We’ve made it through Thanksgiving. I stopped at the post-office and commented to the clerk that she’d be wearing those antlers for another month. She laughed and said, “Only when I’m at the counter.” In these difficult economic times for everyone, feeling a sense of unity is very important. The concept of connectedness is illusive. The election taught us that many can accomplish together what one cannot accomplish alone. We are never separate from each other or from God unless we think we are. Whatever we do to others we are doing to ourselves. If I snap at you, I get stung. If I gossip about you, I’ll feel untrustworthy. If I hit you, I injure my sense of self. Everything we do boomerangs back. People can’t hurt us without our consent. How we feel when we interact with others and how we receive them is a mirror for how we receive ourselves. When we love others, we feel loved. By honoring them, we feel honored and by forgiving them, we are forgiven. Just acknowledging our sameness, our oneness can comfort us in difficult times. Recognizing our unity is the first step toward our own healing. That’s why looking at ourselves is so important. We change the way we look at others by starting with ourselves.

Our perceptions of separateness, comparisons of inferiority and superiority sicken our minds. When we feel our connection with God and the universe, we see that connection in others and become open to practice connecting with them too. What would happen if we used as much energy to love others as we’ve used to judge them and ourselves? We all need relationships. The holidays thrust us into spending celebratory time with relatives, co-workers and friends. Whether we like or dislike them lets use this season to look through these feelings to see their spirits within. Let’s enter each encounter as an opportunity to “teach only love,” to see the holy in the ordinary. Let’s challenge our beliefs that we are separate minds, separate bodies and differing opinions. Our egos devised the idea of separation and the world of conflict. It’s our task to return to the Real World where we’re all One Human Family. How do we get there? By deciding to go! Let’s begin to see separation as a figment of our imagination that will always give rise to fighting, fears, threats and conflict. We are all valued and important parts in the connected web of life. There is no hierarchy, only harmony. All of the events and people that meet us on our path are perfect and meant to be there. We are part of the One Energy that flows through all of life and makes up the whole.

If we’ve forgotten that we’re part of this greater whole, it’s time to wake up and recognize that all separation is fear and all fear is illusion. Julia Cameron says, “In unity, we are One people, One earth and One song. Each of us sings our True Note and we each add to the chorus. We see who we are knowing there is hope and good unfolding for all of us. When we remember God is within us and we are within God, our fear melts away and loneliness passes.” Reunion and rejoicing then truly fills our hearts. We each have our part as the world regains respect for the unity and connection of all things to one another. When we live as part of this sacred unity, we live consciously and become co-creative beings working within the larger whole. Gandhi said, “Be the change.” We can start here and now to see through the illusion of separation and bring unity to wherever we are and whatever we’re doing as instruments to accomplish the greatest good for the greatest numbers.   

Please write to me at sandyislands@hawaii.rr.com and feel free to browse previous articles under publications at www.sandyislands.com.