The Interconnection of All Things

All things are interconnected.

… every part of the universe is connected with every other part by ties that are very powerful and admit of no imbalance, nor any slackening whatever.[1]

When Abdu’l Baha made comments of this kind he had in mind the interconnection between the material, plant, animal and human kingdoms. The atoms that make us up transition between these worlds remaining unchanged in their essence although entirely transformed in their outward characteristics. Indeed we could not exist but for the fact that the atoms that make up our bodies were long ago manufactured in the nuclear processes of a star.

As each component atom or element in the physical organisms of existence is subject to transference through endless forms and stages, possessing virtues peculiar to those forms and stations, it is evident that all phenomena of material being are fundamentally one.[2]

Indeed even what we call “iron”, “calcium”, “oxygen” at a deeper level are made of exactly the same components – sub-atomic particles that are identical throughout known creation.

Looking to life and the human world – we also see that all life is interconnected: all belonging to a single tree of life, as illustrated in the image for this article. As this is true of life, this is also true of humanity. Thus Bahá’u’lláh uses the metaphor of a tree to give us a clearer understanding of the reality that humanity is one.

The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. … So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.[2]

Elsewhere Bahá’u’lláh uses the metaphor of the human body for the world of humanity.

Regard the world as the human body which, though at its creation whole and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes, with grave disorders and maladies.[2]

In an organic body, all things are interconnected with each other and depend on each other. We live today in a world in which the lungs make war on the heart. It is for this reason that Bahá’u’lláh calls for the unity of all people.

We see the interconnection of reality in the fundamental forces of the world.

Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms.[2]

Scientists of course use the label “gravity” – but after all it is just a label. A label for the attraction all material reality feels to be in connection with all other material reality.

At the deepest level, the oneness of reality is but a mirror of the deeper oneness of that divine world – beyond our power to truly grasp – that we call God.

Image Source: By Ivica Letunic: Iletunic. Retraced by Mariana Ruiz Villarreal: LadyofHats – The image was generated using iTOL: Interactive Tree Of Life, an online phylogenetic tree viewer and Tree Of Life resource. SVG retraced image from ITOL Tree of life.jpg[2], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3633804

(This article is the 80th in a series of what I hope will be 200 articles in 200 days for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh. The anniversary is being celebrated around the world on 21 and 22 October 2017, The articles are simply my personal reflections on Bahá’u’lláh’s life and work. Any errors or inadequacies in these articles are solely my responsibility.)