In December, the world lost a powerful voice for love and justice—Bell Hooks, a seminal thinker and writer. Throughout her career, Hooks made historic contributions in fields ranging from feminism and race to political theory and cultural criticism. However, her work always returned to the central choice we face: between love and domination. In this essay, Hooks inspires us to bring her vision of a culture of love to life.

A Legacy of Thought and Action

From Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism, which she began writing at age 19, to works like All About Love, Bone Black, and Teaching to Transgress; Bell Hooks was one of the most influential progressive thinkers of our time. A practicing Buddhist and frequent contributor to Lion’s Roar, her reflections on love, justice, and healing touched the lives of many.

Fundamentally, hooks believed that the practice of love begins with acceptance—the recognition that the present moment is always the right time and place to practice love. Yet, for so many, the desire for love is projected into the future, where it is hoped that our hungry hearts will eventually be fulfilled.

The Intersection of Love and Buddhism

When Hooks first encountered Buddhism more than thirty years ago, there was little mention of love in Buddhist discussions. At the time, Buddhism was perceived as a philosophy for the intellect—focused on compassion, not love. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, the topic of love rose to political prominence. Peace activists championed the slogan “Make love, not war,” while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. elevated love as the only effective means of ending injustice.

King’s message is: “If we are to live together in peace, man must evolve a method for all human conflict that rejects revenge and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love”—aligned closely with the teachings of a little-known Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. Together, these two spiritual leaders exemplified the union of love and activism, engaging in a practice of love that linked personal spiritual development with social justice.

Buddhism, Peace, and Justice

As Hooks reflects, Buddhism attracted more Western followers by combining the individual’s spiritual practice with the global pursuit of peace and justice. Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings resonated with people longing for a spiritual connection, particularly those disillusioned with Western culture’s failure to create peace and equality.

Visionary teachers such as King Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, and Sharon Salzberg recognized that the path to world peace begins in our intimate relationships. Many of us found that our personal lives, filled with suffering and conflict, mirrored the more immense global struggles. How could we create world peace when we couldn’t make peace within our own homes and communities?

Love as a Transformative Power

The sense of love as a transformative force resonated with people working to create personal and social change. Writing about metta, or loving-kindness, as one of the brahmaviharas (heavenly abodes), Sharon Salzberg reminds us that love can dissolve fear, anger, and suffering. Love, as Salzberg writes, “can uproot fear… because it is a greater power.”

For Hooks, this understanding of love was critical. She argued that justice movements that do not entirely reject domination, including imperialism, white supremacy, and patriarchy, fail to create lasting change. A love ethic must be at the core of our politics to create a more just society.

The Practice of Love

To work for peace and justice, we must begin with individual acts of love, recognizing love’s transformative power in our daily lives. Addressing childhood wounds, many of which result from lovelessness, is essential. As John Welwood writes in Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships, many people carry a “wound of the heart” that disconnects them from love. Even those who were loved in childhood still grow up in a culture that devalues love, leaving them vulnerable to domination.

Hooks’ vision of love is comprehensive, encompassing care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust. She calls on us to use these principles as a guide to action in our everyday lives. When love shapes our actions, we can dismantle systems of domination and exploitation.

Moving from Awareness to Action

For many, the challenge lies in turning an awareness of love’s power into concrete action. Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings emphasize that understanding is the foundation of love and that every thought, word, and deed can bring about transformation. Yet, love requires vigilance, patience, and a willingness to relinquish the status quo. It is not easy, but it is necessary.

Hooks often encouraged people to begin practicing love through acts of giving. Citing Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son, she reminds us that every step toward generosity moves us from fear to love. Giving opens the heart, fostering gratitude and abundance, which, in turn, awakens the heart of love.

Cultivating a Culture of Love

To create a global culture of love, we must cultivate enlightened teachers and strategies to guide us. In a world shaped by dominant thinking, the work of love often feels like swimming upstream. Yet, the transformative power of love offers a path to healing, connection, and justice.

For Hooks, the call to love is not a distant ideal but a practical, daily practice that requires time, attention, and courage. Only by witnessing love’s transformative power in our lives can we inspire others to embrace it. As we move from awareness to action, we step onto the path of healing ourselves and the planet.

Conclusion: Love as a Way Forward

All the great religious traditions believe that love is our reason for being. Those who work toward creating a culture of love seek to bring this belief to life, extending the circle of love beyond boundaries and connecting people across different backgrounds.

Ultimately, hooks challenge us to make love our guiding principle in every aspect of our lives. Doing so can create a more just, compassionate, and loving world.