by Starr West
The Darnells had been celebrating the vernal equinox since, well forever, really. But in our family, the fulfilment of the prophecy was more than enough reason to celebrate. Without lessening the importance of the equinox or offending a goddess, it was actually more important to us.
Family now included the people of the valley. While I had always considered it to be a lame secret, as secrets go, I was glad everyone knew about it. It meant that Libby and I didn’t have to celebrate alone.
Tonight we would dress up. It was the first time since arriving in the valley that anyone actually cared what we wore. Tahinah had instructed everyone to don their most festive party clothes. It was a loosely defined dress code, but it meant we could spend time getting ready.
Libby dragged me to an old box that held my mother’s clothes. Vintage clothing from when she was my age.
“You can’t be serious. These clothes are what, twenty years old?”
“What else would I do with them? Throw them away?”
Libby was serious. She also washed them regularly and kept them in perfect order, checking stitches and buttons and repairing them, if necessary. They smelt like patchouli and lavender, instead of clothes from second-hand stores or old packing.
“I think you should wear this.” Libby held up a skirt made from two different fabrics. One was a paisley print and the other was royal purple velvet. The two fabrics were cut into eight strips, narrow at the waist and wide at the bottom. They were sown so they swirled and flared as the skirt fell to the ground. It was crazy, but I loved it.
“This blouse will go perfectly. It was your mother’s favourite.”
“Thank you.” I kissed Libby on the cheek and ran to my room. The blouse was creamy white cheesecloth with tiny flowers embroidered all over the front. Tiny pearl buttons were sewn in rows down the centre, but it didn’t actually open.
Both the skirt and the blouse fit and seemed tailor-made for my new body. I swirled to test the skirt and wasn’t disappointed.
“Oh Libby! I love it! It’s just beautiful. I didn’t know Mum was ever this skinny.”
“Celeste ate like a horse, and never stopped. I couldn’t fatten her up no matter how hard I tried. She’s like you that way. Maybe now you can slow down a bit. I’d feel better if you put on a bit of healthy weight.”
We were the last to arrive and were greeted by cheers, applause and smiling faces. I blushed instantly. Flowers adorned the garden, while garlands of dandelions and braided stems of lavender hung from a bamboo gazebo. Emily ran up and placed wreaths of dandelions and tiny daisies on our head like floral crowns. Everyone wore them, even the men, and I wondered who had taken the time to make them.
“Greetings, sweet Psyche,” Tahinah hugged Libby and me as if we had been away on an extended holiday. I looked for Phoenix, but my eyes fell on Navarre’s smiling face, which greeted me.
“This is for you,” he said as he tied a bracelet of flowers around my wrist. “It’s a tradition that everyone gives gifts that remind us of spring.”
“No one told me. Libby, why didn’t you tell me? I could have made something.”
“Mmm-hmm. When? In your spare time? You had enough to worry about without braiding flowers.” Libby was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better knowing that everyone else had taken the time.
“There’s always Beltane. You can make me something then,” said Navarre. “You look beautiful, by the way.”
I knew that Phoenix was approaching me from behind. I felt him coming across the lawn. I smiled, but didn’t turn.
“Hello, Psyche.” I turned and smiled at him. He kissed me on the cheek and placed a flower in my hair. It was a tiny pink daisy.
“See? Even you had time to do something.”
“It hardly qualifies as a spring gift,” said Phoenix.
“We have something to do before the celebrations start,” Tahinah said, pointing to the children. They walked towards us, holding hands. They were so tiny and cute. I still couldn’t remember their names. I knew Jalani, but the others were less familiar. I felt a pang of guilt that I hadn’t gotten acquainted with these little children. I remembered these little ones had twirled with Navarra at Mabon, all those months ago.
“They tell me there is something important they need to say,” said Tahinah.
The children sat in a semi circle on the lawn and Jalani called to her mother. We walked over and sat in similar circular fashion on the grass, though we were much less orderly. I was less intrigued than the others because I had some idea what they would say. But I was probably the only one and maybe Phoenix.
Jalani was the first to speak. “We are the children of the rainbow light. We know that you have many questions about the light and we will do our best to answer them.”
“This is the dawning of a new earth, it is a time of healing and a time of change.”
“Psyche didn’t place the crystal to repair the veil. She placed the crystal to bath the earth in rainbow light and to awaken us, the rainbow children, and begin the process that will transform the earth, just like so many others did when they placed their crystals.”
“This is the just beginning, but with every beginning, there is an ending. As one age ends, another begins.”
“Do not be concerned about the veil, the balance will be restored, but it is not the balance of good and evil, nor light and dark, as you might have suspected. The rainbow light restores the balance in a unique way, the way it was meant to be.”
“The door to heaven has been opened and the earth will be transformed.” The children spoke as if one mind controlled many voices.
“We are all seeking to return home, where our spirits can be truly free.”
