2008-6-9 13:17:00
After we retired to bed I laid still for a while reflecting on the events of the evening. I sensed a different atmosphere around Elizabeth, actually a familiar atmosphere -- different from what it had been from the time Philo arrived, but similar to the old, loving Elizabeth whom I had always loved.
"I'm sorry," she said unexpectedly.
"Sorry for what?" I asked.
"Sorry I have not been the person you married since Philo showed up."
"I have to admit that you have seemed different the past few days," I said.
"I think I know the cause," she said.
"I think I do too," I said. "First, tell me what you think."
"I've been laying here thinking about the past-life memories that John retrieved for me. Now I see that Philo was Brother Phillippi who ordered me to torture the Knights. I remember that he had a hypnotic effect on me in that life, and it seemed to carry over into this present contact. When I met him this time, I fell under his spell just as I did when he used a hypnotic influence on me and other followers in secret meetings in that life hundreds of years ago. You were able to help me shake loose from him in that time long ago and now you helped me again. I feel so foolish that I needed your help. I should have seen through him."
"Actually, I may have a better understanding than you think about Philo's influence upon you," I said. "Tonight I had some additional information revealed to me. I was shown that Philo was not only Brother Phillippi, but that we have encountered him numerous times through several lifetimes. He has repeatedly singled you out for domination, and in that past life, you remember, he almost succeeded. You are like a challenge to him and this attitude has carried over with him into this lifetime. I have the feeling that he either wants to conquer you or destroy you. I don't believe we have seen the last of him."
"I hope we have." she said. "Now that I know who he is, he gives me the creeps."
"Me too. I don't feel good about having someone so sinister staying in our home," I agreed.
"Will you forgive me again?" she said, putting her arms around my neck.
"For what?"
"For pulling away from you ... For losing our connection for a while."
"There is nothing to forgive," I said. "Here's the way I look at it. Remember that stage hypnotist we saw at the fair? He told a subject that even after he awoke he would be under the power of his planted suggestion, and whenever he would scratch his head the person would crow like a rooster."
"I remember that," Elizabeth chuckled. "Every time the hypnotist scratched his head the guy got up and crowed. It was hilarious."
"But here's what's interesting," I said. "After the guy made a fool of himself the hypnotist asked him why he was crowing. Do you remember his answer?"
"I think so. He said he was just trying to be funny."
"That's right. Now here's what I find interesting about that answer. The guy performed a crazy act because of a subconscious suggestion, but because he couldn't remember the true reason for it he thought that the crowing must have been his own idea. Because people were laughing at him, he concluded that he must have been trying to just be funny. The guy was not himself, but he thought he was himself."
"So you are saying that I wasn't responsible for falling under Philo's spell?"
"Well, ultimately we are responsible for all of our actions. For instance, the guy would not have crowed like a chicken, even under hypnosis, if it was totally against a principle he believed in. But a subject can be made to do something fairly crazy if it does not go against his belief system. Philo goes around teaching love, which everyone thinks is a good thing; therefore, his hypnotic techniques do not seem so objectionable. But to your credit, you resisted him when you realized that something was amiss."
"Yes. When I realized he may have been Brother Phillippi, it was as though a spell was broken. You tried to hypnotize me before, and I was not a particularly good subject. This spell or trance was much more powerful than any hypnosis I have ever seen. It still bothers me. I keep thinking of a dagger returning to my back and getting the disease again." I sensed her shudder.
"You've got to put that thought out of your mind," I warned.
"I know, but the harder I try to not think about it, the more it seems to loom before me."
"Maybe you're trying too hard."
"It doesn't seem to matter. If I try to ignore the thought, it is there ... and if I don't try, it is also there. It's almost like Philo is still here with me."
"We'll just have to cast him out then," I said.
"I hope so. I certainly hope so," she said as she drifted off into silence.
The next morning I awoke to the sound of footsteps in the hall. At first I thought someone was getting up to use the bathroom and I tried to go back to sleep, but felt an uneasy feeling. After a few minutes I decided I would arise and see if anyone was up. I ambled down the hall into the kitchen and no one was there. Then I noticed a light in the family room and headed that direction. To my surprise, there was Philo hacking away at my computer. I couldn't believe my eyes at the gall of this man.
"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded.
Philo looked very startled then replied, "Nothing. I couldn't sleep and got up and noticed that you had a computer so I thought I'd play around with it." As he arose, I noticed he put a floppy disc in his pocket.
