In our turbulent and conflict-ridden world, you may ask yourself: If God exists, why does God allow all of the bad and evil things to happen in the world? We learned some fascinating answers in our interview with Neale Donald Walsh, modern day spiritual messenger and NY Times Bestselling author of the Conversations with God series. In our enlightening discussion, Neale shared his wisdom about the God Solution based on his latest book, The God Solution: The Power of Pure Love. According to Neale, b...
In our turbulent and conflict-ridden world, you may ask yourself: If God exists, why does God allow all of the bad and evil things to happen in the world? We learned some fascinating answers in our interview with Neale Donald Walsh, modern day spiritual messenger and NY Times Bestselling author of the Conversations with God series. In our enlightening discussion, Neale shared his wisdom about the God Solution based on his latest book, The God Solution: The Power of Pure Love. According to Neale, by re-envisioning God as a God of Pure Love, your life can change instantly. Here’s what we learned:
*God is Pure Love. Many religious/spiritual traditions talk about God as love. Yet, in a deeper sense, God is Pure Love, or unconditional love. Known by different terms—Bhakti (devotion), Karuna (compassion), or Agape (unconditional love), this Pure Love is constantly expressed by God, and is always within us since we were created in the image of God. God simply loves to create, and God wants to empower all sentient beings to create what they wish to experience. This type of Pure Love is one with no strings attached. Just like we love our small child, no matter what, God loves us in the same way. Although we make mistakes and act human, God understands that and still loves us. With this knowledge, you can stop beating yourself up for mistakes and regrets—recognizing that you are a special child of divinity who is made up of Pure Love.
*Forgiveness is not necessary at the highest level. At a certain beginner’s level of spiritual development, forgiveness can be useful. Someone close to you is hurt by your actions, and they feel better when you say, “I’m sorry.” Yet, at a higher spiritual level, forgiveness is not necessary. If someone hurts you emotionally or physically (they said a cruel thing), they may hurt your ego, but they cannot hurt your soul or spirit. Similarly, if you engaged in a self-destructive habit or addiction, you may have hurt your mental, emotional, or physical state, but you can never hurt your everlasting spirit or soul. What you need at this point is understanding—a deep knowledge of how you are hurting yourself so you can stop doing it and take better care of yourself. Once you fully understand yourself and others, you don’t need to forgive or be forgiven. It’s like a grandpa who is at the dinner table about to eat a delicious piece of apple pie made by mom. The 4-year-old is so eager to give grandpa a piece of her pie that she accidentally spills milk on grandpa. Grandpa doesn’t need to forgive the four year-old because he understands that she acted like a four-year-old. He would only comfort her when she cried. In the same way we can comfort those who act like immature children because they don’t know any better. Our understanding leads to empathy—putting ourselves in their shoes—and to Pure Love.
*Every act is an act of love, even bad and evil actions. People do everything for love, even bad and self-destructive acts based on misguided love. A car thief loves a car so much that he will try to steal it, even though he knows doing so could cost his freedom. A drug addict loves the feeling they receive when they partake in their addiction. The key to joy and happiness is to redirect your love to the Higher Nature (God, spirit) so that your life will be filled with Pure Love (unconditional). Every day, strive to build up your reservoir of Pure Love. Read spiritual materials, listen to self-help podcasts or videos, practice meditation, and engage in acts of Loving Kindness: smile at others, listen empathetically, and help those who are needy, disadvantaged, or lonely. When you extend loving energy without expectation on a daily basis, you build up a habit of Pure Love. With Pure Love in your mind and heart, you cannot be hurt by the actions of others or by the random events of the world. You simply overflow with a positive and benevolent energy that only wants to give, love, serve, and grow. You can never lose when you live from the mind of Pure Love.
*Always ask yourself: How would God respond? When you face obstacles and challenges in the world, you may be tempted to react with fear, sadness, regret, or anger. Someone cuts you off on the road, and you feel like exploding with anger. At this moment, you need to ask yourself how God would react here. Since God is Pure Love, God would understand and empathize with the inconsiderate driver. Perhaps, they are rushing to the hospital to see their dying elderly parent or injured child, and that is why they are driving that way. Or, maybe they’re just having a bad day and can’t help themselves from driving this way. When you start to see people from their point of view, and treat them as they would like to be treated, suddenly your world changes. You now feel connected and united to others as division and conflicts fall away. You realize that others are just like you—they fear, they hope; they get angry, they love; they live; they die; they grow and they learn. Since you see yourself in others, you will no longer feel a need to fight, envy, or hate. If you love yourself, you love others; if you love others, you love yourself. Since God can only respond with Pure Love, and you are an individualized aspect of God, the Creator, then you can only respond with Pure Love. Always remember that Pure Love is your solution to all that ails you and the world.
When Neale was facing a quintuple bypass heart surgery and was being wheeled into the surgery room, he had only one thought: “Either way, it’s OK.” If he lived, he would be happy; if he died, he would be with God. In this moment of realization, he understood the power of God’s Pure Love. As a result, he was inspired to write a new book to spread his message of healing and inspiration to others who are also facing pain, uncertainty, and suffering.
Neale leaves us with four powerful questions you should ask yourself every day:
- Who am I? Think about how you define your nature, your core essence. Is it Pure Love, or is it something else (envy, fear, regret, or anger)?
- Where am I? Consider where you are in life right now: in your job, relationship, living environment, and lifestyle. Maybe you feel stuck in a bad career or marriage. Perhaps you’re unhappy with your lifestyle or health habits. Or, you’re not satisfied with your spiritual or philosophical practice. Take an inventory of yourself and your life today.
- Why am I here? Think about all of the actions you took that lead you to where you are now. Perhaps, you didn’t listen to your gut instinct about that relationship, career, or financial choice. You knew better but you still fell for that bad habit, self-defeating action, or unhealthy relationship.
- What do I intend to do about this? Think of your options to change your life. Maybe you will get marriage counseling; leave a bad career, start a business, or travel; begin a new spiritual practice; give more to others and extend loving energy to the world; say goodbye to toxic people and find those who harmonize with your authentic nature. In your plan to transform your life, think of ways you can align yourself with the Pure Love and creativity of God so you can fulfill your greatest potential as a happy and productive human being.
Live with Pure Love today, and you will manifest the power of God in your heart and soul. Despite any obstacles and problems you may face, everything in your life will be brighter and more joyful. Enjoy.
