The Owl Magazine | Autumn 2018 by The Owl Magazine

Spiritual Ascension into Higher Dimensions Autumn 2018

Heal ing Pow er of

Seeking the Truth

A ngel A rt

Home for the Holidays

The Dr eam of Damanhur an interview with Crotalo Sesamo

WELCOME to a sharing of contemporary ideas, fresh perceptions, art, beauty, and Universal wisdom.

What if we choose to Be the Light In another ?s darkness? Hold space For another ?s pain? Be a balm On another ?s wound? Be comfortable In our uncomfortableness For Another?

MEET US

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Pat r icia Caggan ello Editor Patricia is an interfaith interspiritual minister and CEO and Founder of Sacred Stories Media, which includes book publishing, a telesummit, podcasting, The Owl, and an online learning division Sacred U.

Fr an n e Dem et r ician Associate Editor and Creative Coordinator Franne is an interfaith interspiritual minister, spiritual counselor and relationship mentor, holistic health practitioner, teacher, writer, photographer, and artist.

M egan Br ook s Assistant Editor Megan has her degree in Advertising and Public Relations. She shares her editorial and design skills across many of the Sacred Stories Media platforms.

A Sacr ed St or y Until I was a little over eight years old, my parents and I lived on an isolated farm. I got to spend most of every day interacting with nature in an intimate fashion. This included frequent tree climbing, running barefooted? when weather allowed? on paths the cows trod on our pastures, and playing, as much as the animals would let me, with the chickens and cows we raised. That life changed drastically for me when we moved down the road to another farm about a mile away. At the time, I didn?t understand why I so desperately wanted to stay on our first farm. After all, the new place had woods and pastures similar to our old place. I cried and then I cried some more about having to move. I tried to explain to my mom and dad why the trails on our current farm were so important to me, but, I didn?t have the words to tell them why our new location just wasn?t right. Four years ago, I asked my angel guide, Esthra, to recommend a fairy I could speak with. Don?t ask me why I inquired about a fairy; nobody had yet confirmed for me that they even existed. Perhaps, I just hoped that they were real. Imagine my delight when he suggested I speak with Sheliah, the fairy

he said I knew when I was a little girl. I jumped at the chance to speak with her. I moved my energy body to Sheliah?s garden and we began to converse. Her voice was high-pitched, tiny (just like her) and bubbling with joy. It made me smile just to hear her. During the course of our conversation, I learned that whenever I climbed a tree on our farm, she would sit with me in it. No wonder I was always shimmying up trees, big and little. She told me that she was sad when I left and asked me to come back to her garden, saying, ?It is your garden, too.? She also said that if I climbed a tree she would sit with me in it. I wasn?t too thrilled about tree climbing, but I was more than happy to follow her suggestion about connecting with her by taking off my shoes and walking on the Earth in her garden. When Sheliah also told me that fairies don?t ever leave their garden, I realized why I was so heart-broken when we moved. Our new farm was in a different fairy?s garden! As I mentioned earlier, I didn?t have the words to tell my parents about the experiences I shared with Sheliah, and as an adult, I forgot about them all together.

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The joy I felt at reuniting with this diminutive being? only two inches tall? brought me to tears. They were happy tears, of course, but I wished I hadn?t lost sixty years of communicating with my childhood fairy companion. Although I don?t own the property where Sheliah?s garden is located, now that I remember she exists, I often visit her.

I also learned from Sheliah that the fairy queen?s wand really does have ?magic.? By that I mean, it is ?powered? by the queen?s love and the love of the fairies in her garden. (Everywhere on Earth that there is greenery, there is a fairy garden.) When I asked Sheliah if I could experience the energy of her wand, she tapped me with it? she calls that a ?conk?? for ?luck forever.?

Even though I don?t spend as much time in nature as I did when I was little, walking in the woods is one of my favorite outdoor activities. I have a deep love of trees and the forest and one of the most difficult occurrences in nature that I have experienced is watching a favorite tree being cut down. Can you imagine how delighted I was to learn from Sheliah that as humans destroy animals, plants and trees, the fairies take them into their gardens? She assured me that as we move into the higher dimensions, the trees I?ve loved that are gone from here will be back.

I was a lucky little girl to be able to see and interact with a fairy. And I believe I am even luckier as an adult to have one of these beautiful beings as a forever friend.

In case you?re wondering if the fairy gardens are overloaded with cows, pigs and chickens, they aren?t. I was relieved to learn that there is a special garden for those animals. Although they don?t really need to eat, the animals are given an ideal version of the life they had when they were alive. When it is time for them to experience a natural death, they lie down in the grass and turn into ?sparkles.?

Author Joy Elaine has studied, practiced, and taught Serenity Vibration HealingÂŽ & Enlightenment Technique (SVH) since 2003 and is a Master Practitioner and an Animal Healing Practitioner in that modality. She credits this study with helping her to bring forth the information in her adventure book series The Joy Chronicles. Visit joyelain e.com

Th e Dream of Dam an h u r

Nestled in the alpine foothills north of Piedmont, Italy, between Turin and Aosta, is a truly magical place on earth called Damanhur. Damanhur is a Federation of spiritual communities, with its own Constitution, culture, art, music, currency, schools, and uses of science and technology. It's an active, multilingual community of over 600 citizens who are open to sharing their knowledge and research with other groups and cultures of the world. The community has attracted interest from scholars and researchers in the fields of art, social sciences, spirituality, medicine and alternative health, economics, and environmental sustainability.

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Damanhur is perhaps best known for its extraordinary subterranean work of art and architecture, a cathedral known as the Temples of Humankind. It has been profiled on international television as the "Eighth Wonder of The World." This complex was entirely dug by hand into the heart of the mountain. Decorated with mosaics, stained glass, sculptures, wall paintings and other works of art, it is dedicated to the awakening the divine spark present in every human being. What sets Damanhur apart from other intentional communities is that it actively utilizes the practical application of science, research, and a spiritual philosophy in harmony with the planet. And yet, there is one more phenomenon that makes Damanhur truly unique: It's an axis point where four of the 18 worldwide synchronic lines intersect. The very ground breathes. Rocks, trees, and plants resonate prana. Everything seems to be subtly energized. The effect, when you visit here, is an unmistakable lifting of the human spirit. I have had the distinct pleasure of spending two weeks in Damanhur and I am honored to speak with Crotalo Sesamo, a thirty year Damanhur citizen and founder of Damanhur University.

Pat r icia Caggan ello: Welcome Crotalo! Please tell us when Damanhur began and how large the Damanhur community is both in Italy and throughout the world. Cr ot alo Sesam o: We started Damanhur or the dream of Damanhur in 1975, so it's more than 43 years of history and spiritual community. We are about a thousand people that are living in the community and in the area around the community in Italy. And then there are many people that are following us all over the world, some in community in Japan, in Germany, and in the U.S. PC: Why was creating a physical community and living among others an

important part of the mission of Damanhur? CS: The mission of Damanhur is a spiritual one and we believe a community system is a way to accelerate the enlightenment of people. The true intention every day is to create an instrument to push, to change, to transform. When you live with others side by side, you create a sort of mirror dynamic where the others are able to mirror you. The confrontation is a very important spiritual aspect because sometimes you might get lost in your own feeling, your own impression. You might feel that you are perfect and fantastic, but

maybe the others could have a completely opposite impression of you. So as always, it's easy to see in the others what is not working, but it's very hard to see in ourselves. So, when you are in a community, you are constantly facing where you are, who you are, the parts of you that are beautiful, but also the parts of you that need to be changed. And because we choose this spiritual path to accelerate our process of transformation, community is becoming the most effective and the fastest way to change ourselves. PC: Crotalo you have lived in community in Damanhur for over 30 years. Do you feel you have personally grown spiritually from living in community and can you share a way in which you have grown? CS: Well, I've been very lucky because I arrived in Damanhur when I was 18, so I've been living in a community that has let me embrace my dreams, embrace my spiritual aim so young. It's been really an amazing experience and a fantastic adventure. And even after 30 years, I have to admit that Damanhur is still my greatest adventure. I've been lucky to travel a lot as an ambassador of Damanhur and to meet a lot of interesting people and see a lot of interesting places and communities, but they are unlike Damanhur. And what probably transformed me from being a young man to becoming a man, was the possibility to bring this

spirituality into action. This is probably one of the most precious aspects of Damanhur. We believe in a practical spirituality. Spiritual physics, the spiritualization of the matter as the process of alignment, is the base of our spirituality. All this could be done not by imagining or visualizing, but by the action which transforms the matter, gives meaning to the matter. We say that if we have the hand it is because we have to use it. As an example, building the temple was literally to build your dream, to infuse your ideals into the rocks, into the caves, into the space that before had not existed. Action is probably the most powerful instrument that you can do in your inner research because there is the time to meditate, but then there is the time of ?medi-action? as we say. PC: Do you encourage others that are seeking a greater spiritual understanding and connection to be in community of some sort? CS: Yes, I mean we choose this way. We have also to be clear it is not the only way to achieve the alignment, but this is the way that we choose. We know that this could be extremely effective and that this could be an incredible acceleration. It's many years now that we are teaching a class called How to Create Successful Community where we are urging individuals and groups to

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Th e Dam an h u r Com m u n it y

create community in a very good and very practical way. After living for 43 years in this dynamic we know what is working, what is working less, how hard the dynamic is in terms of conflicts, economy, leadership, power, and everything that is part of the everyday life in community. And the fact that people can refer to something that is not virtual, but has been done for such a long time by people that are like them, gives a lot of strength and is a practical example that can be more than an inspiration for others.

located and why it was selected?

