by Lin Northrup
“You’re here to become your future are you not?” asked Bat.
Leela was getting used to conversing with animals, but bats were animals she’d rather not get used to. She looked around to find the creature. It was hanging upside down next to her ear. She inched away.
“Yes, I am, but I’m not sure what my future will be.”
“Of course you don’t know. But yours is a grand journey and it’s just beginning. You’ll have to be willing to give up your old life and embrace your new path,” said Bat.
She grimaced when Bat’s wings brushed her hair. “Does that mean I’ll never have to see the Rumsfords again?”.
“Well, that’s neither here nor there at the moment. We have more important things to consider.”
“That’s very important to me because I’m never going back,” she announced to the upside-down creature.
“If I recall the prophecy correctly, you have to pass your level one initiation. Let’s see. I have to go check my records,” said Bat, in a business-like voice.
Leela strained her eyes curious to see a bat checking records, but it had flown into a crack in the wall. When Bat returned there was no sign of a record book.
“Ah, yes. You’ll be getting the water initiation. That’s a tough one. The good news is that if you pass, you’ll open the door to a way of life that’s been lost for eons.”
“What do you mean if I pass the water initiation? And what exactly is the water initiation?” asked Leela, anxious about having to pass a test.
“I’m afraid I’m getting ahead of myself,” said Bat. “You’ll see soon enough. For now, just sit down and follow Bear’s instructions.”
Before she could ask more questions, the cave swallowed up the sound of Bat’s flapping wings. Left alone, her doubting mind took over. So much had happened since she’d followed Raven into the forest, but where was it leading her? Hugging her knees, Leela tried to concentrate. She could hear the sound of an owl outside the cave and wondered what other animals prowled the night. Would they find her here?
The minutes dragged by as she battled with her thoughts. Something had found her and it was crawling up her arm. It felt like a spider. She wasn’t afraid of spiders, but what if this was a poisonous one. If she didn’t move or breathe it might leave her alone. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine herself somewhere else.
“I’m not poisonous and I’m not just any old spider. I’m a weaver. In fact, all spiders are weavers of visions and dreams. And when you learn to enter your quiet space, you’ll receive visions that will show you your true path,” said Spider.
Leela sighed, hoping Spider couldn’t see the tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m not doing very well entering the silence, Spider. I keep thinking about things.”
“It takes practice. That’s why you’re here in the cave of Bear. To practice. Try again. Go into your dreaming body. I’ll help you.”
Her body was lifted a few inches above the ground. She tried to hold onto a rock, but kept floating out of the cave. When she looked back, she saw herself still sitting inside the cave! She opened her mouth to scream, but the words stuck in her throat as she took off like a rocket into the night sky. A great golden eagle flew toward her.
“Fly with me, Leela,” said Eagle. “There’s something I want you to see.”
“What’s happening to me?” she asked, shocked that she was flying, but relieved she could talk.
“You’re in your dreaming body,” said Eagle, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Your dreaming body can take you anywhere.”
“How can I be in two places at once?”
“Concentrate, Leela, or you’ll disrupt the force that’s carrying you.”
A sharp sliver of doubt took over. “I can’t do this! I don’t know how. Am I going to fall out of the sky and crash?” she asked, spinning downward in circles.
“Not if you keep your focus,” warned Eagle.
“What should I focus on?” she cried, trying not to look down at the earth.
“Just trust that your dreaming body will take you where you want to go.”
She stretched her arms wide. “Focus, focus,” she repeated, trying to ignore the raw fear gripping her. Over and over she plunged downward, spinning out of control until finally she shot back up next to Eagle.
“Good job, Leela. When you focus your thoughts, you can accomplish what others think is impossible.”
They flew over cities where tall smokestacks from miles of factories left grimy soot on buildings and parks. People walked the streets wearing masks over their faces to keep from breathing the fumes. They flew over a massive dump where children combed through huge mountains of garbage looking for food. Without knowing how she got there, Leela found herself standing in the middle of the man-made mountain of trash. Huge cranes picked up garbage from long lines of trucks and threw it near the children who ducked and quickly scrambled back to sort through the steaming refuse. A little girl with dirty, tangled hair and hopeful eyes was stuffing a satchel with whatever bits of food and trinkets she could find to sell on the streets. She stopped digging and smiled shyly at Leela. Three boys wearing patched-up sneakers poked through the mound with sharp-pointed sticks. They were painfully thin, but their eyes said, “We’re all in this together,” as they helped the youngest children. Watching them struggle to survive in this horrible place, Leela felt helpless.
Eagle’s piercing call warned her that it was time to go. Before she could say goodbye to the children, she was transported into the constellation of Bear.
“Eagle, why are they so poor?” she asked, angry and sad about what she’d just seen.
“There are many children in the world who have to do whatever they can to survive. They may be very poor, but they have dreams and gifts that can change this planet. Remember these children in your heart, Leela. You’ll be able to help them one day,” was all Eagle would say.
