It’s my birthday today, one day ahead of election day. You might guess what my wish will be when I blow out the candles on my cake, and you would be partly right. But what I truly desire is huge. I want us to remember our interconnectedness.
Many believe there are 12 intrinsic Universal Laws that when practiced will lead one to a spiritually aligned life. You’ve probably heard of the one called the Law of Attraction. But there is also the Law of Divine Oneness that says separation is an illusion. That every thought, action and event is in some way connected to everything else and to the energy of Divine Source.
It’s often tricky to wrap my head around the concept, but I believe it. I also believe that as a human race we have drifted so far away from this idea–if we ever embraced it at all–that it feels impossible that we could live in peace and harmony with each other and the earth.
I don’t have answers to the hard questions that start with “If we are all one, then why….” I only have trust. Some days it’s barely a sliver, but it’s there. I have faith that humans possess the capacity for unconditional love and that’s a start.
In the meantime, I try my best to live in a way that promotes Oneness. I’m far from perfect, so I am grateful for grace. I also pray. Here is a prayer that I recently discovered that speaks to me about interconnectedness and reflects my intention.
Bodhisattva Prayer for Humanity
May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.
I’m exhausted by the manifestations of separation we all experience daily, yet I know that the Law of Divine Oneness says I am part of the perpetuation of the illusion. I also know that where there is darkness there will always be light. And that is the best birthday gift ever.
