The Serpent's Song

by S. Robertson

  “Very good Morgan, now you understand why past societies fought so bitterly to maintain their beliefs, for they knew it was essential to the survival of the soul of their community. Any destruction of their mythology would undermine their very existence.”

  “That’s precisely what happened to our aboriginal societies,” said Vette. “When their language and beliefs were destabilized, their society collapsed propelling individuals towards self-destruction through addictions, prostitution, and homelessness.”

  “With this new understanding, have you any thoughts on what may happen to your society as old traditions are discarded and not replaced by strong symbolic guideposts? Or perhaps a new tradition is already underway, one that will last for generations to enhance, enrich and magnify the human psyche of your society?”

  “Well, if it’s underway it’s not apparent,” replied Andrew. “I don’t see anything of that quality forming at this point. What bothers me is that somehow we’ve severed the connection of the conscious and unconscious in our mad drive for sophisticated nothingness which is being played out in the dark and destructive dramas portrayed in our media. I do not see a replacement strong enough to provide the guidance of either primitive societies or even the world of my grandparents. Myttrwn, how can one stop this slide which seems well underway?”

  “I do not believe it’s as bleak as you may think. Certainly, the guideposts of the Kali Yuga are about to fall. But you are entering the Dwarapa Yuga, a time of increased enlightenment, and somewhere in your society at this very moment there are individuals and small groups thinking about this. They understand the truth. New symbols, ceremonies and traditions will be created, not like the old ones and, while similar, they will differ around your planet.”

  “If I can summarize,” asked Angi, “for we have been discussing some very significant material today. We have been given two paths to help us grow; one internal and one external. The internal one is the most important yet the most difficult for many as it is the battle between the soul and the ego. For us to reach our divine state we need to get rid of our reliance on our ego which is being constantly fed by our five senses. The second path, more external, are the ‘Rites of Passage’ ceremonies which have been proscribed by societies to aid individuals through the psychological and spiritual stages of their journey from birth to death. These too are intended to focus on the personal responsibilities the individual has towards his or her society, which is now global. So both the internal and external paths need to be strengthened if our society is to survive. What has yet to be addressed is by whom?”

  “That’s an excellent summary Angi, and a way to bring this session to a close. The ‘whom’ we will leave for another session. But first I need you to think about today’s material as it relates to your own lives. It might be helpful to share your thoughts regarding past ceremonies. Oh, I almost forgot, speaking of ceremonies, the Queen would like you all to attend a student ceremony scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. These are routine events to recognize those students ready for their first, second or third initiation in the pyramid. Sirona will guide you to the theatre.” With that he rose and he and Sirona left the room.

  * * *

  Plaza & House of Learning

  As they entered the plaza Wolfram chuckled, saying, “Is it my imagination Dylan or did I hear you say that you might be interested in meditation? Have you been converted?”

  “You heard me right, Wolfram,” replied Dylan. “In the past weeks I have learned that Myttrwn is a highly revered member of this kingdom. Many are amazed that he has taken so much time to sit and share his thoughts with us considering our Kali Yuga baggage. In addition, I came to the conclusion that anyone who has existed for hundreds, no thousands, of our years must surely have learned a thing or two. He is grooming us for something, I’m certain of that. And if that’s the case I want to learn as much as this pea-brain can take in. If meditation is something I should know, then so be it. I bet you never thought I’d be saying that, heh?”

  “I’m impressed,” replied Wolfram, “Actually Dylan, you have just enunciated some of my own thoughts. Myttrwn makes no attempt to force us to accept his teaching. He gives us small bite-sized pieces of information and lets us think about it. I’m surprised how much I’ve absorbed in such a short time. I wish I had professors of this ilk at university.” Then turning to the rest of the group he added, “Now I’m not saying that I’m comfortable with all of it, but I’m not uncomfortable either, if that makes any sense.”

  “I agree with you Wolfram,” replied Angi, “Myttrwn is a remarkable teacher. He does the same thing in my medallion training, small carefully planned steps. While I’d prefer more comment on how I’m doing, I’m aware he is gently pushing me onward. My problem is that I’m not quite sure where I’m at in his unwritten curriculum. All I can say is that I am growing more confident in what I’m doing, if that’s any measure.”

  As tempting as it was, the group still had no idea what Angi was learning about her medallion. It was agreed they would wait until she was prepared to discuss it. They were pleased she was growing more comfortable with whatever was happening.

  As they walked across the wide plaza, groups of students circled them in their haste to get to their next class or assignment.

  Andrew joined the conversation, “The one think I’ve noted is that with each session with Myttrwn, you have all been exuberant in your thoughts about its meaning and were prepared with questions whenever Myttrwn provided a forum. I still think our chatter must be wearing, however much he encourages it. Just look at these students. I have no doubt they are conversing as they rush by, but this plaza is amazingly quiet except for us. Imagine what this could mean to our post-secondary campuses.”

  “Considering the time lines given by Myttrwn for the Dwarapa Yuga, I expect it will be our descendants who will witness such change,” came Morgan’s reply after considering Andrew’s comment.

