Human beings are a combination of an intangible soul/consciousness and a physical body, which when brought together creates a human being.
The story of Adam and Eve is one of the most cryptic in the Torah. Commenting on Genesis 3:21, the Zohar states that The Infinite Creator clothed the first human beings not in garments of skin (עור), but in garments of “light” (אור). Only after Adam and Eve “sinned” by transgressing the word of Hashem was their אור lowered into the physical world, into בגדי עור (garments of skin). This allowed them to be conscious, and to conceptualize the existence of an Infinite Creator and everything that comes along with this realization.
Today’s society places immense value on the physical world. We are conditioned to look outside of ourselves to seek meaning and validation. What is the latest fashion trend? What are people saying on social media? How many likes does my post have? If my physical appearance improves, will people like me more? This flow of validation and meaning flows from the external to the internal, and is ultimately fleeting. (Ecclesiastes 1:14)
The physical is extremely important, but what makes us human is that we are able to think and feel in a manner much greater than basic animal instinct. Being One with yourself requires one to understand that external factors ideally don’t dictate our actions, but rather being conscious in the moment and acting upon one’s inner values is a path that leads to happiness.