Elizabeth L. Wilson
December 2, 2008
For six years now, I have taught a
college course that features a unit on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. You
remember this story: a line of men are chained in a cave, facing the wall. Shadow images are being projected against the
wall in front of them by a “puppet master,” and the men truly only see shadows
and hear echoes. One of the men breaks
free, and slowly finds his way out of the cave.
Once his eyes adjust – first to the direct firelight in the cave, then to
the dark passageway, then finally to the direct sunlight – he realizes that the
“reality” of life is what he sees outside the cave, and the source of that life
is the Sun. Rather than stay free in the
outside world, however, he chooses to go back, potentially to take on a
leadership role and inform his fellow cave mates of the new reality outside and
their ability to experience it rather than the “unreality” of the cave. But once he returns to the cave, the prisoner
is chained up again, and the other men attack him for talking insanity.
The students and I discuss the Allegory
in the context of learning and freedom – what “chains” were they in early
in their lives, and what steps have they taken to break the chains and move
towards the light --- enlightenment, freedom, knowledge? Once they attain the education they seek, do
they know what they might want to do once they re-enter society, to help the
world?
This topic has had a particular
resonance for me. Since abandoning a
church music career in the 1980’s, I have been on my own spiritual
journey. I have questioned everything –
the traditional notion of God, the apparent male gender of God in the major
religious traditions, and searched for a spiritual paradigm that would work for
me. This journey took me literally all
over the map, and yet spiritually, I’d have to say it took me inward. Through journaling, artwork, discussion with
friends and reading, I have analyzed the world’s spiritual landscape, my own
spiritual landscape, and the human condition, from deep within myself. I guess you could say I have been a
modern-day contemplative nun, minus the church or religious setting.
As I read and re-read the Allegory
of the Cave every semester, its superficial appeal to me as a spiritual
traveler has begun to give way to troubling questions. Why is it that the Allegory seems
almost “reversed” to me? Why is it that
I feel my journey has taken me “underground” to a place where I am not seen or
heard, not out into the open? Why does the metaphor of the distant sun as the
“Source” feel so impersonal and unsatisfying?
Why do I find the metaphor of the enchained prisoners so very sad, and
the mysterious puppet master/jailer/tyrant so creepy? Is this really the best metaphor for our
human existence? Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, why would Plato have
written something that makes the process of returning to the world seem so
hopeless and depressing? Will I, too,
return to the “cave” only to be chained up, deprived of my freedom, and
verbally or physically attacked by humanity?
If I am intended to take on a leadership role, how will I ever survive
long enough to do so? The whole thing
seems oppressive and ultimately uninspiring.
It becomes harder and harder each semester to present this model to students.
I know, however, that this scenario
has played out many times over the course of history. Look at Jesus, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther
King, Jr. – unique, heroic, inspiring men attacked and killed as they began
their destinies as leader. The blame for
these events can hardly be placed at Plato’s door. He was only reflecting his own reality,
having seen the deaths of Socrates and others.
Is this kind of scenario reflective of a male perspective that I still,
after five decades, can’t quite grasp? Yet this best known centerpiece of The
Republic has been read by thousands, or perhaps millions, of people over
the centuries, and has inevitably entered our communal consciousness. How many tyrants have found in it
justification for their tyranny? How many wise ones have returned into the
world, assuming they would be attacked or martyred? And how many other wise ones have just simply
opted not to return to the “real world” – or have covered over their immense gifts
– out of fear of attack?
Many of us have been considering “The
Law of Attraction,” and it makes me wonder if such a profoundly influential
piece of writing has actually caused us to create and recreate oppressive
societies in our world, and tragic ends for those who attempt to break free and
model wisdom. (I know that at almost
every step of my own journey, I have expected to be ignored, rejected, deprived
of financial and moral support, and that this has frequently been the case –
with the notable exception of some of my best female friends. Even as I write this, about to sink under an
unmanageable load of debt, I still hear myself saying, “That’s your form of
martyrdom, Liz, your tragic end. No
matter how heroic or worthy your efforts to self-actualize, there’s no happy
ending in the cave, and you are silly to expect one.”)
Yet I want a happy ending, gosh darn
it! I want it for me, and I want it for
the world. I began to wonder whether the
Allegory could be re-written in such a way that would seem more hopeful,
especially for women, but potentially for all 21st century men and
women. Could a new story “attract” the makings of a more love-filled future? I can’t know that yet. But I do know that writing the attached has
made me feel truly hopeful for the first time in 52 years. And that’s a start.
So I offer this alternative
Allegory...
Imagine a human society living
relatively happily, despite the inevitable stresses and strains of living. This community lives on the surface of a
gorgeous world of natural wonders and human inventiveness. Men and women live and love, grow food, grow
their communities, laugh, cry, delight, get dirty, get rich, get poor, but
overall have a free and abundant life experience on the planet.
