There is only cosmic consciousness. We, as well as all other living organisms, are but dissociated alters of cosmic consciousness, surrounded by its thoughts. The inanimate world we see around us is the extrinsic appearance of these thoughts.
An oxygen and two hydrogen atoms combine to form a water molecule: they become intrinsically altered in the process of forming covalent bonds with one another, but continue nonetheless to exist in the resulting molecule.
I submit that cosmic dissociation happens precisely at the level of living beings with unitary consciousness, such as you and me. You and I are alters of cosmic consciousness.