"What did you just put in your pocket?" I demanded.
"It's just a disk I brought with me," he said, looking downward.
"Let me see it," I said firmly.
"I don't think I need to show you something that belongs to me," he said defiantly.
"I think you need to show me so I can see whether it belongs to you or not," I said.
"I don't think so," he said. "I'm out of here." He then attempted to walk past me as if I was not there.
I grabbed him by the arm and said, "Show me that disk, or I will take it from you."
He pulled his arm away, backing off, and said, "Lay off, will you? I'm getting out of your hair, OK?"
"Not with that disk."
He started to turn around and I knew I had to act now or never, so I tackled him. Philo looked surprised and angry as I put a neckhold on him. "What in the hell is your problem?" he demanded.
I tightened my hold and said, "Just give me that disk and I'll let you go."
"You have no right to my property," he said as he struggled fiercely to break my hold.
After a few seconds of struggle Lance showed up in the doorway. "What in the world are you doing to Brother Philo?"
"He has one of my computer disks in his pocket," I said.
"It's my disk," said Philo. "Get him off me!"
Lance grabbed me by the arm and tugged. "Come on. Let him go."
"I'll let him go if he agrees to let me check the disk. I'm sure he's got some of my files."
"I'm sure Brother Philo will let you check it out, won't you?" Lance assured me, looking at Philo.
"OK, OK, I'll let him look at the disk," said Philo.
"There, he's going to let you check the disk. Now let go of him before you hurt him."
I reluctantly let go and said, "Now let me look at that disk."
Philo took a moment adjusting his neck and gradually reached in his pocket and pulled out a disc that had no label on it. I knew I had some new discs that were not labeled, and figured it could have been one of them. I reached out my hand and said. "Now give me that disk so I can check it out."
Philo acted like he was going to hand it to me and suddenly snapped the disc in two. "There, I showed it to you," he said.
"Why did you do that?" Lance said with surprise.
"Because he's guilty," I said flatly.
"That disk contained some of my private writings that are not to be revealed to any man," Philo said defensively. "I couldn't allow them to fall into the wrong hands."
"It contained my private writings," I said. "But now you've broken the disk I can't prove it."
"If Brother Philo says it's his private writings, then I have to believe him," said Lance.
"What's going on here?" said Elizabeth appearing in the doorway.
"Just some friendly conversation," I said. "Perhaps you'd like to make these boys some breakfast so they can be on their way."
"Sure," she said with curiosity in her voice.
As Elizabeth made breakfast and Lance and Philo were taking showers I checked out the files on my computer. I noticed that the window open on my Mac had my main file containing notes about John. I also noticed that the date of the file was the current date, proving that Philo had actually opened it. "At least he didn't get a copy," I thought to myself.
At breakfast we treated Lance and Philo with frank cordiality. Lance made arrangements with a friend to stay at his house and I drove them both over there. After Lance got out of the car, Philo turned to me and said in a low whisper, "I'm glad to know that John is back. Perhaps we will meet soon," he grinned.
"I knew you opened that file," I said.
"Opened, read and memorized," he said. "I think my path will soon take me back here to Boise."
"Those notes are for a fiction book I'm writing," I said trying to diffuse him.
"I don't think so," he chuckled, getting out of the car. "We will meet again soon. By the way, tell John hello again from his old friend. He'll know who I am." Philo laughed softly in a way that disturbed me.
I felt uneasy again on my drive back home. I thought it was probably because Philo unnerved me, but when I entered the house I was horrified to find Elizabeth sitting in a chair shaking and crying.
"What is it, sweetheart?'
"I'm sick again," she said. "I can't get up."
"It's just temporary. I think Philo just spooked you. That's all."
"But I can't get up. I'm worse than I have ever been!" she shouted. "I feel like I'm going to die."
I knelt beside her. "Tell me exactly what happened."
She wept a moment and dried her eyes. "After you left I went to the bathroom and as I was looking in the mirror I saw the dagger!"
"What do you mean you saw the dagger?"
"There was a dagger in my back!" she shouted at the top of her voice. "There really is a dagger after all!"
"It's going to be OK," I said as I hugged her, trying to calm her down. "Then what happened?"
"Right after I saw the dagger I collapsed. My strength was just instantly gone ... Just gone!"
