Remember in times like these that Jesus asked people to:
“forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
He was referring to the fact that many people cause harm to other people because of their own ignorance.
They are unaware of the harm they cause,
they act out the suffering they experience upon their brothers and sisters in humanity,
because their ignorance casts a thick veil over their ability to SEE.
Their ignorance keeps them wandering in a sleep-walking state,
Dreaming that they are awake.
Ignorance, in the Vedas, is also synonymous with darkness.
So in the term “from darkness to light”,
(a line from a famous yogic prayer called the Pavamana Mantra)
what we are referring to is turning IGNORANCE (darkness) to KNOWLEDGE (light).
It is ignorance which is what keeps us in a sleep state.
We cannot find light unless we awaken with true knowledge.
Knowledge of self and knowledge of the nature of reality.
Perhaps Jesus could have also said:
Forgive them, for they know not that they live in darkness.
For they’ve lived there for so long,
They have forgotten what light is.
What else can we do but pray for the veils of darkness on humanity to lift?
And spread knowledge and hope that the flicker of light within people will one day recognize it.
As the veils of this earth darken before a new dawn,
During this pinnacle moment of the dark ages
The spectacular ending of the Kali Yuga
My prayer is for all those who are trapped in darkness, in ignorance
Will discover the light of knowledge.
Ignorance keeps us asleep in darkness
Knowledge awakens us to the light ✨
By Laura Matsue
Art by Cameron Gray
Original Pavamana mantra:
Lead me from the unreal to the real,
Lead me from darkness to light.
Lead me from death to immortality,
Let there be peace, peace, and peacefulness.
Om Asatoma Sadgamaya,
Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya,
Mrityorma Amritamgamaya,
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi.