“What do you do about food?” someone called. “Are you all vegetarians?” Sisilla grinned.
“You bet!” she replied. “No animals are killed here for food. We eat fruit, vegetables, seeds, and grains. There is no life force in what we call dead food, by which we mean meat, fowl, and fish. There are distribution centers where we can obtain food for each day. Some of us get food from the universal Source, which only requires concentration.
“A working day lasts four hours, which gives us time to spare and time to take our health and diet into consideration. We live harmoniously, without hurry or stress. Nothing is wasted; we have advanced methods of recycling. We eat only locally-produced food, and don’t add chemicals to it. A vegetarian diet has slowed and finally stopped the aging process, and we have achieved what you call immortality. We have full control of our aging and can lengthen our lives as we wish.”
“What a lovely life!” sighed Grandmother, and many burst out laughing. They probably couldn’t believe it, and would be unable to follow this regime.
“What about clothes?” called a very elegant lady. Sisilla laughed and spread out the skirt of her long dress, which was fastened with a sparkling belt.
“How about this?” she asked. “Our fashion may be considered uncomfortable and boring by Earthlings. Of course, we have a choice of materials and tailors, but not in the same way as you. The latest Paris fashion doesn’t enter into it! We like soft, wearable clothes in beautiful colors.
“We use capes outdoors if necessary. We know you wear jeans, shirts, and jumpers, but we only wear those if we are visiting the surface. I think we are clothes-conscious and wear imaginative clothing, but maybe you don’t agree?”
The elegant lady giggled, but didn’t reply. She looked horrified when Sisilla added, “My dear, we produce things by thought in this part of the world. We create by thinking.” She was quiet, and shut her eyes a moment. With a wave of her hand, she produced a wonderful bouquet of flowers. Everyone screamed and probably thought it was sorcery.
I didn’t like the atmosphere at this juncture. I went and put my arm around my wife’s shoulder. Then I looked at the elegant lady, who seemed to have turned to stone, an ugly look on her face.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” I announced. “You are here to learn about this part of the planet. My wife has told you a great deal. She is no enchantress. Anyone can learn direct creation by the power of thought, but you need quiet and patience. It doesn’t involve magic, sorcery, or witchcraft. It involves knowledge. Knowledge on the surface hasn’t developed to the extent which we Agarthans take for granted. Here everyone is a magician, to use layman’s terms.
“I suggest that those who can’t accept our culture leave our inner Earth and return to the rat-race on the surface. You ought not enter Porthologos, because it presents even greater challenges.”
I took the bouquet which Sisilla was still holding, and threw it out into the audience. There was a moment of silence, and then applause. But the elegant lady stood up without glancing in our direction, and vanished into a waiting hovercraft. Most of the rest of us entered the amazing, shimmering library known as Porthologos. A few of the visitors remained outside, discussing what they had just heard. They simply didn’t dare enter. No-one on the surface would ever believe the stories they could tell, so maybe they should just return and keep quiet about the mysterious land they had visited.
We wandered around the lovely, immense building, watching holographic images of the past and future. It is difficult to describe Porthologos. It really has to be experienced firsthand. It’s a weird mixture of the physical, the psychic, facts, and entertainment. For people on the surface, the past is available in fairly reliable books, but the future is yet unwritten. Here, the past and the future are accessible to everyone. You can play with time as you choose, or go beyond time. In this context, things may seem scary and unfathomable, but when you are here, it becomes completely natural.
We were resting, catching our breath in one of the common rooms. Edmund, sitting beside me and my wife, asked, “There’s something we’ve avoided talking about, and that’s illness. Is there a hospital here, and doctors? How does the health system work? Do you not get ill?”
“Oh yes, there is illness,” replied Sisilla, “but not much. We break arms and legs, and have problems with internal organs. We’re just human, you know. But we have healers to help with illness and accidents. If you lose a limb, you can get a new one. We exchange worn-out body organs for new ones. There are as many skillful healers as there are problems. You can’t lose or maim a limb in your etheric blueprint, so from this eternal blueprint we can restore any lost or maimed physical body parts.”
“What about mental health if you’re in need of a shrink?” asked a young man with fine, dark hair, which he shook continuously. I laughed.
“We’re all shrinks,” I pointed out. “We have many wise men and women who help when necessary. They have endless patience, and the ability to guide us through problems.” I remembered how dreadful I had felt after the shipwreck, and what a short time it took to get back to normal. I mostly had my friend Mannul to thank for that.
“There aren’t any televisions, telephones, or radios,” a very young man called out. “How do you communicate with each other?”
Sisilla’s laughter rang out. “We use our brains and thoughts!” she answered. “We accomplish all we need with the power of thought. You haven’t really figured out how it works up there on the surface, Valencio, my dear!”
The young man looked harassed. “How do you know my name?” he snapped. “In Italy, where I come from, we Catholics don’t allow any mumbo-jumbo. The Pope, my father, wants us to keep to the Holy Scripture.”
“The Pope is your father?” I asked, flummoxed. “Do you mention that in Italy? You must’ve been a sin of his youth, surely?”
