FA+
Shop
-Car Ride-
14 years ago
"You know that feeling, when you're listening to music that you absolutely love, and you get to that one part... that perfect crescendo, where it takes an almost unexpected twist and the notes just click into place, that one moment where the harmony becomes so wonderful and beautiful, that it makes chills run up your spine, you feel emotion swell over your body like a wave and you break out all over in goosebumps?" he asked.
"Yes," I answered without delay, reveling in the feeling being described.
"That's your energy flaring up," he told me,
"It's a very real thing, like your spirit is bubbling up to the surface, charging you up. Reaching out past your body.
With practice, you can conjure this at will, without the aid of music.
(Though music helps when you're just starting off.)
...With practice, you can focus it. Channel it, direct it to where you want it to go.
You can use it for great benefit. To grow, to nurture, to heal. It's a lifeforce of considerable power that you can direct like a tool. All you need to do is practice."
The car rumbled on, homeward bound from the restaurant whose merriment our group had recently departed.
Full bellies, happy hearts. Other cars in our caravan's periphery drifting in and out of traffic as we made our way back for an evening's repose.
Those in the front seat were oblivious to our discussion as we watched mini-malls and gas stations slip by into looping, neon-signatured night, mere facades to all we saw beneath. Between the lines. Existence through and beyond the literal.
I told him I'd practice.
__________________________________________
This was the beginning of my exposure to Athus's spiritual side.
It took place during a visit some years ago, shortly after he'd moved to Phoenix.
A multitude of similarly mind-bending sessions would follow whenever a lull in the crowds would permit us to talk.
Here and there, in chance encounters across the country we'd connect. Usually briefly, but always with impact.
But of all moments, this one sticks with me in particular. It might have been because of what I felt beneath that beaming smile and those sparkling eyes of his.
It was my first time seeing my instincts as tangible, and my draconity as something useful. It was also the cornerstone of my growing respect for him as a well-traveled spirit and teacher. As the radiant creature I could see just below that well-mannered surface.
I hope I have been putting his lessons to good use.
"Yes," I answered without delay, reveling in the feeling being described.
"That's your energy flaring up," he told me,
"It's a very real thing, like your spirit is bubbling up to the surface, charging you up. Reaching out past your body.
With practice, you can conjure this at will, without the aid of music.
(Though music helps when you're just starting off.)
...With practice, you can focus it. Channel it, direct it to where you want it to go.
You can use it for great benefit. To grow, to nurture, to heal. It's a lifeforce of considerable power that you can direct like a tool. All you need to do is practice."
The car rumbled on, homeward bound from the restaurant whose merriment our group had recently departed.
Full bellies, happy hearts. Other cars in our caravan's periphery drifting in and out of traffic as we made our way back for an evening's repose.
Those in the front seat were oblivious to our discussion as we watched mini-malls and gas stations slip by into looping, neon-signatured night, mere facades to all we saw beneath. Between the lines. Existence through and beyond the literal.
I told him I'd practice.
__________________________________________
This was the beginning of my exposure to Athus's spiritual side.
It took place during a visit some years ago, shortly after he'd moved to Phoenix.
A multitude of similarly mind-bending sessions would follow whenever a lull in the crowds would permit us to talk.
Here and there, in chance encounters across the country we'd connect. Usually briefly, but always with impact.
But of all moments, this one sticks with me in particular. It might have been because of what I felt beneath that beaming smile and those sparkling eyes of his.
It was my first time seeing my instincts as tangible, and my draconity as something useful. It was also the cornerstone of my growing respect for him as a well-traveled spirit and teacher. As the radiant creature I could see just below that well-mannered surface.
I hope I have been putting his lessons to good use.
If emotional pain is indeed just chips in the self-fabricated facade of our existences, then the loss of such a wonderful and inspired person as Athus, and these so very poignant words of yours are like a jackhammer to my heart.
Athus of course gave you a very different perspective on the phenomena. When talking to him, I only scratched the surface on Athus's spiritual beliefs. I am a man of science and am very, very skeptical about such topics but I find them fascinating and you will always find me lending an open ear to them. I really wish I had gotten to talk to him about this stuff more. Athus was really fun to talk to; his intelligence and respectful nature always seemed to come out and shine in our discussions and that really left me with wonderful impressions about him.
Ironically, Athus is responsible for me opening my eyes a bit on the subject of ghosts for the first time. I was a staunch disbeliever in them until just a few weeks ago. It makes me wonder if he would have opened my eyes to any other interesting topics...
That was inspired writing, Skadjer. I can tell. :) I know this may sound a bit trite but I really do mean it: thank you for sharing that little story with us.
I've experienced it more than once and each time is just unique. Each time grows strong like the first time you did it.
But more than that, anything can triggers it. Like this text just did to me. I can't yet use it as a tool but I do practice :)
Oh and by the way, this previous phrase just proved you did put his lesson to good use.
Thanks.
Take care, okay?
This touched me really strongly, it's been too long since I've focused on this sort of thing again despite Athus' words of encouragement. Practices to flare up the energy, but never any more to focus it beyond that. Always feeling there'd be all the time in the world for that. Always later, until it became too late in a flash.
Thank you for putting this up Skadjer. This manages to be inspiring and saddens me all at once, leaving me very introspective tonight... I've had trouble putting any words down here for this, it just rung so perfectly.
Be well.
It's up to us to continue here and try to put the pieces together...
We'll be at this years FC again, and I'll be bringing beer
Thank you for taking me back with this. Was a fun time to remember.