PC: Damanhur in addition to being a spiritual community, is also known for spiritual research and study. The physical location of the community in Italy is a very special place. Can you share more about where Damanhur is

At the beginning, many of the studies of Damanhur referred to the energy lines of the planet. This is something that has been well known and researched in many different civilizations. We call them the

CS: With pleasure because this is really connecting to the beginning of Damanhur, very much connecting to Falco the founder of Damanhur, this extraordinary man, this avatar, this spiritual Master, this crazy person, however we want to see him. Falco came with the vision. He came with the memory of where he was coming from and why he was here, and all of this was connected with the creation of Damanhur.

synchronic lines. Imagine huge rivers of energy that surround the planet Earth. Specifically we talk about 18 of them; nine of them moving vertically and nine that are moving horizontally. Close to the poles of the planet, the synchronic lines are creating double spirals that are extending themselves out to the solar system connecting to the synchronic lines of the other planets. From the sun which is the gate of this system, they are extending themselves to the rest of the universe. In the past, these synchronic lines were called the point of the back of the dragon. Many civilizations mention them, but some can also call them ley lines. And what is very interesting is that the synchronic lines are directly connecting to the meridians of the planet or to the source of the planet. These meridians or source are literally the source of energy, energy of information, and vital energy of planet Earth. This point, these meridians are when the synchronic lines are crossing together; two of them, three, or rarely four of them. At the beginning of the project of Damanhur, Falco and the first group of founders didn't know exactly where to build Damanhur, but they wanted to build in the most powerful energetic place on the planet, wherever these meridians were. But they didn't have it completely mapped, so they traveled for a couple of years all over the world

doing many different types of research with out of body experience, with mediumship, and more. To do what? To complete the map and to find out which were the most significant and the most important meridians on the planet Earth. And can you imagine the surprise when they finally found out that the most important place where four synchronic lines are crossing together was just simply ten miles from where Falco was born. It is a metaphor. We're always looking for the most important things outside of ourself or far away and then we forget that the most important thing is right there inside of us; our soul. The Temples of Humankind, the underground temple, it is the largest underground temple in the world. It is more than 6,000 square meters built into the rock. It's built underground also to perfectly connect into this huge enormous source of energy. All of this makes Damanhur literally a place of pilgrimage in the truest sense. A pilgrimage is where people go so they can get answers; answers to their questions, answers to their meaning of life, answers for what is going on in a particular moment of their lives. The temple is talking in silence, with the shape, with the geometry, with the colors, with the symbols. Everything in the temple has a meaning. This goes beyond the words of who is going to

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guide you inside of the experience in the temple, but is your connection with these forces and with these energies. PC: How does the positioning of synchronic lines support the spiritual seeker or spiritual study being done in Damanhur? CS: Well the synchronic lines more than support a seeker, they are an enormous possibility of access to energy. The synchronic lines in other hands can also

be called life lines, they carry on the information, dreams, inspiration, different kind of energies that are not just let?s say vital energy but synchronic energy or a kind of energy that they could be extremely helpful when you do spiritual work. The synchronic lines are also the connection with the souls that are arriving on this planet. We believe that the souls are moving in and out from this planet by the synchronic lines.

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And all of this is connecting to the great rhythms of the planet Earth that are the equinox and the solstice. In particular, the summer solstice is the moment when souls are leaving or arriving. The synchronic lines allow access and unlimited possibilities to all of this. This means access to the entire planet, and also to places that are outside of the planet. It?s a possibility, it's an energy, and it is how you're going to use this energy or how you're going to use this opportunity that is going to make the difference. But it's important, very important to have the possibility rather than to not.

PC: Can you tell us why you feel spiritual study is important to the individual seeker? CS: Spiritual research is directly connected to the meaning of life. It is directly connected to the three questions every individual brings into their life. Who am I, where am I from, and where am I going? The true meaning of the mystery; the mystery that we are containing, the mystery of our soul, the mystery of our soul journey. There's a reason why we need to reawaken the spiritual path inside of us because it's the only true reason why we're here. People might imagine that

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life is about going to work or earning money, spending money, and so on, but it is not. There is deeper meaning to life, and it is our right to give meaning and to give answers to that, and then to live our lives accordingly. It is not what others want from us, what society, what parents, what business, what school wants from us. It is to find in ourselves who we want to be, and what we want to achieve in our lives. It is important that we realize in our own lives what is important for us, and what are our values. It is the meaning that we synthesize with that which is the concept of the mission. In our spiritual approach, the mission is the reason why we're here; that special task, that special fix that you and only you can do. It is crucial for you to find out your mission in life, and I would say that even more important than accomplishing the mission is realizing the mission. So how can we do that? We need an instrument. We need an instrument that can help us to be in contact with ourselves, in contact with our soul. Spirituality and spiritual research is the answer. When I say spiritual research, I'm very careful to separate what is a dogmatic path like religion. Some religions have dogmas so they have limits. But spiritual research doesn't have dogmas or limits. Spiritual research has mystery, but with aim through knowledge, we can solve the mystery, we can go beyond the mystery.

There's a reason why knowledge and the path of knowledge are so important. It is because it is as limitless as is our soul. We?re here to transform ourselves, we're here to bring the matter to become light, to enlighten ourselves. The Damanhur path, the Damanhur spiritual path is nothing new. We refer to the old and ancient traditions of knowledge, knowledge that has been the same over time. We might change the terms to be more clearly understood in our cultures, but the meanings and the knowledge are exactly the same. It is a right for every individual to find their spiritual path; whatever that is. And if it is a spiritual path it will be in the respect of others?spiritual paths, not against what other spiritual paths are going to propose. PC: What do you feel the responsibility is of the individual seeker of enlightenment to the larger human collective? CS: The responsibility is very simple. The fact that we are not here for ourselves, we are here for others, we are here for a bigger game, we are here for a more important aim, we are here for a mission that is involving the entire planet Earth and every human being. So, the more you know, the more you have to become responsible to the fact that your actions are not influencing only yourself, but they are influencing everything and everyone.

We carry a responsibility to help others to reawaken the same aim of spirituality that we have, to give a practical example that it is possible to live a life according to our values, to what we believe, to what we dream about life. We are here in service, not at the service of our ego, but at the service and for the benefit of others. PC: What encouragement or advice would you give someone who's interested in studying a spiritual topic whether at Damanhur or elsewhere? CS: I can tell them number one, to follow their dreams, to follow their heart, to believe in their feelings. There is the other world where there are things that they could be taught, where there are things that you can perceive with your hands, but you have to

perceive with your heart, with your chest, with your solar plexus. Go where you feel there is something that is really vibrating inside of yourself. Try also to go not only to an individual but to someone that is representing something more. Like a group, a school, a movement. And third, believe in yourself. Believe that this is possible, believe that you can do it, believe this life is much more than it would appear, and believe that you are on the right path. PC: Speaking of a mission or group returns us to Falco, the founder of Damanhur. What would you like people to know about Falco? CS: Well it's hard to talk about Falco not only because-- well I very much miss him because for me he was a

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spiritual guide, a brother, a friend, a father, and many, many other things. Falco was a testimony of the power that every individual contains, a testimony of someone that through his beliefs and dreams, has been able to create with his hands and also to create with others.

Falco Tarassaco Falco was a dreamer with the incredible capacity to help others to dream. In this world of teaching and inspiration and healing, I see the preciousness of the capacity to help people be able to dream. And it might be funny to say that but many people don't dream anymore; they've lost their dreams. And to have an individual that is able to make you dream and then to make a collective dream and then from the dream make it happen. Well, this is an incredible power and this is also an incredible teaching that Falco left to us. It's an incredible inspiration, it?s an incredible example. It's a responsibility that we-- that I feel that we all feel we

have to carry on to keep the dream of Damanhur alive. PC: Leave us with your dream. CS: Well, my dream is my life. My dream is the possibility to change this world, to transform this world. My dream is to be able to inspire more and more people to be all the dreamers of the same dream. My dream is to see this planet rise, for evolution to be back to where we deserve, to be reconnected to something that is not just coming from this planet but from everywhere. My inspiration is to help everyone to find their spiritual way; whatever it is. My dream is to have a planet where everyone is respecting each other ?s ideas and they're living in harmony expressing the best of their self. My dream is to have a life that is going to be the most beautiful piece of art that I can create. So, I think I have something to do for the next incarnations. PC: Crotalo Sesamo I think that?s a beautiful dream. Thank you. Visit dam an h u r .or g

Crotalo Sesamo

"Self-reflection is a humbling process. It's essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things...then better yourself." Sonya Teclai

Th e Heal i ng Pow er & Essence of A ngel A rt Syl v ia M oss An gels. To the Greek playwright Aristophanes, they were God?s messengers who descended to watch over human beings. They were the revolutionary Joan of Arc?s guides in her fight against England?s siege of OrlĂŠans. The twelfth-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen described and created illuminated paintings of angels in intricate detail: the expanse of their wings, their bodies glowing like fire, their faces appearing as the ?Word of God shining in a mirror." Angels to me, are pure consciousness and light and inhabit a world of energy and spirit that surrounds us. Art intrinsically opens you up to a deep place within. It speaks to your soul. One way to experience the energy of the angels is through works of angel art. When an artist crafts a rendering of an angel, the result is a visual interpretation of the angelic essence. While photographing angelic artworks, I connect deeply with that original essence. It is my intention that,

through the process of alchemy, my photographs communicate the essence of each angel and allow you to experience their gifts of healing, solace, and transformation. Angels in art are also visual reminders of the spiritual plane where you heal. Images of angels are a perfect healing vehicle and are a simple way to connect with your soul, higher self, and innate healing energy. The journey is endless. Some people feel an angel?s presence through a tantalizing touch on the shoulder or a mysterious wash of cool air; others notice a strange glow; still others hear a flutter, or the whoosh of wings. Some can hear angels whispering or singing; others see and hear nothing, yet suddenly realize they are enveloped by a heightened sense of joy, peace, or giddiness. Angels can also materialize with frightening power, their commanding presence leaving us stunned and breathless with fear. The Angels and Archangel that I know are not the fierce type. Some have a

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St. Bartholomew's Church. Sculpture by James Redfurn Photograph by Sylvia Moss

great sense of humor like one of the celebrated Archangels, Raphael. He is known as the Shining One Who Heals, and the medicine of God. He is the angel of prayer, peace, joy, light, and love. Said to be the friendliest angel, he appeared in John Milton?s Paradise Lost, where he has an affable chat with Adam and Eve, warning them of sin.

