We Are All One
Most spiritual teachings are based on the understanding that existence is one single, eternal, infinite consciousness. They each offer various systematic ways of explaining this principle, often using more or less esoteric language. Most suggest that an underlying reality serves as the foundation for both collective and individual psychological and physical existence. They teach that what we perceive as conventional reality is merely a form of this deeper reality. As Rumi beautifully states, “You are not a drop in the ocean; you are an ocean in a drop.”
At some point, all spiritual teachers from what may be called the various “wisdom traditions”—such as Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, Sufism, and Christian Mysticism, to name just a few—arrive at the same fundamental spiritual insight, expressed in a variety of forms across the world and conveyed through the stories and metaphors of their cultures. Various methods, practices, and insights aim to help all minds return to their source, which is the fundamental, indestructible wholeness and aliveness that embodies the universe's very life force.
These teachings often allow for a gradual, progressive understanding—a “ground up” approach that considers individual psychology. However, they typically assert that, at a certain point, it is necessary to realise that our true identity is not that of a separate person, but instead of the underlying conscious reality. In other words, we are one conscious reality, aware of ourselves, not separate individuals, being aware of it. Such teachings encourage us to embody what we inherently are effortlessly and to surrender the limiting beliefs of the mind that define us as small, confined entities. As we relinquish these beliefs, which impose limitations and veil our true eternal nature, the mind begins to recognise that it is always safe and protected. The universe is an abundant reflection of this understanding, allowing life to unfold naturally and joyfully, despite the transience of the human body and the material world.
Critically, there is currently no clear philosophical or scientific proof that consciousness emerges from, or is limited exclusively to, the material human body. Realising this brings a profound humility—the understanding that the egoic mind has a limited ability to grasp the ultimate nature of reality. By acknowledging this humility and embracing an honest position of not knowing, the inherent, liberated power of our true nature can shine naturally and freely, regardless of the circumstances of human existence.
Throughout history, awakening and enlightened insights have often been suppressed or attacked. Numerous significant examples exist—spiritual teachers have been persecuted, forced underground, abandoned by their own religious or social institutions, ridiculed, exiled, or marginalised. These occurrences highlight the extensive power and influence the ego can hold at multiple levels of society. Institutions and organisations frequently become driven by vested interests; livelihoods, traditions, and social status become entwined with concepts of truth. This clearly illustrates how strongly the ego can dominate human relations.
When a body becomes subject to oppression by others—based on factors such as skin color, gender, sexuality, or intellectual ideas—it indicates that the body, rather than a unifying understanding of conscious reality, defines our identity. Over time, this notion can embed itself as a belief within the collective consciousness of society, often incorporated into laws and enforced through various forms of organisational, cultural, political, or militaristic violence. In encountering such oppressive beliefs—from any source—we can maintain our inner freedom by recognising them as mere manifestations of the egoic human mind. We can remain in a state of open-minded trust in our true identity, avoiding the fear that arises from any provisional identification.
The result is the central recognition of life's innate sacredness, which naturally fosters a deep respect for all living beings. We are all one. This enlightened perspective ripples through humanity and is arguably the basis of social ethics that has allowed human society to develop this far. Without this insight, life is reduced merely to a collection of material objects and becomes undervalued or even disposable. By contrast, seeing clearly that all life forms represent manifestations of the same underlying, sacred reality fosters deep respect and compassion. Inevitably, organising society involves negotiations and compromise. If fundamental respect for life's sacredness is widely held, such negotiations become easier and fairer. Realisation of true nature reveals a shared reality grounded in universal courageous love and profound respect. In such realisation, the illusory ego and its false, limiting beliefs about reality become clear, allowing these restrictive beliefs to fall away and lose their power over our actions and our institutional arrangements.
With love,
Freyja