The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 16

Chapter 16 - Life is Sacred

Hello all,
Today we have almost reached the halfway point in the story and I thought it would be a good time for a chat. A few of my writing friends have questioned why I am willing to put out the first draft of my story knowing that the grammar, writing and the story itself are not even close to the final form. They said they would be too worried by the criticism.

If you have been reading this story you will understand that it is important to not only live your truth but also to not worry what others think of you. I have chosen to share this early version for two reasons. Firstly it is a good lesson for me not to worry what others think, although I will always listen to constructive criticism as I develop my story telling skills. Secondly I published this early draft on my translatable blog for my friends who do not speak english and the likelihood that it will never be published in their language.

Thanks for the chat now it's back to the story.
Blessings and Peace to you all.
Geof

Chapter 16 - Life is Sacred

Huo wandered through the countryside for many months with one goal in mind, to find the Forest of K'an and journey to the mystical Lake of Li. The old sage had talked often about this magical lake and the forest. Over the last two days he had found the Forest of K'an and now he was heading towards the lake. He knew intuitively where the lake was; he could feel her presence with every part of his being.

On the journey to find the lake he had many adventures and had met many strange people. The strangest being the badger that could talk; well, talk was not quite right but he could communicate with Huo in the most unusual way. It happened over a month ago when Huo first thought of finding the Lake of Li in the Forest of K'an. He had been sitting by a stream meditating when a picture of the Lake of Li came into his mind. He knew it was the Lake of Li because of the description that he had received from the old sage. He could even see the large rock that Chung Fu used to sit on when he was teaching his students. In the meditation Huo could imagine himself sitting on the rock and staring into the Lake of the Li. The more he stared, the more real the picture became; it was so real that if Huo had wanted to he could have transported himself there in an instant, but of course he was not yet aware that he had those abilities. He opened his eyes with the knowing that came from deep within that the next part of his journey would take him to the lake the old sage had talked so much about.

He returned to his camp to the find a badger, a big fat badger, fossicking through his pack, for what little food he had left. Years ago he would have become angry to lose the little food he had, but he was different now. He understood that the Tao gives and takes away. So rather than express his anger, he sat down on a log of wood and watched the badger, for the inner part of him knew that the badger had a message for him.

Badgers by nature were very independent and this one was no exception. The badger turned to look at Huo, but the look was brief and he went back to eating the food and destroying Huo's pack. He certainly was an individual. Huo knew that badgers were very different from most animals in the forest and they did not seem to care what humans and other animals thought about them.

Huo sent a molecule of himself into the badger and what returned did not surprise him. He could almost hear the badger talking to him.

"Walk your own path at your own pace. Don't defend yourself. You are what you are, so be proud of it. If someone attacks you don't defend, just walk away. You are an infinite spirit walking your own journey; be proud of yourself, but at the same time do not judge others because you do not know what their journey is, or where it will lead. You don't have to explain to anyone what you are doing. You are following your inner spirit and to explain it would be impossible; it will lead you in ways that you would not think possible."

Huo was not sure the words were coming from the animal or were just the workings of his own mind. It did not matter for the teaching was the same. It was time for him to go back into the world and take what he had learnt to the people who were drawn to him.

He looked down at the badger and offered thanks for its teaching. For its part the badger gave him, what appeared to be, a grin and then scurried off into the forest without any apology for destroying Huo's worldly goods.

No longer encumbered by any earthly goods Huo continued on his journey to the Lake of Li in the Forest of K'an.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - The Tao Owns Everything

Walking from the town he understood he had lost nothing because everything belonged to the Tao. Everything he had experienced had been given to him by the Tao. It was as if it had been on loan. Because he was able to release everything he had, he knew more would be given to him. There was no need to hold onto anything. He walked into the forest a rich man. Rich in the knowledge that he was abundant in all areas of his life.

He soon came to a fork in the road. He looked off down the left fork and he felt nothing. He looked down the right fork and he noticed the road seemed lighter. He closed his eyes and sent his energy off in the distance to feel a royal carriage coming towards him. He turned and walked down the right road; spirit wanted him to go in that direction. Who was he disagree with the feelings from within his inner self.
About a half a mile down the road he came across a carriage carrying members of the Emperor's family. As with everyone he met he showed his respect. He gave a short bow from the waste. Immediately a woman called out for them to stop the carriage. She called the young man over. Huo walked slowly towards the carriage. The woman dressed in her beautiful silks and her jet black hair tied in a bun on her head, attached with a jade pin, addressed the young man. "Sir, can you tell me if there is a healer in the town up ahead, my son is gravely ill and needs immediate attention."