Adept in science and knowledge, he delights in bringing health, happiness, and joy wherever he goes. Rudolph Steiner wrote that Raphael?s inspiration helped him discover anthroposophical medicine. The Archangels are famous for inspiring well-known people to discover

their life?s work or create great writing, movies, and music. They have been muse?s for many gifted visual artists such as William Blake, known for his angelic paintings. Blake was a renowned 18th century artist and poet who painted the most exquisite otherworldly angels. He says he was actually painting what he saw.

The Surrealist Angel by Salvador Dali. Photograph by Sylvia Moss

When I view his angels I am transported to an incredible place of peace and beauty. Which to me is why there are angels in art. They take us to a place that our soul longs to be in and art is such an easy way to get there. Art is so readily available. You don?t have to sit for an hour in meditation to reach a deep state. Let the angel image

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transport you to a deep place of Light where you can then spend your hour of blissful meditation. Angels are a wondrous healing tool God has created to help you stay connected to your soul and your spiritual self? who you truly are. That is the purpose of my book, to use it as a meditation for reaching calm, getting clarity on an issue one is having, healing, or reaching your higher consciousness. The next time you view any angel art notice whether your feelings change in the presence of the angel. Or invite an

angel in to renew your spirit and replenish your energy. I believe their greatest gift to us is their healing powers. Whatever issues you are working on physical, emotional, or spiritual invite an angel in to assist you. They truly perform miracles. They are also here to remind you that you were created to have a joyful life, to mirror God/Goddess. Art is an angel?s most direct way of reaching you. I invite you to open your mind and heart to the invisible world where the angels reside.

EXPERIENCE the sublime beauty of the Angels of New York with the exquisite images and writings of acclaimed photographer and author Sylvia Moss. Angels of New York invites us to bask in the healing majesty of Gabriel, Michael, and the myriad other angels that grace New York City?s edifices and walkway?s, including treasures like little know, otherworldly bronzes by Salvador Dali. ILLUMINATE your experience of the City with this stunning and unique guide to New York. DISCOVER the intriguing stories behind these blissful art works. MEDITATE with these angels in quiet reflection to still the mind, calm the body, and feed the soul. Click h er e to read an excerpt. Makes a great gift for the holidays! Available in paperback and hardcover through An gels of New Yor k and Am azon

Th e Tr u t h Abou t Seek in g t h e Tr u t h Rober t At k in son Are we really living in a ?post-truth? era, when objective facts are of less importance than are appeals to emotion and personal belief, as the Oxford Dictionary 2016 word of the year indicates? Or, does the so-called emergence of ?post-truth? America signal something deeper, perhaps playing out in our collective soul, that is part of a larger cycle meant to reawaken us to and reaffirm our trust in what truth really is? It?s been said that the phenomena of an ?alternative? version of reality is an attempt to reverse the Enlightenment, a way to upend the reference points by which humanity has long operated, and an assault on the very principle of truth itself. It also needs to be said that this trend is antithetical to our very nature as human beings with a mind capable of reflective thinking, and as spiritual beings with a soul reflective of the Creator. Our true nature consists of a divinely endowed consciousness with the capacity to see beyond the seen and understand beyond the understood.

Consciousness is a potentiality that is set in motion by an organic process of discovery, which, in turn, unleashes our full potential. It is the independent investigation of reality that expands consciousness by always transcending its own seeming limits. Yet, this potential is totally dependent upon the initiative we take to see with our own eyes. And this potential is available to everyone, as Evelyn Underhill says, ?The germ of the transcendent life is latent in all of us, an integral part of our humanity.? Just as biological development unfolds in degrees and stages, so too does our evolving consciousness. The good news is that spiritual forces are operating to liberate human consciousness from previously restricted stages, propelling it onward in its evolution. Now, more than ever, it is the independent investigation of truth that will lead to the awakening of our deepest capacities. We are born into a mystery, one that often sneaks up on us and pulls at our heart-strings. Perhaps hidden somewhere within us is what Elizabeth

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Gilbert calls ?the itch, the mad and relentless urge to want to understand the workings of existence.? In this light, the urge is a single-minded quest that nothing could deter us from. To seek truth, to know Reality, is to be open to what is beyond what we already know, and open to what is greater than us. One important factor that has allowed a ?post-truth? version of reality to gain a grasp on people?s thinking is that we are born into the realm of dualities, where opposing forces clash for their survival. If we are satisfied with what has been handed to us, we will remain complacent and inert. We live here, comfortable with this limited perspective of the way things are, until we come face to face with the realization that all the parts are actually components of a greater whole, where

Seek, and we will find more than we ever imagined. we also come to understand that Reality is One. Then we see that life is a journey of moving from an underdeveloped, localized, fragmented consciousness toward a fully developed universal consciousness. The search for truth is a key principle of the timeless wisdom that recognizes the individual soul as a reflection of divine Reality. The life of the spirit, the quest of the soul, undertaken with spiritual discernment and the independent investigation of truth, always brings us closer to the Creator.

The world?s sacred traditions all express some form of the familiar, ?Seek and ye shall find.? A few examples: ?If thou shalt seek the Lord, thou shalt find him? ? (from the Jewish tradition); ?He who approaches near to Me one span, I will approach near to him one cubit? ? (from the Islamic tradition); ?The nature of the one Reality must be known by one?s own clear spiritual perception; it cannot be known through a pundit? (from the Hindu/Vedanta tradition); and, ?When we investigate the religions to discover the principles underlying their foundations we will find they agree, for the fundamental reality of them is one and not multiple? (from the Baha?i writings). In our time, the search for truth, the investigation of reality, has been made

Adapted from the best-selling and Nautilus award-winning book The Story of Our Time: From Duality to Interconnectedness to Oneness,by Robert Atkinson Visit r ober t at k in son .n et

a primary spiritual principle, and the most important of all human rights. Exercising this right can bring us the greatest of benefits. It not only expands and fulfills our individual consciousness, it is also the means for advancing civilization. In our search for truth, in our quest to expand our consciousness, we come to a remarkable realization ? we find that the goal of our search is the boundless consciousness that unites us with all beings, all of Creation, and with Divinity itself. Seek, and we will find more than we ever imagined. And that is what will unite us as one human family. Seeking truth, living in truth, is ultimately about courageously acting for the common good, supporting communities of fairness, and choosing to be a steward of the planet.

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Fr an n e Dem et r ician

FINDING PEACE IN CHAOS As we move into the holiday season once again, I?ve decided that, rather than dread the darkness of winter, I will invite it in as I would an old friend. This time of year can feel heavy and dank; and this year in particular there is heaviness and sadness that we have not felt before. In the midst of the California wildfires, the aftermath of hurricanes, mass murders and terrible fear, loss and grief, we are being challenged constantly to ?look for the helpers?. It?s exhausting to be bombarded daily with one terrible unfolding news story after another. Maintaining hope and finding joy have never been more challenging. One of the interesting things about the weeks leading up to the Solstice is that the veil between worlds is thin. I imagine it as a beautiful silvery mist that undulates between us and what lies beyond. If I listen deeply I can hear the voices of the ancestors and the spirits of those across the mist, and right now I am listening deeply for any guidance or inspiration they might share that would give us the strength to help and hope. I love giving gifts and this season is laden with the opportunity to express love

and appreciation in this way. I spend a lot of energy planning gift-giving. I like my gifts to be meaningful. I take time to consider the recipient and that the gift will make them feel special and know that I truly see them. This year my gift-giving will include as much help to those in need as I am able to provide. The impulse to slow down, be silent, and go within is as important as the gift-giving opportunity. We all have busy lives and holiday season is rife with pressure to get many things done in a compressed amount of time. We are exposed to excessive commercialism and consumerism, loud noises and bright lights, and pressure to go and do and be. All of this sensory input can impact our energy and drain us of the joy of the season. I made a decision to do as much shopping online as I can to minimize the sensory overload and protect my energy so that I am fully present with my family and friends. I love stillness and the winter months ask us to be still. So, I wrap myself in my cozy blanket and sip a warm drink or eat some fresh hearty soup. I draw and paint, meditate or doze, read or watch a great movie. And maybe I?ll just sit and be still,

Th e Ow l | Au t u m n 2018 | Page 27 watching rain or snow, stroking Sophie and allowing my mind to be the wandering fool that it is.

right now, peace is an elusive commodity that we all need as we navigate these days of chaos.