I looked her directly in the eyes and said. "Remember how we talked about hypnosis and how suggestions can be planted? I think Philo planted this in you. That dagger is not real. You just think it is."
"The dagger is real! I saw it with my own eyes."
"I know you think you saw it."
"But I did see it! How can you not believe me?"
After careful thought, I said, "I know this is hard for you, but please listen. You didn't feel sick until you actually saw the dagger, but if the dagger was real it was already in you before you looked in the mirror. Why did you only feel ill after you actually saw it?"
"I don't know. All I know is that I saw it, then I felt it in my back, and then I lost my strength. I know what happened and that is all I can say."
"You've got to think this thing through, sweetie. This is another case where the mind must rule the feelings. Your mind must convince your feelings that this is illusion. Because you feel this thing is real, it has the power of reality."
"I can't," she cried "Don't you understand? I actually saw the dagger, I feel the dagger and I'm sick again. It doesn't matter what I think, it just won't go away."
"We'll find a way to lick this thing permanently," I said.
"I think I know the way," she said hopefully.
"And what's that?"
"I think that if Philo pulled this dagger out again, everything would be OK."
Her statement struck me like a dagger. I knew within myself that any assistance rendered by Philo would only pull her deeper into illusion. "I want you to listen to me," I replied firmly, holding her tightly. "I know this is difficult to face, but here's what I think would happen if we called Philo. He would take this illusionary dagger out, and you would have temporary relief. Then, your problem would come back, and in the end, you would have to call upon him again and again until you are totally dependent on him."
"But if I can just get the dagger out, I won't have to be dependent on anyone."
"But there is no dagger to take out. Don't you understand? Philo just planted a negative thought in your mind and you're falling for it."
"You don't understand how I feel," she cried. " I have had hope revived again and again, and now I finally thought I was healed for good. Now look at me. I feel worse than ever. If this is the way it's going to be I would have been better off dying and getting everything over with. Now that I've gone this far, I want my health back, and I think getting that dagger out will do it."
"Sweetie. Every bone in my body tells me that we should not call Philo. Think back to your memories of him in that past life. If you remember what he was like then you will not want to contact him no matter what. Now the day after tomorrow I see John. I think he will be able to help us. I want you to promise me that you will wait until then before you even consider calling Philo."
"But Philo and Lance will be on a plane back to California on Thursday. It may be too late to get help by then."
"But who is it that is more logical to trust? Philo -- who has been an enemy of all that is good for many lifetimes -- or John who has been a continuous servant of mankind for two thousand years?"
"It doesn't matter to me. Can't you understand that I am afraid and that if I can just get rid of that dagger I think the fear and the disease will just go away?"
I felt exasperated as I continued: "But look at the choice here. Philo brings nothing but fear, whereas John has brought nothing but peace and love and light. The internal feelings generated by Philo have been only fear-generated, but John causes us to feel a spiritual and holy feeling within ourselves. We've got to ask ourselves what are we going to trust here. We can't yield to fear."
"That's easy for you to say." she said defiantly. "You're not sick."
"I think it would be easier for me to say this if I were the one who was sick. You don't realize how much I feel for you when you go through something like this. Even though I want more than anything for you to be permanently well, I don't think we should contact Philo. I think we should wait until our next contact with John. If he does not have a good answer or offer us hope, I will pay Philo's plane ticket to come back up here if necessary. How's that for a deal?"
"I'll try to hold on, but I feel like I am getting worse here by the moment."
"We haven't said the Song for three or four days. Maybe saying it now will help." I grabbed her hand. "Will you say it with me?"
At first I felt some resistance from her to saying the Song, but as we said it, I felt a sense of peace come to us and I sensed that Elizabeth was also feeling it. After a pause I spoke to her. "The feeling I get right now is that we must follow the sense of love and peace as it comes to us, and I don't think either of us felt it with Philo. I know that you feel it now just as I do."
"I do feel that saying the Song quieted some of my fears," Elizabeth said softly.
"Let's say it again."
She said it again with me, and this time I felt Elizabeth putting her heart into it and having no resistance to the spiritual energy. The energy and sense of peace was greatly amplified. It felt so good that we both said it together a third time. After this, I gently picked her up and carried her over to the couch and sat down with her on my lap. We hugged each other for at least ten minutes, just basking in the energy of the peace that passes all understanding.
Elizabeth broke the silence. "You know, when you go a period of time without this wonderful energy you tend to almost forget that it exists, always there waiting for us to tap into."
