Why do I believe in non-duality?

Originally written in my journal November 18, 2021

At one of the zoom meetings, something got me questioning, “Why do I really believe this stuff? Why do I believe in non-dualism? What is the source of my belief, or what caused me to accept it?”

Thinking back, I knew that, for me, it was that I had read Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta, from time to time, for 50 years. Having lost faith in traditional religion, when I read them, they immediately struck me as authentic and credible. I was certain they had merged, they were enlightened. However, their reality seemed so far from mine that I never considered it very relevant to me. I practiced meditation, off and on, read a lot of Zen literature, was interested in the Tao and in Rumi. But I never found a belief that might really change my life. Raman Maharshi and Nisargadatta opened the door just a bit, gave me a glimpse, that enabled me to embrace Rupert and non-duality. Of course, they didn’t call their state of being non-duality, but everything they describe is the same as Rupert and Lucille.