THE CAVE YOU FEAR

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Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was a highly regarded American Professor of Literature who taught and wrote on Comparative Mythology and Religion. He was also featured in several television and movie productions.  

His quote, ‘THE CAVE YOU FEAR TO ENTER HOLDS THE TREASURE YOU SEEK,’ is replete with meaning. But rather than go into my own speculations on what meaning may be found in these words, I have included a short excerpt found in Elysium’s Passage: Surreal Adventures.

After writing about this incident, it occurred to me that there was a very interesting allegorical message in what occurred to James within a series of mammoth mountain caverns. This lesson wasn’t lost on him either, as he struggled with his fears after entering the cave to find where the light might lead him. But when the light dimmed and became extinguished, he couldn't find his way back. But since he had committed himself to this venture, there was no returning because he didn’t know where he came from. After pursuing his light, he now found himself lost and very afraid.

This excerpt is taken from the last chapter of SURREAL ADVENTURES, Book Four in the ELYSIUM'S PASSAGE series:

 

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I’M A CAVEMAN

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.
                                           Joseph Campbell

In no time, quite literally, I arrived back at the lodge, expecting Eli to greet me with a pint of bitter as he often did after a hike. I hoped the three of us would again sit by a roaring fire in the fireplace, and I would tell of my exotic adventures to their bated breath.

But alas, nothing… no streamers, music, or nymphs, visible or invisible, for that matter. No clinking glasses with exquisite libations befitting a hero’s homecoming. What a letdown! I had so much to share after all I had been through on my island and seafaring adventures with Rhom. They should have known.                                    

Or, perhaps, they weren’t aware of what was going on. Last night, I sent them a telepathic equivalent of a text message, indicating that I’d be back today, so I thought I had a good reason to assume they’d be here ready to greet me. Maybe their telepathic transmitters were down.

Well then, I thought, if that’s how they want to be, I’d have my own celebration. I then uncorked a bottle of Rhom’s Caribbean rum, even though it seemed a shame to have to drink it all alone. Probably, I wouldn’t have even needed it, but what fun would that be? They had to go together, I laughed to myself; why not… spirits for a spirit body?

In contrast to the bright, sunny skies of my tropical island, the Summit skies were shrouded in ominous grey clouds. Nothing in the lodge had changed, not even a note on the table was left saying when they’d be back. Then again, maybe they wouldn’t be back. After imbibing a couple of glasses, I took a walk along the familiar trails on the ridge, hoping to find them just as I had when I first arrived on the summit.

As the sun was setting, I returned to the lodge, lit a couple of lanterns, and then built a fire. After moping about, I took a book off the mantle as I slunk down in my old lounge chair, watching the flames consume the pile of wood I had split before my trip.

‘Very disappointing,’ I said to myself. ‘Very disappointing, indeed.’ It wasn’t as if I could teleport off to Elysium just like that to look them up. The fall guy would first have to die. I wondered how he was doing, yet I didn’t wish to visit him at this time as I was depressed enough already without having to go to a funeral in the making.

After enduring all those dark and lonely nights on the island, I realised how much I missed my companions, especially when I had so many fascinating stories to share about my adventures; some deeply personal, some bizarre, and yes, some humorous, especially after being with Rhom. And then, of course, there was that strange cypher he drew in the sand. What would they make of that? I was anxious to find out… that still had me fascinated, if not a little confused.

Finally, I blurted out, ‘After all I have to share, you blokes don’t even bother to show up! I thought we were supposed to be friends… so where’s my hero’s welcome?’

Assuming they were unaware of my return, I rang them again, so to speak, sending a resounding intent off into the aether. No answer. I was beginning to wonder if I had been gone too long. What if they had been reassigned to someone else who needed more help than me? Still, considering all we had been through, what could be more important than being here for me?

Of course, I didn’t know what they might have going on in Elysium; maybe girlfriends they didn’t want me to know about. If that was the case, I suppose that might explain why they never stayed with me overnight. That was amusing to think; I hadn’t thought of that before.

So, what happens now if no one shows up? I asked myself. What would I do, where would I go? Things could get lonely up here, with no one on this plane other than Mo and Eli. Of course, there was Rhom, although who knows what dimension he might have sailed off into by now. Maybe docking our ship in Lisbon through some time warp. Anyway, here I am,  marooned on this Summit.

Concern gave way to worry and fear, much like when I got trapped on the ledge before Eli literally dropped in to rescue me. I know I could go anywhere, but where do you go when you’re caught between dimensions, one being the earth plane and the other Elysium, and not belonging in either?

