Agartha

by Mariana Stjerna

  My wife covered my eyes with her hands and then stroked my head, from the crown down to my ears, mumbling something the whole time. Another strange transformation took place. The air was full of sound. I could see attractive, shimmering people moving along the same golden road with us, and I could hear them talking to each other in another language. Many had pets with them and they looked and smiled at Titch, who didn’t growl, but eyed them slightly suspiciously in return. It was as busy as any city, yet somehow lovely and calm.

  “I’ve directed your thinking and understanding into the fifth dimension,” said Sisilla. “You can’t stay here with me without becoming part of the whole. Now you’ll be able to talk to anybody without even moving your lips. Don’t be worried about not understanding the language, as your brain will process it as easily as any other conversation.”

  She had hardly finished speaking when a young couple stopped us. “We were just admiring your dog,” the man said (in my head). “We’ve never seen that breed before. Where do you come from?” And, hey presto, I only needed to think the answer, and the man understood at once. The woman crouched down to Titch, who licked her hand politely.

  “A Great Dane,” she echoed with a smile. “We have learned the names of most countries on the surface, and Denmark is no exception. Are the people there especially big?”

  I couldn’t help laughing, as I thought of the short, good-natured Danes I have met, and all four of us ended up chuckling, and then Titch stood to attention, which caused even more laughter. However, my wife now bade farewell to the couple and we hurried on.

  It wasn’t long before we had crossed many streets and were by a grand house set in a wonderful garden with a sparkling, woven gate. My wife pressed a button and the gate opened. As we strode along the path of precious stones, I noticed that, while the garden held an array of plants, they were somewhat chaotically displayed. Everything seemed to bloom where it wanted, without design. It was a wild kind of beauty which only Nature can achieve.

  We knocked on the great door and heard the latch click open. We entered a massive, roofless hall where leafy branches entwined unimpeded around the walls.

  “Welcome to my parents’ home!” called my wife, gesturing with arms wide.

  The dreaded moment was upon us. There they were: the two people who must be my in-laws. I don’t know how they got there; the hall had been empty moments before.

  “Kneel!” hissed Sisilla between her teeth. She bowed so low that her wide-brimmed, pink hat fell off. That got a laugh.

  Her father raised me up with both hands and looked deep into my eyes. Then he pulled me towards him and welcomed me with a pat on the back. “I can see you’re a good man,” he said, as I faced him shyly.

  Not that I’m usually shy, but he was incredibly impressive. He had the air of a Master, I reflected, without really knowing how a Master would look. He was an upright man with huge charm. His wavy, white hair reached his shoulders and he had a straight mustache and short beard. His eyes were as deep blue as the Atlantic.

  “I’m Faio, and you can call me that, as we have no other titles apart from Father and Mother. We’ll have some tea and a chat in just a moment, but first I’d like you to meet my wife. Her name’s Keeola.”

  I knelt at once to Sisilla’s mother. She was exceedingly pretty, and I could see the similarity to my wife. She wasn’t as tall as her husband, and her gleaming, silvery-white hair, piled high on her head, was interlaced with pearls. She wore a white dress and over it a cloak of midnight blue shimmering like the night sky. She commanded respect, but wasn’t gentle and friendly like her daughter. Gravely, this austere lady looked me right in the eye and said, “I hope you fulfill our desire for a loving, devoted son-in-law. I like what I see, and bid you welcome. You may kiss my hand!”

  She held out a slender, finely-shaped hand with rings on each finger. I kissed it, narrowly avoiding a shiver. She emanated coldness in the same way as my wife emanates warmth.

  When I arose, she and Sisilla withdrew, and my father-in-law beckoned me to follow him. We went upstairs and entered a place like an atrium from ancient days. Faio invited me to sit on a sofa.

  Although I knew how to create certain products, I don’t know how he did it. On the table suddenly a lovely tea set and a plate of sandwiches and cakes appeared.

