In the cycles of human evolution, altruistic love has become the standard, progressing over the centuries from a feeling of emotional warmth toward others to the practice of unconditional love directed toward seemingly unconnected others. It is an attractive force operating according to certain timeless laws and principles, which we become more aware of and subject to as time moves on.

This transformational process is seen in the history of religions as well. When Jesus of Nazareth, recognized by his followers as “The Christ,” went beyond earlier understanding and made the heart of his teachings “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you” (Matthew 5:44), he not only expanded the consciousness of his followers, but in responding courageously to this new moral standard by putting it into action, the early believers endured three centuries of persecution and martyrdom, all for the sake of experiencing authentic relationships. Such is the attractive power of altruistic love.

Because we live in a time of social unrest, economic imbalance, political upheaval, and environmental crises, we must seriously consider the collective implication to this force of attraction. If what we collectively think is what we get back, then thinking positively and acting accordingly with our collective will would bring into existence an altruistic-based civilization; this is the power of attraction writ large.

We’ve been gradually moving toward this goal since our beginning moments on Earth. Spiritual quests and religious practice, in their purest form, are intended to be the cause of unity and love, a remedy to social ills and shortcomings.