Oneness, Religion and Relationships

I have often wondered how I could contribute to the creation of a better world. Such a question has never been more vital in these often disturbing and chaotic times that we find ourselves in nowadays. On the other hand however this question is also just as hard to answer in a time where most people are so occupied with their self-interests. I often found myself speaking to a wall when trying to convince people that it is very possible to take a different approach toward reality. But seemingly different views on reality often differ so much (from a certain point of view) that it is often simply extremely hard or maybe even impossible to explain your point of view to others. Our world is a great mirror of this current misunderstanding. People from religions with another name fight eachother because they take the teachings literally. My studies of religions have finally taught me that every religion somehow represents the same truths in its own core. At the same time however every religion is always imbedded in a certain time and a certain place whereas the truths that are hidden in its core transcend time and space altogether. I believe that the truths that religions try to teach us are a reflection of natural law. A law that stands beyond space and time and is universal and eternal. Every teaching however will always be coloured by the one who teaches and it will be interpreted in a certain way by the one who is being taught. Being coloured here doesn't mean that the teaching has lost any of its lucidity, but rather that it has come in touch with the world of form. A world which is always preceded by consciousness, for it is consciousness which creates form. I believe that this is what Buddha tried to teach when he said that there is ultimately no person, there is nobody home. Therefore the teachings can flow through the this teacher in its purest form. That leaves us only with the point of interpretation of the one that is being taught. Also on this point I believe the Buddha had very valuable advice for us when he said that we should not believe anything he said, but that we should find out for ourselves. So where did we get the idea that anyone should be convinced or that we should reach agreement on certain points? I recently saw the great movie "One" (One the movie) in which a couple of guys pretty much out of the blue decide to search for oneness. What they find out quickly is that oneness is not about being the same. Rather it is about seeing oneness through the acceptance of the different faces of the many. This movie gave me the insight that our insight in the ultimate oneness of all of creation is the most valuable thing. If we can allow ourselves to keep this in mind in everything we do then we are truly able to become a channel for this Oneness that transcends all seeming differences.

Taking all of this to a personal level it means that we never have to convince anyone. That's a pretty strange idea in our western society. Most of us are very busy trying to convince people of the value of their insights and ideas. Our whole educational system is build around this concept of linear, direct transmission of rational knowledge. Our brains are so used to this kind of information that we can experience serious trouble trying to learn is other ways. It took me quite some time to make this switch and to understand that learning takes place in so many different ways that we often don't even see as opportunities in which we are learning. One of these areas that I believe to be very important nowadays are our interactions with the people that we meet and that we live with. Through our relationships we can learn incredibly much about ourselves because everyone functions as a mirror for our awareness. Therefore I believe that the challenge of our times is to allow ourselves to invest time in deep and valuable relationships. The effort this takes will provide us with invaluable lessons that will surely help us on our path. I am experiencing this myself in a love relationship in which my partner and I are invited to accept eachother fully in order to develop our true potential. Through such an enterprise we can get to know ourselves quickly in much dept. Often we can feel that we are one, while at the same time we are very different. Therefore I believe that we start at this point where we are still one with everything but we are not yet equipped to express this in relation to our environment. We are not yet able to interact with our environment because we are still immersed in it. I see this initial oneness when I look into a baby's eyes, but also when I visualize the beginning of the universe (science has discovered that all matter was once fully compressed and not larger than a pea!). Then evolution starts to occur and the One becomes the many. The universe comes into existence and on a personal level we become aware of our individuality and uniqueness. Then evolution continues and eveything returns to a state of Oneness. It is possible that we can imagine this on a personal level by transcending the differences and realizing that the many are nothing but aspects of the One that are as well completely in us as outside us. When we try to imagine this in terms of the universe it might seem hard to do. I would propose this means that the universe melts again with the observer of it and that time and space are transcended and seen as one of many possible perspectives in an ocean of consciousness.

To me this means that we can only try to be ourselves and be as compassionate, honest and peaceful as we can be. This way we can set everyone free to find Oneness inside themselves. If we can simply allow ourselves to speak our truth clearly and lovingly others will (or will not) understand that there is no reason to convince anyone, because there is only One. Having said all this I want to end with my christmas wishes to the whole of this community and to everyone on and beyond this earth. Since three is a very special number to me and we have all heard about the three wise man I wholeheartedly share the following three wishes with you:

1) To find Oneness in oneselve and to see this same potential in everyone.
2) To be and spread Love, Light and Peace to every corner of the universe.
3) To live in connection with, celebrate and praise the One that connects everyone and everything.

Love,
Marijn