Then imagine a young woman, we’ll
call her Eila, who has been happy and free, and who has experienced marvelous
adventures in the course of her life.
One day, she said to herself, “What is the source of all this joyful
abundance? I am grateful, but I can’t quite tell to what! To whom?
What is my Source? Where does the
energy of life come from?”
Several months later, not far from
the community, Eila found the entrance to a cave. Curious, she decided to explore, flashlight
in hand. At the beginning, the
passageway was rough and rocky, but she was so excited to be exploring new
territory that she didn’t mind the discomfort.
Her eyes were having trouble adjusting to the dark, and as time went by,
and she started to struggle for her footing, she started to question her
decision to come into the cave. She
tripped and fell, and at one point even sat on a rock and sobbed. “What on earth did I decide to do this
for?” In the dank, dark passageway, she
began not only to question her decision to explore, but also everything in the
world above that she’s just left. Maybe
it wasn’t so great after all. Whatever
negatives she had ever experienced in life were suddenly magnified in the dark,
and she became angry and sullen, at herself and at a world that didn’t look so
bright any more. She wasn’t sure she
wanted to continue with her journey, but going back home suddenly didn’t seem
very enticing either.
Suddenly her ears perked up. What was she hearing? She couldn’t quite describe it as music or as
sound, but there was a vibration coming from further down in the cave that
intrigued her. She stood up and decided
to move forward. In the circle cast by
her flashlight, she noticed that the passageway was slowly getting wider and
smoother, and increasingly beautiful.
Other travelers had been before her, and left artwork and designs on the
wall, many of which seem to portray a powerful female form. All at once, Eila recognized this as being an
image of the Goddess, the deep Source of all life. The vibrational sounds that she had begun to
hear started to sound more and more like music, as if all the music she had
ever heard was playing at once and creating a denser and denser wall of fantastic
sound. The colors in the passageway were
getting warmer and warmer, and the artwork began to be more and more
joyful. Eila knew that she was getting
closer to her goal, and, as she turned a corner, a huge archway opened
up into an enormous circular, cavernous room.
The ceilings were high, and the
walls were covered floor to ceiling with extraordinary artwork and geometric
designs. Energy fields seemed to be
dancing to this mysterious but amazing music, and light filled the room, both
torches and energy-light. Intricate
patterns of marble and precious stones lined the floor and indicated, as if it
were not obvious, the way to the center of the room.
Seated there on a modest throne was
the Source of all life. To call her the
Goddess wasn’t enough, and Eila could barely look at her. Dressed in reds of
various hues, she wasn’t enormously big or powerful looking. It was unclear how old this woman was or
even, upon closer examination, whether she was a woman at all. She had some features that are somewhat
animal-like (or was it bird-like?), and there was energy swirling around her in
joyful, brilliant currents.
The Goddess spoke. “Come near me, dear one.”
Eila, who was barely breathing,
walked as strong and tall as she could, eyes forward in awe and wonder. As she approached, the Mother stood up,
opened her arms, and enfolded her saying, “I have been waiting for you dear
one.”
The young woman allowed herself to
be unfolded. She had experienced love and
joy on life’s surface, she had smiled and laughed and always taken part in life
most enthusiastically. But to have the
Source of all life, the Great Mother, encircle her in her arms was an
experience beyond all other experiences.
For the first time, she understood the roots beneath her earthly
existence. She understood her connection
to all other beings, to all the cells of earth, to all the stars in the
sky. She understood love, she felt love,
she was love. And she was being
loved so profoundly that she felt – briefly – that a return to the surface of
life would not be necessary. How would
any experience compare, ever, ever again?
How would she be able to concentrate on the day-to-day experiences of
planting, cooking, working, reading, painting, loving, cleaning,
childrearing?
She tried to stop thinking. Just to be held by the Source of all life
long enough to feel at one with that loving energy, that extraordinary power,
was life changing. It was enough. The rest would take care of itself.
How much time elapsed? Ten minutes?
Ten hours? Ten days? Ten years? She didn’t know. But finally, our heroine knew she was ready.
Slowly, she disengaged from the
Mother’s arms. The Great Mother beamed
at her with absolute and total love.
“Mother, what can you teach me? I
mean, nothing is quite perfect up there on the surface. There must be many things you wish to tell
me.”
“Just being here, you have learned
all you need to know. Love is all there
is.”
“But what about healing?”
“Love.”
“What about prosperity?”
“Love.”
“What about feeding people?”
“Love.”
“What about bringing up boys and
girls?”
“Love.
“Is there nothing else I need to
learn?”
“Not really, dear. Feel the love and energy that I have shared
with you, and pass it along to every person and situation you meet. Be in love with that life on the surface of
earth. It is there TO love and to
share. Support your creative people, and
be joyful.”
