traditions

Zen
Zen, either in isolation or as a spiritual belief (Zen Buddhism), is a tradition or philosophy which is non-dual. It can be considered a religion, a philosophy, or simply a practice depending on one’s perspective. It has also been described as a way of life, work, and an art form.

Buddhism
In the Buddhist canon, the Diamond Sutra presents an accessible nondual view of “self” and “beings”, while the Heart Sutra asserts shunyata — the “emptiness” of all “things”. The fullest philosophical exposition is the Madhyamaka; by contrast many laconic pronouncements are delivered as koans. Advanced views and practices are found in the Mahamudra and Maha Ati, which emphasize the vividness and spaciousness of nondual awareness.

Not Two, Not One
Mahayana Buddhism, in particular, tempers the view of nonduality (wisdom) with respect for the experience of duality (compassion) — ordinary dualistic experience, populated with selves and others (sentient beings), is tended with care, always “now”. This approach is itself regarded as a means to disperse the confusions of duality (i.e. as a path). In Theravada, that respect is expressed cautiously as non-harming, while in the Vajrayana, it is expressed boldly as enjoyment (especially in tantra).

Dzogchen
Dzogchen is a relatively esoteric (to date) tradition concerned with the “natural state”, and emphasizing direct experience. This tradition is found in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, where it is classified as the highest of this lineage’s nine yanas, or vehicles of practice. Similar teachings are also found in the non-Buddhist Bön tradition. In Dzogchen, the primordial state, the state of nondual awareness, is called rigpa.

Advaita
Advaita (Sanskrit a, not; dvaita, dual) is a nondual tradition from India, with Advaita Vedanta as its philosophical arm. The theory was first consolidated by Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD. Adherents to this theory of the nature of the soul (Brahman) are known as Smarthas.

According to Ramana Maharshi, the jnani (one who has realised the Self) sees no individual ego, and does not regard himself (or anyone else) as a “doer” of actions. The state of recognition is called jnana which means “knowledge” or “wisdom” referring to the idea that in this state of being, one is constantly aware of the Self. Bob Adamson (Melbourne, Australia), once a student of Nisargadatta Maharaj, who belonged to the Navanath Sampradaya lineage, says that a ‘Jnani’ is the ‘knowing presence’ which abides with all (of us) yet this knowing is seemingly covered over by identification with the ‘minds content’. However, teachers like Adamson point to the fact that the content of the mind is known, recognized by a prescence or awareness that is independent of the mind’s content. Adamson teaches that we form an identity based on the content of the mind (feelings, sensations, hopes, dreams, thoughts), however our true identity or nature is that which observes all of these things - the seer, the witness or the Self.

Taoism
Taoism’s wu wei (Chinese wu, not; wei, doing) is a term with various translations (e.g. inaction, non-action, nothing doing, without ado) and interpretations designed to distinguish it from passivity. From a nondual perspective, it refers to activity that does not imply an “I”.

Sufism
Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a mystic tradition of Islam based on the pursuit of spiritual truth as it is gradually revealed to the heart and mind of the Sufi (one who practices Sufism).

The central doctrine of Sufism, sometimes called Wahdat al-Wujud or Unity of Being, is the Sufi understanding of Tawhid. Put very simply, Tawhid states that all phenomena are manifestations of a single reality, or Wujud (being), which is indeed al-Haq (Truth, God). The essence of being/Truth/God is devoid of every form and quality, and hence unmanifest, yet it is inseparable from every form and phenomenon either material or spiritual. It is often understood to imply that every phenomenon is an aspect of Truth and at the same time attribution of existence to it is false. The chief aim of all Sufis then is to let go of all notions of duality (and therefore of the individual self also), and realize the divine unity which is considered to be the truth.

Individuals subscribing to a non-dual view of reality

Ancient Western philosophers
Plotinus

Medieval Western philosphers
Hildegard of Bingen
Mechteld of Magdeburg
Meister Eckhart
John of the Cross
Teresa of Avila

Modern Western philosophers
Baruch Spinoza
F. H. Bradley
Ken Wilber
David R Hawkins

Asian philosophers and spiritual leaders
Nagarjuna
Shankaracharya
Aurobindo
Ramana Maharshi
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Ramesh Balsekar
Mahatma Gandhi
Lao Tzu
Gaudapada
Uddalaka Aruni
Yajnavalkya
Bhartrhari

