25

Visualization

Following your desire to increase your spiritual progress, you plan to get away for a peaceful and quiet weekend by yourself at a cabin in the woods. You arrive at your destination after dark and happily climb into a very soft and comfortable bed. At dawn, you rise quickly and, greeting the sun, follow your morning ritual of protection and purification. Upon completing your daily preparation you notice that it is a clear, cold, and beautiful day. After eating a Spartan breakfast, you dress warmly and set out for a solitary walk along a well-marked path that winds lazily through the woods. Almost a foot of snow remains on the ground from the snowfall of the previous day. The wind has caused some of the snow to accumulate into drifts two or three feet deep, which you must wade through as you proceed along the path.

It is very still in the woods, and the silence brings to you a feeling of oneness with the elements. The gnomes in Mother Earth appear to be at rest, awaiting the annual signal from Lady Amaryllis, the Goddess of Spring, to assist her in bringing forth that glorious season of renewal and rebirth. A slight breeze carries the whispers of peace from the sylphs of the air and the fresh scent of pine fills your nostrils. All is in divine order and you are at peace with the world!

Rather than continuing along this well-marked path, you are filled with the urge to go down a rather steep slope to a nearby creek. As you turn from the path and start descending cautiously toward the frozen creek, you see a new path to your right. Hearing the words: "Be not afraid," you follow your inner guidance and turn onto this narrow path that winds along the creek bed and through the woods, ending at a gate to a garden that lies in a state of deep sleep, under the cover of freshly fallen snow. You hesitate at the gate―not wishing to trespass―but the same still small voice within urges you to enter. You pass under a barren arbor, which is patiently awaiting the warmth of spring to awaken the vines that will soon cover it.

A short distance ahead, you see an unusual door in the side of a small, run-down potting shed. As you approach, it swings open and, as you step across the threshold, you find you have entered an exquisitely beautiful chamber. You have never seen a room with walls or floors like these before! Magnificent white marble with veins of every shade of pink has been used to decorate. The sight your eyes behold is so beautiful that you reverently remove your shoes, and as your feet touch the floor you sense that you truly are on 'holy ground'. Before you have the opportunity to hesitate or to turn around, another door opens, and you move effortlessly into the next chamber that contains a fountain made of a material that appears to be solid gold. As you step within the perimeter of the fountain, violet flames blaze forth, surrounding and bathing you in the purifying essence of mercy, compassion, love, and freedom. You feel no discomfort. On the contrary, it is a marvelously exhilarating feeling. All the negative thoughts, memories, and feelings you have had over the years are now gently transmuted and you no longer have to carry those burdens.

As the violet flames subside, a being of light appears and hands you a robe. It is made of a silky material, soft and luxurious, pure white, yet it glows with a pink radiance and you gratefully change your clothes. The robe is seamless and covers you from the neck to your feet. There is even a hood to cover your head, if you desire. There is no time to continue to dwell on the beauty of this robe, for you are quickly guided into another chamber by the same being of light who gave you the robe. The new chamber is made of the same marble material but, unlike the others, it is perfectly round with a very high domed ceiling. In the middle of this spacious room, there is a magnificent, round table made of rosewood with seven intricately carved chairs surrounding it. All but one are occupied and you are quickly escorted to the empty seat.

As your eyes adjust to the light of the chamber, you recognize some of the other members of this small group and you silently acknowledge their presence. In a large comfortable armchair opposite you, sits a tall, radiant being of light. He smiles and you immediately realize it is Holy Æolus, the Cosmic Holy Spirit who sits directly across the banquet table from you. You bow deeply with love and respect and in awe, silently take your seat. A soft bell rings three times, and the table is suddenly laden with delicate, exquisite-smelling fruits, none of which you recognize. A prayer is offered, blessing the food and those who are about to partake of this abundance. Holy Æolus, with a nod of his head, bids you to help yourself from the bowls that are now being passed.

You notice that each bowl has inscriptions written in gold around the sides. You begin to read the words printed on each bowl as it is passed to you and you place a small portion of fruit on your plate: "love; joy; peace; contentment; patience; kindness; generosity; faith; gentleness; and purity." "Of course," you silently say to yourself, "these are the fruits of the Holy Spirit." Never have you tasted such exquisite fruit, so delicately sweet and light. When you and the other participants of this feast have eaten your fill, a golden chalice is brought to Holy Æolus. He blesses the cup and passes it to the right. Each one present drinks from the cup and then passes it on. When the chalice reaches you, from its delicate scent, you know this must be the nectar of the gods. As you sip this delicious liquid a feeling of renewal flows forth and fills your entire being and you are grateful for this gift. After each person has taken their turn, the bell once again sounds three times, signaling that our meal has ended.

Your host now stands, and everyone rises in unison and bows to Holy Æolus as he prepares to bid you farewell. As you turn and approach the luminous figure of Holy Æolus, he embraces you warmly and kisses you on both cheeks and on your third-eye chakra. He smiles once again and then hands you an exquisite pink rose, for you have now become a disciple of Holy Spirit. Trembling slightly at the importance of this moment and the sacredness of the ceremony, you smile gently and bow deeply before this august being. As you stand erect, you realize that you have returned to the path in the snow-covered woods, fully dressed, boots and all. You turn around but nothing remains of your experience, only the sound of the breeze rustling through the bare branches of the trees and a rundown potters shed. You doubt the reality of the past several hours and quickly retrace your steps back through the woods to the cabin. Upon arriving, you realize that you are clutching something in your right hand. You look down and see that you still hold one exquisitely beautiful, pink rose, delicate and fragrant, seemingly unaffected by the cold. You lift this beautiful flower to your nose, and drink deeply of its glorious fragrance, as you smile, open the door to your cabin and prepare to return home.