The Human Family - An Idea Whose Time Has Come

By Julie Redstone

There are pivotal ideas that have changed the destiny of mankind and shaped its future. Many have remained unnoticed within the shadowy corners of history until a bright light has shown on them, illuminating them, and making them relevant to time, place, and circumstance.

Such is the understanding of the oneness of the human family, of mankind - an idea that has been part of human consciousness for ages, yet one that has not attained its full status as being real or relevant until today, when the planetary body itself is in danger, and when new possibilities appear within the hearts of many who are being influenced by expanding spiritual light upon the Earth.

The idea of the human family relates not only to its essential oneness in terms of the basic needs and rights of every individual upon the Earth - the need and right to food, shelter, and a way of life free from fear. The idea of the human family relates also to the understanding that there is a basic kinship among mankind, a basic essence that we share together so that in heart, mind, body, and spirit, there is more that joins us than that separates us.

This perception, when taken to a deeper level of truth and reality, has radical consequences. For it means that we cannot separate the world any longer into those we love and those we hate, those who are with us and those who are against us. Indeed, we must find a way to achieve common ground even with those we hold profound differences with, recognizing their humanity, recognizing, that they, too, have the same underlying structure of needs and desires that define all that is human.

We are in the process of discovering, today, not a new truth about the physical, biological, or chemical structure of what it means to be human - although advances in science are revealing a great deal in these areas as well. Today, we are discovering a truth that emerges from the heart. This truth emanates a sense of compassion, a desire for peace, a longing for honesty and an end to deception, an aversion to all that limits or restricts the rights of individuals to live freely.

These ideals, illuminated by spiritual light, are glowing more brightly within the human heart, so that structures and policies that are detrimental to the right of individual freedom are being questioned, policies that have been long established that have contained hidden motives or agendas are being uncovered, and practices that are restrictive to human liberty are being exposed. These policies and practices may not yet have an immediate substitute at hand. For the vision of the new has not yet fully come into being. Yet the desire for fundamental respect to be accorded to each and every human being because of their humanity, is moving more into the foreground of human consciousness.

An idea whose time has come may have been present in awareness long before this. It may even have been one commonly referred to, yet without understanding the full consequence of its emergence into the light of day. Such is the idea of the 'human family', one in mind, heart, and spirit, waiting to recognize itself as one in body as well. For this 'body' of the human family is nothing other than the essence of Divine life and Divine energy that has lived within each human soul from the beginning of time. It is the essence of truth and of purity that has remained at the core, no matter what the exterior self has displayed. This Divine essence which links all in 'body' as well as in mind and heart, means that there is no longer an 'outsider' or 'other' that we may declare as such. For all are united in a common Source that flows through the spiritual veins of each human being.

This is the new and radical truth whose time has come. It has not yet fully arrived on the human scene, but is waiting in the wings. It is waiting for each one to awaken to the full meaning of being One.
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Julie Redstone is a teacher, writer, and founder of Light Omega, a center for healing and transformation in Western Massachusetts. Light Omega is co-sponsor of One World Meditations - a weekly global meditative effort to help heal and transform the Earth through the strengthening of 'lines of light' that connect people. 'One World Meditations' is open to all.