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| Baba Yaga |
The warmth of the sun penetrates deep into my back as I stand and watch honey bees busily flying back and forth.
Inside the kitchen a little old lady sits at a table in the middle of the room. Her body is frail and withered. Across her shoulders is a black shawl embedded with what look to be tiny little gemstones. They twinkle and sparkle when she moves. She is hunched over, her head down, intently scanning a deck of Tarot cards. The faint light from the window behind her helps a little but not much so she has placed a candle on the table. Her glasses are balanced on the tip of her nose. Her long gray hair is pulled back and up, held in place by an exquisitely detailed hair ornament resembling a heron standing on one leg. She appears to be very, very old. Her long agile fingers adeptly work the cards and there's a haunting, lovely, cleansing, medicinal fragrance about her. It reminds me of the scent of Eucalyptus. Her countenance is calm and comforting. Around her neck is a long black silk cord holding an oval gemstone.
Suddenly I hear a muffled sound and look past her toward the window and see a large bird that has just landed on the sill. It perches there with eyes staring. She pauses and then slowly turns around, nodding her head in acknowledgement.
Old Owl immediately senses her approval and settles down on the sill. There is an unspoken connection between the two. As she turns to face me, the Crone's eyes are like two fiery, glowing coals as they catch the flame of the flickering candle. She doesn't seem at all surprised that I am watching her from the shadows. I believe she senses that I am here.
She knows the question before I ask it. "Everything you ever wanted to know about Anything is possible here." I feel an incredible warmth come over me. She is a Constant, a Diviner, one of the Ancients full of Wisdom, Light and Knowledge. She is Everything rolled into one. She is the One you consult when you have an illness; she is the One you consult when you want to know the Truth; she is the One you consult when you are in need of Understanding.
She is the majestic Horse, the stately Oak, the Wise Old Owl, the stalwart Visionary overlooking the precipice, going over his well thought out battle plan to upstage the enemy, all the while mustering his gallant and valiant troops behind him.
"Come closer, my dear, you have nothing to fear."
I cannot help but fall under the gaze of her bewitching eyes which capture and draw me deeper within.
"But", I ask myself, "isn't this the reason why I am here?" She is becoming visibly enthused that she has company.
"I am happy you are here as I do not get much company." "Visitors to my cottage are few and far between."
"I discern that you have a question for me." "Yes, I do." "I am wondering if you could answer this for me...
"What exactly is the Matrix?"
Eyes flowing with intensity she replies, "can I be honest with you?"
"You're just not ready." "It's not that you won't understand." "On the contrary, you'll understand all too well." "Why don't we just get to know one another first?"
"Well, let's see", she said as she laid the Tarot cards to one side as she looked at me. "We don't need these right now".
"I said we needed to get acquainted but you, you've already done just that haven't you?" managing a warm smile.
She said, "that s a pretty direct question and you appear to be a pretty direct individual".
"I'm sorry", I said softly, "I didn't mean to....(I was now wishing I could vanish as I had just hugely embarrassed myself). "That's alright", she said forthrightly, "I've dealt with questions like this, before:" "No need for embarrassment."
She positioned herself more comfortably and was visibly delighted with the question.
"The word "Matrix" was made popular by the movie. The characters and the actors portraying them along with the creator of The Matrix, and a host of others, are creative geniuses. They managed to impart its esoteric meaning into a blockbuster of a movie thus illuminating and enlightening many along the way. This is why you refer to it by name as it makes up the world you live in."
"Let's make this simple for you by reviewing a few fundamentals. "
"The Matrix is a finite intuitive algorithm. There are many "matrices in the universe." "I don't expect you to fully grasp what all this means so I will do my best to simplify it for you."
"The human brain is capable of thought, cognition, interpretation, cause and effect, rational/irrational thinking and reasoning." "The human brain is capable of actually compelling, willing and propelling these matrices into being."
"You have heard the saying, "You are what you think." "Your thoughts actually produce your own reality."
"This is one of the Great Truths."
"The human brain can envision any scenario and will it (think it) into being."
The cosmos is a giant consciousness and you are an integral part of it whether you know this or not. You are infinitely tethered to it".
"Most people go about their lives in a humdrum, mundane manner." "They think little of the deeper meaning of life but are more interested in getting up and going to work, a half hour for lunch, please the boss, timidly ask for a raise, come home, kiss the spouse, have dinner, help the kids with homework. and then the whole routine starts over again the next day."
