In our world of duality, we strive for balance. Day cannot come without night and light cannot come without dark. This is a truth that we live every day. But in our modern world, there are many other distinctions that rely on one another for balance: good and evil, joy and sorrow, generosity and greed, humility and pride, love and hate.

Regardless of culture, language or location, love and hate are often a topic of discussion. One Google search on ‘love and hate’ brings up over 700 million results. From psychology to song lyrics to relationship advice from far and wide, many have a lot to bring to the table. But every person approaches situations and experiences from their own perspective. And in getting tied up in our own thoughts, we often lose sight of the viewpoints of others involved.

We’d all like to believe that love is the most powerful force. But hate actually holds more power. So how do you turn a hateful situation or experience into a loving one? Go through the negative to reach the positive. Use hate as a gateway to reach love. Unfortunately, while doing so, a lot of people get stuck in the hate. They can’t see past their emotions to flip the switch to love. But if you have the skill to use hate as a gateway, it’s a very powerful shortcut.

To do so, recall a situation or place a picture of a person that brings up feelings of hatred in front of you while meditating. Allow yourself to feel. Allow your emotions to flow. Can you see the person or situation from a new perspective? Can you picture the situation from a different viewpoint? Little-by-little, allow yourself to move beyond the hate, so you can eventually reach the love.

After you expend all of your hate, an emptiness remains. What’s missing? Of course, it’s love. There cannot be hate without an underlying layer of love. And when you discover that love is the missing link, you suddenly fill in those empty holes and become whole once more.

The messages you send into the world are what you attract to yourself. Always find the positive. Look at a situation from a new lens. Use hate to reach love and keep this internal feeling of good in your Heart—always.

Connect to more messages of love: Words of Wisdom: Love and Hate