integration

By: Ann Betz and Karen Kimsey-House

A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” ~ Albert Einstein.

This quote, one of many in this well-written, thought-provoking book, can help us understand a reality that is rarely noticed in everyday life.

The authors, whose day job is coaching coaches, explore not only ideas but also science in this new fascinating book. Here’s an example:

“In addition to the human evolutionary perspective we’ve examined, there is another perspective worth exploring. We’ll call it the spiritual oneness/illusion perspective, and it goes something like this:

1. All is one (ultimately). 

Some call this God. And since it seems to be the case that we all came from the same small amount of matter, which exploded in the Big Bang, then there is even a scientific basis for these claims.

2. Oneness cannot know itself. 

We need an edge, a distinction, in order to know anything. If everything is my hand, I can’t see or know my hand. I need there to be nothand in order to know my hand. By the presence of that which is not my hand, my hand comes into focus. The same applies to oneness, to God.

3. Oneness created the illusion of separation so that it could know itself.

By seeing and experiencing that which is not oneness (this experience—or illusion—of separation we find ourselves in), oneness comes to know itself. 

4. Thus, all separation is an illusion designed to help us come to greater awareness of that which we already are.

We feel separate (it’s part of the game), but really, we’re not. We can’t be. We’re just facets of the diamond of consciousness, experiencing different ways to be. 5. In this view, life (or if you believe in reincarnation, lives) is nothing more than a journey through a dream. Our ultimate reality is interconnectedness. Our true selves are whole and a part of everything.”

The co-authors travel all over the world, coaching coaches, but the book is interesting for yogis, general readers and anyone interested in the “next step” in our human evolution.

The idea behind the book is that we start as a whole, part of One (or God, or the Universe) and our human experience is that we are fragmented, but it is now time for Integration, slowly moving back towards wholeness.

Integration will help you find the words to describe and think about what it means to be part of humanity and part of the universe.

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