"They never really give any thought to their existence other than the weekend when it's time for Saturday night football, a glass of wine or a few beers."
"There are very few who think outside the box (The Matrix) and wonder about who, what, why and when, where, if and how come."
"Think of it this way, your collective brains (those individuals who are aware) are tethered to one giant computer that is centered in the middle of your Milky Way Galaxy." "This huge behemoth of a computer is extremely sensitive to the vibrations it receives (kinda like a spider who's one leg is gently touching a strand of her web, waiting for a struggling host) as it continually receives human input."
"And what is the output", I asked?
------
"Why do you continue to stand in the corner?" "Come over here and sit down closer to me."
I emerged from the shadows and out into the dim light. I slowly shuffled my way across the wooden floor listening to it creak and groan under the weight of my steps. I softly grasped the back of the chair opposite hers and sat down.
"I am sorry, please forgive me, I should have invited you sooner."
Being closer to her, I was able to closely study her face. She reminded me of a long forgotten, ancient and worn marble statue, long since hidden and now covered in vines and brambles, quietly reposing in the corner of an old courtyard, her shrouded face crisscrossed all over with Nazca-like lines.
She was only coming to light simply because someone had been actively searching for her and then, quite suddenly and taken completely by surprise, had discovered exactly what they were searching for.
She was almost alluring in a weird sort of way. She mesmerized, soothed and comforted. I felt completely relaxed.
She interrupted my reverie.
"Would you like a cup of coffee?" She didn't wait for my answer but pushed her chair back and rose quickly from the table, her black shawl twinkling merrily as she moved, ambling toward the window where a steaming coffee pot was brewing.
In an instant she was back at the table with two hot cups in her hands.
"Thank you", I said as I grasped a delicate china cup.
She leaned forward and motioned to me to come closer. Her glowing eyes were full of intent.
"Now that we've become acquainted, why don't we get down to business."
I thought I heard a faint little laugh,
Her countenance abruptly changed.
The flames were gone and I felt myself being drawn down into two deeply penetrating dark gray eyes as she continued to scrutinize and study me, lifting the china cup to her lips.
The smell of the coffee was wonderful. It's fragrance soared through the kitchen.
In that very moment I knew I was in for one heck of a ride. I was now under her spell. She was drawing me in, like a moth to a flame.
She didn't move a muscle but continued watching me, slowly sipping her coffee.
"Finally", as she put down her cup, "you don't have just one question for me, you have several."
I shyly admitted, "you're absolutely right."
"Well, let's just take them one at a time. I will proceed slowly and if you feel the need to interrupt, if you have any questions, please stop me and I'll explain further. I will simplify things for you so you will understand.
"Your main concern is wanting to know about the Matrix so let's get started."
"To answer your question, the first thing you need to know is the makeup of the human brain"
"The human brain is composed of three individual parts (or brains)," she stopped, as I had a quizzical expression on my face.
She continued, "this information will help you understand The Matrix and where humanity is, at the present time."
I nodded my head.
"Millions of years ago reptilians roamed your planet; they were fitted with a brain that only lusted and raged. Scientists today call it the Lizard Brain or the Reptilian Brain.
It only reacted based on instinct.
"Many millions of years after that another change occurred known as the Dog Brain or the Limbic Brain which accounts for emotions and feelings. This mammalian retrofit inherent in all mammals would allow for loyalty and deeper experiences."
"Approximately 100,000 years ago another engineering feat known as the Neo Cortex or Human Brain was added which accounts for humans' rational thinking".
"This allowed for the Sciences, Arts, Thinking and Complex Reasoning".
Note that "they" did not do away with the two former brains. They just added the third additional brain on top of the other two."
"Waste not, want not."
She smiled, "My Dear, they' have been working on your brain for a very long time."
A Planetary shift is occurring on earth right now in which millions of people are "waking up" to a higher level of consciousness and an awareness that there is so much more to life than birth, conflict, struggle and death".
"The internet is playing a big role in this shift".
"How," I asked?
"Human beings have been disconnected physically and spiritually for thousands of years by virtue of where they live, their different cultures and beliefs.
"Governments are also implicit in this disconnection."
