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Unity and interconnectedness: Difference between revisions
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These are listed and described below: | These are listed and described below: | ||
====1. Unity between specific external systems==== | ====='''1. Unity between specific external systems'''===== | ||
The lowest and least complex level can be referred to as a state of “''unity between specific external systems''.” This is the only level of interconnectedness in which the subjective experience of unity does not involve a state of interconnectedness between the self and the external. Instead, it can be described as a perceived sense of unity between two or more systems within the external environment which in everyday life are usually perceived as separate from each other and from one's identity. | The lowest and least complex level can be referred to as a state of “''unity between specific external systems''.” This is the only level of interconnectedness in which the subjective experience of unity does not involve a state of interconnectedness between the self and the external. Instead, it can be described as a perceived sense of unity between two or more systems within the external environment which in everyday life are usually perceived as separate from each other and from one's identity. | ||
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* A sense of unity between literally any combination of perceivable external systems and concepts | * A sense of unity between literally any combination of perceivable external systems and concepts | ||
====2. Unity between the self and specific external systems==== | ====='''2. Unity between the self and specific external systems'''===== | ||
The second of these two levels can be referred to as a state of “''unity between the self and specific external systems''.” It can be defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus. | The second of these two levels can be referred to as a state of “''unity between the self and specific external systems''.” It can be defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus. | ||
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This creates a sensation which is often described by people as the experience of becoming inextricably "connected to", "one with", "the same as", or "unified" with whatever the perceived external system happens to be. | This creates a sensation which is often described by people as the experience of becoming inextricably "connected to", "one with", "the same as", or "unified" with whatever the perceived external system happens to be. | ||
====3. Unity between the self and all perceivable external systems==== | ====='''3. Unity between the self and all perceivable external systems'''===== | ||
The third of these five differing levels of interconnectedness can be referred to as "''a state of unity between the self and all perceivable external systems''." It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the entirety of their sensory input including the currently perceivable external environment. The experience as a whole is generally described by people as “becoming one with my surroundings.” | The third of these five differing levels of interconnectedness can be referred to as "''a state of unity between the self and all perceivable external systems''." It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the entirety of their sensory input including the currently perceivable external environment. The experience as a whole is generally described by people as “becoming one with my surroundings.” | ||
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It's at this level that a key component of the unity experience becomes an extremely noticeable factor. Once a person's sense of self has become attributed to the entirety of their surroundings, this new perspective completely changes how it feels to physically interact with what was previously felt to be an external environment. For example, when physically interacting with an object in daily sober living it feels very simply that one is a central agent organizing the world around itself. However, whilst undergoing a state of unity with the currently perceivable environment, interacting with an external object consistently feels as if the system as a whole is autonomously organizing itself and that one is no longer a central agent operating the process of interaction. Instead the process suddenly feels as if it has become completely decentralized and mutual across itself as the environment begins to autonomously, mechanically and harmoniously respond to itself to perform the predetermined function of the particular interaction. | It's at this level that a key component of the unity experience becomes an extremely noticeable factor. Once a person's sense of self has become attributed to the entirety of their surroundings, this new perspective completely changes how it feels to physically interact with what was previously felt to be an external environment. For example, when physically interacting with an object in daily sober living it feels very simply that one is a central agent organizing the world around itself. However, whilst undergoing a state of unity with the currently perceivable environment, interacting with an external object consistently feels as if the system as a whole is autonomously organizing itself and that one is no longer a central agent operating the process of interaction. Instead the process suddenly feels as if it has become completely decentralized and mutual across itself as the environment begins to autonomously, mechanically and harmoniously respond to itself to perform the predetermined function of the particular interaction. | ||
====4. Unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems==== | ====='''4. Unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems'''===== | ||
