The Bond

(FYI, Michael Singer will be interviewed by Oprah at 11:00AM this Sunday August 5th on the Oprah Winfrey channel OWN!  As far as I am aware this is a first because he does not usually speak outside of his center in Florida.) 



"What matters is not the isolated entity, but the space between things, the relationship of things.  The Bond."  (Lynne McTaggart, The Bond, inside of the front cover)

In "The Bond" Lynne McTaggart Lynne cites an abundance of evidence from both the physical and social sciences that we are all connected.  She talks about the idea that our true nature is to connect not compete.  Survival of the fittest is not an accurate reflection of human nature.  Wanting to belong, to give, and being altruistic are our true nature.  Lynne provides numerous examples of people putting others first, even if it means putting their own lives at risk (For example, the Air France Airbus plane crash where passing motorists safely pulled out 309 passengers moments before the plane burst into flames).  Could it be that we do these things because at our most basic level we are all one?  Might this also be why we long for love and acceptance?

This is what Michael Singer and Adyashanti have been saying when they talk about letting go of the individual self.  It is only the egoic self that thinks it is separate.  It is the need to protect this self-image that interferes with our innate urge to connect with others.  The egoic self compares itself to others, judges, worries that it is not enough or that it is not getting enough, competes, feels superior...  The egoic self cannot love because it always needs something in return.

Lynne cites studies that show that people are healthier both physically and emotionally when they are connected with others.  We need each other.  Period.  Others are not a threat...but to the ego, they can be.  To the ego, some people are shunned because they are different or weird.  The ego is all about impressing others not connecting with others.  As we have been talking about, we are not our egos.  This individual self is something that we created to navigate more comfortably in life yet it keeps us in bondage (Remember Michael Singer's analogy of the comfortable but boarded-up house built in the middle of the beautiful field of light?)

In Truth, we are here to support and love each other.  Opening to others is what we are meant to do.  Michael Singer says (and I am paraphrasing loosely) that eventually we are going to have to open our hearts to the whole world.  Why not start now by recognizing our true nature and letting go of the fears and insecurities of the egoic self?  We have tools to do this.  Witness and release for one.  Another, holding  thoughts lightly.  I have found judgmental thoughts to be the biggest block to my connecting with others.  

 A phrase that I heard repeatedly growing up in the Catholic church comes to mind: "We are One Body in Christ."  Whether the perspective is physics, biology, psychology, sociology, religion, or New Thought philosophies the same conclusion is being reached: it is the relationship between things that matters, not the individual.  Now, let us bring this awareness to our moment-to-moment interactions.