“All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.”
The great German mathematician George Ferdinand Ludwig Cantor pushed maths to new frontiers in the late eighteenth century as he tried to solve the equation of infinity. His peers ridiculed him in his quest to explain infinity, using mathematical equations. The more Cantor looked at the model, the more he realised that there were different levels of infinity within infinity itself. In fact, during the many years Cantor devoted to finding the answer to this elusive question the more it drove him to insanity. The complexity and immensity of infinity and the nature of the universe eluded him. He did see glimpses of what lay on the other side during his studies which he described as “magnificent.”
Some Things are Just Unexplainable
The moral to this story is that Cantor, a religious man, wanted to prove something that is in itself vast and endless. This obsession with his searching led him to distraction and in the end his mental health. Humanity has a compulsion to prove that something exists or doesn’t exist, right or wrong, black and white. The dualistic thinking of wanting to have all the right answers can drive us to distraction. Some things are unexplainable, they just are. Oneness is present everywhere, it cannot be expressed as a mathematical equation, for maths cannot describe a feeling, a touch, taste or vision. The more we let go of the needing to be right and understand that everything is in a constant state of change then the sooner we will realise our full potential.
Oneness is not a new idea or philosophy it has been with humanity for many thousands of years. The word universe comes from the Latin, universus which relates to the whole, one, or totality of all things. All matter, energy, stars, and galaxies have come from the one source. In Buddhism the presence of an underlying oneness that permeates humanity, is called “suchness”. Suchness is the essential nature of reality, it is the common thread of consciousness that connects everything. In Confucianism and Taoism the underlying philosophies are of interconnectedness of all things. Taoism is about helping individuals understand and realize that oneness exists in everything throughout nature, that nature itself and all that exist within the universe are one.
Many of the North American Indians to Australian aboriginals understood that oneness and interconnectedness existed in nature and in everything they did. The Australian aboriginals believed that there was no separation between nature and higher presence, therefore had no reason for organized religion. Many of the Native American cultures believed in co-dependency, connection and unity, while early settlers from the west tried to convert these indigenous people to beliefs of separation, non tolerance and dependency. The teachings of the great master’s shows there are underlying threads of oneness everywhere and nothing exists in isolation. Unconditional love for all living creatures is the cornerstone for a harmonious and prosperous society. Through developing our consciousness and focusing on oneness we become open to the global consciousness that exists which will ultimately lead us to a more sustainable and prosperous existence…
Permaculture and Oneness
The philosophy of Permaculture goes hand in hand with oneness thinking. It takes whole-systems thinking approach to design and the way we live. The ethics and design principles help guide and mimic patterns and relationships demonstrated in nature. By adhering to theses ethics and principles we can transition toward a more sustainable and less consumptive life, taking us from mindless consumer to conscious producers. Permaculture helps us build the appropriate skills and resilience we need to thrive at a more conscious level. Through conscious integration of these philosophies throughout everything we do, from home, to schooling, to business and our local communities we can help rebuild our natural world. The three ethics (earth care, fair share and people care) help remind us that we are one, we are connected with the natural world and all that goes with it. It reminds us to be cognisant that we are part of the broader and more interconnected world and humans are part of the environment and all that goes with it…
Cover Image: Flickr Alice Popkorn