“Certainly it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.” ~ Francis Bacon

Whether or not a fiery hell awaits those who fail to meet the criteria of the various religions on earth in the afterlife I cannot be sure, but there is ample evidence of the presence of hell on earth—conflict, hatred, wars, terrorism, prejudice, violence, injustice and the like—which come as the result of momentary decisions made by men and women, just like you and me.

What about heaven on earth? Is it possible? If so, can it come through you? In my view, there is plenty of room for the expression of perfection through you, through me, here and now. But how?

The phrase obscuris vera involvens (“truth is enveloped by obscurity”) floated around the recesses of my mind yesterday like a leaf carried through the air in a busy city on a windy day. The subject of many enquiries through the ages, truth remains largely hidden behind a veil woven by ignorance and willfulness. Yet truth, as Bacon suggested, must be the “poles of truth” around which the mind of man turns if heaven is to be revealed on earth.

Disinterest, self-deprecation, false humility on the one hand and arrogance, selfish pursuit and nefarious intent on the other are several of the many threads that come together to form the veil which sits between man and the truth.

To know the truth, you must be rid yourself of these possessions. The veil is pierced by righteousness, purity of heart and the spirit of service, nothing more, nothing less.

Photo by Davide Cantelli on Unsplash