UNDERSTANDING THE DIVINE INTERCONNECTEDNESS

4 min readAug 26, 2024

Akhil Gupta, Founder UEF

One of the most beautiful sentences I have found on interconnectedness was from my friend Garima Bahl, who wrote: “Divinity is found in the empathetic interconnectedness of our existence”. This simple sentence captures the spiritual essence of interconnectedness across all religions.

Who would imagine that a butterfly in one corner of the world can trigger a typhoon in another part? The world — and its myriad inhabitants — are interconnected by an extraordinary and mostly invisible web that spans across geography and even across time. The evolutionary scientist Charles Darwin threw light on how intimately interconnected life on Earth is in his treatise On the Origin of Species. Modern astronomy suggests that we all originate from the same dust left by the Big Bang–hence, Carl Sagan’s famous quip: “We are all star stuff.” Another great physicist, Stephen Hawking, observed that “We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain”.

Hinduism expresses interconnectedness through the concept of Brahman, the ultimate reality that pervades all existence. Each individual is seen as a wave in the ocean of Brahman, sharing the same fundamental essence. In Buddhism, the principle of dependent origination teaches that all phenomena are interconnected and arise only through interaction and relationship with one another.

In Christianity, the metaphor of the “Body of Christ” illustrates how individual believers are interconnected and essential to the well-being of the whole community. In Islam, the idea of the “Ummah,” or the global community of Muslims, reflects interconnectedness, emphasizing unity, mutual support, and collective responsibility. And Baha’i followers are urged to be united like the fingers of one hand.

Judaism also embodies interconnectedness through the principle of “Tikkun Olam,” the idea of repairing the world, which calls for actions that contribute to the well-being of the entire community and the world at large. Indigenous spiritual traditions often emphasize the interconnectedness of all life forms, viewing humans, animals, plants, and the Earth as part of a sacred whole.

The deepest significance of interconnectedness lies in its ethical and moral implications. Recognizing our interconnectedness fosters compassion, empathy, and a sense of responsibility towards others and the environment. It encourages cooperation, harmony, and the pursuit of social justice.

Insightful Quotes on Interconnectedness

Christianity

“In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

— The New Testament (Romans 12:5), Christian text

Islam

“People, We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should recognize one another.”

— The Qur’an (49:13), Islamic text

Judaism

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

— The Hebrew Bible (Provers, 27:17), Jewish text

Baha’i

“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”

— Baha’u’Ilah, Baha’i prophet

Hinduism

“Those who possess this wisdom have equal regard for all. They see the same • Self in a spiritual aspirant and an outcaste, in an elephant, a cow, and a dog. Such people have mastered life. With even mind they rest in Brahman, who is perfect and is everywhere the same.”

— The Bhagavad Gita (5:18–19), Hindu text

Buddhism

“The hand and other limbs are many and distinct, But all are one — the body to be kept and guarded. Likewise, different beings, in their joys and sorrows, Are, like me, all one in wanting happiness.”

— Shantideva, Buddhist monk