Oneness (concept)

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Oneness is a spiritual term referring to the 'experience' of the absence of egoic identity boundaries, and, according to some traditions, the perception of an absolute unity of all matter and thought in space-time, or one's ultimate identity with God (see Tat Tvam Asi). It shares traits with Pantheism. Its meaning may be synonymous to that of nonduality, though some claim that non-duality implies 'not one' and 'not two', i.e. non-duality is analogous to the Hindu formula of negation and to Neti Neti, used in describing the absolute.

A functional explanation has also been proposed as follows: the unification of consciousness with the subconsciousness to yield a supraconsciousness. Though some maintain that oneness possiably transcends all consciousness per se.

Some feel that the human experiencing of Oneness expresses itself in the unity of thought and reality. They describe an experience of thought creating reality which feels like Omnipotence. However as the consciousness grows to encompass all, the ego becomes relatively insignificant. In its culmination, the seeker passes through ego death. This coincides with several teachings of different cultures:

• Hinduism speaks of the Dance of Kali on the dead body of Shiva.
• Jesus says: to enter the Kingdom of Heaven one has to be reborn in the Water and Spirit (see John 3:5 )
• Bahá'u'lláh taught that God responds to the seeker by drawing him 'from the realms of contradiction unto the retreats of oneness...numbered with those whom the light of God hath guided aright in this day.' Individual identity vanish as the seeker sees all the Prophets as one and the same Being, 'the Manifestation of the Self of God.' No change nor transformation exists in this realm. '...this is the station wherein the light of divine unity shineth forth, and the truth of His oneness is expressed...' To experience oneness, the seeker must enter the City of Divine Unity which is 'the garden of oneness, and the court of detachment.' (see Gems of Divine Mysteries)

For others, Oneness, the characteristic of being one, is a term used to characterize God in contrast to Christians who believe that the godhead is of a triune nature comprising 3 distinct, but not separate, identities (see Trinity).

See also

• Wahdat-ul-Wujood
• Zen
• Pantheism
• Monism

External links

• A Recorded Oneness Experience
• Oneness and Free Will in Judaism
• Oneness: Great Principles Shared by All Religions
• The Harmony Project: Oneness by Rev. Ann Emerson
• "There is only one of us" Breathe for Peace Project by Daniel Hirtz

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Last updated on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 12:15:11 PDT (GMT -0700)
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