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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781456727864 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 03/02/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 896 KB |
Read an Excerpt
Visions & Encounters
By Gerald G. Thompson
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Gerald G. ThompsonAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-2787-1
Chapter One
Subconscious
It was evening and I lay in bed listening as the radio played softly beside me. Glasgow, Montana is beautiful in the winter and I was pleasantly tired from hiking the countryside. As I enjoyed the music, I thought about my mother, whom I hadn't seen in quite some time. I could see her face plainly. The skin stretching over her high cheekbones, the wrinkling around her eyes as she smiled. She always has a story to tell, and she keeps you wondering how it is going to end.
While I lay here daydreaming, I feel uneasy as I drift in and out of sleep. I found myself gasping for breath one minute, and then suddenly breathing normally.
At first I heard the music plainly, but as I tried to sit up, everything became blank. The next thing I remember was finding myself standing on the floor looking down at my body lying in my bed. I gazed down at my face; it was as pale as death. My eyes were closed and my mouth partly opened. I felt a calm sort of curiosity taking over my thoughts.
I looked around the room: Everything appeared to be in perfect order; the shelf with the books and trinkets, the pile of laundry, the dresser, chairs, the gray carpet, even the wall paper with its borders of pottery and feather (figures I had often counted as I lay sleepless). I glanced once more at my body then turned and walked towards the dresser with the mirror above it.
The room had been dusky with the coming of night. I went through the motions of turning on the light, but there was no need, for my face and body emanated a strong whitish light that illuminated the room.
Looking into the mirror, I became aware for the first time of the astonishing transformation I had undergone. Instead of seeing a middle aged man, I beheld a physique of a young man about eighteen years old. I recognized the form and features of my boyhood. I was now more handsome. My face appeared as if it were transparent, as did my arms and hands. However, they were not entirely translucent, for in the center of my arms, hand, and fingers, there was a brighter, more illuminated substance.
My eyes quite strong in my youth were piercingly keen now. My hair, no longer streaked with gray, was now as in my youth, black. It fell over my shoulders and down my back. To my delight, it appeared that I was dressed in a garment of shining white, cut low at the neck and loose fitting at the waist. I lost track of the music while studying myself in the mirror.
Turning away from the mirror, I walked out of the bedroom and to the front door of my apartment. As I reached to turn the doorknob my hand passed through it and my body followed, gently floating through the solid wood door. I couldn't feel any resistance or obstruction as I glided through to the hallway.
Now, standing in the hallway, directly outside my apartment door, I was struck by a splendid idea, I would go downstairs and journey outside. Enjoying the feeling of anticipation at the success of my plan, my body had a feeling of lightness. I moved with the freedom of thought.
As I stood at the top of the staircase, I saw a kitten on the landing several steps below. The kitten pounced in a small semi-circle and looked my way. "Could this kitten see me or just feel my presence?" I wondered.
The kitten started hissing and meowing, ears folded down and the hair on its back was standing straight up. I moved down the stairs to further investigate the reactions of the frightened kitten, although my hopes of going on were dashed. Just as I came to the platform which separates the stairway into two flights, I saw standing before me, a woman spirit in shining clothes. Her arms outstretched and her forefinger was pointing upwards.
She spoke sternly to me saying, "Where are you going? Go back to your body!" I knew instinctively that from this spirits' command and authority there was no appeal. Reluctantly heeding the command of the unknown spirit, I turned and ascended the stairs and returned to my bedroom. The spirit followed me through the front door, living room, and hallway until we reached my destination.
My body lay there, as still and lifeless as when I left. I viewed it with feelings of disappointment. I knew that I would soon have to enter it again, no matter how ugly it seemed to me, or how much I ignored it. The spirit, standing behind me, again gave the command, "Go back to your body." The sound waves of her voice vibrated my very soul.
I begged her for more time, pleading, trying to get her to understand how peaceful I felt in my current situation ... "If I had made a mistake, tell me so I know what I did wrong." Her voice echoed loudly, "You must go back, go back to the mountain of your Grandfather, only there you will find the secret of your searching."