  “But Wolfram and Dylan have raised a persistent point,” interjected Vette. “If Myttrwn is such a revered member of this community, then why is he taking so much of his valuable time and energy with our training?”

  Andrew responded, “That’s a question which remains unanswered, Vette, and we are over half way through our time in this kingdom. I am aware he is training all of us as ‘one’………… but the future objective remains unclear. Something must be revealed soon or we will be back home asking ourselves the same question.”

  “I wonder if Myttrwn is coming back with us?” asked Bryce.

  “Now that’s a novel idea,” replied Andrew looking at his friend, “What made you think of that?”

  “It’s his interest in our world and what has been happening over the past two thousand years. I know he can check for himself with the opening of the Gate of Tara. But nonetheless, over the past weeks I have noted he has been asking a number of rather point blank questions whenever he is on a one-to-one basis, as if he is checking our perspective on certain issues. Take a note yourself and see what you think. At first, I dismissed it as his method of getting feedback so he can readjust his teaching material. But I don’t think so.”

  “I’ll definitely consider this old friend and let you know,” replied Andrew, beginning to ponder the ramification of his friend’s statement.

  This prompted Angi to remark, “Can you imagine the impact of Sirona and Myttrwn walking down any street in our world. Their height alone would attract attention and when they spoke it would be quite a revelation. But is the Earth ready for two or more of these highly advanced individuals. For me personally, I would be delighted with their presence. I know there is much I don’t know of this advanced technology which I wear. Actually, I’m still unclear as to what all this means. Let’s pray Myttrwn is going to reveal this before we leave. I agree, there has to be a reason for his instruction and attention and it’s not just this medallion.”

  “Personally, I have grown fond of Myttrwn’s stoic intelligence,” replied Morgan, “I don’t care
if he can read my mind. I now know that telepathy has positive features. I’m not oblivious that there are likely individuals capable of manipulating this talent even in this Shangri-La. We have been pretty well isolated here on this hill, excluding those airplane flights a few of you have experienced. With the amount of new stuff we’ve already encountered I’m glad for the confinement. However, undaunted, I’ve made out a long list of items for future visits which I intend to make,” he said with a chuckle.

  They spent more time talking as they ate their evening meal. Tired, most went to bed early knowing the next day would be a busy one.

  Angi was surprised at how weary she was and quickly fell into a deep slumber once her head hit the pillow. Sometime before dawn an old familiar dream reappeared for the third time with greater intensity. The lighted altar stood out in the pitch black room, the room’s indeterminate size lost in the darkness. She strained to see if there were any visible features on either side as she stepped cautiously through some doorway into the darkness, but nothing appeared. And, as expected, within seconds the blinding, burning red eyes shot out from the darkness, followed instantly by a heavy weight landing on her chest which caused her to fall backwards. This time she felt the resistance of a rigid floor before she sank into oblivion. She woke up in a lather, fearful of what lay ahead and convinced of its certainty. Speaking into a semi-dark suite she asked, “I don’t suppose you’re there Adawee? I could use your comforting reassurance right now.” Minutes passed with no response. Resigned she declared, “I guess I’m on my own. I dread my forward path but cannot stop it even if I wanted to. It’s approaching rapidly so I best prepare. This is a time for meditation as sleep is impossible.” She walked across the marble floor towards her favourite spot on the balcony with its recognizable scenery.

  * * *

  The Royal Theatre

  The importance of the student ceremony registered the next morning as students appeared in their finest, ready for the afternoon at the Royal Theatre. The group from Gaia gathered for their mid-day meal in the same clothes worn for the Queen’s reception. Uncertain of the time, they waited. On orders from Sirona, Corb appeared to say he would be flying them to the theatre, a short distance from the Palace.

  Sirona’s royal airplane sat waiting as they stepped onto the plaza. Students looked on at a distance as they boarded. The plane rose effortlessly into the air and headed towards the palace. This time Corb flew over the royal structure and headed in the direction of an outdoor theatre in the distance. He landed in an open field within walking distance. Disembarking, Corb escorted them to their appointed seats.

  Morgan was ecstatic as they walked through the entrance and entered an open-air structure that took advantage of the sloping hillside.

  As they sat down Corb said, “It will be awhile before the program begins. This theatre is typical of all our theatres but smaller. You are sitting in the royal section, the Queen, royal retinue and some of the Council Elders will be seated in front of you. When the ceremony is over, stay here, I’ll return to take you back to the House of Learning.” With that he departed.

  Morgan couldn’t contain himself and blurted out, “Just look at this place. This is a functioning ancient Greek theatre only this one surpasses anything I’ve ever seen. Its marble sparkles in the sunlight. If you like I’d be glad to provide more details?”

  “As if we could stop you,” replied Wolfram with a chuckle, “Press on, its best we get enlightened about ancient Greek theatres while we’re here. Theatre design has never been my strong suit but Vette may have more to say.”

  Morgan turned, “Ah yes, Vette, you will love this with your theatrical background. Likely most of what I’m about to say will sound familiar.”

  “Theatre design wasn’t my area of interest either when I was at university, so Morgan let’s hear all about it,” replied Vette.