"Now, this is not to say that we will all come together under one big happy planetary umbrella, discarding centuries old beliefs on who and where we are, where we came from and what we were taught to believe, but the internet has opened up a portal, a connecting device or a tool for a continuing dialogue among all planetary inhabitants, here on earth and elsewhere."
She winked shyly.
"The internet has created an opportunity for earth's inhabitants to express thoughts and views, starting discussions on how to solve this planet's problems".
"Although the internet is in its infancy, hopefully it will blossom into something of great value to all mankind, not something to be siphoned off and used by a few and used to further more chaos, mayhem and division on your planet".
"And I am hoping that it will not be used to enrich a few at the expense of the many."
"The internet will be discovered as actually having changed the receptors in the human brain."
"The brain will gradually respond to the new stimuli, over time."
"This process has already begun and is actually happening as we speak."
"Let's stop your lesson now, as the hour is growing late".
"I have a comfy bedroom just down the hall where you can stay for the night. We'll continue your lesson in the morning. I'm up early and you'll smell the coffee brewing. I also make some awesome pastry."
She rose from the table and motioned for me to stand up. She was slight of stature and I towered above her. She adjusted her twinkling shawl around her shoulders and then I was able to see an intriguing pendant she was wearing.
She watched my expression as I studied it.
"The stone you are looking at has no age. It was given to me by my Grandfather many years ago after I passed my initiation.
"But, we'll talk more about that later, my Dear."
Her long, bony fingers reached for the candle as her eyes burned brightly.
Her dark eyes were intense as she looked into mine.
She pointed her finger toward a long, dark hallway.
It was then I looked toward the kitchen window and saw that Owl was gone.
She knew what I was felling.
"You need not worry about Owl as he has safely returned to his nest".
The candle's warm flame darted, danced and jumped off the walls of the long hallway.
Here and there oil lamps were hung, creating a soft glow and helping to splay shivery shadows across the walls..
I was mesmerized by all I was seeing and feeling.
I somehow felt that I was returning home after a very long journey.
I waited for the old woman to start down the long hall.
Old, forgotten memories of my childhood filled my head.
"But, why would Owl leave?" "I thought this was where he stayed." "He seemed so comfortable here."
Sweet woodsy scents of fir, juniper and pine tantalized my senses and filled my nostrils as we started toward the bedroom.
I thought I could heard faint strands of music coming from somewhere.
Then a few more steps and she stopped facing me, her bright eyes glowing in the darkness and the gemstones on her shawl shining on and off like little fireflies.
She made no sound but pointed toward the doorway to the bedroom and gestured for me to step inside.
She tipped the candle in the doorway.
The candle's flame fanned up and out, splaying across a magnificent ceiling towering high overhead.
It seemed to have a myriad of pictures imprinted on it.
There were two stately windows that reached from floor to ceiling.
I was reminded of an old and lovely Victorian mansion.
As she moved the flame around, I could see a silver candelabra sitting on a heavy, ornate dresser with a large mirror which faced a bed with a magnificent headboard.
It appeared to be carved with what looked like angels, swallows, owls and flowers.
It had soft pillows that lay, one on top of the other, plumped in a glorious display of uninhibited comfort.
A plush comforter covered the bed, embroidered all over with birds, vines and flowers.
The nightstand had a lovely tall with slender sprigs of Rosemary and Sage.
Their lovely, herbal fragrance permeated this small, uninhabited space.
I was overcome with emotion.
Forest scents of pine and juniper, Rosemary and Sage were quickly embedded as I was now heady with long forgotten smells from my Grandmothers garden of long, long ago.
------
"Time to wake up and smell the coffee!"
This I heard as I was happily wrapped up, snug as a bug in a rug, in a posh comforter, warm and cozy, my head resting comfortably on over sized pillows.
I rubbed my eyes and started unraveling myself from the cocoon I was in, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and firmly placing them on the floor.
I noticed shafts of sunlight coming in from the windows.
It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to my surroundings.
I kept thinking that during the night I had sensed something enter my room and two bright eyes staring at me but then I finally chocked it all up to "it must have been a dream".
A few feet away there was a small corner bathroom and on the sink I found a cup with a toothbrush and herbal paste.
A large metal bird was standing in the corner on one leg.
Upon closer inspection I recognized it as an exact duplicate of the hair piece the old woman was wearing.
I continued staring as I brushed my teeth then I looked into the mirror, surveying the surroundings behind me.
I was curious as to what was behind the heavy drapes.
