The Organismic Principle is a concept proposed by Antonio Mercurio (its roots can also be found in philosophy and in the new science), which essentially states that the entire Universe is one great organism, and within this great organism there are many different other organisms of varying size and importance; all together they form an interdependent Whole.

This is true of the largest galaxy and of the smallest of the organisms that we are aware of; everything is a part of everything else; every part, no matter how small, has intrinsic value, and also influences the rest of the organism as well. 

If we consider the human body, for example, the liver is one organ and the brain is another one; they each have their own specific function and role, which are very different from each other. However, both of them are fundamental to the proper functioning of the entire organism, which is the human being.

The same is also true of groups of people. Within groups of people, from the smallest group of two to the largest groups that comprise our nations, races, genders etc., each individual is unique and very different from the others, but each one has their own place within the group as a whole.

Within the family, for example, this can be particularly clear – and it can also be very clear how difficult it is to honor our differences and help each individual find their correct place, where they can express themselves and contribute to the good of the whole in a way that is nurturing for them.

Often our biggest challenge as individuals is to first understand ourselves, our unique gifts and also our unique way of being in the world (which often means learning how to take good care of ourselves as individuals, rather than necessarily following the ways that others do things).

The Organismic Principle can help us see how each one of us is absolutely precious to the whole organism of life, and can therefore also help us move through the process of de-conditioning and self-discovery that is necessary to get in touch with our Personal SELVES with confidence that what we are doing benefits not only ourselves, but other people, and all of Life as well. As we discover our uniqueness and value, and learn to express it in ways that are loving and life-giving to ourselves and others, not only does our individual organism benefit, but so do all the other “organisms” that we are a part of

It is up to us to decide whether to be a healthy, thriving cell within our families, communities, and the human organism itself, and if we are struggling, it is our choice, too, whether to get the help and support we need to heal, or to remain in our isolation and illness. Just like one cell in our bodies can “choose” to become cancerous, and eventually take down the whole organism, we, too, can choose to either negatively or positively affect our own lives and the lives of those around us.

This is not to make us feel guilty and ashamed for our struggles; to the contrary, often times we are born into family “organisms” that are not thriving themselves and therefore are not capable of transmitting this wisdom to their children. When this is the case, however, we can reach out around us, to find the help, information, support and love that we need to learn these new ways of thinking, being and living.

Every new decision we make to heal our wounds and transform our stories and our lives creates ripple effects all around us, that not only carry us forward in our new path, but deeply touches those we come into contact with.