Opposing Forces

by aldivan teixeira torres

  —I see that you understand the secret of meditation. The mountain has helped you to discover a little of your potential. You will grow in many ways. I will help you during this process. First, I ask that you turn to nature to find rafters, slats, props and lines to erect a hut, then firewood to make a bonfire. Night is already approaching and you need to protect yourself against the ferocious beasts. Beginning tomorrow, I will teach you the wisdom of the forest so that you can overcome the real challenge: The cave of despair. Only the pure of heart survive the fire of its analysis. Do you want to make your dreams come true? Then pay the price for them. The universe doesn't give anything for free to anyone. It is us who have to become worthy in order to achieve success. This is a lesson that you must learn, my son.

  —I understand. I will hopefully learn everything I need to overcome the challenge of the cave. I have no idea what it is but I am confident. If I overcame the mountain, I will also succeed in the cave. When I leave, I think that I will be prepared to win and to have success.

  —Wait, do not be so confident. You don't know the cave of which I am talking about. Know that many warriors have already been tried by its fire and were destroyed. The cave shows no pity to anyone, not even the dreamers. Have patience and learn everything that I will teach you. Thus, you will become a real winner. Remember: Self-confidence helps, but only with the right amount.

  —I understand. Thank you for all your advice. I promise you that I will follow it until the end. When the despair of doubt flogs me I will remind myself of your words and also remind myself that my God will always save me. When there is no escape in the dark night of the soul I will not be afraid. I will beat the cave of despair, the cave which no one has ever escaped!

  The woman said goodbye amicably promising return on another day.

  The Hut

  A new day appears. Birds whistle and sing their melodies, the wind is northeast and its breeze refreshes the sun that rises fiercely hot this time of the year. Currently, it is December and for me this month represents one of the most beautiful months as it is the beginning of school vacation. It is a well-deserved break after a long year dedicated to studies in a college course of Mathematics; The moment you can forget all the integrals, derivatives and polar coordinates. Now I need to worry about all of the challenges that life will throw at me. My dreams depend on it. My back hurts as a result of a bad night of sleep lying on the beaten earth that I prepared as a bed. The hut that I built with incredible effort and the fire that I lit gave me a certain amount of security at night. However, I did hear howling and footsteps outside it. Where have my dreams led me? The answer is to the end of the world where civilization has not yet arrived. What would you do, reader? Would you also risk a trip to make your deepest dreams come true? Let's continue the narrative.

  Wrapped in my own thoughts and questions, little did I realize that, at my side, was the strange lady who promised to help me on my way.

  —Did you sleep well?

  —If well means that I am still whole, yes.

  —Before anything, I must warn you that the ground you tread is sacred. Therefore, don't be misled by appearance or by impulsiveness. Today is your first challenge. I will not bring you any more food or water. You will find them by your own account. Follow your heart in all situations. You must prove that you are worthy.

  —There is food and water in this underbrush and I should gather it? Look, Madam, I am accustomed to shopping in a supermarket. See this cabin? It has cost me sweat and tears and still I do not think that it is secure. Why don't you grant me the gift that I need? I think I have proved myself to be worthy the moment I climbed that steep mountain.

  —Look for food and water. The mountain is only a step in the process of your spiritual improvement. You're still not ready. I must remind you that I do not impart gifts. I have no power to do so. I am only the arrow that indicates the path. The cave is the one who grants your wishes. It is called the cave of despair sought out by those whose dreams have since become impossible.

  —I'm going to try. I have nothing else to lose. The cave is my last hope of success.

  Having said this, I get up and begin the first challenge. The woman disappeared like smoke.

  The First Challenge

  At first glance, I see that in front of me is a beaten path. I begin to walk down it. In lieu of the underbrush full of thorns the best would be to follow the trail. The stones that my steps sweep away seem to be telling me something. Can it be that I am on the right path? I think about everything that I left behind in search of my dream: Home, food, clean clothing and my math books. Is this really worth it? I think I will find out. (Time will tell). The strange woman seems not to have told me everything. The more that I walked, the less I found. The top did not seem to be as extensive now that I had arrived. A light...I see a light ahead. I need to go there. I arrive at a spacious clearing where the sun's rays reflect clearly the appearance of the mountain. The trail comes to an end and is reborn into two distinct paths. What do I do? I've been walking for hours and my strength seems to have been exhausted. I sit down a moment to rest. Two paths and two choices. How many times in life are we faced with situations such as this; The entrepreneur who has to choose between the survival of the company or the termination of some employees; The poor mother of the hinterlands in the Northeastern part of Brazil, who has to choose which one of her children to feed; The unfaithful husband who must choose between his wife and his mistress; Anyway, there are many different situations in life. My advantage is that my choice will only affect myself. I need to follow my intuition as the woman recommended.

