Hell is not bound by space or time. You can be in hell right now, reading this. It is not relevant if you are alive or dead. You can be in hell your whole life, unbeknownst to me. Unbeknownst to even you.
Hell is not a landscape. Hell is a place of suffering. Mythologically, we depict it as a place ravaged by a sustained, hungry fire. Fire that destroys everything in its path, leaves no structure standing, with unrelenting heat that burns you up, smoke that covers up all light and suffocates you. That’s what the pit of hell looks like.
The road to hell is a different story. The road to hell is an easy stroll with dizzyingly fragrant flowers, deceptively sweet fruit, clear skies that promise never ending pleasure. The road to hell requires no work, it is gently downward sloping, puts forth no obstacles to overcome, builds no muscle. You are softly pushed down the road, at first. But things turn quickly, too quickly for you to react, and it’s always too late when you realize. Suddenly, you are caught in a whirlwind that lands you in the pit. The road to hell is indeed a slippery slope.
Everything with the potential to breed chaos eventually leads to hell. Like the first lie that engenders a million lies, each one covering up for its predecessor. Small thoughts, words, actions, when compounded, end up barreling down and crashing into your life.
The Devil (again mythologically) is Hell’s recruiting agent. Not so much a gatekeeper, because if hell had doors, they’d be wide open. Is the devil real? Stick with me for a minute. Let’s entertain this metaphor.
Its main recruiting tool is temptation. The devil never forces you, it just persuades you, with subtle nudges here and there. It makes sweet promises it can never keep. Mountains of riches. Youth that doesn’t fade, life that doesn’t end, pleasure that doesn’t sour, freedom that has no price, a debt without collectors. Actions without consequences. He? She? It? The devil takes many forms. It lures you in, and gets you stuck in its weeds. Hell is a place of addiction, almost impossible to escape.
The devil hijacks your processes and makes you do things you had sworn not to do. It knows your weaknesses, it uses and feeds your desires by sweetening the promised reward. You, on the other hand, are mostly clueless as to its existence, let alone how much sway it has on you. And you forget, always.
Let’s imagine our lives if we gave in to every temptation that came about. If we ate every donut in the box, gave in to every crush we had, bought everything we liked, slept in late or not at all, indulged in every envious thought we had, fed every lustful fantasy, broke every vow, took the easiest road, watched every episode out there.. Those things will certainly bring you pleasure, but pleasure is overrated. Its effect, a Dopamine surge, is short-lived. An instantaneous blip. On to the next. Like all drugs, the more you indulge in it, the more of it you need. This creates an unbreakable cycle of craving and disgust. If you gave in to every temptation, you would just be a dead beat, adding no real value to the people and structures around you.
Your wants are a known vulnerability. They’re your weak spot. Do not let what you want be your guide, because what you want can be easily manipulated. Wants are shallow and vain. They come and go, leaving you bare and dry. Pleasure is a depreciating asset. Desire is fleeting. “All you ever wanted” is underwhelming. Ask anyone who got it. Empty. All talk. Only talk. Something you once believed you would die for (or without) forgotten as soon as it is acquired. Fulfilling all your wants will leave you jaded, spoiled, disgusted.
The root of all evil, then, the beginning of all suffering is through craving. As long as you crave, you are a sitting duck. The devil will sniff you out, as it is trained to do, and get you on your way to his lair. Your cravings make you an easy prey. It is in your best interest to reduce their number and their sway. Every time you fulfill a craving, you lose ground to the Devil. Giving in any time makes you more likely to give in the next time. We must open our eyes and learn to notice when we’re being played.
This is not to say that we should aim for an ascetic life, no. But we need to understand that everything comes at a price. Every action has its consequences, and consequences are inescapable. Indulge knowingly. Erect strong boundaries that keep destruction at bay and shield you from temptation.
Sharpen your ax. This is an existential war. The Devil is a formidable opponent. If you don’t fight, you lose. If you are unprepared, you lose. Remember, it knows you.
Envy, lust, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony, vanity, greed.. Which carrot dangles in front of you? At some point you will bite. And that’s okay. What matters is what you do next.