"Great lady, my old Master Chung Fu is in the town ahead and he is a great healer." Huo caught sight of the young man in the carriage and knew instantly the boy would never make the journey, he could see his inner spirit about to leave his body. Huo was at a loss what to do; he did not want to infringe on the young boy, as he did not know what lesson he had come here to learn. Maybe he had incarnated to die early and teach his mother the great lesson of loss; for he understood that some highly evolved spirits came in service to die in their first thirteen years. What he did know for sure was that the child would never make it to the town. For a brief moment he went within his inner self for an answer, only to met the spirit of the young boy. The young boy was confused and not sure what was happening. Huo went inside the inner self of the young boy and asked him did he want help. The boy said yes and in that moment Huo could see the future of the young boy. How he would grow up as a mighty ruler who would be loved by his people.

Huo turned his focus back into the outer world and said to the Emperor's wife. "Your highness I fear that your son will never make it to the town. If you allow me I will give him a healing right here that will enable him to travel to town where my master can finish the healing process."
The Emperor's wife was beside her self with fear. She looked down at the young man who was dressed in little more than rags, but there was that plum red sash around his waist which brought back a childhood memory. When she used to go with her father into the Emperor's garden he would often meet a monk who also wore a plum red ribbon around his waist. It was the monk that helped his father build a garden that pleased the Emperor so much that she was plucked from her life of servitude to now be one of the most powerful women in the court and eventually to become the number one wife of the Emperor. She faltered for a moment, but it was just a moment. "Please help my son."

She opened the carriage door and Huo, dressed like a beggar climbed in. He went straight to the boy, who had a very high temperature. He looked to his mother who said, "He came down with the fever last night and I was at a loss what to do. We have tried everything. He has a bite mark on his left arm."
Huo examined the wound with his eyes but with his inner senses he saw that the young man had been bitten by a spider. He reached into his pack and took out some herbs and made a poultice to put on the arm and some other herbs that he made into a drink for the young man to sip while they made the journey to his old master at the Pagoda. He held his hands over the young boy and allowed the energy from his own being to enter the young man and take on the poison. It was not something he had been taught it was just something that happened naturally when he inhabited the body of the young boy.

In only a few minutes the young boy opened his eyes, the fever had been broken. Huo felt the shock of the poison in his own body, but soon he released it through his breath to the air that surrounded them.

The Emperor's wife had never seen anything like it. She worried that Huo was not a healer but a black magician. It is funny how even when people see something for their own eyes that they cannot believe it to be true.

Huo smiled at the Queen and somehow, his smile put her at ease. "What is your charge for healing my son? I will pay anything?"
"My queen it is an Honour to do it for you. I do not require any payment as I have everything I need."

The queen looked at the young man before her, dressed in little more than rags, with no carriage, no money and only a poor pack to carry his herbs. "You say you have everything you need, but surely some money would help you on your journey, or I could give you a servant to look after your needs, or you could come back to the palace where you could be my personal physician."

"Thanks for the offer my queen it would be a great Honour but I am on a great journey; the journey of the inner self and I have all I need. Look around I have the sun, the forest, the animals and the seasons to keep me company. If I want food I will find it in the forest or in the stream. If I want companionship I can walk into any village and find someone to talk to. If I need a bed I can rest wherever I choose. As you can see I have everything I need."

"I can see that you are a strange man; a man who I will always be grateful to. If ever you need my help just come to the palace and I will give you what you need."

Huo thanked the queen for her offer and then just as he was about to take his leave a thought crossed his mind. "Your highness there is something you could do for me."
"Name it," she said, hoping it was not a ploy by the young man to get more than she was willing to offer; she need not have worried.
"My queen, there is a young girl in the village by the name of Qing if you could give her a small piece of jewelry and tell her I love her, that would be a most special gift."
The queen pulled the green jade pin from her hair, which allowed her blue black hair to cascade over her shoulders. "Will this be a suitable gift," she asked.
"Thank you my queen. Now take your son to the next town and as for my old Master Chung Fu at the Pagoda and he will ensure that your son is fully healed."

Huo bowed to the queen, winked at the young boy and took his leave of them both, so he could continue his journey.
The queen, her son and the long retinue of servants watched as the strange young man walked back into the forest.
The queen took her son to see the old sage who professed he could do no more for her young son and that if he continued to drink the herbs given by the young man he would soon regain his full strength.

