Oneness Explained: Why We’re More Connected Than We Think

By Dr. Katie Eastman & Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

It can be easy to feel separate in today’s world. We live in different houses, hold different jobs, follow different beliefs, and face different challenges. But beneath the surface of our individual lives lies a deeper truth: we are profoundly connected. This truth is at the heart of spirituality, and it is often called oneness.

Oneness doesn’t mean we are all the same. It means our lives are intertwined. Just as a tree is made of many branches but shares one trunk, humanity is made of unique individuals who share one source of life. Our actions, choices, and even our moods ripple outward, touching others in ways we may never fully see.

Science reinforces this. Research in psychology and physics shows that people’s emotions and energy influence those around them, shaping families, workplaces, and communities. Spiritual traditions across the globe echo this wisdom, teaching that when we harm another, we harm ourselves—and when we care for another, we also heal ourselves.

In The Peace Guidebook, we wrote about peace as something that begins within but naturally extends outward. One person choosing a “peaceful pause” in a tense moment can shift the energy of an entire room. This is oneness in action: the recognition that your inner state affects the world outside you.

Our work with the Percolate Peace Project is rooted in this same truth. Just like coffee percolating slowly through water, peace spreads through connection. When one person chooses compassion, gratitude, or forgiveness, that choice doesn’t stop with them. It percolates outward, touching families, communities, and even strangers across the globe.

Religion often names this as divine unity, the body of Christ, the interconnected web of life, or the great oneness of all beings. But you don’t need religion to experience it. You’ve likely felt it when sitting with a grieving friend, when standing in a crowd singing together, or when walking in nature and sensing you are part of something much bigger than yourself.

Oneness is both simple and profound. It is the recognition that we belong to each other—and that through our choices, we can either deepen disconnection or nurture connection.

✨ Reflection Prompt: When have you felt most connected to others or to life itself? How might you nurture that sense of oneness in your everyday choices?