  Morgan took the cue and proceeded, “The Greek theater design was far superior to the Romans. Our word “theater” comes from Greek for theatron, which is the semi-circular, terraced rows of seats where the audience sit. You can see that stairs divide the sections into nine wedges. Actually, theatron comes from a Greek word meaning ‘viewing ceremonies,’ now isn’t that a coincidence. As you can see, this whole structure has been cut out of a hillside. The seating wraps around that circular area down in the front. While colourful cushions have been provided for the elite, I find these marble seats quite comfortable.” Moving so that he could have more space, he continued, “That large circular area is called the Orchestra, and is where the actors or speakers perform. The rectangular building towards the far side of the Orchestra is called the Skene, its marble structure, which looks like a temple, is where the actors change their masks and costumes. The entrance passage or ramp which we walked through is called the Parodos, or passageway. There are usually two; we entered the one closest to our seating area. Both the audience and the actors use the passageways to enter and exit the theatre.”

  “But Morgan, we’re sitting near the top of this section, how will we hear anything?” asked Angi.

  “That’s the beauty of these theatres,” replied Morgan, “Recently, we’ve discovered that the ancient Greeks knew a great deal about acoustic physics which they likely acquired from the Egyptians. You’ll soon discover that a performer or speaker standing in that open-air circle below can be easily heard in the top rows. Research has shown that these structures were perfectly shaped to act as an acoustic filter, suppressing low-frequency sounds and allowing the performer’s voice or music to rise uninhibited.”

  “Any idea Morgan what produces this effect?” asked Andrew, “Is it the stone structure itself?”

  “I’m not sure,” replied Morgan, “Perhaps we can ask Myttrwn the next time we meet.”

  The conversation eased when students appeared at the two passageways. According to Morgan the two sections closest to the entrance with easy access to the Orchestra would likely be for the House of Learning faculty on one side and the Royal retinue on the other. This was precisely what transpired as senior students in white walked past the first sections and took their seats, one group beside the faculty section and another beside the royal section. Next came the students in blue who filtered into the adjacent sections beside the senior students. These were followed by those in green, a larger number who occupied the three central sections. Novices in striped uniforms arrived last and were relegated to the upper rows of all sections, their numbers were even greater than the greens. The one exception were the harpists, in both green and blue uniforms, who took their places on seats assembled at the back of the Orchestra. Once all were in place, Zolar and the faculty of the House of Learning entered and assumed their respective places. The faculty were dressed in white a few resplendent with an embroidered serpent on the left upper shoulder of their gown, in colours of blue, crimson or gold. After another brief wait, the royal party arrived led by the Queen with Sirona, Myttrwn, other royal members and the Council of Elders in their respective order.

  Angi whispered to Vette, “The faculty is much larger than I thought.”

  “And some of their uniforms are beautiful. Just look at Zolar,” replied Vette in as quiet a voice as she could manage.

  Wolfram leaned towards Morgan asking, “What do you think the faculty serpent colours mean?”

  Morgan thought before replying, “I expect it’s some kind of designation with gold the highest as their numbers are few. Actually, they remind me of my Boston University bunch.”

  In the front row of the House of Learning section sat Zolar, with his immediate advisors. As his dark eyes scanned the audience, he seemed surprised to see the group from Gaia. One of his aides whispered something into his ear.

  “It appears Zolar was not informed of the Queen’s last minute invite to us,” thought Andrew to himself. “The news doesn’t please him.” Then he added, “He’s an odd one. I’d like to be positive but I sense a malevolence in that man for which I have no evidence. Perhaps my years of fo
reign service has made me overly suspicious.”

  Once everyone was seated Zolar stepped onto the centre of the Orchestra in front of the harpists to assume the role of Master of Ceremonies. The Gaia group, aided by their translating devices, listened.

  Zolar began in a commanding voice, “It is my esteemed pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness, members of the royal family, Council Elders, faculty, students and visitors to this event. Today, we meet to recognize those individuals who have reached a point in their training where we feel they are ready for their testing in the Temple of Initiation. Names are presented for consideration and today I have chosen four. But first we will honour the occasion with our usual program of a prayer, speeches from two of our Elders, and then a musical composition from our harpists.” The program identified, Zolar turned, bowed to the Queen and returned to his seat.

  Wolfram said to the group, “Amazing, Morgan was right, every sound is perfect.”

  A faculty member wearing a golden serpent on his robe stepped to the center of the Orchestra. Everyone rose from their seats and waited. In a robust voice he prayed, “Today as we gather, let us remember our oath of allegiance to the Law of One. For all is One and the Absolute One is all. This we hold to be our guiding principle in our learning and service to our community, kingdom and universe.” When finished everyone sat down. The speaker returned to his seat. .

  The two Elders, long familiar with the ceremony, provided short but encouraging remarks. The first one, male, was philosophical. His remarks focused on the need for students to acquire inner meditation and steadfast sharpness of thought in order to achieve stability of mind. Enlightenment, in his words, was achieved through three paths; morality, concentration and wisdom. Morality to transform the mind into love and compassion, concentration to fix the mind on a single point at a time, and wisdom to understand life as an interconnected web within One.