The Mask
Long, long ago, in a land forgotten by time, there was a great empire, one ruled not by the heart, not by kindness and gentle generosity... no, they ruled through the mind, by logical deductions and clear rules and policies... after all, “it is the only way to ensure fairness for all”.
And to ensure that this ‘Justice’ was meted out fairly, they appointed a series of adjudicators who controlled various aspects of society... and, to demonstrate their impartial outlook, they all wore Masks...
[even though a few whispered that this was done so no-one would know their identity, and hold them accountable for any - apparent - ‘biased judgment’.
You see them walking around in their white robes [meant to depict ‘purity’], their Masks a sign of power, and how easily the crowds part to give them their space [after all it is their due].
Their rules were clear, and as long as you followed them, you were considered to be a ‘good citizen’, and were rewarded by your peers ... after all, you knew exactly what your place was, and wouldn’t dare do otherwise.
And so this great empire grew and flourished, became very rich, and started spreading its rule to all adjacent lands... Those poor saps didn’t know what hit them - how do you fight against the cold execution of the mind, how do you plead your case to those who don’t know their hearts, how do you implore to be left alone to follow your own individuality...
And so they lost... everything... and because they were conquered, they had little or no Rights. Yes, of course they had to work, so they could earn the right to live, and eat, and work some more...but never as equals, never in luxury, never as themselves...
No, they were not ‘slaves’ [that is too demeaning to the Mind-born]... no, they were simply ‘inadequate’, and so must be taught to know their place, to follow the rules of their better, to simply accept their subordinate role... as befits them... after all, they were not Mind-born.
To make this whole process absolutely clear it was decided that all Mind-born would now wear Masks... just a simple, expedient way to differentiate between those that have [ehm] ‘earned the right to rule’... versus those that obviously were born to follow and serve...
Thus they thought to make themselves strong, and invincible... and they might even have succeeded, except for a small, little, apparently inconsequential factor... Masks cannot hide your true self... and by creating such an obvious separation between its people, they facilitated those born of the Heart to recognize each other more easily...
Now it has begun... the change is here, for in unity there is power, and ego and corruption is its own downfall... Do not think that simply because one is born of the Heart that that person is weak, or even less than you... Don’t you know that the Heart is mighty in its defense of that which is whole and decent and precious to Life itself...
It begins very subtly - letting greed stuff itself to bursting, letting power corrupt the very vessel it inhabits, letting the ego create its own downfall, and those that have much turn their avarice to others who lust after their wealth ... and while all this is going on, the Heart will shelter those who know better, and guide them to wait for the Light to emerge, for it will reveal all that is Dark in the minds of men...
It has already started, the revelation of the Light is here... stand clear in your Heart, and in the Brotherhood you claim as your truth... and hold Darkness accountable, no matter how it hides itself ...
This is the tale of a great empire that existed long, long ago, and the downfall caused by those who hid behind their Masks, for even as they prized their Mind, they forgot the Light of their Heart.
