The Intention of Oneness

      

By Barbara Berger

Barbara Berger   Regardless of the challenges we all face, here at the start of the new year it is important that we set our course by examining our intentions for moving forward.    If you believe, as I do, in the essential oneness of all life then you will understand the importance of our belief and the intention of oneness. When our intention is to support the oneness of all life, it will guide all our thoughts, words and actions. When this happens, our natural urge is to move forward to relieve suffering wherever we meet it. We don’t want to suffer nor do we want anyone else in our family to suffer, it’s as simple as that. And since everyone, every person we meet, is a member of our family – the great human family – then this urge includes everyone. Looking at our words and actions from this perspective, we know that anything that relieves suffering, brings us together and creates harmony is positive, while anything that separates and causes more suffering is negative.    In general, when we explore the world’s great spiritual teachings, we find a common thread running through them all and that thread is universal love and the oneness of all humankind. Without understanding our interconnectedness, without understanding that we are all part of this thing we call life, it is obviously very difficult to know what to think, how to judge, and how to do the right thing on a daily basis. But when we ‘see’ that we are all part and parcel of the same cloth, all part of the same human family, it becomes much easier to know what is right and appropriate in every now moment.    Finding the Gandhi within Gandhi is one of my greatest heroes. I admire him so much because he continually tried to practice what he considered doing the right thing and live the oneness of humankind in his daily life. Because of his ruthless honesty, earnestness, intention to relieve suffering, and enormous dedication, he changed the course of history. When we read about his life, we find that he was constantly experimenting and trying to do the right thing (as the title of his autobiography so eloquently expresses it “The Story of My Experiments with Truth”) – and we also discover that he was willing to accept the consequences of his actions. His practice of ahimsa (non-violence) and non-violent civil disobedience was based on the realization that it could cost him his life and he said more than once, “I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill.” If you want to be inspired by Gandhi’s life and work, I highly recommend watching the film “Gandhi” by Richard Attenborough from 1982. It is such an inspiration.    According to his biographers, Gandhi’s spiritual reference book was the Bhagavad Gita and the end of Chapter Two summed up Gandhi’s life philosophy. According to historians, he meditated on this verse every single day of his life. I quote it here for your inspiration:   From the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2: The Illumined Man “Sri Krishna says: They live in wisdom Who see themselves in all and all in them, Whose love for the Lord of Love has consumed Every selfish desire and sense craving Tormenting the heart. Not agitated By grief nor hankering after pleasure, They live free from lust and fear and anger. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, They are not elated by good fortune Nor depressed by bad. Such are the seers...   When you keep thinking about sense objects, Attachment comes. Attachment breeds desire, The lust of possession, which when thwarted, Burns to anger. Anger clouds the judgment And robs you of the power to learn from past Mistakes. Lost is the discriminative Faculty, and your life is utter waste.   But when you move amidst the world of sense, From attachment and aversion freed, There comes the peace in which all sorrow ends, And you live in the wisdom of the Self.   The disunited mind is far from wise; How can it meditate? How be at peace? When you know no peace, how can you know joy? When you let your mind follow the siren Call of the senses, they carry away Your better judgment as a cyclone drives A boat off the charted course to its doom…   They are forever free who have broken Out of the ego-cage of I and mine To be united with the Lord of Love. This is the supreme state. Attain thou this And pass from death to immortality.”   From the book, “Gandhi the Man – The Story of His Transformation” by Eknath Easwaran.   May you and yours be blessed in 2022. _____   About Barbara Berger American-born Barbara Berger is the best-selling author of “The Road to Power – Fast Food for the Soul” (published in 30 languages), “Are You Happy Now? 10 Ways to Live a Happy Life” (published in 21 languages) and “The Awakening Human Being – A Guide to the Power of Mind”. Barbara's latest book is "Find and Follow Your Inner Compass – Instant Guidance in an Age of Information Overload". Barbara also works as coach and therapist, helping people around the globe come into alignment with their own true power. For more about Barbara see her Web site: http://www.beamteam.com   ** Below are titles & links to the beautiful work from Barbara. She is a long time contributor and my dear friend : The Ultimate Self-Empowerment Tool – Your Inner Compass http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2087    The Key to Happiness; Understanding the Way the Mind Works http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2113   Who would you be if you didn’t know your age? http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2147   The Power of Right Seeing http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2177   Review of Barbara Berger’s book Find and Follow Your Inner Compass by Riki Frahmann http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2184   Are You Here Now? Are You Happy Now? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2247   Discovering Who You Really Are https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2284   Getting in Touch with Your Heart https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2299   Follow Your Passion & Accept the Consequences https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2324   The Power of the Joyful Giver https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2359   You have nothing to deal with but your own thoughts https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2374   Radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/starzcast/2018/09/26/natalie-interviews-barbara-berger--author-on-self-empowerment   Peace Is Your Nature https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2398   The Power of Contemplating Love https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2423   How Can We Serve? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2452   The Importance of Mind Management https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2472   Focus on the Real – A Way of Dealing with Worry and Catastrophic Thinking https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2499   Nothing External Can Disturb Us https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2527   Just Let Everything Be! https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2548   The Gift of Crisis https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2563   The Power of Asking for Help https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2592&fbclid=IwAR1ZK91thdusdkQTdqu0fHXgarR7Ghv7rmAjR6NypUUfLh2wv1ozLLi-HjU   What does it mean to be psychologically mature? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2625   The Meaning of Life https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2644   The Power of Praise & Blessing https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2682   Our Unalienable Rights https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2712   Meeting the Family & Keeping Your Peace of Mind https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2737   Healthy Boundaries – the Secret of Good Relationships https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2758   Healthy Parenting https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2777   Wanting What You Have https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2801     NOW IS THE TIME TO THINK POSITIVE https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2813   A Scientific Prayer to Lift Your Consciousness https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2828   Healthy Self Talk about the Body https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2850   Time Are Changing Aren’t They? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2881   Are You Following Your Inner Compass? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2904   What Happens When We Don't Listen to Our Inner Compass?   https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2920   Your Right to Be You https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2961   Doing the Right Thing https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2992   Seeing Behind Impermanence https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3026   Opening Your Heart – A Prayer for the New Year https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3051   Welcome to the World of Starbrow and His Amazing Spiritual Adventures https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3050   Use This Simple, Effective Right Reaction Exercise to Tackle Stressful Moments   https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3084   No Healing Without Feeling https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3102   Happiness Is an Inside Job https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3131   The Power of Joy and Laughter https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3158   Watch Out for Black and White Thinking! https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3173 The Power of Eating Less https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3217   Good Ways to Say No and Set Limits https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3242   Higher Consciousness and the Power of Nature https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3259   Gratitude for the Gift of Life https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3284   Do Not Be Bluffed by Your Body https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3297   What Is Spiritual Bypass`? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3329