The subject-object relationship, also known as Dualism, is where we see something as separate from and outside of ourselves (think "we see more objectively"). The "subject" is what we consider to be ourselves and that which we believe we have authorship and understanding over. The "object" is what we consider to be outside ourselves and that which we believe is outside our control and understanding. This is contrasted with being "subjected to" the object. This can happen when we are caught up in our [[Distorted thinking]] or when we get lost in our [[Unexamined assumptions]]. In this mode, we experience ourselves as inseparable from *how* we perceive the potential object (e.g. our thoughts, emotions, perceptions of another, etc are the same as us). When we are "subjected to" aspects of our life we lose the ability to differentiate between which aspects we have authorship over and which we don't. Our boundaries between subject and object become blurred and confusing. As we are able to move parts of our own selves ("subject") into being other than ourselves ("object"), we can start to more clearly see where our authorship and true identity lies. Paradoxically, as we approach a world where more and more things become object, we can fully embrace [[Nondualism]] by realizing all things we perceive can be object, even our own awareness. At this point in realization all aspects of our consciousness can become one.