  I get up and I choose the path on the right. I make great strides on this path and it doesn't take me long to glimpse yet another clearing. This time, I encounter a pool of water and some animals around it. They cool themselves in the clear and transparent water. How should I proceed? I've finally found water but it is full of animals. I consult my heart and it tells me that everyone has the right to water. I couldn't just shoo them and deprive them of it as well. Nature gives an abundance of resources for the survival of its people. I am but one of the strands in the web that it weaves. I am not superior to the point that I consider myself the master of it. With my hands, I reach into the water and pour it in a small pot that I brought from home. The first part of the challenge is met. Now I must find food.

  I keep walking, on the trail, hoping to find something to eat. My stomach growls as it's already passed noon. I start to look to the sides of the trail. Perhaps the food is inside the forest. How often do we seek the easiest path but it is not the one that leads to success? (Not every climber that follows a trail is the first to reach the top of the mountain). Shortcuts quickly lead you to your target. With this thought, I leave the trail and shortly after find a banana and a coconut tree. It is from them that I will get my food. I have to climb them with the same strength and faith of which I climbed the mountain. I try one, two, three times. I succeed. I will go back to the hut now because I have completed the first challenge.

  The Second Challenge

  Arriving at my hut, I find the guardian of the mountain who appears more brilliant than ever. Her eyes never stray from my own. I think that I am very special to God. I feel his presence at all times. He resurrects me in every way. When I was unemployed, He opened a door; when I didn't have any opportunities to grow professionally, He gave me new paths; when in times of crisis, He freed me from the bonds of Satan. Anyway, that look of approval from the strange woman reminded me of the man I was up until recently. My current goal was to win regardless of the obstacles that I had to overcome.

  —So you won the first challenge. I congratulate you. (Exclaimed the woman). The first challenge aimed to explore your wisdom and your ability to make decisions and share. The two paths represent the "opposing forces" that rule the universe (good and evil). A human being is totally free to choose either path. If one chooses the path on the right one will be illuminated with the help of angels in all moments
of his life. That was the path that you chose. However, it is not an easy path. Often, doubts will assault you and you will wonder if this path was even worth it. The people of the world will always be hurtful and take advantage of your good will. Moreover, the confidence you put in others will almost always disappoint you. When you get upset, remember: Your God is strong and he will never abandon you. Never let riches or lust pervert your heart. You are special and because of your value God considers you his son. Never fall from this grace. The path on the left belongs to everyone who rebelled at the Lord's call. All of us are born with a divine mission. However, some deviate from it with materialism, bad influences, corruption of the heart. Those who choose the path on the left do not end up with a pleasant future, Jesus taught us. Every tree that does not give good fruit will be uprooted and thrown into the outer darkness. This is the destiny of bad people because the Lord is fair. That time that you found the water hole and those pitiful animals, your heart spoke louder. Listen to it always and you will go far. The gift of sharing shone on you at that moment and your spiritual growth was surprising. The wisdom that you have helped you to find food. The easiest path is not always the right one to follow. I think that now you are ready for the second challenge. In three days, you will come out of your hut and seek a fact. Act according to your conscience. If you pass, you will move on to the third and final challenge.

  —Thank you for accompanying me all this time. I don't know what awaits me in the cave nor do I know what will happen to me. Your contribution is very important to me. Since I climbed the mountain, I feel that my life has changed. I am more calm and confident of what I want. I'll complete the second challenge.

  —Very well. I will see you three days from now.

  Having said that, the lady disappeared once more. She left me alone in the quietness of the evening along with crickets, mosquitoes and other insects.

  The Ghost of the Mountain

  Night falls over the mountain. I light a fire and its crackle soothes my heart. It's been two days since I climbed the mountain and it still seems like such a stranger to me. My thoughts wander and land in my childhood: The jokes, the fears, the tragedies. I remember well the day I dressed up as an Indian: With bow, arrow and tomahawk. Now, I was on a mountain that was sacred, precisely because of the death of a mysterious indigenous man (the Medicine Man of the tribe). I have to think of something else for the fear is freezing my soul. Deafening noises surround my hut and I have no idea what or who they are. How does one overcome his fear on an occasion like this? Answer me reader because I don't know. The mountain is still unknown to me.

  The noise is moving ever closer and I have nowhere to flee. Leaving the hut would be foolish because I could be swallowed up by ferocious beasts. I'll have to face whatever it is. The noise ceases and a light appears. It makes me even more scared. With a rush of courage, I exclaim:

  —In the name of God, who is there?

  A voice, nasalized with an obscure twang, responds:

  —I am the brave warrior who the cave of despair has destroyed. Give up on your dream or you will have the same fate. I was a small, indigenous man from a village within the Xukuru Nation. I aspired to be the head chief of my tribe and to be stronger than the lion. So I looked to the sacred mountain to accomplish my goals. I won the three challenges that the guardian of the mountain forced upon me. However, upon entering the cave, I was swallowed up by its fire which shattered my heart and my goals. Today, my spirit suffers and is stuck hopelessly to this mountain. Listen to me or you will have the same fate.

