Oneness and its implications
Is this universe -this cosmos- whole and inseparable: One ?
What implications would arise from Oneness - a unity of all things?
First of all let us look briefly at a selection of the thoughts from different areas of society: Science, Philosophy/Literature and Religion believing in a unity of all things, in all being one thing: Oneness.
Science on Oneness:
The notion that all … fragments are separately existent is
evidently an illusion, and this illusion cannot do other than lead to
endless conflict and confusion.
(David Bohm 1980)
Reality cannot be found except in One single source,
because of the interconnection of all things with one another.
(Leibniz 1670)
We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. (Albert Einstein)
Philosophy & Literature on Oneness:
This cosmos was not made by gods or men, but always was,
and is, and ever shall be ever-living fire.
(Heraklit)
One grand great life throbs through earth's giant heart,
And mighty waves of single Being roll
From nerve-less germ to man, for we are part
Of every rock and bird and beast and hill,
One with the things that prey on us, and one with what we kill.
(Oscar Wilde)
I hear and behold God in every object … Why should I wish
to see God better than this day? I see something of God each hour of the
twenty four, and each moment then, In the faces of men and women I see God,
and in my own face in the glass. I find letters from God dropped in the
street - and every one is signed by God's name, And I leave them where they
are, for I know that others will punctually come forever and ever.
(Walt Whitman 1860)
If through infinity the same thing flows, eternally
repeating, if an arch, though manifold, can mightily hold itself together,
If all things pour out lust for life, the smallest and the biggest stars,
Yet all this striving, all this struggle Is eternal peace in God the Lord
(Goethe)
Religion on Oneness:
For in him we live, and move, and have our being
(Christianity: St.Paul)
For as in one body we have many members, and all the
members do not have one function, so we, though many, are one in Christ, and
individually members of one another.
[Christianity Romans 12.5.]
The existence of all created things is His existence.
Thou dost not see, in this world or the next, anything beside God
(Islam: Ibn Al Arab-Sufii)
Can there be a nearer God than this? He is as near to His
creatures as the ear to the mouth.
(Judaism, Talmud)
Do not say "This is a stone and not God." God forbid!
Rather, all existence is God, and the stone is a thing pervaded by divinity.
(Judaism, Kabbalah)
In addition to all these thoughts and quotes, there may also be the own intuition in all things being at least connected. But this belief is not sufficiently describing the radical implications of Oneness.
Now let us for an instance assume and agree: All is One, one thing and inseparable. Oneness. Wholeness. Let us call it Oneness for the moment. Let us consider what implications this assumption has on: Enlightenment: Since there is only one thing Oneness, that one thing also is enlightenment. Enlightenment is all there is. The state of enlightenment is all there is. Infinite: If all is One. Than that One is everything and is limitless and has no boundaries. The One, Oneness is infinite. Being part of Oneness: This seems to be one of the shortcomings of our mind. Our mind somehow can not comprehend the idea of being boundless, therefore it translates that to the the idea of being part of something infinite. The idea of being a part of Oneness is poetic but if there is only Oneness then that is inseparable. That means Oneness has no separate parts. So the often quoted poetic idea of us being the waves and God being the ocean is faulty. The conclusion is: We are Oneness. You are Oneness. You are limitless. But we are appearing to be separate in our minds. We are appearing to be just wave. Individual person: If there is only Oneness than the person must be this. We must be Oneness and therefore also enlightenment. It would be wrong to say:I am enlightened, which would imply a separateness of the us and the state of enlightenment. It would be however more appropriate to say: I am Enlightenment. I am Oneness. We are Oneness, We are Enlightenment. It is interesting to look at the root of the word "Individual" which means the Undividable, Not separate. So individual means not separate. Taken literally there would be only one individual: Oneness. Feeling Separate: Then it is quite appropriate to ask: Why are we feeling separated from this world, so lonely and isolated sometimes? How can that be if we are indeed Oneness, indeed Wholeness. But then again how could Oneness be whole and include all there is, if it would not also include: Not-Wholeness or Separateness. So the feeling of not being whole, of being separate is also Oneness. Individual choice: How can there be individual choice separate from Oneness if there is only Oneness. It can not be. Only Oneness acts and chooses, but it appears to be done by an individual person with an individual choice. Becoming Enlightened How can a person become enlightened, if all there is: is Enlightenment? How could we approach something which we are already? The only thing that seems possible is that the belief that one is not Enlightenment, not Oneness can fall away. That is often called awakening by teachers. Methods & Teachings: How can someone learn to become something what they already are? That is faulty. You are what you are: Oneness. We may have the belief we are not Oneness and a person, but how can one learn to drop that belief? Oneness can only drop the idea by itself. There might be the appearance of a journey or a learning, of a practice , of meditation and of self-inquiry. But in the end nothing will happen except that Oneness may drop the idea of not-being Oneness. Teachers: So are there any teachers or students when the only thing that is: is Oneness? There seem to be appearances of teachers or students. But all that is happening is, that Oneness seems to teach Oneness about becoming Oneness. Nothing: If all is One than this must be everything and infinite, but it also must be nothing. And this implies, this is what we are. We are nothing and everything. Where does all this lead to? It leads: Nowhere which is everywhere. Let us enjoy the ride.