On a planetary level, Eros is the cosmic attractor that acts as an omnipresent connector of all things, large and small. On a personal level, it is the archetypal energy of loving connection that is inherent in all beings and represents loving-kindness through interrelationship and appreciation. Love and beauty are not ethereal qualities. They are essential presences that can resolve the problems we have created. This is inner grace.


Conscious activism is activism from the heart. It is composed of loving-kindness and requires nothing in return. If we love something, we want to help it thrive: redwood trees, rivers, and everyone’s children. As our capacity for love appreciates, our world grows larger. As our connection with the living planet deepens, so does the place in our hearts from which we experience joy.
I may disagree with someone’s actions or be disgusted by them, but it is not helpful to detest the person. I clearly remember when, through ignorance, I was disrespectful of life’s beauty. So it’s not necessary or helpful to my cause when I create an enemy out of someone with whom I disagree. We humans are one family and have all participated in creating our current circumstance. Just putting aside fear and hatred is a revolutionary behavior that can change the world. Thich Nhat Hanh says, ”You don’t need the other side to make peace. You can make peace by yourself.” Actions are more effective when they stem from compassion than from resentment.
It is necessary to confront social injustice and ecological degradation with opposition—yet other approaches are also needed. Let’s stop the destruction, and just as important, let’s envision the actions needed for a healthier future. Activism without this vision could more accurately be called reactivism. To continually struggle against enemies traps us in their drama. Opposition often adds more juice to the entrenched system I am attempting to improve. To use the strategies of those I hope to change puts me in danger of becoming what I loathe.