Love of the animal side.

 

The sale of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made headlines, and its profit margin made me reflect on the reasons behind its success. From the popularity of ancient Roman gladiators and the disregard for the deaths of horses during those games to the modern-day UFC fighters battling each other bloody, to dog fights, cockfights, and Calgary’s Stampede chuckwagon horses dying in present-day events, we are reminded not only of the similarities but also of the slow pace of our evolution. Some people protest and speak out against these animalistic behaviors in humans, yet despite our evolution, we remain entangled in wars and still find pleasure in violence in movies and sports. There must be a reason why things have not changed since Roman times.

The difference is only in time and technology, but our attitude towards entertainment remains the same, if not more intense. The popularity of adrenaline-pumping sports connects us deeply with our inner animal. Whether it’s a sports match or a war, our sense of belonging fuels the violent nature of the beast within us. This nature has not regressed, despite the best efforts of our religions and governing systems, and the reason lies in our personal politics of belonging. We have been preached to endlessly about subduing our animal side, yet our crime rates in social settings and our wars reveal the true nature of the beast within us.

After all our civilization, just look around—what do we have to show for it? Here we stand, ready to kill each other, even in the name of God. The proof is in the blame and punishment of individual actions. The education of our societies, whether religious or secular, is designed to preach restraint and control, or even the killing of the animal within, to become better human beings. Now, the question is: why has this educational approach failed?

The reasons behind this approach are rooted in our desire to be the best of the animal kingdom, to avoid comparison with other animals. Thus, the struggle is ongoing. Our actions speak loudly enough to declare that we excel on both sides. The question is, how can we become better human beings individually? Deep inside, we have a personal conflict that needs to be resolved, and only the individual can resolve it by understanding the legitimacy and authenticity of both sides of our nature, becoming the CEO of their life to create inner balance. How can an individual stand against the status quo if the sense of belonging is overwhelming or nonexistent? A CEO can achieve this by viewing everything—including other people, religions, and nationalism—as departments within their life. Understanding the importance of the “jewels” that evolve us as humans is crucial.

We proudly wear the jewels of humanity, such as compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love, but the problem is that we can also swing to the extreme opposite and commit spiritual crimes, like mass murder of our own kind. We have dropped atomic bombs, used other weapons of mass destruction, and are constantly at war with one another. We even put other creatures to shame with our out-of-control animal side. Controlling or killing the animal within has not worked over millions of years of evolution, and it will not work for us unless we, as individuals, achieve personal inner peace by assuming our duties as CEOs.

In human societies, all education points toward the sense of belonging to a group. It starts with the family and the family’s connections to others, but a human individual can potentially go further by thinking of themselves as part of all humanity. This perspective elevates them beyond a sense of belonging to their immediate family, community, race, gender, color, religion, or nation. Evolution teaches us that as individuals, we are the foundation for all change.

Creating inner and outer peace is possible if we, as individuals, step forward to understand that our sense of belonging is not just to a group of people, but to humanity as a whole, physically, and to God spiritually. If you belong to men or prophets, you demote yourself and follow politics instead of spirituality. Crossing the boundaries of our traditional knowledge of belonging is necessary so we can evolve to the next level and belong to humanity.

In the war against our animal side, the only option we have is to accept its legitimacy and make peace with it. By doing so, we can stop the inner turmoil and create inner peace individually first, then collectively—because it takes a single person to start or stop wars, whether internal or external.

Since we have misunderstood and underestimated our animal side, our systems of law and order and the rules of our religions have failed miserably. If you need proof, just look around at the religious wars, spiritual crimes, and the general crime rates in human societies. This failed approach has not worked and will not succeed. If it hasn’t succeeded in thousands of years of evolution, we must learn more about ourselves. Who are we, really? Why is the animal within us still alive and well despite our efforts to kill it?

It has evolved and become more sophisticated because of our weapons, from guns to advanced levels of mass destruction, on one side, and the popularity of the sense of belonging related to sports, regardless of the violence, on the other.

My explanation is the following.

