This topic of oneness has had me puzzled for a long time.
In the New Age world there is the cliché of “We are all one”, which is followed by the attitude of “You have, therefore you must give. I don’t have, therefore you must give. Remember, we are all one, and what is yours is mine.”
This has always felt wrong to me on every level – not because I am stingy, but because to me it was a clear indication that the person who says and lives this has no idea how to cherish and use their energy to create and share their creation.
Also, if you think about it, the phrase “we are all one” starts off with duality (we) and ends with one (one). Which is it? You cannot have or experience oneness as part of duality or the other way round. It is either one or the other.
I recently listened to a conversation that put the concept of oneness into perspective for me.
The first revelation was that religion and science define oneness in the same way.
From a religious point of view, God made everything, and therefore everything is part of One, and this forms Oneness.
From a scientific point of view, there is only energy, and everything is made of energy.
Both religion and science define Oneness in the same way using different words.
Yes, I did know that before about science and about religion, but it took a master to put the two concepts together so that the penny dropped for me.
The second revelation was even more (or less) of a revelation to me. This was also so bleeding obvious but it took hearing this from someone else to let this penny drop for me.
I have been aware of the power of the words I am for a long time.
I have used these two words to help people understand their own consciousness and make them realise that they are more than their bodies.
However, the focus was on how to help people understand who they were based on the roles they play. For example, I am a woman/mother/grandmother/spiritual teacher/writer.
I did not realise that rather than Oneness, I was demonstrating duality. When I say I am a woman there is the duality of being a woman and being I am.
When I say we are the same, and therefore we are one, there is the duality of sameness and I am.
When I express my emotions, for example, I am happy/sad/angry/in love,there is the duality of I am and the emotion of happy/sad/angry/in love,.
When I express an attribute of myself, for example I am punctual/tidy/creative, there is the duality of I am and the attribute of punctual/tidy/creative which are all labels that I can add to how I behave in this world.
Now take everything that you have added to the words I am away. Where does that leave you?
I am.
Say that out loud and listen to your voice. I am.
That is the meaning of Oneness. This is not oneness with everything and everyone under the sun.
Oneness is just that.
I am.
I was going to say that saying just these two words teaches you everything about God and brings you closer to understanding your Creator. However, by explaining that, I create duality between you and God.
I am.
Namaste
