Tea with Linda - HUMANITY

Tea with Linda - HUMANITY

Linda Kavelin Popov, Co-Founder of TVP, December 2023.

People ask me, “Mama Linda, is it the end of the world?” “Is World War III

starting?” 

“How can anyone bomb civilians, babies and children, schools, and hospitals?” Even on this tiny island in the Pacific, such questions are worrying people, including the pre-teens in their Virtues Circle and the five to ten-year-olds in the Aitutaki Virtues Club. Watching the world as we know it falling apart breeds pervasive stress and anxiety that lingers in the backs of our minds. How can we combat feelings of helplessness about the fate of humanity and of our precious planet? Whatever our religious beliefs about the meaning of these disastrous conditions, how are we to respond? What can we do? As the old Bob Dylan song says, “The times, they are a’changin’.” Some believe that there is a new world waiting on the other side of the chaos -- a world of peace where all lives matter and where love conquers hate. Our global virtues family has the idealism and humanity to bring that day closer. Truthfully, we have far more influence than we know, IF we commit to being peacemakers, if we are willing to give up the love of power for the power of love. According to the ancient prophet Zoroaster, “For any human being, the purification of character is done thus…with good thoughts, good words, good deeds.” As Dan often quotes, character is destiny. It is no small task to purify and transform our own character, yet it has the power to literally change the world.

First, purify your thoughts. Reflect Jesus’s beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” The Baha’i teachings say, “When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love.”  The children in my virtues circles express anger and grief over the pain and suffering of children across the world. Together, we send waves of prayer and love to help and comfort them. Focus the power of your thoughts on peace. Visualize resolution of conflicts you have with anyone. Focus your mind on peace and healing for the world.

Secondly, purify your words, especially when you feel angry. Words can destroy or uplift, curse or bless. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1) Stop labeling people as “useless”, “dumb”, “crazy” or worse. Focus on virtues instead. Call for respect and understanding. When your beliefs or politics differ from others, build a bridge, not a wall. Don’t get furious. Get curious! “Help me to understand how you see it,” and then listen with as much detachment as you can. Agree to disagree.

Thirdly, purify your actions. Clean up feuds or unforgiven hurts. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Gandhi) This isn’t about faking “niceness” or lip service. Transform your anger into justice. There is no peace without justice. Be assertive about setting boundaries, but not aggressive by making others wrong or retaliating to hurt them.

The Virtues Project practices and strategies bring hope to a broken world. Each of us has a far-reaching ripple effect. Like tossing a stone into calm water, the ripples move out and out. Trust that your words, your actions and yes, even your thoughts have a ripple effect on the human spirit. Let your life be a prayer for humanity.