The Shadows, lurking in the unholy place, saw their opportunity in the ending of the Old and the Dawn of the New. To conquer and destroy, to deceive and to control, to instill despair, rage and fear, and to bring to an unholy end the destiny of Humans — those aims drive the quenchless thirst that from the start of Time has taken seat in them.

Alas! Earth, since the Fourth Age, a fertile ground for their plans became. Greed and separativeness, cruelty and hatred, lovelessness and insularity, and all the unholy faces of the ego — the Shadows feast on these and on those who to them give life.

Thus, from that which is beneath Space they surfaced to employ the powers of the Darkness to deceive and to control as servants the unwary ones.

And thus the times of tribulation took hold of those on Earth. Nation after nation, people after people in all the avenues of life became the puppets of their plans. The temples of religion, the fortresses of the wealthy, the halls of the governing, and the wilted hearts of the small-minded — in those places they found many who unknowingly enlisted in their army of deception and control.

“Free to choose between the Darkness and the Light, Humans are.” So the Powers accompanying the Harbinger of the Horizon said to Him. “Just stand inside the pentagram and shine Your mighty Light far and wide. And in so doing, gather as many as You can to work like You and in the brightness of Your Light — make thus known, far and wide, that Love, Goodwill and Understanding are the shield to ward off the unholy ones. But Humans must decide, each, if to travel the Path of Light and Life they want, or the one which takes them through the dreary caverns of the Dark.”

And it was thus that the Harbinger of the Horizon also gathered an army, but His was infused with supernal Light. Though an army, Love, Goodwill and Understanding were their weapons. To include and to relieve, to enlighten and to nourish, and to break down the walls of separation — those expressions of the heart His army uses to make of many a One.

Commentary

The initial impression in those who study this Stanza may be one of hopelessness — after all, a great many Humans on Earth are still at the stage in their evolutionary development in which they are self-centered and may fall prey to the Shadows. Yet the key to understand this Stanza IV is in the simplicity with which The Powers accompanying the Harbinger of the Horizon respond to the war launched by the Shadows to stamp out the Soul of Earth Humanity — and in so doing, to thwart the destiny of the many collectives of beings who travel together with Earth Humans the Path of Return.

Thus, in truth this Stanza is one of Hope and Illumination. It tells us that shadows can never conquer light… that light, by its very essence, vanishes the insubstantial existence of shadows of any type. It is on this simple understanding of the nature of Light that Hope resides when today the Shadows seek to frighten us and thus reduce us to be their pawns.

This Stanza is also simple and direct in its instruction to those who choose the Path of Light — Love, Goodwill and Understanding are the tools, not only to ward off the Shadows, but to build a new civilization in which all Humans and the natural world can grow freely into the fullness of their potentials.

This Stanza is very appropriate for the present times when deception, confusion and fear-inducing words and actions are the weapons of those who want to divide Humans into multiple camps that reject and hate each other. And this observation leads us to ask the question:

Who is of the Light, and who is a puppet of the Shadows in the present world-wide crisis we are living?

Before we answer this question, it is important and necessary to acknowledge that in each of us there are psychological tendencies, thought patterns, and habits of speech and of action that resonate, some with the Light, others with the Shadows. It is for this reason that the main battleground between the Light and the Darkness is inside each of us — ignoring this fact and failing to take clear and decisive steps to end “the war within”, makes of us easy targets for the Shadows.

Another point to keep in mind is that the only reason the above question should be asked, and answered, is not because it tells us who to judge and condemn, but because it allows each of us to identify the human sources of deception, separativeness and destruction in the present times so that we will not fall prey to them. The Shadows never show their faces directly to anyone — never have. They are masters at psychological manipulation and mind games, and always remain behind the scenes. All we can see is their work through those who have become their puppets.

And here is the answer to the above question — it is as simple as the response of The Powers:

“You shall know them by their fruits.”

Their fruits’ — ‘our fruits’ — those of the Light, or those of the puppets of the Shadows — are:

The quality and the content of the words they speak.

The actions they initiate and sponsor.

The understanding of others and the compassion, or their absence, in their words and actions.

Their respect, or lack of it, for the differences in others — differences of any type.

Their regard and respect, or lack of them, for the paths of all the many beings who in their togetherness constitute the natural world of Earth.

Their intentions to unite Humans so that, in their diversity and freedom to pursue their unique path, a richer community, society, nation and world shall journey together towards greater horizons — or the opposite: to divide and to isolate, claiming that alone “we” will be greater than others.

These and other similar considerations are the “fruits” that will allow us to know those who live the ways of the Light and those who have fallen prey to the Shadows.

Yet, a word of caution! Remember reader of these lines, no one who travels the Path of Light condemns others, ever, not even those who have fallen prey to the Shadows. Just let them travel their chosen path, while you travel yours in the company of those of like mind and heart — using Love, Goodwill and Understanding as the shield that fends off the Shadows’ arrows, and as the tools to make of Earth a star.

As for the fate of those who have fallen prey to the Shadows, know they have added a heavy burden to their Souls. Yet, one by one, in a future time, they will unburden themselves and find again their way ‘home’. And when they shall return, we will have our arms open to embrace them again as the brothers and sisters that they are!