I thought I had conquered all my old fears on the island; seemingly not. I felt disappointed in myself for succumbing to my old terrors of abandonment.

I told myself to get a grip; after all, I could visit Julianne anytime I wanted, but I didn’t wish to stalk her; I had more class now… at least until my next temptation. It would be far better if I could figure out how to bring her here into my dimension, something like how Sophia came to me in the Flatlands. Better yet, maybe bring them both here, and we could really party.

Or, what would happen if I invited my disincarnate ghost angel to spend the night with me as she had before? I wondered if she was the snow angel Eli claimed to have seen making an angel in the snow… not that I believed him. Anyway, if she were actually real, I could sure use her company about now. I imagined her walking through the door, only this time coming to me as a sexy diva goddess in a while silk gown. Why not? I may as well make it good in case I should manifest her out of the aether, even if this weren’t exactly a ballroom.

Perhaps we would share a few glasses of wine from the cellar… then who knows where things might lead? Of course, I wasn’t expecting anything except a lonely night nursing what remained in the bottle; this was just a little fantasy to keep myself amused while waiting for Godot.[1]

By now, the fire had burned down, so I put a few more logs in the fireplace, then went out to see if my friends might be walking down the ridge to greet and congratulate me. Of course, there was no one; why need look? It was pitch dark, with no moon to illuminate the sky. Everything seemed so damn gloomy. I went back in, took one last swig out of the bottle.

As I did, I looked at the exquisite bottle, wondering if it could be from the sixteenth century and how many others I had imbibed from the same vintage back then. Time: that was a real poser. After looking out the window again, to make sure no one was coming down the path to visit me, I slumped down in my chair, unsure of what to do next.

Finally, I picked up my journal to review some of my recent entries, then added a few more notes on what Rhom had to say about the equation, which reminded me to carve the equation deeper into my shillelagh as Rhom had suggested. And with that, my mind, too, so it could be part of my cellular memory when I returned home.

After completing the carving,  I put the stick down but continued to think about the equation. It intrigued me to consider what interdimensional activation code might be captured within this formula, as Rhom seemed to suggest. As I closed my eyes, I wondered if everything that had happened to me in this realm was just a preparation for my next, most crucial ascent.

I don’t know how late it was… likely long after midnight, when suddenly, some very strange and extraordinary things began to happen. Out of nowhere, a bright light flashed in through the window. At first, I assumed it was just my state of mind, perhaps some quirky illusion from lingering flames in the fireplace. But that made no sense as the shadows became more pronounced while only a few embers remained smouldering.

Finally, after things had settled down, I was about to go to my loft when another series of flashes suddenly streamed through the window, illuminating everything. ‘What in bloody hell is going on?’ I asked aloud. It was like police and emergency vehicles suddenly showing up outside my flat with lights flashing in the middle of the night… except this wasn’t London. I jumped up and stepped outside to see what was happening. As I walked onto the deck, I was astonished to see a light show in the sky. The low-lying clouds in the night sky pulsated with what might seem to be lightning charges.

That would have been a reasonable and natural explanation, except all remained eerily silent, with no rumblings or cracks of thunder. Not just the cabin but the whole landscape appeared to be aglow with a brilliant, apocalyptic luminosity. Was this the fabled end of the world? I stood there transfixed, watching the skies light up like strobe lights in a disco. But there was nothing to be heard… no trumpets, no sirens - nothing at all.  

I wondered if this was some colossal fireball exploding somewhere on the horizon. Still, I heard nothing, only a sustained silence. What else could it be? ‘Good God,’ I heard myself exclaim, ‘that had to be one bloody hit if that’s what it was.’ Never before had I seen anything like this. I scrambled to the ridge to see how things might appear along the western horizon. When I arrived, the entire range was bathed in a golden radiance.

Then, as if to put a big exclamation mark on things, the skies suddenly darkened again. And yet, the show wasn’t over. Far off in the distance, a bright ray of light was trained on a distant mountain. If I wasn’t mistaken, this was the Magic Mountain that Eli had pointed out to me, the one with a cave etched into the glacier. 

I couldn’t tell if the ray was a laser projection from within the cave or if it was being directed towards it by something like a forestry helicopter with a searchlight. At this hour, that seemed most unlikely, especially when there was nothing or no one to search for… except possibly me. I could think of no logical explanation; whatever was happening was most peculiar and unnerving.

The longer I stood watching from the ridge, the more enchanted I became by this throbbing iridescent light from the direction of the glacier’s aperture. I could scarcely contain my curiosity, feeling lured to go there as if in a trance, like some entranced Eloi.[2] Might this have to do with an alien abduction, even in this realm?

