A Vision of Oneness

[Guest guest]

A Vision of OnenessA Vision of OnenessBelow

is an excerpt from a talk that Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj

(1921-1989) gave at the conclusion of the Fifteenth Human Unity

Conference held in New Delhi, India, on November 15, 1988.Over

the past four days we have joined hands, hearts, and souls to identify

the means for putting spirituality into action as a step towards human

unity. During this time, we have shared ways in which individuals and

organizations have been working toward peace and oneness.If this

Conference and our efforts toward the goal of unity are to be

successful, we must translate our words into action. We must carry the

message of unity with us to our respective homes, and make it part of

our day to day lives.To accomplish this task, we must realize that

each of us is in reality a part of the One Divinity that created and

sustains all life. Once we begin to see the Light of God shining in

every heart, we develop love for all and become true believers in the

unity of all life. This vision of oneness is not metaphorical. It is

the result of our spiritual development.This spiritual life is not,

as some in the West mistakenly believe, a path of renunciation or

asceticism, which I call "negative mysticism." Spirituality, rightly

understood, is life-affirming, not life-negating. It is a path I have

termed "positive mysticism."When I was invited to the United

Nations in 1986, I spoke of the need to bring about peace within the

heart of every person and the need to see everyone as a brother or

sister in the universal God. I went on to explain how the spiritual

path is one of positive mysticism rather than negative mysticism. In

positive mysticism, while keeping the goal of spiritual realization

ever before us, we simultaneously fulfill our duties and obligations—as

members of our families, our communities, our nations, our world, and

ultimately, the cosmos.In a world desperately in need of peace and

human unity, each of us has a dual obligation. One is to our own self,

the other is to those around us. If we wish to establish peace and

unity in this world, we must first establish it in our soul and express

it in our daily actions. We must reform ourselves first if we wish to

see others reformed, and we must transform ourselves if we wish to see

humanity transformed.Let me share with you some of my verses from a poem called "Cry of the Soul."We are but drops of the same fountain of divine beauty,We are but waves on the great river of love.We are diverse blossoms in the Garden of the Lord,

Who have gathered in the same valley of Light.We who dwell on this earth belong to one humanity,There is but one God, and we are His children.Let us march forth to overcome the storms of strife,Let us march forth to light the lamp of Universal Love

Let the lotus of renewed aspirations blossom in our hearts,And let those long divided embrace one another.If love once again is rekindled within our breasts,This life of ours will recover its beauty and youth.

How long can the darkness of strife envelop the earth?The human spirit will soon awaken,And the light of day shall illumine every heart.Our

meetings are coming to an end, but our real work is just beginning.

Penn was the founder of the Quakers, a sect of Christianity

that believes in silent prayer, no priests, and no sermons. He once

took an acquaintance to a Quaker meeting. After an hour of silent

meditation, the puzzled man asked Penn, "But sir, when does the service

begin?" Penn very sweetly replied, "Service begins when the meetings

end."Today, as our meeting ends, let us begin our service to others

for the sake of human unity and peace. As St. Augustine has said, "Let

us work as if everything depended on us, and let us pray as if

everything depended on God."As we prepare to return to our homes, I

will not say farewell. Rather, let me invert the word "farewell" and

replace it with the word "welfare." My prayer is that while developing

ourselves spiritually, we begin to work for the welfare of all we meet.By

caring for others we are truly putting spirituality into action. If we

are sincere in our efforts, and put our faith in God, it will not be

long before the peace and unity for which we so vehemently pray will

surely become a reality.This conference which has brought us

together has been dedicated to God's work. As such, it marks the

beginning of a relationship that can never end. And so, let me propose

that when we take our leave, instead of "Goodbye," we use an expression

I learned during my tours of Germany. It is "Auf Weidersehen"—"Until we

meet again."May God bless us all. §www.sos.orgwww.jyotimeditation.orgwww.skrm.org