In our contemplative prayer services, we have been learning about dualism. Dualism is the term that describes looking at the world from only two perspectives like right or wrong, black or white, good or bad, like or dislike and many more. When we are children, we grow up learning that certain things we do are good and others are bad. When we leave the home and enter the bigger world, we still learn to see things this way. We do so until our brains develop in the frontal cortex.
Once the frontal cortex develops, we are able to see more than one point of view. However, when we are confronted with something new, often times our brains revert to this dualistic thinking. Another way of thinking about dualism is categorizing or putting into proverbial boxes. This person is from this part of the country so they must have all of these attributes.
My grandfather was from Arkansas. In typing that I laughed because you are probably thinking that explains a lot. Redneck, backwards, gap-toothed, gun toting, etc. We can laugh about these things if we allow ourselves to then move beyond the boxes and stereotypes and get to know the person. Contemplative prayer is a focus on seeking more than dualism in one another.
If you think about the creation it can go in many different ways. Start with plants and animals, geography and landforms. Maybe you want to expand and think of solar systems and galaxies, different suns and planets, with black holes and antimatter. Or maybe the other way like how one fish can be separated into different genus and species or maybe with fresh or salt water attributes to different varieties.