“I don’t think so,” Valencio replied calmly. “That’s why I’m traveling. I found out about Agartha from one of the high priests, Cardinal Reimfort. He’s French, and has always been kind to me. I know what goes on behind the scenes at the Vatican. That’s why they’re looking for me now: I’m a wanted man. I’ve always longed to be anywhere apart from where I grew up. I think I’d like to stay here. What religion do you believe in — you do have a religion?”
“Tourists are allowed to stay for two days,” I commented.
I relented when I saw the look of disappointment on the boy’s face. “I can ask, if you really want to stay longer. You’ll have to ask my wife about religion.”
Sisilla gestured to the boy to sit, and he sat down at her feet.
“I was brought up in a monastery,” he said. “We were treated cruelly and beaten with a stick! When I finished school, I was forced to live at the Vatican as a kind of novice.
“My relationship to the Pope was completely hushed up. My father pretended not to recognize me, even though sometimes I had to serve him. He never looked me in the eye. The only friend I had was Cardinal Reimfort, and he taught me much more than Greek and Latin. Otherwise I was regarded as a thug, although I tried to be as observant as possible.
“My attentiveness meant that I noticed much that was taboo. I can tell you more of this later. Reimfort told me the Earth was hollow and that you could get here by sea, or via Mount Shasta. I ran away. I stole some money that was lying around and took a plane to South America. It was easy. Now I’m wanted for stealing, although I consider the money mine by right, as I was never given a penny, while the old men in the Vatican drank and ate well and were sensuous in the bargain.” He paused for breath, and I interrupted.
“Valencio,” I said. “Thank you for being so honest. You should really be locked up, but we don’t do that here. I’ll speak to the powers that be and see what they say. Until then, you can live with Edmund, who has two scamps you can help look after.”
Edmund had listened to this confession in its entirety
and couldn’t help laughing. “The Vatican, oh my goodness, the Vatican!” he chuckled, slapping his thighs. “He can certainly live with us, there’s plenty of room. He can’t steal money here, but maybe he should send some precious stones to His Holiness the Pope, when he has earned some, with a politely respectful, affectionate letter!”
Valencio looked confused, but then giggled too.
I tried to look strict, but it’s not one of my strong points. “How old are you?” I asked the boy.
“Nineteen, soon twenty,” was the reply. “Please don’t return me to the surface! The Vatican has spies everywhere, and I’ll be taken into custody at Mount Shasta. Cardinal Reimfort will guess where I am, although he won’t tell. He’s the only one of them who has a decent heart.”
“Politics and religion!” exclaimed my new “grandfather” Lex. “My dear Sisilla, what are your views on these important subjects?”
My wife’s smile froze on her face. It was obvious that these subjects were not dear to her heart. “Actually Lex, my dear, we don’t really get involved,” she replied. “Throughout Agartha, we have only one religion: our belief in the eternal Source, the dwelling place of Love. There aren’t any dissenters or free-thinkers. We are all One in this Love. We call our belief the Faith of Light. Everything is one in Love.”
“Yes, but who is in control here? Somebody or some group must govern the country.” It was Edmund’s turn to ask, and Valencio’s face reflected wonder and anxiety.
“Of course,” I replied. “We are governed by a Council of twelve Masters. Twelve is the magic number for endings. That’s why Mayan culture has predicted changes to the Earth in 2012.”
“I know, but you aren’t allowed to mention that in the Vatican!” retorted Valencio. “I have my own religion in my mind. My father is in heaven, as he doesn’t acknowledge my existence on Earth, Pope that he is.”
I realized the sense of bitterness this young man felt towards his father and his tough upbringing. “Is your mother alive?” I asked.
“No,” Valencio replied, and I could see he was fighting back tears. “A man isn’t allowed to cry” was still part of his world-view, formed by rigid monks in secret, where a strict God judged the human heart.
“My mother died a few months after my birth,” the dark-haired boy continued. “I don’t think she died of natural causes. They said she died of complications after giving birth, in an effort to blame me. Cardinal Reimfort helped relieve my conscience.
“My mother was the daughter of a rich, respected nobleman who owned large estates in south-east Italy, near the Pope’s childhood home. She was disowned and cast out by her parents, who looked upon me as a bastard with no right to live. I probably would’ve been killed if Cardinal Reimfort hadn’t argued my case, and I was taken in by thick-skinned monks instead. That’s my life-history. I would like to stay here. The monks taught me well: astronomy, geology, advanced mathematics, French, English, and Latin, of course. Might I be of some use?”
“We’ll see what we can do,” answered Sisilla gently, giving the boy a lovely smile. “Any more questions before we split up?”
“Are there taxes here, or don’t you use money at all? How do you pay for things when you buy food, clothes, or houses? Or are you just allocated these things? Doesn’t anybody earn a wage?” My inquisitive grandmother was on the case again.
“Not in the same way as on the surface, Grandmother,” I replied. “We exchange goods, and there are centers for goods everywhere. We take only what we need, and return things when we have finished using them. We swap with each other.
“We make things ourselves. The four-hour working day is very intense, and if we can’t organize something, there is always someone else to help with planning or whatever. We don’t buy, we share!”