I tried to comprehend what she was telling me. I opened my mouth, preparing to question her, but when I looked up, the woman spirit had vanished. I felt like a heart broken child, lonely and afraid. I turned to view my lifeless body. This time, like the first, it seemed ugly to me. There was no time for reflection. In another instant I had again joined with my physical form. It felt as though my body was splitting in half from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
As my spirit body lifted high above the bed, I could feel the pressure of earth's gravity pulling me closer and closer. I turned my head and noticed a thin tube (about the size of a fishing line) coming from the forehead of my physical body and connecting to the base of my head on my spiritual body. I floated downward. My spirit felt the restraints of flesh and bone. Then I realized that my physical body couldn't survive without my spirit, even though my spirit can carry on without my physical body. Only then did I become more comfortable with their unity.
When I became whole again, my body rose from the bed about 6 inches. I woke up in a sweaty pool. I caught my breath and came to my senses. I got out of bed and shuffled my weakened feet. I found myself leaning on walls for support as I moved toward the bathroom to shower the sweat off my body.
As I stood in the shower, water flowing over my head and down my back, I tried to understand what had happened. Was it a crazy dream or had I really left my body? I remember having vivid dreams of flying above my house while using a swimming motion with my arms to propel my weightless body through the endless sky. This, however, had been different. Never before in my dreams had I walked through a solid wood door or met someone with the power of command such as that spirit woman had. Perhaps I was overly tired. I had worked a lot of overtime this past week. I had looked down and seen myself lying in bed. Could this really have happened? Did I truly travel out of my body? I must be too tired to think clearly. "It was just a dream Tsuki, just a dream," I said to myself. I soaked in the shower letting the hot water carry away the feeling of unreality with the sweat of my body.
I stepped out of the small damp shower and toweled the beads of water from my skin. My eyes were again drawn, almost against my will, to the mirror where I examined my still naked body with new eyes. I got closer and closer, studying in detail my reddish skin and every gray hair. Every thought that had ever crossed my mind seemed to form the age lines tracking about my face. Looking for details of what my face must show to the people. What do they see during conversation? Was it the sternness of my chin or the serious gaze in my eyes?
Staring at myself, piercing through this marked outer shell of time and flesh, a flash went through me like a bolt of lightning. The image I now saw in the mirror was an exact duplicate of what I had dreamed earlier. (Young well built 18-year-old male). My youthful self was now reflected ghost-like over my mature body. My mind seemed to be spinning in circles. The ghost like figure became more solid only to fade again. My eyes were still fixed on the unbelievable sight in the mirror. I found myself backing up until stumbling on a rug and ending the experience by sitting down hard on the cold porcelain of the toilet.
Now, cold, scared, and naked, sitting on the lid of my toilet, talking to myself, I said, "Tsuki, you're tired, go to bed. This whole night is just one big dream. None of this is real." What had I come to? After some deep breaths and an attempt to control my blood pressure and heart rate, I convinced myself, for the last time, that I was just overly tired and needed some solid sleep.
I dried myself and pulled on the Tabasco patterned boxer shorts (the ones Akada gave me after that hot date we had several months ago). As I walked down the hall to my bedroom, I heard a noise in my living room. I cautiously peeked around the corner and peered into the dark room. A small shadow fell under the front door. I tiptoed slowly to the door, stopping every five or six steps to listen for more sounds. I heard nothing ... the quiet echoed in my mind. At the door I paused and then I heard it again. It was the creaking of the wood planks that line the hallway floor. I carefully unlocked the door trying not to make a sound. Slowly, I turned the knob and opened the door, a crack at first, to take a curious peek. Then I saw this small blurry shadow flash past the door heading down the stairwell. After careful consideration and some hesitation, I decided to open the door fully and investigate. Walking cat-like, I lifted my feet and placed them gently on the floor.
Slowly creeping to the staircase holding my breath, I stopped several feet from the edge. Standing on my tiptoes, I stretched my body until I could see the landing of the stairs. Slowly I released my fully inflated lungs. It was just a kitten prowling around for food. I watched the feline intruder from a distance, and then went back to my apartment. I realized that it was the same cat I had encountered earlier this evening.
It was dark. I used the small amount of light leaking from under the front door to turn on the lamp, which sat next to my blue recliner. Dazed and half-naked, I flopped in the chair. I settled slightly then noticed the picture of my Grandfather standing in front of a mountain. I began thinking of the life he had lived and fascinating stories he told me.
He was the medicine man for our tribe before he died. He was a very simple man. Many say he was one with the earth. He was very traditional with the Indian ways, respected by everyone for the extraordinary powers he possessed.
