Many years ago I had a guided meditation experience where I saw myself walking with my dog in the wilderness. I felt completely at one with everything – completely capable – beautiful and strong. It was the most amazing feeling. My feelings went beyond simply feeling to a knowing of being at one. I was filled with incredible love and joy. My dog and I easily scaled rocks as we hiked up high to get a view over the wilderness. Everything felt possible, and all was amazing as it was. I felt whole and at peace with all.
I was being guided into this meditation experience by a facilitator named, Patty. When I initially came into this vision, Patty asked me to describe what I was seeing and experiencing. As I described it, tears started rolling down my face. She asked me why I was crying. I said, “It feels so amazing to be here. I’ve missed this place and this strong feeling of connection to all, and this incredible love and joy.”
I wish I could experience again the knowing and feeling of complete oneness and connection, love and joy, that I experienced in that meditation. I’ve had momentary glimpses of it since then, but I haven’t been able to recreate that same intensity of feeling for a prolonged period. Having experienced it once, I know it is possible and that is a motivating force for me.
This summer I’ve spent time cultivating that feeling of connection and oneness. I’ve become aware, with a deeper knowing than I’ve ever known before, that the source of that deep sense of connection and love is within. I grew up thinking that life is all about the love you get from others and give to others, as well as the pleasures and challenges you experience from the external world. While all of that is wonderful – and is surely to be enjoyed and celebrated – I’m starting to think that the real game is in connecting deep within to that force that is all love and oneness. I’m trying to do more looking within rather than without. When I think, feel, speak and act from that sacred place within where I am connected to all – that is living and loving at its best.
~Sue Hardman-Conklin
Questions To Ponder:
- Have you ever experienced – even briefly – a feeling of being connected to all that is – or a feeling of oneness?
- How do you cultivate and grow that feeling of connection and oneness? Does it happen as a part of family and community rituals? Meditation? Being in nature? Observing children or animals? Focusing on your heart?
I wish that I had had such an experience, but so far, not really.Perhaps I am looking in the wrong way.
Hi Jim- thanks for your comment. I’m sure many can relate. My brother said the same thing to me. He would love to have that experience of oneness – but he can’t manufacture it. It is a mystery to me how this experience happened to me. As I said, I haven’t experienced it to the same extent since the guided meditation. But I get glimpses of it. I’m thinking the experience of connection and oneness can be cultivated by focusing attention on little points of connection in everyday life – like when I’m in nature or with a small group of great friends or family. I try to stop in the midst of these experiences and focus on the connection that is happening in that moment. I turn my focus to my body sensations in that moment – particularly in the area of my heart and chest. And from there I often feel that spark of connection and oneness light up. Let me know if this exercise helps – even just a little. Best of luck to you!
This is lovely and motivating. I think that the truth I to look for moments of that depth of connectedness…of oneness. Thank you for your insight!
Thank you Tara! I really appreciate your comments!
Hello,
I have a very dear friend who is totally in agreement with your ‘ vision ‘ and has made it her ‘life’s pursuit’.
However in that total dedication to that pursuit (and I fully support her), she wants to leave behind / abandon our
previous path of deep friendship and love, saying she wants to only dedicate herself to ‘Oneness and Connection’.
Comments ? Thanks
Hi John. It’s hard for me to comment on your friend’s situation, since everyone has their own path and journey. However, your comment touches a part of my meditation experience that I didn’t talk about in this article – and so I feel compelled to share it now. During this guided meditation the facilitator eventually asked me to connect with higher wisdom to discern the lesson of this ‘vision’ and this experience. The lesson that came to me is that while it is wonderful to experience this sense of oneness while I was alone in nature, my task is to experience this sense of oneness while in the midst of relationships with others. And man is that ever a challenge! Which is funny, right? Feeling a sense of oneness and connection with all – but only when I’m alone! So I’ve been working on that ever since. Although I laugh at this when I think of myself, the truth is I think some people are called to the monastic life where they can devote themselves fully to connection with the Divine and not be distracted by relationships. Other’s like me are called to apply these concepts within the trenches of ordinary everyday life – which means I’m working on it while being a wife, mother, sister, daughter, neighbor, co-worker or friend. I don’t think one path is better than the other. Both are important. Each has their purpose. For me, the lesson of finding and staying connected to that sense of oneness while in relationship really resonated as my path. Best of luck to you John and thanks for your comment.