Chapter 11

Just then a most beautiful song came on the cafe radio. It was otherworldly yet reassuringly earthy, with a sensitivity that soothed them both. He felt himself held in a vibrational healing balm. The music seemed to understand exactly how he was feeling. The tears became tears of happiness, a joy of knowing everything was alright and everything always would be alright.
She looked at him and said, “We made some good music didn’t we.”
Then he understood. It was JJ’s radio show and they’d been listening to The Knights Calling.
“Wow, I feel so glad to know you. It’s so much more than I could ever have imagined or done by myself.”
“We are the right people at the right place,” she said, “this is our destiny. I’m so glad I’ve found you too.”
Just then the second swan flew in and landed next to her mate.
“It’s just all so magical, all of it,” he looked deeply into her eyes with a look of gratitude. She touched his nose and smiled. They both laughed, light and carefree.
“Coffee worked,” she said.

***

He woke the next morning the day of the eclipse feeling fresh and clear. He took himself off for a walk in the park and before long he found himself at the lightning-struck oak. Looking up he saw the blackened branch that had born the full brunt of the lightning. He shuddered at the memory. The power of it had been beyond anything he could’ve ever imagined. It was easy now to understand how people could believe in Gods of Thunder, it was very, very real. He knew that much.
He decided to stand in the posture the Shaman had taught him. It was a new moon, a special day, and he felt his body naturally want to take the shape.
He stood in the posture and immediately his mind quietened down and a peacefulness filled his being. He was empty yet totally present. A power surged through his body and he felt that if the lightning struck him now he could channel all the power through his body to Earth. It was exquisite to feel so much life force, and he felt a special connection to the old oak. It was a bond of being, a deep awareness of the timeless living presence, not just of this oak, but the spirit of all oaks. He knew what it must be to endure.

He understood that to reach out like a tree was to attract lightning, and how the immensely concentrated life force jumped between worlds in a terrific unstoppable display of power. Was it possible for mankind to harness this power he wondered? And then he thought of all the church spires throughout the land reaching up high above the other buildings in every town, village and city attracting the lightning. What sort of people could have inspired such buildings across the whole Earth? Given enough time what would all those lightning strikes do to the stones, the atmosphere in the churches and the people who gathered there? And then there was the land itself, churches built on ancient sacred sites, places of power and sensitivity. Was Christianity harvesting the power of the lightning for the spiritual development of the people? A new wonder and appreciation for Christ entered his awareness and insights and implications began to take shape in the core of his being.

***

He went back to his house buzzing with ideas.
“I’ve had an amazing time at the oak this morning,” he announced as he came through the door.
The Priestess was sitting having some breakfast, ”I wondered where you were. Tell me.”
He recounted his deeper awareness of lightning and how the church spires reach up to the sky as if inviting the connection.
“I get it. Without knowing, people are going to these sacred spaces that have been charged by this primal life force. Over time that’s going to make an impression, especially when there is a peaceful receptive atmosphere.”
“And,” he continued, “it must be a two way process; the lightning from the heavens, but surely the people connect back and transmit to the world above.”
“I see what you mean. Of course, like a figure of eight cycle. Then the eclipse will be like a super portal that is going to be open this afternoon. And we can make our music as our gift to the heavens,” she said suddenly getting excited.
“Its all about our intent isn’t it?” he added.
“Is this a good time to look at The Book, see what it has to say?”
“Oh yes.”
He found his bag, took out The Book and began to read the next page.

‘Expectations are inevitable
But they don’t help
Be neutral again
And care-less
Enjoy the unfolding, endlessly’

“Look there’s no change in the font this time.” She indicated the second letter.
“You’re right. Does that mean it’s the end?”
“Shall we turn the page or wait till after the eclipse?” she asked.
“We’d better wait hadn’t we? But I think we both know whats next.”
“Enjoy the unfolding,” she said, “that’s the key. So what’s next?”
“Well I guess it’s time to tune up my guitar and get ready for the concert. It’s not long now.”

