The supreme motivating force in creation is Love. It is the only truly transformative power. Hatred and force, however ably exerted, can never effect a lasting change of the heart.
So, if we wish to change ourselves, doesn’t it follow that this change must be made through the power of Love, rather than anything negative? I would think that if we truly loved ourselves, and made this a characteristic of our internal life, we would begin naturally to avoid the things that cause our soul harm, since it is only when we do not care about a thing that we are able to engage in an activity harmful to it.
In fact, I think even our intolerance of others is born of our intolerance for our self, since if we were always caring, forgiving, nurturing, supporting, that would become the natural tenor of our lives, and would pervade the spirit of all of our doings – especially toward that being we’re most constantly in association with: our own soul.
Anyway, that’s just a thought that came to me. And it was such a warming, door-opening, thought, that I wanted to share it with you. Learning how to truly love seems to be the great task of this life: to love in a way that embraces all creation, in every form. And so it occurred to me that my own self falls under that banner, and that I sometimes treat the world one way, and my self very differently. But wouldn’t it make sense that the spiritual path is One Path, and not one way for one person, and another way for everyone else? It is all love and kindness and goodness. All!