But why wouldn’t they just come for me if that’s what they wanted to do? Although they wouldn’t be able to abduct a spirit, would they... unless they existed in the same dimension? Too bad Rhom wasn’t with me; at least he was a friendly off-worlder. But I couldn’t just stand here all night and wonder what was going on. After some hesitation, I willingly surrendered to whatever was resonating within me as if I had been drawn in by an etheric force field. I had no fear, perhaps because I wished to answer its call.

And so, the moment I intended to deport myself there, I found myself standing at the entrance of an icy cave, dazed in an aureate sphere of golden light that seemed to emanate from within. I thought again of Yeshua’s transfiguration. Possibly, this was something like that—very calming, placid, and peaceful, except there were no angels, Moses, or Elijah. But what would happen if I were to enter? I thought of the movie, The Temple of Doom. Would I ever come out again on this side after being absorbed into whatever terror might be waiting from within the bowels of the mountain? I had to decide, realising I couldn’t just remain here doing nothing.

Alternatively, I could return to the Summit and wonder what escapade I might have missed. Yet turning tail wasn’t my style. I looked up to see if any craft was hovering in the air, then gazed below the vertical escarpment. It was very high up here, much higher than my mountain’s summit. I doubted whether anyone had ever been here before.

The fissure in the rock and glacial ice at the cave entrance was probably no higher than two metres, and about a metre wide. From what I could tell, the light’s intensity seemed more subdued further inside, as if beckoning me into its gentle and warm glow. Though it seemed the light was emanating from within, there was no way of telling what its source might be.

 Should I follow my heart’s wanderlust or obey the rational mind cautioning me? I hadn’t forgotten what happened the last time I stepped forward, only to end up in a bloody heap at the bottom of an abyss. I looked back towards the safely of my summit lodge, hesitating to step inside. What if this were a trap, a tunnel of doom? Would I ever get out again? And if I did, would I be the same person who entered? There was only one way to find out… I’d have to take the chance, so finally, that’s what I did as I stepped into the cave, taking one slow, tentative step at a time. No more than thirty yards inside, the light had subsided as I came to what appeared to be a terminus, where only a faint light emitting a glow through a small portal splintered off to the left.

After crawling through, I came to an opening where I had to grapple up and through several constricting wormholes, as I called them. From there, things became even more challenging, to the point where I was tempted to turn around and go back.

Had I known where I was going, I suppose I might have attempted to teleport through the tunnel. I was still baffled by how I could beam myself to mountains, and other destinations like Julianne’s flat, the hospital, my island, or even here to this cave. However, deporting through a mountain felt risky. It didn’t seem the appropriate time or place to experiment with traversing through a dense mountain. All I wanted to do was follow the light to see where it might lead.

As a climber and sometimes spelunker, I loved to explore hidden caves and tunnels whenever I could. After all, life is a journey, not a destination. How many times had I heard that? Lots of people say that without knowing why. For me, in this dimension, however, it was more apparent than ever.

Having now put these concerns behind me, things seemed much easier as I went on, higher and higher, deeper and deeper in, savouring every step of my new venture as I advanced towards what I believed might be the light’s source. At times, it felt as though I was floating through the light, and maybe I was, caught in the current of a gentle stream of water.

Rather than feeling claustrophobic, as I had in some tight tunnels before, I felt a tingle of excitement, anticipating that I was being led into a new adventure that might lead to something even more exciting than my recent MMT, unless I was still on it. And yet, notwithstanding the mysterious light and the gentle bidding inward, was this not just another cave with tunnels?

After another forty or fifty metres past the last rise, the tunnel was high enough for me to stand erect. Then, as I approached a fork, I wasn’t sure whether I should go to the left or to the right. Though there was some light, I couldn’t tell which tunnel it was coming from.

Finally, I decided to take the left tunnel, thinking it might lead somewhere. Not before long, however, everything became pitch dark. Suspecting it would soon come to an end, I retreated to the fork and continued in the other direction, hoping it would lead to something more promising than the other. As I proceeded through the tunnel, it narrowed to a small fissure where I could see a bright light shining through a tight shaft.

I pulled myself up and crawled along for a few metres before entering a vast opening. ‘Bloody hell,’ I exclaimed, ‘I didn’t see this coming.’ As I got on my feet, I looked about, and from what I could tell in the dim light, it felt spacious, like an ancient coliseum.