"Yes. It's like we go away from the Spirit of God, but the Spirit never goes away from us."
"Yes, that's exactly it." She hugged me more tightly, almost like she was seeking energy from me. "Will you say a prayer for me?" she asked.
"Sure. What do you want me to ask for? Your health?"
"Something more important than that. I want you to ask God to help me stay in this true light and love that we feel right now so I don't forget again and become overwhelmed by fear and negativity. Even if I were to die soon, it would not be so bad if I passed away feeling this peaceful."
"That's my old Elizabeth speaking. Now, all I ask is that you quit drifting in and out of your normal positive and loving self."
"That's what I want too ... Now say the prayer."
I won't repeat the prayer here. Some of it was of a private nature, but I did ask God to keep both of us in His light and love, and I requested that we would have the power to stay in consistent tune with this most great peace of His Presence. I also prayed that Elizabeth would receive her health back on a permanent basis and that the way out of fear and illusion would be revealed to us. I felt a spiritual presence with us as I prayed and thought that John may be with us. The words I spoke were inspired and touched the soul of Elizabeth. We both cried together after I finished.
"I think I feel a little stronger," Elizabeth said after several moments.
"Do you think you can walk again?"
"I'm not sure. I can try."
I backed away from her and said, "Try and come to me."
She got up with hope in her eyes and took two steps. At that instant I saw fear and doubt in her eyes and she fell to the floor. "Elizabeth! What is wrong? I thought you were going to make it."
"I thought I was too," she cried. "But as I started to walk the thought of the dagger came back into my mind and I couldn't push it away. The next thing I knew I saw a dagger in your hand. My mind tells me that you would never hurt me, but a part of me is afraid. Suddenly, I love you but am afraid of you at the same time."
The real dagger, I thought to myself is the thoughts planted in her mind by Philo, but now was not the time to dwell on that idea. I picked her up and sat her on the couch again. "Sweetheart, you are torn here between fear and love. I remember a scripture from the Bible that says perfect love casts out all fear. I think the thing to do right now is to not even think about walking or your illness. Instead, let's just concentrate on our love. In our finer moments, I think our love is perfect and I know that you know deep within yourself that you have nothing to fear from me. Let's just hold each other again and dwell on the loving moments we have had together."
She seemed to think this was a good idea, and we held each other and reflected in silence for a good fifteen minutes.
Elizabeth finally spoke softly, "Tell me that John will be able to make me well again permanently."
"I cannot predict what John will tell me on our next meeting, but I do have his word that when I learn the first three keys you will be healed permanently. Now, he indicated that you may be healed early, but somehow that is up to you. Remember he spoke of three temptations that you must pass before you see him again?"
"Well, I feel like I have been through a dozen temptations," she said.
"I agree. It looks like temptations of some kind seem to be coming every five minutes. But if we try to narrow them down I would say that the doctor's negativity was your first one. You were weakened but then you saw correctly and got your strength back."
"And I'm sure the second one had a lot to do with Philo," she added.
"Yes," I said. "You were tempted to believe his illusion, but you were able to see through it."
"So, if I am going through the third what could it be?" she asked. "I am no longer deceived by him. I know he was Brother Phillippi in a past life and he wants to control me in this one."
"But you still keep seeing that dagger," I reminded her.
"Yes, but I must concede this is probably some after-effect of his mind control. The trouble is, even this realization does not seem to help. I don't understand. If this is some big temptation, then I should at least know what I am supposed to do to get out of it."
At that moment I wished more than anything I knew what to tell her, but I felt helpless. "I'm sure John will help us," I assured her. "It's just the day after tomorrow and I'll see him again. Do you think you can hang on until then?"
"I think so," she said with moist eyes. "I hope so."
"I know so," I said hugging her tightly.
Unexpectedly the phone rang. "What a time for my clients to start calling," I thought. I answered the phone and there was silence. After about five seconds I said, "Is anyone there?"
"It's me, Brother Joseph. Your new best friend."
"Philo! Is that you? What in the hell do you want?"
"Speaking of hell," he said, "I felt concern that your wife may be experiencing some of it."
"She just needs you to leave her alone!" I almost shouted.
"If I leave her alone with that dagger, she will die. I would advise you to let me talk to her. Perhaps I can save her from this dagger you keep throwing at her."
