We are all one... one what?

[Antigod]

So I hear this idea that "we are all one" getting thrown around as if it was some ultimate truth.

But what does it actually mean? One what? Of course we are part of of the universe, that goes without saying. But what is really meant?

My problem with spirituality is it's full of vague terms that don't really mean anything, or they are really obvious statements rephrased to sound poetic and meaningful.

[Jane Doe]

We are all one consciousness.

My love of spirituality is in part due to how books on it always capitalizes the most Random Words.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by Antigod

So I hear this idea that "we are all one" getting thrown around as if it was some ultimate truth.

But what does it actually mean? One what? Of course we are part of of the universe, that goes without saying. But what is really meant?

My problem with spirituality is it's full of vague terms that don't really mean anything, or they are really obvious statements rephrased to sound poetic and meaningful.

First of all, "One What?" is a great question.

You're likely to get a number of different responses. Jane Doe calls it consciousness. I'm more likely to call it, Being. I expect someone else to call it something else--awareness, or spirit, or even God.

The reason for this, is because the only way anyone can answer it directly is derived from their own subjective experience, their own subjective ... understanding of what Oneness means. Meanings and definitions are themselves subjective.

Subjectivity is also one of the reasons why spirituality is "full of vague terms that don't really mean anything"--they may not mean anything to you, but to those who are expressing the terms, they may mean a lot.

Hence, I would ask you--what does Oneness mean to you? You said, "of course we are part of the universe, that goes without saying." Perhaps to you, we're all one universe. Ask yourself the very question you're asking us, and there will you get your answer.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Antigod

So I hear this idea that "we are all one" getting thrown around as if it was some ultimate truth.

But what does it actually mean? One what? Of course we are part of of the universe, that goes without saying. But what is really meant?

My problem with spirituality is it's full of vague terms that don't really mean anything, or they are really obvious statements rephrased to sound poetic and meaningful.

It means God never turned you lose to go running willy-nilly through the universe.

[bodi]

A myriad bubbles were floating on the surface of a stream.

'What are you?' I cried to them as they drifted by.

'I am a bubble, of course' nearly a myriad bubbles answered,
and there was surprise and indignation in their voices as they passed.

But, here and there, a lonely bubble answered,
'We are this stream', and there was neither surprise nor indignation in their voices,
but just a quiet certitude.

---wei wu wei

[bodi]

Originally Posted by Antigod

My problem with spirituality is it's full of vague terms that don't really mean anything, or they are really obvious statements rephrased to sound poetic and meaningful.

sometimes the obvious things are the hardest to see...

[ChristsLight]

Originally Posted by Beingist

First of all, "One What?" is a great question.

You're likely to get a number of different responses. Jane Doe calls it consciousness. I'm more likely to call it, Being. I expect someone else to call it something else--awareness, or spirit, or even God.

The reason for this, is because the only way anyone can answer it directly is derived from their own subjective experience, their own subjective ... understanding of what Oneness means. Meanings and definitions are themselves subjective.

Subjectivity is also one of the reasons why spirituality is "full of vague terms that don't really mean anything"--they may not mean anything to you, but to those who are expressing the terms, they may mean a lot.

Hence, I would ask you--what does Oneness mean to you? You said, "of course we are part of the universe, that goes without saying." Perhaps to you, we're all one universe. Ask yourself the very question you're asking us, and there will you get your answer.

Beingist, you've already abandoned our working definition?

We are one pie!

To the OP: it's just One. If you try to add something to it, then you're just conceptualizing. Oneness is a oneness of one One.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by ChristsLight

Beingist, you've already abandoned our working definition?

We are one pie!

To the OP: it's just One. If you try to add something to it, then you're just conceptualizing. Oneness is a oneness of one One.

I think I'll start a thread to ask how oneness can be a vague term. I don't understand it.

[bodi]

“A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

--Albert Einstein
__________________

[bodi]

Originally Posted by ChristsLight

We are one pie!

.

Pi r not square!

Pie r round.

Cornbread r square...

[ChrisGinsburg]

A blob of oneness. Am I right?

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

A blob of oneness. Am I right?

I'm guessing mind is looking for something to sink it's neurons into and oneness isn't cooperating, so it looks vague and poetic and fake. Of course, that's the point. If mind could find a mind object, some sort of quality or description, it wouldn't be oneness anymore but rather something defined and limited by that quality or description, thereby eliminating whatever else doesn't fit that bill.

