Violence

“Violence will always be used creatively.  You cannot be destructive even when you try. Beyond that, however, in the meantime the violence that you do, you do to yourself.  You are a part of All That Is – of all the nature that you know and experience, of the world that you know, and even a part of the world that you know that you do not like.  If you rip off the wing of a fly, you are yourself less.  If you purposefully, now, or with malice, step upon an ant, then to the extent of your malice you step upon yourself all unknowing.  Violence will always be used creatively, but if you do not understand this – and at your present rate of development you do not – then any violence is violence against yourself.  This applies to each of you, for when you think in terms of violence you think in terms of malice or aggression.  Despite all man does, he cannot really work any destruction – but while he believes in destruction, then to that extent he minimizes what he is, and must work harder to use creativity.”

(Dreams, “Evolution” and Value Fulfillment Vol 2, Note 2, Class Session 3 November 1970)