Sometimes it seems science is obsessed with oneness. For example, astrophysicists have developed a fascinating creation story that begins with oneness. A singularity smaller than an atom exploded, expanded, and patiently evolved over billions of years into all the rich variety and multiplicity that we witness in the cosmos.
Likewise biologists are entranced with the idea that all life on planet earth can be traced to a single primeval cell. From this solitary living unit, all the rich biological diversity in the tree of life has evolved.
Some atomic physicists have postulated the existence of tiny vibrating strings as the basis of all material reality. Thus according to string theory – all of physical reality is the same stuff, vibrating at different rates.
Probably the most famous scientist of all time, Albert Einstein, invested considerable effort in pursuit of a unified field theory – a grand unification of all the forces of the universe into one field. Although Einstein never accomplished this feat, he was able to show the oneness of space and time when conceptualized as spacetime.
We shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that modern scientists are enamored with the principle of oneness. Throughout human history we find the same preoccupation. Yes, ancient cultures frequently worshipped a pantheon of gods, but there was usually one supreme deity at the top of the list.
A key turning point in the history of religion was the pronouncement by Hebrew prophets that “the Lord Thy God is One.” With the development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, monothesim – the belief in one God – has become the predominant religious worldview on the planet.
And yet, to look around at the world, we can only wonder where things have gone wrong. For it seems that some of the worst divisions in the world are religious conflicts, or at least based on religious ideologies.
In the beginning there was one. Maybe the pop song was right – “One is the loneliest number.”
The desire for companionship led to the creation of souls in the image of the One, with the gift of choice – to be one with God or not. This is the creation story motif that we have encountered repeatedly in the lessons thus far.
As we have seen, rebellion in spirit led to the creation of the material universe where souls could become aware of their separation from their Source. The creation of the universe introduced duality into the process. The One Creative Energy expressed itself in positive and negative units of atomic force. With this polarity began the movement toward diversity and the illusion of disunity.
Just as the physical universe evolved from a singularity to the rich diversity we see all around us, metaphysical complexity expanded with souls flexing their co-creative muscles, so to speak. With the expression of will came the awareness of right and wrong, good and evil.
In consciousness came the awareness of duality – of self and other. Thus the separate sense of self in space and time is a product of duality. Yet the experience of separation is an illusion that provides space for expression while still being connected to the One. Remember that the primary lesson for each soul is to know itself to be itself yet one with the whole, one with God.
As the Tao symbolizes the unity of complementary opposites – companionship and expression provide the push and pull of relationship for which the universe was created. Companionship draws together and unifies. Expression pushes apart resulting in separation and diversity. Thus ultimately, dualism exists in the service of oneness and unity. Beautiful isn’t it?
If you have been working with the previous lessons and exercises, you have been practicing the concept of oneness in your life in a very profound way with the Ideals Exercise. You will have become more aware of the interconnectedness of life at all levels – not just the biological or ecological unity in the physical sense, which is shadow of the higher realms. The use of ideals – physical, mental, and spiritual provide a means of living and experiencing and living the oneness and unity of life in a practical way.
By living physical and mental ideals that are consistent and harmonious with a spiritual ideal, life becomes focused on that one single spiritual ideal. As the process continues, the spiritual ideal itself becomes more focused on the oneness of the divine that is the ultimate spiritual ideal.
Thus the seeming duality of the God within and the God without are experienced in Oneness. The personal and impersonal aspects of God are merely a result of our dualistic perception, rather than being inherent in the nature of God. Likewise, theological concepts such as the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit are really just intellectual artifacts of our three-dimensional consciousness. The Lord Thy God is One.