Allowing these winter stillness moments gives me energy for my winter day?s activities. It also allows for space and time to dream and contemplate. My thoughts often go to the people in my life and the blessings they bring. My primary spiritual practice is gratitude, and in the winter I find that practice enhanced. Perhaps it's the extra space alloted for stillness.

Last month we were in Sedona, Arizona, our place of pilgrimage; our favorite place to be. In this magical place between Heaven and Earth we prayed for the planet, for our country, for people who hurt, who grieve, and who feel lost and alone. There was so much to put into our prayer pipe this time, and it felt good to see the smoke carrying those prayers to the Heavens. When life feels chaotic and out of control, sometimes the only thing we can do is be still, envision something better, pray for those who need it, and hope for the absolute best outcome.

I am awakening earlier since the time change. Perhaps it?s the desire for more light. The early morning hours are precious. In these hours I feel closest to my parents. In these hours I also hear the heartbeat of the planet and feel into the essence of what I call God. During this time I find I can open my heart and mind more fully to hear what the Universe wants me to know. And while I feel that every moment of every hour is holy, these hours feel infused with ?extra?. I find peace. And

My prayer for you this holiday season is that you find your own sense of peace in the chaos. It?s there if we make the effort to find it. And when you do find it, hold on to it for dear life. May all beings be well, may all beings be safe, may all beings be at peace.

Bell Rock - Sedon a, Ar izon a Acr ylic on Can vas Fr an n e Dem et r ician

"Look on every exit as being an ent rance to somew here else." Tom Stoppard

WisdomKeeper s A r ecur r ing visit w it h one of t he wor ld's w isdom t r adit ions.

Explor e w isdom f r om t he Yor uba t r adit ion.

By Iyan if a Rev. DeSh an n on Bow en s Th e An cest or s Ar e Callin g. Will You An sw er ? The talking drum recites the proverb, only the wise elders understand it. ~ Yoruba Proverb

Sometimes it is hard for me to believe I have been practicing an indigenous African spiritual tradition for almost 17 years. When I recall the journey of how I ended up where I am today, it all started with my desire to have a deeper connection to my ancestors.

My spiritual path is a tradition called Ifa which originates from the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria. In my early studies, I was encouraged to have a consultation when I wanted to know where my ancestors originated from. I thought I scheduled an appointment with someone who could research my ancestry. Unbeknownst to me, I booked a consultation with an Ifa priest. When I arrived at the home of the Ifa priest who would later become my

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mentor, I soon realized I was about to have a divination. Towards the end of our time together I felt very appreciative and inspired by all the information shared during the session. But there was only one problem; he had not given any input on where my ancestors originated from. At that point, he responded as if I had spoken out loud and said, ?Your ancestors originate from the Congo/Zaire area of Africa?. Ancestral worship and communion is common in many African indigenous religions and an integral part of Ifa practice. We believe recognizing and connecting with our ancestors is a key component to healing, empowerment and spiritual growth. Regardless of whether our ancestors?actions were positive or negative while they lived on earth, we believe once they leave their bodies, they have evolved into a new level of consciousness. It is from this formless state that the ancestors offer human beings a code of conduct to live by as much as possible: Composure, Respect, Patience, Caution, Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding. After my divination I was given guidance on how to set up an ancestor altar. There were three suggestions in particular I found very useful. 1) It was best to put the altar on the floor or ground. Why? Our ancestors?bodies returned to the earth. They help us to remember our connection to the spirit of the earth and stay grounded on a daily basis. 2) Find pictures of deceased loved ones to display on the altar. Why? Seeing visual images of family members and special people in our lives reminds

us of the gift they gave us before they transitioned from flesh to spirit. The pictures evoke memories of our connection. Our loved are always with us. 3) Try to gather soil from the land your ancestors are from. Why? The soil is a physical aspect of the earth. We must always honor the planet we inhabit and the land our ancestors are from. It reminds us to pay homage to those who came before us and paved the way for our existence. I took great pride in creating my altar. Looking at the pictures of my relatives instilled me with a great sense of joy. Once the altar was completed, it was time to begin a daily ritual of paying tribute to my ancestors. I was taught how to pour libation in the Yoruba language. The purpose of offering libation is to honor the ancestors by speaking aloud their names. People typically do this while pouring water into a bowl, plant or on the ground. Offering a libation prayer can purify one?s home, family, community and the world. It is a foundational spiritual practice that transformed my life. Sometimes people question if they have to be a practitioner of an indigenous &/or African spiritual tradition in order to bond with their ancestors. Anybody can establish a connection with their ancestors regardless of one?s current religious practice or spiritual belief system. I have encouraged people to try the following: lighting a candle on the birthday of a deceased relative, playing a loved one?s favorite song on a special day, writing a letter &/or prayer. These simple acts can

let our ancestors know we desire to continue relating with them and receiving guidance. Living in a culture that values youth and instant gratification over the grace of aging and gradual fulfillment is challenging. I was blessed and benefited from being introduced to an African Yoruba-Ifa philosophy that values the wisdom of elders. It has instilled a greater sense of appreciation for my family, all the ancestors of this land and beyond. My hope is that more people begin to look to our ancestors on a regular basis. May we learn from their missteps, prevent further destruction of the earth and ensure our planet and humanity is able to survive and thrive for future generations to come.

Iyanifa Rev. DeShannon Barnes-Bowens is an initiated priestess in the Orisa-Ifa, Yoruba spiritual tradition who works as a psychotherapist, professional development trainer, and spiritual counselor through her consulting organization, ILERA. DeShannon is also an ordained interfaith minister and Assistant Director of One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. She is the author of Hush Hush: An African American Family Breaks the Silence on Sexuality and Sexual Abuse Visit w w w.iler a.com

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If a child falls, he looksforward. If an elder falls, she looks back. Let uslook back so that we can go forward. ~ Yoruba Proverb

Fr om M y M am a?s Kit ch en

HomefortheHolidays ?A Celebration of the Heart with a Gift from the Soul? Ever since I could remember, the holiday season has always been the favorite time of the year for me. Yes, I love eating turkey, especially with oysters and French bread stuffing. None of the other dishes on the table matter, just all the dark meat and the yummy dressing I could consume. Thanksgiving dinner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with my Host family is an annual event I looked forward to during my college years. My decadent behavior did wonders in holding me over for the next 30 days before I devoured the massive Christmas feast waiting for me in Poplar Bluff, Missouri with my Italian foster family. Besides all the delectable foods, the holidays also remind me of the human experience. Whether it is a modern-day designer delight or just one of the timeless efficiencies one, the kitchen will be the most important room in everyone?s home in the coming weeks. It will take center stage by serving as the hub for families and friends to visit and connect. The good news is, you do not

need to know how to cook to be lured into the kitchen. Your senses will guide you instinctively towards the heart of every home, to find out what?s cooking when the irresistible mouth-watering aromas from the food being prepared fill the air. The ensuing camaraderie among families and friends deep in meaningful reminiscing conversations will lead to knowledge gained from lessons learned. The abundance of joy and laughter will soon generate a lasting transformational loving energy. My Southern Belle mom, Eleanora, once eloquently described to me that being in the kitchen is all about creating something special. It requires patience, a happy attitude, and a touch of love. It is the combination of all these ingredients blending in perfect harmony that produces a delicious home cook meal. Since we now live in a global village, with the lifestyle to match, where

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families can only get together during special occasions, the holiday seasons have become more significant than ever. Although many people are blessed to have a family to spend the holidays with, there are also those who are less fortunate due to various circumstances. Over the years, we are the ones who found a home from within our hearts. Then, there are those among us who are lucky to earn the opportunity to experience the family holiday spirit thanks to the generosity of our friends. Whatever the situation may be for you, if we can all take a moment to be mindful, perhaps we can experience and enjoy the true holiday spirit as it is meant to be. For m ot h er s - They cannot wait to have the family home breaking bread together over a meal celebrating love and legacy. For ch ildr en - Your mom will always be more excited to see you than you are to see her. Savor the unconditional love and be in the moment. For In dividu als - Those who are fortunate to secure the generosity of a friend?s invitation to be with their family, be very thankful for the love you are receiving. For t h e f am ilies w h o w ill be celebr at in g t h is h oliday season w it h you r loved on es - Please allow me to share with you what my Cajun mom, Ginger, told me a long time ago: ?The

natural life can always be funny and humorous. The most ordinary events usually end up being the sweetest memories. Being present during the small moments will always make us appreciate the happiness when it happens.? For t h e f am ilies an d in dividu als w h o h ave gr aciou sly decided t o open t h eir h ear t s an d h om es f or ot h er s, as w ell as t h ose w h o ar e con t em plat in g in doin g so - Here is what my German mom, Dianne, shared with me a few years back: ?Every once in a while, a situation may occur that requires us to radiate our energy of positive goodwill, compassion, and love for others. Until we try to put ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we will not realize we have what it takes to make a difference in that person?s life and ours.? For t h ose w h o w ill be spen din g t h is h oliday season by you r self - Please allow me to share with you the advice my Malaysian mom, Nyah, gave me just before I left home at 18, to attend college in the United States: ?Since you are a child, you have been and will

continue to be exposed to all kinds of experiences. Some experiences, good or bad, will stay with you for the rest of your life. However, it is how you manage them that will ultimately determine your idea of success and happiness, or failure and sadness, in your life. Always remember you are never alone. Divine grace is always with you. Although the food may fill your tummy and the camaraderie of friends gives you a sense of belonging, it is the loving energy you generate from within you that nourishes your mind, body, and soul. This spiritual grounding is what will ultimately touch the heart and move the soul of others.?

