In a world marked by division and conflict, the concept of oneness or nonduality offers a profound shift in perspective. It invites us to recognize the connectedness of all beings as a cosmic organism—the eternal Self we are, dreaming a dream of multiplicity. This can foster a sense of empathy, compassion, and harmony with ourselves and others. More importantly, embracing oneness gradually transforms our experience of life as a reflection of ourselves.
Within the framework of nonduality (Advaita), the separation we perceive between ourselves and others is ultimately an egoic illusion that leads to judgments, misunderstandings, and suffering. But recognizing the fundamental unity of all things allows us to see that beneath the apparent differences—be they cultural, social, or ideological—we are essentially the same, sharing the human experience through the same ego and mind, and yearning for the totality of our true, divine nature.
Divine Consciousness is paradoxical. It projects into the human mind to experience itself in infinite forms and eventually realize that it cannot be found in the mind but only by transcending the mind. At the same time, the journey to the eternal Self is a process of individuation or self-awareness. Without knowing the ego-self we cannot access the true Self, but as we investigate the ego-mind with which we have identified (our separate “identity”), the fragmentation of the ego dissolves and gives way to our essence.
We can stop fixating on others as separate from ourselves and instead appreciate that we are each unique expressions of Consciousness. That is, we can direct our attention from otherness (our identifications projected as other people) to self (our sense of individuality), and from this ego-self to the eternal Self we truly are. This is the core of the Swan Method I share in You Are Your Healer, which is a step-by-step guide to turn the mind inward to embrace the Pure Awareness we all are.
The Power of Self-Awareness
This begins with self-reflection and emotional honesty. By turning inward and observing our ego-mind—thoughts, impressions, memories, impulses, desires, and emotions—without identifying with them, we begin to dissolve the beliefs with which we have constructed the identities that ultimately trap us in outdated or false ideas about ourselves. Self-awareness is love, so it gives us a sense of presence that transcends the ego’s need for separation.
When we yearn to perceive oneness in our reality, we begin to experience life from a more expansive viewpoint. We start to see ourselves in others; not only the joys, struggles, and aspirations we share as part of the human experience, but also what people reflect back to us that has been hidden in our subconscious—the triggers pointing to our fears, attachments, and hidden motivations. When the focus is on our reflection, rather than the behavior of others, the sense of separation disappears.
In truth, we are mirrors to each other. It is through these reflections that Consciousness makes us conscious of ourselves—who we think we are—until we remove all false identifications to expand into the totality of the Consciousness we truly are. Awareness is love, and love dissolves all egoic wounds and differences. As we become more self-aware, we reclaim our center and interact with other people without expectations or fear. If we stop making everything personal (about “me, me, me”), a sense of empathy and togetherness emerges, making it easier to connect with those around us, even when our circumstances appear to be different.
The magic of Consciousness is that, as we look within and remove the sense of separation, our life-movie and our experiences begin to shift. Obstacles disappear, difficult people no longer trigger us, the usual painful dynamics we’ve repeated over and over do not affect us anymore. There is more room for us to express ourselves freely, as we reclaim our center instead of giving our power to other people through our sense of otherness—that inner bully that sabotages our enjoyment of life.
Harmony in Our Lives and the World
We create space for harmony because we understand that conflict arises from a lack of self-awareness and the ignorance of the ego-mind we all share. When we awaken to the connectedness of all beings, we approach difficulties with curiosity and openness rather than defensiveness, making room for Consciousness to take care of it all. As we surrender the ego, we give priority to communication, resolution, and collaboration.
On a larger scale, embracing oneness transforms our communities and societies. We perceive the world as we perceive ourselves, so if we see ourselves as separate, we will continue to see the conflicts of this delusion everywhere. The pain in the world is a reflection of our pain; the anger, confusion, and deception out there are also reflections of what we haven’t resolved in ourselves.
The world arises with us when we wake up every morning and disappears when we fall asleep. In other words, without us, there is no world; we make it real with our awareness. We are the source and the center of it all, but we have allowed the ego-mind to hijack this truth. The sooner we start reclaiming it, the sooner we can experience life from a place of peace and love.If everything and everyone we perceive is an aspect of ourselves, then what is there to be afraid of or guilty about?
This new perception, however, requires much discipline to master the ego-mind and stop believing the familiar delusion that not only reinforces the sense of separation, duality, or otherness but also keeps us emotionally stuck in a false identity that distorts our experience of life. So contact me today to embark on your unique journey to the eternal Self you are and have always been!
Yol Swan