She heard a ping like the sound of chimes and was back sitting on the rock inside the cave feeling lightheaded and nauseous. Spider crawled onto her hand.
“What just happened, Spider? I felt like I was in a dream, but it was so real. I can still hear the cries of those hungry children.”
“What you saw is the reason you’re learning about a new way of life,” said Spider.
“But how can I help them? I’m only one person.”
“You’re not alone. You’ll see. Your spirit is great and your heart is open. Trust your path. It will show you what you need to know when the time is right,” said Spider, as she crawled up her silken thread into the shadows.
Tired of sitting in the same spot, Leela stood up. For some reason her senses were sharper. Even the sound of a crawling spider was loud. She heard water seeping through the stones and pressed her tongue against a crevice in the wall. This dark world wasn’t as frightening after her visit with Bat and Spider. But she couldn’t forget the sight of those children foraging for food. She plopped down on a rock, closed her eyes and visualized baskets of food being carried by a hundred eagles. The children cheered and lifted their arms to catch the food.
Seeing their plight made her long for her mother and father. She tried not to think about her parents. It still hurt too much. But after visiting children who had no one to take care of them, memories of her parents came flooding back. The stillness inside the cave gently folded itself around her and she heard their voices.
“We’re here, dear child, always watching over you. Feel us in the soft breeze on your face and see us in the stars that shine on you at night. You’re never alone. The circle of life will forever embrace you.”
She listened to her parents’ comforting words until their voices drifted away into the silence. This time remembering them felt good.
“Well of course it does. Remembering love always feels good,” said a voice.
She opened he
r eyes and looked around. “Who’s there? Where are you?”
The voice chuckled. “Why we’re everywhere. In fact, you’re sitting on me.”
Leela sprang to her feet and looked down. All she saw was a large, flat rock.
“I’m one of the Stone People who resides in this glorious cave. At your service,” said the rock.
She knelt down staring at the rock. “Are you alive?”
“What a funny question to ask. Of course I’m alive. Do you think rocks just lie around playing dead? Everything on the earth is alive. Why would we be any different?”
“I never thought about it that way before,” said Leela, not sure whether to sit back on the rock. It seemed impolite.
“Most humans don’t. And you can sit on me, Leela.”
So many strange things were happening to her it almost seemed natural talking to a rock, but it felt awkward sitting on it. And how do you address a rock?
“I’ve been thinking about my purpose. Squirrel said I have to find it myself. What’s your purpose?”
“Well, we’re useful for many things, but our real purpose is remembering,” said the rock.
“Remembering? What do rocks remember?”
“Everything that’s ever happened on this planet. We record earth’s history. But humans are different. Your memories are recorded in your heart.”
“I was just remembering my parents and I didn’t feel as sad this time.”
“That’s because you opened your heart. When you remembered the love you shared with your parents, it made you happy. You replaced your sadness with love.”
Not wanting to let go of those memories, she curled up on the rock and gently rubbed the surface of its rough body.
“Leela, there’s a special stone you must find. It’s called a sacred path stone. You’ll know it when you hold it in your hands. It will help you on your journey. Now, go back into your quiet space one more time before you leave the cave.”
She tried to ask about the sacred stone, but the rock didn’t respond, so she resumed her sitting position. As her mind quieted down, she traveled deep into a peaceful silence.
When she returned from the stillness, she was no longer in the cave. She was sitting atop Bear and was so surprised she almost fell off.
“Bear, how did I get from the cave onto your back?” she asked, completely confused.
“We’ll talk about that some other time. For now, I have some questions I’d like you to answer,” said Bear.
She heard Bear’s serious tone and knew she’d have to wait to ask her own questions.
“Now that you’ve practiced going into the stillness, what have you learned, Leela?”
“I finally felt the silence, but it was hard because I kept thinking and had to keep starting over.”
“Yes, that happens in the beginning. Your mind is like an untrained puppy jumping all around. You must keep practicing until you can hear the wisdom of your heart at any time. What else did you learn?”
“Bat told me that I would have to pass the water initiation, but he wouldn’t tell me what that meant. He said I would leave my old self behind.”
“That’s true. You’ll have to leave behind thoughts and fears that hold you back from becoming who you are meant to be. You have gifts, Leela, but you’ll be tested by those who are afraid of the new way.”
That’s the second time she’d heard those words. What was this new way and what did it have to do with her? “Bear, what do you mean, the new way?”
Before Bear could answer, Fox darted across their path and stopped directly in front of them.
“Humans are in the forest and Leela mustn’t be seen. She needs to come with me,” said Fox.
Bear appeared completely unruffled. “We’ll be finished soon Fox and then you can have her.”
Leela was thrilled to see her guardian and waved to him. Bear asked her to continue so she described what she learned from Spider and the Stone People.
“Very good. I can see you’re quick to absorb your lessons. The challenge will be to use what you’ve learned for the highest good. That will come with experience. Is there anything more you wish to tell me, Leela?”