In my life?s journey, I have been enlightened by all of the above experiences. The enriching memories of each occasion have its unique place in my heart. My wish for everyone is to look through the lens of love during this holiday season. Regardless of where you are in life, always lean towards heaven. My sister Leng, in her many advice to me, puts it best: Health -- makes all things possible. Wealth -- makes all things work. Love -- makes all things beautiful. May you have all three. As an author, I desire to enrich humanity. I am thankful for the opportunity of being able to share my thoughts. Although my work is to entertain, inspire, and motivate others in a fun way, it is also a composition that reflects my heart and soul on paper.

With Gratitude and Blessings to everyone this holiday season. Johnny Tan Award-winning and bestselling author of From My Mama?s Kitchen - ?food for the soul, recipes for living?. Art plaques from Fr om M y M am a's Kit ch en store on Amazon. Visit Fr om M yM am asKit ch en .com

Spiritual Ascension intoaHigher Dimension "Spiritual Ascension? is both an individual and collective shift into a higher dimensional experience of the ?reality? we perceive. All of our souls are on an evolutionary journey that ultimately leads to spiritual ascension. Individually, this can mean reincarnating in a higher dimensional reality or elevating one?s experience during an incarnation into a higher dimensional awareness. Collectively, it can mean ascending in the physical body at the time of a global shift in consciousness. There has been a lot of speculation about what a global ascension might look like and how this process might unfold. As a collective shift into a higher dimension, there are certain periods in the space-time continuum when a planetary consciousness is accelerated by solar alignments with other star systems and with the galactic center. Starting in December 2012, according

to many sources, our solar system began moving into many critical alignments. Approximately, every 25,000 years, our solar system aligns with Alcyone, the great central sun of the Pleaides star system, and super-charged particles travel on solar flares that impact our planet and raise the frequency of the collective consciousness. Author, Andrew Collins, has discovered that we also receive super-charged solar rays from Deneb, the central sun of the Cygnus constellation. Our planet is also bombarded from the solar rays coming off of our own central sun which heats up the inner core and super-charges the entire planet from the inside out. These powerful solar rays carry encoded light just like information traveling on fiber optic cables at the speed of light. So not only do these super-charged particles raise the

frequency of our consciousness but they carry codes of higher intelligence that enlighten us in preparation for an acceleration of consciousness into a higher dimensional reality. These encoded photons also carry the love frequency which elevates unity consciousness and increases our capacity to express universal love and compassion. The most powerful alignment, however, is with the super massive black hole at the center of our galaxy. The extreme gravitational pull at the ?event horizon?, or threshold of this massive portal, warps the fabric of space-time so profoundly that it can propel a consensus reality into another dimension of time and space. Intelligent forces, conducting the symphony that universally harmonizes all dimensional realities, ?harvest? only those souls who are prepared to jump dimensions at the time of these alignments, according to the Law of

One channelings with Group Ra. This 6D advanced race also teaches us that every 75,000 years, there is a major ?harvest? and that our collective consciousness is now entering that phase. They describe this as a ?choice? the soul makes but essentially the soul?s frequency determines its readiness to move into a higher dimension. If the soul isn?t ready, it just makes another round on the 3D ferris wheel to gain more self-knowledge, develop more self-love and master the lessons that are unique to a 3D experience. In The Book of Knowledge: Keys of Enoch, Dr. J.J. Hurtak offers a scientific explanation and detailed diagram of how the 3D earth plane will merge with a 5D earth plane and then the two will pull apart. He also describes the effect of powerful solar alignments that will send supercharged flares into the earth?s core, heating it up and causing it to expand. When this happens, the

earth historically experiences a dramatic pole shift which can result in major catastrophic events that annihilate many species. This is exactly what has happened in ages past at the end of a 25,000 year cycle. Some sources claim that, this time around, the ?Sphere Alliance? made up of higher dimensional beings in favor of saving our species, have placed blue spheres around earth?s stratosphere to shield our planet from the high intensity of the solar flares. The purpose of this is to prevent a catastrophic pole shift by gradually filtering through these super-charged particles. This would also give us a grace period within which to increase the vibrational frequency of the collective consciousness so we are better prepared to absorb these high-frequency particles. The bestowal of this grace period and the opportunity to accelerate our consciousness before the ascension energies hit is one of reasons so many of us are awakening at this time. There are many galactic emissaries who have been sent here to have a human incarnation during this time on a special mission to teach, guide, and herald in a higher dimensional ?new age? for humanity. If those of us who have awakened and are raising our frequency can reach back and assist others to do the same, we can prepare humanity for the time when the Sphere Alliance moves out and we are exposed to the full intensity

of these super-charged solar rays. In truth, many of us are those galactic emissaries who have lowered our frequency to come ?down? to earth from higher dimensions to assist in the assimilation of these ascension energies. As individuals, regardless of the cosmic age we are in or where our planet is in the solar system, our souls will naturally advance to the next dimension when we achieve mastery in this one. We can advance more rapidly if we make a conscious effort. As a collective, no matter what environmental conditions may be impacting our consciousness, it is always in our best interest to engage in practices that raise our conscious awareness. This effort can be as simple as being more present and expressing more gratitude and kindness toward others. It can be as advanced as engaging in powerful initiations and activations specifically designed to raise the frequency of your physical and spiritual being.

Suzanne Ross is an author, speaker, host, wellness specialist, and now the founder of SciSpi.TV, a revolutionary new internet television network based on a brand new genre she conceived called Sci-Spi: Merging Science & Spirituality. Visit su zan n er ossw elln ess.com

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SciSpi.TV Sci-Spi: MergingScience&Spirituality ANewGenrefor aNewAge At a time when humanity is awakening in masses and asking questions about their origin, purpose, and destiny, a whole new genre is needed to give us the answers we are seeking. Executive Producer, Suzanne Ross, had a vision of this new genre: Sci-Spi~Merging Science & Spirituality to give us answers to the greatest mysteries of creation. She knew it would play an important role in the awakening and enlightenment of humanity so she developed a brand new internet TV network where her spiritually-inspired and scientifically-minded colleagues could feature shows, films, and documentaries. These show hosts are world-renowned experts, bestselling authors and global thought leaders. Subscribe to SciSpi.TV today: h t t ps:/ / scispi.t v

"Now we ent er t he ancient wood. In what wild forms t he gnarled and mossy boughs are t wist ed, what a sensat ion of sacred repose." Henry James

y r t e o P e t i r W

Reader s BOOKENDS Barbara Hetzel

Bookends of quiet Is what I seek To parentheses The day As a finished thought. To gaze and ponder Out the window Of my soul About life and love And relationships. With only a small candle For illumination To dispel just enough darkness To ignite the passion Needed for living.

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COOL SHEETS Tracy Farquhar Enough of your wants. All I want is the soaring melody of the tiny songbird (a meadowlark, I like to think) outside my bedroom window at dusk, a cool breeze and cool, empty sheets, sleeping children and the bizarre, half-conscious fantasies of a life fully lived. But, yes, I will iron your shirts for work tomorrow, and hang a freshly-laundered uniform on my daughter ?s wardrobe door, and set the alarm for another day when I will long for solitude and the fresh, easy laughter of a friend.

M OVEM ENT AND M YSTERY Christianrose Pennington The mystery of life invites us to the unknown Calling us to be brave Asking us to ride the tides of change As it teaches us to find joy in the movement

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TEM PLE Barbara Nahmias Whispered murmurs Across subway car A couple sits. Eyes closed, hands open, Oblivious to the crowds And the filthy Newspaper strewn floors Beneath Firmly planted feet And I am reminded Anyplace Can be a temple.

Right Action in Action

young activists can sue the U.S. Gover nment over Climate Change.

year s Dr. Ramana Rao has 44 tr eated over 2 million people for fr ee at his clinic in I ndia.

571- 53 is the number of votes the European Parliament approved a widespr ead ban on a dozen for ms of single-use plastics.

Excerpt from

For years, the library had been her temple. Reaching the stairs, she greeted the two marble lions that guarded the entrance. She had named them Faith and Courage, and she looked at each of them as she walked by. She liked to imagine that they would have bowed to her as she entered, if they had been real. To her, they were the guardians of knowledge. As she entered the foyer, she walked to the right to examine the message between the two trees near the entrance to the South Reading Room. The words, written in all capital letters, read:

TONGUES IN TREES BOOKS IN THE RUNNING BROOKS SERMONS IN STONES AND GOOD IN EVERYTHING

For a moment, she gazed at the letters, playing with the words in her mind, but nothing leaped out at her. She did, however, notice an odd parallel between this message and her thoughts about the apple tree whispering messages to Sir Isaac Newton. She was having that feeling again, that something was on the edge of her awareness, but she could not quite pinpoint it. She then pulled

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out her phone and snapped a picture of the quote before walking over to see the message between the two trees on the adjacent wall. Just at the entrance to the North Reading Room, the other quote read: A LITTLE LEARNING IS A DANGEROUS THING DRINK DEEP OR TASTE NOT THE PIERIAN SPRING

Again, Roya played with the words and letters in her mind, but nothing was obvious. She then texted the pictures to Ami and started to explain what she was up to. At some point, she realized that she was stalling and that the same nervousness about seeing Claire was still swirling around inside her. It occurred to her that she would only be having this feeling if Claire were in the building somewhere, and that this was an intuitive feeling. She knew she would have time to explore the quotes later. She walked around the corner to the main circulation desk, but Claire was nowhere to be seen, so she decided to head downstairs to the main collection. Walking through the

middle of the room, she looked up and down each aisle on either side as she went. Then, toward the back of the room, she saw Claire with a book cart, placing returned books back on the shelves. For a moment, she backed up out of sight, feeling a wave of nervous energy about meeting her. She had hoped to get a better look at Claire without being noticed, but that did not seem possible now. All she could see was that Claire was wearing a white, button-up, collared shirt with sleeves that came down to the elbows. She appeared to be wearing dress pants, but it was hard to see with the cart in front of her. Roya made a funny face to herself to break up her own tension, took a deep breath, and walked into the aisle until she was standing directly in front of Claire, who stood only slightly taller than her. Claire?s eyes opened wide with recognition as she turned to face Roya, and Roya instantly felt welcomed. ?Hi, I?m Roya. Do you remember me from last Sunday? I checked out a little violet book with golden letters.? Roya was certain from the first glance that Claire did remember her, but she felt more comfortable opening the dialogue the way she had rehearsed it in her mind.

