Post 51 – The Error of Metaphors: The Wave, the Drop, and the Illusion of Dissolution

The Pitfall of Metaphors in Expressing Oneness

Throughout history, mystics, philosophers, and those who have encountered states of heightened awareness—such as near-death experiencers (NDErs)—have attempted to describe their realization of the oneness of Being. However, their descriptions often rely on metaphors that, though evocative, implicitly carry the mistaken notions of becoming and annihilation. The wave and the sea, the drop and the ocean, the river merging into the vast expanse—all these analogies are meant to illustrate unity but instead smuggle in the very illusion they seek to transcend: the assumption that individual existence is impermanent and ultimately dissolves into an undifferentiated whole.

Such metaphors reinforce a fundamental error: the belief that distinct beings, while temporarily appearing separate, must eventually lose their identity by merging into a singular, featureless existence. This misconception mirrors the nihilistic presupposition that beings are transient, that they arise and then cease to be, rather than recognizing the eternal, necessary reality of Being. In truth, the oneness of Being does not entail the negation of individual identity; rather, it reveals that each being is eternally itself while also being inseparably one with all others.

The False Assumption of Dissolution

When NDErs, mystics, and spiritual seekers glimpse the oneness of Being, they frequently report an overwhelming sense of unity—of being one with all that is. However, many immediately interpret this experience through the lens of annihilation: “I was a drop returning to the ocean.” Such interpretations, though profound in their intention, betray an underlying assumption that the self, in realizing its unity with Being, must lose itself.

This assumption stems from a framework conditioned by time and change, where things appear to arise, transform, and disappear. If one assumes that the self is transient, then unity with the whole naturally appears as a kind of vanishing. Yet, the realization of Being does not entail the loss of identity but the unveiling of its necessary, eternal nature. One does not “become” one with Being—one always is Being, distinct and yet inseparably unified.

Why Do These Metaphors Persist?

The persistence of such misleading metaphors can be traced to the limitations of language and human perception. Language itself is structured around temporal and spatial distinctions, making it ill-equipped to convey the truth of an eternal and unchanging reality. When one perceives the seamless unity of Being, conventional linguistic structures fail to accurately describe it, leading to approximations that inadvertently reinforce the very illusion of becoming that should be dispelled.

Additionally, the human mind, conditioned by the experience of change, instinctively frames reality in terms of processes. The idea that “I was once separate, and then I merged into the whole” is an artifact of this conditioning. In reality, there was never a separation to begin with—only the illusion of one imposed by temporal perception. The realization of oneness is not an event that occurs; it is the unveiling of what has always been.

A More Accurate Vision: The Vine and the Body

Instead of metaphors that imply dissolution, more fitting images convey the oneness of Being while preserving the eternal distinction of each being. The vine and the branches, as spoken by Jesus, and the body and its members, as described by Paul, are superior in this regard.

In the metaphor of the vine, the branches do not dissolve into the vine but remain distinct while inseparably connected to their source of life. Similarly, in Paul’s image of the body, each member retains its individuality while being a necessary part of the whole. These metaphors illustrate a unity that does not erase identity but instead affirms the necessary relationship between the one and the many. Just as a branch does not cease to be a branch by being part of the vine, and a hand does not lose its distinct role by belonging to the body, so too does each being remain itself within the eternal structure of Being.

These images reflect the truth that Being is both one and many, without contradiction. Each being is itself, yet it is not isolated—it necessarily exists in unity with all others, not through a process of merging or dissolution, but through an eternal and unbreakable relationship within the infinite totality of Being.

Conclusion: Moving Beyond the Illusion

The metaphors of waves, drops, and rivers may serve as poetic expressions, but they ultimately obscure the true nature of oneness. They subtly reinforce the fallacy of becoming, suggesting that unity requires the loss of self rather than the affirmation of its eternal, unchanging reality. More accurate metaphors, such as the vine and its branches or the body and its members, preserve the essential truth that unity does not entail dissolution but instead the harmonious coexistence of distinct beings within the eternal structure of Being.

To fully embrace the truth of Being, one must move beyond the illusion of separation and dissolution and see that the self is neither lost nor absorbed—it is, in its eternal necessity, both itself and inseparably one with all that is. The unfolding of this realization is not a journey toward annihilation but the recognition of what has always been.