The queen fulfilled her part of the bargain and much to Qing's delight she gave her the green jade pin and words of love from Huo. What Huo did not know was that the queen took such a shine to Qing that she gave her a position, as her own personal servant, a position that would see wondrous things happening for the young girl, but that is another story and I am sure one that will be told one day.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 14

Chapter 14 - The Sage Does Not Infringe

It was after the meditation one morning when all the students had gone back to their homes, only Huo had stayed behind with the old sage to help him clear up the space they had used in the Pagoda and clear the energy from the meditation; for some times even after the meditation the unclear thoughts that had dropped away from the participants needed to be cleared away from the sacred space to allow anybody who used it later to find a space that was open and clear of any negativity. The old man always made sacred anything he did. It did not matter whether it was getting dressed in the morning or teaching a student; everything the old man did he would do it in a sacred way for to do any less would mean that something was less than the other.

The young man had not understood it at first, but as he began to practice the technique of making everything sacred, he soon realized that it was what connected him with everything. It was in the act of judging something to be less important or less sacred that disconnected him from the one or the Tao. It was interesting to watch his own life; to observe the difference when he did things in a sacred way.

He remembered the first time he had created a sacred space before he meditated. At first it felt silly and uncomfortable; of course that was only because he was coming out of judgement and the reason he was judging it was because he did not yet understand - everything is sacred. It was that one realization that changed him forever. Just like the old sage, he was now doing everything in a scared way and the most surprising thing was that because he made everything sacred, even things like washing, dressing and eating, which had been mundane, had now taken on a new quality; a quality of freshness.

The world had come alive for him. When he put on his clothes in the morning he could sense, almost feel the man or woman who had made the garment and what they were feeling at the time. He would give thanks to the person who had created this garment for him. He started to realize how abundant he was. Others would see him as a penniless young man because they came from their own judgement. If they could only look deeper they would see a young man who was having all his needs met. Huo was so in touch with the Tao that he wanted for nothing; it was in his gratitude that he understood that he was receiving so much.

In clearing the space in the Pagoda he could see what energy the students had left behind and it would instruct him and the old sage on what to teach the students the next day. He looked across at the old sage who was sweeping the space they had used; ensuring that on all levels it would cleaner and clearer than when they first entered it. As the old man swept, a beetle crawled into the space. To anyone else it would have been a nuisance, but not to the old sage who saw it as one of God's creatures and an extension of himself. He picked up the beetle and took it out to the garden where he spoke gently to it before putting it down on the ground.
When the young man, who had followed him out into the garden, questioned him on what he had said to the beetle. The old man replied that, "I had thanked the beetle for allowing to me have a break from my cleaning and experience the beauty that existed in the garden. It is easy for us get caught up in our own world and sometimes it takes the beauty of nature to show us that we are all connected. And to do some kindness, to even something that appears as insignificant as a beetle, can return to you a bounty far in advance of what you did. Look at the garden, it is teeming with life; all the plants and insects working together to create the moment we are now experiencing; a moment only you and I can share. It is only by living in the now and treating everything as sacred that we get to see the beauty in the world. It is through non-judgment that we can truly see the beauty that is inside us all and then it is reflected in the outer world."
"Chung Fu you are the wisest person I have ever met and each day you deepen my wisdom and knowledge of the Tao, but I never see you sharing this wisdom without being asked. Many times I am sure you could have helped people when they need you assistance. Why is that?

That was the first time he had called the old sage by his name in many years. It was good that Huo had gone beyond the master and apprentice relationship because the old sage could see that the young man was already a very wise sage himself. "I was going to answer that question but then spirit prompted me to ask what you think?"

Huo's ego was immediately taking in by the complement, but the real Huo, the eternal, immortal and infinite Huo understood that it was now time for the teaching to come totally from within. By going beyond the need to judge, he allowed a higher awareness to come through. In that moment he understood that he was no longer the apprentice. He answered his own question by saying, "I know that one word from you could change a person's life; a person's evolution. Who are we to decide what a person has incarnated in this life to learn. To give them help without asking is infringing on their journey. It is to treat them as a finite being, rather than an eternal, immortal and infinite being that they are." The young man stopped for a moment as he allowed another impression to come forward; he knew it was time, before he could even voice the words, he had felt it when Chung Fu had suggested that he answer his own question. "I have defined our relationship, as you are the Master and I am the apprentice, but now it is important for me to experience life rather than be defined by our old relationship. It is time for me to move on. I am sure I could learn much more from you, but in my heart I know that I am to become my own teacher. It is time for me to wander the lands and learn from my interactions with all the aspects of the Tao. I thank you from my heart for all that you have taught me, but it is now time for me to go."

