All Things Are One Thing

Many eastern sages and traditions tell us that all things are one thing. And if all things are one thing, then we must each be that one thing. We have the illusion of being an individual only because we are looking at the world through the eyes of that individual. It’s like Russian nesting dolls with the smallest doll fitting within the next largest and then those two dolls fitting inside an even larger doll. And so on. If we are the third doll in that sequence we are able to see the doll beneath us but when we look up all we see is the darkness that is actually the inside of the larger doll which contains us. As such, we see the dolls beneath or within us but we are unable to see the doll that we are within and very much a part of.

Another way to think of this expression of “me” is as a wave rising on the ocean of consciousness. Just like that wave, “we” rise out of absolute consciousness and appear for a moment to be separate from the ocean. But just as surely as the ocean gave rise to that wave it will return to its source as any indication of separation disappears. In the same way, “we” may appear to be a separate individual but are always still part of that larger ocean.

This rising human experience is much like a very small gift box through which each moment passes. We can appreciate and fully experience each moment as it passes through the box. But this box is so small only one experience may pass through at a time. We must release an experience to allow the next to pass through. In this manner, we have access to the absolute all-ness of existence that is behind the box with the joy of experiencing each portion of this all-ness one moment at a time.

This all-ness is the mind of God. Each of us has a unique role to play within this mind but we must never think we have become the mind of God. At times we may glimpse its fullness but we will not know its entirety all at once. As an individual, we can only experience this all-ness as it passes through us – for we are but a wave on the all-ness.