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By Mike Sosteric
By Mike Sosteric


Final draft, maybe.. I don't know.
Imagine for a moment a society like no other. Imagine a civilization of love, peace, and compassion where nobody goes hungry, nobody wants for anything, and everyone is equally loved. Imagine a perfect society with few worries, no suffering, and no wants. Imagine a society where a wise and shining population danced out their days in peace, prosperity, and joy. Imagine a garden paradise, an Eden, a Shambhala. Now, imagine that one day, for some reason, everybody in this society starts to wear a blindfold. One moment, the people are dancing in the light and the next they are plunged into darkness.  
 
Imagine for a moment a society like no other. Imagine a civilization of love, peace, and compassion where nobody goes hungry, nobody wants for anything, and everyone is equally loved. Imagine a perfect society with few worries, no suffering, and no wants. Imagine a society where a wise and shining population danced out their days in peace, prosperity, and joy. Imagine a garden paradise, an Eden, a Shambhala. Now, imagine that one day, for some reason, everybody in this society starts to wear a blindfold. One moment, the people are dancing in the light and the next they are plunged into darkness.


As you might guess, being plunged into darkness in this fashion made life a lot more difficult. In darkness, the people struggled. They crashed into each other, they dropped stuff, and they broke things. It was not too long before the bumping and the crashing caused them frustration, anger, and pain. It was bad and it got worse every day.
As you might guess, being plunged into darkness in this fashion made life a lot more difficult. In darkness, the people struggled. They crashed into each other, they dropped stuff, and they broke things. It was not too long before the bumping and the crashing caused them frustration, anger, and pain. It was bad and it got worse every day.


You would think that as things continued to deteriorate, these people, these '''Dwellers in Darkness''' would take off their blindfolds, but they did not. The Dwellers were dazed and confused and they forgot they were wearing blindfolds at all. So, as the generations passed, these once shiny people gradually transformed into angry, bitter ogres who no longer had the time nor the energy to care about anything or anybody but themselves.
You would think that as things continued to deteriorate, these people, these '''Dwellers in Darkness''' would take off their blindfolds, but they did not. The Dwellers were dazed and confused and they quickly forgot they were wearing blindfolds. So, as the generations passed, these once shiny people gradually transformed into angry, bitter ogres who no longer had the time nor the energy to care about anything or anybody but themselves.


Still, no matter how bad the suffering became, no matter how many generations passed, there were always stories. Elders would tell tales of a shiny, happy place that had once existed, where the children danced and played. In this happy place there was no poverty, war, or disease. In this happy place, everybody smiled all the time. That is what the elders said, but ''most'' people accepted the status quo. Most thought these elders were just telling stories. Still, some did wonder and some asked questions.
Still, no matter how bad the suffering became, no matter how many generations passed, there were always stories. Elders would tell tales of a shiny, happy place that had once existed, where the children danced and played. In this happy place, there was no poverty, war, or disease and everybody smiled all the time. That is what the elders said, but ''most'' people thought they were just stories. Most accepted the status quo. Still, some did wonder and some asked questions.


“Why is everything so dark and confusing?
“Why is everything so dark and confusing?
Line 25: Line 20:
Various answers to these questions were proposed.
Various answers to these questions were proposed.


Some came to the conclusion that there was no explanation for the darkness and confusion. For these '''Existential Depressives''' the universe was empty, life was random, this is how it had evolved, and that was the end of the story. The best the people could do was to simply accept the cold, bitter truth and try to be healthy and happy.
Some of these searchers came to the conclusion that there was no explanation for the darkness and confusion. For these '''Existential Depressives,''' the universe was empty, life had evolved randomly, and that was the end of the story. The best the Dwellers could do in these dark conditions was to simply accept the cold, bitter truth and be happy in whatever ways they could.


Others, unhappy with the '''Empty Universe Theory''', appended bizarre meaning and purpose—These people, these temple priests, said that all the bumping and grinding was actually good for us. It was either punishment/penance for previous acts or tempering of our immortal souls.  
You have to admit, the depressives provided a terrible story. Who wants to live in the terminal emptiness of the Existential’s darkness, after all? Many felt this way and these ones struggled to find deeper reason. Doing so, they appended bizarre meaning and purpose. These Dwellers said that all the bumping and grinding was actually good for the Dwellers, that it was punishment and penance for previous bad actions, or that it was tempering of the immortal soul. It might be hard. There might be suffering. But, in the end it would pay off and there would be immortal sunshine and light.