“But don’t you want to be
worshipped? I mean, what can I do to
honor you? Ceremonies? Offerings?”
The Goddess smiled. “No worship.
Just love.”
She hugged Eila one more time, and
wiped the few tears that had brimmed up in her eyes. “Now, it’s time for you to
go home.”
Eila cringed. “But my home is with you!”
“No dear, your home is your
home. I am the source of energy, of all
life, but it must have an outlet out on the surface of life. I power your home, but you need to be there
to live. Take care of it, dear. Tell the people to take care of earth. It is their home at this time and needs to be
loved.”
“Yes, mother.” With one last hug,
Eila got up the courage to leave. She
backed up slowly, then, with a small, shy wave, said goodbye to her Mother and
turned around.
“Dear girl...” the Great Mother
added.
“Yes...” Eila turned around for one
last look.
“One more thing. Circles.”
“Circles?”
“Your world still needs to balance
out all the sharp edges and boundaries with circles. Tell the people to think circular.”
“OK.” For a moment, she was silent as she tried to
remember it all. “Bye! Thank you!” Eila
turned and walked out of the archway once more, the joyful sounds of energy
music singing in her ears.
The trip back to the surface was
hard for the young woman, however. She
walked slowly, not wanting to leave the warmth, love and safety of this
environment that she had so briefly been nourished in. The artwork in the passageway – so colorful
and bright near the center of the world – grew more sparse as she walked upward. Seeing colored chalk near the floor, she
added her own drawing of the Goddess to the ever-expanding exhibit, but with
some sadness in her heart, because she knew a drawing wasn’t the same as the
real thing. The reds and golds and
oranges of the passageway began to give way to cooler greys, browns, and
blueish-black stone. So open and
passable near the center, the passage became narrower and rockier. She stumbled and felt teary. She knew she had to leave the Goddess, but
couldn’t it be easier? She stumbled on a
rock and fell, this time gashing her knee quite seriously and blood began to
pour out. She wrapped a handkerchief
around it, but just then her flashlight stopped working. It was clammy, pitch black, and she was
feeling her way nearly on hands and knees.
She could at this point barely remember what the Goddess’s beautiful
home had been like, much less her own home.
Should she go back or forward? At
this point, she just didn’t have the energy to decide...since she was facing
forward, she would continue heading out of the cave.
Suddenly, she became aware of a dim
light ahead of her. The light grew and
grew as she went forward. She called
out, hoping someone would hear her and help her, because she was exhausted
almost beyond belief, but no one heard.
Soon, she knew she was only yards from the cave entrance, and would soon
be returning to friends and family, and “reality.”
Eila stood up with difficulty, her
eyes blinking in the now-unaccustomed light.
She said a prayer that she might be worthy of telling what she had
experienced. She had been gone so long –
would anyone even know her anymore? One
or two last steps brought her out of the cave.
The small homes and public
buildings of her community were visible in the distance. It was a warm sunny summer day, and the
fields were shimmering with bright light.
She had to close her eyes a few times to acclimate herself.
Slowly, Eila began to make her way
to the village. At one point, it
occurred to her that there was still time to turn back, to retreat back to the
cave and disappear into the heart of the Goddess, the heart of her Source. There she could be surrounded by these
profound energies of love forever, and never again experience them in even
slightly distilled form. She stopped in
her tracks. No one could see her
yet. There was still time. The temptation to retreat was so strong.
But she remembered the Goddess’s
instructions, to go home, to love, to be at the surface where love met oxygen
and became life. She knew that the
Goddess wanted her to live and do Her work in the world, and that such a path
required somewhat more courage than retreating.
She glanced back at the cave entrance, envisioned the Goddess’s
encouragement, and then faced forward and began to walk again.
The footpath met the main road into
town, and as she began the last phase of her journey, some tension mounted in
her. What if her friends and family had
forgotten her? What if they had rejected
her? What if they didn’t believe her story?
She shivered and hesitated once again. But in the end, she knew and
trusted a Goddess who would not desert her at this crucial moment.
She saw people in the fields and
the street ahead of her. As she neared,
she strained to see if these were the same people she had left – how long ago
was it? All at once, she realized she
was being noticed. One by one, heads
turned in her direction and then, almost as one body, the crowd shouted for joy
and raced toward her and surrounded her.
Yes! These were the very friends she knew, slightly older but not
much. One day, she’d ask how long she
had been gone, but not today.
How many people hugged her and
loved her that day? Too many to
count. Everyone exclaimed that they had
missed her and everyone – herself included – was in tears over this blessed
reunion.
Where had she been? As that
question surfaced, the noise of the crowd began to dim in expectation. Eila knew they wouldn’t judge her. Even if she had simply wandered aimlessly for
ten years, they would still love and support her. So she knew she could tell the truth.