?Yes, it?s a pleasure to meet you. I?m Claire,? she said, offering Roya her hand.

we suspected that the book would choose its reader, just like it chose me to come here.?

Roya immediately noticed a gentleness to the way Claire held her hand without shaking it, really taking the opportunity to acknowledge her presence. She e had been flipped on, and she knew that Claire was to be a part of that journey. This was the moment when Roya began to accept that her life was being guided by something greater than herself.

?Umm, I hope you don?t mind me asking, but who is we?? Roya was polite, but the answers could not come quickly enough.

?If that book was meant for me, then how did it end up here?? Roya asked. ?I brought it here ? or rather, it brought me,? Claire replied with an enigmatic smile. ?The book must have known there was a volunteer position open, just like it knew you would be here. It said, Flower Memorial Library, Watertown, New York inside the front cover. I started a couple of weeks ago and slipped the book onto a shelf.?

?The community I came from,? Claire answered, while considering how best to explain further. Roya sensed that there was something more thven felt a little zing of energy up the back of her spine that seemed like a kind of energetic hello. ?I was wondering, what do you know about that book?? Roya asked. ?I thought you might be back to ask me,? she said as she continued to casually put books away. ?I?m glad you came. I was given very specific instructions about you.? ?Instructions?? Roya was surprised and immediately began to wonder what she was talking about. ?What sort of instructions, and who gave them to you??

?But what if someone else had taken it? Someone it wasn?t meant for,? asked Roya.

?I?m not at liberty to say, but I can answer some of your questions.?

?We didn?t think that would be a problem. I?m not even sure most people can see it,? she said a little quieter with another smile. ?Besides,

Roya was all ears. ?The author of the book wanted you to have it. As you might have guessed, it was made just for you, to help you on your journey.?

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?What journey?? Roya inquired as her curiosity continued to grow. Claire stopped putting books away, smiled warmly, and gazed at her silently for a few seconds, as if answering first with her eyes. ?The one you have always wanted to go on,? she said in a soft voice.

soul presence that filled Roya?s inner senses. Staring into her eyes, it was like the opportunity she had been waiting for had arrived... the beginning of a journey. This was it. It was like a switch that Claire was not ready to share quite yet. ?And, where are they? I mean, where are you from?? ?Well, we are not from the future,? Claire said, obviously avoiding a more direct answer, ?but the book certainly is. I?m sure you?ve noticed its lightness.? ?Does that mean everything is lighter in the future?? Now we are getting somewhere, Roya thought, absolutely intrigued. ?Yes. In fact, this book was originally even lighter, but mass had to be added to it to entangle the book with our present time reference.?

These words were spoken directly from Claire?s heart, and she appeared to have thought about her response carefully, as if she knew that Roya was going to remember these words for the rest of her life. Roya became lost for a moment, feeling the impact of Claire?s last sentence. It felt like she was still drinking in the words through Claire?s big, bright eyes. It was not just a librarian speaking to her, but a vast

Something about this idea made sense, even though Roya had never thought in such terms before, and Claire said this so matter-of-factly that it just sounded real. She thought about getting out her notebook, not just to write down Claire?s answers, but also to write down all of her new questions. There were so many of them, she hardly knew where to go next.

means but let me ask you something. What do you think about the state of the world??

?So how did the book come to you?? asked Roya. ?It just appeared.? "It just appeared? Like out of nowhere?? Roya was astonished. Her imagination was stretched, but not challenged. ?Is that sort of thing unusual for you?? ?This whole chain of events is highly unusual. Perhaps you could tell me about your experience with the book,? invited Claire. Roya then proceeded to tell the whole story, from finding the book, to winning the contest, to sharing the book with Ami and Mandy. "So, there are three of you,? Claire said suddenly with a look of surprise. She seemed to have deduced something from the story that gave her an epiphany. ?What do you mean?? asked Roya. ?I am not exactly sure what this

Roya thought about it for a moment. It was a simple question, but she wanted to honor the depth of Claire?s mind with some depth of her own. She could tell that Claire was patient enough to allow her time to think about it more deeply before answering. Something about Claire?s presence helped Roya?s thoughts become more focused. Even as she was looking away and considering her answer, she could feel Claire?s eyes, as if they were radiating warmth, and she wondered if Claire could sense all of the memories and ideas that were rolling together into a single description in her mind. Finally, even though her sentences were not yet fully formed, she began to describe her perception. ?There?s something very wrong with the way things are? with the world, I mean. I feel like we?re inheriting a huge mess left behind by the older generations. And even though they know they?re leaving this terrible burden for us, they aren?t doing enough to try to change it. I think about it alot? why it seems like so much power is in the wrong hands, and how so many people don?t even care about the truth.?

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She paused for a moment, grasping for something that was still on the edge of her awareness. ?It?s like... there?s something hidden, but it?s in plain sight. I feel like I?m seeing something everywhere I look: in people?s faces, in the media, but it?s... elusive.? ?What?s elusive?? probed Claire. "Whatever it is that keeps interfering with all of us coming together. It?s like most people are living in some kind of illusion, and they don?t want to see past it, to see how we?re all connected. We?re being exploited, and yet, we?re doing it to ourselves. People just seem so distracted by things that aren?t important, even when they know our world is in danger. I know there?s a better way, but it feels like time is running out for us to do something about it.? ?You are very observant for your age. How old are you?? ?Sixteen. I?ll be seventeen next February.? ?So young. We expected you would be older. This is highly unusual, indeed.? ?What does my age have to do with anything?? Roya questioned. ?A sixteen-year-old still has many

restrictions? on the ability to travel, for instance. But other than that, you are young for what you are about to face. The whole world is going through a great change, and no one can escape it. It?s affecting everything and everyone, but the final outcome of history has yet to be decided. There are many dangers, and every decision we make is important. That?s why the appearance of the book gave us hope. It mentioned the possibility of a desired outcome for all involved, and as I see it, this is a matter of life and death.? Claire paused so Roya could take this in. ?You still haven?t told me where you are from.? Roya reminded her. ?You wouldn?t believe me if I told you.? ?Try me,? Roya said playfully, hoping to tempt some more information out of her. ?It?s too soon.? She paused. ?It?s not that I don?t think you are capable of understanding, but I was given explicit instructions. I was told you would be able to find something that was hidden long ago, and that I could not reveal any more until you did.? ?But how am I supposed to know what I am looking for, or where to look??

?Here, come with me. Do you have something to write on?? ?Yes.? Roya said, taking off her backpack where her notebook was stashed. ?Let?s go up to the reading room so we can sit at a table.? It bothered Roya that some unknown person or group of people knew about her but wanted to remain anonymous. This might have seemed highly suspicious, but Claire?s presence was so warm and reassuring that she decided to go along with the flow of things and not get too demanding for more information. More than anything, she trusted herself and was happy to have a private little adventure unfolding that gave her imagination more freedom to expand. Just up the stairs and around the corner to the right was the North Reading Room, Roya?s favorite sanctuary. It had a high ceiling and an old feel to it with all of the shelves of old books and antiques. Just below the antique clock that sat on the fireplace mantle was a large golden inscription with the words: Knowledge is Power. It was a statement that always reminded her that knowledge could be either creative or destructive.

Fortunately, the room was empty. Claire pulled out a chair for Roya at the table and sat down opposite her. Roya unzipped her backpack, retrieved her notebook and pencils, and looked across the table at Claire expectantly. ?What you need is a map that shows you the way to what?s hidden.? ?Where on Earth am I supposed to find that?? Roya said, humorously. ?You won?t. You will have to create it yourself.? Claire smiled. ?Create a map from nothing?? ?No, not from nothing. You can draw it from intuition.? She made this seem like it was as easy and normal as taking a shower, but Roya was not as confident. ?How does that work?? she asked. ?Intuition is like a navigation system. It feeds you signals from a wider reality to help you enter the specific reality that your soul desires. Most people have just forgotten how to pay attention to these kinds of inner signals. And even those who do pay attention are often not in the habit of acting on the information.? ?So, Mandy was really being intuitive when she made me the perfect dress.?