“The earth experiment was necessary, but the experience has been harsh and death is cruel and unnecessary. Every soul has experienced enough death and grief, though there are still some that must complete this journey. Not everyone on earth today will have to die to enter into heaven.”
“There are some souls that are here simply to love. Love has always been the lesson to be learned on earth. Others are here to bathe in the rainbow light and be healed.”
“Shhh. Your minds have many questions.” The children smiled at each other and continued.
“The inhabitants of earth became lost and complacent. Fear and apathy stole their ability to thrive, but humans always wanted more. Power and greed motivated many, so many fought, killed and died for power. In the end, all they gained was more fear and lies. Seldom did humans discover the true purpose of life or find true love. Almost no one discovered the truth of unconditional love or the joy of simple existence.”
“Remember that the veil will not be repaired. It will continue to diminish. Heaven and earth will become one. Some have to follow the path they set for this life and they will not escape the pain of death. Free will and destiny will always prevail.”
“The veil will remain, in part, until everyone’s destiny has been fulfilled and all this has come to pass.”
“The new earth will allow us all to experience the physical without the need for painful births and sorrowful deaths.”
I wanted to ask about people like Volante, people motivated to act in despicable ways. Truly evil people didn’t deserve an easy way out; and as if my thoughts had been spoken aloud, the children answered.
“The punishment for evil acts is not to be sent to the bowels of hell, for hell only exists in the minds of man. The punishment is to linger in the nothingness until they have understood the physical and emotional pain that they have caused others. Coming to terms with one’s own failings is punishment enough.”
“All souls choose to spend time in the nothingness and some may decide to remain there. It is a choice. Those unable to deal with their actions and choices will be absorbed into the nothingness, while others will return to the light, at peace with their past. There is no escaping this; it’s just how it is.”
“Psyche, we thank you for what you have done, for without you
, the world would still be in darkness. But your journey has just begun.”
“There is much to do before this planet truly becomes a new earth.”
We waited for more, but that was all they said. They stood up, hand-in-hand, and ran off to play under the jacaranda tree.
Chapter 35 ~ WHEN LOVE IS ABSOLUTE
“I told you my girl is a genius.” It was Ruben, standing at the back of the circle, smiling and shaking his head.
“You think she said all that because she is clever?” Tahinah asked. “Maybe it’s because they are special.”
“They were channelling,” said Trinity, “I could tell by their auras. They were all connected to the light.”
“Channelling is a better explanation than genius. Not that I’m saying they’re not all little geniuses, Ruben, but they spoke so clearly. The only thing that has changed since I last saw the children was the rainbow light. Normally, I don’t understand a word they say, but that’s what you’d expect of a four-year-old.”
We hadn’t really talked much about the light or what happened on the mountain since we returned. We were all lost in our own thoughts on our way home from this morning’s event. I wondered what everyone thought and if they knew exactly what had happened.
“Psyche?” Phoenix looked at me. He knew what I knew; I could tell by the glint in his violet eyes. “Maybe now is a good time to tell everyone what you know.”
“I guess, but I am still trying to figure it out myself.”
Lachlan limped over to the fire pit and began to build a fire. The others followed.
“It sounds as if it will be a long night,” Ruben smiled and sat himself on a log near Tahinah. Phoenix held my hand and walked me to the fire pit.
“Well? The night’s growing cold and we still need time to get the party started.” I missed Lachlan’s teasing.
“Well, the energy’s changed, that’s for sure. It’s vibrating faster, a lot faster. The pulse of the earth, that’s stronger too. It’s hard to explain, but I think everyone should be able to feel it and use it. If you couldn’t before, you should try now.” I looked around, a few people nodded, whatever that meant.
“Why did it happen? I mean, this has been a long time coming and there has been a whole lot of fuss. There must be a very good reason that it happened at all,” Ruben asked. I thought Ruben understood what was going on, but he was as confused as I had been.
“I think there are many reasons why this happened. The earth needs to heal, for one. Even the songs and the light aren’t enough, but it’s a start. As for us, the children were right about the veil. I knew as soon as I picked up the stone. The veil was never part of the original design. When it was created, it sort of stuffed things up. It’s taken all this time to get it right again.”
“But what has it got to do with us? Humans I mean?” asked Tahinah.
“I think it’s over, living like we do. Maybe we’re not meant to die, but I don’t think we should be so isolated from the truth either. I can’t see the future, but maybe we will just travel back and forth as we please.” I shrugged. Some of it seemed clear, but there were parts of it I couldn’t get straight no matter how long I thought about it.
“People are mean. We really did lose our way, but not recently; it started a long time ago. This was the only solution. We were given so many signs, so many chances, but I don’t think we ever really had the truth, so that made it hard to make the right decisions.” I understood this perfectly. Without the truth, it is hard to find your way.
“Anyway, I think it’s like the yin yang symbol. We always saw it as two halves, a balance of two opposite things. Like good and evil, feminine and masculine, or whatever, but we were seeking balance when we needed to seek equality. We were always struggling by allowing one or the other to dominate. But we were wrong. Men and women are not stronger or weaker than the other. Men and women together don’t balance until they are both equal. Equally, they make things whole. We have the balance within us, both sides contained within the whole.”
