go in about an hour before dusk in time for last daylight. The paintings vibrate beauty and spirituality, and maybe we’ll receive information about their origin and whether human hands were involved. You asked about that earlier, remember?”
Rob was feeling very excited as he stood up.
“Yeah, I’ve had a lot of thoughts about it. Either highly evolved artists, aligned to the Spiritual Source painted the images, or they miraculously appeared overnight. Like those out-of-this-world crop circle designs in England. I can’t even guess when it happened. But if it was local artists how did they receive information way beyond their experience and cultural traditions? It’s a magnificent mystery.”
The Elder did not comment directly on Rob’s ideas, but acknowledged him with warm eye contact, knowing they would be in the presence of the superb art very soon.
After a couple of hours relaxing at their shaded campsite they set out for the paintings. The rock steps they walked down for the third time were well defined, although definitely not made by human hands. The cave was long, formed by an overhang that arched towards the ground. At the bottom of the steps it was attached to the rock floor, but near the paintings it did not quite touch the earth, hence the variation in light along its length. It was a formation that only a higher hand could have created, something to be expected in this spiritual gorge.
The Elder carried a hunting boomerang in each hand and like Rob, stood in silence when they reached the sacred art. They wanted to know as much as possible. But what more would they be given or perceive this time?
* * *
Throughout Australia there are many outstanding styles of painted Aboriginal Rock Art. The most distinctive include the Wandjina in the Kimberley of Western Australia, the Quinkans and other Spirit Figures of Cape York Peninsular in Queensland, and the Lightning Brothers of the Northern Territory. These paintings represent stories, Ancestors and records of significant events, and are located in the country of specific traditional groups. When people who do not know the Aboriginal stories and interpretations view the paintings, they see examples of fine artwork comprising both familiar and unfamiliar images. Yet researchers who specialise in Rock Art speculate about the meaning and purpose of the paintings. They try and discover the ‘why’ and ‘when’ of the art, and many different theories have evolved. Aboriginal custodians are not always available to interpret, and sadly, because of forced removal from their land some sites may never be understood from a traditional perspective.
During the 1980s a tall, lone enthusiast discovered hundreds of previously unrecorded sites of Rock Art in the Victoria River District of the Northern Territory. Most are located in extremely remote areas, some only accessible on foot, and they contain outstanding examples of figures, symbols, and animals, known and unknown. These recent recordings suggest an obvious conclusion, particularly when the vastness of Australia is considered. There must be many more Rock Art sites awaiting re-discovery across the Dreamtime continent.
* * *
The eager explorers wanted to examine the unrivalled artwork more closely than before, and looked with expectant eyes.
“They’re almost alive,” Rob said, his hands instinctively clasped together with respect in front of his chest. The huge life-like figures astounded him, and he knew that anyone who saw them would feel the same!
Yet no-one would ever expect to find such paintings in Central Australia. Billions would recognise them, but the deeper significance was not their names or forms. It was the spirituality they represented. Rob believed that Universal Love Energy connected all people everywhere, including all faiths and religions, and he knew this was the paintings’ vital message. It aligned with the Elder’s words about Oneness and he spoke with conviction.
“According to your recollections these paintings of Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, Sathya Sai Baba plus other figures and symbols materialised in the Dreamtime. This suggests that future events were known in the beginning. That’s absolutely incredible.” Rob said, shaking his head from side to side. “The people or creative energy responsible knew about man’s spiritual development on earth! These paintings whose age we don’t know, represent the history of Humanity’s spirituality, past, present and future! Totally mind boggling. I can hardly believe what I just said!”
Rob slowed for a deep breath and sat down on the cave floor, his thoughts overflowing with the revelations of the afternoon, especially the words he had just spoken. The Elder had been listening carefully.
“I still don’t remember these exact paintings, but when I was twelve I presumed they were from the Dreamtime! They’ll upset most academics and teachers. Images like these don’t fit their world view or reference books. It’s a hoax, they’ll say! And they won’t give your spiritual theories the time of day because for them the intellect is God, even though many don’t use the word. Anthropologists and Aboriginal leaders will dismiss your ideas. They’ll claim you’re mocking traditional culture for your own ends. And they’ll have a go at me too.”
Rob listened closely, but he’d been around long enough to know there will always be critics, as the Elder continued.
“They’ll write you off as an amateur, badly affected by the Outback sun. They’ll challenge you to reveal your so-called spiritual paintings. One or two religious leaders may be sympathetic, but others will strongly disagree with your big picture. You’ll have to handle a lot of criticism.”
“Yeah, I see that. Sure there’ll be noses out of joint, but awareness is growing and many people will be open to this discovery and what it represents,” Rob said confidently.
“I agree,” the Elder said, then his face lit up. “There’s a growing pathway on the planet: a wide, colourful Songline awakening people and nations to the Spiritual Source. It’s a multi-level journey and many will support the vision because now it’s time to link hearts and souls.”
Rob was still sitting on the rock floor as the Elder finished describing his inspired idea. The vision of a “wide, colourful Songline” appealed greatly to Rob and he could imagine people all over the world embracing it.
“It’ll be a privilege to be involved,” Rob said, his heart filled with positive feelings, even though he knew real challenges lay ahead when news of the paintings went public.
* * *
The Elder squatted down and introduced another puzzling artwork to Rob, far away in the north-west of Western Australia.
“Up in the west Kimberley near the coast there’s a mysterious painting that European explorers found in a cave in the 1830s. It’s a large human-like figure wearing a long, deep red robe. Maybe there’s a link. The robe is similar to these, there’s a halo around the head, but it’s been lost for over a hundred and sixty five years. The explorers wrote about it, but local mobs kept people away for generations by saying they didn’t know where it was. You might see it one day. The Elders up there know you’ve returned to country.”
The Elder looked knowingly at Rob during the last two sentences. Did he have some insight about a future trip into the Kimberley for Rob? It certainly sounded like it. Or was he simply acknowledging that events unfolded when people and circumstances were ready?
The afternoon light had faded into semi-darkness since both men had been inside the cave, but they barely noticed. Rob got up effortlessly, the Elder picked up the boomerangs, and they walked out across the gorge towards their camp. A campfire was soon alight and dancing in the cool evening air as they sat and watched the billy boil.
“As a boy I thought the paintings
