Eastern and Western Approaches to Spirituality Both Have Advantages and Disadvantages.

Lately I've been reflecting on what seems to be a major difference in emphasis between spiritual traditions in the East and West. In the East, there is a move to go directly to the Unity that underlies all things. This Unity is seen as seamless, expansive and transparent. The distinctions that would seem to occur between various beings are viewed as mental fabrications that are in some sense illusory. The advantage of this approach is that it emphasizes the harmonious oneness of all things. The disadvantage is that there can be the tendency among those who are not adept at this approach to unify all things under THEIR OWN subconscious and unexamined way of experiencing that Oneness.

In Western spirituality, the distinctions between things are held to be important. Here, each being offers its own unique gifts to the Whole, which is viewed more as a puzzle with interlocking puzzle pieces than as a seamless sheet of divinity. The advantage of this approach is that it enables us to marvel at the way in which such seemingly disparate beings all end up joining together into One. Here, there is the idea that it is necessary to see things in all of their difference as a precursor to experiencing amazement at the fact that they are actually all completely One! Another advantage is the fact that one is taught to work ceaselessly to discern and uncover one's own hidden and subconscious biases. However, the disadvantage of this approach is that the distinction between things may harden into separation and alienation. This is of course what has happened in our patriarchal, corporate-industrial society, where a select few of the puzzle pieces view themselves as "superior" and "correct," and thereby as justified in dominating and exploiting those elements that are unfortunately viewed as "inferior" and "incorrect."

As with all things in life, every view has its advantages and disadvantages.

Photos: New Spring wildflowers, distinct yet united in all of their glory into a single landscape! Yellow Violet, Pasqueflower and Spring-beauty; Lory State Park and Hewlett Burn, Larimer County, CO, March 14 - 16, 2015