The Beautiful Beast

The inception of the devil doesn’t just start with the mother who loves her child; it’s been there all along. It’s a matter of nurturing and allowing one side to dominate. For instance, when a baby cries, the mother feeds them, changes their diaper, and holds them to soothe them. As babies, we quickly understand our personal desires and learn how to get the mother’s attention. If the mother or caregiver constantly runs to meet the baby’s needs—or I should say, desires—she is nurturing the baby’s animal side.

If she had thought, “I’ve just fed, changed, and cuddled them, so there’s no reason to run,” and let the baby cry for a while, the baby would realize that nothing is happening. Personally, I think this would be the first step toward becoming a healthy human being. Learning about delayed gratification and patience sets us apart from other creatures. I believe this is one of the root causes of most social, personal, and emotional ills, which are connected to this imbalanced upbringing. Learning to understand these two personal sides is crucial for every individual to live a happy, healthy, balanced, and successful life. Otherwise, as my first triangle says: health, happiness, and success. Remember, without health, you can’t be happy, and without these two, any success you achieve is meaningless.

This fundamental education has been misunderstood or ignored due to personal politics and overpowered by our loving emotions. Are these loving emotions good for us or bad? Do they relate to the animal side or the spiritual side, or are we not yet evolved enough to distinguish? Do we even understand the traits of the spiritual side and the animal side as individuals?

The line can be blurred by our social education regarding belonging to groups. If you look closely, all other creatures protect and raise their offspring just like we do.

After crying for a bit, the baby looks around, sees that no one is coming, and starts to self-soothe, entertain themselves, and learn to control their desires. This is the first step a human individual takes toward becoming a human being—learning about delayed gratification and dealing with the inner animal to create balance with the human side.

If the mother runs to every cry, the baby’s animal side will grow bigger than the human side. This imbalance has far-reaching consequences for both the baby and society. From obesity to brushes with the law, many issues can be avoided if we are taught early on about the difference between instant and delayed gratification.

I heard these wise words growing up in Pakistan, and since I don’t know the source, I’ll quote it as “Author Unknown”: “When the trunk of the tree is green, it can be bent, but after that, we should forget about molding and conforming because it won’t bend—it’ll break.”

Since it has been nurtured, the animal side has grown to the point where, even if we try to harness it by willpower, it will rebel. In my job as a personal trainer, I see people fail in their efforts to lose weight because they try to ignore the power of the animal side. Weight loss companies have existed for decades, but our obesity rate continues to climb. The reason behind this is that strong animal side that can’t be easily harnessed. This is also one of the causes of the higher crime rate because instant gratification is a hallmark of the animal. I don’t want to diminish the animal side like everyone else because I believe we must acknowledge its legitimacy to create balance.

Both sides are crucial and hold very important and powerful cards. The animal side has mortality awareness, while the human side understands the politics of life. When faced with inner clashes, we can learn about the power of both sides. We may look normal on the outside but be torn apart on the inside, and spending your whole mortal life in that mode is not a way of life for a CEO.

I refer to us as the third equation, living with God and the devil inside.

We are born like brand-new computers, with all the apps and perks, containing both the spiritual and physical sides simultaneously. One side can dominate over the other depending on the nurturing we receive, the education we acquire, and the data added by the individual, parents, and society we belong to, which dictate which side is dominant. We are wrapped up in our traditions and customs by our belonging groups so we can become a strength to our society. We are discouraged from thinking beyond that, especially when our religions put up walls of discrimination and prejudice by preaching that a worshiping individual is better than a non-worshiping one, regardless of their practical contributions to humanity.

Now, you can see and relate our internal and external problems to our sense of belonging to groups because we have hundreds or thousands of societies and belonging groups. They can clash, and the individual gets hurt by the loss of love. That leads the animal to avenge the pain by inflicting that same pain on others, so the story of God and the devil continues within the human individual.

God is good, so good is good to the individual because of the politics of belonging groups, yet actions can be devilish to competing groups. The question is, is that good really good and godly, or is the line blurred by politics? If that is the case, it all falls on the shoulders of the individual as personal responsibility, and that’s why I believe the individual is a natural-born CEO. A CEO can distinguish between belonging to a group of people and belonging to humanity as a whole.

