By: Dan Thomas
“We are all one” . . . it has become a common phrase. With the acceleration of our consciousness and the resurgence of spirituality that has been and continues to occur within society, the awareness of this profound point has become integral to our understandings. Unity, through this awareness of the illusion of our divisions, continues to break false barriers with the revitalized quality of compassion. Each of us is a part of the whole, and each part effects the whole. This fundamental bond of humanity, with its incredibly deep and searching implications, leads to a broader vision of what life truly is all about. It brings us a grand step closer to answering some of those big questions that we have been asking ourselves from the very beginning of our time. Who are we and why are we here? What is life all about? The value of this simple realization can not be overstated, especially in the light of the many challenges that we collectively are facing at this time. And yet, as true as all of this is, I believe there to be “one more” . . . the self.
The paradox, I believe, is that we are all one . . . one in our connections to all others but also one in the connections to our vast individuality. If you will, it’s like the macro and the micro; truth and infinity travels in both directions. If our differences are just an illusion, which I do think in many senses is true, then why does such an illusion exist? Time, space, even physical existence can be said in a manner to be an illusion and yet the experience of life provides us with these as a reality. These “illusions” are some of the very basic tools that divine creation has supplied us with . . . to teach us and provide us with the ability to learn. The depth, the experience, the spiritual value of seeing the inner self is of equal importance as seeing the outer self. Neither view should be discarded lest only half a picture be understood.
Our existence, for now at least, is in an epoch of duality. We are individuals . . . individuals as part of one. I think the key here is achieving some balance of our understanding. The selfish and the selfless . . . neither side attributes full value to the whole, but don’t confuse this balance with morality. Balance is a fine concept in many applications, but leads to stagnation in others. Movement . . . progress needs to be continuous. A balance of good and evil creates an illuminist concept of neutrality that is not at all what I’m suggesting here. What I am suggesting is a balance between the concepts and realities of we as individuals and we as one. Ultimately, If you think about it, such a balance serves well to both sides. For the spiritual benefit of realizing that we are all one, we must first realize it as individuals. For the spiritual benefit of realizing the true vastness of our individuality, we must realize the importance of that individuality in the service of all. Within duality we each have the power of our freewills. We have personal responsibility as well as responsibility towards the whole to wield our thoughts and actions and decisions as moral creators. You are not responsible for my decisions, those decisions are the right and freedom of my own will. I am not responsible for your actions, they are the product of your freewill. We can try to convince each other one way or the other, but ultimately the choice made is due to the individual. What we are responsible for is how our freewills effect the whole.
It would be my guess, and my hope, that anyone who is reading this article probably has essentially the same motive . . . a desire to create a better world . . . a desire for a world that that is how it really should be. We share a vision of a reality that is one of peace, health, and prosperity for you, me, and everyone else as well. We share a desire to find and to face truth, to cease the seemingly perpetual cycle of human tragedy that has for far too long plagued our history, and to live in a world of love and compassion. It is a cause most noble, most worthy of our efforts, and one I must believe can be achievable. For one . . . for all . . . may our futures finally shine!
Time is an illusion in the sense that it depends on a perception. Patience is in many ways the translator through which we experience it. A moment can seem to last forever and yet a year can pass in a blink. The past, the future, the present . . . all moving and shaping to the form of our perspective, coexist like the many channels of a radio. Whichever station our metaphorical dial is turned to is what we call reality. And yet, with so many stations out there, are we really just limited to the one? Life being such a complex and fleeting thing as it is, are we really expected to figure it out in a single try? What I’m talking about here is the sentient relationship to time and its purpose within reality.
In attempt to simplify a complex subject, I believe we can divide the issue into two general arenas: awareness of the self, and external awareness. If we clarify external awareness as an understanding of others and the reality that surrounds us, then awareness of the self would most obviously be an understanding of our individual souls. By an on-going study and comprehension of both of theses aspects of awareness, I believe a broader vision can be achieved with which we can gain higher levels and insights to spiritual evolution . . . an evolution which not only can redefine our very character and purpose, but steps us into the expanse of new and greater dimensions.