Authors
Richard Bach
Kahlil Gibran

Musicians
Stuart Davis

See also
Advaita
shunyata
Diamond Sutra
Heart Sutra
Hinayana
A Course in Miracles
Enlightenment
Taoism
Eckhart Tolle
Nirvikalpa

External links
Dzogchen Practice in Everyday Life by HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Rigpa, Non-dual Awareness
Sentient.org
Ramesh Baleskar’s website
Dhamma and Non-duality by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Western approachs to nonduality:

A Course in Consciousness
Tony Parsons - Welcome to The Open Secret
Nathan Gill
Sailor Bob Adamson
The Atma Institute, CA
greaterreality.com (contains a mixture of nondual, science and new age)

Source
Klein, Anne Carolyn (1995). Meeting the Great Bliss Queen: Buddhists, Feminists, and the Art of the Self. Boston, Beacon Press. ISBN 0807073067.

References
Baleskar, Ramesh (1999). Who cares?
Castaneda, Carlos (1987). The Power of Silence. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-671-50067-8.
Godman, David (Ed.) (1985). Be As You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. London: Arkana. ISBN 0-14-019062-7.
HH The Dalai Lama (2000). Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-157-X.
Kongtrül, Jamgön (1992). Cloudless Sky: The Mahamudra Path of The Tibetan Buddhist Kagyü School. Boston: Shambhala Publications. ISBN 0-87773-694-4.
Norbu, Namkhai (1993). The Crystal and the Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen. London: Arkana. ISBN 0-14-019314-6.
Trungpa, Chögyam (1987). Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Boston: Shambhala Publications. ISBN 0-87773-050-4.
Watson, Burton (Trans.) (1968). The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-03147-5.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article “Nondualism”.

Being an observer of the non-linear (spiritual realm), I am aware of the fact that science, i.e. Quantum Mechanics has the capability of going to the very end of the linear realm. Scientists, in recent years, have finally come to the realization that reality can only be explained to the edge of the cliff, (so to speak) through science and mathematics, and beyond that we must enter that which one has no actual physical explanation. Having experienced the world of the non linear, I can attest to the fact that it is entirely experiential. Although there are wonderful studies and writings by many scientists in their respective fields regarding the world of non duality, as David Hawkins calls it, much of science is lacking the capacity to prove what humans have long been searching for…Proof that something lies beyond our physical reality. To bring science and the non linear together in one place would most likely take the rest of my life and add an unending list of references as well as objective and subjective studies to this website. I feel no obligation to prove what it is I already know, but for the sake of bringing the two together here, I will give these subjects my best attempt at explanations.

All of the information provided here, is reiterated through various reference materials. Please be aware that although articles from the Wiki Encyclopedia contain fact, they also reflect the opinions of the writers. See future articles on the subjects of linear, non linear, duality and non duality and the spiritual realms.
Myswizard

Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics is a theory in physics which primarily tries to explain the behaviour of extremely small bodies, such as atoms and molecules. Scientists generally agree that it is a very accurate and successful theory, and it has very important applications in today’s world as all electronic devices depend on Quantum Mechanics in some way. It is also important in understanding how large objects such as stars and even the whole Universe are the way they are.

Despite how successful Quantum Mechanics is, it does have some controversial elements. For example, the behaviour of microscopic objects is very different from our everyday experience, and some of its results appear to contradict other successful theories, such as the Theory of Relativity - simplified.

In quantum physics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, expresses a limitation on accuracy of (nearly) simultaneous measurement of observables such as the position and the momentum of a particle. It furthermore precisely quantifies the imprecision by providing a lower bound (greater than zero) for the product of the standard deviations of the measurements. The uncertainty principle is one of the cornerstones of quantum mechanics and was discovered by Werner Heisenberg in 1927.

It is sometimes called the Heisenberg indeterminacy principle (a title prefered by Niels Bohr),
Understanding uncertainty
Consider an experiment in which a particle is prepared in a definite state and two successive measurements are performed on the particle. The first one measures the particle’s position and the second immediately after measures its momentum. Each time the experiment is performed, some value x is obtained for position and some value p is obtained for momentum. These values, however, may be different for each trial. In other words, there is an uncertainty in the outcome of the measurements. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle provides a quantitative relationship between the uncertainties of p and x as measured by their standard deviations in the following way: If the particle state is such that the first measurement yields a dispersion of values Δx, then the second measurement will have a distribution of values whose dispersion Δp is at least inversely proportional to Δx.

