Sherrie Erickson

BC, Canada

You will explore the concept of oneness, practicing stillness, releasing attachments, and cultivating compassion for yourself and others.

English

In this meditation, we explore the deep truth that everything is connected. You’ll be guided to soften barriers, release attachments, and see others with compassion. Together, we’ll reflect on the energy we bring into the world and how we can choose love instead of division. This practice will help you return to your heart, where peace and connection begin.

Experiencing Oneness In A Divided World

Thank you for joining me. Today I want to talk about the healing power of oneness. In a world that often feels divided, where differences in opinions, beliefs, and identities seem to push us apart, it's easy to get caught in the cycle of us versus them. This divisiveness fuels fear, judgment, and separation, leaving us feeling isolated and disconnected. But there is another way. When we step back from the noise and turn inward, we can experience a deeper truth. We are all connected. Oneness reminds us that beneath the labels and differences, we share the same longing for love, healing, and understanding. We share humanity. Practicing oneness doesn't mean ignoring the world's challenges. Instead, it offers us a new lens, one rooted in compassion and connection, through which we can respond to life. This meditation is an invitation to step out of the divisions and into a space where love and understanding guide your actions. Together, let's explore this healing path. Take a moment to settle yourself. Find a comfortable position. Relax your shoulders. Relax your chest. If you feel comfortable, close your eyes and begin to soften your breath. Imagine a seashore. Today, as I said, we'll explore oneness, a deep truth beneath all the busyness and stories that we cling to. This truth whispers, everything is connected, everything is one. Notice the stillness within you. One way to become still is to actually tell your mind to be still and your body to be still. I encourage you to do that right now. Just say to your mind, be still. Say to your body, be still. Now think of someone you feel separate from, perhaps someone whose views differ from yours. As you're thinking of this person, notice any tension or walls that your mind begins to build. And in the midst of this, offer yourself compassion. Whatever you're feeling, gently whisper, it's okay to feel this. I am human. See if you can imagine this person as they truly are, broken just like you, in pain like you, longing for love just like you. Can you feel or sense their humanity even as you feel and sense your own? In your mind's eye, hold them gently without judgment. Now let's practice letting go. Master Eckhart said, detached, detached, detached. Think of something that you've been holding onto, a belief, a person, or a political identity. Notice how it feels in your body to carry this attachment. What does it feel like? Where is it located in your body? Imagine setting it down for a moment, like a heavy suitcase that you've been carrying for a while. You can pick it up later when we're done, you more than likely will, and so will I. But for now, just put it down. Let it go. Feel the lightness of being unattached, free to respond with love and from your heart instead of fear. From this space, you can take a stand for what is just, but with compassion, never forgetting the humanity in yourself and others. As we close, put your hands over your heart, even as I'm doing it now. Can you feel the rhythm of your heart? Can you feel the rhythm of your breath? Both your heart and your breath can be your anchor in times of division. Breathe in connection and breathe out love. This is such a great way to pray for others. If you've had your eyes closed, you can open them now slowly, come back into the room, the place that you're in. I want to invite you to carry this sense of oneness into your day, and as you move through the world or as you forget, forget it, or lose it in a sense, just repeat the word one. Repeat the word one as you begin a task. When you're in traffic or as you're driving, this is a great way to calm road rage. Say the word one as you start a meeting. Say the word one as someone you are in conflict with enters the room. Thank you for participating in this mindfulness meditation today. Thank you for contemplating oneness with me. Take good care.