This Changed My View On LOVE

LOVE, FREEDOM, and POWER: Understanding the Complex Relationship Between Authority and Authentic Connection with Bell Hooks' Wisdom

During a transformative therapy session, I confronted my tendency to equate all power with abuse—a perspective shaped by past experiences where others wielded control against me. This insight challenged my fundamental beliefs about relationships and autonomy. Indigenous wisdom from "Braiding Sweetgrass" offers a valuable alternative, suggesting we view people as autonomous beings rather than possessions, similar to how Indigenous languages regard rivers as verbs—"to be a river"—rather than objects to own.

This shift in perspective illuminates how authentic love creates space for freedom and nurtures growth. As Bell Hooks powerfully articulates, "The world of domination is always a world without love." True love emerges not from ego or dominance but from genuine care—it listens, respects another's nature, and never imposes or manipulates. While others may attempt to take our freedom or we might surrender it ourselves, genuine love—for ourselves and others—always honors that essential freedom, allowing us to form connections based on mutual respect rather than control.

00:00 Bell Hooks Interview
01:01 First Thoughts
5:58 Braiding Sweetgrass
08:21 All About Love
14:40 Freedom