There are dreams and then there are visions. How do you distinguish between the two? It must have been around 5 in the morning when I was awakened by a sound. I could not place it and took it for the noise of a car door closing. We were after all right next to a main car park. Turning over I went back to sleep. Even as I did so I felt my energy double stir within me and whether I was in a hypnogogic state, day dreaming or dreaming for real, I felt myself rise from my body and float out of the door. Honestly, I prefer dreams. At least in those you have instantaneous travel. In this experience I floated down the main street of Tintagel and then down the long walk towards the bay. The tide was in again as I levitated down the side of the small cliff to the waters edge.
I just wanted to say that I was not in control here. Rather I was being guided by some other force. My intuition? My Double? Something else?
Reaching the water, I glided into the first cave on the left. As I went in the cave transformed into another place that was overlaid with the cave and the sea. So it seemed like I was in two places at the same time. The other place was a giant hall where people milled around, busy going hither and thither. I tried to interrupt them and failed. It seemed that I was a ghost to them as I was a ghost to myself? I then floated into another cave, with much the same result. The third cave (over to the right now), Merlin’s cave was next and as I walked in I was greeted by a shining man. Light exuded from his being and I knew him to be Merlin. “You are late” he said and ushered me into the cave, which again was overlaid with a truly huge hall, far bigger than the cave was.
Both surprised at being seen and at meeting the famed wizard with some humility and a lot of awe I walked into the hall. Within was a massive round table. But it was no ordinary table. Rather than being made of wood, it seemed to be made of light. Three bright circles of light traversed its edge and between the second and third line were runes that I did not recognise nor was able to read.
Note: I know this sounds like it is out of a story book – think of how I feel relating it to you?
Around the table sat eight knights, recognisable by their attire. I was being ushered to a seat by Merlin (seriously!) and as I gaped in every direction, including the burning runes on the table. He said to me that “you will not be able to read them now. But you will know their meaning soon” With those words he rushed over to a seat on the edge of the hall. I looked around at the assembled knights and felt myself in good, honoured and respectful company. They were conversing with each other, laughing and joking until my gaze going around the table (it was a big table) fell upon the King. Of course he was the king, his armour, bearing and depth of gaze left no doubt. But – and what a surprise – he was so young. Maybe late 20’s early 30’s. As I watched him the rest of the room fell silent.
One after the other, the knights stood up and told of their quests. Each was magnificent, mighty, heroic and quite honestly – alien to me. What the quests where I cannot remember. But I do recall that they did not speak with the “thee’s” and “thou’s”. Another thing is that as they spoke images arose from within their breasts and played upon the surface of the table. As if the table had drawn out there tales.
It’s called creeping doom. When you are sat in a circle awaiting your turn to show and tell. That’s how I felt. Their adventures were magnificent, brave, noble and daring. With each telling I felt myself shrink deeper into my chair. As the knights tales came alive on the surface of the table, the other knights would laugh, cry, cheer and slam the table with their fists at any salient point.
So it came to my time. Now, you don’t me, that well, but I have no problems standing up in an audience and telling my tale. Non at all, except here. I stood up and the knight next to me, gave me an encouraging thump. Ouch! I began with a stutter and then something strange happened. I had thought that as the knights had told their tales the table had given them 3D life. But that was not even close to the case. I opened my mouth and the energy? from the table literally drew the tale out of me. It was as if the story was wrapped on a record and the table pulled a string from within me that turned some mechanism and I spoke the tale. Vivid images of Dragons, Goddesses and travel flew out of me and onto the table building a story that – really and truly – made me gasp. The knights were not silent in their appreciation either. They applauded and “awed” to my tale as equally as the others. The kinship I felt was unbelievable. For the second time at Tintagel I keenly felt, home.
As my tale progressed I recall an amazing thing. At one point the Dragons soul book floated out onto the table and from within it globes rose into the glittering light. I peered at them, just as surprised as the others. Inside one of them, I saw words…they were the questions that I have been seeking! With excitement I lent forward to try to read what the words said. Alas the game is not so easily won and I was denied there truths for the moment.
My tale complete I sat down to great applause as the next knight stood and began his adventure. I wish I could recall their tales but there is no memory of the detail at all. Sad really. Some time later, I came into consciousness again and was leaving the hall. It seemed I had to go back through the other two caves to leave (of course they aren’t serial – more of a case of in and out of each one). I went into the second cave and found a that the decor had changed. It was the work room of an artisan who was hard at work creating some work. I looked over his shoulder and he stepped aside so I could see (yes, he could see me now). It was a knights crest. A dragon, a heart and a phoenix. Powerful creatures I thought until I doh!’ed and realised that it was MY crest! Idiot! The craftsman pushed me away towards the first cave. As I stepped in, I realised that its size and hight had grown to immense proportions and in it stood Caileach.
No, she wasn’t a huge hundred foot tall woman. She was the same height she has always been. However her aura was indeed the size of the cavern. Her presence was overwhelming. She looked at me and in me. I felt her touch the Solstice Energy that I had captured. She smiled as a though occurred to me. In my tale-telling I had not mentioned the Solstice Energy experience. I looked at My Goddess. Who smiled that enigmatic smile. “That is my gift for you and to you” she said and with a truly hollywood gesture she held up her hand palm upwards and blew. I was blown backwards and as I did I saw that a being of light was left in the hall as I, my consciousness returned to the room in the Inn. My energy double was gone, again.
I awoke and saw that the time was 7am. two hours had elapsed. Had it felt longer, yes. I arose and grabbed my rods. The only connection to the mysterious that was left to me. I asked and asked and asked. The clinking yes’s awoke Gwas next door.
Kal Malik – Brethren