  My voice froze in my throat and for a moment I could not respond to the tormented spirit. He had left behind shelter, food, a warm family environment. I had two challenges left in the cave, the cave that could make the impossible come true. I would not give up easily on my dream.

  —Listen to me, brave warrior. The cave does not perform petty miracles. If I am here, it is for a noble reason. I do not envisage material goods. My dream goes beyond that. I would like to develop myself professionally and spiritually. In short, I want to work doing what I enjoy, earn money responsibly and contribute with my talent for a better universe. I'm not giving up on my dream that easily.

  The ghost replied:

  —You know the cave and its traps? You are nothing but a poor young man who is unaware of the extreme danger within the path he is following. The guardian is a charlatan who is deceiving you. She wants to ruin you.

  The insistence of the ghost annoyed me. Did he know me, by chance? God, in his mercy, would not allow my failure. God and the Virgin Mary were always effectively by my side. The evidence of this was the various apparitions of the Virgin throughout my life. In "Vision of a Medium" (a book that I have not yet published) a scene is described where I am sitting on a bench in a plaza, birds and the wind agitating me, and I am in deep thought about the world and life in general. Suddenly, appeared the figure of a woman that upon seeing me inquired:

  —Do you believe in God, my son?

  I promptly replied:

  —Certainly and with all of my being.

  Instantly, she put her hand on my head and prayed:

  —May the God of glory cover you in light and grant you many gifts.

  Saying this, she went away, and when I realized it, she was no longer by my side. She simply disappeared.

  It was the first apparition of the Virgin in my life. Again, disguising herself as a beggar, she came up to me asking for some change. She said she was a farmer and was not yet retired. Readily, I gave her some coins that I had in my pocket. Upon receiving the money, she thanked me and when I realized it, she had disappeared. On the mountain, at that moment, I had not the slightest doubt that God loved me and that he was at my side. Therefore, I responded to the ghost with a certain rudeness.

  —I will not listen to your advice. I know my limits and my faith. Go away! Go haunt a house or something. Leave me alone!

  The lights went out and I heard the noise of steps leaving the hut. I was free of the ghost.

  D-Day

  The three days had passed since the second challenge. It was a Friday morning, clear, sunny and bright. I was contemplating the horizon on this morning when the strange woman approached.

  —Are you ready? Look for an unusual event in the forest and act according to your principles. This is your second test.

  —All right, for three days I've been waiting for this moment. I think that I am prepared.

  Hurriedly, I head to the nearest trail that gives access to the forest. My steps followed in an almost musical cadence. What actually was this second challenge? Anxiety took hold of me and my steps accelerated in search of an unknown objective. Right in front emerged a clearing in the trail where it diverged and separated. But when I got there, to my surprise, the bifurcation was gone and I was instead viewing the following scene: a boy, being dragged by an adult, weeping out loud. Emotion took control of me in the presence of injustice and therefore I exclaimed:

  —Let the boy go! He is smaller than you and cannot defend himself.

  —I will not! I am treating him this way because he does not want to work.

  —You monster! Little boys should not have to work. They should study and be well educated. Release him!

  —Who will make me, you?

  I am completely against violence but at this moment my heart asked me to react before this piece of garbage. The child should be released.

  Gently, I pushed the boy away from the brute and then began to beat the man. The bastard reacted and dealt me a few blows. One of them hit me point blank. The world spun and a strong, penetrating wind invaded my entire being: White and blue clouds along with swift birds invaded my mind. In a moment, it seemed like my whole body was floating through the sky. A faint voice called me from afar. In another moment it was as if I going through doors, one after the other as obstacles. The doors were well locked and it took a considerable amount of effort to open them. Each door gave access to either lounges or sanctuaries, alternatel
y. In the first lounge I found young people dressed in white, gathered around a table, on which, in the center, was an open bible. These were the virgins chosen to reign in the future world. A force pushed me out of the room and when I opened the second door I ended up at the first sanctuary. At the edge of the altar, incense sticks with the requests of Brazil's poor were being burned. On the right-hand side, a priest prayed aloud and suddenly began to repeat: Seer! Seer! Seer! Beside him were two women with white shirts. On them was written: Possible dream. Everything began to darken, and when I got my bearings I was dragged violently out and with such speed that it left me a little dizzy. I opened the third door and this time found a meeting of people: A pastor, a priest, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Spiritualist, a Jew and a representative of African religions. They were arranged in a circle and at the center was a fire and its flames outlined the name, "Union of peoples and paths to God." In the end, they embraced and called me to the group. The fire moved from the center, landed on my hand and drew the word "apprenticeship." The fire was pure light and did not burn. The group broke up, the fire went out and again I was pushed out of the room where I opened the fourth door. The second sanctuary was completely empty and I approached the altar. I knelt in reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, picked up a paper that was on the floor and I wrote my request. I folded the paper and put it at the feet of the image. The voice that was far away gradually became more clear and sharp. I left the sanctuary, opened the door and finally woke up. At my side was the guardian of the mountain.