After surveying its immensity, I proceeded slowly on the rugged, uneven slab flooring towards the centre, where the light now seemed little more than a candle lit inside St Paul’s Cathedral. Though I could make out the cavern’s walls and ceiling, I couldn’t see well, even with my etheric body’s eyes. As I surveyed the colossal majesty, I noticed several passageways that appeared to head off in various directions, even though there was no way of knowing where or how far they might lead. Since no light was emitting from any of them, I became concerned about how to proceed further towards the light.

Or was this supposed to be the end? As I stood there, I began to feel increasingly anxious about what to do as the light’s glow continued to dim to the point that I was worried about how I would find my way out, no longer sure where I had crawled through the narrow fissure. Soon, all had grown dark without a flicker of light. Now I was even more distraught; had this been the plan, to lead me here and then entrap me in darkness?

I tried to tell myself there was nothing to be concerned about; as a spirit, I could go anywhere I damned well please, be it my summit lodge, Julianne’s bedroom or Quincy’s Jazz Club, a few blocks from my flat. But my mind wasn’t buying it. I needed to do something and do it quickly, or it would be too late. The more I worried about my situation, the more I panicked. I realised it was irrational; nevertheless, nothing needs to make sense once dread finds its way into the soul, where it too becomes a cavern of darkness.

Though I could see reasonably well in the cabin at night, even without a lantern, I couldn’t see anything here. The shadow of doom encroached deeply into my psyche until it was no longer a shadow but inner darkness itself, like the nights on the ledge before Eli rescued me.

Again, my fear told me not to attempt to teleport out of the mountain since it was hardly the time or place to be experimenting with new manoeuvrings through a dense mountain,  as if this was nothing more than Julianne’s bedroom door. What if I couldn’t get through and become encased like a fossil in granite? That would be worse than what Mo told me about Nero’s experience in hell. I would never find any light there, especially if my etheric body became trapped in a density too great to escape. That would give new meaning to the word claustrophobia. 

I stood paralysed in fear, not knowing what to do next. And yet I understood from my time at sea that the rational mind could prevail in a panic if there were at least a flicker of hope, and there almost always was. If only I could find one now. Yet there was nothing... I was trapped, even as a spirit. Bloody hell, this feels like damnation… not good!

There was little I could do except move forward blindly, one small step at a time, feeling heavier than I ever remembered in my physical body as I stretched out my hands lest I bump against something I didn’t wish to pass into, such as the mountain’s mass. I heard bats swooping in the air, causing me to wonder what other creatures and wraiths might swoop by to haunt and torment me. I was beginning to think some evil shaitan had drawn me into this temple of doom.

In my despair, I sat down, then stretched out on my back, looking upwards, wondering if there might be something up there that would rescue me – maybe God. Wasn’t He supposed to be somewhere above, at least in a fashion?

Again, I hadn’t felt so hopeless since being stranded on the summit’s ledge for over two days and nights. I thought about all the time I spent in despair, even though I could have rescued myself had I known who and what I was. But why didn’t I? I realised it was simply my refusal to believe I was in spirit form, even though they tried to tell me, so it was no one’s fault except mine, although the experience taught me how I, in my ignorance, had limited myself.

So, what about now… what was I not believing? Might there be something I needed to learn from this, or was this the end? It felt like the end.

I remember finally calling out to God while stranded on the ledge, but nothing happened. At least not until Eli called out to me from above. Eli wasn’t God, but I suppose he could have been God’s proxy… I’ll give him that. But where was he now when I really needed him? Likely, he had no idea where I was, assuming I’m sipping pina Coladas on the island as he races his MGB through the hills of Elysium on some auto steeple chase.

But here I was, feeling too paralysed with fear to get off my back and onto my feet. The cave remained as dark as my despair. What happened to the light that was illuminating my way? Yes, that was a trick... a sadistic setup.

Or had my fears extinguished the light? I remembered reading somewhere that you will find your treasure in the cave you fear.[3] Well, from what I could tell, there were no treasures here. But how would I know that? I was in pitch darkness. What I needed most was to find my light; that alone would be all the treasure I could ask for.

Then another famous quote came to mind from an American president, possibly Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said during the Second World War, There is nothing to fear but fear itself. Well, that’s jolly, I thought: nothing to fear; yet here I stand alone, fearful.

I tried to think of other sayings that might encourage me as I lay there in my paralysis of fear. Ah, yes, of course; Aristotle once said it is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. Who was it that first quoted that to me? Perhaps it was Miguel in my early student days; it seemed he always had a plethora of appropriate quotes for every occasion. Back then, I was in despair over a young lassie I recently lost. Over the years, those words have stuck with me, although that was nothing like it is now.

