The Power Of Two

HAVE you ever wondered how there always
seems to be two of everything? Right and
left: top and bottom: good and evil: black
and white. The list is endless and seemingly
trivial until one thinks of how, in real life,
there is in a wide range of subjects, a natural
polarisation of choices towards just two.
In the case of economics, we have
Socialism or Capitalism. Geography: East
and West. Politics: Democracy and dictatorship.
Religion: Islam and Christianity.
But is there something more fundamental
in the proliferation of alternatives; something
that underpins the very essence of our
being? The ancients certainly thought so
and it is reflected in their beliefs. From the
very start of human spirituality, the concept
of a dualism was at the heart of early worship
and the basis of the way of life.
Vodun, or voodoo was such an early faith
in Africa. Practised over ten thousand years
ago, Vodun is based on a two part universe,
one occupied by humans and the other by
spirits amongst whom dead relatives play a
part. In the region of Assyria, modern day
Iraq and Persia, where the first cities were
built, Zoroastroism was practiced. (In fact,
some scholars believe that the three Kings
from the east in the Nativity story were
Zoroastrians.) This faith and Gnosticism,
widespread through the Roman empire at
the time assumed that the universe was
composed of a spiritual side and a real side.
These ideas, carried by caravan with the
goods of trade, were taken along the silk
route where through synthesization or mixing
with local traditions, the Asian faiths of
Buddhism, Taoism and even Shinto became
synonymous with this core dualism.
It is not hard to visualise why they were
successful and why the Shamen or priests
were able to pray on peoples fears and
hopes and become powerful figures in communities.
It was impossible then, as it is
today, to refute arguments about what lies
on the other side of death, the realm of the
spirits, Heavens or indeed, Hell.
Is there a scientific parallel to this natural
progression to two? I remember some time
ago there was an experiment involving bubbles.
If you half fill a bottle with soapy water
and shake it well, thousands of bubbles will
form naturally. The number and size of the
bubbles being dependent, according to the
rules of physics, on surface tension. The
interesting thing is that when left to its own
devices, the bubbles will start to merge and
grow larger and theoretically will continue to
do so until just two are left. The thing is that
according to the theory it is scientifically
impossible for the two to break down to
become one large entity.
This is bad news for all those who hoped
that the science would be reflected in practice
and that one day the World would be
one; that all the peoples of the world could
live in peace and harmony as one. Well
folks, this is not going to happen. ...
Unless, that is, the world as a whole
becomes one of a new two part system.
Imagine, for instance, that aliens are discovered
in a planet and able to reach earth with
special technology. You can almost see, in
those circumstances, the peoples of planet
earth acting as one to overcome the common
enemy.
Far fetched!! Well imagine this. What if all
the ancients of planet earth were right. What
if the universe is composed of two
immutable and ordinarily incompatible parts;
the real part we live in and another, invisible
and unknowable part which pervades the
universe in a way that God is said to exist.
Not possible, you say. Science, despite
widespread evidence for the reality of
ghosts and poltergeists, has not come up
with any credible evidence. Cosmologists
have so far been unable to see 'dark matter'
or 'dark energy’ and particle physicists have
come nowhere close to seeing the Higgs
Boson the lynch pin of the standard model
of quantum physics. Are they looking for
something that humans cannot perceive? It
is interesting to see in the first proper Sura
of the Qu'ran, the Cow, that it starts, 'This is
the scripture in which there is no doubt, containing
guidance for those who are mindful
of God, who believe in the unseen.' The
commentary in my copy describes the word
'unseen' to mean what cannot be perceived.
The Taoists believed in a universe of two
parts, Yin and Yang, along the lines I
described above. Except, that Taoists
believe that there is a little part of the hidden,
unreal universe in the real and vice
versa. Look at the emblem to see what I
mean.
What's going on, you might say? Well, I
have my theories, but to see them you must
visit my blog and web site on
www.kevilldavies.com.
Kevill Davies is author of 'Apsaras'.
Available at most on line book shops.
Also available at Mojácar library at the
Third Age Centre, Mojacar Pueblo.
Read more on his Indalo blog at
www.kevilldavies.com