Sunday, September 27, 2009
Blending Of Differences
"We are all one.
Ours is not a better way,
ours is merely another way."
-Neale Donald Walsch
When we create a soup, a stew, or a sauce we blend together many
different ingredients which give these creations a unique essence,
flavor, and aroma. This combining of various ingredients, which
creates the foods we enjoy, is just one example of the Blending of
Differences. This Blending of Differences produces Synergy;
whereby the created whole is greater that the sum of its individual
parts.
The same Divine Principle which creates our culinary masterpieces
also pertains to the creation, growth, and expansion of all
achievements which manifest themselves in our material realm.
Blending of Differences, however, should not be confused with the
union of opposites.
Blending of Differences is the the merging of different ideas,
notions, and concepts which individuals and cultures share with each
other that are slightly different from, but not opposed to, each other.
Symbolically, this Principle is represented by the act of Weaving.
On the other hand, union of opposites refers to the merging of
extreme opposites of the same concept. To unite extreme opposites
is to Transcend Duality. When we transcend Duality we enter into
the Realm of Unity; the Realm of Divinity; the Realm of
Enlightenment: a Realm which very few individuals are able to
achieve during their physical Incarnation.
Let's use a familiar example to illustrate one example of the
Union of Opposites versus the Blending of Differences:
It is a natural urge and desire for nearly all men and women to
be united with a partner of the opposite gender. However, if the
union is based solely upon physical attraction, or personal needs,
while ignoring, or denying, the polarizations and the lack of
similarities between each other, this union will soon begin to suffer
and eventually crumble. We are all familiar with these types of
Relationships; most of us having experienced this kind of situation
ourselves.
Let us now consider the Relationship of a man and woman who
have differences but are not extremely polarized. The closer their
individual philosophies, Beliefs, ideals, and Personalities are in
Harmony with each other the stronger, and more flourishing, their
Union will Become. (This kind of union is symbolized by the
Vesica Piscis of Sacred Geometry and is further alluded to in
Borders Between Realms.)
in China marriages were arranged by a match-maker who paired
couples based upon their Astrological Charts. This insured that
a marriage was based upon a Blending of Differences (different
similarities), not merely a union of opposites. The match-maker,
along with the parents of the man and woman seeking a spouse,
understood that when a man and woman are Harmonious with
each other tensions become non-existent and there is no need for
either person to "look elsewhere".
Perhaps the best example history provides of the Blending of
Differences is the Ancient city of Alexandria. When Alexander the
Great conquered Egypt he had the dream of creating a city which
would be a magnet for all the knowledge and scholars of the civilized
world. He founded Alexandria to promote peace, prosperity, and
Unity between all cultures.
The Great Library at Alexandria collected, and made copies of, all
the books, manuscripts, and scrolls it could locate. Upon copying
these works the Library would then return these items to their
rightful owners.
Scholars, along with all interested individuals from everywhere in
the civilized world, were invited to Alexandria for the purpose of
mingling and sharing their ideas, customs, and philosophies with
each other. When these individuals and scholars eventually returned
to their homelands, they brought back with them new knowledge,
ideas, and perspectives from such far away places as Persia, India,
and China.
Alexandria was the perfect metaphor for Synergy, whereby the
entire known-world Became more knowledgeable, and sociable,
due to the Blending of Differences acquired from numerous like-
minded, yet different, individuals who gravitated to Alexandria
from all points of the Ancient World.
Today, it seems as if we live in a world which concentrates more
on differences between individuals and cultures than on similarities.
Ancient Teachings, the City of Alexandria, and the Chinese match-
maker all teach us that we grow both spiritually and mentally by
focusing on similarities between people and cultures. It is when
we Become excited about Learning something new that we enter
the realm of Wisdom. It is by the Blending of Differences that we
start to experience wholeness with each other and oneness with
the Universe.
We occupy a physical realm but we are spiritual beings. In the
physical realm, opposites attract in order to create (See:
"The Three Gunas"). In the spiritual realm, similarities attract in
order to synergistically expand the process of creation.
Therefore, if we wish to achieve peace, Harmony, contentment, and
Abundance during our current physical Incarnation, we must
combine the attraction of physical differences (both as individuals
and cultures) with spiritual similarities. When we focus on spiritual
similarities we attract like-minded individuals into our lives who
then blend their similar differences with ours so that we may both
become better, more knowledgeable, more Abundant, and Wiser for
having interacted with each other.
Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
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Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.
© copyright Joseph Panek 2009
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