She was dying to know how she’d traveled from the cave to Bear’s back, but decided to start with the children she’d seen. “They were starving and scared and there was nothing I could do. Spider said seeing them had to do with the reason I’m here. What did Spider mean?”
“You’ll come to understand the meaning of that journey when you’re ready,” said Bear.
“Why can’t I know it now?” she asked, impatient to know the answer.
Bear started running so she had to hold on tightly to keep from falling off. “Leela, remember each lesson with care. The cave of the Bear is always open to you.”
She slid to the ground. “I have one more question. How did I...?”
Bear turned back to look at her. “There is power in the invisible world.”
Chapter 5
How to Become Invisible
Soon after Bear left, Leela heard human voices. “Fox where are you,” she called.
“Leela, over here,” he whispered.
She spied the tip of Fox’s tail and dove behind the bushes careening into him. They rolled down the embankment barely missing a jagged outcrop of rock. Apologizing, she tried to smooth his ruffled fur.
“My dear Leela, in order to become invisible, you must learn the first rule of my art. How to be quiet. Every animal in the forest knows where we are. Such a commotion.”
Seeing her flaming cheeks, Fox put his paw on her lap. “There are times you need to hide yourself, or your thoughts. Then you can become like the trees who are the silent observers of life.”
“Do I need to hide because the humans in the forest are dangerous?” she asked, brushing the leaves out of her hair.
Fox knew it wasn’t time to tell Leela the real reason. “You’re here to learn our ways and that means understanding our sacred point of view so you can travel between the visible and invisible worlds. It’s too soon to become involved with your human tribe.”
The loud voices of men shouting sent her scrambling after Fox.
“Have you seen any signs of her?” yelled an angry voice from her old life.
She peeked through the bushes. When she saw Mr. Rumsford walking between two policemen, a sickening dread spread through her. Terrified of being found, she couldn’t breathe. The men were standing a few feet away from where they were hiding. She couldn’t believe it when they walked right by without seeing her.
“We’ll keep searching. She couldn’t have gotten too far. It’s only been twenty-four hours,” said the policeman.
She gasped. How could that be? It felt like she’d been in the forest for days. Her sense of time was all confused. She must ask Fox about that.
As soon as the men left, Leela turned to him. “How come they couldn’t see me? They were standing right next to us.”
“Humans haven’t developed their senses and miss much of the world. Besides, I drew the veil of invisibility around us.”
She moved closer to him. “How did you do that?”
“It has to do with energy. You’ll have to learn how to do that yourself.”
“Teach me, teach me,” she pleaded, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.
Fox’s ears twitched whenever he had something important to tell her. “You can send your energy out from your body and attract attention, or you can pull your energy in and become invisible. If you create the veil of invisibility around you when you’re in a crowd of people, they’ll barely remember if you were there. They’ll ask themselves, “Was Leela here? I thought so, but maybe she wasn’t.”
“It sounds like magic. I want that kind of magic, Fox.”
“It’s not magic. It’s about using your power. Let’s start
with the first lesson. Sit across from me, close your eyes and slowly move your hands around my body. But don’t touch me.”
Leela stretched her arms toward Fox. Her hands tingled and started moving around Fox as if something was gently pushing and pulling them.
“Keep your eyes closed. Do you feel something?”
She crawled around Fox checking him out from every angle. “Yes! I feel it.”
“You’re feeling my energy. Now, hold your hands up to this bush. Do you feel anything?”
To her amazement she felt a pulsation coming from the bush and circled around it taking in the strange new sensations.
“Now try that rock and tell me what you feel.”
She moved her hands back and forth over the rock. “The rock’s energy feels slower than yours, Fox.”
“You’re feeling the life force that breathes through everything on earth,” he explained.
“But what does that have to do with the veil of invisibility?”
“Your thoughts are very powerful. They can change and move energy. I used my power to make our energy lighter. Then I pulled it close to us which is why the humans didn’t know we were right next to them. Keep practicing seeing and feeling the energy and you’ll be able to blend into your surroundings and observe those around you.”
Leela was already running around the trees, bushes and rocks trying out her new skill. She didn’t hear Fox’s last words about seeing the energy, but he knew that would come. For now, he let her play. Soon she’d know more about the light that connects all living things.
Leela was fascinated by all the energy she felt. Everything was so alive. After exploring every rock, tree and bush in the area, she looked around for Fox.
“See if you can find me, Leela,” he called out. “Remember, I’m the master of camouflage.”
Leela laughed with delight at Fox’s challenge. She scanned the forest to catch a glimpse of him. Not a whisker or tip of his tail was in sight. Which way should she go? Then she remembered to become silent like a tree and observe the space around her. Her senses began to expand. Something pulled her in the direction of the mountain laurel. As she got closer to the bushes, she started to smile. She wanted to impress him and get this right the first time.