Still, I needed to focus on finding the light, any light. Lying here under the weight of fear wasn’t going to help; I needed to get on my feet and find my way out. I had no idea how long I stood there, wavering about, deciding which direction to go.

At last, I stepped forward, hoping I was headed toward the small aperture where I had entered this cavern. I don’t know what super-gravitational force had weighed me down, but I wasn’t able to release this massive field that was compressing me down so heavily.

The more I feared, the heavier my body got. Probably, this was just an illusion in my mind, since I was in a spirit body not subject to gravity, except for what I projected. Or was it possible that fear created this condition? Isn’t that what fear does – weigh us down? So it seems.

As I continued to shuffle ahead aimlessly in the dark, all at once, there was nothing under my feet, and once again, I felt myself plunging into an abyss, only this time what seemed a long, dark shaft. In shock, my mind relapsed into images of tumbling down the chasm.

However, this plunge was different, as if I were floating down into oblivion, suspended in time while fending off real or imagined demons, ghosts, dragons and monsters, as taunted on the island. I also saw a soulless face staring blankly at me as if indifferent to my fate. Worst of all, it was my face.

I must have hit bottom, although I don’t remember anything. By then, it seemed nothing was left to me but death. Not only would my body die, but my soul too, alone and abandoned in a tomb of everlasting darkness, embalmed in fear.

Words echoed in my mind from years long gone by: ‘Nothingness, nothingness, nothingness. Is this what Heidegger meant in Das Nichts Nichte?[4] The first fall stripped me of my earthly body; now, it seemed I had been stripped of what was left of me. I had been laid bare, an empty shell, maybe not even a shell. 

I tried to get up, but collapsed as if I were carrying a thousand pounds. More importantly, if felt my soul had fallen, lost in darkness. What had I done to deserve this fate? Death was upon me; soon, I would be no more, forever annihilated. At this point, I would welcome that to an eternity in this pit.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, I heard footsteps coming, slowly getting louder. A soft glow of light was shining through a narrow wedge in what seemed to be my tomb. Next, I sensed a presence approaching me, as if a silhouette. A man stood in silence before me. In the flicker of his torch, I sensed a gentle smile but couldn’t make out his face. Yet something within me said that we had met before. I felt it was the Trail Guide, though I couldn’t be sure. He spoke no words except for what he impressed upon my mind.

‘Fear not, my weary warrior; you’re not alone… never have you been alone. But now I’m telling you, lay aside your terror; they need plague you no more. Forthwith, you shall walk this earth in strength and valour, slaying every dragon that breathes its fire. I came to conquer death… and so shall you. Now, rise a new man.

Then, from his side, he unsheathed his magnificent Excalibur.[5] In the reflection of the torch’s flame, it seemed to blaze as he raised it high and struck the boulder imprisoning me in my tomb with one mighty blow, shattering it to rubble. An undeniable sense of renewal coursed through my being, as if the fragments of my shattered soul had been drawn together.

‘Whether you ascend into the heavens or descend into the hells, there’s nothing to fear; I shall be with you unto the ends of the earth.[6] If you believe this, you will follow the light, not to reflect the light, but to be the light.

‘Rise now and go forth to conquer, wielding your mighty Excalibur to shatter the world’s dark fortresses. Nothing shall obstruct your way. What is not of the Light shall be extinguished by the Light. And as you follow the light, so shall you become the Light.’

Reaching out his hand, he effortlessly lifted me from the tomb of my fears. The lightness of my spirit was restored, much like when Eli extended his hand to me when I thought I would die. Then, he placed a silver chain around my neck, on which hung a golden key.

‘As you follow the light out of the darkness, this key will unlock your door that opens the passage to your new life. But be careful which you choose, lest you be led into temptation.’

With that, without saying a word, he walked away, sword in hand, his steps echoing through a dark tunnel I hadn’t seen before.

For some reason, perhaps emotional trauma, I swooned and collapsed to the ground. This time, not from despair, but surrender to a new lightness of being, unburdened by fear. There, I remained in what might be called a deep soul sleep, much like what I experienced when I separated from my body at the bottom of the summit’s abyss.

There’s no way of knowing how long I lay there; was it three hours or was it three days? I didn’t know, yet somehow, it felt like it might have been three days. As I awoke, my dazed and blurry mind recalled the man who had visited me. At first, I was inclined to believe this was only an apparition from a dream I had while lying here. Though my reasoning mind insisted none of this happened, I was delusional… a result of my addled imagination. Worse, more than ever, I was alone. And yet, had not just been told, I was never alone.

As I lay there, I noticed a flame glowing in the distance. At first, I thought it might be a candle, but then it seemed more like a torch. The more I focused on it, the brighter it seemed, providing me with hope that there might be a way out.