***

Parking the car near the barn they saw that the Drum Wizard and the girls were already there chatting away. There was a tangible buzz of excitement in the air.
“Are you ready?” the Drum Wizard said.
To hear his reassuring tone immediately made him feel at ease and he knew everything was going to be ok, in fact more than ok.
“Oh yes we’re ready!” he said.
“Shall we head over to the church then?”
“Lets go!” the girls said.
They all grabbed some equipment and made their way over.
“So when exactly is the eclipse?” one of the girls said.
“Precisely 3.33pm according to the moon diary,” he said, “in about an hour’s time.”
“Ok this is good timing.”
The Reverend greeted them at the entrance and showed them to the place traditionally reserved for the choir.
“Is this ok for you?”
“I’d say it looks ideal, Reverend,” he said speaking on behalf of the group.
The Priestess whispered in his ear, “The whole church is probably designed acoustically around the choir. It’s the perfect place to resonate the whole building.”
He nodded in agreement, “Ok let’s aim to start at 3 o’clock.”
They unpacked the drums, guitar and set up the amps. As they did people began arriving and making their way into the church, each person finding their favourite spot. Before long the knave and the transepts were filling up and there was an excited hushed chatter that reminded him of a bubbling mountain spring. Everyone seemed to be in the same mood. There was an excitement and a quietness at the same time, as if the energy just could not be contained. He nudged the Priestess and pointed out the people wearing the concert t-shirts. They looked good and before long there were too many to count. They all seemed proud to be wearing them as if they knew this was all for them, and somehow in his heart he knew it was true. To be in service felt good.

***

The Drum Wizard started his hypnotic beat, slow and sparse, just feeling his way. It slid in, blending with the hubbub of the congregation, then occasionally the rhythm would give form and focus to all the sounds in the church. The Wizard’s spirit was reaching out and connecting with everyone’s energy and then, just like the pied piper he started to bring them in. Out of the primal chaos into the magical living rhythm from the ancient land of Kitara. It was as if the land that the church was built on was communicating with that ancient African kingdom far, far away.

At precisely the moment when the people realised they were listening to a rhythm they were not entirely sure they understood, he came in with the guitar and played a strong chord. It immediately made sense of the rhythm in a new and unique way giving the rhythm a clear beginning. He then did what he always did and strummed a few chords to settle himself. The congregation was brought to a hushed silence and the packed church was now held in the moment, open and receptive. The chords and rhythm intertwined and reached out into the sacred space, reflecting off the ancient acoustically designed architecture and blended back into the music, moment by moment. By listening and being receptive, they were able to feel their way into the space and the fabric of the church, weaving all the influences together intuitively. The people were now connected to the church through the living music and, in some way the spirits of the beings who created the acoustic marvel in stone. It reminded him of a river that looks the same yet is actually different in every moment.

The musical melody started to evolve out of the chords and he could hear the girl’s harmonies underpinning and evolving the core melody. As their singing created a foundation, he launched into a new melody with his guitar. He listened carefully and noticed there was something subtly different about this guitar tone. The notes were sweeter with additional harmonics. It was a magical sound and for a long moment he couldn’t understand how he was doing it. Then he realised he wasn’t doing it. The Priestess was singing, synchronising her voice perfectly with his guitar. She predicted the melody even though he didn’t know what he was going to play next. Then just as he realised, her voice launched off into its own unique melody with a beautiful haunting feel that enchanted the whole congregation. He could feel a collective tingle go down the spines of all the people in that sacred space.

Their melodies danced and spun around each other. They were like two heavenly sparks flung out from the primordial fire, locked into each others orbits, making geometrically mesmerising patterns in the acoustic aether.
No one could predict what would happen next, yet everyone was captivated. Their spirits stretched out into the church, feeling every corner and alcove, bringing all the parts into a reflective whole. Every person was brought into the heart of the music so that, not only was the audience listening, but they knew that their spirits were integrated into the living musical tapestry.
The audience instinctively started to sing a soft chant that gave a solid foundation to the girls’ fundamental chorus of voices. Together they took the melody and, shifting up a gear, reached a new octave that raised the vibration of the whole space. Now the walls themselves seemed to resonate and the church echoed and sang. No-one present could say it didn’t. In silent rapture the people held the new vibration and allowed it to build and build. Different sections of the church had naturally started to focus on different harmonies that formed a call and response. The main nave formed one voice and answering, the transepts replied, creating a circular melody. The entire space resonated with this new pulse.

