My Story
of
Oneness
Artwork by Katie Holten https://www.katieholten.com/drawings
Leslie Wright
Executive Director,
Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center
“Oneness with God is not a thread between God and us but more like an inclusive space gathering all creation. Total and perfect inclusion is what love is.”
O’Murchu
“Peace will come to the heart of humanity when they realize their Oneness with the Universe. It is everywhere”
Black Elk, Oglala Lakota Tribal Leader
A wheel was shown to me, wonderful to behold… Divinity is in its omniscience and omnipotence like a wheel, a circle, a whole that can neither be understood, nor divided, nor begun nor ended… God hugs you. You are encircled by the arms of the mystery of God.
Hildegard of Bingen
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mandelbrot_fractal_rendered_in_Paint.NET.jpg
According to Thic Nhat Hanh:
lnterbeing means “co-being”. You cannot be by yourself alone. You have to “interbe” with everybody and everything else. For instance, if you look deeply into a flower you find it is made of non-flower elements like sunshine, clouds, rain and soil. Without these non-flower elements, a flower cannot exist. So it is better to say that the flower “interbes” with the sunshine and it cannot be by itself, alone. It is the case with humans also. I am here because you are there. (Mehrotra 2003)
Connectedness of all things
Shifting from seeing the world as just a lifeless machine to realizing that Earth is alive, constantly evolving, and unfolding. Everything shares a common origin—we are all connected, descendants and relatives of everything in the universe.
What is a Rule of Life…
Like a trellis on a vine
Source: practicingtheway.org
Key Aspects of a Rule of Life:
Intentionality: It's a conscious plan to live purposefully, not just react to demands.
Structure & Support: It provides a framework (like a trellis) for spiritual growth, drawing from ancient monastic traditions (St. Benedict).
Practices & Rhythms: It includes regular habits and relational patterns.
Discernment: It's developed prayerfully to align your life with God's calling, answering "Who do I want to be?" and "How do I want to live?".
Not Legalism: It's a life-giving support, not a strict list to control every moment, but a tool for freedom and joy
Space: It creates space in our busy lives for “becoming”
Integral Ecology
Oneness with our very selves
What is a “rule of life”?
Source: https://ruleoflife.com/2023/12/19/allison-lyckes-rule-of-life/
What Life Categories?
Spiritual
Relational
Physical
Emotional
Financial
Environmental
Purposeful
Rest
Attention
Image Credit: Carrie Bergman + design by Maia Duerr, via On Being blog
What Practices?
Types and Examples of Contemplative Practices
Stillness Practices: Focus on calming the mind and body.
Movement Practices: Utilize the body to foster connection and mindfulness.
Generative Practices: Focus on cultivating specific intentional qualities like compassion, gratitude, or loving-kindness.
Creative Practices: Use artistic expression to access deep awareness.
Activist Practices: Combine inner reflection with outer action to engage with social issues.
Relational Practices: Foster deep connection with others.
Ritual/Cyclical Practices: Use structured, often symbolic, actions to mark time or space.
Source: Maia Duerr, The Contemplative Mind in Society as quoted in the Institute for Well-being in Law, “Bolstering Spiritual Well-Being in Law with Contemplative Practices”
Spiritual Encounter
Oneness with all Creation
Rhythms
Evolutionary Becoming
The universal human is “one who is connected through the heart to the whole of life, attuned to the deeper intelligence of nature and called forth irresistibly by spirit to creatively express [their gifts] in the evolution of self and the world.”
--Barbara Marx Hubbard