| The spiritual principle of Oneness states in effect that, | | | | worthwhile noting that we human beings have also |
| at a fundamental level, literally everything in the | | | | learned to accept other notions that are not directly |
| Universe is connected to everything else. This is not | | | | verifiable by our senses. For example, we cannot see |
| merely some idealistic spiritual tenet; rather it has been | | | | the infrared signals that are emitted from our television |
| an accepted scientific fact ever since Albert Einstein | | | | remote controls, but we know that something must be |
| and other prominent physicists first established that the | | | | flying through the air or the channels would not change. |
| atom was not creation's lowest common denominator. | | | | Another relevant example is cellular phones, as we are |
| According to Deepak Chopra in his book "How to | | | | now well aware, they enable us to have conversations |
| Know God": | | | | with people all over the world, but once again we |
| "The material world is full of familiar objects that we | | | | cannot see the actual connection that exists between |
| can see, feel, touch, taste and smell. As big objects | | | | the phones. The difference with Oneness is that |
| become small, shrinking to the size of atoms, our | | | | although definitive scientific evidence exists to support |
| senses fail us. Theoretically the shrinkage has to stop | | | | it, people automatically tend to default to the perception |
| somewhere, because no atom is smaller than | | | | that each of us is separate from everyone and |
| hydrogen, the first material particle to be born out of | | | | everything else as well. Yet, when you are willing to |
| the Big Bang. But in fact an amazing transformation | | | | make an effort to step aside from that viewpoint, at a |
| happens beyond the atom -- everything solid | | | | minimum you will see some very obvious indications of |
| disappears. Atoms are composed of vibrating energy | | | | the connection that exists between human beings. For |
| packets that have no solidity at all, no mass or size, | | | | example, according to Wayne Dyer in his book |
| nothing for the senses to see or touch. The Latin word | | | | "Manifest Your Destiny:" |
| for packet or package is quantum, the word chosen to | | | | "Notice that everyone breathes the same air, walks on |
| describe one unit of energy inside the atom, and as it | | | | the same ground and thinks as an organism, just like |
| turned out,a new level of reality." | | | | you. You are, indeed, connected to all of these beings. |
| It is not my intent here to move into a comprehensive | | | | It is not an accident that someone living in a distant |
| discussion of quantum physics as it relates to | | | | country, with different outward physical characteristics |
| spirituality; that subject is thoroughly elaborated upon in | | | | and separate language, could die and donate his or her |
| the works of highly respected authors such as | | | | liver or kidney or cornea to you, and it would |
| Chopra, Gary Zukav, and a number of others. Rather, | | | | accommodate the life force flowing in you." |
| my point in referencing this information, is to | | | | As the preceding passage points out, the evidence of |
| demonstrate that there is hard scientific evidence | | | | Oneness or 'connectedness' between humans is quite |
| which unequivocally proves that all things in the | | | | convincing. So why is it that the majority of people |
| Universe are composed of the same basic stuff, | | | | aren't able to truly sense that connection? The answer |
| namely energy. | | | | is that all of us have been strongly conditioned to see |
| Essentially what this means is that at the quantum | | | | separation instead. Just look around you, and you will |
| level, you and I are in effect no different than a rock, a | | | | see indications of it everywhere you turn, as we |
| tree, empty space, or for that matter anything else in | | | | literally place labels on everyone that we encounter |
| the Universe. More importantly, this raw material of | | | | (e.g., white, black, American, Catholic, conservative, |
| creation does not simply manifest as separate | | | | liberal, etc.) The truth about labels is that they really say |
| three-dimensional objects, but is, in reality, a field of | | | | nothing about the essence of the person to whom we |
| energy that permeates every square inch of the | | | | apply them. They are merely arbitrary descriptions that |
| Universe, and as such, connects everything. As a | | | | serve to keep us from seeing everyone as who they |
| visual analogy, think of this basic raw material of the | | | | really are -- individual "sparks of the Divine" that are, at |
| Universe as resembling the essence of the Terminator | | | | the most fundamental level, no different than us. What |
| character that appeared in those very popular movies | | | | is particularly paradoxical is that of all the labels we |
| starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This pervasive | | | | humans apply, it is perhaps the 'religion' label that |
| energy field can manifest in countless numbers of | | | | serves to move people away from Oneness and |
| ways, creating the illusion of separateness. Yet in | | | | toward separation more than any other. It really is |
| actuality, all of its manifestations share the same basic | | | | astounding to me that the same religions that |
| nature, and are in fact linked. Now if that analogy | | | | commonly use terms like the "brotherhood of man" |
| leaves you feeling somewhat uncertain about the | | | | and "children of God" are also quick to remind their |
| nature of this field, consider this additional one from | | | | members of the superiority of their own dogma. |
| Stuart Wilde in "Infinite Self": | | | | It is also a historical fact that religious issues have been, |
| "Imagine a large beach ball that's pumped full of air. | | | | and continue to be, at the foundation of both minor and |
| Take a few Lego bricks and figures from your kid's | | | | major military conflicts all over the world. For that |
| toy pile, and glue them on to the surface of the beach | | | | matter, it has even been estimated that more than one |
| ball. Now, imagine that you could turn the ball inside out. | | | | billion people have been killed in wars related to |
| The outside of the ball would be smooth, and all the | | | | Christianity alone. When you consider the centuries-old |
| Lego buildings and people would be stuck to the inside | | | | religious conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, |
| skin of the ball. A little Lego person living inside the | | | | the Balkans, and many others, one literally has to be |
| beach ball would say, "I am over here, and the red | | | | amazed at the irony of it all. All of this can make one |
| Lego building is over there, so the building is external to | | | | appreciate this classic comment from Mahatma |
| me." But in fact, everything is inside the ball -- the | | | | Ghandi all the more, "In heaven there is no religion, |
| building, the air, the Lego figures, with all their thoughts | | | | thank God." |
| and feelings." | | | | Isn't it about time for mankind to finally put aside |
| This is a challenging concept for the human mind to | | | | religious teachings about the "specialness" of any |
| comprehend, as obviously it is much easier to see the | | | | particular dogma and instead migrate toward the real |
| separation that exists between us and all other | | | | truth: that we really are indeed All One? In my view |
| aspects of creation. Therefore, seeing things from the | | | | the very future of our world as we know it depends |
| perspective of Oneness requires that we accept as | | | | on us doing precisely that. |
| true that which we cannot in actuality verify via our | | | | (The preceding article is an adapted excerpt from |
| senses. This is a difficult task for most people, yet is | | | | Spirituality Simplified, Copyright 2002, by Jeff Maziarek. |