As I parted the drapes, I saw that the tall windows looked out upon the quiet pond.
There was an old cobblestone path meandering down to it and on either side, a hedgerow of flowers and shrubs.
Just before the pond a lovely archway stretched over the path from one side to the other.
I just stood there, transfixed, not knowing what to say.
Then I thought, "if there is a heaven this must be it".
As looked further, I could see an expanse of rolling meadows, beautiful tall flowering trees and hear songbirds singing in the tree tops.
There was a gentle humming vibration I sensed, permeating my entire body.
But then I noticed, not too far away, something I did not like. It was disturbing.
Looming to one side was what appeared to be a very deep, dark and dense forest.
Its slender canopy of black pines was sinister looking and foreboding.
I felt a little unnerved.
The pines reached high up into the sky,
There was a strange feeling that came over me when I looked at them as they seemed to be aware they were being spied upon.
I could now feel a tenseness in the air and hear a haunted, muted sound of as if a woman was sobbing.
This moment reminded me of an exceedingly harsh winter when I saw pine trees on my Grandmother's farm covered in heavy snow and then, out of nowhere, a merciless and bitterly cold wind came, stripping them bare of their needles, their insulation, their cozy snow blankets.
They were left threadbare and clinging to life.
Fate had intervened, leaving them skinny, gaunt sticks, all alone and unable to fend for themselves.
"How cruel and unjust," I thought.
"They did nothing to no one."
I closed my eyes and shuddered, wanting to quickly return to the present.
------
"This is Your Wake up Call," she said to me, her eyes glowing brightly, as I downed a piece of her powdery biscuit and took a sip of her ravenously good coffee.
"Don't be shy, help yourself, my Dear."
I reached for another biscuit and sunk my teeth into it. It was absolutely heavenly.
I looked at her in amazement and she smiled broadly.
"I told you I make some mean pastry". Her eyes twinkled merrily, enjoying the look on my face.
"Let's continue our discussion, shall we?"
I found myself settling deeper in my chair.
"To understand the brutally subtle and utterly deceptive control The Matrix has over human beings, one only need understand its complex yet very simplistic makeup and be able to identify its markers".
"One of those markers is evil".
"One only need experience evil to fully understand and slowly comprehend the utter horror and devastation that brings with it."
"You remember looking at the pine trees?"
"Why yes," I said in astonishment. "How did you know that?"
A sly grin.
"Evil did not exist on earth many thousands of years ago"
"Evil has no role in humanity's spiritual plan but is only present to thwart it ascension."
"Yet, for some reason, evil has been allowed to have its way with all other inhabitants throughout the universe for millions of years either in the form of one species rising up against another with the goal of complete dominance over the other or being able to wipe the other species off the face of the earth."
"There is a reason for this constant penchant for warfare."
"A rebellion occurred on your planet many thousands of years ago. It was called The Lucifer Rebellion".
"Lucifer was an angel known for his beauty and was one of God's favorites".
"He was called The Beautiful Angel because his appearance was so becoming that this set him apart from all the others."
"Initially he was handpicked by God for an important mission on earth, one that would complete God's plan of bringing humanity together into a celestial circle (completion) with all other celestial beings."
"But Lucifer would have none of this. He had changed his mind. His plan was now tantamount in his eyes over the God who created him.
"Lucifer's ego ego got the best of him."
"He rebelled against God as did the first inhabitants of your world, Adam and Eve."
"Humans become confused when they hear the name Lucifer and that of Satan."
"They are two separate and distinct beings".
"Lucifer was the mastermind of his plan and chose Satan as his accomplice."
"While Lucifer plotted his plan of destabilization, he realized that he needed help in implementing it.
"While most of the angelic hierarchy turned their back on him, one by the name of Satan did not."
"He reached out to Satan, and Satan, in turn, reached out to others for help."
"There were several hundred more that 'signed on."
"At this point in time, seeing that the force of evil has gained such a stranglehold over you humans and, in order for you to live peacefully together, this imperfect, out of balance and errant energy force needs to be put in its place."
"The sorry fact of the matter is, if evil is allowed to exist, it will find a way, through any and all means, to grow, prosper and flourish"
"Its inclination is to take over everything, smother, eradicate and dominate."
"Domination is inherent in all species and must be contained and controlled."
"This is just the way things are."