He felt an urge to put down his guitar and step out of the choir space and onto the magical spot indicated by the key and figure of eight. He knew that singing was the right thing to do at the epicentre of the sacred space. He could feel not only the entire church and spire above him, but also the land, and the ancient river bed, and island, just as it had been a thousand years ago. He knew that the fountain was an ancient spring giving healing waters to the land, and he could feel the spirits of the ancient kings and queens come alive, connect to the people and fill the sacred space with their eternal presence in great joy and wonder.
He knew that this place was also connected to sacred sites all over the world, a giant network of spiritual energy channelled through the land. It was beyond time and space, and he knew that the mythical kingdom of Kitara was real and present with them right now.

The Priestess instinctively joined him in the centre and held his hands as they sang the melody in unison, the culmination of all their energies. They acted as a channel for all the people to feel what they were feeling, the eternal presence of unified oneness.
His mind went into a blissful emptiness and he found himself gazing at the northern stained glass window with its circle design. He then saw all the element symbols from The Book in his mind’s eye. It suddenly struck him that only the circle of the four symbols was a letter of the alphabet, and it was in the second position on the page. He knew then for sure that they’d guessed the wrong letter. It was not the ‘i’ from fire, but the letter ‘o’. It was so obvious now and made perfect sense, like the final jigsaw piece fitting into place and completing the picture. He knew it was true, and beamed an enormous smile at the Priestess.
She felt his energetic rush and the singing in the church matched their new combined high. The intensity grew. The rhythm became more intense until the melodies, harmonies and voices all rose in a supremely rich high note that sustained and shook the whole church. The air itself came alive and they could see waves in the air as if it was thick like water, wave after wave rippled upward into the spire above. As they watched in awe, a terrific culmination of waves resonated up into the spire which focused and stored the sound into a highly charged density until it was finally sent it back as a gigantic flood of bliss-infused sound that washed over the entire congregation.

Nobody could believe what had happened but they all knew it had been real. He knew then that had been the exact moment of the eclipse. They had all been channels for the eclipse energies, holding a portal open for the pure life force. Everyone had played their part. There was a sense of collective enlightenment, and the most beautiful after-glow that went on for an incredibly long timeless moment.

He looked into the eyes of the Priestess who was still holding his hands. He saw a whole universe between them, and a look of unconditional love pulsating from the depth of her being. All time lines were healed, all hurts forgiven, all past lives united and unified. The great harmonious understanding had happened. He breathed and looked around and saw JJ in the wings. He was beaming a huge smile. He thought JJ was right: he really was invisible, he’d not seen him set up at all.

***

The Drum Wizard imperceptibly continued the rhythm as if it had never stopped, but just become incredibly quiet. He’d not dropped the beat. An impressive act of his power of concentration. It echoed out into the congregation, barely registered by the empty blissed-out faces. It had the effect of soothing and gently allowing everyone present to descend like a hot air ballon on a summer’s day. As they peacefully touched the ground again the Drum Wizard made a simple grounding beat that earthed everyone in a warm and familiar embrace.
People were naturally turning round and spontaneously hugging each other. It was then he noticed his old friend in the church, the one he’d been annoyed at by her lateness. She stepped forward and joined him in the centre for a moment.
“I knew you had it in you,” she smiled and then walked back to her friends.
He smiled to himself about the storm in a tea cup they’d created.
“What was that all about?” the Priestess said.
“The completion of a cycle I think, a coming of age. It feels good, finally.”
“I think people are leaving now. Shall we get going ourselves?”
“Yes, it is time.”
They gathered their belongings and joined the throng slowly leaving the church. Several of them came over to thank them but many just knew that the divine silence and peace in their hearts was all that was important right now.
On the way out the Reverend was waiting for them by the easterly door where a small crowd had gathered.
“I think you’ve sold out of t-shirts,” he pointed to the stand the printers had set up. Jeff was currently taking names and addresses of people to put on a waiting list.
“Fabulous, just fabulous,” said Jeff, “call by the shop next week and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Well that far exceeded my expectations,” said the Reverend, “I thought we’d been struck by a sonic wave of enlightenment at one point! I didn’t think it was possible, it was more than just our voices,” he exclaimed.
“Must have been some kind of eclipse magic, Reverend. Thanks so much for seeing the potential and inviting us to play.”
“I know a good thing when I see it. It was literally heaven on Earth wasn’t it?” he replied and smiled.
“Come, let’s go,” said the Priestess and they left the sanctuary of St James the Apostle.
“Love will always find a way,” they heard the Reverend call as they disappeared under the ancient yew arch and headed for the barn.

***

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Continues in Chapter 12…