Tears escaped from both their eyes as they both knew it was time for Huo to go. Chung Fu had chosen well, the student was now the teacher. The old sage reached into his pocket and pulled out the dragon fly pendant and gave it to the young man.

Huo took the pendant which was now more special than ever, for when he held it or looked at the pendant it would now remind of more than his parents, it would remind him of his time with the old sage. In losing the pendant it had become an even more sacred object.

After saying his goodbyes to the old sage, he went to find Qing. She was in the kitchen preparing their breakfast. He took her in his arms and kissed her full on the lips. At first she tried to pull away, not because she did not want to kiss him, she had wanted it more than life itself, but because it had shocked her that he had been so bold. After pulling slightly away she eased back towards him and joined him in a passionate kiss. During the kiss she could feel that they had come closer together, but on some level further apart. She looked at him for some kind of explanation. He could feel it to. He explained to her that, although he loved her with all his heart, he had to leave her and the old sage so he could continue his inner journey. He promised he would come back for her one day, but he was not ready, his journey was leading him elsewhere.

She tried to talk him out of it, with talk of their life and what their life would be like, but she soon realized she may as well have been taking to the wall of the Pagoda, his spirit was already on the journey and it was his body that needed to catch up.

That evening they held a banquet in his Honour, but before the speeches were finished he had quietly slipped out the side door, collected his small pack and walked from the town.
He looked back a couple of times but only to remember what the town looked like; for the people, Chung Fu and Qing were forever in his heart and he would never forget them.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Take responsibility for your life

Qing the young girl from the kitchen of the Pagoda had started to join Huo and the old sage for their early morning meditation and the talks the old man often gave. Some mornings there were as many as ten students who came to be with the old man. This morning there was only Huo and Qing, neither of which seemed to mind as their friendship, if you could call it that, continued to blossom since the time the old sage brought Huo to the Pagoda. Huo missed living in the forest with the animals and nature, but if he was truly honest with himself, Qing had more than made up for what he missed.
Sitting in a triangle, meditating, the old sage began to speak, "People are not interested in generating energy for their own survival and security; they want someone else to guarantee their security. In doing so they lose their power, shifting it away to someone else, family, friends, religion or the king and his government. We are continually transferring the responsibility and the blame for our lives onto others rather than understanding that what life has given us is what we have created.

"To be a part of the graceful beauty of the Infinite self you first have to take responsibility for where you find yourself in life. Once you do this you will see that the pain that you are suffering from, comes from your reaction to life's circumstances and not from the circumstances themselves."

Huo looked down on his left arm, which had been badly burnt during the fire that consumed his mother and father. His left arm was once withered and paralyzed, but now apart from one or two small scars his left arm was almost normal. He ran his fingers over his face and although he had not looked in a mirror for years, he knew that the scarring on his face had almost disappeared. It was only when he started seeing the beauty that this life had to offer that he could see the beauty that existed in everything. A young child, paralyzed and disfigured, he was able, with the support of the old sage, to see the beauty that existed in himself.

By accepting who he was and disengaging from his emotions he was able to see that he was not his emotions and he was not responsible for other people's emotions. He understood that the way it was, was just the way it was and rather than fight the circumstances he found himself in he could accept them and then move on. Most times when he gave up the resistance, two amazing things happened; either the problem just fell away or in some cases it was the circumstance themselves that taught him a wonderful lesson about himself.

In his own little dream world he had not noticed that the old sage had stopped talking and that Qing was staring at him, while at the same time trying to stifle a laugh, which was wanting to burst forth from her being.
"You will have to get used to that," said the old sage, "Sometimes Huo goes off to other worlds and dimensions that only he has the key to."
They all laughed, albeit Huo's laugh was accompanied by a rather red face, as he blushed at Qing's beautiful smile.
"Now we are all back in the present, let me finish this session by saying; remember the teaching of the Tao: nothing is long or short, hot or cold, good or bad. Once you disengage from the need to judge then you are free to be satisfied with the world and to see the beauty in all things.
life.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - Be Honourable