Once there was a snowstorm in our village. My Grandfather was up in the mountains at his favorite spot. (It was an old bear cave he had fond when he was a young boy). He explained to me that during this storm he was chasing a vision. At first, I didn't understand what he meant by "chasing a vision." So he explained it to me, "Tsuki, there are no such things as coincidences; (he went on saying). Everything that happens has a purpose, like when you see a stranger staring at you from across a room. You may feel nervous, or invaded; perhaps you may even get upset. Did it ever cross you mind that the true meaning is that you and the other person are supposed to cross paths, perhaps influence each other? So, instead of feeling threatened, you should go talk to the stranger, use positive energy towards people who are supposed to be on your path."
"Grandfather, how will I know who or what is right, or if these things should be on my path through life?" I asked.
He looked in my eyes with his stern piercing look as if I were just air being carried away by the winds. He picked up a hand full of dirt, not once removing his eyes from mine. He let the dirt flow slowly from his hand. At this time he said, "We are earth, we are nature, as are all animals. Nature is the wish of the Great Creator, and he controls all of nature's forces. Therefore, there are no coincidences."
The phone rang beside me and I half jumped out of my skin. I realized I had fallen asleep. After several rings and some reorientation of where I was, I answered the phone. "Hello?" I said, as I tried to fight the chill-bumps forming on my half-naked body. "Tsuki, this is Angel. Are you still planning on coming down today and modeling for the students?" Anxiety rushed through my body as I replied, "Oh no! Am I late? I'm sorry; I'll be there in about 10 minutes. Is that okay?"
Angel assured me in a calm voice. "That's just fine, Tsuki, take your time, I know you're probably tired. You worked endlessly this Christmas holiday, even if it is almost noon."
I chuckled with her as we said our good-byes. I reluctantly stood up from the chair, as my stiff cold body protested. I jumped from rug to rug to keep from stepping on the cold hard wood floor. I entered my bedroom to retrieve my clothes for the day. A weird feeling assaulted my senses. For no apparent reason, my room felt uncomfortable, even threatening to me.
I quickly departed when chills ran up my spine. While dressing in the hallway outside my bedroom, I could see my grandfather's picture. It felt strange as though he somehow haunted me. This feeling soon passed as I remembered the urgency of the task before me. I hurried down the stairs and out to the street below where my truck was waiting.
I slid on the icy sidewalk all the way to the curb, where the slushy street was my next obstacle. I closely watched the traffic, waited for an opening, and then ran across the uneven slushy surface. Quickly I unlocked the door and jumped into the truck. I had just closed the door when a wave of mud, water, and ice splattered across the windshield. To my surprise the truck started easily, and I was on my way to the studio. Once at the studio, I grabbed my bag and ran into the building. I startled everyone as the door banged nosily against the wall. Angel smiled as she told me, "Relax, Tsuki, the weather has made the class a little late today. Go ahead and change while I round up the students." Nodding with relief, I walked toward the dressing room. Once I entered the small closet-like room, I spoke aloud to myself, "Let the transformation begin." I hurried and changed clothes, not even taking the time to check myself in the mirror. I rushed to the studio platform where I saw Angel waiting for me. "You look great!" Angel said.
I smiled and then replied, "Thanks, sorry I'm late. You wouldn't believe the dream I had!"
There was no time to explain as Angel took hold of my arm and led me to the center of the platform. "Students, today we are privileged to have Tsuki dressed in Native American regalia. Now we will start with two 15 minute sessions so that you can get the base outlines, followed by two 30 minute sessions to get more details prior to painting." Angel then looked at me. "Okay, are you ready?" She asked. I nodded.
I stood there with my eyes fixed on a spot in the carpet. My mind went blank and I began to relax. Before I knew it, the first session was over. "Break time!" I heard Angel say. Relaxing my pose, I stretched and made a trip to the restroom. Again I ignored the mirrors. I got something to drink before returning to the platform. As I was getting ready to start the next session, Angel suggested that I focus on one of the students this time so they could see my facial features. I responded by nodding. Now I had to find a student that wouldn't be hard on the eyes. There was an overweight balding man, nope, an elderly lady with blue hair, nope, a teenage boy with bad acne and very thick glasses, nope, and there was an empty easel. I thought to myself, "Well, you win just for being on Indian time (slow)." So I fixed my eyes on the place the missing student would stand and began my meditation.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Visions & Encounters by Gerald G. Thompson Copyright © 2011 by Gerald G. Thompson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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