Beyond what we usually experience in life, there’s a journey we can take to truly understand ourselves and the world around us. It’s a journey to something called Oneness. This isn’t just a simple idea; it’s a deep dive into the very core of what makes everything exist.
What in the World is “Oneness”?
Imagine you’re looking at a huge, beautiful painting. You see all the colors, the shapes, the details. Now, imagine you could zoom out, further and further, until you’re not just seeing the painting, but the entire gallery it’s in. Then, you zoom out even more, seeing the building, the city, and eventually, the whole universe.
Oneness is like that final, complete picture. It’s not just seeing one part, but understanding that everything—every person, every animal, every star, every thought, every feeling—is connected. It’s all part of one big, amazing “thing.”
Our everyday lives are often about seeing things as separate. We think, “I am me, and you are you. This is my house, that’s your car.” But when we start to explore Oneness, we begin to realize that these separations are like tiny lines we’ve drawn on that huge painting. They’re not the full truth.
Peeling Back the Layers of Reality
Think of it like peeling an onion. Each layer you peel away reveals something new, something deeper. In our journey to Oneness, we start by noticing our thoughts, feelings, and what we experience with our senses. Then, we go beyond that, realizing that even our awareness—the part of us that notices things—is a part of this bigger Oneness.
This “pure awareness” is like the light that allows us to see anything at all. It’s the background, the foundation, the very “stuff” that everything is made of. The text guides us to “separate yourself from the entire universe of pure consciousness.” This isn’t about disappearing; it’s about letting go of our usual way of seeing things as separate, and instead, realizing we are that pure awareness. It’s the ultimate “aha!” moment.
The Root of Everything
When we go deep enough, we find what’s described as the “root cause of all experience.” This is the very beginning, the source from which everything comes. It’s often called God, or the Absolute Reality, or pure beingness. It’s the “it” that’s always been there, always will be there, and is everything at once.
This isn’t about becoming “nothing.” It’s about realizing that what you truly are is beyond words, beyond description. It’s not a “thing” you can hold or put in your pocket. It’s more like freedom itself.
What Does Freedom Feel Like?
Imagine a bird soaring high in the sky. It’s not held back by anything, just pure, effortless flight. That’s a little like the feeling of true freedom. It’s not about being free from something, but just being free. It’s the feeling that nothing can touch you, harm you, or take away your true essence. It’s perfect, pure, and always has been.
The more we let go of our everyday ideas and beliefs about what’s “real” and what’s “me,” the more we connect with this deep sense of freedom. Our usual “conventional reality” with all its rules, worries, and concepts, can sometimes feel like a heavy blanket. But when we start to understand Oneness, we realize that true reality is light, open, and utterly free. It’s like waking up from a dream.
Finding Your Way to Oneness
So, how do we experience this? It’s a journey that often involves surrender—letting go of what we think we know, letting go of our attachments, and just being open. It’s a subtle knowing, not something you can easily explain at the breakfast table. It’s an inner feeling, a deep certainty that transcends regular conversation.
One powerful way to connect with this is through meditation or quiet contemplation. As the text suggests, it’s about “maintain[ing] that subtle awareness of the substratum of all that is.” This means staying connected to the basic essence, the container that holds all experiences.
As the spiritual teacher Ram Dass said, “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” When we quiet our minds, we can truly hear the whisper of Oneness within us.
Remember, this journey isn’t about becoming something new, but realizing what you already are—pure, perfect, and utterly free.
Quote:
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” — Ram Dass
“True freedom is not found in holding on, but in letting go of all that is not you.”
— Ramana Maharshi
Spiritual Reference: “I and the Father are one.” — John 10:30 (Bible)
Summary Points:
- Awareness is not the final destination — Even awareness can be observed, which means there is something even more subtle beyond it.
- True freedom is beyond form and concept — It cannot be grasped, named, or harmed. It is the essence of what you truly are.
- Conventional reality is an illusion — Most of what we take to be real is simply shared imagination and belief.
- The journey is one of subtle surrender — Letting go of identification with thoughts, sensations, even awareness itself.
- The ultimate reality is indescribable — It is not a thing, not even a feeling. It is pure being, prior to existence as we know it.
- Moving to Oneness is a return — It’s not becoming something new, but realizing what has always been.