EA#32:
Read From the Beginning or the start of Trial Two or Three or Four or Five
The Mountain in the Clouds, Part Thirty-Five
“
Floating.
Adrift.
In the sea.
Drowning.
It was dark in the waters, and it was turbulent. The water was thick too, extremely salty. I gasped for air. I stretched my hands overhead and swam for the surface.
As I went, strange things grazed my skin. Slimy things, slippery things, rough things, scaly things. I tried not to panic, but I was not convinced the things were friendly.
I began to see a hint of light above, very faint through the dark water. My lungs were tired and my air was giving out. My body wanted to stop, but my mind kept pushing on.
When I was nearly to the surface, or so I thought, something terrible approached me. At first all I could make out was the long serpentine tail, large as a dragon swishing back and forth through the waters towards me. Then an enormous head reared into view, coming straight for me. It passed me and as it did a fearsome jaw opened up to reveal rows and rows of deadly teeth, each the size of an elephantine’s tusk. And a terrible eye, big as a horse, looked right at me, blinking once in delight.
I gasped, almost swallowing water as the beast slid by me, turning in a wide arc to come back around. Surely I would be swallowed up by this monster of the sea.
Gods help me!
I swam and swam with all my might, giving more energy than I thought possible to lift me towards the surface of the water. My head demanded I escape but my heart sank in the thought that even if I got out of the water for air, I’d still be easy prey. But I had no choice, no alternative. I kept trying.
The monster sea serpent was making its way back towards me rather lazily. It seemed quite certain it would have me for breakfast. It gnashed its teeth and continued its approach. I kept swimming up. As I was nearly to the surface, the monster too was near its target. I could see its head overtaking me, opening its mouth wide, moments away from swallowing me up. I was certain I’d feel the ripping pain of its teeth rending through my body in the next second…
When a thwomp sound rushed through the water, pushing me back with the current and knocking the beast on its head in one swoop. The serpent crashed downward, then I felt a large hand grasping my body and lifting me out of the water.
As I was brought into the air I heaved a deep breath of oxygen, spitting out some water in the next moment, then taking another deep breath. I couldn’t make much out in that moment, trying to clear the salty water from my eyes and focusing mostly on catching my breath and relaxing my tired body. The hand that held me supported me comfortably, and I might have been scared if I weren’t able to guess who it was.
Sure enough, when I came about, I looked up to see Gumpelthwomp placing me gingerly on the rocks near his feet. Apparently, he had been near enough on this outcrop of land and was able to lean in and save me.
“Thank you, my friend, you saved my life,” I sputtered.
“Funny, one time Gumpel almost take your life,” said the giant, letting out a huge bellow of laughter.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” I muttered, not sure if I appreciated the humor.
“Gumpelthwomp thwomp sea snake. That why call me Gumpelthwomp,” said Gumpel proudly.
“Then why Gumpel?” I inquired off-hand.
The giant paused, then shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe because Gumpel say gumpel, gumpel. Hahahaha!”
The giant seemed in good spirits, anyways. I’m not sure that I could say the same.
Spitting more salt water, I commented, “Gumpel, your perspective is not the same as mine. That was not a snake down there. I’ve never seen such a terrible creature.”
“That’s because it is a creature of pure hate,” said an old man’s voice.
Gumpel and I turned to see the heart of the maze on a rocky hill above us.
“Who that?” the giant demanded, standing up defensively.
“Don’t worry, Gumpel, this is an old friend of mine,” I said. “Well, we’ve met before, anyways. He calls himself Hermit.”
“What you do here, Hermit?” Gumpelthwomp asked the heart of the maze.
“I come only to offer what I can, and the rest is up to you,” said Hermit.
“What have you come to offer? More obscure advice about what I must do in this trial?” I griped. “Look, no offense, but I seem to be making a mess of this one. I have not been able to find or draw out the River of Love, and all I seem to be facing is more and more hate. And it seems to be getting stronger.”
“Yes,” the old man said gravely. “You are right about that. The hate is growing. That monster was a manifestation of great hatred. And the River of Hate has flooded over and become the Sea of Hate that now surrounds this little island we stand on and covers most of the land below. The sea is filled with all manner of hateful things. It is the energy of hate itself. And right now, it covers all the lands in hatred. So, yes, you are right as well. You have made quite a mess of things.”
“Look, old man,” I was beginning to get annoyed, “if you are here to scold me and laugh, then have your fun and leave. I don’t want any of it. But if you’d rather give me something useful, I’m all ears.”
“Only a reminder,” Hermit spoke. “And that is that your quest is not done. It is not hopeless. The hate has grown strong, but remember that love is stronger still. And you have yet to tap into it! What are you waiting for? Find the River of Love. We implore you.”
“We again?” I commented.
“Must you ask?” was all Hermit said.
“Ok, so where am I supposed to find a river when the only thing around me is this sea?” I was getting impatient.
“Do not be so limited in your thinking,” the heart of the maze told me. “Is there not some way for you to find inner peace, inner resolve to manifest what you desire to see, despite what you MAY be seeing now? Is there not still possibility, even possibility which you cannot imagine yet? Is there not land yet under your feet, holding you, keeping you alive? You have so many resources still at your disposal, but you choose to sit here and lament the creations that you already see before you. Have some imagination.”
And this was the last thing Hermit said. He made a noise like scoffing, shook his head, and turned to walk away, disappearing as fast as he had come.
“Where he go?” Gumpel asked.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “He does that.”
Ok. Well. I may be annoyed at the old man’s approach. But his words struck me true. True as ever. I did have my life, my breath, and a safe plot of land. What to do with it?
