Don’t lie.
Don’t steal.
Don’t kill.
Many traditions and religions share these rules.
Ancient Egyptians hoped that after death, they would live for eternity in the Field of the Reeds, the Egyptian’s afterlife paradise. To go there they had to go through a series of test in the underworld. The most important of these tests took place in the hall of judgement before Osiris, God of the death and resurrection. To get to paradise, the person had to stand in front of 42 judges and swear that they had not committed certain sins such as “I didn’t lie, I didn’t steal, I didn’t kill.” After that came the weighing of the heart, where the person’s heart was weighed against the feather of truth and justice. If the heart was heavier than the feather, it would be eaten by a crocodile-headed demon and the person was lost forever. But if the heart and the feather were in balance, the person was declared “true of voice” and the journey to the Field of Reeds could begin.
Ancient Egyptians hoped that after death, they would live for eternity in the Field of the Reeds, the Egyptian’s afterlife paradise. To go there they had to go through a series of test in the underworld. The most important of these tests took place in the hall of judgement before Osiris, God of the death and resurrection. To get to paradise, the person had to stand in front of 42 judges and swear that they had not committed certain sins such as “I didn’t lie, I didn’t steal, I didn’t kill.” After that came the weighing of the heart, where the person’s heart was weighed against the feather of truth and justice. If the heart was heavier than the feather, it would be eaten by a crocodile-headed demon and the person was lost forever. But if the heart and the feather were in balance, the person was declared “true of voice” and the journey to the Field of Reeds could begin.
Would you enter the Field of Reeds?
When I heard this story, I couldn’t sleep a whole night. I was just wondering if I would enter the Field of the Reeds and who would? I quickly came to the conclusion that I would definitely not enter there. I did lie, I did steal and I did kill many mosquitoes.
So who would enter the Field of Reeds?
Who has never lied, never stolen and never killed?
Can you show me this person please?
We lie constantly; out of arrogance, out of pride, but mostly out of ignorance. We are so much pretending to be somebody we are not. To my point of view this stands as a lie. As long as we are moving around with masks we are lying.
We steal attention from each other out of neediness and loneliness. The selfie generation is full of thieves! We steal energy from each other out of weakness. We are all thieves in a subtle or rude way.
As for killing it is inevitable. While you have your morning walk in the forest how many ants are killed under your steps? Yes, I take it to the depths! It is not just about killing a human, no?
I am convinced that on this human plane, nobody can enter the Field of Reeds. Even a Buddha would not make it there!
Take responsibility for your actions, your thoughts, your emotions, your words.
Well that’s it! If we could start from being responsible, I guess we would not need an afterlife paradise. We would create it right here on this planet!
In taking responsibility, we become more conscious, more loving, more caring. This way lying, stealing becomes very difficult. As for killing, like I mentioned above, it is inevitable, but at least by being responsible we would minimise our killing to just the inevitable!
For 2023 all I wish to us is that we take responsibility for our actions, our thoughts, our emotions, our words.
And this way start a new way of living, creating on this amazing beautiful planet Earth!
And this way start a new way of living, creating on this amazing beautiful planet Earth!
With love and gratitude,