 The Triangle of Free Will – The Human and the Animal Inside

Everyone uses it, but not all of us take the responsibilities that free will brings along. The politics of our belonging groups give us a license to hide behind nationalism and religion to commit crimes against humanity. If we all took responsibility for using free will, decency would flourish. Compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love are individual jewels, but society dresses the individual according to the politics that serve their particular group. Therefore, the knowledge we acquire is crucial, not only for the individual but also for humanity as a whole. As a global community, we need to develop solidarity—not just as a United Nations, which lacks a fully enforced justice system. The veto system is plain and simple, highly political, and entirely related to the sense of belonging for a few nations, not humanity. It is unethical and non-spiritual. If the organization is called the United Nations but favors only some members with special treatment, it is an unjust political system and should not be called what it is.

Free will is like a pendulum. The pendulum of free will is awarded to humans by God to play the game of life. With life circumstances, it can sway to both sides, but your goal and destiny are to be and stay in the center to live a balanced human life, half spiritual and half physical, so you can experience real life. If someone says otherwise, you have to research their motive.

If you choose to live a completely controlled life, you are an extremist one way or the other. You may become a great individual for society, but you have failed to live this life for yourself. Alternatively, if you just live for yourself, you may become a menace to society or even self-destructive.

If you are told to live for the afterlife, you may need to examine this carefully because you don’t want to gamble everything on a bet. God would not have given you free will and this life just to test your obedience. It is a gift from God to humanity. You can live to create balance, enjoy this life, and reciprocate in appreciation for this life. Doing something for the afterlife involves the good deeds you do during your living years, and no, it is not your prayers; it is the practical worship needed by God in your living years. Yes, your practical worship is serving humanity, fulfilling someone’s prayers by practically helping them. In the spiritual world, things are always good, but in our physical world, things go wrong when the politics of belonging groups dominate individuals, making them subservient.

If you choose extremes because of the influences of your sense of belonging, you can cause personal and social problems. If you use free will all the time, you are responsible for your actions. In today’s world, you can’t just drink and drive; killing another human being, even in the name of God, religion, or nation, is a personal spiritual crime far worse than drinking and driving. We are all CEOs of our lives, and it’s a CEO’s responsibility to take charge of his or her actions. Sure, accidents happen, but drinking before driving is irresponsible. Being drunk is being out of control, even if it is religious extremism. Yes, you are personally responsible for your actions before the actions because you have been blessed with and use free will at will.

As we grow, we learn about the sense of belonging, we understand our free will and how to use it, and then we begin to learn about the knowledge of the society to which we belong. Sense of belonging-related knowledge is both written and implied. For instance, Ego, Pride, and Honor—I call them the three children of the sense of belonging—each have a legitimate place in an individual’s life, but they are like double-edged swords that cut both ways. It is not only the individual who benefits or suffers from them; the society to which the individual belongs also experiences harm or benefit. The proof is around us—just look at societies where these three children of the sense of belonging dominate. They are known for suppressing individuals with potential, which keeps them behind.

An individual brings progress and evolution to society, so they should be nurtured to contribute. If the social system encourages the individual to evolve and reach their potential, society benefits more from all individuals. However, if a society keeps half of its individuals from working or evolving, it creates more dependency, which not only slows progress and evolution but also has the potential to harm the self-esteem of dependents, making them unable to contribute even if they are asked to.

Honor, Pride, and Ego don’t just have the good side that is preached and glorified by some societies. As I said before, they cut both ways. If you understand them, you may benefit from them, but if not, they have the potential to harm the individual and cause mental health issues. A functioning individual is beneficial not only to themselves and their family but also to society. Otherwise, they become a burden on society, which is harmful to both.

It’s like if you eat poorly or have a destructive lifestyle, it will bite you sooner or later. Societies suffer when the individual is not fully functioning, so our governing systems should be aware of the side effects of our traditions and customs and whether they are good for the individual and society in the long run.

Old systems need to evolve as time demands. For instance, if you try to enforce Islamic rules in today’s society, even in Islamic societies, it may reduce the crime rate, but since this drop is fear-based, it does not change or evolve the individual to stop crime through self-restraint driven by responsibility and love for others.

