ONENESS

The idea of discussing Oneness is a little intimidating as I haven't experienced it myself. Oh sure, I have had glimpses. I have an idea what it is like. I haven't experienced it on an ongoing basis. But as I have said before, teachers best teach what they are trying to learn themselves.

In the 70's I read a delightful book titled, "The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment" [1971] by Thaddeus Golas. I wanted to refresh myself about the books content, but I couldn't find it in our assorted collections. I know it was a book that I lent out several times. I am sure it is still available for those who are interested.

I remember an exercise from the book, it was: "I have no resistance to the vibrations of any other being." I remember doing that exercise during meditations and feeling the peace that came with it. There is a sense of wholeness when we are not at war with anything or anybody.

Jamie and I occasionally get in to arguments and they are often triggered by her feeling that I am judging her. It is not easy for me to admit that she might be correct. We are all on different paths to the same goal. My idea and her idea of how to grow towards enlightenment may vary. I have no right to think my way is better, much less, judge her for her ideas. Our egos are tricky, we can get caught up in judgement without realizing it.

That is what caused me to remember that exercise, "I have no resistance to the vibrations of any other being." We can sometimes find ourselves more open to the ideas of perfect strangers than to those closest to us.

In this sense being "one" doesn't mean we agree with the other. It means we have no internal resistance to them having their perception. We each have our own autonomy. We each struggle or glide along the path we are on. It is arrogance to assume that we know what it is best for another person. As a teacher, who has a long history of being a psychotherapist, I can err in thinking that I can correct another when there is no need for correction. One has no right to give input unless asked.

Starting from unity, it might be easier to understand oneness. We are all part of the One {God or Source if we prefer}. Behind our illusion of separateness we are all Beings of Light {energy} That Energy is Unconditional Love. We all yearn to know our Oneness. In oneness we find peace. In oneness there is no striving, there is no conflict there is only love.

Since we are One already, there is nothing we can do to achieve oneness. We are there already, we just need to realize it. We cannot strive to have what we already have. We just need to 'see'.

In order to see, we need to remove the scales from our eyes. Those scales are judgements. Those of us with scales on our eyes clearly see the scales on our neighbors eyes, but are blind to the scales on our own eyes. We get stuck in a blindman's circle.

"I have no resistance to the vibrations of any other being". Try it. Let us begin by giving every other person the love and respect we would like. When we see without judgement, we see through the disguise that our neighbor may be wearing, to the loving being he/she is. As we let our love shine through we thin out our own disguise so that folks can perceive the loving beings we are.

We need to avoid our cultures invitations to be divisive; with each other, nature and the rest of the world. We are constantly bombarded with invitations to judge, condemn and measure. Ignore request to be at war. War on drugs. War on cancer. War on crime. War on poverty. Our culture has created endless wars that do nothing for the problem targeted, but create divisiveness and destroy peace. Our problems will be solved by focusing love on them, not war.

Peace and comfort come from giving up all our conflicts. Knowing our Oneness is Peace. Knowing our Oneness is security; it is safety. We can dis-arm only with Love.

Love and Peace,  Gregg