Epistemic – knowledge-based duality is linear or logical and involves a cumulative processing of knowledge however, a non-dual state is non-linear or gnostic and is received as a whole.
When I look at Genesis, I can find a wonderful allegory that talks about the supposed creation of a dualistic world view. When Eve eats of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, she becomes like God and becomes a creator. A certain epistemic duality is created which allows her to see the world from a linear and definable perspective. She becomes apart from the ‘Garden’ whereas before she was a part of the ‘Garden’. She loses that intimate relationship with God and now leads a linear and secular existence. To quote Descartes, ‘I think, therefore I am.’ We could turn that around to say, ‘I am, therefore I think.’
Ontological – the common operating modality of being is dualistic in its nature due to the observer/observed state but a non-dual state of being is an awakened state without judgement and simply rests in being.
For the world to make sense or from some points of view to even exist (quantum states of influence on the observed) it necessarily operates on a dualistic level. Also, in order to effectively, efficiently comprehend and communicate with other people, one needs a subject/object perspective. However, a non-dual state of being has been described as an objectless awareness. In Zen it is about flow without thought like a river naturally contained within its banks. A river is not defined by words. Words are metaphors representing its existence. A river simply is. Reference the Zen saying, ‘I am and that is enough’.
Love – a dualistic state of love is where there is one who loves something or someone and then there is that which receives that love but in a non-dual state of love there simply is love.
I tend to think of love as an intricate oriental rug. It is woven of many threads into patterns that can bring sadness and also bring unspeakable joy. If you think of love as the whole rug you come to realize that our linear dualistic perspective of love is some aspect of love falling on a continuum. Each aspect represents love in a particular context. The forms of love are legion – self, maternal, fraternal, sexual, conceptual (the love of ideas), compassion, etc.. The antithesis of love would be hate or disgust. Whereas love is light and beautiful, hate and disgust are dark and ugly. Yin Yang. Duality. On deeper examination one finds that each helps to define the other but in truth they are one field. There is a spectrum of love that is neutral in the middle and negative on one end (hate/disgust) and positive on the other (perfect love). But it is human dualistic paradigms that create these definitions. It is simply a way to make sense of the world. Comparisons come from reason and linear thinking. We know the powerful and ineffable feeling of love and beauty just as we know the powerful and ineffable feeling of hate and disgust. But those circumstances that create these feelings are applicable only to the witness of those circumstances. Through one witnesses’ eyes love is seen but through another’s there is angst and depression. Example would be a golden eagle tearing the throat out of a baby lamb. The eagle is feeding its young with a maternal instinct and a sense of elation at its kill, the ewe that birthed the lamb feels loss and (I know I am anthropomorphizing here) sadness. But it is one act that is occurring. It is being seen in two different ways. The state of love, however, remains constant. Pure love is non-dualistic.
A balanced non-dual state would be a gnostic, awakened state formed in a field of love. One would think that this is not possible but when in an ecstatic state of satori that pretty much defines where you are. Kensho is more like being on the outer fringes of that state but still able to function in a dualistic paradigm without it entangling you.
The term BE HERE NOW grabs the essence of the first two of these states but falls short in the field of love. Modified to include this state it could read BE HERE NOW WITHIN LOVE.