Another example is ongoing right now—the Black population has been and is controlled by an old, outdated system of force. What happens when force meets force? It brings out the ugly side of human nature. This is not only damaging to the individual but also to society. Arming police with bigger and better guns or bringing in the military means the system stays the same but becomes more oppressive.

Logically and potentially, you just can’t have a police officer for every individual. And people’s attitude towards the right to bear arms, which is related to the Constitution, is literally a deadly mix. I personally feel that all human knowledge, including all constitutions and religions, should benefit the individual and society simultaneously. If it harms the individual or society, it should be subject to change. When everyone has a gun, a lot of people get killed. This is not a matter of pride or ego; it is a matter of how torn you are inside, personally and collectively.

All human knowledge should be for well-being, not for harm, but unfortunately, our conservative segments of the population want to keep the status quo, regardless of the harm they cause. From the Taliban to ISIS to the rednecks of the KKK, they all think it’s okay to be prejudiced and that equal human rights should not exist so they can keep fighting not only others but each other as well. This kind of individual belief system is the biggest hurdle in the evolution of belonging to humanity. Only the individual can change that by using personal free will and becoming the CEO of their life. The sense of security we seek in our own kind is false—just look at the crime rates in societies where everyone lives with their own kind.

 The Triangle of Free Will: The Human and the Animal Inside

Change is happening right before our eyes. The demographics and faces of our melting pot societies have been evolving for a long time. If we don’t respect these changes, we risk becoming prejudiced and racist.

Our responsibility is to personally understand the complexities of life’s most challenging issues. This includes grappling with concepts like the Almighty God and the Devil. Who are they? Where are they? Are they out there somewhere, or are they within us?

If you ask an ordinary person whether they have ever seen God or the Devil outside of movies, the overwhelming answer will be no. However, if you ask whether they have witnessed the effects of these forces, the answer will be yes. Behind those actions, whether good or bad, is always a human being—either a godly person or one possessed by devilish intentions.

Each of us is blessed with three fundamental aspects: the animal, the human, and free will. Free will complicates things. It makes us the decision-makers, and with that comes the responsibility to act either for good or for ill.

In today’s legal systems, no one can claim that the Devil made them commit crimes or that God instructed them through dreams. Insanity might be a defense, but neither the Devil nor God’s influence is legally recognized worldwide. Human beings are held responsible for their actions due to the gift of free will.

Since concepts of good and bad evolve with knowledge, and knowledge changes over time, this makes everything subject to questioning. Intentions, therefore, become the most crucial aspect of one’s actions. I don’t see the Devil with horns except during Halloween, but individuals with devilish intentions are always around.

If you choose a selfish path, ignore inner voices of decency, and listen solely to the animal within, you become dominated by it. This makes you akin to the Devil, always taking without reciprocating. However, you also have a good side. With maturity, you can learn to balance giving and taking. This evolution is evident in societal rules, which differ for children and adults. This is what makes us human.

I do not dismiss religious teachings, as I acknowledge that no one knows everything. Even religious scholars and doctors have their limits. We can’t fully understand God until we reach our full potential.

How far have we come? Despite progress, we still struggle with disagreements and misunderstandings about concepts like religion and science. For instance, in my own religion, we can’t even agree on lunar observations to end fasting, yet we have space stations in orbit. Science can offer help, but egotistical religious views often reject it. I’ve experienced places where daylight is continuous, such as the North during summer, making fasting and prayer challenging. This suggests that practical prayers and reciprocation are not bound by traditions or customs but are about humanity.

Human knowledge is complex, and even experts disagree. Some focus on scientific details, while others believe that excessive detail diminishes the scope of life. When scientific methods are inadequate for addressing religious or health problems, a multi-pronged approach, including spirituality, might be necessary. We must admit our need for new knowledge, as many issues stem from resistance to new ideas due to ego and pride.

Though considered undesirable, the animal side of us is difficult to eradicate. Despite legal, constitutional, and religious systems, we have not succeeded in eliminating this aspect of ourselves. We’ve been approaching it incorrectly. To distinguish good from bad, one must experience both.

The Devil is not an external entity; it is ingrained in each of us and is a legitimate part of our being. Understanding and managing this aspect can lead to inner peace and better self-control, enabling us to become ideal human beings.

