Gregorian times

'Yesterday is but a dream. Tomorrow is only a vision. Today, well lived; makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, every tomorrow a vision of hope.'

- Kalidasa, a Classical Sanskrit writer widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.

One might have heard of a Gregorian calendar, which is in general use in most parts of the world today; or a Gregorian chant: the system of church music ascribed to Pope Gregory I, used as ritual music in the Roman Catholic and some other churches; but what of Gregorian times. Gregorian times, is the period of, or relating to, or associated with, any of the Popes named Gregory, especially Gregory I to Gregory XIII. This period extends from 590 in the Christian era, when Gregory I became Pope, to 1585 when Pope Gregory XIII died. It so happens - a mere coincidence - that this period also, more or less, corresponds and parallels the time of occurrences of what came to be called the Dark Ages in the history of Europe.

Dark Ages

Dark Ages is a term referring to the perceived period of cultural and economic deterioration and disruption that occurred in Europe following the decline of the Roman Empire.

The term though is, now rarely used by historians because of the value judgment it implies.

However, it is, occasionally taken to derive its meaning from the fact that little was, known about the period.

The term's more usual and pejorative sense is of a period of intellectual darkness and barbarity. The period was, marked by frequent killings and a virtual disappearance of urban life where poverty, fear of persecution, and lawlessness ruled.

However, the rise of archaeology and other specialties in the 20th century has shed much light on the period and offered a more nuanced understanding of its positive developments. Many modern scholars who study the era tend to avoid the term altogether for its negative connotations, finding it misleading and inaccurate for any part of the Middle Ages - circa 5th to the 15th centuries.

Human history

From Stone Age to Space Age, every era in human history has ultimately been about progress. Well, almost every era. The Dark Ages are an exception to the rule - everyone knows that after Rome fell, the world stumbled into a figurative night, a darkness that lasted for centuries.

It was a period of intellectual and economic darkness where everyone was either a brutal warrior or a filth-encrusted victim.

Warlords and barbarians roamed the land; every stratum of life was, covered by a layer of filth: corruption, dirty mindedness, indecency; and the general populace had the life expectancy of a three-legged gazelle in a lion's den. Torture of the people was common. Society was cruel and the standard of living abominable. In reality though, it was not that bad. Humanity managed to hit new highs in charity, health care, and innovative philanthropy.

The concepts of goodwill hospices, hospitals, and shelters for the poor were also invented during this period; paving the way for the public health care system that we know of today.

Do not get me wrong - if you went back to the medieval era in a time machine, you would hate it for all of the five minutes it took the locals to murder you for witchcraft; because entertainment in the Dark Ages was not much different to what humans do today: killings and mayhem. Ultimately, the Dark Ages were, not called that just because a few barbarians marauded their way across Europe. The real reason the era was so devoid of all light is because, it was an intellectual twilight zone; and the people were for the most part, dim witted as hell.

Superstition, stupidity, ignorance, ruled. Scholars - let alone people who could be called intelligent - were few, and far between. Truth and honesty was its major casualty.

One may ask what difference it makes, whether man believes in truth or not. I would say that it makes a big difference: It makes all the difference in the world. It is the difference between being right and being wrong; it is the difference between truth and surmises - facts and delusion.

It is the difference between the earth being flat, and the earth being round.

It is the difference between the earth being the center of the universe, or as known today, a tiny speck in this vast and uncharted sea of multitudinous suns and galaxies.

It is the difference in the proper concept of life, or conclusions based upon illusion. It is the difference between verified knowledge and ignorance. It is a question of Progress or the Dark Ages. If we want to live healthy lives, that does not take us to the Dark Ages; we have to build into our daily life, moments of vision; and then permit our actions to be, formed by that vision. Listening to your soul can be a moment in which we open our inner eyes to the vision that needs to be, enacted. Unfortunately, our daily routines ignore our deep human need for spiritual connection.

Thus, the greatest unanticipated event of our time, in my view, has been the phenomenal popularity of all embracing ignorance. This, perhaps, in time, may lead to our present age to be, thought of as a part of the dark ages. For are we not in an intellectual abyss in which ideas made by dark minds become ideas fit for the dark ages? The problem with that may be, human history might be tempted to write off and overlook literally everything that happened during the said period: even the many good, as it has happened with the Dark Ages. After all, the funny thing about history really is anyone can rewrite it under the right circumstances; all it takes is some obsequious - compliant - person with a catchy phrase and an audience to defile an entire era. So, do not be surprised if some random 26th century fetishist has labeled our time as the Poop Period or the Bankrupt Ages.

What we were bankrupt of, of course, will be a matter of heated debate: by scholars and pseudo scholars alike.

It is my considered opinion that if we are to escape such ignominy, we all should speak to our hearts today; because the voice of our heart is the universal call to enter the here and now - to stop, to listen, and to heed the message of this moment. The heart speaks to our soul, which longs for peace and connection to an ultimate source.

Good sense

Listening to our hearts makes good sense for a number of reasons. You can listen to it whenever you are working, or need focus and a fresh mind.

You will find you have a delicious sense of wellness and wellbeing and, for a while at least, the challenges of life would not seem so challenging anymore. Listening deeply, you will hear a darkness turning into light, a darkness that shines as hope; and hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there is no actual magic in it; but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within, you can make things happen, almost like magic.

Sometimes, but a tiny bud has to push up through the hard shell of circumstance to reach the light of accomplishment.

Hence, plant seeds of hope; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature. Do not give up on hope; and to gain hope, listen to your heart, for it speaks to your soul.

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