Thanks to everyone who is reading and following the progress of the Legend of the 33rd Sage. I have viewers from many countries and it does my heart good when I see people from Russia, Korea, India, South and Central America and even Bangeladesh reading my story on my translatable blog. All the lessons and disciplines the young apprentice goes through I have experienced and I can tell you that if you live and breath these disciplines and teachings it will lead you on a wonderful life filled with adventures and experiences you would never think possible. My book the 33rd Sage & the Initiate, which has just been released follows very much the adventures that have happened on my own journey and the weird, wonderful and amazing character I have met along the way. My hope for you is that your life will be filled with such magic. All you have to do is take the first step by asking your God, higher self, the Tao or whatever energy you believe in, to be given wisdom and then be open to wherever this comes from.

Today's chapter is about being honorable. I hope you enjoy and sometime in the future when I wander to your little part of the earth we may meet and share some stories.

Blessings and Peace to you all.

Chapter 12

"Honour is the nobility of the soul, it is about being consistent in your every thought, word and action." Were the words that broke Huo free from his sleep. He opened his eyes to see the old man standing above him. "Today we will begin a new exercise. Meet me outside the pagoda in ten minutes and we will begin."

Huo splashed water on his face to wake himself up. He was tired; surely it was not time to get out of bed. There were sometimes when the disciplines of the old sage seemed downright ridiculous. He hoped whatever the old man had planned that it would have some value. Huo's thoughts and motivations were not quite right this morning; he had travelled with the sage for nearly ten years. His life had been full of experiences and along the way he had helped many people, but what of him, what was he getting out of it? Where would it lead him? Even Sages have their bad days and for some reason that Huo was not able to understand this was starting out as one of his. It was what it was. He had learnt by now not to suppress any of the feelings that came up, not to react to them, but to observe them as they would be his teacher. That was all well and good, but this morning he could have just as easily walked away from his apprenticeship. What of having fun with friends his own age or finding a woman to fall in love with and marry. Since they had been staying in the Pagoda in the city he had seen others his own age enjoying their lives and having fun. Sometimes a normal life had its advantages.
Out the front of the Pagoda all was quiet. There was no noise in the city as everyone except him and the old sage was asleep; even the shopkeepers who woke early to prepare for the daily market were still asleep. What madness did the old man have planned for this day.

Huo found the old sage at the side of the Pagoda, where he was carrying rocks from the front of the Pagoda to the garden on the left side. The old man simply looked up and with a wave of his hand he expected Huo to follow his example. So for the next two hours they shifted hundreds of rocks from the front of the Pagoda to the garden. By the time the sun had risen hundreds of people had walked past the Pagoda, many laughing at the old sage and his apprentice moving the rocks to the garden. Huo was becoming angry at the passers by but the old man's demeanor never changed. He greeted their laughter with a nod and a smile and continued moving the rocks. By the time they had finished moving the rocks Huo was sweaty, tired and exhausted. He tried on many occasions to question the sage but each time he received no response. In the end he gave up asking; he knew better than wasting his time trying to get the old man to talk when he was in one of his focused, silent moments.

Once they were finished the old man suggested that they clean up and meet again in the garden after they had meditated and broken their fast. Without another word or explanation the old sage walked back towards the entrance to the Pagoda, where he bowed three times, removed his shoes and then entered the sacred space.
All the way through the meditation and breakfast Huo could not help thinking about why they had moved all the rocks during the middle of the night; maybe it was to be a surprise for the monks in the Pagoda; maybe the old sage wanted to do it because he had something special planned for the day. Millions of thoughts ran through the young man's mind, so many that he had not even noticed that the old man did not meditate with him or that his breakfast had been improved by extra helpings of many local delicacies, thanks to the young girl in the kitchen, who had taken a shine to the young man. If he had been in the moment rather than worrying about the future or the past he would have noticed these things; especially the young girl who served him his breakfast, for if I do say myself she was very beautiful, with her jade green eyes and blue black hair, that she wore back in a long ponytail. But then I may be biased as she was also to become the apprentice of the old sage, a fact that Huo was totally unaware of.

Huo wandered out to the garden when he had had his fill of an excellent breakfast, which this morning was waisted on him. There, waiting him for him in the garden was the old sage. The moment Huo arrived was the moment the old sage began to work. Huo watched in a measure of horror and mirth as the old man picked up a rock from the garden and carried it back to the front of the Pagoda. Shaking his head Huo joined in and over the next few hours, amongst swearing and other unkind words the two of them moved every rock from the garden back to the front of the Pagoda.

