I’ve been working with a mantra, for the past few months - and yesterday, while sitting with the same three words I’ve been meditating on since June… my perspective widened. I suddenly realized the way I was interpreting one of the words, may not be typical of how people receive this word.
What comes to your mind when you think of the word: ONE?
Do you instinctively think singular, individual, sole, lone, only?
Or, do you perceive the oneness from which we all connect to?
(Assuming, this frame fits within your belief structure.)
I had consistently thought the latter, without question. Admittedly, I didn’t even consider the possibility that there would be another perspective to apply to this word. And maybe that’s because of the context of it being within a mantra and spiritual practice of mine…
Yet, that realization in itself, that of not even considering there could be a different possible interpretation of this word ONE, is a gentle reminder that we are all just made up of our own perceptions, and have our own “realities.”
And all too often, we as a collective, fail to acknowledge others “realities,” staying comfortably within our own inner world, rarely seeing, let alone acknowledging, a broader picture.
That expansion in my awareness of how this single, simple word, could be interpreted so distinctly differently made me start to wonder:
Could this all too common (romantic) story in Western media portrayals of finding “the one”, actually have a different interpretation? What other ways do we currently understand and interpret “one” to mean something singular, influenced by a binary/mono-framed conditioned mind?
Even if the phrase was first used to describe a romantic partner — I actually prefer it to mean “finding” (as in exploring, seeking, experiencing) “the one” (as in the one, Source, Ein Sof, The Brahman, or even perhaps Ātman.)
As I took this exploration further, I was met with the consideration of the POWER of ONE…
I recently read a post that talked about how in time travel fiction, it is almost ALWAYS acknowledged (often via a warning), that changing ONE singular thing, could make big waves in the current reality/timeline. Yet, often many individuals feel powerless in their effort to make BIG CHANGE, especially when it comes to things like environmental degradation, and other larger, global-scale matters.
I’ve also heard many of my personal and spiritual mentors/coaches refer to the ripple effect that healing work has on those around us.
Akal Pritam puts it as: The alchemy of one individual embracing their uniqueness releases unstoppable, healing waves of light into the collective-trust, the great value of gentle, human kindness.
This speaks volumes to the potential each of us individually hold, to influence the one that is all, as well as our environment.
I’m keen to continue opening to this meditation on ONE.
While I’ve yet to find the words to expand on this concept further, I also wanted to share that when we take the notion of ONE out of a binary, mathematical sense — we can actually see that when applied to certain spiritual or existential concepts, 1 + 1 can equal 1.
The best way I’ve found this illustrated so far is by alchemist Paracelsus, who said:
[the Soul] “unites the two contraries, the Body and Spirit, and changes them into one essence.”
I’ll leave you with the famous words of Bob Marley: “One Love, One Heart”
As well as the invitation, to meditate on the concept ONE and see what arises for you. Or perhaps another word or phrase!
I think I’ll take away the reminder of the shifts that can occur when focusing on a singular word/phrase/concept… Sometimes you might see a different perspective right away, or receive insights contrary to what you thought you knew. And sometimes, it might take months (or years) of practice with the same word/phrase/concept. But, having a repetitive focus for your exploration, curiosity, or meditations can deepen your unseen relationship with any word, phrase, concept, or even physical thing.