"It's you who is planting the dagger!" I growled.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked. "Are you telling me that your marriage has been perfect, and you have never sent her negative thoughts and feelings? I don't think so. You know there is something to what I am saying here."
Suddenly, I felt a wave of memories go through my mind and I became aware of every argument and negativity we have ever exchanged between us. For a moment I felt fearful that he may be right, but I pushed that fear in the background and said, "I'm hanging up now. Please don't call again."
After I hung up Elizabeth said: "What does he want this time?"
"He knows you're having trouble with the dagger again. Somehow, he caused this and he wants to get into our lives and control you for some reason. We can't let him do that, Elizabeth. Tell me you won't answer him if he calls when I am gone?"
"How will I know if it's him?"
"The caller ID says he's calling from Bob's house. You need to check the number with every call we get until he leaves town. Please tell me you'll do that."
"I don't think you need to worry. I don't want to see him even if he can heal me."
I hoped she was right here, but because of her past life history I now knew she was in a particularly vulnerable area of her life and I was concerned for her. I had to get some work done, so I made arrangements for her mother to take her to the doctor again. I figured the doctor probably would not be able to help her much, but that we should still do everything in the normal sense to look after her health.
Dr. Bernstein seemed concerned about her deterioration and suggested Elizabeth be hospitalized, but she refused. That evening her strength seemed to deteriorate even more. It didn't help matters that the caller ID showed that Philo had called six times. Obviously he was trying to make direct contact with Elizabeth.
The next day was finally Thursday, my scheduled meeting with John. I was so concerned about Philo getting hold of Elizabeth that I rearranged my appointments and took the day off. Lance and Philo were supposed to leave on a flight around 6 p.m., so I thought if I stayed with her until that time she would be safe.
Around five o'clock, as I was making us some dinner, she spoke to me. "My strength has been fading terribly since you last spoke to Philo. If you do not get something workable from John, I don't know what I'll do. To be honest with you, I have been very tempted to call Philo and ask him to take the dagger out. Sometimes I think that if he would just take it out we would have nothing to worry about because he is going back to LA."
"I have a terrible feeling about relying on him for anything. I think if you yield to him in any degree, you will be in danger of coming under his total control. Such a thing would bother me more than if you died of that disease."
"My common sense tells me you are right, but my feelings want him to come over and comfort me," she said.
"This must be your third temptation. You do not have long to hold on now before I see John so maybe we can have an answer for you."
"I hope so," she said. "I'm not big on this temptation thing. Right now I would just like to live an ordinary life, and have ordinary health and die of a happy old age in your arms."
"Sometimes, I feel that way too," I said, "but with John entering our lives, I think we may have to say good-bye to the ordinary part. I have a feeling that even when you get well, things will never be ordinary again."
She said nothing, but I sensed an internal sigh within her.
Later that evening, I kissed Elizabeth good-bye and got in my car and headed for Denny's in perhaps my most anticipated meeting with John. As I turned on the key my mind reflected back to the time I was teleported to Israel, but as I backed out of the garage, I began to think that was some sort of one-time deal. Then about half way to Denny's some words began to form within my mind and I sensed they were from John because I now knew his vibration. The term "vibration" may seem a strange term to many, but I have learned that all souls have a distinctive vibration which is as unique to each of them as our faces, our voices and our fingerprints. At this point I had become familiar enough with the vibration of John that I could recognize him by this method just as I could if I saw his face. Then there were other times that the communication was more subtle, where I could not tell if the communication was from within myself or from him. This is comparable to seeing a face in a distance in the dark. You think you know who it is, but you are not sure. Anyway, on this occasion I was positive it was John speaking to me.
The voice said: "Go to an isolated area and stop your car."
There was a park a few blocks away that did not have much traffic at night, so I drove over there and stopped the car in an area that seemed to have little traffic. The next statement I heard startled me beyond belief, especially after what I had gone through with Philo. "Please take off all your clothes so you have nothing artificial touching your body."
My first thought here is that I was being deceived by Philo. Even though I was sure this was John's vibration I began to doubt. I thought within myself: "John, is that really you?"
"It is I. If you wish to see me you must follow my instructions."
At this point I considered that it may have been possible for Philo to somehow counterfeit John's vibration and he was somehow pulling a trick on me. Perhaps the real John is over at Denny's waiting for me and I will wind up being the fool here. Besides, why in the world would John want me to take off my clothes? It didn't make sense to me so I sent the thought back, "To make sure it is you, John, I will go to Dennys and check out our seat. If you are not there then I will know that it is you who is speaking to me."
