Saint Francis urges in his famous prayer - "where there is hatred let me sow love". Wise words and I'm sure that if most of us witnessed an hateful act we would speak against it and condemn the action.We so often look outwards at the hateful acts shown by the media - war, crime, and abuse of all kinds - that we fail to see where hate is born - within. Within us all. Yesterday I was shocked to experience a flash of what I can only describe as pure hatred for someone, someone who I love and have had a relationship with. None the less in this one terrible moment I felt pure hatred for this person. My first experience of this and it was poison. The effects lingered and left me drained and angry with myself and the person. Of course we all posses the seeds of hate and of love - Buddhist say it is the seed that it most nurtured that becomes our nature. I can see what hatred would be nurtured - the ego urges justification for our resentments and forces us to look outward to the grievous harm that was dealt our way. It's powerful to feel wronged and to allow our anger to boil over into a rage. It's also harmful. The Buddha said that we are not punished for our anger but that anger itself is the punishment. The ill effects take a toll physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We are left weaker. This is why Saint Francis says where there is hatred, wherever there is hatred, we must sow the seeds of love. And this begins the only place hatred exist - within. In the very depth of hatred there still lies a seed of love. Cultivate it. Slowly, tenderly yet surely. It will bloom even in a winters rage. It's the faith of even the tiniest seed.
Peace,
Eric
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