It was while carrying the last rock that Huo totally lost it. It was not in the way you would think, for two hours he had ranted and raved, but now while carrying the last rock he began to laugh for he began to understand why the old sage had them doing what to any body else would have seemed ridiculous. After he placed down the last rock he went over to the old man and gave him a hug. It was the first time he had really shown this type of affection to the old man. In that moment the future and past drifted away and he was totally in the now. The old man smiled, a tear escaped from his left eye. It had taken ten years but now the young man's heart was beginning to fully open. At last he was honoring who he was and what he had become; he was honoring the process of life.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

Thanks to Anthony Hopkins & the essence of life for the use of this beautiful photo

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - I Am That I Am

Over the next couple of years the old sage and his apprentice travelled all over the countryside stopping every now an again where the sage would heal people or teach children about nature and the Elements.

It was during one of these stays in the village of Te Dang when the old sage asked the young man to begin teaching the children about the inner self. For the old sage knew that to master a subject one needed to teach it to others, to allow the teaching to come from within and be expressed as an aspect of the young man in the outer world.
The young man had been nervous all day. In the years he had spent with the old sage he had always been the student, never the teacher, although from time to time he would aid the old sage in his healing of the sick, but he never led anything; always in support. This would be the first time he would take the lead. It was exciting and yet at the same time daunting. He had watched the old man engage with his audience in a matter of seconds and although he sometimes spoke to hundreds it always looked like he was speaking to each one of them individually.

How could he ever be like that? The old man had a magic about him; the magic of the Initiate. He never put himself above anyone. He never engaged anyone in an argument. He never foisted his opinion on anyone, preferring to only answer questions as they were asked. He always accepted without question what each day would bring. He never asked for anything but his needs were always provided.

He remembered back to the day when his pack and the dragonfly pendant were stolen. It had been a horrible day and yet as he looked back on it, it was one of the best teachings he had ever received. Since that day he had become the observer and like the old sage he was now taking each day as it came.

As he relived that day he tried to remember what the old sage had taught him. What had the old sage said; he was having difficulty remembering. Huo took a deep breath, held it for a moment and in seconds he could feel the calmness and all knowing of the Initiate come around him. In his minds eye he could now see the old sage sitting in a meditation.
All at once he opened his eyes and words fell from his mouth although he still seemed to be in a deep trance. The words that fell from his lips were from a deep part of the old sage, in a voice which was very different from the Sage's normal voice. "It is important that you believe that you are already the Initiate and that you have this power within you. You need to make it a part of the your now and not off in some distance future. You need to create the Initiate within, before it can express itself in the outer world. It is in the mirror worlds of the inner self where all creation takes place. What happens in the outer world is but a mirror to what you have created within. If you want to understand what you are creating with your thoughts and feelings all you have to do is look at what is happening in the outer world. If you do not like what is happening then you need to change what you are feeling and thinking. To be the Initiate you have to be able to believe in a life that you cannot hear, touch or taste, but a life that you will eventually begin to feel. It is strange that by believing and opening yourself up to being the the Initiate and walking the way of the Initiate that something inside you opens up to the possibility.

"As you walk the path you will begin to understand that the love that comes from the Tao or God is impartial. Although this energy does not care what you do with your life, it is possible to direct the energy and create whatever you want in your life. I do not mean that if you have a wishy washy thought that you want something that it will come into your life because it won't. You first have to create the feeling of already having it in the inner worlds and then this energy will be expressed and delivered in the outer world and the godforce will manifest what you already believe is yours."

Huo felt reenergized. The words of the old sage coursed through his entire being and then out into the audience before him. Children who were loud and raucous only minutes before were sitting quietly waiting for the young man to speak. "Let me tell you a story," said the young man and the children hung on his every word. "It is the story of a young boy  who was taken in and became an apprentice to an old sage. The old sage taught him about nature and the seasons. He taught him how to connect with the animals and become their friend. He taught him how to sit in the forest and connect with his inner self and to understand that everything in the universe was connected."

