Humanity cannot receive the clarity and improvement it needs in its current state of consciousness. Maybe you’ve had the experience of being locked into an ongoing argument with someone, and no matter what you say or do, nothing seems to help. That’s because the problem can’t be solved from the same vibration that caused it. The vibration must be lifted, which only love can do.

This is a key understanding for all human relationships. If someone in your life is angry at you and you react in kind, you will simply trigger more anger; nothing will be solved. But if you are not defensive and are willing to listen with love and an open mind and heart, you may be able to raise the vibration of the interchange. Once the other person has had the opportunity to be heard, maybe you can share your view of things and the other person will also be willing to listen.

This is a small-scale example of what the Hindus refer to as getting off the karmic wheel. Here’s how the karmic wheels operates: One person violates another. The other person leaps into action and does something violating in retaliation. Then the first person also feels violated and keeps it going. That’s why it’s called a wheel—it just spins. To get off the karmic wheel, one of the two must take the high road, perhaps leaving the situation or, if necessary, finding a way to contain the violator without doing harm in return.

What normally happens with those firmly fixed on the karmic wheel is that they demonize violators, who, granted, may be in the throes of highly negative energies. Maybe it’s temporary, or maybe it’s long term. Those who wish to get off the karmic wheel might ask, “What brought them into such a negative consciousness?” Understanding what’s going on it doesn’t mean that you excuse violating behavior, but you might be able to create some change that will improve the situation. It can also help you see them as human beings rather than as two-dimensional demons. People are often a complicated mix of positive and negative elements.

The United States has millions of people behind bars because the so-called justice system is based on the karmic wheel, or the Old Testament “an eye (or two) for an eye,” rather than on healing. Without it, those who committed crimes tend to continue to commit them after being released, so healing is in everyone’s best interests.

In some countries, there is more emphasis on rehabilitation, with good results, but it has not been embraced in larger countries thus far. The word rehabilitation is good but we prefer the idea of healing, which goes deeper.

No one heals without openness to it, but one might be surprised at how many in prison would respond to love. At first, they might act according to their old patterns and try to take advantage of those who are generous, but many could eventually be reached. Role models of kindness and integrity could ignite dormant knowledge of love in those whose heart has some openness.

You would probably agree with the statement that “Love is the answer.” Even some who are responsible for making laws that result in mass incarceration would agree with that in principle, but think that it wouldn’t work in the prison system. Those who do seek reform tend to run up against extreme resistance in others who are fearful.

You are also probably acquainted with the idea that the opposite of love is fear. Jesus is purported to have said, “Perfect love casts out fear.” The majority of human laws are based on fear. Many people might assert that a system based on love is naïve and would not work, but the current system is not working very well, either.

Maybe you would like to believe in the power of love in your own life, but also feel that in some instances it would not work. Another Bible quote is that “Love never fails,” and we agree. If it seems to fail, maybe the highest possible solution has not yet been found.

Acting in love is simply making choices aligned with essence that serve the well-being of others and the whole. When you are dealing with a problem, solving it requires more than love and goodwill, but that is where one must begin. Then truth comes into play, which includes a clear understanding of the contributing factors. Love cannot be separated from truth. Where there is truth, there is stability and strength. Creativity is also invaluable. One cannot overrule the free will of others, and love does not impose. But acting in love allows one to find the best possible available path forward.

Solving problems is moving from the known into the unknown. The first thing you try in the spirit of love may not work, but it isn’t that love has failed; it’s only that finding solutions is a process. If you are painting a painting, you might try one color, look at it, and see that it’s not quite right, so you try a different one. That doesn’t mean that you are a failure as an artist, only that you are not yet finished.

Fear is prevalent in humanity. Many politicians find “success” by appealing to and manipulating fear. There have been few leaders thus far who have consistently appealed to people’s inner knowledge of love. Those who have tried have often been unpracticed in how to do that effectively, whereas those who manipulate fear are often quite expert in it. As you practice making choices and solving problems from love, you get better at it. As more and more people do that, it becomes possible to elect and support leaders who also do that.

These ideas would not register in those who are dominated by fear. Our words are directed at those who have had enough experience of the power of love to be able to recognize that it is the most effective approach.

People enmeshed in fear are at first threatened by love, because their fear has convinced them that it is ensuring their survival, and that opening to love means certain death. Those who are more grounded in love might also occasionally have these feelings but can learn to wait them out and keep coming back to love so that the fear eventually dissipates. It really is true that love is stronger than fear, but most have not had the endurance in love to prove that to themselves. They may stick with love for a while but then snap back into fear out of habit when love doesn’t seem to be working.

