Knowing Oneness in Our Diversity

Guest blog post from my colleague Rev, Johanna Janssen

Oneness

by Lillian Dewaters

Nature, I am one 
 with Thee--
 Oh, what joy 
 this brings to me;
 'Tis thy substance, pure, divine,
 This individual life of mine.
 No need of sickness,
 lack or fear,
 Thyself is all
 there can be here;
 Thou in me and I in Thee,
 Life of wondrous
 unity.

 Nature, I am one with Thee— Blessed Truth which freeth me;
 All past mystery melts away,
 And now dawns the perfect day
 When plain Truth
 we can discern
 And all longing hearts can learn.
 No other fact,
 then, can there be,—
Thou art All and ALL
 is Thee.


As Black History month draws to a close and Women’s History month beings, I remember with Lillian that there is truly only One…  One Spirit, One Divine Higher Power, One God.  It is all that everyone and everything is, everywhere, always - infinitely so.  It expresses well beyond what I perceive with my senses, and yet at the same time, all of it (like a hologram) is present in even the smallest string particles AND in the 99.9% of space between them…  Indeed It is all.  It expresses in and through and as me, and all of creation and beyond.  Infinite in Its Diversity AND One.  As this is Truth for me, this Truth holds for each of us reading this SMT; for all of us, everywhere.  As I speak these words for myself, I speak them for all because we are one.

So today, as I go about my life I practice the Presence, I practice witnessing my self in relation to all.  When I feel pulled to judgment, I remember that I am that which thou art, and thou art that which I am, and see the ‘other’ as me, recognizing in judging another, I judge myself.  This goes for any action, circumstance, and event too; regardless whether I like it or not!  In realizing this, I am able to gently transmutate the judgment into unconditional acceptance of the oneness that I am, that all is.  While still possibly disagreeing, I am able to allow the expression as God.  And if I still feel called to action in response to a situation, a person, a statement, an event - I now act from the experienced oneness. Maybe I’ll ask for clarification, maybe I simply remain in the tragic gap - fully present to the thoughts, feelings, emotions of disharmony I am experiencing, and still fully present to the person or situation.  Whatever my action may be (including inaction), I know it is from our Oneness rather than from our separateness - and that makes all the difference!

Then I rest and let God do the rest…  Knowing the ‘how’ is not up to me, in this moment I open myself to Divine Guidance, and fully willing to be changed at depth and to take action when called, I surrender into the Oneness.  With thanksgiving I simply let it all go.  I let it be so.  Thou art all and all is thee.   

And so it is.