“What about law and order, then? Are there police, lawyers, and judiciary?” These questions came from Lex.
“We have laws, yes,” I answered. “The legal system is ancient. There has been democracy here since the beginning of time. Agartha’s network is responsible for our safety underground. Cases that arise and need solutions are considered individually and judged in God’s Light and the holy code of Justice. Our long lives provide experience and wisdom. There aren’t many difficult cases here. Many of the ancients here lived on the surface originally, and know how to differentiate between good and bad.”
“I think we should sleep on this until a new day brings us new energy!” Edmund called out, with two slumbering children at his side. Titch gave a short bark and raised his enormous weight, looking enquiringly at me and Sisilla. Valencio went with Edmund and the children. A small fleet of hovercraft waited patiently in the rose-colored light which came at the end of the bright golden day, bringing promise of the heavenly cradle of sleep.
20. The Purpose of Pets
We were awakened by Titch’s indiscreet scratching and panting. It was time for the next stage in discovering the culture of this remarkable land. I suddenly thought of something at breakfast, and I was devastated.
“Sisilla! What about your parents?” I asked suddenly, seizing her hands, which had been busy crumbling her bread.
“What about them?” she asked, putting some bread into her mouth.
“I’ve always presumed they were dead,” I said. “You’ve never talked about them. We should’ve invited them to our Love Union if they’re alive. Do you have any siblings?”
“We’ve actually forgotten to talk about these things,” replied my wife. “My parents live in the fifth dimension, a long way away. They know of our union and gave their approval. So far, you can only see three dimensions, so you wouldn’t have noticed if they had come. I have a sister and a brother. They are also five-dimensional, but you can meet them all when you’re ready. I crossed the boundary when I lived in Telos for a while. It’s not the first time I’ve been three-dimensional, as I love Earthlings and want to help educate them. Now I’m married to one, although you will also become five-dimensional.”
“Now I really don’t understand,” I sighed. “If you were five-dimensional, I wouldn’t be able to see you. I know there are both kinds in Telos …”
“And you know that five-dimensional beings have the capacity to transform themselves when they want,” interrupted my wife.
“But … if we have children,” I stammered. “What would happen to them? Would they be a mixture?”
Sisilla’s peal of laughter removed my anxiety.
“You’ve got a lot to learn,” she hooted. “The things you don’t understand yet …” She got up from the table and danced into the garden with me following. Mannul was there.
“I was just about to visit you turtle doves!” he said, smiling. “Arniel wants to see you, remember, Tim?”
I was a bit embarrassed that I’d forgotten. Mannul apologized to Sisilla for leaving her alone on this beautiful morning, and then I was off in his hovercraft, wondering if I would learn anything exciting, like how to become five-dimensional.
“Not yet,” Mannul said, obviously reading my thoughts. “It’s not far off, but you have some work to put in first.”
“That stuff about dimensions —” I started to say.
“— is very complicated.” My friend finished the sentence.
“Here we are.” I jumped down. Titch had volunteered to stay with Sisilla. He loved her and the garden, and she liked playing with him.
Like many other buildings, the one before us now was inlaid with jewels. The interior glittered with gold and other precious metals in ingenious patterns. Arniel was sitting in a comfortable armchair, gesturing for us to sit down.
“Now you’re a serious member of Agarthan society, Tim!” He smiled. “You have married the daughter of original inhabitants. This makes us happy, and we offer our congratulations. But there is a genetic disparity, in that Sisilla has more genes than you. Now you’re married to a native, we’ll
have to transfer some more to you. At the same time, we want you as our special envoy to interact with the surface. It’s possible to do both. We need people like you on the surface. Things may be different now you have a family, which may well grow. You need to learn more telepathy and many other ‘magic tricks,’ as you like to call them. We have put this off until you were really one of us. Mannul will come for you every day, and lessons will take place in a variety of locations, starting tomorrow. That is my message.”
I was pleased with this, and so was Sisilla.
It was a four-way celebration, as Grandmother and Lex threw an Earth-style party for us. Even my “little” Titch was invited. He always knew something special was going on when he wore his wide red collar with gold studs and a rosette. So far, we hadn’t met any pet dogs. I wondered why, and decided to find out more about pets in this world.
There’s no real difference between morning and evening in Agartha. The sun always shines. We decide ourselves how we want to divide up the day, and we sleep when we need to. Many people keep regular hours, just as on Earth. As we trotted over to Grandmother and Lex’s, we decided it was evening. Actually, we hovered across, our feet carefully above the ground. We’d learned how to do this, and it’s not as weird as it sounds. In this way, we didn’t destroy any plants.
My grandmother had set out a Swedish smorgasbord, as far as possible. Swedes love their smorgasbord and like to indulge, even abroad. Grandmother still had some treats she had brought with her, like crisp-bread, ginger thins, and dried meat. All we needed was schnapps and beer, but instead we had wine from Telos.
Mannul was invited too, and seemed somewhat confused to see the groaning table. He kept to the vegetables from Telos. Titch was given a meaty bone and danced around in delight.
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