So she told them. She had taken the long passage to the center
of the world to find the Source of all life, the Goddess. That the Goddess had held her and nurtured
her and infused her with love and wonder, then instructed her to return home
and spread love, honor creativity, and “remember the circle.” Eila stopped and self-deprecatingly
acknowledged that she wasn’t sure she was completely worthy of this honor.
The crowd listened, rapt. From out of the crowd, a woman emerged who
Eila recognized as the leader of the community, Sage. There was a hush as Sage came forward and
stood before Eila.
“Dear one, do not be afraid,
embarrassed or feel unworthy. Indeed,
you were worthy before you went on this journey, and you are even worthier
now. Only a handful of men and women
take this journey every generation. It
takes a lot of courage to leave the safety of the community. Yet as free people, we can all make the
choice to do so.
“I am the leader of this community
because, many years ago, I took the same journey you did. You don’t remember? That’s because it was when
you were very young. When I returned,
this is what happened – for a full year, I was honored and served and supported
by the community. It was a way for
people to say, ‘well done. You did something that I couldn’t do, and I’m
grateful.’ I did not return to my previous occupation – it took a full year to
re-adjust to the energies of life on the surface, and I needed an intense
period of nurturing. I also was asked to
write about my experiences and to express them through poetry, art and song
which I shared with the community.
“Then, on the one year anniversary
of my return, the leader of the community, who had taken me under her wing,
handed over the leadership role, and I have been leader ever since. This is a challenging job, Eila, but one that
I have had the courage to do only because I had experienced the unconditional
love of the Great Mother and of this community.
I have done my best to operate from that place of love every day, and
knew that some man or woman would eventually follow their curiosity to the
heart of the Mother. I rejoice that you
have done so, not because I wish to relinquish my leadership role, but because
I know that it is the Goddess’s intention that leadership keeps changing and
that people and societies keep growing. The important question is, do you
accept this challenge? After a year of
support and time to process your experience, will you accept the role of leader
of this community? And will you take on
that role gladly, knowing that you may inspire even more people to take the
wisdom journey? Your time as leader may be short or long, but when the moment
comes, you must pass it along.”
Eila closed her eyes. She could immediately see the face of the
Goddess, her immense love and pride. She
remembered, too, the Goddess’s admonition about circles and knew intuitively
that the more people took the Goddess journey, the more people would be in the
community’s circle of wise ones. She
felt committed both to leadership as well as release of leadership.
“I accept this path that the
Goddess has opened up for me. With the
help of this wonderful community, and your guidance, Sage, I will do my best to
model wisdom, courage and the love of the Goddess in everything that I do.”
Sage beamed and hugged Eila. With that, the entire community shouted with
joy, pledging their love and support indefinitely. Almost without prompting, the crowd moved as
one to the Great Hall and began preparing the greatest celebratory feast in a
generation. Eila didn’t have to lift a
finger, which was good, because the exhaustion of her journey had begun to take
hold. After many hours of celebration,
Eila slept for a full day, and woke up the next day in the knowledge that her
journey had mattered, that her community was fully supportive, that they were
giving her the luxury of time to adjust to her new role, but that the most
important job of her life was only a year away.
She smiled as she felt the energy of the Goddess surging through the
earth, her feet and legs, and her whole body.
With joy, she knew she was up to the task.
After a year of creative
processing, nurturing and training for leadership, another celebration took
place where Eila formally accepted the role of leader from Sage. Sage remained her most trusted advisor, along
with several other former leaders and male and female wise ones.
Eila’s community thrived under her
leadership, and she relished her role.
It sometimes actively troubled her that so many people seemed complacent
and happy, and unwilling to take their own journeys of discovery, but she knew
that eventually an unusual being would do so.
One day, about eight years later, it became common knowledge that a young
man of about 18 had gone missing. No one
knew where he had gone. “You know boys,”
they said. “He’s just off sowing his wild oats.
He’s chasing after girls, fame and fortune.”
Eila wasn’t so sure. She remembered this child as being one who
had hugged her particularly hard on her return nine years ago, and she had
noticed in him, from time to time since then, and his unusual level of wisdom
for his age. His name was Ben. Could it be that he had taken the journey
into the cave? She hoped so, knowing it
would be a great model for other young men, but she tried not to think about
it.
The following summer, as she worked
in the field planting a lettuce crop, Eila was the first to notice him. He’d grown up and was taller and walking with
more confidence. Eila smiled broadly,
and stood up to walk forward to greet him.
Around her, others were standing up and beginning to cheer and shout
with joy. As Eila approached Ben, and
looked in his eyes, she saw the love of the Goddess, and knew instantaneously
that her period of leadership was drawing to a close. The cycle continued and the circle was
growing. Inwardly, she thanked the
Goddess as she welcomed him back home.
