Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, discusses the ancient Indian philosophy of Samkhya Yoga as a framework for spiritual observation. It includes the dual principles of Purusha (the essence of the self) and Prakrit (the "Great Mother" or manifested nature and energy).

While Samkhya might appear to be dualistic, it aims for a state of Sahaja, or awakened consciousness. This state contains and transcends the three states of objective self-consciousness, dreaming, and deep sleep..

The spiritual task involves two seemingly contradictory efforts, or "two ends of one stick.” They are rigorous self-observation and voluntary self-forgetting. To observe correctly, we must develop a background attention that is indifferent to events, watching the movements of energy (Prakrit) without impatience or the desi ...