The voice returned: "That will not be permitted. There is a window you must take now or you will not see me this week. Contemplate and decide. You have three minutes."
For the first minute my mind went wildly between the possibility of this voice belonging to John or Philo and for the life of me all feeling and logic failed me. I felt like I had spent an eternity in a terrible limbo, and also began to fear that I may wind up with a big zero to bring back to Elizabeth. If I can't bring back some hope to her, then I figured she would either die or go to the arms of Philo. Neither prospect was at all desirable.
Then I looked up to the skies and shouted. "John! Tell me again that it is you. Let me feel your essence and vibration one more time so I can be sure!"
There was no answer. Nothing. Nothing at all.
I felt the seconds ticking away and felt tremendous pressure to make a decision. If I was wrong, perhaps Philo will assume some type of new control over me or my wife. As my fear began to grow, I reflected back to the time at Denny's that I had to give the key word to John. He went to the bathroom, and when he returned I had to give it to him. I remembered that I made the right decision then because I trusted that which I received from the highest part of myself. I concluded that I must do the same again. I reflected back to the vibrations I had received from Philo. They were of a low and disturbing order. I have never felt good or a sense of true peace in his presence. But in John's presence I always felt a wonderful peaceful familiar feeling. Again I decided to go with what I knew for sure. I knew that John could communicate to me through this wonderful spiritual essence, but had no reason to believe that Philo could.
I decided to go with the communication and sent back the thought: "OK, John. I believe it is you. I don't know why you are telling me this but I am taking my clothes off." I couldn't get my pants off in the cramped space and got out of the car and finished the job looking all directions nervously. That's all I needed, was to get arrested for being some kind of park pervert. After I got everything off, I hopped back into the car and said: "OK, John. Here I am in the buff!"
"Now take your watch off," the voice said.
"I guess when he says everything he means everything," I thought as I laid my watch on the seat.
The instant my watch dropped from my fingers, I felt that dissolving feeling again and was halfway expecting to land in that apartment in Tel Aviv. But such was not my fate. This time, I felt myself being pulled downward and sensed that I was being pulled right through the earth itself at an amazing speed. The next thing I was aware of was light all around me. It was bright, but not uncomfortable. After my eyes adjusted, I saw that I was in a great stone room of some kind with hundreds of pegs on the wall; on each peg was a robe of exquisite whiteness. As I was looking around, John's voice said: "Get your Robe and meet me in the Great Hall."
I felt confused, yet had a sense of knowing at the same time. He did not say `a robe," but that I was supposed to get "my robe." Somehow I knew there was a robe here that belonged to me. I walked over to it, grabbed it and knew that this was my robe. There was even an inscription on it with what looked like Egyptian hieroglyphics. I did not know why I knew, but I knew that the meaning was "Joseph."
I put on the robe and immediately felt a very spiritual vibration and feeling, similar to that experienced in the New Jerusalem. Then I had a feeling of deja vu like I had never felt before. I knew I had been here before, but it was like I was not supposed to remember everything. I did know, however, the way to the Great Hall and, happily, in the outer rim of it, I found John waiting for me on a crystal bench.
"Have a seat, my old friend," he said smiling.
"You called me your old friend when we first met. Now I finally realize the full meaning of what you said. We are old friends, aren't we?"
"Older than you ever imagined," he agreed.
At that instant, a young lady of most wonderful beauty appeared before us with a drink in each hand. "The Ancient of Days sends you a token of his friendship by offering you this essence."
"If you think Gewurztraminer is good, just wait until you try this," said John, taking his glass.
I took the glass handed to me and looked at it. It was like a large crystal wine glass with a liquid in it that was clearer than any water I have ever seen. I held it up against the wall behind me and saw the vessel and liquid was so translucent that I could barely discern that there was a glass full of liquid in my hand. It was like seeing a ghost image of a glass in my hand.
"It tastes even better than it looks," said John as he began a hearty consumption.
I followed his lead and took a drink. The effect was different from anything I have ever imagined. There is no way I can describe it, but the best I can come up with is to say it was like a spiritual Alka Seltzer, but instead of a fizz to the body it produced a fizz to the spirit within me.
"Wow!" I exclaimed. What is this stuff?
