Over and over again we hear or read about the term duality in certain spiritual literature. Intellectually, we understand what the word means, but we may not fully internalize its meaning. The unabridged edition of the Random House Dictionary of the English Language states that duality (as a state of being dual) means having a two-fold, or double, character or nature. Note that in this definition, the “character or nature” of something is single, one thing, while dual describes this oneness as being two-fold. In other words, two sides of the same coin.

A friend of mine wrote to me this morning and started the email out with, “Long time no news!” This is the same friend who encouraged me over a month ago to continue to write even during the times that I’m less than motivated to do so. My life has been a whirlwind since the New Year began, and inspiration to write has been few and far between.

I am sitting quite still and contemplating an elegant white calla lily that is sharing a vase with some other flowers on the table in front of me. Over the past several days it has begun to slowly relax its tight green and white scroll, which still conceals the glowing yellow rod at its center. I am mesmerized by the lights and shadows created by its sensuous folds and the complexity of its network of fine veins.

My sister Ginny introduced me to wabi sabi, the Japanese tradition that values the beauty of imperfection. My sister smiled and said, “Now when we look in the mirror, we can say, ‘Wabi sabi!’” Wabi suggests rustic simplicity and sabi the beauty that comes with age. With origins in ancient Chinese Tao and Buddhism, wabi sabi shaped Japanese culture in the late 1400’s when Murata Shuko, a Zen priest, changed the traditional tea service from gold and jade to simple wood and clay.

As we watch, seemingly powerless, at what greed and corporate insensitivity does in the ongoing tragedy in the Gulf, we have a perfect opportunity of rethinking our own vision for the planet and the human family and realize the power of our thoughts. I would like to share the some of the ideas I received a few weeks ago in an email of the message from the Indigenous Grandmothers, an esteemed council of 13 holy elders representing diverse prayer lineages around the world.

In many spiritual treatises, mostly written A few times a week while walking to my favorite café, I have the privilege of crossing paths with someone who resembles a wise Native American elder. This woman possesses the look of infinite peace within her eyes and face. When I ask her, “How are you today?” she always smiles serenely and replies, “I’m going with the flow.” “Going with the flow, hmmm…” This is something that is difficult for some of us because there are times when we struggle maintaining our peace of mind, keeping our balance, and feeling connected to our higher selves.

Years ago I viewed the movie Pay It Forward in which a teacher assigns the class a project to make the world better. One student’s suggestion: Do a favor for three people, each of whom does a favor for three more, continuing forever. Last week I read the book. Our local author, Catherine Ryan Hyde, has written more than 15 books, but Pay It Forward has achieved the greatest national attention. I started reading her books when I needed a fiction break from reality.

The last stop on life’s journey is a topic that isn’t discussed much in our society. Dying is an unspoken part of life, and as I grow older, it is becoming a more frequent event. I am learning more about dying and have been at the bedside as Death came to call, helping in-laws and my own parents pass over. I joined the Twilight Brigade Hospice for Veterans training to learn more. Life and death are sacred and beautiful. Not understanding dying feeds fear of it.

As I write this article, I am settling back into my daily routine after having spent ten relaxing days on the exquisitely beautiful island of Maui. Even amidst the business — and some resistance — of returning to my regular routine, I am grateful for the spirit of “aloha” that still lingers within me. “Aloha” means much more than a common greeting and expression of farewell. The idea of aloha is so important in Hawaii that the “Aloha Spirit” is part of State law. The statute reads in part:

In many spiritual treatises, mostly written by men, the apex of the spiritual journey is being of service, i.e., giving. Although I don’t deny the value of giving service, I’d like to suggest the following. In general, men approach their spiritual journey from a different perspective than women. Men come from an egocentric standpoint—their journey of expansion moves them to include the needs of others. Visually you could see this as an inverted triangle (V) – the point on the bottom signifying the ego as it expands upward/outward to be inclusive.