How can we increase our love and understanding for seemingly "evil" people/groups?

[Kyle Gjerseth]

I'd like to know if there are any concrete steps one can take to be more loving if they understand some of the spiritual concepts but are still struggling. I'm curious about this because I'm a firm believer in the difference model and what Leo had to say in his "Why People Seem Crazy" episode, especially when he said there isn't any superior viewpoint because we are all constructing our own reality. This being said however, I've had several drugs addict "friends" who have died because somebody wanted to make more money and so cut their substances with fentanyl. I recently read online "Deaths involving other synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) continued to rise with more than 36,359 overdose deaths reported in 2019." I want to be compassionate towards these people because I too act in manipulative ways to make more money but I don't believe I'm causing physical harm much less the mass suffering of people's friends and families.  This makes me feel superior to those individuals and of course fentanyl is but one example out of probably thousands, but with this specifically I feel a strong condescending attitude and a lot of hatred. I desire compassion and understanding but as I've been learning to love other aspects of reality that I'm not exactly pleased with, this particular resentment has remained in my heart and I believe it is holding me back from reaching my full potential, and therefore, perhaps will block me from helping other people reach their full potential as well (I want to be a therapist). Again, I want to know what can be done about these thoughts that I see myself, and a lot of other people having.

Does anyone have ideas about this?

[Mason Riggle]

 

[Mason Riggle]

The key to 'forgiveness' is to understand that everyone is in the same position that you are, which is that there is no 'you' controlling you.  You just 'are how you are'.  

A volcano is how it is.. we can understand the dangers of a volcano without hating the volcano, because we know that volcanos don't choose to be how they are. 

People are how they are.. we can understand the dangers of people without hating them, because we know that people don't choose to be how they are... they just are how they are. 

[Kyle Gjerseth]

8 hours ago, Mason Riggle said:

The key to 'forgiveness' is to understand that everyone is in the same position that you are, which is that there is no 'you' controlling you.  You just 'are how you are'.  

A volcano is how it is.. we can understand the dangers of a volcano without hating the volcano, because we know that volcanos don't choose to be how they are. 

People are how they are.. we can understand the dangers of people without hating them, because we know that people don't choose to be how they are... they just are how they are. 

Wow that really helps, good analogy! I think I forgot about the no self aspect for a bit there. Thank you!

[Leo Gura]

You have to become conscious that you are all humans at once.

It's not about realizing you are analogous to a drug cutter. It's about realizing that drug cutters are your own mind. It's not an analogy, it's an identity. Drug cutters are you. Hitler is you.

[Kyle Gjerseth]

12 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

You have to become conscious that you are all humans at once.

It's not about realizing you are analogous to a drug cutter. It's about realizing that drug cutters are your own mind. It's not an analogy, it's an identity. Drug cutters are you. Hitler is you.

I appreciate you Leo but honestly I think that's a bit advanced for me right now. Would you say it's possible that as an addict this sort of non-dual way of thinking could be too advanced for somebody in my mental state? I started watching your videos in 8th grade but was just mentally masturbating to them up until a few months ago when I got clean. I read in your disclaimer that your content isn't suitable for a drug addict. "There's more basic stuff you gotta do yet" you said in your dangers of spiritual work episode. Idk how closely you're paying attention to me but you've had to correct me a lot. 

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Kyle Gjerseth said:

Would you say it's possible that as an addict this sort of non-dual way of thinking could be too advanced for somebody in my mental state?

Yes, it's too advanced for you. It would require some serious nondual experiences before it felt real for you.

You can find compassion for others at a more human level by realizing that evil people are basically just people with unfortunate childhoods and people who made mistakes out of fear and greed, just like you.

But it would nice for you to realize someday that you ARE Hitler