Is Revenge Really Sweet?
We have all had that experience when somebody who has hurt us or betrayed us has a serious challenge come into their lives. If we are honest with ourselves there is that moment when we are happy this has happened. This is where the statement, “Revenge is so very sweet,” comes from.
But in the long run, is it really? Our egos do love payback, but payback closes our hearts. And believe me, of all the things you long for in life – a different mate, more money, an exciting job, a skinnier body, amazing meditations – the thing you most deeply long for is to live from an open heart.
To see how revenge not only doesn’t work but also closes our hearts, look at what is happening with Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon. Yes, what Hamas did on October 7, 2023, was absolutely atrocious but if you widen the picture, you will see it came out of eons of the kind of mind that rules many men in the Middle East, no matter what their country or their religion.
This kind of mind sees people as other and decides I am right, and you are wrong. I am better than you because of my beliefs, and my religion. And because you shoot, bomb, and massacre me, that gives me the right to do it to you in return.
It is a never-ending game of revenge like a tennis ball hit back and forth over the net. When is it going to end?
We are used to seeing the world from the kind of lens that separates and judges, that sees the other as other. But humanity can no longer afford this view. It hurts, it separates, and it feeds judgment, anger, and revenge.
Why am I writing this? Because you can make a difference. You may not be able to shift the endless wars happening in the Middle East, but you can, for all the children coming after us, be alert to even small amounts of revenge as they show up inside of you and instead of giving it energy, simply let it pass right on through you. You can also watch for times when you fall into the belief that I am better than you because ………….. and fill in the blank.
Even a few moments during your day when you catch your mind seeing others in this way can make a difference. What do I mean by that? I invite you to move your hand around in front of you and feel you are moving the ocean of air that you live in, that all human beings share.
We also share a collective mind, an ocean so to speak. And just like quantum physics says that the movement of a butterfly’s wing is felt within this entire web of being, the same is true for our thoughts.
As you learn to see that the people you react to in your daily life are just like you, and you learn how to respond rather than react, our world, one person at a time, will be healed. Rather than putting them out of your heart, you realize they are a fellow human being who is, in so many ways, just like you. They have hopes and dreams. They have been hurt, rejected, and betrayed. They also get lost in fear, self-judgement, and at times, feel deep despair.
What would our world look like if we saw our differences are so small when compared to what we have in common? Have the courage to see we are all in this together no matter the color of our skin, our religion, our sexual orientation, or our political beliefs. See that we all have the right to our beliefs, our religion, and that our basic needs are easily attainable, including safety.
We all live on a tiny blue-green jewel of a planet, and it is time that humanity grows up before we destroy ourselves.
If this blog resonated with you and want to explore more of my work, I invite you to listen to my upcoming radio show on Dreamvisions 7 Radio: The Second Key to a Joy Filled Life, It will air on Thursday, October 17th and 24th at 5am and 5pm HERE. After the 24th, it will be available on demand, along with every other radio show I’ve ever done HERE. Please feel free to explore my catalog and listen to topics that call to you.
Offerings:
Thank you for another excellent call! I’m excited to announce the details for the next one: Does Pain have to be so Painful? We will be meeting on Tuesday, December 3rd at 5:30 pm PST for an hour and a half. We will continue to meet every two months, so keep an eye out for future events!
We all experience pain. And we all experience all levels of pain – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
But we are living in an exciting time where we are changing our relationship to pain. Join Mary in exploring how, rather than resisting the pains in your life, you can befriend them so that you receive the gifts that always come with them.
Don’t forget if you can’t make it on the day, you can still participate by sending your questions and enjoying the recording after the call at your convenience. I hope to see you there!
Click HERE to learn more and register!