Current knowledge has diminished the significance of a balanced human being and their free will, thereby impacting individual responsibility. From birth, our initial lessons should focus on balancing our human and devilish sides. As we mature, we should learn about humanity and spirituality, rather than being coerced into nationalism and religious dogma. This indicates that we are taught group politics over humanity and spirituality, which is dangerous in today’s volatile environment.

Society often desires obedient and controllable citizens, making it difficult to understand why nationalism and religion are prioritized in education. These teachings often promote superiority or prejudice, which contradicts the pursuit of pure humanity and spirituality.

When individuals are too free, it can weaken societal cohesion, leading to increased control through rules and regulations. Conversely, when individuals control themselves, they are more capable of self-regulation. Free will is a blessing; if not appreciated, it leads individuals to cede their power to others, whether religious leaders or governing entities. Such individuals often act destructively while hiding behind their roles or beliefs. A CEO, for instance, should be accountable for their actions.

Ideally, increased freedom should enhance individual control, as inner peace radiates outward. However, governmental and religious systems, driven by group politics, often prioritize their power over individual peace. A just system should be equal for all, aligning with spirituality. Unfortunately, throughout history and even today, many brutal acts have been committed in the name of religion.

The image of God and the Devil has been exaggerated, undermining the human equation and manipulating individuals to serve their nations and religions. This group power politics, under the guise of security, causes immense suffering and loss of love, perpetuating the struggle to control the inner Devil, which ultimately thrives in society. We are told to eliminate the Devil to be good in the eyes of God, but the truth is, no one truly knows God’s plans for us.

We are not angels but humans, with both flawed and redeeming aspects. Since these aspects are part of us by design, even God wouldn’t eliminate them, as humanity still has to reach its full potential. We must learn to use the pendulum of free will to understand life’s purpose. It is about living a human life, not an angelic one. The difference is clear, but we often forget that we are a combination of human and animal, or Devil and human. We need to learn to create balance within ourselves to achieve a balanced, healthy, happy, and successful life.

 Religions often offer us hope to prevent disobedience. When frustration arises, we are inundated with lectures to behave, to fear God, and to hope simultaneously. The Devil is portrayed as a villain, discouraging individual freedom.

Propaganda encourages people to align with God, leading to a common tendency to hate and blame the Devil. For example, during Hajj, Muslims perform the ritual of throwing stones at symbolic representations of the Devil, a tradition that contrasts with Hindus worshiping stone deities. Actions perceived as free will are sometimes labeled as devilish. While God may have a plan for each individual, we are given free will for a reason, allowing us to influence our outcomes.

It appears that many underestimate the power and capabilities of individuals. We often place excessive demands on God and attribute too much blame to the Devil. Personal responsibility is frequently denied, and free will is used politically to our advantage. We either credit or blame God or the Devil for our actions. Consider God’s creations; apart from natural elements like oxygen and disasters, everything involves human participation, highlighting the importance of human agency.

If we possess the power to illuminate God’s world, we can also take responsibility for our own actions, whether they are good or bad. As individuals, especially as leaders, it is our duty to cultivate inner peace by acknowledging our animalistic side. True justice across all areas of life means being a complete human being.

Enjoying simple pleasures like ice cream or cake, or seeking comfort through marriage, reflects the balance between our human and animal sides. Extreme choices often lead to extreme outcomes, as seen in scandals involving Roman Catholic priests. No one should hide behind the Devil. Our role as leaders extends to caring for the divine aspects of our lives. Working for humanity is a form of worship, but this can detract from spirituality if one believes they are superior to those who worship differently. In Islam, even within the religion, there are disagreements about practices and rituals, reflecting the influence of politics.

I believe that true worship is demonstrated through the good deeds we perform for humanity. With free will, we can choose not to engage in conflicts over belief systems and can determine our own methods of worship. Traditions, customs, laws, and religious rules are subject to change due to our evolutionary nature.

Previously, I wrote a blog titled “Love Triangle,” exploring the facets of love. As leaders, we should understand love and its complexities. People often commit spiritual errors due to the pain of lost love. I categorized love into three parts for simplicity:

Universal Love: 33.4%

Instinctive Love: 33.3%

Passionate Love: 33.3%

As humans, we are capable of experiencing all three types of love, amounting to 100% of love. God did not create us with limitations; rather, our extreme behaviors can disrupt one area while creating imbalance in another.

