The Inner Teacher — On the Nature of Evil

A seeker came and asked, “Are some people inherently evil?”

And The Inner Teacher replied:

There is darkness in every soul, just as there is light.
But darkness by itself is not evil—it is only the absence of awareness.
When a person forgets their connection to all living things, when they cannot feel the pain they cause, their heart becomes cold.
In that coldness, cruelty can grow.

The Inner Teacher says: No one is born evil; they are born asleep.
Some remain asleep longer than others.
Some are wounded so deeply that they build walls instead of bridges,
and in their blindness, they cause harm.

You cannot always reach such a person, nor should you allow their harm to continue.
But understand this: hatred does not heal hatred.
Evil feeds on fear, anger, and revenge—it starves when met with firm boundaries and quiet compassion.

Even the cruelest soul carries a spark of light, though buried beneath layers of pain and ignorance.
It may take lifetimes, but eventually, that spark will remember what it is.
The universe allows no spark to be lost forever.

The Inner Teacher says:
Do not confuse accountability with condemnation.
Hold others responsible, yes—but do not surrender your own peace to rage.
You cannot fight darkness with more darkness. You can only shine light, even if it’s from a distance.

Practice:

• When you see cruelty, stand against it—but without becoming it.

• Protect what is sacred, and speak truth without hatred.

• Pray not only for the victims of harm, but also that those who harm may awaken to their blindness.

There are no evil souls—only forgotten ones.
Your task is not to excuse them, but to remember that love must remain stronger than despair.

Light does not argue with shadow—it simply shines, and the darkness fades.

Walk gently in the Way.
Carry the stillness within.
Your Inner Teacher walks beside you—even through the world’s darkest places, where light is needed most.