  “Don’t be scared of my wife!” He smiled, patting my knee. “Everybody is. She can be offish with strangers, but deep inside, she has a heart of gold.”

  I had my own opinion about that, but I said nothing. I really liked Faio. “It feels strange to be in the fifth dimension without going through the fourth,” I ventured. Faio guffawed.

  “Didn’t Sisilla explain to you, Tim?” he asked. “She should have, but maybe she couldn’t find the right words. You already know about our religion here; we all share the same belief, without exception.

  “I have to include the surface in my answer. You know there is about to be a tremendous transformation there.

  “Three dimensions encompass height, width, and depth. If we add time to these three, we are into the fourth dimension, where we can consider time from outside.

  “Unconsciously — and this is important — people on the surface are passing from the fourth to the fifth dimension, where full consciousness reigns. This goes a long way in explaining people’s current confusion — the stress, curious decisions, time that rushes away, karma which is immediately balanced, and so forth.

  “The strangest thing of all is that surface-dwellers have the opportunity to progress directly from the third to the fifth dimension. They have been submerged for 13,000 years in the third dimension, manipulated by the Annunaki. The bells of freedom are ringing for them now. The time of reincarnation is past, and life will become part of the Whole.

  “According to legend, the Annunaki was a group of Sumerian and Babylonian ‘Gods’ from the planet Nibiru. Their leader was called Anu. He craved power and wanted to rule the Earth. He planned to enslave the existing population and succeeded beyond expectation, with slavery lasting for thousands of years. He controlled humanity, and managed to convince people he was their God.

  “The dark forces at his command acted as slaves, and the blossoming, loving Earth, created in the beginning by a different God, was weakened by his tyranny. He prevented distinguished inventors like Tesla and Moray from completing their inventions, by destroying them. He exercised total control over any undesirable development which threatened his power. People were unaware of his existence and influence until recently. Only now is the veil of darkness being torn asunder and light finally penetrating.

  “In the third dimension, which we want them to leave, there are opposing energies like good and bad, love and hate, joy and grief, and above all, life and death. In higher dimensions these don’t exist. Your controlling ego no longer dominates your world. Instead, the Higher Self takes over, and the Creation and the Unity dominate in everyone. In short, the fourth dimension is the astral plane, populated by ghosts and specters.”

  I was overwhelmed. I just about managed to say ‘thank you,” and my father-in-law smiled indulgently.

  “For those who have lived on the surface most of their lives, this is strange news indeed, whereas we have been aware of this since childhood. We need to be able to explain to Earthlings where they are when they get here. They can forget all about the fourth dimension. It has a certain type of clientele, and some Earthlings may choose to move there. That is their business. There is still free will on Earth. We will assist those who wish it. We take into account the choice of the individual.”

  “What a job!” I groaned.

  “There are many of us,” my father-in-law said, smiling, “a great many; and we will achieve our goal. You’ve already noticed that Agartha is a pleasant place to live, free from toxins and evil.”

  “So the fourth dimension is the astral world,” I mumbled.

 
“Yes, and now you know, you’ve no need to dwell on it any further. We have other things to discuss: your immediate duty here, for instance. Have you decided what work you will do?”

  “Aren’t I going to be some kind of liaison between Agartha and the surface?” I suggested uncertainly.

  “It just so happens that I am chairman of the Great Circle here in Shamballa, and as my son-in-law, you are entitled to a position among us. Of course, this is your choice, but we would not appreciate you commuting between the surface and Sisilla, who would be left on her own. It would be better for you to stay here and make your home in Shamballa or somewhere nearby.”

  “What would the job involve?” I inquired, quaking inwardly. Would I have to leave Grandmother and my friends in Telos? Didn’t I already have work there with Mannul?

  “As you are well acquainted with the Earth’s surface, its inhabitants, its history, and its countries, your mission here would be as Earth’s ambassador, as you call it. You would partake in all things pertaining to the Earth! What do you think?”