Sound analogy
There is a precise, quantitative analogy between the Heisenberg uncertainty relations and properties of waves or signals. Consider a time-varying signal such as a sound wave. It is meaningless to ask about the frequency spectrum of the signal at a moment in time. In order to determine the frequencies accurately, the signal needs to be sampled for a finite (non zero) time. This necessarily means that time precision is lost. In other words, a sound cannot have both a precise time, as in a short pulse, and a precise frequency, as in a continuous pure tone. The time and frequency of a wave in time are analogous to the position and momentum of a particle in space.

Overview
An uncertainty relation arises between any two observable quantities that can be defined by non-commuting operators. The uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics is sometimes explained by claiming that the measurement of position necessarily disturbs a particle’s momentum. Heisenberg himself may have offered explanations which suggest this view, at least initially. That disturbance plays no role in the uncertainty principle can be seen as follows: Consider a particle prepared in a definite state, and measure either the momentum or the position of the particle, but not both. After repeating this experiment a large number of times, we will obtain probability distributions of values for both these quantities and the uncertainty relation still holds for the dispersions Δp, Δx of the values.

The Heisenberg uncertainty relations are a theoretical bound over all measurements. They hold for so-called ideal measurements, sometimes called von Neumann measurements. They hold even more so for non-ideal or Landau measurements.

Correspondingly, any one particle cannot be described simultaneously as a “classic point particle” and as a wave. The fact that either one of these descriptions is appropriate at least in separate cases is called wave-particle duality; a change of appropriate descriptions according to measured values is known as wavefunction collapse.) The uncertainty principle, as initially considered by Heisenberg, is concerned with cases in which neither of these two descriptions is fully and exclusively appropriate, such as a particle in a box with a particular energy value; i.e. systems which are characterized neither by one unique “position” (one particular value of distance from a potential wall) nor by one unique value of momentum (incl. its direction).

Formulation
If several identical copies of a system in a given state are prepared, measurements of position and momentum will conform to a determined probability distributions. This is a fundamental postulate of quantum mechanics. If we compute the standard deviation Δx of the position measurements and the standard deviation Δp of the momentum measurements, then where is Planck’s constant (h) divided by 2π. (In some treatments, the “uncertainty” of a variable is taken to be the smallest width of a range which contains 50% of the values, which, in the case of normally distributed variables, leads to a larger lower bound of h/2π for the product of the uncertainties.) Note that this inequality allows for several possibilities: the state could be such that x can be measured with high precision, but then p will only approximately be known, or conversely p could be sharply defined while x cannot be precisely determined. In yet other states, both x and p can be measured with “reasonable” (but not arbitrarily high) precision.

In everyday life, we do not usually observe these uncertainties because the value of Planck’s constant (h) is extremely small.

Other characterizations
A number of additional characterizations have been developed including the ones below.

Expression of finite available amount of Fisher information
The uncertainty principle alternatively derives as an expression of the Cramér-Rao inequality of classical measurement theory. This is in the case where a particle position is measured. See Stam (1959). The mean-squared particle momentum enters as the Fisher information in the inequality. See also extreme physical information.

Generalized applications
The uncertainty principle does not just apply to position and momentum. In its general form, it applies to every pair of conjugate variables. An example of a pair of conjugate variables is the x-component of angular momentum (spin) vs. the y-component of angular momentum. In general, and unlike the case of position versus momentum discussed above, the lower bound for the product of the uncertainties of two conjugate variables depends on the system state.

History and interpretations of the principle
Main article: Interpretation of quantum mechanics

Albert Einstein was not happy with the uncertainty principle, and he challenged Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg with a famous thought experiment (See the Bohr-Einstein debates for more details): we fill a box with a radioactive material which randomly emits radiation. The box has a shutter, which is opened and immediately thereafter shut by a clock at a precise time, thereby allowing some radiation to escape. So the time is already known with precision. We still want to measure the conjugate variable energy precisely. Einstein proposed doing this by weighing the box before and after. The equivalence between mass and energy from special relativity will allow you to determine precisely how much energy was left in the box. Bohr countered as follows: should energy leave, then the now lighter box will rise slightly on the scale. That changes the position of the clock. Thus the clock deviates from our stationary reference frame, and again by special relativity, its measurement of time will be different from ours, leading to some unavoidable margin of error. In fact, a detailed analysis shows that the imprecision is correctly given by Heisenberg’s relation.

