I completely agree with Astrid Lundberg.
I find it profoundly inspiring to be part of this immensely rich and beautiful web of life, and this seamless unfolding Universe.
I am a local and temporary expression of this living planet and the Universe.
Everything here – any state, experience, choice – has infinite causes stretching back to the beginning of time (if there is a beginning) and the widest extent of existence (if there is a widest extent).
In the words of Carl Sagan, I am the local eyes, ears, thoughts, and feelings of the Universe. I am the Universe bringing itself into consciousness.
It wakes in me a profound sense of belonging, of being part of this immense whole.
I am a part of the evolution and unfolding of it all. What happens here is a part of the continued evolutionary unfolding of the Universe. My life changes the course of this unfolding, as does all life and everything that is.
To imagine myself as separate seems uninspiring, claustrophobic, and it leads to a lot of other consequences. For instance, it means I may try to find meaning or significance by imagining that I am somehow – magically – “better” than the rest of the web of life. Or that it’s here primarily as a “resource” for me. Or that some imaginary sky god has given me a special position. That’s both weird and depressing.