  “It sounds just like what Mannul suggested recently, but without the incessant travel,” I cried in delight. “I accept without hesitation!”

  “Then that’s all arranged.” My father-in-law patted my shoulder in contentment. “It means you don’t have to travel to the surface — at least, only occasionally. You may live where you want, but your office will naturally be in Telos, as surface-dwellers tend to arrive there first. There will be problems to solve. You’ll interview Earthlings and assess their suitability for immigration. You are welcome to have an assistant, as you will certainly need one.”

  “May I have Mannul?” I asked eagerly, and my father-in-law agreed at once.

  “I am on a study trip just at the moment,” I continued. “What should we do about that?”

  “Carry on! You need to learn as much as you can,” replied Faio. “Then we’ll initiate you into the fifth dimension. That’s an obvious stipulation for this kind of work. Hello, ladies!”

  My mother-in-law and wife appeared suddenly out of nowhere. They were both very cheerful and I noticed that my mother-in-law’s laugh rang out as happily as my wife’s. She came and gave me a big hug, at last.

  “We have to go home,” Sisilla announced, “because we are about to receive VIPs from the surface. You and I must welcome Cardinal Reimfort from the Vatican!”

  The hovercraft was waiting at the door, and we bid each other a hasty farewell. Titch seemed very relieved to be going home. His charm hadn’t been fully appreciated in this place, so he licked any part of me he could find and flopped down beside me in the vehicle with a deep sigh.

  24. The Cardinal from the Vatican

  “Congratulations! Your new job starts now, with a celebrity from the Vatican,” my wife teased, as we alighted from the hovercraft. Mannul was waiting at home for us, with Valencio and a well-groomed man of medium height in a suit. I realized this must be Cardinal Reimfort.

  It crossed my mind that I ought to genuflect. I scanned his face, which was gentle and friendly, pale, with a slightly prominent nose, and expressive eyes. There were finely-drawn lines around his eyes and mouth. His head was clean-shaven, apart from a ring of graying hair on his crown. He seemed very pleasant. He was wearing a mauve shirt and a well-tailored suit of gray. I didn’t have time to kneel. As a non-Catholic, it’s a difficult decision. To my surprise, he knelt elegantly and kissed my hand. Good grief, I thought, falling back on my grandmother’s expression, is the man mad?

  “Thank you!” he cried in faultless English, rising swiftly. “I am most grateful to you for looking after my ward, Valencio. I guessed as soon as he disappeared that he would come here, as I had just told him about Agartha, never having been here myself. When I was young, before I became a prelate, I met a sailor who recounted stories about your country, and I have always wanted to visit. The Pope gave me the task of finding the boy and asking him to return. The Pope can never openly acknowledge his paternity, but I can help Valencio, if he wants to come home. I have tried to be a father to him since he was born. Valencio would be brought up as a cardinal, but we will respect his wishes.”

  I took the old gentleman’s arm and led him into the house. My wife managed to produce a cup of strong coffee, which the prelate drank with pleasure.

  “Would Your Eminence care to see more of this country inside the Earth?” I asked, still shaken that the old priest had knelt to me. Titch sniffed at the Cardinal, licked his hand, and sat down beside him. As usual, my sensible dog demonstrated his positive feelings.

  “Thank you, I would like that!” Reimfort nodded and smiled. “It would be delightful. I may wish to stay! The inner workings of the Vatican are becoming too much for me. My son is here, and has already expressed a desire to remain here. And, as far as I understand, you believe in the same God, don’t you?”

  Sisilla replied, “The light of the Creator derives from the inexhaustible Source, the Source of Life. We live in unison with the Source, the Light, and each other. Together, these represent God’s Love for us.”

  “Hmm,” said the Cardinal thoughtfully. “I’ve never heard it put like that before, but it sounds fine. I can agree with that without any qualms. I’m grateful to be allowed to stay here a few days and get to know you better, with Valencio, or Val as I usually call him.”

