Imagine a force of love being stronger than any hurricane or disaster. This is the true strength of love. In the middle of a disaster, however, such as facing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, it might seem impossible to believe in love as a more powerful force.

This magazine pushes all of us to higher ground of awareness. We are all being called to understand reality in new ways. For example, recent scientific studies are dramatically affecting how we view ourselves and what we call our “local” circumstances. What is your “local” self? It is your definition of who you are and where you live? For example, you might say, “I live in New Orleans.” This would define yourself locally.

New studies, however, are revealing that we can see ourselves in a non-local way. In other words, these studies are suggesting that we live in a much larger place beyond what we so easily call local. These studies are showing that our larger non-local self has a domain or existence or home that is invincibly secure and beyond anything local. This larger awareness can dramatically influence what we call “local.”

How can this be? And how does this relate to those struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or any other personal disaster?

Since scientists have determined that consciousness and its intelligence is non-local and everywhere at once, we have at our disposal a colossal resource for solving all our local problems, the resource of consciousness itself. A consciousness of love so great and powerful that it is greater than the equivalent of a category five hurricane. And this consciousness of love relates to everyone, everywhere, regardless of and overriding the local circumstances.

The recent hurricane Katrina has created a displacement factor involving almost a million people who are now literally no longer local in the way they were before. Think of it. Instantly, these million people were involved in a gigantic effort to transport themselves to another location and now they cannot return to their homes. One of the major problems created overnight was the loss of “local home.”

If we step outside the present paradigm that causes us to picture these individuals as victimized by locality, we can then resource consciousness to offer new definitions of what has occurred to be something entirely different than what is visualized on the newscasts. We can visualize the force of love even now working to create a new home, in a way that may far transcend what they have previously called local, perhaps even a new sense of home for each person in need. We can all see the infinite intelligence of love being brought to bear to find new and satisfying solutions.

Perhaps the real news story is the power and force of love to awaken all people to realize their deep, inner reserves of faith, strength of character and irreversible inner stability. Regardless of how devastating the present picture of their lives, there is a love force at work greater than nature’s hurricane. And love’s winds blow with healing solutions never imagined before. Each of us can participate as we tune in at a higher level and look with love’s eyes.

As people share their stories of where they were, how they escaped and the dramatic effect this has had on their personal lives, our hearts open wide. With each story, hearts everywhere listen in deep pause, drinking in the words as the heart expands even more. Did we know we could care so much?

The faces we see on television and the people we hear about become part of our lives. A new wave of love arises that forever unites us. We are changed. Our opened hearts are now outpouring with love, generosity and prayers. This is the force of love, a force that no natural disaster can destroy or even touch. And it lies deep within each of us, transforming our lives.

Our compassion runs deeply for each victim. But beyond our tears and sorrow for the peoples’ losses and in addition to our physical contributions to help out, we can also contribute largely to their lives by our remembering their true state is not local. And in their non locality, their larger self is becoming clearer and contributing to the solution of their local selves.

Research has shown that when two subatomic particles unite and then separate, even as far as to the other side of the Earth, the two particles continue to resonate in connection to each other. Now that each of us has been part of the peoples’ lives of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, we are now resonating in a heart connection which had not occurred until now. The force of love has united us, never to part again.

We are discovering that our collective non-local selves are increasingly uniting in oneness. We discovered and felt this after the 9/11 catastrophe. And we feel this again after Katrina. In harmony together, let’s all rise to a higher view of ourselves as connected and united. We are seeing ourselves outside of our “local” identities.

This higher view is what also brings higher solutions to local problems. We are witnessing the influx of the entire nation’s physical and heart resources to restore and heal the lives of all who are suffering. We will all stay united through our hearts of love as this occurs and even long after. Welcome to the heart of love.

© 2005 Scott & Shannon Peck

Dr. Scott Peck & Shannon Peck are co-founders of TheLoveCenter, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to enabling everyone to create more love. They are authors of The Love You Deserve, Liberating Your Magnificence and All the Love You Could Ever Want! (audio set). Shannon is also the author of Love Heals: How to Heal Everything with Love and the Love Heals Study Guide. For lots of love, visit www.TheLoveCenter.com, email TheLoveCenter@aol.com or call (800) 266-1525.