My inner guidance suggested I sit down, get comfortable, take some time, think, breathe, meditate even.
What a great idea! I thought. Of course! The inner work has helped me before. And I had little else to work with now but my own thoughts and focus. I would meditate, here on this island. I would focus on love. I will find the feeling of love and foster it until the river appears! It should be easy.
A faint cracking sound deep in the earth below me suggested just how easy it may be. Perhaps it was because of my enthusiasm, or maybe the ease with which love builds if you think on it, but it seemed to be working.
So I found a comfortable spot, which was quite challenging on that rocky island, and I sat down.
I quieted my mind as much…
“What you doing, Magi Man?” asked my giant friend.
“Gumpel, quiet please,” I said. “I am doing as Hermit suggested. I am trying to find inner peace and bring the River of Love into this land. Please allow me some time.” I closed my eyes again. Then I blinked one open and added, “You may join me if you like.”
And the giant actually did join me. After a bit of noisy movement from his body, Gumpel, too, settled himself into a seated position, closed his eyes like me, and calmly focused on his breath. I was proud to see him catch on so quickly.
I closed my eye again.
Love.
All is love. I thought. Love is all there is. All I can see is love. All I can think about it love. All I can feel is love. Love permeates everything it comes in contact with. The whole world is built with love. Love creates my very being. Love is pure, positive energy. Love is wonderful. Love is amazing. Love is freeing. Love is fearless. Love is…
More rumbles from deep within the earth. It’s working, I thought. Keep going.
I love my life. I love the lessons I am learning. I love that I am still breathing. I love that I have survived so many trials. I love that I have friends and guides to help me. I love that I have chances like this to grow and expand in my life. I love everything that is happening. I love knowing that exciting things are ahead of me. I love knowing that this is working. I love being a part of this. I love thinking about love!
The ground began to quake and move. Still no river, though. But I was happy.
I love myself. I love my kids. I love my Maniea. I love having these wonderful people in my life. I love the experiences and times I’ve shared with them. I love knowing that even though I haven’t seen them in a while that my heart stills sings with love for them. I love knowing that they are still out there. I love thinking about them and I love thinking about the possibility of seeing them again. I love the thought of holding them close and kissing them and hugging them. I love the thought of spending time with them. I love the thought of telling them where I’ve been. I love thinking about my loved ones. I love all the amazing people in my life. I love Jaran, and Gumpelthwomp, and Angie, and Hermit, and the people of Titanton, and those at Castle Greene, and my guides and the gods and…
Suddenly I heard a hissing like a waterspout and opened my eyes. There, over the hill, a plume of mist and bubbles appeared, shooting high into the sky.
I love that this is working, I continued. I love this experience. I love the energy that is flowing. I love the water that is appearing. I love the sky above. I love the land below. I love my feet that are walking me forward. I love my hands that are climbing over this hill. I love my eyes that are watching the water grow. I love seeing the split in the earth where the river is forming. I love that this is happening. I love, I love, I love…
I couldn’t help it, it felt so good. All I could think about was love and it warmed my heart, lifted my spirit, and confirmed that what I was doing was working. The waterspout began a fountain, then a rain, then a torrential downpour. The water began shooting from the ground with such force that the crack that had formed split the island in two.
I almost couldn’t believe what was happening. Even though I had meditated on it, I still was in awe that I was the one who did it. And it seemed to come so easily, happen so fast. But Hermit did say manifestation was fast here.
Gumpelthwomp was on his feet, too, with a big grin on his face. He looked up and let the rains fall down upon him.
And even though it was raining, the sun seemed to shine even more brightly overhead. The whole land was lifted in the love. And the love became like a rainstorm of healing. Even the Sea of Hate absorbed the love waters and turned clearer, bluer, less salty. And in a strange phenomenon, despite the rain, the sea began to subside and lower, like it was being pulled back into the earth. I imagined the hateful river being reabsorbed into the crack from which it had first sprung. And the River of Love appeared in full then and poured out from the slit in the island, now the peak of a great hill… and it poured out in a wonderful arcing waterfall down into the land below. Rainbows coursed underneath the waterfall, and the once-desert became a verdant land of grasses and trees.
At last the storm of love subsided to a sprinkle, then near nothing at all, while the River of Love continued to proudly shoot forth from its wellspring.
Water still dripping from our hair into ours faces, Gumpel and I looked at each other and smiled.
“Good job, Magi Man,” said the giant.
“Thank you for your help, Gumpel,” I responded.
“When the rain came,” Gumpelthwomp said, “all I could think of was my love, Giggazzibar. Is that strange?”
“Not at all, my friend,” I told him. “This is the River of Love, and the rains of love. They must have triggered your own feelings of love for her.”
“Ok,” said Gumpel. “Magi Man and Gumpel make plan, remember?”
“What plan?” I asked him.
“Magi Man and Gumpel get ones they love,” said my friend. “Gumpel save Gigga, Magi Man save…” he paused.
“Maniea,” I filled in for him.
“Maniea,” Gumpel finished. “We go save them! Go make war for love!”
I shook my head. “I pity any who stand between you and your love, Gumpel.”
The giant beamed at me proudly, holding his hands on his hips.
There we stood, two unlikely friends, in the rains from the creation of the River of Love, planning to go find those who meant the most to us. And the sun shone on. And the waterfall poured. And the rainbows fizzled below. All felt right.
Thank the Gods.
“
What a change of fate. So ends Chapter 5: Hate…
Thanks so much for reading.
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Blessings to you,
Matthew