I could see that I had confused everyone, “Before the rainbow light, the energy had two distinct characters. I didn’t realise it then, but the energy was distinctly different, depending on one’s intention. It’s like it was separated, but now the energy is blended; both sides are equally expressed within the whole.”
“So that light, will it stay like that?”
“Yes, that’s how it should have always been. The rainbow light was part of creation. There was a time on earth when these lights were always in the sky. It will be easier now.” I said.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep while the that light floats around like that,” said Lachlan.
“Well, you either get over it or get used to it. You done with that fire yet?” said Ruben.
“Pretty much,” he said, as the first flame flickered up and licked the dry wood.
The women hadn’t said much at all and I looked around the circle and wondered what they were thinking.
“You did well, Psyche,” Tahinah smiled.
“We perform a ritual for the equinox. Would you like to come?” Trinity was asking me to be part of their ritual. Trinity, of all people! My aura must be looking better tonight.
“Thank you, I would love to, but I’ve already had an encounter with a goddess today. I think I’ll skip it, if that’s okay,” I said.
“That’s fine, there’s no pressure, just thought you might like to join us.” Trinity smiled at me for the first time. The women all stood up and disappeared into the forest beside the house.
“So, how did I do?”
“Pretty good,” said Phoenix.
“You could have answered all their questions.”
“Yes, probably, but the same rules apply. I can’t just feed them information. They have to discover it for themselves.”
“Isn’t it frustrating, watching me struggle and getting nowhere?”
“Many things about you are frustrating. But there could be worse things to deal with.”
He was right. It could be a lot worse.
“Which goddess visited you today?”
“Persephone.”
“And what did she have to say?”
“Maybe it’s a secret,” I smiled, “but it’s not. She said I had to learn the secret of my gift. I wanted to thank her for what she did, but she said I would be able to thank her in the future.”
“Hmm, in debt to a goddess, that doesn’t sound good.”
“That’s what I thought, but she said something about the seeds were already planted and everything is in place.”
Phoenix said nothing for a while. “Well, let’s hope it has something to do with spring gardens.”
“Oh, and she said we were like sisters, whatever that is supposed to mean.”
Phoenix took my hand and we walked toward the creek behind the house. The fire was heating water for the moon bath and the ribbons of light danced across the sky.
“You look beautiful tonight.”
“Yeh thanks, Navarre already told me, Libby too. Maybe even your mum.”
“That’s because it’s true. And your clothes fit, how did that happen?”
“Their Mum’s, from twenty years ago!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, amazing. Libby’s an extreme hoarder; who would have ever guessed?” I wanted to ask him about some other things that bothered me. Now that the stone was securely in place and the lights were restored, there was less for me to worry about.
“Hey Phoenix, you know how you always tell me I have a choice, and I can love whoever I like. Why do you say that?”
“Because it’s the truth, you don’t have to fall in love with me.”
“But I already have, I love you already.”
“Yes, I know.”
“But even though you know you have my heart, I don’t know how you feel. I know that you used to love me and that we have been together before. But it is your duty to be with me and protect me. I know that this is t
he most important thing to you,” I said as he turned and held my hands in his. He stared at me for a moment and his violet eyes glistened.
“Oh, you’re serious. You think I put duty above everything? You really think that is the only reason we hang out? Psyche, that’s simply not true. I spend time with you to be with you, not because of duty.”
“But it’s done now, you don’t have to hang out with me. You don’t have to see me every day. Now that the stone is in place, you can do whatever you like. You don’t have to babysit me anymore.”
“You think that is what I do? ‘Babysit?’ I know it’s hard for you to understand. The limitations of being a human with no memory of who you really are is like a curse. It binds you to your humanity and limits your understanding of love.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. Tears welled in my eyes, but I wasn’t even sure why.
“This life that we know here is just a fraction of what life is all about. It’s just a shadow of reality. Beyond my beating heart, beyond the breath that gives me life, when all this is gone and my heart no longer beats, then you will know that I am truly yours. But for now, you must know that you have my heart and that every breath I breathe is so that I can live and be by your side. This body, these cells are alive because of you. I love you, Psyche, more than you can even imagine.”
Now I was really crying. Phoenix held me for the longest time until the tears stopped. Then he said, “Do you understand? There is no choice for me, there is only you.”
“You should stop or I will cry again.”
“I will stop when you tell me you understand.”
“I understand, sort of, I just see sadness in your eyes sometimes like you’re not happy. I thought it was because you’re getting tired of babysitting me.”
“It is sadness you see, but it’s because you’re so vulnerable, and I have to sit by and watch you struggle. I can’t be the warrior, like Navarre. I can’t attack first. I have to let you learn and make mistakes, and it breaks my heart. That is what you see.”
“Now I understand.”
Chapter 36 ~ THE PATH TO HEAVEN