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?Yes. Her soul knew it was for you, but she acted on the intuitive signal, because she trusted a feeling that would take her into a desired reality. Intuition loves to bring you what your heart desires most. In her case, it was making you a gift that you would love. When you are willing to act spontaneously without needing to know why the guidance is right, your life can become more graceful and synchronistic.? ?Spontaneity empowers intuition to guide you where you want to go, without the logical mind needing to be involved in every decision. The key is to let go of thinking linearly all the time. People so often think in straight lines, trying to get from point A to point B with no room for the creativity of the soul to dance with you on the path. When you are willing to follow the impulse of intuitive guidance, you will find surprises that you didn?t expect as a reward for trusting in your inner senses.?

you that is searching for direction,? Claire explained. ?So that would mean that the future is communicating with the past,? said Roya, remembering what the book had said about the light of the future. ?Exactly!? ?So how can this help me create a map?? ?Well, you already know you are meant to find something. Let?s assume there is a version of your future where you have already found it. Then, ask that version of you to send you the map, complete with all the information you need to enter that reality.? ?You can do that??

?So where does the guidance come from?? Roya?s mind was beginning to open even more.

?Naturally. The soul is much vaster than the incarnated personality. We are multidimensional beings. A part of the soul exists beyond the world of time and physicality as you know it, and so that greater part of you is capable of passing you information from the future in exactly this way. If you can believe that the book came from the future, this shouldn?t be a stretch for you.?

?Part of it comes from you, that is, the version of you that is the happiest with how things worked out. The happiest version of your future self is always the guide for the part of

Claire was right. Roya?s experience with the book had prepared her well to digest this kind of information, but that did not make her feel any more capable of the task at hand.

?I have a problem, though. I?m not good at drawing ? not like my friend Mandy,? said Roya. ?She?s really gifted.? ?Perfect. You abilities.?

can borrow

her

?What? How do I do that?? asked Roya. Clearly Claire?s knowledge of reality was very different than her own, but nothing she said seemed impossible, just beyond what she was currently aware of. ?I?ll help you. Just focus on the piece of paper in front of you, let go of all of your thoughts, and pretend that you are Mandy. The part of her soul that is beyond time wants to help you, just like she would if she were physically here, so we will just call in her presence and invite her to participate,? Claire encouraged. ?But, will Mandy know ? I mean, the part of her that?s in the body??

?She might have some awareness of the connection, but the personality doesn?t have to be fully aware for the greater self to be involved. Just trust that she wants to help you because she?s your friend, and I will focus on the connection between you by seeing you both as one. Once the connection has been made, start to think about finding the hidden object. This is an object that wants to be found, so imagine that its energy is already arriving in your present, giving you signals that you can interpret as images. It is just a matter of remembering the future until the path becomes clear.? Roya stared at the page for several minutes while Claire focused on her. She imagined Mandy?s energy all around her, until she began to vividly pretend that she was Mandy. She almost started to make one of Mandy?s silly faces, but she didn?t want to have to explain that to Claire. This was starting to feel fun, as if Mandy?s soul could feel what she was doing and was entertained by it. For a moment, she started to get distracted by Claire?s presence, whose penetrating gaze felt electrical, but Claire must have noticed, because she said, ?Just keep focusing on Mandy as if you are two souls in one body. Feel the playful

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energy between your souls and ask her to help you draw.? Suddenly her senses began to heighten, and she felt a warm vibration running through her forearms and into her hands. Her perception of colors began to shift as well, and then images started to flow into her mind. ?Claire, are you doing this, or am I?? Roya asked. ?Between every two souls is a place of balance where you cannot tell where one soul ends and the other begins. My people call it betweenergy. It?s part of a hidden universal structure that connects all souls together into a single matrix of being, but friends and soulmates tend to develop that connection into a resonance of shared personality. All I am doing is focusing on the betweenergy you share with Mandy and seeing you both as reflections of each other. Because of your need, all her abilities are tilting into alignment with you.? How did you learn to do this? Roya wondered. She thought about asking the question out loud, but then her hand felt the impulse to draw. She couldn?t remember the last time she had attempted to draw anything. That was why it was so surprising to

see the image of a bird coming to life before her. The image was present in her mind as she translated it right onto the page without thinking, and before she could finish, she felt the bird as if it was flying somewhere. Then, her hand drifted down and began to draw the outline of a single, large egg, resting in a nest below the bird. Next, her hand was guided over to another blank part of the page where she sketched a baseball cap. Somehow, she just knew to label it 'red.' Within minutes, she had drawn a set of swords that were clashing, a large flowing creek with rocks and trees nearby, and the mouth of a cave. The placement of each object appeared random. Discerning how they were connected did not seem important yet. As she practiced clearing her mind to create a blank slate, the images kept coming, and Mandy?s presence continued to help her translate the images into drawing. There were moments when Roya became so excited about what was happening that she nearly broke her alignment with this unique convergence of creative energy, but with Claire?s help, she quickly found the alignment again and continued drawing. The next object was a large old oak tree, and then out in front of

it, she was guided to draw the symbol of the three interlocking circles that were on the front of The Circle and the Stars book. Almost as soon as she finished drawing this symbol, she knew intuitively that this represented her, Ami, and Mandy, so she wrote 'US' beneath the symbol. Then she went back to the egg and was guided to draw rays of light coming out of it. ?Does any of this mean anything to you in terms of location?? asked Claire. ?No...not yet, but I feel there?s still something missing.? Roya relaxed her mind even more, trying to feel what wanted to happen next. She was guided to imagine standing in front of the creek, and then, she immediately thought of crossing it. ?A foot bridge. That?s it!? Roya began to draw again until a simple image of a wooden bridge arched over the creek. There were no rails, only the pathway over the water. ?I know where this is! It?s part of a nature trail that I know. My parents took us there a few times when we were kids. But, what do I do once I get there?? ?It?s clear to me that your friends have a role to play. What you must begin to do now is invest your focus

on the outcome of a shared discovery. Holding this intention will energize each of you to discover what is yours to do.? Claire?s words contained a contagious wisdom that spoke to a place inside Roya that was ready to listen and act on the guidance. She was excited to realize that this journey was more than a physical journey, but a journey to expand her understanding of reality. Up until now, she had felt unable to do anything about what was missing in her life. She had known for a long time that there was a greater truth worth seeking. But for the first time, she felt like she was gaining access to real tools she could use to create the breakthroughs she longed for, and she knew that intuition was one of them. ?So, how do I use this map?? Roya asked, wanting to know still more about it. ?When you see how this map works, you will understand something more about the design of the book. Just stay alert and watch for the signs. The key to navigating intuitive signals is not to be too attached to the form in which you first received them. The map is just there to help confirm your intuition,

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but ultimately, intuition will be your guide.? Claire smiled warmly at her, and Roya felt something energetic exchanging between them. Roya had a sense that Claire had been transferring some of her awareness into her, and for Roya?s part, her feeling of gratitude was fueling the exchange. ?And now, I must get back to my duties,? said Claire as she reached over and wrote her phone number on the edge of the map. ?Feel free to call me. I am very confident that you will find what you are looking for.? ?I can?t thank you enough,? expressed Roya. ?I don?t know what you did, but I feel like you?ve removed some kind of obstacle from my path.? ?If you only knew, Roya, it feels like you have done the same for me. We?ll talk more soon,? Claire assured her as she stood up. ?Good luck.? ?Thanks again,? said Roya, bidding her farewell as she headed for the door. Roya decided to sit in the sun on the library?s front steps while thinking over everything that just happened. With her notebook out, she scribbled a few notes, including the word ?betweenergy?, and then she jotted

down the two quotes from between the trees on the library walls. She could not help noticing that the intuitive map she had drawn contained some of the same components as the ?tongues in trees? quote. Trees, brooks and stones , she thought. It was as if the message had been perfectly planned to help nudge her toward the right memory. Allowing her mind to enter a daydreaming state, she began to play with the words and letters of the message until something leaped out at her. A LITTLE LEARNING IS A DANGEROUS THING DRINK DEEP OR TASTE NOT THE PIERIAN SPRING

The ?K?in ?DRINK?connected with the ?EEP? in ?DEEP? as if speaking to her mind the word ?KEEP?. Looking at that same line, all of the letters for ?ARRANGING?leaped out, followed by the word ?LIT?, which seemed to light up from within the word ?LITTLE?. Her mind intuitively completed the first hidden message as she crossed out the remaining letters that she needed...and there it was.

KEEP ARRANGING LIT UP LETTERS

From the middle of the room beneath the dome, both messages on both walls were equidistant, and so they might be equally connected to the same process of instruction.

Out of all the possible word combinations, incredibly, this first message was speaking of exactly TONGUES IN TREES what she was experiencing and encouraging her at the same time. BOOKS IN THE When she first saw the word ?KEEP? RUNNING BROOKS she could not have imagined where SERMONS IN STONES the process was leading. The next AND GOOD IN EVERYTHING words came more slowly, and were also unexpected, but within a few minutes of feeling the letters lighting She began to play with the up in her mind, she spelled out two arrangement of the words and letters new statements: again, this time seeing a perfect use for the remaining letters of the first quote. Gradually, a new series of ONENESS TRAINING messages came together with a ONE EARTH surprising energetic theme. The process did not feel forced at all, and This felt right, but incomplete at the she felt an exciting presence behind same time, and there were many the me ssages, like the source of the letters left over that she did not know guidance was beaming at the how to use. Then she recalled the opportunity to communicate with previous decoded message: her. After using every last letter, a perfect sequence of messages and ideas had come together, combining To receive path instructions, the decoded statements from both stand under dome of quotes. The encoded instructions read: winding words to receive.

