There is no such thing as a separate self.

What is a flower made of? The obvious answer is a stem, leaves, and petals – things you can easily see. But, in reality, there’s much more to it than this. 

A flower is also the soil that nurtured it, the rain that watered it, and the sun that gave it light. Even space and time are part of its existence. If you removed any of these “nonflower” elements, the flower wouldn’t exist. 

Humans are no different. Your body is made of trillions of nonhuman cells that keep you alive. In fact, you have the whole cosmos inside you, from the air you breathe and the food you eat to the education and culture that shape who you are.

And then there are your ancestors – generations of them spanning back through time. If you removed any of these elements from yourself, you simply wouldn’t be.

The key message here is: There is no such thing as a separate "self."

Human beings are not separate entities. Instead, every person is an interbeing – a combination of elements drawn from sources that exist across time and space.

Children showcase this interbeing clearly. A child won’t just look like her parents; she’ll speak and act like them, too. Similarly, if you look at her parents, you’ll find traces of the child. So, neither the child nor her parents are a separate “self.” They are too deeply connected to exist independently.

It’s not only our genes that make us interbeings. In fact, it doesn’t even require personal contact. Just look at Zen master and author Thich Nhat Hanh. He doesn’t have genetic children, but if you observe his students, you’ll see that they move and speak like him. Even students who have only read his books embody traces of him.

If you visualize your ancestors or the presence of your teachers while you go about your daily activities, you can connect to all existence. Reminding yourself that you’re not alone can be a great comfort, no matter what you’re going through.

So whether you’re washing the dishes, working on a project, or practicing a skill, you have an opportunity to acknowledge that you are part of the living, breathing cell we call the world. And not only that – the world is part of you, too.