Humanity has struggled since the inception of philosophy and religion with the relationship between the ONE ultimate, absolute, divine Reality and the multiplicity of forms that make up creation. Science grapples with this in the exploration of the infinite quantum field and the sudden appearance of individual particles, which then become separate atoms and ultimately the multiplicity of the physical universe.
Translated into humanity we are confronted with the paradox of inclusivity and diversity. We are all ONE, all part of humanity and all part of the Universal ONENESS. yet clearly we are not all the same. Ernest Holmes reminds us that “Unity doesn’t mean Uniformity” and “Oneness doesn’t imply sameness”. Since this ONENESS is infinite, it actually takes a multiplicity of forms (and people) to express the infinite possible ways the INFINITE can take form (and as people). Just like we have tulips and irises, pansies and roses, so each person’s unique life is necessary for the WHOLE of the garden. Inclusivity celebrates our ONENESS and Diversity celebrates our uniqueness.
From the Tao Te Ching:
The Tao begot one.
One begot two.
Two begot three.
And three begot the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang.
They achieve harmony by combining these forces.