Ancient streams coursed through the early church, bathing souls in a non-dual awareness. The Desert mystics drank deeply, as did Celtic sages and hesychasts of the East. Monastics from Benedict to Bernard carried these living waters through centuries in a great underground aquifer of contemplation.
In cloistered stillness, they were taught to transcend the divided mind, resting in unified presence. Divine radiance revealed through the Cloud of Unknowing. John of the Cross and Teresa carved luminous aqueducts for these ever-flowing depths. But in time, rationality's concrete dammed the mystic rivers.
Amid reformation and enlightenment, minds ossified around dogma and debates. To prove our prowess, we imbibed dualistic philosophies while garbing them in devout robes. Mired in us-versus-them thinking, we drained the unifying wellsprings that once replenished our creeds. Our sophisticated utterances rang hollow, divorcing us from the very heart that enlivened our founders' teachings.
Yet grace could never be contained. Throughout all eras, pure souls rediscovered the way of non-dual luminosity through life's crucible of love and anguish. Purified of self-enclosure, they emerged bearing that unsealed, all-embracing gaze that comes from beholding the One in all. No combative proofs but simple clarity, a peaceful abiding in the Real.
Now, after centuries untaught, this ancient way rushes back into consciousness, revoiced through new teachings and disciplines worldwide. We re-encounter the very mind that animated Jesus, Paul, mystics across traditions - the non-dual awareness that allows us to live undivided, draining all pockets of fear, enjoying union with God, others, ourself.
We awaken to our shared source in that eternal stream which, no matter how crystallized our traditions become, flows deathlessly beneath, whispering an ever-present invitation to drink, to merge, and to become that which we most fully are.
Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down. Close your eyes gently and take a few deep breaths. Inhale slowly and deeply, feeling your breath fill your body. Exhale completely, releasing any tension.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a vast river, its waters ancient and ever-flowing. This river represents the non-dual awareness, a wellspring of unity that has nourished spiritual traditions for millennia.
Think of the great mystics from various backgrounds – the Desert Fathers, Celtic sages, Eastern Hesychasts, Benedictine and Cistercian monks. See them gathered along the riverbank, drinking deeply from its life-giving waters.
These waters symbolize a way of being that transcends the divided mind. They offer a glimpse of the "Cloud of Unknowing," a realm of Divine radiance beyond words and concepts.
Now, let the river's flow wash over you. Feel the separation between yourself and the water dissolve. You are not separate from this source of unity, but a part of it.
Notice a shift in your perception. Imagine the rigidity of dogma and debate softening, replaced by a luminous clarity of being.
The urge to prove oneself through argument fades away. Instead, a sense of peaceful abiding in the Real, the ever-present reality, takes its place.
Recognize the grace that has always been available, even during eras when the mystical way was obscured. See individuals throughout history who, through love and hardship, rediscovered this path.
These individuals embodied a quality of open-heartedness, seeing the oneness in all things. They relinquished the need for combative proofs, choosing instead to simply be present.
Now, feel the ancient stream awakening within your own consciousness. It might come as a whisper, an intuition, or a gentle flow of peace.
This resurgence of non-dual awareness invites you to live a life undivided. It allows you to experience a deep connection to God, others, and your own true nature.
Take a few more deep breaths, integrating this reconnection with the source. When you're ready, gently open your eyes, carrying a sense of unity and the invitation to merge with the ever-flowing stream of your being.
