“he and Matthew travelled through a portal in the Woodlands to another world where their spiritual abilities were fully developed. In return they committed not only Phillcon Enterprises, but also their families, to a contractual agreement that would span generations.”
“To what end?” Renae asked, puzzled.
“To the investiture of the new Keeper of the Astral Plane,” he advised her. Renae was about to ask another question when he raised his hand, stopping her. “Hang on, there’s more. Before they died, both Phillips and Conway were adamant that nobody was ever permitted entrance into the Woodlands without a personal invitation from the Keeper.”
Renae leaned back in her chair and looked directly at Nathanial. “Interesting – you can’t get into the Woodlands without an invitation from the Keeper who happens to be missing,” she noted, “but you still haven’t told me what any of this has to do with you and the parchment Mrs Phillips returned.”
“As yet, I don’t have a connection,” he replied, around a mouthful of food.
“All right, let’s work backwards. What happened last night with your secret meeting near the gaslight?”
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.” Nathanial gave Renae a full account of the events that had taken place. She didn’t say a word throughout the entire narration.
“That was the parchment that Mrs Phillips returned to you,” Renae said, deep in thought. “The one from last night?”
“Yes.”
Puzzlement was written on her face. “She didn’t tell you how she came by it?”
“No. Like you said, she’s good at evading questions,” he replied, feeling a little frustrated.
“Yes, so I discovered. Nathanial,” Renae remarked, a little concerned, “your aura has been shimmering incessantly ever since you got out of the car. This could be important. I think we should both meditate on this while your energy levels are still high.”
He agreed and followed Renae as she headed out the door. To his surprise she didn’t go to their regular meditation place on the mezzanine. Rather, she placed a rug and two large cushions at the base of the spiral staircase.
“This is the most spiritually charged location in the shop. If you would make yourself comfortable, we can begin.” Sitting on one of the cushions with his back straight, legs crossed and hands resting gently on his knees, he waited for Renae to commence.
“I have told you several times, Nathanial, about the depth of spiritual energy you possess. Being a well-mannered gentleman, you graciously acknowledged my words. You haven’t, however, believed me. There is something occurring around you that is affecting your spiritual essence,” Renae explained while making herself comfortable opposite him. “I’m going to intone a mantra of making.” His eyebrows rose at her statement as she continued. “This melody draws the cosmic flow of energy from the Angelic realms and will reveal what is occurring about you. Let’s get started.”
Nathanial listened carefully as Renae began her mantra of making; he had never heard its like before. Its haunting tune lingered in his mind.
“Ohm Na Ra Ka Taum Na Ba
Ohm Na Ra Ka Taum Na Ba”
Once he understood the rhythm of the chant he joined in. Their voices blended harmoniously and a euphoric sense of peace moved through him. He felt a gentle touch on his hand and opened his eyes to see both of them bathed in coloured lights. This had never happened before and he felt astonishment register on his face.
“Our auras are joined in the grace of life and the intensity of this power is coming from you, Nathanial.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, surprised, not wanting to accept her evaluation of the situation.”
“You know that everyone has a purpose in life,” Renae began. “Existence is not an accident. Life has motivation, meaning and is full of possibilities. It’s the manner and the way you move through your life that determines the outcome.”
“You’re talking about karmic responsibility,” he commented.
“Life’s not just about reimbursement of karmic debts,” Renae affirmed. “It’s recognising that you’re a spiritual entity incarnated into a material body and it’s the gaining of wisdom in that blending that life is about.”
“You’re implying that people’s spiritual and mental actions are responsible for the life they’re living,” he queried.
“Precisely,” Renae avowed. “Life’s not an accident.”
“Where are you going with this?” he asked, bemused.
“Because everything is resonating at a similar frequency, we believe that what we see and touch is solid. Except that everything we sense, see and feel in the material world is nothing more than harmonising psychic energy.” Nathanial nodded his understanding of what she was saying as she continued. “For whatever reason Nathanial, you have chosen to be a magnet for this energy, because it’s being drawn to you in copious amounts,” Renae passionately explained.
“You’re kidding!” he interrupted, not wanting to believe her but feeling inside that she was correct as she carried on.
“I also believe the woman who appeared under the gaslight you so meticulously described, might be your guide.” she finished.
A strange glow started to emanate from the floor through the mat. It made their auras brighten. “There’s another energy source here that’s affecting our auras,” Renae commented. “I think we should remove ourselves from the mat.”
Moving off the mat, Renae then pulled it along, with the cushions, to reveal a golden glow eight foot in diameter.
“I knew this was the most powerful place in the shop for psychic energy!” Renae said in awe. “But this,” she said, pointing at the golden glow. “Do you know what this means?”
“I will have to re-varnish the floor?” Nathanial replied, trying to lighten the mood.
“Be serious,” she rebuked.
“Sorry, it was the first thing that popped into my head.”
“I have never seen the likes of this before. My best interpretation would be that this is a disc of living energy. Let’s try something. I’m going to move onto the disc, then you do the same and we’ll see if anything happens.”
Nathanial observed as Renae stepped across the threshold onto the light. She closed her eyes and started her mantra. As she chanted, the vitality of the glow increased. He moved to her side and immediately became engulfed in a pulsating aura of intense beauty. He found himself cocooned within a golden sphere of light. The distant echo of a woman’s voice drifted into his consciousness, calling his name as he was transported to an unknown destination. His movement slowed and he found himself free of the sphere, gently settling to the ground in a small clearing surrounded by trees.
His attention was drawn to a silver cord emanating from his abdomen that drifted lazily in mid-air and disappeared skyward. However, his consciousness was pulsating with a wakefulness of spirit, the appearance of
