Our Practice Is To Close The Gap

As this passage describes, seeing ourselves as separate from all else in life is nearly universal, and perhaps inevitable in that learning differentiation: round, square, red, green, cause, effect, concepts, words... are required for our brain to develop past infancy. The function of our egoic self that develops is attachment to our "likes", and rejecting our "dislikes" and believing the delusion that getting only "likes" and never "dislikes" will be peace and happiness (the 3 poisons, which always result in suffering). At some point we can discover the non-separate whole (perhaps as an initial awakening "dṛṣṭi-svabhāva" or "kenshō" experience?) as one more thing amongst all else in life. When seen through the eye of ego, the "gap" between Oneness and separation is one more "dislike" in our way. Though it often takes time, it IS possible to see duality FROM Oneness (and as a manifestation of Oneness), not just as one more element within duality from my limited egoic view. From Wholeness, Oneness vs duality are NOT two separate things (which would be just another duality); in the whole view there cannot be a gap because there is no separation. So what CAN an ego do? I can recognize the Whole, appreciate, respect, acknowledge, value, and enjoy Wholeness, leave time and space in my busy life to practice, serve, be generous, kind, compassionate, forgiving and be merciful. And *I*, ME, and MINE become smaller and smaller, occupying less and less time and space as suffering also fades...