Separateness is an Illusion

The Basic Practice


Separateness is an illusion. That's what we learn through the spiritual practice of connections. Everything is interrelated - in time, space, and our very being. Both religion and Science reveal this truth - Hinduism's image of Indra's net, Buddhism's understanding of interbeing, the experiences of the mystics, the teachings of ecology and physics, even the Internet.

One definition of spirituality is "the art of making connections." There are certain givens: The one is made up of many. One thing always leads to another. Everything is related to everything else. You practice connections, then, by consciously tracing the links connecting you with other beings. Any point is a good starting place - your family line, your work, your back yard. Watch for the moments when the separations disappear. And don't be shy about naming mystical experiences as such when
you experience them.

Why the spiritual practice of connections may be for you:

The practice of connections reinforces holistic thinking and our
awareness of how the spiritual, emotional, and mental aspects of our being interpenetrate and nourish each other. It enables us to see the big picture.

We need to engage in this practice when we have a tendency to
compartmentalize our experiences, to put them in neat little boxes instead of seeing them as parts of a whole. This is a cultural as well as a personal habit. The history of the world is plagued by dueling dualisms: mind vs. body, humans vs. nature, God vs. the world, Science vs. religion, country vs. city, male vs. female. The spiritual practice of connections erases such arbitrary and unnecessary distinctions.

PRACTICE ENHANCES BALANCE/
COUNTERS
Connections Holistic way of life Separations, Dualism


Spiritual Exercise
In some cultures families create home shrines to honor their ancestors. A "family tree" wall of photographs, a table of framed photographs, or a collection of photo albums also salutes these connections. Share stories about your ancestors as you look at the pictures.


We need a spiritual recovery program for those addicted to the separate self.
- Kabir Helminski in The Knowing Heart

To Practice This Thought: Abstain from your fix of individualism one day at a time.
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