Could this be the same light that guided me into the cavern? Perhaps it had always been here, but in my fear, I saw only darkness. It now seemed this light was coming from a tunnel I hadn’t noticed before. Or had I? Then it occurred to me… that man, the one I thought I might have imagined, had walked out through this tunnel, leaving me his torch.

I gripped the golden key hanging from my neck. It was true; that was no dream; indeed, it happened; indeed, I had been visited by an angel with a mighty sword, perhaps Archangel Michael.

Now inspired, a surge of energy pulsed through me as I sprang to my feet, grabbed the torch, and stepped into the tunnel. As I quickened my pace, I noticed a faint glow of light in the distance. Was this the same light that guided me into the cavern, I wondered.

The further I moved along, the more apparent it became that this tunnel would lead me out of what seemed to be my tomb. I now felt renewed hope welling within me as I spiralled further in and further up the tunnel, never diverting my attention from the dim glow ahead.

Feeling elated, I shouted, just as I had after confronting my dark side on the beach. ‘Indeed, I am the conqueror… for I have conquered; never again shall I be possessed by the spectre of fear or its dragons.’

I laughed… well, that sounded impressive, if not authoritative. I should have used that line on my thesis advisor when he tried to intimidate me.[7]

Eventually, I found myself again in what seemed an enormous cavern. I couldn’t tell if it was where I had fallen down the shaft into my hell. As before, there was a subdued glow of light, though I had no idea where it was coming from. It just was. But as I focused, its luminosity seemed to shift positions, possibly to divert me from falling into other crevices.

This manoeuvring continued until, seemingly, my guiding light illuminated what seemed little more than an indenture in the cavern’s wall. There was no tunnel in it; however, I noticed a ray of light streaming down from a narrow fissure high above. Might this be a portal that leads out of the cavern, I wondeered? It was worth a try.

I felt that my body was still too dense to levitate, as I often did, when climbing certain mountains near the summit. So, instinctively, I threw my torch towards the aperture above, where it landed on a nearby ledge. Then, I used my hands and feet to grapple upwards, like when I first scaled the summit. It was hard work, but I noticed the higher I rose, the lighter and more agile my body felt, notably as I regained my courage and confidence. The heavy load I carried below seemed to have lifted just as the burden of fear had lost its grip on my mind.

When I finally reached the opening, there was enough space to crawl through. Again, I clutched my torch while entering a narrow passage that allowed me to walk upright for some distance, navigating through several twists and turns while advancing toward what I presumed to be the mountain’s interior. I recalled how my friends often described me as being on a journey further in and higher up, despite the falls and setbacks along the way. In this case, it felt literally true; the further I went in, the further up I ascended. Indeed, an allegory for my soul’s journey. My question now was, where might that journey lead me?

Finally, I came upon a fork of two tunnels. Once again, I would have to choose which one to take, even though there was no way to know which would lead me in the direction I should go, wherever that was. I thought the only way to find out was to explore one, and if that didn’t work, try the other, as I had done last time, after all, isn’t that what life is about… exploring our options?

 At last, I decided to choose the broader pathway, the one to the left, as it seemed it might have a slight decline that would be easier and smoother.

I proceeded a fair way down the tunnel before coming across a cave with an iron gate at the entrance. I tried to open it, but couldn’t. As I peered between its bars. I noticed something that glittered in the glow of my torch,

I could hardly believe what I saw. In the flicker, there seemed what I appeared to be heaps of gold and silver piled everywhere.

      In my Excitement, I tried once again to open the gate, this time shaking it, but without success. As I stood there, looking in, I wondered how I could get in to find out where this cave might lead, although I had the feeling that if I did, I might soon go off course and never return to my journey in this, my Magic Mountain. But then, how did I know this wasn’t where Elysium’s Passage was supposed to lead? As I thought about this, I wondered what else was inside. I need to find a way.

Then, suddenly, I remembered the golden key hanging from my neck. Would it unlock the iron gate to these riches? I doubt it, but I wouldn’t know unless I tried. So, I turned the key, and surprisingly, the door swung open of its own accord. Slowly, I walked to a pile of gold and stuck the torch shaft into it as I ran my hands through its phantasmal glitter. It felt good – a thrill that few will ever experience. 

Then, I walked further in, where I found even more gold, this time mixed in with silver, diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems strewn everywhere. Damn, I thought, there had to be a value of hundreds of billions of British pounds scattered about. Perhaps the Spanish Conquistadors stashed their treasure up here hundreds of years ago, where it would be safe.