  “I can undertake to show your Eminence around,” said Mannul, who had been as quiet as a mouse until now, sitting beside the prelate. “We have priests who can elaborate on our spiritual philosophy. And anyway, you should experience our wonderful countryside. There’s a good guest house in Telos where you could stay.”

  “If I could stay with Valencio, then I would happily accept!” The Cardinal rose, bowing first to my wife and then to me. He accompanied Mannul to the hovercraft.

  “He’ll want to stay here!” remarked my wife with satisfaction. “What a nice man!”

  I hurried to Grandmother with news of the visit. She and her new husband Lex were eating lunch in the garden when I turned up. Grandmother hugged me.

  “My dear boy,” she exclaimed. “I was beginning to wonder where you’d got to. We’ve been to some very exciting places, including a botanical garden with plants from the surface. Imagine that! There were colt’s foot, blue anemones, lilies of the valley, and many more of my favorites.”

  I told them about the Pope’s son and his guardian, the Cardinal, meeting up here, and that the Cardinal was considering staying. Grandmother was jubilant.

  “What lovely people there are here!” she laughed. “We must throw a party. I have to meet a real cardinal. I would like to tell him what religion is really about.”

  Lex and I exchanged glances. Neither of us planned to let Grandmother loose.

  “The Wesak celebrations are upon us,” Lex observed. “Apparently, it’s a holiday we share with the surface. It’s a celebration of the birth of the Buddha and his enlightenment, a tribute to the Light.”

  “Never heard of it,” I replied. “It’s completely passed me by up there and down here. Pretty much like God. How do the two Gods compare?”

  “By being exactly the same,” replied Lex dryly. “There’s no difference at all. We are surrounded by the Great Spirit and the Source, united in an indivisible whole, the Unity.”

  “I’ve never been very involved in religion,” I confessed, slightly embarrassed. “I didn’t realize they had a proper religion here.”

  “Let’s call it belief,” Lex pointed out. “The concept of ‘religion’ is over-used, and isn’t used here.”

  “I wonder where education takes place here, especially higher education,” said Grandmother. “I know that small children learn in Porthologos, but there must be other types of education, and even vocational training.”

  “There is,” I replied. “There are centers of education, like our universities, all over the place.”

  “G
reat,” exclaimed Grandmother. “I was thinking of Valencio. It wouldn’t do him any harm to continue his studies. I’m sure it’s fine to be conversant with Armenian, Latin, and other ancient languages, but he needs licking into shape, as well as general knowledge about the surface and the fifth dimension, which Lex and I are working on. You know I’ve always been interested in magic, and white magic is five-dimensional.”

  “Actually, that’s what I’m learning with Mannul,” I concurred. “I’m learning from him and an old fellow called Arniel.”

  Grandmother laughed. “They’re obviously not teaching you humility,” she remarked. “But maybe that will come later when you are five-dimensional.”

  “I’m partly there already,” I replied, sulking a little. “I am married to a five-dimensional woman.” To my grandmother’s delight, I recounted the story of our visit to Sisilla’s parents.

  Lex told me I had become part of a family with ancient roots and traditions, and that it would be just as well if I hurried home to celebrate. I bade them a hasty farewell. I had to look after the Cardinal and accompany my wife to the festivities. Maybe I could combine both things.

  25. Festivities in Agartha

  The Cardinal, Valencio, and my friend Mannul were all in the living room waiting for me. Mannul rushed over to embrace me.

  “I’ve ordered us a hovercraft,” he declared. “We’re going to show Cardinal Reimfort one of our finest traditions. I think he’ll be impressed.” This last sentence he whispered in my ear with a big smile. I looked at the Cardinal. He was in full clerical garb, complete with a funny, little, tasseled hat, and a purple silk hood covered in embroidery. I bowed low to the venerable vision. He gave me a friendly smile.