Who is the King? Where does he live? Where is he going?
In the first experimental writing post * Write This Way ( June 2015), I opened a book, *The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and read one sentence.
"He was really a king. He must be disguised to avoid encounters with thieves."
Then wrote for 10 furious minutes with "no thought, no plot."
Summary of Part 1: The King Appears
The king feels danger, alone his saddles his horse and charges down the mountain. He stops to ponder. He takes his sword and scrolls and sends the horse back up the mountain. Then, at dusk, he enters a dark forest. He feels guided by a strange glow. He follows it. After sunrise the next morning, he comes to the edge of the forest. He peeks through the mist to see:
"....a boat waiting there...."
This time, (rule breaker), I didn't use a book inspiration sentence, but wrote from incoming images, Ready Set Write for 10 minutes:
The King sees the rowboat. The empty boat has no oars. He gets into the boat anyway. He will let the gentle current carry him downstream at its own pace. He feels safe in the boat, almost like a quiet cave, a cocoon of thought, contemplation, intuition and mystery. He gently feels the boat move into the water's current. The King is happy and at peace. He feels the security of his protecting sword. His sacred scrolls of learning and vision give him confidence. He meditates while he floats along. It feels good to meditate, free from agenda or intention of outcome. The King Relaxes.
He now remembers he hasn't eaten anything since yesterday. He feels the tug of hunger, but he has already packed a flask of mountain spring water and handfuls of nuts and berries. He slowly savors the simple meal.
Further on down the gentle blue waters of the river, the King feels a cool, almost chilly, breeze. He covers his head with protective clothing and warms his neck. It is early twilight now. He looks into the stream and sees a mysterious object in the now darker blue water. He feels blue light streaming in all around him. The King squints his eyes and sees a large smooth clear quartz artifact looking back at him? What is it? He feels vibrations and communication emitting from it? He hears a audible HUM, the Mantra of the Throat Chakra (color blue), the energy center of truth and communication.
He does not touch the object as he passes by in the boat. The King lets the big blue water guide him gently. He looks back at the crystal. He feels a smile.
Darkness is slowly approaching, where will the King find refuge? He hears and sees in his waking vision a slab of calligraphy, *The Han Shan Temple poem radiates inside him, from the Tang Dynasty. He imagines singing, "Do you know the way to cold mountain temple?" Darkness nears, golden light pinpoints reflect in the water. The king hears the temple bells calling. The King sees other boats near him, some with many passengers. People are coming out of the temple and boarding waiting boats, others are stepping off their boats to enter the temple. Why?
What Will The King Choose?
Coming Soon Preview of next part of The King's Journey:
Sentence from The Alchemist:
" 'What is it you're looking for?' asked the old merchant."
Key Words: Boats, Water, Meditation
Related Posts:
Write This Way, (June 18, 2015), Part One, The King Appears, fun with flash fiction
Get Onboard "On the Boat Together"
Take A Minute, one minute writing
Simultaneous Visions
Phantoms, were the boats on the lake or not?
Blue Me Away
Still Motion
Resources:
* The Alchemist, visionary journey by Paulo Coelho, 25th Anniversary Ed.
**Cold Mountain Temple Poem also known as the Maple Bridge Night Poem from the Tang Dynasty, China,
Music of the Day: Efficient Sleep, relaxation music by Wind Records, Taiwan, some music selections from YMAA.com Dr. Yang, Jwing-ming, Qigong, Taiji, Martial Arts, books, newsletter, articles, free apps.
Meditation: Chopra Center Meditation, free selections and to purchase. The one playing now is Miraculous Esteem, from the Miraculous Relationships 21 Day Meditation Experience from Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey. "I am a perfect divine creation."
Dahlis Roy: Visionary Artist, Author, and Tai Chi Instructor
Images:
Horse and Rider, from an untitled anonymous gift painting, photo by Dahlis
Boat on the Water, cut from a calendar
Mysterious Crystal, photo by Bill Homann, published with permission
Han Shan Temple Poem, (The Maple Bridge Night Poem), Chinese Cultural Center, Phoenix, Arizona USA, photo by Emilie
