Breaking free from the cycle of violence

Breaking the cycle of Violence

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When seeking power, humans tend to either position themselves as victims or victimize others. In fact, the second is a consequence of the first. Once we allow self-pity, we’ll swiftly shift the blame, accuse, or attack someone else—with no repercussions! This tactic swiftly resolves internal turmoil, temporarily erasing feelings of shame, guilt, or anxiety. Essentially, it serves its purpose, at least temporarily.

By reading today’s news, we see that the pattern remains largely unchanged throughout history. This behaviour of scapegoating and creating victims seems ingrained in our human nature. Despite technological advancements, the underlying theme remains unchanged. It’s a reminder of the dark side of human behaviour that has persisted over time. 

The progression of human behaviour often follows a predictable pattern: comparison, imitation, competition, conflict, conspiracy, condemnation, and ultimately, destruction. Recognizing and breaking this cycle early on is essential. This is why spiritual guides emphasize a simple lifestyle and detachment from the competitive power struggle as the key to breaking free from the cycle of violence.

Scapegoating relies on a complex yet easily grasped skill of compartmentalization, the act of dividing the world into categories of purity and impurity. This process is fundamental in the origin of all religious beliefs, where the concept of impurity is established. As a result, a comprehensive moral framework emerges, complete with restrictions, consequences, anxieties, and a governing body to uphold it. This structured system provides a sense of authority and distinction, fulfilling the desires of the ego and the individual self.

Only individuals who have transcended their wounded ego and relinquished the desire for absolute control over every outcome can recognize fear for the deceitful illusion it truly is. Authentic spirituality attempts to liberate people from the captivity of their fragile selves, guiding them towards a broader sense of identity often referred to as the True Self or the Authentic Self. A genuine and wholesome spiritual path, exemplified by the teachings of Jesus, reassures us of a trustworthy presence we can rely on. 

Jesus came to uncover and address the core issue of human nature - the inclination towards fear and hatred. Love represents the enlightened path that defies logic and breaks this cycle. Embracing love requires effort, acceptance, and enjoyment; it all begins with acknowledging our innate capacity for fear and hate. It’s important to note that negativity draws us in quickly, whereas love is a gradual process that demands practice and patience to truly immerse ourselves in its essence. 

Weakness

 “Our power will go on and strengthen when we acknowledge we feel intimidated, insecure, and vulnerable.” 

This is a timeless invocation. Indeed, it helps define fragility, in metaphysical terms, as any pattern of heart or mind that prevents us from perceiving events accurately with our full capacity to feel. This is the lack of knowledge that regularly keeps us from seeing the Oneness, Compassion, and Truth.

All of us make mistakes. We are all fragile. We are all victims of a hundred emotions and misjudgments. But these things empower us, not weaken us, when we are willing to examine them openly. In fact, it is not the fabric of our human nature that harms us, but our refusal to recognize who we are and so to accept our limitations.

At the root of it all, this weakness, in its different forms, is the source of most cruelty. It is during those times when we assume we understand so clearly that we damage things that are irreplaceable, not even recognizing they were priceless.

I am humbled to recognize that after damaging many things in my life, the only difference I notice in the world between being strong or being meek is the honesty with which we face ourselves, respect ourselves, and reveal ourselves, weaknesses and all.        

By Frantisek Strouhal and Chantal Robert

Prose from INSPIRATIONS: Art Embracing Awareness2

Cover Image © Anna Shevchuk