"Evil, if left to its own inclination, will instill and install institutions and governments, promote enablers and legions of followers, design mechanisms and tools both as a means toward its ultimate quest of complete domination and thus, eternal empowerment over humanity".
"Think of evil not as a nebulous, fleeting thought but something solid like an impenetrable wall that is building its empire brick by brick".
"Evil is the result of an errant gene gone rogue, a universal intelligence that once prided itself on doing good for all mankind on Planet Earth as well as the cosmos but consciously chose the wrong path in pursuit of turning itself into a hierarchical order."
"One that is above the Creator Thought that brought everything into being."
"This hierarchical god is here now and is running rampant on your planet".
"It has been let loose and is deeply and mightily entrenched in your politics, your organizations and governments, your well-being and your souls."
"There is a full scale dark and unholy spiritual invasion taking place in which evil wants to control every aspect of your lives".
"It is firmly ensconced in countless institutions, deeply entrenched in people and organizations and in governments both foreign and domestic".
"Its pernicious appetite and maniacal tendencies are infiltrating the thought processes of many, invading homes, schools and religious institutions, with its ultimate goal-the complete overhaul, the complete reversal, the complete subjugation of all planetary inhabitants under a so-called 'One World Order' with the end result being the complete and passive subservience of the human mind to The Luciferian Hierarchy instead that of the Creator Consciousness."
------
"Any more questions, my Dear?" she asked, setting her cup down while reaching for a napkin to wipe the dainty morsels from her mouth.
I was incapable of replying. I was too busy trying to comprehend and absorb the history lesson to even respond to her question.
I think I must have looked horrified.
She waited for an answer but I just couldn't find the words.
She knew how in depth this history lesson was as she had tutored other students before and that I was just trying to pull myself along with all the pieces, together.
She somehow seemed pleased at my inability to grasp for words to describe my reaction.
I think that's what she wanted as she knew then, the history lesson had hit home.
I think I finally mustered up something to say like, "you've left me with an awful lot to absorb and a very uneasy feeling,"
"It's like I've been lied to all these years and used just for the purpose of of enabling a few to control the many."
"Am I on the right track?"
With a thunderous clap of her hands and the glasses tumbling off her nose, she happily shouted, Bingo!"
------
"You wanted to know about 'Output.
"Output is the direct result of input".
"You put in good input the result is good output".
"On the other hand, you put in bad input the result is bad output.
"Thoughts are energy; thoughts are input with the end result being creation."
"One bad thought can impede and restrict the flow of one good thought while one good thought has the opposite affect."
"So", she said, her finger drawing a little circle among the crumbs lying on the wooden table, "what would happen if a bunch of you got together and held hands and prayed for something positive to happen like world peace or an end to the horror going on in the Mideast or a cure for Ebola or instilling world leaders with humility and wisdom?"
"Do you not know that prayer (collective thoughts) can actually turn things around on your planet?"
"This form of energy is being used extensively on other worlds with some of the inhabitants not too far ahead of your earth, who have finally wakened up to the fact they just cannot live the way they are living anymore because there is better way."
"The result of what's going on in your world is from your collective, conscious decision not to change or alter the 'status quo."
"Maybe you are too fearful.
Maybe you believe you just don't have the tools to change things around or maybe you do, but are too lazy to employ them."
"You sit on your couches watching t.v. programs that addle the brain (they have no redeeming value for you, whatsoever) as they are full of loud noise, sex, violence and rage."
"The mind is subconsciously processing all these negative images and actually enabling (giving power) to those thoughts and images that are now being projected upon the world".
"So, in effect, you are willing accomplices and conduits for transmitting and empowering negative energy."
"The result (remember the input vs. the output?)--the result is mayhem and murder, devastation and turmoil, paving the way for your complete dominance."
"This is exactly the end result (output) --goal that Lucifier and his followers desire".
"So you really have a choice, do you not?"
"And it's no wonder you continue to have so many problems on your planet."
"And then, because you are so unaware of what you are doing and how you are being used, the harm you are actually creating and contributing to, you don't realize that you need to stand up and demand an end to all the mayhem."
"And then, to make matters worse, when someone does come along promoting a movie or television program that actually encourages the human spirit to burst forth in great acts of kindness and compassion, or rises up to condemn the wrong doing, he or she is roundly condemned and criticized in order to shut them up."
"This is all being done by the Matrix, of course."