"From this drink," said John, "comes the ancient legions about the elixir of the Gods."
"I can see why. This drink is amazing! I have never felt so alive. I am sure that if Elizabeth were to drink this she would be instantly cured."
"That is true," he said. "If she were here drinking with us she would be cured instantly."
"Then for God's sake bring her here now and let her have the rest of my glass," I demanded.
"I'm sorry," he said. "That is not within my power."
"Sometimes I feel that the powers that be are playing games with Elizabeth and me," I said.
"I feel for you, my friend. Remember -- I once lost my wife because she was beyond my power to save. I know exactly how you feel and more. You see, you still have a chance to save your wife, whereas I lost mine to death's door. What's even more difficult for me is that she has been reborn on the earth today and is married to a man with whom she is deeply in love and with whom she has three children. She has forgotten about me, but I have not forgotten about her. But you must realize that is the way life is. A greater livingness always requires the sacrifice of many of the things as they were, so to speak. In following the path I have chosen, I have had to leave behind the person who I thought was my soulmate, and many friends and acquaintances. In return I have many new friends on a higher level, and eventually I will return to earth as an ordinary mortal and perhaps pick a new soulmate."
"You say `perhaps.' What do you mean by that?"
"I dream of joining with my previous wife, whom I deeply loved, but I am afraid she has attached herself too strongly to this new man in her life. Actually, he is not that new by your measure. She has been with him three lifetimes now. I fear that I must choose again when I assume the regular mortal form. It looks like I will have to let she who I thought was my soulmate go, but even I have not completely adjusted to this reality yet. So, my friend, I hope you can see that I have empathy for you, not because of some spiritual theory, but because of hard experience."
As John told me this, I seemed to be in tune with his essence and felt a sadness even beyond that which I have experienced with Elizabeth.
"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I don't think I have ever appreciated what you have gone through."
"As you become one with me as I am one with Christ, you will have to take the bad with the good, but there is a richness in becoming One that has its own reward."
"Are you saying that you have gone through an experience with Christ something like I am going through with you?"
"That and more," John smiled. "I am milk toast compared to He whom you call the Christ. His essence has positives and negatives far beyond what you have received from me. The sacrifices He made for the benefit of the world are beyond my ability to communicate with you, but, on the other hand, the joyousness of His Spirit that He experiences through His spiritual conquests comprise a fullness that is difficult to hold for more than a few seconds. The time will soon come when you will know Him as I do. After you have merged with my essence then you through me will merge with His."
"You make me feel like I am in the first grade," I said.
"You are in the first grade," he said. "Now take the rest of your drink. Even though there are a lot of things in your life to cause worry and concern no matter how hard you try you will not be able to feel anything but a fullness of joy after you finish your glass."
I followed John's lead and drank the rest of the beautiful liquid. I had to admit I felt terrific. As an experiment I thought about Elizabeth's disease, Philo, my financial problems, but nothing seemed to distract from the feeling of joyousness I was experiencing. It was truly amazing feeling."
"What in the world is in this drink?" I asked.
"Devas," he said.
"Devas?"
"Yes. The liquid deva essence blended with pure water."
"Aren't Devas supposed to be some type of metaphysical life forms?"
"Yes" said John. "Life as we know it on the earth, such as human, is on the evolutionary arc, but deva life is a descending life rather than ascending. New deva lives are not far from their pure spiritual essence and can bring spiritual renewal and physical strength to old ascending lives such as ourselves. Only the Ancient of Days has access to the pure and holy deva essence. Count yourself privileged for receiving an allotment."
"I never realized that anything like this ever existed," I said. "Yet the effect is familiar. Have I partaken of this before?"
"Did not your robe feel familiar?" he asked.
"Yes. I am sure I have been here before and that this robe I am wearing is one I have worn many times."
"You are correct," he said, "and you have drank of the elixir before, just as you suspected."
"There is one more thing I am dying to ask you," I said. "The last time I was transported a great distance you took my clothes with me. This time you made me take all of my clothes off. What was the reason for that, and for that matter -- where in the world are we?"
John got up and bid me with his hand. "Come. Let me give you a brief tour of our facilities and then I will answer all your questions, or should I say, all that we have time for."
I got up and followed John with the anticipation that this may be our most interesting meeting yet.
-- End Of Chapter --
Copyright © 2008 by JJ Dewey, All Rights Reserved