Note: The following is an edited version of my Letter from the Publisher from our October 2020 issue.

I knew I had to write an endorsement this month despite the fact that Natural Awakenings steers away from all things political. I am under no illusion that my small but earnest publication holds any sway among Atlanta voters, but I believe that silence is complicity, that every voice matters and that the “hundredth monkey” is out there.

A few weeks ago, I imagined this space enumerating a long list of indictments against the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But I felt uneasy with that, and last week, I realized why: The Law of Attraction.

The Law of Attraction proposes that like attracts like. Yet we often find that, as much as we dislike somebody, something, or some situation, we get more of it, not less. The reason is that our minds are more focused on the negative—what we don’t want—versus the positive—what we do want.

Accordingly, my “endorsement” is to vote for what you want, not what you don’t want. The state of mind you bring to the polling booth, optimally, should be one of love, not fear, of hope, not despair.

The beautiful thing about this is it works regardless of the candidate you support. If you’re all about turning the page, imagine a future in which America is once again democracy’s shining light, a place where truth finds its home, a country that embraces and cares for all its residents. Don’t rage against the potential of an authoritarian dictatorship. If you’re all about making America great again, do the same in imagining a future of bright possibilities—don’t push against immigrants and embrace dark conspiracy theories. The point is to approach voting with a positive and generous mind, not with a darkened mind and a hate-filled heart.

I know this might be difficult to do, but we can remember the words of philosopher and paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

Dr. Wayne Dyer’s elaboration on this idea offers more instruction:

“The non-spiritual being hates evil and is determined to eradicate that which he believes to be evil. The spiritual being knows that everything that he hates and fights weakens him and that all that he is for empowers him. The non-spiritual being knows what he hates, and much of his energy, both mental and physical, is devoted to fighting what he perceives to be bad or evil. Spiritual beings do not order their lives to be against anything. They work for what they are for rather than fighting what they’re against.”

So, with a month to go before election day, I encourage you to start now. Generate positive feelings throughout the month so that by the time November’s first Tuesday arrives, perhaps we can collectively generate a tidal wave of positivity. Remember: Like attracts like. If you spend October criticizing, decrying, screaming, abhorring and hating, what type of voters do you think are going to show up in waves?

Here’s a last thought—paraphrasing advice from Abraham—for those who believe they’re once again saddled with a choice between the lesser of two evils and feel like they have to hold their nose while voting: When you are unable to generate positive feelings for a specific thing, think in more general terms. Close your eyes, focus on your heart space and remember one of the happiest moments of your life. Dwell in that feeling. When it fades, generate another memory, keeping your attention at your heart center. Repeat one more time. Doing this for 10 minutes should shift your mood.

Publisher of Natural Awakenings Atlanta since 2017, Paul Chen’s professional background includes strategic planning, marketing management and qualitative research. He practices Mahayana Buddhism and kriya yoga. Contact him at [email protected].