Theos-Talk Archives (October 2001 Message tt00366)

> Peter, what distinguishes one Individuality from another? If we are
> individually immortal, what characteristics make us different from each
> other at the immortal monad level? If we strip away personality what are
> we left with that is unique (individual)?
>
> Bill

Bill,

Sorry to take so long in responding. I'm involved in a project at the moment
that is somewhat time consuming.

My sense is that ONE-NESS transcends the duality of 'same-ness or
difference'. Just because we are of a ONE-NESS does not mean that we are
all identical or clones of one another. At the heart of each being is a
great mystery - The Great Mystery. It is limitless, ever unfolding and can
never be fully known. So, one may have the experience that while life is
ONE every expression of it is unique. At this level of Being, both are
true, the One-ness of all things and the unique-ness of all things. These
are two sides of 'That' which is truly limitless. I feel that this
appreciation of both-as-one is part of Compassion, the sense of Brotherhood
with all life that makes us act on behalf of another.

I think one can sense something of this when we look upon someone we love
deeply. We sense the unity, perhaps an unconditional one-ness, at the level
of our hearts and yet find ourselves faced with the living 'mystery' of a
being whom we can never fully know. Their 'beauty', the such-ness that makes
them what they are, constantly surprises us and fills us with a sense of
wonder or awe. We are one and yet we are not each other. A paradox.

For me, that to which we give the name INDIVIDUALITY is an 'awakened'
expression of that limitless Mystery of Being and Non-Being. As an
expression of that Mystery it is unique and as unfathomable as the Mystery
itself. Yet it is not separate from the rest of Life, nor does it feel
itself to be. The idea of separateness is just that - an idea. It has no
basis in fact, but only in imagination.

I hope the above doesn't sound too vague. I appreciate it doesn't sound
logical, but its the best I can do at the moment.

best to you,

...Peter