As he went deeper into the story and the teachings he received from the old sage he could see the connection he was having with his young students. Their eyes started to bulge as they took in everything he said and even more than that they could take in everything he felt. In many cases they could not understand what he was saying with their logical minds, especially the younger ones, but on some level they all understood.
As Huo was talking a picture began to form in his mind. He continued to teach the children, but a deeper part of himself was focused on the picture which was building in his mind. It was a scene from what looked like the future. As he focused deeper he could see himself as the old sage and following behind him were a number of apprentices, but the landscape was different and this certainly was not China and many of his apprentices were definitely not Chinese. He went deeper into the picture with his feelings and he knew it to be true. Was he creating this future because of his belief in being the initiate or was he growing into a life that was predestined?

Those thoughts and feelings disappeared as he put his attention back on the children before him. He may have had a glimpse of his future but it was what he was doing in the present that would determine what he would become.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - Become the Observer

The old sage tells Huo they will go for a walk in the forest today rather than do their meditation and martial arts training. The boy is a little confused and out of kilter as he has become accustomed to the training in the morning to start the day. His first thought is to pick up his pack and take it with them, but he falters and puts it next to the old man's pack - and "so it shall be," says the old man.

Huo felt uncomfortable. In the pit of his stomach was a queasy feeling, which he did not listen to, putting it down to the change in routine.

The old sage led him on a walk through the woods in the dark. It was pitch black, the new moon shining no light on their journey. Still feeling queasy Huo banged his head on a low lying branch; the same branch the old sage ducked under. The old man knew that it was going to be a tough day for the young man, but he had chosen it by not listening to his inner feelings. It would be a great lesson in many ways.

"Huo if you not want to get another bang on your head or lose more skin off your arms I would suggest that you walk with your feelings; obviously your eyes aren't much help in the darkness. With that the old sage took out a piece of cloth and tied it around Huo's head. "Now you will have to go with your feelings."

The young man panicked. He tried to remove the blind fold, but the old sage reached across and grabbed his arm. "Relax," was all he said and the young man took a deep breath and began to imagine what it would be like to walk in the forest blindfolded. At first he could not imagine it, but  as he became more relaxed he could actually see the forest in his inner mind. He took a few tentative steps, then a few more, soon he was walking at the same speed as he would be when fully sighted on a bright sunny day. He continued to walk easily through the forest trusting nothing but his inner sight and his feelings.

It was then that the nausea returned. He continued to walk trying to not think about the nausea, but the nausea would not disappear and it was not long before he bumped his head again and started losing bits of skin as he walked into more bushes and trees. Huo stopped and removed the blindfold. It was still dark, although a hint of sun was coming up over the hill. He sat down and closed his eyes and centered his feelings in the nausea. After a couple of minutes a picture began to appear in his mind. It was a picture of their camp and he could clearly see their two packs leaning next to each other. He wondered why he was seeing that when all of a sudden the picture changed and a band of men walked into the camp and they were soon rifling through the packs for anything of value. Huo's heart sank when he realized that the dragonfly pendant, the one that was given to him by his parents before they died in the fire was in the pack and his last physical memory of them was about to disappear. He jumped to his feet, maybe he still had time to get there and fight the men for the pendant, but no sooner had he had those thoughts when he realized in his vision of the men it was still dark; it must have happened hours before and he knew he would never get there in time.

He slumped on the ground in resignation. If he had only brought the pack with him. If he had only tapped into the feeling of nausea earlier then it could have been different. After  a few minutes of self pity he sat upright and centered his awareness. He took a few deep breaths and a picture of the bandits appeared in his mind. He sent them love and forgiveness and all the anger that he was holding towards them drifted away. They obviously needed what was in the pack more than he did. It was unfortunate to lose the pendant but his mother and father were deep in his heart. He had learnt a great lesson in the loss of the pendant and that had made it even more special. The old man had taught him to become the observer, but now he knew it was just as important to observe what was going on on the inside. He thanked the Tao for his great lesson and sent a feeling of love out into the world. It was such an expression of love that anybody who had the awareness would have been bathed in its beauty.

 Huo opened his eyes and there sitting beside him in deep meditation was the old sage. Huo waited while the old man finished his meditation and came back into this time and space. While he waited he reflected on what he had learnt that day. One surprising observation he made was the incredible control he had allowed others to have on his life; whether it was the bandits who robbed him, the village people who had made him who he was today, everywhere he looked he could see others trying to control what he thought and did. He realized that by not reacting to others and what they did to him; by being the silent observer of his own life, forgiving himself and others who trespassed against him he found that he was free to be person that he wanted to be.

The old sage just smiled; his apprentice was now free from the emotions and expectations of others. One day he might even give him back the pendant that he removed from the pack when they left the camp that morning.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/