Being steadfast in love does not mean that you are a doormat without appropriate boundaries, that you do not say no when that is the highest good, or that you lose yourself in any way. When you become more expert in living in love, you see that the opposite is true. You can actually have better boundaries in love than you can ever have in fear, because in love, you are not weak. You can bend when it is appropriate, but you do not break. Fear makes one rigid and therefore more breakable.

Love is not in a battle with anything. Love just is. Love may take a strong stand for what is right, yet this can be done without being in opposition. Even if you are standing strong in the face of those who are doing terrible things, you can have compassion for them, and at the same time not be pushed around by them. If you are acting from fear, you will have a more difficult time holding the higher ground.

Many are exhausted from the fight against negative forces. There are times when one is better off disconnecting from the news and anything else that is leaving you feeling this way. But what will ultimately allow you to regenerate is changing how you approach all of life, standing strong in love rather than fighting from fear (and its manifestations as anger, hate, resentment, etc.)

The problems facing humanity are not unsolvable, although they are challenging. If you continue to view yourself in a battle against evil, you will eventually be exhausted and may give up. That battle cannot be won; it perpetuates the karmic wheel. But if you see yourself acting from love in all situations, you will be able to be steadfast.

One can’t instantly shift from one way of being to another. It is not like flicking a switch from a fear motivation to a love motivation. It is a matter of practice, establishing better habits over time.

It begins with photographing yourself when you notice that you are living from fear. It can be subtle, so when you are able to recognize fear at work, congratulate yourself—that is an accomplishment. Then, allow your heart to open more to a love motivation. If you beat yourself up for acting from fear, you are still acting from fear.

Truly loving yourself is not narcissism, which actually springs from deep insecurity. Unconditional love is nurturing, supportive, kind, generous, peaceful, and inclusive, both to self and others. The more you love yourself, the more you can bring love into humanity.

Some believe that “If I have more love for you, I have less for myself.” There may be times when a loving person chooses to have less materially for the benefit of others, but if it comes from unconditional love, it is simply a choice based on a perception of the highest good. Those who make a habit of self-sacrifice might be misunderstanding love, because love is about the highest good for all, which does not exclude one’s own highest good. It creatively finds solutions that work for everyone, including oneself.

There is an unfortunate saying that “Nice guys finish last.” These kinds of beliefs are deeply ingrained in humanity. If you wish to live more from love, you will need to identify how these beliefs influence you, probably mostly on unconscious levels. “Nice guys” might imply people who do not have good boundaries and therefore let themselves be taken advantage of. They may be admirably kinder than those who are ruthless about getting what they want, but they may not have yet found centering in unconditional love, which again, includes oneself.

Take a moment and feel into your reservoir of beliefs. Every person has faulty beliefs about what love looks like, such as that love is impractical or that it makes you a milquetoast. You may not immediately be able to identify the beliefs you still carry, but see if you can feel them lurking there. It’s okay that you carry some. You are part of humanity; you are not separate, so of course you have some of the common beliefs carried by humanity. But if you can feel their presence and observe that they are limiting you, you can begin to stake a stronger claim over your subconscious and establish more accurate beliefs about love and yourself.

You may feel grief that the world has been so burdened by false beliefs, not only about love but about reality itself. Love the grief. When humanity finds a greater experience of love, as we believe it will, these forays into fear-based consciousness will be processed so as to allow the love to be stronger, wiser, and more sophisticated. No experience is wasted.

Ground yourself. Feel your body being permeated by love. People carry so many judgements against the body. Open to experiencing your body now as a manifestation of love.

You are perfect the way you are, and so is everyone else. It is true that some are more in their negative poles, but negative poles are the flip side of positive ones that can be unveiled once fear is released. In other words, behind negative traits are potentially beautiful and useful ones. You need not demonize the negative. Simply recognize for yourself that when you are in your positive poles, you are happier, and that is something you can choose. You no longer need to live from an “us versus them” consciousness. You can disagree with others and appreciate the value of the disagreement without needing to cross swords.

Our purpose in teaching is to facilitate a greater experience of agape, or unconditional love. It’s possible to be an activist working for change in a way that is harmonious with unconditional love, to be vocal with kindness, generosity, ingenuity, and respect for others.

April 23, 2021
Zoom East Coast Gathering
Transcribed by Susan Flow