"Another critical marker in recognizing The Matrix, is Control."
"It depends on donors and money and huge amount of followers so it can embolden and defend its powerful position by any, and all means necessary."
"The moral of what I just described to you is, 'it is up to you and others who make up your world to effect meaningful change'."
"You can do it if you realize that the means to do this is actually found within yourselves."
"If you want a better and more humane world," she paused, "do you see that by adding one small letter to the end of the word human (the letter 'e') you get the word humane?"
"There is an intrinsic and undeniable connection between the two."
"Take the first step which is acknowledging the problem and then taking responsibility for it."
"Don't always blame others for where you are at the present time." -take Ownership."
"Stand up and speak your mind when you see an injustice; when you see someone lying or bullying or taking advantage".
"Nothing is going to change if you do not stand up and fight."
"Most of all, do not be afraid as you have many Wisdom Councilors standing shoulder to shoulder, with you, encouraging and urging you on."
"They are here solely to help you."
"Another marker is Fear."
"This is a frequent tool used and employed by the Matrix to keep everyone in line and exactly where they want them."
"Thus you are more easily managed, all neatly wrapped up, bundled and packaged."
"There is safety in numbers though as there are more of You then there are of Them".
"The more of 'You' speaking out, the more powerful you become and the less of Them,"
"The Matrix cannot withstand this type of onslaught, this type of breach in their defenses, this humanitarian outreach, this devoted outpouring of all of you coming together."
She pushed back her chair and turned around to look at the great bird that had just perched on her window sill.
Again, no words were uttered, just a silent acknowledgement between the two.
Owl bowed his head as did the old Crone.
Owl then raised his head, fluffed his feathers and settled down on the sill.
His all seeing eyes caught mine.
Focused, Intense, Reflective, Intuitive, All Knowing, All Seeing.
"No wonder the two of them are so close",
They are 'soul mates."
My heart warmed, my soul stirred.
She turned and looked endearingly at me, straining to see if I was still keeping up with her, one gray strand of gray hair falling haphazardly across her forehead and then she gently tucked it back in.
All the while, those bright little gemstones on her black shawl mesmerizing and twinkling like a thousand little stars.
I felt so close to this old woman.
I wanted to reach over and touch her face. Tears welled up, "I, I....
"I know," she answered, her soft expression smiling back at me. "You will come to know why you are here and soon." She reached across the table and cupped my arm. "When you know what's wrong and you know how to fix it my Dear, it can be damned overwhelming because the solution is so simple."
"It's going to be alright."
She moved her chair closer and intently looked into my eyes.
"I must share this with you."
"You are the last student I will have."
"My time on earth is drawing to a close."
"We Councilors have only been allotted a finite time on earth in which to instruct and illuminate others."
"We are drawing closer to the mystery of the Night Shift, you and I."
"But now it is time for a well deserved break from your studies."
"You need your rest, as well as I."
"You know where the bedroom is so take the the candle with you and I will light another."
"I'm going to tidy up here in the kitchen and converse with Owl as he and I have long conversations together, a question and answer period if you will, her eyes twinkling, before he leaves and he also helps me with my notes".
"We both have limited time together so we know we have to make the most of it".
"I will come and wake you up in the morning and we'll continue your lesson."
"When you awake you will learn the rest of the story."
"Tonight, my dear, you and I will know and experience the Night Shift".
"Here, Dear", as she looked up at me, placing the candle in my hand, "make your way to the bedroom."
"All is well, all is well."
------
Convergence:
n: The process of coming together toward a common point.
------
I am so comfortable, so cozy, so unbelievably happy here, warmly nestled within the folds of the down comforter embroidered with the lovely roses, birds and trailing vines.
I love this place.
I stir,
I'm awake, my eyes wander across the room.
I feel that somehow something is different in my room now.
It is nothing fearful just a change of some sort and I am reminded of the old woman's last words to me, "All is well, All is well".
I've nothing to fear as I'm being sheltered, protected and lovingly cared for here.
As my eyes slowly start to focus and I raise my head up from the soft pillows, I am wondering what it is I am feeling.
There is no light in the room as I hear a muffled sound to my right, in the corner and high above my head.
"What on earth is that"? I wonder.
And then I hear and feel the stirring of something moving at the foot of the bed.
"Should I be alarmed?"
A flutter of wings as the sound of a great bird takes flight.
