Love Cures

"There is no medicine to cure hatred." - Ashanti

Hatred is symptomatic of a turning away from Life. It is fueled by a belief in separation from others, and an irrational expectation of redemption. Instead of generating redemption, hatred emotionally severs the relationship with Spirit, like unplugging an electrical cord that generates powerful, continuously flowing energy. The stale sparks of hatred cause the holder to burn and self-destruct as he attempts to burn others. But my thoughts and behaviors can be complicit in this drama. When I turn my attention to those who hate, I inadvertently give them power.

A friend called me a few years ago hysterically laughing at the irony of a TV report of a demonstration held during a KKK rally. While men dressed in white robes and hoods rallied against a list of groups of people they hated, another small group held placards that read, "We love you anyway," "Don't be afraid,"and "Your parents did the best they could for you." My friend also reported that after a few minutes, the hooded men disbanded, failing to get the negative attention they craved.

Each person who hates has a history, a series of life experiences that create a perfect storm for hatred. Anyone can become a suspect. Eric Hoffer, in his book entitled The True Believer, traces the development of mass movements, and the emotional, political and economic factors that contribute to bigotry and hatred. Pascal wrote,"The embarassment wherein [a person] finds himself produces in him the most unjust and criminal passions imaginable, for he conceives a moral hatred against that truth which blames him and convinces him of his faults." Hatred is at the core self-hatred, and a disconnection from who we really are.

When we allow ourselves to separate from others, to establish an "us vs. them" mentality, we have begun to emotionally separate ourselves from our relationship with Spirit. I remind myself that all human beings are spiritual beings, and that we are inextricably connected spirits. Just because a human being or like-minded group gathers to justify their illusion of separateness, does not make it a spiritual reality. But if enough people focus their thoughts on some person or group they hate, the power of that collective thinking, even in its perceived disconnection from spirit, can cause sometimes unimaginable cruelty and destruction. But know that the impact of that cruelty and destruction is not only felt by the receiver, but also by the giver. One cannot give what one does not already have. Those who hate others overcompensate for their self-hatred, diminished sense of self-worth and learned helplessness.

Spirit does not recognize these foibles, but rather knows the goodness of us all, and attends lovingly to us in spite of the damage that we may do to ourselves and others. Lifting us from the depression of our lives, Spirit holds us in the light and sees us as who we really are. Spirit is the model of who we can be with others - unwavering in our determination to think thoughts that feel good; holding others in a light that envisions their recovery from shame and pain; demonstrating that abundance is overflowing; and believing that broken hearts are healed and cries for help are answered with a simple question. Who am I being right now?I know for sure that I need not demand that someone suffer because I hurt, or die because I am afraid to live fully, or agree with me because my ideas are the only truth. I can be secure in knowing that everything always works out for us, if we allow joy to replace any vestige of hatred in our lives. Love is the cure.