Oneness is the case, and it means precisely oneness.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

I'm guessing mind is looking for something to sink it's neurons into and oneness isn't cooperating, so it looks vague and poetic and fake. Of course, that's the point. If mind could find a mind object, some sort of quality or description, it wouldn't be oneness anymore but rather something defined and limited by that quality or description, thereby eliminating whatever else doesn't fit that bill.

Oneness is the case, and it means precisely oneness.

No way man. That blob of oneness that hovered over my bed was real! My experience told me so!

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

No way man. That blob of oneness that hovered over my bed was real! My experience told me so!

Well, that was the personal oneness. Everybody gets one if they make it back full circle from Oneness Mountain. Don't forget to water it once in a while.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Well, that was the personal oneness. Everybody gets one if they make it back full circle from Oneness Mountain. Don't forget to water it once in a while.

Hehe. Too bad Reefs got the boot. I'm sure he would have enjoyed these threads.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

Hehe. Too bad Reefs got the boot. I'm sure he would have enjoyed these threads.

Oh, I didn't know. Sorry to hear about that.

[Cantando]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Oh, I didn't know. Sorry to hear about that.

It's OK - he's still one with us. He's just tuned out of this concept/appearance we perceive as a forum.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by ChristsLight

Beingist, you've already abandoned our working definition?

We are one pie!

Oh, right.

Actually, I was sort of using that as an alternate definition (for, like, you know, those "giraffes having illusions about doing" moments )

[Sekret Weapon]

Originally Posted by Antigod

So I hear this idea that "we are all one" getting thrown around as if it was some ultimate truth.

But what does it actually mean? One what? Of course we are part of of the universe, that goes without saying. But what is really meant?

My problem with spirituality is it's full of vague terms that don't really mean anything, or they are really obvious statements rephrased to sound poetic and meaningful.

We are all the same genetic design, so we are of the same biology - but we are completely individual.

We are all modeled after a SINGULAR conscious design - but we are all completely individual.

It is better to say that we are all from the same Conscious and Biological bloodlines. We are all brothers and sisters. We are all family.

I agree that people have a terrible time using english to describe spirituality, but we are getting better at it, its a challenging topic to wrap your vocabulary around.

[raykilleen]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

Hehe. Too bad Reefs got the boot. I'm sure he would have enjoyed these threads.

Oh my, Reefs was always a look forward read with me.

[ChristsLight]

Originally Posted by Sekret Weapon

We are all the same genetic design, so we are of the same biology - but we are completely individual.

We are all modeled after a SINGULAR conscious design - but we are all completely individual.

It is better to say that we are all from the same Conscious and Biological bloodlines. We are all brothers and sisters. We are all family.

I agree that people have a terrible time using english to describe spirituality, but we are getting better at it, its a challenging topic to wrap your vocabulary around.

That's not the definition of one. That's one but not really one.

[zabjoa]

Bill Hicks - Positive Drug Story - YouTube

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by raykilleen

Oh my, Reefs was always a look forward read with me.

ditto

I'm making a poll
http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/f...ml#post1031145

No I am off topic, oops.

[wolfgang]

We are one ONE.

[Sekret Weapon]

It seems like you all really liked reef, if you apply yourself you can probably speak with the administrator of this board about reinstatement. Just cooperate and choose your most poetic scribe to compose amongst yourselves in a effort to get your friend back. I am sure I will get "Reefed" soon myself.

Otherwise you have another option. You can tell Reefs to return under a different avatar.


ChristLight - I agree that my answer was B-game. Wont happen again.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Sekret Weapon

It seems like you all really liked reef, if you apply yourself you can probably speak with the administrator of this board about reinstatement. Just cooperate and choose your most poetic scribe to compose amongst yourselves in a effort to get your friend back. I am sure I will get "Reefed" soon myself.

Otherwise you have another option. You can tell Reefs to return under a different avatar.


ChristLight - I agree that my answer was B-game. Wont happen again.

I figure I'm in line to get 'Reefed' too, though not for the same reason as you are.

[MariconesUnited]

Victim complex. Ugh.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by MariconesUnited

Victim complex. Ugh.

Sorry to hear about that, too.

[ChristsLight]

Originally Posted by Sekret Weapon

Otherwise you have another option. You can tell Reefs to return under a different avatar.

No, that most definitely is not an option. We moderators have tools to catch such behavior.

[RonSouther]

Originally Posted by Antigod

So I hear this idea that "we are all one" getting thrown around as if it was some ultimate truth.

But what does it actually mean? One what? Of course we are part of of the universe, that goes without saying. But what is really meant?

My problem with spirituality is it's full of vague terms that don't really mean anything, or they are really obvious statements rephrased to sound poetic and meaningful.

we are individual candles but our light is one