Owl's wings stretch out in grand manner as he silently swoops down from his high perch, making his way to another perch in the opposite corner.
My heart is thumping wildly as my eyes try in vain to follow him in the darkened room.
"So this is where he nests at night," I said to myself.
Then the creature at the foot of the bed raises up and makes its presence known.
A large black cat stretches its sinewy body across my feet, yawns and sits up.
It turns and faces me, luminescent green eyes glowing piercing the dense darkness.
"How fitting for a Crone." I think.
"I was wondering how long it would be before a black cat made its presence."
------
The black cat didn't stir and Owl had settled down on his perch.
There was a gentle knock on the door.
"One moment," I said as I untangled myself from the comforter and watched the cat watching me as I slipped my legs over the side of the bed.
I lit the candle and turned, slowly making my way to the door.
I pulled it open and saw the face of the little old lady standing before me,
"It's time, my Dear,"
"Get dressed."
I turned and walked back to the nightstand and put the candle down.
I was curious as to what time it was but there was no clock.
"In fact, now that I think about it, there are no clocks anywhere around."
I moved toward the window ans I was curious and parted the drapes to see outside.
It was coal black.
"I guess we didn't wait until morning."
I dressed and tidied up in the bathroom.
Taking the candle I walked backed to the door.
"We're ready," she said, "follow me."
Down the long hall we both walked, our two candles spitting and glowing.
I am always amused to watch the candle's flame darting here and there, hiding in a corner or quickly shooting across a wall.
From the darkness of the long hall we entered the kitchen.
Seated at the kitchen table we positioned both candles.
I noticed on the table was a large and heavy leather book with a lock on it.
The old lady was in no hurry as we both sat down.
"Well, are you ready for the final lesson tour, my dear?"
"Yes," I replied with the utmost confidence but, I hesitated, "this isn't morning or is it?"
"No, it's not morning." "It's twelve midnight."
She settled back in her chair and swept the black shawl closer around her shoulders.
I felt at ease sitting across from her.
Her demeanor, her glowing, piercing eyes I had come to know were beacons of light, illumination on a dark path, chasing all the shadows away.
I had come to love this old woman and what I was just now learning she stood for.
Enlightenment and Illumination.
Very few are capable of shedding light on The Hidden Path and where humanity had gone wrong, where it was headed and what it could do to rectify its sorry condition.
This old woman had shown the way and provided the answer.
She had a most wonderful and calming effect on me.
There was now an unspoken bond, a connection between the two of us.
Strangely I thought, "have I met this old woman somewhere before?"
A deep silence now permeated the air.
I watched as she gently, yet firmly, laid her hands on the heavy book.
She was wearing a long pale green dress and a striking pendant. A heron pin fastened her gray hair.
Again, I could smell an astringent, a medicinal scent of cleansing as a lovely smell of Eucalyptus wafted through the kitchen.
She lowered her head and uttered some words I couldn't make out then raised her head, her glowing eyes like two red coals and a smile on her face.
"You have managed to figure out a little of who I am."
She waited for a response.
Actually I wasn't surprised by this but was anticipating it.
I was ready for her.
"Yes", she continued before I got a chance to respond, "I do have Pagan and Wiccan roots but I also have in my genetic makeup a myriad of other genes."
"I have lived in many different places, in many countries and in many different cultures."
"I have experienced much if not all of what life on this planet has to offer."
I have held many positions both lofty and low."
"I have been on both sides of the coin so to speak and am fully and consciously aware of what it is to have supreme power over people or to be one of the hapless many, locked away and forgotten, lying and dying on the floor of a dank, dirty and cold dungeon."
"In this incarnation I have chosen to help those on this planet who are struggling with evil as I've gained considerable knowledge in my experiences dealing with it."
"The role I have at present is to impart the Truth to all who will hear it and believe me, there are not many."
"Thus I am able to shine a light on the Hidden Path and one that is closed off to so many."
She fingered the pendant she was wearing and a most wonderful expression came over her.
"This pendant is way before your time."
"It is made from a stone that fell from the heavens during the Exodus."
Its beauty radiated and shimmered in the candlelight.
I moved closer to behold a deep and dark work of art, oval in shape, mystifying in color and myriad of lines that looked like constellations, planets and galaxies.
"This, as she looked down lovingly, "is known as a Conjurer's Stone, capable of emotive expression such as guilt, anger, joy and sorrow."