Within the widely but not universally accepted Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, the uncertainty principle is taken to mean that on an elementary level, the physical universe does not exist in a deterministic form—but rather as a collection of probabilities, or potentials. For example, the pattern (probability distribution) produced by millions of photons passing through a diffraction slit can be calculated using quantum mechanics, but the exact path of each photon cannot be predicted by any known method. The Copenhagen interpretation holds that it cannot be predicted by any method.

It is this interpretation that Einstein was questioning when he said “I cannot believe that God would choose to play dice with the universe.” Bohr, who was one of the authors of the Copenhagen interpretation responded, “Einstein, don’t tell God what to do.”

Einstein was convinced that this interpretation was in error. His reasoning was that all previously known probability distributions arose from deterministic events. The distribution of a flipped coin or a rolled dice can be described with a probability distribution (50% heads, 50% tails). But this does not mean that their physical motions are unpredictable. Ordinary mechanics can be used to calculate exactly how each coin will land, if the forces acting on it are known. And the heads/tails distribution will still line up with the probability distribution (given random initial forces).

Einstein assumed that there are similar hidden variables in quantum mechanics which underlie the observed probabilities.

Neither Einstein nor anyone since has been able to construct a satisfying hidden variable theory, and the Bell inequality illustrates some very thorny issues in trying to do so. Although the behavior of an individual particle is random, it is also correlated with the behavior of other particles. Therefore, if the uncertainty principle is the result of some deterministic process, it must be the case that particles at great distances instantly transmit information to each other to ensure that the correlations in behavior between particles occur.

The uncertainty principle in popular culture
The uncertainty principle is often misunderstood or misstated in the popular press. One common incorrect formulation is that observation of an event changes the event. This may be true in some cases for some events, but it has nothing to do with the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics.

In some science fiction stories, a device to circumvent the uncertainty principle is called a Heisenberg compensator, most famously in Star Trek for use on the transporter; however, it is not clear what circumventing means.

In Stephen Donaldson’s Gap Cycle science fiction book series, one of the characters postulates a socio-political version of the uncertainty principle: namely, that by determining his precise “location” in the current political landscape, he is prevented from simultaneously calculating the likely direction of political events in the near future.

Humor
The unusual nature of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, and its distinctive name, has made it the source of several jokes. It is said that a popular item of graffiti at the physics department of university campuses is the slogan “Heisenberg may have been here.”

In another uncertainty principle joke, a quantum physicist is stopped on the highway by a police officer who asks “Do you know how fast you were going, sir?”, to which the physicist responds, “No, but I know exactly where I am!”.

In the show Futurama there is a close finish in a horse race, a “quantum finish” they say, and a photograph reveals who won, when the professor yells out “No fair! By oberserving the results you’ve changed them!”

Consciousness causes collapse
Consciousness causes collapse is the speculative theory that observation by a conscious observer is responsible for the wavefunction collapse. It is an attempt to solve the Wigner’s friend paradox by simply stating that collapse occurs at the first “conscious” observer. Supporters claim this is not a revival of substance dualism, since (in a ramification of this view) consciousness and objects are entangled and cannot be considered as distinct. The consciousness causes collapse theory can be considered as a speculative appendage to almost any interpretation of quantum mechanics and most physicists reject it as unverifiable and introducing unnecessary elements into physics.

The process of “measurement” in quantum mechanics is regarded as consciousness itself. However, it is not explained by this theory which animals, living creatures, or objects have consciousness, that is, the right to collapse the wavefunction. It is also not clear whether measuring devices might also be considered conscious, though generally measuring devices are considered simply a “chain of observations” that only ends at a conscious entity. Some even suggest that some beings have a “higher consciousness” and therefore more capability to collapse the wavefunction, whereas others believe all conscious entities have an equal capability.

It has been claimed that the theory that meshes well with ancient Eastern mysticism and philosophy, including Hinduism and Taoism, which stress “Oneness”.

Amit Goswami, a retired theoretical physicist, supported this theory in some of his writings, including The Self-Aware Universe. The Hungarian physicist Eugene Wigner also supported it.

The view is also presented in the popular and controversial documentary What the Bleep Do We Know!?, alongside some unrelated biological discussions.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy(Quantum Mechanics)

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article “Heisenberg Principle and Consciousness causes collapse”.