Extreme love for a partner, while caring for others, can cause issues. Extreme love for family may jeopardize your relationship with your partner. Balancing love for your life partner and your family is crucial. Extreme devotion to any form of love can be harmful. God created us to balance these aspects ourselves, guiding us to live successful lives. Using free will to create extremes deviates from God’s path.

Recently, a tragic case in Pakistan involved a girl being killed by her brother, a clear example of imbalanced love. The brother exhibited extreme universal love while disregarding instinctive love. Similarly, in family dynamics, a husband favoring his mother over his wife, or vice versa, can lead to conflict. A good leader, or CEO, should compartmentalize relationships to administer justice. The brother should have recognized that instinctive love is as important as universal love, ensuring that both people and God are valued within the scope of universal love, but not as the sole focus.

Choosing one aspect of love over others reduces one’s role from being a leader—granted by God through free will—to merely a department head. Balancing these facets is key to fulfilling our potential as individuals.

We are taught to view ourselves as superior to other animals, and acting like one is often seen as degrading. This judgment fosters ego, leading us to take pride in our perceived superiority, which can cause divisions even among family members and within groups. An educated individual should remain humble about their literacy and avoid letting their ego breed prejudice.

True love is a blend of three components, and understanding these differences allows us to fully experience and appreciate all forms of love. The “love triangle” comprises:

Passionate Love: The intense affection we have for a romantic partner.

Instinctive Love: The deep bonds with family and close friends, such as love for a mother, father, siblings, children, and relatives.

Universal Love: The soul-to-soul spiritual connection that links us not only with each other but also with the divine or God.

If we focus on only one type of love and take it to an extreme, we may find ourselves confused, thinking that this single aspect represents complete love. To experience true and complete love, we need to understand and embrace all aspects of love. We are not whole without acknowledging our animal side; this includes passionate love, instinctive love, and universal love or spirituality. When we compartmentalize love and push any one aspect to an extreme, we risk missing the full spectrum of love’s power. For instance, religious influences emphasize universal love, sometimes suggesting that God and people are more important than family or a partner. Conversely, extreme passionate love may lead to obsession, where other relationships or concerns are disregarded.

Love, when confined to one category, is limited by boundaries. Yet, love’s power is boundless; it can break through all limits. Historically, love has driven people to make immense sacrifices—kings have abandoned their thrones, wars have been waged, and extreme actions like suicide or murder have been committed in its name.

Despite attempts to regulate love through rules, it remains one of the most unruly forces. Understanding love can enhance all aspects of our lives, from religion to spirituality to relationships, yet love is often compartmentalized rather than accepted as a boundless phenomenon.

The Role of the Animal Side in Love

Our enjoyment of life hinges on embracing our animal side. While we are more than just animals, our soul interacts with life through our animal nature. Without the soul, the body—and thus the animal side—would cease to exist. To truly experience and savor life, the soul must integrate with the body, including its animal aspects. Love, too, requires this integration; it involves the blending of the soul with our animal nature. A transition from passionate love to instinctive love to universal love depends on this connection.

Initially, couples experience passionate love, which can evolve into instinctive love as they have children and build families. Instinctive love extends beyond romantic passion to include affection for children and family. As individuals connect with a larger community, universal love develops and becomes part of their experience.

While we may attempt to discard our animal side, we cannot reach spiritual fulfillment without it. For now, we belong to our respective groups, but as we evolve, we must explore our true nature. Are we merely animals seeking security in numbers, or are we spiritual beings connecting us all to humanity? Until we address this, we will continue to experience conflicts, sports rivalries, nationalism, and religious extremes. We will remain biased toward our groups, regardless of our leadership status.

Sports teams often reflect a sense of belonging, which is a natural part of our daily lives. As Dr. Wayne Dyer suggests, evolving beyond the mindset of “mine is better than yours” requires humanity to progress to a level where we ask, “What can I do for you?” This evolution will only occur when each of us sees ourselves as part of humanity, rather than limiting ourselves to exclusive groups.