Heaven and Hell

Modern thinking about life and the world we live in is full of strict divisions. We separate mental conditions from physical conditions, and internal conditions from external conditions. This is useful in many ways, as it defines more clearly what we are talking about. However, such separations are sometimes less than clear cut. An addiction to a drug for example, manifests itself in severe physical pain in the absence of the stimulant. It is impossible to say whether the addiction is mental or physical. Similarly, our mental condition is not independent of external conditions. No-one can feel serene and happy while on the verge of freezing to death in a snow storm.

Archetypes of all kinds tend to span the human experience. They are mental and physical, internal and external, all at the same time. Heaven and hell are examples of this. When we feel serene and happy, we are in heaven, and when we feel tormented and tortured, we are in hell. Heaven and hell are mental states, but they are not independent of physical and external conditions.

While it is possible to block out external factors through meditation and pure force of will, proactive preparation and action is by far the best way to build a pleasant environment for our existence. A comfortable home, a reasonable amount of savings, good company and good food, when combined together can make for some very nice moments. It may snow and rain. The wind may be howling. But as long as we stay inside, we are comfortable. If we have what it takes to ride out the storm, we can even say that we are in paradise.

However, even in a living paradise our life can be hell. If our lifestyle is unsustainable, we will know in the back of our mind that what we have will be lost. With such knowledge, it 's impossible to feel truly contented. Consumerism is by no means an alternative to sustainable living and good company. Heaven can only be achieved in harmony with God. If we try to go beyond nature in our desire for worldly pleasures, all sorts of evils will ensue.

Conversely, it is possible to live harmonious lives under severely adverse conditions. If we are well prepared and we have the will and conviction to face the adversaries, either head on or through stealthy circumnavigation, we can have peace of mind in the knowledge that we are doing the right thing. Instead of giving into demons, both internal and external, we have conjured up angels.

By Guido Reni - http://www.andrewgrahamdixon.com/archive/readArticle/257, Public Domain, Link