The fourth of these five differing levels of interconnectedness can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems''." It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's sense of self, the perceivable external environment, and all which they know to currently exist outside of this through their internally stored model of reality. This feels as if one's sense of self has become attributed to not just the external environment but all of humanity, nature, and the universe as it presently stands in its complete entirety. The experience of this is commonly interpreted by people as “''becoming one with the universe''.” | The fourth of these five differing levels of interconnectedness can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems''." It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's sense of self, the perceivable external environment, and all which they know to currently exist outside of this through their internally stored model of reality. This feels as if one's sense of self has become attributed to not just the external environment but all of humanity, nature, and the universe as it presently stands in its complete entirety. The experience of this is commonly interpreted by people as “''becoming one with the universe''.” | ||
When experienced, this effect creates the sudden perspective that one is not a separate agent approaching an external reality, but is instead the entire universe as a whole experiencing itself, exploring itself, and performing actions upon itself through the specific point in space and time which this particular body and conscious perception happens to currently reside within. | When experienced, this effect creates the sudden perspective that one is not a separate agent approaching an external reality, but is instead the entire universe as a whole experiencing itself, exploring itself, and performing actions upon itself through the specific point in space and time which this particular body and conscious perception happens to currently reside within. | ||
====5. Unity between the self and all external systems==== | ====='''5. Unity between the self and all external systems'''===== | ||
The fifth of these five differing levels of interconnectedness can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and the creation of all external systems''." It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's identity and all external systems of behavior. This includes not just the systems as they currently stand within the present moment but at each known point of their existence throughout all timelines as defined by the person's internally stored model of reality. It can also include imaginary, hypothetical and fictional systems or concepts. | The fifth of these five differing levels of interconnectedness can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and the creation of all external systems''." It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's identity and all external systems of behavior. This includes not just the systems as they currently stand within the present moment but at each known point of their existence throughout all timelines as defined by the person's internally stored model of reality. It can also include imaginary, hypothetical and fictional systems or concepts. | ||
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* A perspective which feels personally responsible for the [[feelings of self-design|self-designing]], planning, and implementation of every single specific detail and plot element of one's personal life, the history of humanity, and the universe as a whole. This naturally includes personal culpability for humanity's sufferings and its flaws, but also includes its acts of love and achievements. | * A perspective which feels personally responsible for the [[feelings of self-design|self-designing]], planning, and implementation of every single specific detail and plot element of one's personal life, the history of humanity, and the universe as a whole. This naturally includes personal culpability for humanity's sufferings and its flaws, but also includes its acts of love and achievements. | ||
* The sudden and total acceptance of death as a fundamental component of one's life. This is because death is no longer felt to be the destruction of oneself but simply the end of this specific point of conscious awareness, the vast majority of which has always existed and will continue to exist and live on through everything else in which it resides. | * The sudden and total acceptance of death as a fundamental component of one's life. This is because death is no longer felt to be the destruction of oneself but simply the end of this specific point of conscious awareness, the vast majority of which has always existed and will continue to exist and live on through everything else in which it resides. | ||
* The realization that one's preconceived notions behind the definition of their concept of “god” or “god-hood” can now be felt as identical to the nature of existence and to that of one's self. This realization is generally reached through the subconscious conclusion that the usually differing concepts of god-hood, existence, and self are each now identically defined as that which is the all-encompassing, all-powerful creator and sustainer of this existence. | * The realization that one's preconceived notions behind the definition of their concept of “god” or “god-hood” can now be felt as identical to the nature of existence and to that of one's self. This realization is generally reached through the subconscious conclusion that the usually differing concepts of god-hood, existence, and self are each now identically defined as that which is the all-encompassing, all-powerful creator and sustainer of this existence. | ||
====Similar concepts==== | |||
===Similar concepts=== | |||
Similar accounts of the experience of unity and the illusory nature of the self can be found across a surprisingly large variety of independent religious, philosophical, and psychological sources. These have been collected and listed as a set of documented examples below: | Similar accounts of the experience of unity and the illusory nature of the self can be found across a surprisingly large variety of independent religious, philosophical, and psychological sources. These have been collected and listed as a set of documented examples below: | ||
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*'''[http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/04/13/474071268/how-lsd-makes-your-brain-one-with-the-universe How LSD Makes Your Brain One With The Universe (NPR.org)]''' | *'''[http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/04/13/474071268/how-lsd-makes-your-brain-one-with-the-universe How LSD Makes Your Brain One With The Universe (NPR.org)]''' | ||
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===Experience reports=== | ===Experience reports=== | ||
Anecdotal reports which describe this effect within our [[experience index]] include: | Anecdotal reports which describe this effect within our [[experience index]] include: | ||