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KEEP ARRANGING LIT UP LETTERS

the text of the final recipe for change:

ONENESS TRAINING

The light of the future is a calling that aligns you with the dimension of love. But when that calling comes, it takes courage, patience, and a commitment to face your fears in order to overcome the resistance to your potential. Doubt is not a sign that your greatest potential is merely an unrealistic dream. Dare to dream the impossible. When you feel doubt in the face of your calling, it?s actually a sign of how great your potential really is. It is an invitation to let go of your limiting assumptions, as well as the way the world has taught you to underestimate your value. Embracing more of your potential involves continually learning to value yourself more than you did before. Step by step, you are entering a new kind of human experience, one in which you are being led intuitively by your potential. The calling of your potential will align you with opportunities to build confidence in your capacity to lead. They will be small at first but will always challenge you to rise to the occasion.

DRINK STRONG ONENESS VIBRATIONS IN LUNGS TAKE DOOR UNITING DIMENSIONS GO ON THE TONED BRIDGE SHAPE HISTORY ONE EARTH

Roya was stunned. Something about these words made her heart beat faster. The potentials they seemed to describe were breathtaking, even though she did not fully understand them. She had never faced such high expectations, and consequently, a terrible feeling of doubt was growing that she might not be able to fulfill such grand potentials. Finding the hidden object now felt even more intimidating, but she was committed. This was not just a mystery to solve. It was a calling, and somehow, she had to make this happen. It occurred to her that this encoded message might have to do with the book, and in that very moment she felt the energy of the book vibrating in her backpack. The book begged to be read, and so she set her notebook aside and reached inside her pack for it. Flipping it open, she began to read

Believe in yourself. Believe in your ability to make a difference. Take the initiative. The invisible world will help you. Before you can balance the world from within yourself, you must first start with a smaller circle of

influence. In time, your influence will grow, and so will your trust in your ability to lead. Roya put down the book and closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the sun on her face and a gentle summer breeze. The strange mix of both doubt and the calling of her potential were beginning to come into balance as she considered that her value was greater than she had ever imagined. If the light of the future was showing up to guide her, then her intuition could read the signals and align with the highest potential outcome of events ? an outcome that would feel joyful for all involved. In that very moment, she could have sworn she heard the voice of the book repeat: Take the initiative. The fact that this passage was presented as another recipe told her that this was an opportunity. This was not just about letting go of resistance and surrendering to change. This was about being willing to try something completely new and trusting in the power of her influence. A sense of strength was arising within her, inviting her to take ownership of her full potential. Suddenly, she had an inspiration that began to make her feel visible in a whole new way. She became willing

to consider something that surprised even her ? a little test of leadership that made her smile, and somehow felt empowering. Tonight, she would flip the script and offer to prepare dinner for the whole family.

Having successfully manifested the potential of balance and synergy within her family, Roya was feeling a powerful new energy inside that heightened her intuition. Ami, too, was sensing that something had shifted with the appearance of the book in her room. Unbeknownst to them, an invisible field of connection was beginning to tilt both of their families into a deeper alignment with each other. The presence of the new energy was even beginning to synchronize their lives with people in faraway places, opening doors and illuminating possibilities that contained a powerful calling for all involved. And because of this, in a dark corner of Chicago, two brave souls, named Zack and Echo, were about to make an incredible discovery.

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adopted it as if that had always been his name. ?It?s creepy how quiet this place is. Ya feel me?? prompted Echo. ?Yeah, it?s like the building knows we?re here.?

In the spirit of adventure and curiosity, they had entered an abandoned building in an old industrial part of the city, hoping to have a paranormal encounter. It was almost midnight when they began their survey of the dark and eerie shell of a factory. Most of the windows were boarded up, making it impossible to see without their lights. Just inside the expansive structure, they stopped to listen to their new surroundings. ?This place is huge. Hey, Zack. Check this out,? whispered Echo, while snapping his fingers to create an echo. ?Kinda reminds me of when I gave you your nickname,? said Zack, remembering how they first met in an abandoned warehouse. Echo was fond of the nickname Zack had given him. He had always wanted a cool nickname, and after Zack used it at a party, everyone just

Zack and Echo had explored abandoned buildings before, but not usually in the middle of the night. The two nineteen-year-olds wore jeans and T-shirts, along with LED headlamps strapped to their heads. Both of them carried backpacks with just about everything they could think of to bring on such an excursion. ?Hey, it looks like there?s a lower level,? pointed out Zack as he headed for a ramp that went downward. Echo was right behind him, feeling glad that Zack was going first, for once. The silence created a sense of safety, like they were truly alone, and yet the darkness had an ominous feel to it. ?So, do ya think there are really any ghosts in here?? asked Echo. ?I don?t know. That homeless guy we talked to was certain of it, but I wouldn?t think you?d find ghosts in an old factory like this. I?d expect ?em in places like an old hotel, or a mansion, ya know? Didn?t you say you thought

there were ghosts at Edgewater?? ?Yeah, maybe,? replied Echo. ?I didn?t see anything for certain. It was just a feeling.? ?Well, it used to be a medical facility, so there were probably people that died there,? speculated Zack as he walked down the dark hallway, poking his head in a number of doorways that led to empty rooms. ?You might expect to see a ghost in a place like that. But this just doesn?t seem like the place.? ?People die in factories,? stated Echo. ?Freak accidents with machinery?? ?I suppose,? said Zack as he walked back toward Echo who was still examining a room near the bottom of the ramp. ?Hey, look at this,? he noticed as he walked past Echo, pointing his light at an old door with a padlock that was somewhat hidden behind the ramp they had just walked down. ?Where do you think it goes?? ?Let?s find out,? said Zack, as he produced a bolt cutter from his backpack. Once again, Echo was impressed that Zack wasn?t hesitating. After a moment of working with the cutter, the metal gave way, and the lock came off. Zack swung the door back to reveal an

exposed metal staircase that went down two flights into a large open room below. ?No way!? exclaimed Echo. ?This must be the boiler room or something. Man, this place is old. Just look at this. I bet we could pull off a killer party down here.? ?I don?t know. It looks like there?s only one way in or out,? observed Zack as he descended the steps to the basement floor. ?What if the cops came?? ?There?s no other way out from down here ,? admitted Echo, ?but on the main floor upstairs, there?s more than one exit. We would just have to have enough lookouts.? As they reached the bottom, Echo walked over to a huge pile of cinder blocks in one of the corners of the room. ?Check this out. We could totally use these cinder blocks to build a DJ booth,? suggested Echo as he began to pull some of the blocks off the pile. ?Come on man, just humor me.? For a few minutes, both Zack and Echo pulled blocks from the bottom of the pile and began stacking them to create Echo?s DJ booth, until suddenly, one of the blocks Zack

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removed caused the whole pile to shift. ?Whoa, look out,? Zack warned as several of the blocks toppled from the pile, kicking up dust. Both of them stepped back for a couple of minutes as the dust began to settle, until something interesting caught their attention. ?Hey, look. There?s a door,? said Echo. ?Help me clear these out.? Block by block, they removed almost all of them, neatly stacking them up against a wall, leaving the large metal door exposed. Zack produced the bolt cutters again and cut away another padlock. And with a little pull, he swung the door wide open.

With surprisingly little effort, several of the blocks slid inward until the whole wall began to collapse. Zack almost lost his balance, but Echo braced him just as several of the blocks fell dangerously close to his head. ?Whoa! That was close,? said Echo as a cloud of dust billowed up from beyond the door. ?Thanks,? Zack coughed. ?I didn?t think it was going to be that loose.? They both stepped back for another minute or two, letting the dust settle once again, until they both stared in disbelief with their lights fixated on the far -left corner of the hidden room.

?Dude. Is this crazy or what?? Zack ?OK, this is getting really weird,? was stunned. expressed Echo. ?Yo, I?m trippin?,? replied Echo. ?You There, before them, just beyond the metal door, was a wall made of the same kind of cinder blocks. Echo could not help his curiosity and began pushing on the wall, testing it for weaknesses. ?Hey, it just moved,? Echo noticed. ?It?s loose. Help me push on it.? Both Zack and Echo placed their hands on the wall, leaning into it. ?On the count of three,? said Zack. ?One, two, three!?

seeing what I?m seeing?? ?Yeah. It looks like...? ?It looks like someone wanted to keep this a secret,? continued Echo. ?I don?t think anyone?s been down here for a really long time.? ?Yeah, maybe decades.? ?OK, don?t tell anyone I said this,? confided Zack, ?but I kinda wish there were more of us. I mean, I don?t ever worry if it?s just you and me on the

street, cause I know you?ve got my back, and you?re just as strong as I am.? ?Word,? agreed Echo. ?So, what if we told the others?? ?You mean like Mel and Dominic?? ?Yeah, and your brother,? Echo added. ?What do ya think??

Roya Sands and the Bridge Between Worlds is realistic fiction and the thrilling journey of Roya Sands and her role in bridging three worlds; the surface world, a secret military subterranean world, and the ancient high consciousness world of Lys: descendants of Atlantis and Lemuria living within the earth. Masterfully written Roya Sands and the Bridge Between Worlds is poised to make a major impact on our modern culture. Readers will feel a deep resonance with the story as it subtly explores our growing fascination and dependence on tech and Augmented Reality, the unknown consequences of our collective actions, and the potential of our innate spiritual abilities. Click Her e or visit r oyasan ds.com for more information.

For a moment, they both continued to stare at what they knew was a powerful mystery, waiting to be explored, until Zack broke the silence. ?I think I just had a brilliant idea for my film.?

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