Oneness and Diversity

Oneness and Diversity
John Cali & Chief Joseph

As many of you know, I live in Wyoming in the northwest part of the United States. Wyoming is the home of Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the US. Dick could be the next president in a heartbeat, or the lack of one.

Most of Wyoming today is generally a conservative cowboy state. A place where the early American frontier values of freedom and independence live on. It’s a state where whoever is running on the Republican ticket for president is a surefire winner.

And yet it’s a state of great diversity, in its people and its landscape. In the last election for governor, Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, won the office.

Dick and Lynne Cheney’s daughter, Mary, along with her parents, has publicly acknowledged she is gay.

Wyoming is a place where people of diverse and differing opinions and lifestyles can coexist peacefully. Wyoming people, while usually steadfast in their beliefs and values, are generally willing to allow others of different beliefs and lifestyles to live peacefully.

There certainly are exceptions to that. People are people, and sometimes they have less than peaceful differences with each other. A shocking and horrible example of that was the brutal October 1998 murder in Laramie of Matthew Shepard, a gentle young man who happened to be gay.

But that is the exception in this place that was the first of the United States to give its women the right to vote, in 1869. In 1925, Wyoming’s Nellie Ross became the United States’ first elected woman governor. The legendary frontiersman, Buffalo Bill Cody, who founded the town I live in, was an early and outspoken advocate of women’s rights and justice for Native Americans.

Wyoming is justly known as the “Equality State.” In many ways, it’s a perfect place to live, at least for folks like me who love peace, quiet, friendly people, big blue skies, and vast wide-open spaces. It’s a place that knows how to embrace all, those who agree, and those who disagree. And to somehow accept the sameness and the diversity, and live in peace.

A magnificent example, I think, for the rest of the world. Especially for America, now so bitterly divided after a bitter presidential election and its equally bitter aftermath. It’s time to heal the wounds and work together. And to realize in our diversity, we are also one.

In this newsletter we don’t often re-publish past newsletters. But we’re going to do it this week. Many of you are new to us and probably haven’t seen this old information anyway.

Joseph, a long time ago, said this:

“You came to this planet at this time to experience diversity, not oneness. And in that diversity you will all find joy, once you allow the diversity to be okay. Once you allow yourself, and all others, to be okay just exactly where you all are right now.”

My response to Joseph’s comment:

“Joseph was not saying we, as a human race, are not one. We are, in fact, one with all of life, with all that is. But within that oneness, there is diversity. And that is as it should be. Sameness is not the same thing as oneness. Even within the oneness of nature, there is always diversity. No two snowflakes are identical. Each is unique and special, one of a kind. And yet all are snowflakes.”

Joseph continued:

“. . . you live in a Universe so vast you cannot even begin to get your arms around it, if you will, with your human minds. And yet each of you, individually and in human form, have all the vastness, power, and glory the entire Universe does. Each of you is a mini-universe, so to speak. A mini-universe with all the energy of the larger Universe. Each of you are worlds, universes unto yourselves.

“So let us begin this discussion today with that premise, and that promise. We promise you this: You are far grander and more powerful than you have ever imagined.

“We like to use the term ‘All That Is.’ There are many other, perfectly acceptable, terms you may prefer to use. For example, God, Goddess, Great Spirit, Christ, Allah, Jehovah, and so on. All these terms represent that universal energy that permeates and empowers and energizes all creation, all that is.

“So, within this vast Universe you have a vast diversity. As John said . . . every snowflake is unique, diverse. And yet all are snowflakes, one. So there is no contradiction between diversity and oneness. They exist side-by-side and in perfect harmony. We would like to see you humans do the same. And you will, sooner or later.

“The oneness we speak of encompasses vast diversities. The beauty of the oneness is that it can encompass such vast diversities without any individual qualities being lost in the crowd, if you will. And that in no way diminishes the oneness, but rather enhances it.

“Part of the diversity is that all of you in human form exist simultaneously in spirit form. Linear time does not exist in the realms of spirit. So you are, at one and the same ‘time,’ physical and nonphysical. It has always been so, and always will be. It is the way the Universe is established.

“Now, given that, it is to be expected that some individuals (physical and/or nonphysical) will be able to access more or less of the oneness of All That Is than others. It all depends on where, in his or her evolution and growth, the human or spirit is.

“There is no judgement here, no higher or lower, no superior or inferior. It’s purely a matter of where each being is in her/his growth cycle. And it’s always a never-ending cycle, whether the being is focused primarily in the physical or nonphysical.

“So some of you (and by ‘you’ we mean humans and spirits alike) are able to access greater levels of awareness and energies than others.

“Let us put this into more concrete terms.

“When John first started communicating with the entity called Chief Joseph many years ago, he (John) was a real novice at this sort of thing. And he was often nervous and tense when asked to channel Chief Joseph.

“But as John became more comfortable in his own abilities and in the abilities of his spirit guides, his powers of communication (or channeling, if you prefer) became greater. And he was able to reach into, if you will, the higher aspects of this entity you and he have known as Chief Joseph. John was able to reach into what you might call the Joseph soul group. A group of spirits that comprises a very highly evolved and powerful family of teachers.

“And now, today, he has indeed become a point of focus, for this evolved group. A group which certainly includes the wise being you know as Chief Joseph, but also other beings.

“So within this group we have a vast diversity and, at the same time, a unity and oneness of purpose. The energies, the vibrations of each part of this group are harmonious with all the other parts.

“And so you have the diversities blending into the oneness. And then that oneness brings forth the teachings (reminders, really) to lead each of you in human form back to the remembering of who you truly are, gods and goddesses all.

“All is diverse, all is one, and all is All That Is. So walk confidently on the earthly paths you have chosen. And know all is well. You are loved and appreciated far more than you know.”

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