Still others, happy with neither cosmic emptiness nor bizarre purpose, continued to search for answers. These folks wandered hither and yon, over hill and dale, through cave and over stream until one day they wandered into a dark forest, sat down, ate some shrooms which they found on the ground (they were hungry), and had their “mind” (their [[Bodily Ego]]), completely blown out.
As it turns out, as bizarre as these tales of punishment and penance were, many were quite taken by them, so many in fact that the priests became rich and quite powerful. Still, not everybody believed their fairy tales and these ones continued to search for answers. These folks, these '''Explorers,''' wandered hither and yon. They explored over hill and dale, through cave and stream until one day they wandered into a dark forest, sat down, ate some berries and mushrooms they found lying around and had the blindfold completely blown off.


In a flash, they were enlightened.
In a flash, they were enlightened.
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In an instant, all was revealed.
In an instant, all was revealed.


With the blindfold off, these mystics (let’s call them) could see the problem quite clearly. Easy fix. Just take the blindfold off.
With the blindfold off, these ones could ''see'' the problem quite clearly. Everybody was wearing this dumb blindfold. They didn’t need fantasy stories. They weren’t living in an dark universe. There was light and beauty all around. Even better, it was an easy fix. All they had to do was take the blindfold off, or so it initially seemed. Unfortunately, it was not quite that easy. Turns out, to eyes accustomed only to darkness, full daylight is too dazzling and bright. Full daylight quickly overwhelms, which is exactly what happened. Our explorers were overstimulated and quickly overwhelmed. Instinctively, the snatched their blindfolds back on.
 
Of course, this sounds great, but unfortunately not quite that easy. Turns out, to eyes unaccustomed, full daylight is dazzling and bright. To eyes unaccustomed, fully daylight quickly overwhelms.
 
Think about it.


One minute nothing and the next the entire world is revealed. To the neophyte, the light is blinding, confusing, and often frightening.
And some were happy with that.


It was a shock, and so instinctively, the mystics snatched their blindfold up and put it back on. And some where happy with that. They had seen their glimpse, but afraid to try again. They went back to their normal life and their normal and jobs happy knowing that there was something that was so much more. Some even took that glimpse and marketed and sold it as total enlightenment. They went on speaking tours and wrote mystical sounding books and dazzled everybody that didn’t know with their tiny little glimpse of truth. But a few were not happy with their [[Glimpse]].
They had seen a world of wonder and glory, but they were overwhelmed by their '''glimpse''' and too afraid to try again. It was enough for them to know that there was something more. And besides, as some of them found, a single glimpse was a powerful thing. It gave you hope but it also gave you power. Mystified and made magical, it could mean book deals and speaking tours and bucket and buckets of cash—just the thing to make the darkness easy to bear.


They had ''seen'' the garden, and they yearned to live there once more. So they rested and reflected and when they were ready, they went back, ate the shroomies of life, and did it again, and again, and again, each time staying longer and being less overwhelmed until finally they could live with no blindfold at all. And they returned to the people—not as mystics or merchants of mystery but as teachers, artists, and healers. They spoke of what they had seen.
Still, a few were not happy with their brief [[glimpse]] nor where they impressed with the mystical hawkers. They had ''seen'' a garden and they yearned to live there. So, they rested and reflected and when they were ready they went back and did it again, and again, and again, each time staying longer without their blindfold, each time being less overwhelmed until finally they could live with no blindfold at all. And they returned not as priests, not as merchants of mystery,  but as teachers, artists, and healers, more than willing to show us the way.


At first, people were scarred, scared, and confused. The light hurt. The truth overwhelmed, but these teachers and the healers were persistent.
And they did.  


“Breathe deeply”
And at first, people were scarred, scared, and confused. The light hurt. The truth overwhelmed; but these teachers, artists, and healers were persistent.


“Stay calm”.
“Breathe deeply. Stay calm. Don’t be afraid.”


“Don’t be afraid.”
“It is beautiful!”


“It is beautiful. Can you not see?”
“Can you not see?”


And slowly, bit by bit, glimpse by glimpse, step by cautious step, resistance dissipated and the people began to remember. Eventually, they learned to see and on that day of remembrance, on that glorious day of graduation, there was much rejoicing. A new dance had began—a sacred dance, and ancient dance, a powerful dance finally reborn in the full light of day.                                                                                                         
And slowly, bit by bit, glimpse by glimpse, step by cautious step the Dwellers learned to see again and on that day of graduation there was much rejoicing. A new dance had begun—a sacred dance, and ancient dance, reborn in the full light of day.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Revision as of 22:08, 13 April 2025

Allegories:Allegory of the Blindfold

By Mike Sosteric

Imagine for a moment a society like no other. Imagine a civilization of love, peace, and compassion where nobody goes hungry, nobody wants for anything, and everyone is equally loved. Imagine a perfect society with few worries, no suffering, and no wants. Imagine a society where a wise and shining population danced out their days in peace, prosperity, and joy. Imagine a garden paradise, an Eden, a Shambhala. Now, imagine that one day, for some reason, everybody in this society starts to wear a blindfold. One moment, the people are dancing in the light and the next they are plunged into darkness.

