Mending the seam between self and others has been an extraordinary challenge. The teachings have given me the conceptual realization that I am but a thread in the cloth that makes up our existence, now I must do the work to experience that concept within.
I found “No River To Cross” momentous in the ongoing development of such a realization; Look within, trust your inherent nature, let the fundamental mind take care of things, are the mottoes that one is left to consider. At first, I had to ask myself, “How will I experience non-duality by focusing on myself?” I think it’s by looking past all the things that are usually associated with self; What’s my favorite color? What song do I feel like hearing? What do I want to eat? Beneath these are very universal functions. Actually, we spend every moment in non-duality, it’s just covered over by the daily concerns of self.
As I clear away enough mental debris to poke a finger-hole through, like in the paper windows of a temple door, my thoughts echo those of Dae Haeng Kun Sunim:
Your fundamental mind, your true self is invisibly connected to all things in the world and through it all things communicate with each other and work together as one. In this way, the whole universe is functioning together as one through fundamental mind, so this working together is called One Mind (Hanmaum).
The big difference is, she’s sitting peacefully on the inside, and I’m standing here fiddling with the latch!
Wake Up and Laugh! 
Awesome photo!
Reducing the gap between self and others, between what we know and what we do sounds like a great topic for discussion.
I think it is about knowing one’s own reactions and thoughts and then letting others have theirs. I find if I can just let someone else have whatever they have and accept whatever the situation is as, “it is”, then I am closer to closing the “gap”. However, this is a lot easier said than done, as my reactions/emotions and thoughts are strong and not easy to melt… And so, the “gap” remains because of my thoughts, reactions/emotions….Then I find myself being placed time and time again in situations where I get to keep working on those said reactions/emotions, thoughts, etc.:)!
One other thing I have a hard time with is balancing between placing boundaries and not seeing others as separate when I do this?…. Maybe this will come more clear as I become more clear?…
It’s a lovely post (and photograph), Joseph.
In my experience, only love can close the gap.
Of course, I’m not speaking of some feeling-state – love is not lovey-dovey.
Rather, this kind of love requires that we set aside any trace of self-obsession or self-grasping.
Indeed, love has no room for the self at all. And when the self is gone, the gap closes instantly.
that picture is simbolic, the door is not locked, to open it to get to your inside you have to have unconditional trust to that which is behind the door. But when you get inside, don’t expect to stay there right away, you will be in and out for a while before you could combine it all together.
‘love has no room for the self at all. And when the self is gone, the gap closes instantly’
that’s beautiful, Barry…
love is ‘us’