"It helps in pinpointing, understanding and quantifying the underlying problems inherent in Human Nature."
"The other tool which you observed me using, when you first arrived is the Tarot which is a Divination Tool, that allows me to delve deep within the human psyche in order to heal and guide."
"The Night Shift is a term employed to describe when most of humanity's hidden and dark events take place."
"During the night (as opposed to during the day when you cannot hide) is the time when those evil doers plot their agendas, wishing to do harm to others."
"They calculate and debate, plan and copulate as they devise snares in order to catch those unaware."
"Ever since humans first walked the earth, this malignant cancer of evil has existed."
"Evil is a Thought Form manifested in Flesh."
"Think of it as a pimple you just discovered on your face."
"You look at it and decide that it's not too bad so you leave it alone.
"Then a few days later you look at it again. To your dismay it is now swollen and filled with pus."
"Now you really have a problem on your hands because you didn't address it in the first place."
"It now has manifested the ability to spread and contaminate."
"Is this not the scenario playing out in your world today?"
I nodded my head as I completely understood.
"How could I argue the point? She was dead on.
Such a simple analogy yet one had to wonder why others hadn't caught on to this but continued to ignore it to their peril.
She signed as if tired, "before we take this last journey together we need to pray."
"But before we pray, I need to ask a question of you."
"Do you believe in God, because we are going to descend into extremely dark and hidden places and I need your answer before we proceed."
"This is for your safety and well being, as well as mine."
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She looked at me and I looked back at her. There was no hesitation in my reply.
"I most certainly do."
Then her demeanor changed and changed abruptly.
Her eyes were now two hot, burning coals searing deep into my soul.
She glowered at me and I was caught completely by surprise at how quickly her mood had changed.
She then said, "I have to ask this of you." "If you say you believe in God, then why in God's name do you human beings persist in starting war after war, torturing and killing and persecuting each other, rampaging, rioting and raging, murdering babies and all in the name of a "woman's right to choose?"
"What about a baby's right to choose," she almost shouted?"
"Why do you persist in designing more and more lethal weapons and cook up more and more diabolical schemes to use against one another?"
"Why are you constantly motivated by brutality, savagery, killing and maiming?"
"If you truly believed in God there would be those among you whom you would have raised up and elevated to act as strong counsel by now--a powerful deterrent against the demonic forces that have seized your planet."
"Do you human beings not realize nor understand that when God is unwelcome in your midst, when your lofty ambitions (Ego) have elevated you, in your own eyes, to that of being gods, when you continue to violate His Laws of the Cosmos, that this continues your enslavement and tribulation?"
I couldn't answer her as I was dumbstruck and completely taken aback.
I could only hang my head in shame.
------
She was sorry and saddened she had lost her temper with me and attempted to console me, as she slowly and patiently waiting for me to regain my composure,
She continued, "there is, underway, at this very moment, a convergence taking place on your planet (even though at the present time with all that is occurring, this concept is very hard to envision).
"A detailed summation of the state of the human condition and a plan to stop its death spiral."
"At a time known only to those in charge of these types of affairs, the elevation of humanity's consciousness will be completed and brought under the watchful eye of a group known as the Peace Makers".
"Human Beings will finally be able to climb up and out of the well they have been consigned to and fully live out their lives in peace and harmony, while enjoying the company of a new and vast network of other sentient beings in the universe."
"This, however, will not be done without the express approval of all of you".
"This decision will not be shoved down your throats as once you are able to see the happiness that awaits you, the hurdles you still face that are holding you back and the future peace and harmony that is just ahead, your willingness to accept will quicken your ascension toward this universal, spiritual inclusiveness".
"This is humanity's destiny...this is where you belong." "This is what has been planned for you and your world from the very beginning."
There are three stages to a Crone's existence: Maiden, Mother, Crone. The Crone represents Wisdom, Death and Endings. The waning moon is her symbol. In early cultures, she is often depicted as a grandmother, a wise woman or a midwife. She is long past child bearing age. Because of her Life experiences, and the Knowledge she has accumulated, she is consulted often and is known as a Wisdom Keeper, a Keeper of The Mysteries, a Seer and a Healer. She is sought out by others as a guide for their transit through the hardships and sorrows of this incarnation. She is a Lover of trees and plants, children and animals. She is steadfast in her vigil over those who are taking their last breaths.
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