The mind is its own place and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell a Hell of Heav’n. from Paradise Lost, line 254,255, Book I by John Milton.
I start this month as we end our third month of “sheltering in place with a few more exceptions,” by sharing a morsel of John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost.
We are still in our foxhole. Risky to travel to my metaphorical Lighthouse as the Covid-19 still walks the earth here, not just as a night walker but a day walker too. Why is it that human nature rebels at simple remedies of wearing a mask and keeping with social distancing? Oh that’s right, many are too selfish to care about their neighbors or worse their family members. Their righteousness is hooded by leadership that diverts attention from the truth, exposing too many to the narcissistic arrows of the Me- First movement. That movement relies on pride, vanity, mixed with hate, fear, mistrust, and most of all, anger. They lead with the blunt hurt of their hammers of racism, misogyny and other prejudices, lying to keep the light of truth from their legions of followers.
For a moment this late winter I thought that a quarantine while sheltering in place might have unattended benefit of reducing violent acts. Some, looking to wield their brand of violence, seem to want a target of many. For the past few months that target of many didn’t exist for them as we all know. Of course the downside of our sheltering in place was the heightened danger of potential domestic violence for too many trapped living with their worst nightmares. The legions of the Me- First movement are sly. They sprinkle themselves in our institutions too. The latest example is a policeman who is anything but a policeman. So many of this country’s police take their creed to heart and serve with courage and grace. (I have the pride of a father to have sons who demonstrate that courage and grace while wearing and having worn the uniform.) A few however appear, scattered everywhere, not protecting us, but hunting us. Is it a wonder that the indignation and hurt from hundreds of years of racism have left many thinking their only avenue of action is violence themselves! In my seventy one years I have seen so much hurt. Great leaders assassinated; their courage facing the evil of Jim Crow actors snuffed out too soon. The passion of all of us as we tried to support our friends in a war that had no support. The students who paid their riotous dues with their lives. The rest of us paid with the loss of our innocence. Of course the violent acts of corrupt evil cops as they profiled and shot so many of us human beings apparently instigated by the color of skin. These legions cover their fear with blankets of hate. The leaders of our Kakistocracy divert, lie, dog whistle their commands while feigning ignorance about the sad consequences their uncaring words sadly inspire.
Milton’s Paradise Lost seemed an appropriate page to turn for a revisit to his poetic visions of the conflict of Beelzebub and his legions trying to reach Adam, then Eve. God’s Archangels Michael, Uriel and others fighting to protect a Paradise that was Adam and Eve’s birthright.
Today, as I reflect on my journey here in my foxhole, I intuitively know that I have to step back from all the fear, hatred, and vitriol. I must clear my mind of all the hurtful clutter to find goodness in my heart. There is good kind energy available to attune my self with.The positive energy consciousness is available to all. More of us have to step back to touch the goodness in our hearts. (Like attracts Like.) All the fear, hatred, pandemics, and more start in a mind and create a hell. Shared by “like-minds” it builds to a crescendo of fire and brimstone. Our Earth our Heaven becomes a Hell. The good news is we other “like-minds” have the power to create our Heaven again. Those legions are welcome to join us ( or not). It just takes unconditional love. Easy to say hard to create. In my next post, I will share the specific steps I find helpful in expanding my intuition. A question I asked that needed an answer. If a mind is obdurate can it possibly day dream or be surprised? Day dreaming is my cue.
I end this month with the last few lines from Paradise Lost.
The World was all before them, where to choose
Thir place of rest and Providence thir guide:
They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow,
Through Eden took thir solitaire way.
And so I believe our lives begin again, today. We have the choice to live hand in hand in a positive way. The more of us that join hands in goodness of thought and action the less will be available to join hands in darkness of fear and hatred. How do I know? My intuition tells me so.
Thank you for reading and take care.
Mark