Low viewpoint vantage of Aspen trees in fall against a blue sky
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“We are in trouble to the degree that we adhere to the myth of the separate self,” warns Rev. Ed Bacon, rector emeritus of All Saints Church in Pasadena. In the video below, Rev. Bacon shares a poignant example from nature that illustrates how we are not only inextricably linked, but we are part of something bigger and more sacred. Too often, we incline ourselves to think and live inwardly. However, we ought to look at ourselves as parts of a larger whole.

A clear symbol of this is the 106-acre root ball of quaking aspen in southern Utah, called Pando. Thousands of tree trunks grow from this root ball, all sharing the same DNA, making it a single organism. This 106-acre, one-tree forest, likely the largest and oldest organism on the planet, is a beautiful allegory of our human interconnectedness and challenges the myth of the separate self.

This month, we invite you to consciously live as part of a larger whole. How does this affect how you move through the world? What are your daily activities? Your interactions with others and nature? Your purchases? Or even your time alone? We invite you to start your journey toward greater awareness and connection today. Watch the video to gain a deeper understanding of our interconnectedness in this world.