The topology of self

 The master stated that individuals, the you and I, do not exist separately. The student was confused and asked, but I can see your body and mine, they are clearly separated. People may have sex, they may share experiences and feelings, but they will always be separate. The master pointed to islands and continents on the globe nearby, look at these landmasses. They look separate, do they not? But beneath the oceans they are one landmass. It’s a different perspective, and it’s as factual as your observation. Likewise, we are One in a higher plane of consciousness.

 

The root of the word “individual” is Latin; it means a unit that cannot be divided further. Well, so it appears. We cannot cut off an arm, or a head of a person and give it a separate existence (other than organ transplants of course). Yet, the self is not a unit. It’s a mosaic pasted together by our brain. Different triggers, memories, thoughts, feelings activate separate selves. There are countless scientific studies that show this self that we call ‘me, myself and I’ is an illusion. See for example “The Self Delusion” by Gregory Berns as one of many recent studies. 

 

The question now is what to do with this insight? In the island example from above, a century ago we didn’t know that much about the topology of the oceans, whereas today with the help of sonar and deep diving equipment we actually know the landmass that connects the continents on the ocean floors. This can come handy for resource extraction for example. Likewise, we can shift our attention to the whole, leaving the individual perspective behind, leading to amazing changes in our living conditions. As in the sonar technology example, we can zoom into the external and look within.

 

Love and compassion are the glue that connects humanity. Consciousness can be spotted on the outside; we can feel, see and understand that we are One. Non-duality is the ability to spot the rope in the dark corner where we saw a snake before. Why does for many Awakening start with synchronicity and serendipity? It’s Oneness perceived, and our linear brain can’t get its arm around this fact. On the inside we can still our mind with meditation, and we can be aware of our thought-feeling energy. Some alert us to Oneness, others remind us of ‘me, myself and I’. We learn to keep the two worlds separate.