In the Garden of Spirituality – Wendy Benning Swanson

“We are not on earth to guard a museum,
but to cultivate a flowering garden of life.”

– Pope John XXIII

The Wild Reed’s series of reflections on religion and spirituality continues with an article by Wendy Benning Swanson, first published in the August-September 2025 issue of The Edge magazine. The focus of this article is on unity, “the sacred thread that connects us all.”

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Unity is the sacred recognition that we are all connected. In a world that often encourages separation and individualism, unity is not only radical; it is deeply healing. It reminds us of a truth that our souls have always known: we belong to each other.

This sense of connection isn’t just a comforting thought – it’s a principle found at the heart of many ancient traditions. In the Hermetic teachings, there is a guiding truth: As above, so below; as within, so without. This principle reveals that everything is interconnected, and what happens in one part of the whole affects the rest. When we understand this, we begin to see others not as separate from us, but as extensions of the same divine source. Their healing is our healing. Their peace is our peace.

The journey to unity begins within. So many of us have experienced moments where we felt disconnected or even unsafe in the world – emotionally, spiritually, or energetically. True unity cannot be forced or faked; it arises naturally when we cultivate a sense of safety inside ourselves. When we feel grounded, seen, and whole within, we are no longer threatened by difference or driven by fear. We become capable of deep connection.

One of the most powerful shifts I’ve experienced came when I began to study ancient teachings that emphasized self-mastery. These teachings, rooted in the Hermetic tradition, offer tools not just for understanding the world, but for transforming my inner landscape. The more I work with these principles, the more I begin to release the patterns that keep me in judgment, comparison, or isolation. I discover a deeper version of myself – one that is capable of trust, compassion, and unity.

Even more beautiful is how this inner work translates into my relationships. I found myself part of a global spiritual community where I feel truly connected. Whether gathering for classes, warrior training, or professional development, there is an unmistakable feeling of unity. It isn’t about knowing everyone’s life story. It is about recognizing the shared commitment to becoming more loving, more conscious, and more true to who we really are.

What surprises me most is how safe I feel among people I have just met. There is a silent understanding: we are all walking this path together. And because we each do the inner work to take responsibility for our own thoughts and emotions, there’s less drama, less projection. There’s space for authenticity. And that creates a profound sense of peace.

This, to me, is a glimpse of what a harmonious world could look like. Some might call it a vision of Shamballah – a world where peace, respect, and unity are not ideals, but realities we live every day. In such a world, we honor each other not in spite of our differences, but because of them. We see beyond the surface and recognize the soul within.

Unity doesn’t require us to be perfect. It asks us to be present. To be courageous enough to look within, soften the walls we’ve built, and remember that we are part of something greater.

When we live from unity, everything shifts. We make choices that serve the whole. We speak with more kindness. We listen with more heart. And slowly, the world begins to reflect back that same harmony.

Unity isn’t a destination – it’s a way of being. And when we align with unity, we don’t just change ourselves. We help heal the world.

– Wendy Benning Swanson
The Edge
August-September 2025

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• A Call for Unity Through the Divine Fire Within
• Forever Oneness
• The Most Sacred and Simple Mystery of All
• The Source Is Within You
• Honoring the Inner Light of the Soul
• In the Midst of the “Great Unraveling,” a Visit to the Prayer Tree
• “Everything Is Saturated With the Sacred”
• Aligning With the Living Light
• Mystical Participation
• Going Deeper to Change Everything
• Jesus: The Revelation of Oneness
• The Mystic Jesus: “A Name for the Unalterable Love That All of Us Share”

Others highlighted in The Wild Reed’s “In the Garden of Spirituality” series include:
Zainab Salbi | Daniel Helminiak | Rod Cameron | Paul Collins | Joan Chittister | Toby Johnson | Joan Timmerman (Part I) | Joan Timmerman (Part II) | Uta Ranke-Heinemann | Caroline Jones | Ron Rolheiser | James C. Howell | Paul Coelho | Doris Lessing | Michael Morwood | Kenneth Stokes | Dody Donnelly | Adrian Smith | Henri Nouwen | Diarmuid Ó Murchú | L. Patrick Carroll | Jesse Lava | Geoffrey Robinson | Joyce Rupp | Debbie Blue | Rosanne Cash | Elizabeth Johnson | Eckhart Tolle | James B. Nelson | Jeanette Blonigen Clancy | Mark Hathaway (Part I) | Mark Hathaway (Part II) | Parker Palmer | Karen Armstrong | Alan Lurie | Paul Wapner | Pamela Greenberg | Ilia Delio | Inayat Khan | Andrew Harvey | Kabir Helminski | Beatrice Bruteau | Richard Rohr (Part I) | Richard Rohr (Part II) | Judy Cannato | Anthony de Mello | Marianne Williamson | David Richo | Gerald May | Thomas Crum | Pema Chödrön | Peng Roden Her | Gregory L. Jantz | Mike George

Image: Michael J. Bayly.