I've become more acquainted (in a recent ceremony) with Shakespeare's quote: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Not that there are deeper Truths we can point to and that are certainly already expressed in the great religions and philosophies. However, we are always best when we proceed with epistemic humility, and stay open to the possiblilty Reality is so much more than we can ever comprehend.
For example, is Ultimate Reality just an unchanging transcendent intelligence or vast living dynamic forces and entities operating on a different order of time? I would say both and more. I am more incline to say that Reality is not just a Oneness of Boundless Consciousness and Energy, but fundamentally more grounded in Relationships between localized consciousnesses and energies that cohere on many degrees or dimensions of Reality. Again, words are just pointers and I'm doing my best to not throw darts in the dark. Perhaps Dante was on to something, and I am just going to get as far as Virgil did with him.
It does seem we are interconnected on a level far greater than we realize. And I don't mean this in some sort of western Buddhist/ecological/web of life notion. It seems to me the Creator is essential in this Relationship first, and then from there it all integrates together with other beings operating with their own intentions and powers that we are encountering on many levels of Reality in different orders of time through an enchanted Whole. These patterns and processes of connectivity seem to weave our minds and bodies toward the Truth of the Beloved in ways we are not even conscious of most of the time. (Note to reader: I'm really sober right now).
I am not sure where I begin and where I end in this Reality; however, there is something individuated and this matters. We are not just subsumed into a pure collective in a Borg like fashion. This individuation allows for the Creator to express itself in a greater beauty of diversity while still keeping intact the agency that is unique to our being. The tincture of our being has its own imprint, and greater forces are always at play for this essence to become Realized and Whole if we are willing to remain open to it.
At it's core, I found it both dramatic and funny—yes, sort of like Dante's tragic comedy! I went through a reverse paranoia where it seemed all the people in my life were plotting to awaken me. I found this so humorous and sweet. At the same time it was as if a veil had been lifted and I could see things as they are: holy, energetically radiant, significant, and yet there was this quiet reverence with everything at complete ease. It seemed so simple and profound, where there was this natural home we were all working together peacefully with each other toward each person's ends.
I'm aware there is still much to unlearn about my notions around God. And yet, we are given a gift to interact with Him in ways we could never imagine. These experiences can not be converted to a stabilized awakened state upon return. At best can inform us about some aspect of Reality, where we may have some insight that can integrated in time. I do still believe liberation to the Absolute is a worthy pursuit in this life, and there is also merit to cosmological explorations in other dimensions of Reality. They can be quite humbling, and leave us with a mystery that the human mind will never fully grasp. And while there is much phenomena that is difficult to understand, there also remains something that wants to be known that is fundamental to our existence.
In the end, I have taken to heart the deep intimacy we all share in God's Divine Presence. There would be no reason to harm anyone intentionally in this dynamic, although people being broken timber will get hurt and intentions, at times, will pave the road to hell.
* Blog title taken from Plotinus.