As you might guess, being plunged into darkness in this fashion made life a lot more difficult. In darkness, the people struggled. They crashed into each other, they dropped stuff, and they broke things. It was not too long before the bumping and the crashing caused them frustration, anger, and pain. It was bad and it got worse every day.

You would think that as things continued to deteriorate, these people, these Dwellers in Darkness would take off their blindfolds, but they did not. The Dwellers were dazed and confused and they quickly forgot they were wearing blindfolds. So, as the generations passed, these once shiny people gradually transformed into angry, bitter ogres who no longer had the time nor the energy to care about anything or anybody but themselves.

Still, no matter how bad the suffering became, no matter how many generations passed, there were always stories. Elders would tell tales of a shiny, happy place that had once existed, where the children danced and played. In this happy place, there was no poverty, war, or disease and everybody smiled all the time. That is what the elders said, but most people thought they were just stories. Most accepted the status quo. Still, some did wonder and some asked questions.

“Why is everything so dark and confusing?

Why are we always bumping into things?

Has it always been this way?”

Various answers to these questions were proposed.

Some of these searchers came to the conclusion that there was no explanation for the darkness and confusion. For these Existential Depressives, the universe was empty, life had evolved randomly, and that was the end of the story. The best the Dwellers could do in these dark conditions was to simply accept the cold, bitter truth and be happy in whatever ways they could.

You have to admit, the depressives provided a terrible story. Who wants to live in the terminal emptiness of the Existential’s darkness, after all? Many felt this way and these ones struggled to find deeper reason. Doing so, they appended bizarre meaning and purpose. These Dwellers said that all the bumping and grinding was actually good for the Dwellers, that it was punishment and penance for previous bad actions, or that it was tempering of the immortal soul. It might be hard. There might be suffering. But, in the end it would pay off and there would be immortal sunshine and light.

As it turns out, as bizarre as these tales of punishment and penance were, many were quite taken by them, so many in fact that the priests became rich and quite powerful. Still, not everybody believed their fairy tales and these ones continued to search for answers. These folks, these Explorers, wandered hither and yon. They explored over hill and dale, through cave and stream until one day they wandered into a dark forest, sat down, ate some berries and mushrooms they found lying around and had the blindfold completely blown off.

In a flash, they were enlightened.

In an instant, all was revealed.

With the blindfold off, these ones could see the problem quite clearly. Everybody was wearing this dumb blindfold. They didn’t need fantasy stories. They weren’t living in an dark universe. There was light and beauty all around. Even better, it was an easy fix. All they had to do was take the blindfold off, or so it initially seemed. Unfortunately, it was not quite that easy. Turns out, to eyes accustomed only to darkness, full daylight is too dazzling and bright. Full daylight quickly overwhelms, which is exactly what happened. Our explorers were overstimulated and quickly overwhelmed. Instinctively, the snatched their blindfolds back on.

And some were happy with that.

They had seen a world of wonder and glory, but they were overwhelmed by their glimpse and too afraid to try again. It was enough for them to know that there was something more. And besides, as some of them found, a single glimpse was a powerful thing. It gave you hope but it also gave you power. Mystified and made magical, it could mean book deals and speaking tours and bucket and buckets of cash—just the thing to make the darkness easy to bear.

Still, a few were not happy with their brief glimpse nor where they impressed with the mystical hawkers. They had seen a garden and they yearned to live there. So, they rested and reflected and when they were ready they went back and did it again, and again, and again, each time staying longer without their blindfold, each time being less overwhelmed until finally they could live with no blindfold at all. And they returned not as priests, not as merchants of mystery,  but as teachers, artists, and healers, more than willing to show us the way.

And they did.  

And at first, people were scarred, scared, and confused. The light hurt. The truth overwhelmed; but these teachers, artists, and healers were persistent.

“Breathe deeply. Stay calm. Don’t be afraid.”

“It is beautiful!”

“Can you not see?”

And slowly, bit by bit, glimpse by glimpse, step by cautious step the Dwellers learned to see again and on that day of graduation there was much rejoicing. A new dance had begun—a sacred dance, and ancient dance, reborn in the full light of day.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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