As if that wasn’t enough, I could see more tunnels leading out at the far end of the cavern, each with an iron gate. As I peered through the bars, I noticed more gates inside leading to more and more caves, further and further in.

Since I had the key, I realised that if I wanted, I could unlock these passages to where I could become the wealthiest man on the planet. Nevertheless, I understood that each would lead me to a place where it would be hard for me to return to my journey, not because I couldn’t, but because I probably wouldn’t want to once I was entranced by the raw, extravagant power of all this mammon. 

Should I unlock these gates, I suspected they would lead to other caverns, descending into countless portals of power, prestige, and gratification. Isn’t that what generally flows out of unlimited resources? Soon, I would be drawn down into this world, far from the spiritual quest I had embarked on since my time at the Summit. Was it worth it, I asked myself?

Then, as in an echo, I heard the words of the one who freed me from my dungeon below: Be careful which door you choose lest you be led astray into darkness. With that, I realised I could be led astray by how all this glitter might capture my soul as it did with countless others. And yet, how could I walk away from all this, when it was all I could ever want, not to mention attracting as many beautiful women as I desired? Yes, in my hand, I held the key to all the world had to offer.

I had to think about this… very carefully. So I sat on a pile of gold to figure out how I might have all this even as I continued on my journey. Why not? If I carefully retraced my steps to where I first entered the mountain, I would eventually find my way out and return to the lodge until the fall guy recovered. Then, after, I could return with a helicopter, wheelbarrow, and the necessary equipment, so I could scoop up the riches and return home, only this time in style.

But what if the fall guy didn’t make it? Certainly, Elysium would have no use for any of this. From what I understood, they already had plenty of their own… even their streets were paved with gold, I chuckled to myself. All I would possess there was the soulless glitter of the world, forgoing the inward riches of what might have been. The irony wasn’t lost on me.

I took the key from my neck and pondered it in my hand. I was warned that this might unlock a world of dark temptations, where I may not wish to go further. But then, I didn’t even know where I was going. So then, if not to open these gates, what door was this key for?

Did my rescuer not say it would open the door to a new passage in my life? Might this be to Elysium’s Passage… the one my companions talked about? If so, how would I find the door? In the past, I had taken the broad, easy way downwards, not the narrow path that led upward. Now I had to choose; would I take the easy road, the one most travelled, or the challenging road less travelled? It seemed this question was a metaphor for my life.

Considering all this, I had to ask myself if any of this could give me more than the inner riches I had already received since venturing into this higher passage that might ultimately lead to Elysium’s Passage. It seemed a foolish question as I recalled all my good times with Mo and Eli, the trips to see Julianne, and later meeting Rhom – likely my old friend Miguel. These were all part of my soul-enriching discoveries since leaving London, including that watershed moment of encountering the spectre of my mother on the beach, followed by all my exciting voyages on the seas and enlightening adventures on virtual islands. Indeed, I was already a rich man, even without all this gold, silver and diamonds.

Having arisen from my tomb below, I now felt reborn. The voice in the mountain meadow proclaimed nothingness, nothingness, nothingness; finally, I had emerged out of the void into a new life of everything. Was I now ready for unconditional love, be it with Julianne, Sophia, or someone else?

 

I got off the pile of gold, staring back at it winsomely, knowing what lingered on my mind. Despite all these profound reflections, I still wished I had a backpack to fill with gold. Not for me, though, the fall guy; he might need it, I chuckle. Taking a last look at all the glitter, I walked out the gate, checking that it was locked… just in case. After all, I was only human… sort of.

After returning to the tunnel forks, I proceeded on the narrow way, further up and further in. [8] After a considerable distance, I noticed an arch overhead, engraved with lettering. How was that possible?

I held up my torch and examined the imprint. Amazingly, it was encrypted with ancient Latin letters I recognised. Then, as I put the letters together, the words leapt out to me: VINCIT QUI SE VINCIT: He conquers who conquers himself.

Indeed, that was Mo’s message to me, too, often repeating this phrase in both English and Latin. How, I wondered, had this come to be engraved in this tunnel? After all, these weren’t ancient Roman ruins, nor did they sail to Chile that they might etch this here in anticipation of my stumbling across these words thousands of years later.

And yet I was a conqueror, having risen from a tomb of fears and shunning the allure of gold, power and gratification. Maybe I was now ready to enter my new kingdom, wherever that might be. Yet I didn’t do any of this alone. I had Mo, Eli and Rhom with me most of the way. And now, some angel or warrior with a sword set me free, raising me to my feet before offering me a key. But a key to where? Did he say heaven?

As I was thinking about this, I remembered that, even in the dimness, something about him was familiar. Could this really have been the mountain guide Rhom and I recently met in the Hill Country, the one who fried us fish from what he caught in the mountain lake above and spoke with such wise eloquence?

‘It might have only been a virtual experience, but was it any less real than what I experienced in the bowels of this mountain? Regardless of who that was, I realised I was never alone, nor would I ever be. So why should I ever again return to the fears that I, the conquer, had conquered? With that thought, I felt my inner confidence renew as the passage glowed more brilliantly, beckoning me further in, further up. I was about to lay my torch down, but changed my mind after considering what other adventures might await me. Inspired, I continued through the passageway until I arrived at what resembled a rugged stone stairway that led a long way upwards.

Again, I thought of how effortless it was to climb when there wasn’t all that needless density to lug around. Before, I was confused, feeling heavy and paralysed, fearing for my very existence. Now, I scampered up the long trajectory with a spring in my step, where exhaustion could no longer hold me back. In the same way, fear could no longer hold me down after being raised by the Mountain Guide, if that’s who it was. 

   Now, at the top of these seemingly interminable stone stairs, the way forward seemed assured as I proceeded further in. I felt the warmth of the glowing radiance, just as I had when I first entered the mountain, assuring me that my past forebodings were behind me.

    Then, slowly, the passage began to narrow where it might soon end. Then what? Still, it seemed there had to be more – why else would the light have drawn me in this far to nowhere? And yet, I could now see that most assuredly, the passage was about to end.

However, as I got closer, I saw a large, roughly hewn oak door inset into the tunnel’s terminus. Apart from my torch, the only light I could see was the rays streaming under the door. The guiding light was no more.

What might be on the other side, I wondered? If I were to enter, what would happen? Would I be trapped in some dark dungeon, forever tormented by the demons in my mind? Such an insane thought, had I not finally disavowed these phantoms of fear?

I took another step, then noticed another Latin inscription etched in stone over the door's archway, proclaiming OMNIA VINCIT AMOR. Yes, indeed: Love Conquers All… even my recurring fears. I recalled Eli quoting these words to me at the Summit; still, what does anyone know about love?

 Was this not written thousands of years ago by the Roman poet Virgil? At another time and place, he might have engraved this? What an intriguing, if not fortuitous, sequence of inscriptions these were. First, it was VINCIT QUI SE VINCIT: He Conquers Who Conquers Himself, and now it’s OMNIA VINCIT AMOR: Love Conquers All.

Why, out of nowhere, was I suddenly confronted with these ancient Latin engravings? What was I to make of this – that love must conquer me so I might conquer myself? A strange paradox, indeed. But how is such love to be found?

Then, over to the right of the doorway, I noticed a third engraving:  PULCHRITUDO SPLENDOR VERITATIS. Yes, indeed, beauty is the splendour of truth.  

Of all places, what does beauty, splendour, and truth have to do with anything here, where there’s nothing but bats and darkness? But then, according to Mo and Eli, this was not any mountain; this was my Magic Mountain.

And yet, I couldn’t help wonder what had drawn me here – a spell, a charm or a curse? Had I been enchanted into this massive sepulchre only to stand before this majestic door and ask why?

Just then, I heard something on the other side. How was that possible unless I had completely lost my mind? I stood with my ear cupped to the door, bewildered by what I heard: the din of talk and gaiety… and laughter… astonishingly, women’s laughter, all music to the ears of my lonely soul.

No, this couldn’t be... not here. And yet, there it was again, this time unmistakably louder. I had been through a lot, so it must be my addled mind hearing what I wanted to hear, seduced by celebratory phantasms of joy, cheer and delight.  Or had I been lured into a trap where I’d fall into another shaft of darkness… how was I to know?

So, what was I to do? Retreat into the darkness from which I came? No, there was no going back. I had come this far; now, I must go the distance to find what was behind the door. It was my fate!

With trepidation, I gripped the gold key, turned the lock, lifted the iron latch, then, slowly, pulled back the mammoth oak door.

 ENDNOTES

[1] Waiting for Godot, a popular book I read several years ago. Written by Samuel Beckett in 1952.
[2] In reference to the fair, docile Eloi race that would be entranced and consumed by the underground troglodyte Morlocks in H.G. Wells’ novel, The Time Machine (1895)
[3] I must have been thinking of Joseph Campbell’s quote that I heard somewhere: the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.
[4] Translated from German as The Nothing nothings, a phrase imputed with profound meaning by Martin Heidegger, a seminal thinker of the Continental philosophical tradition.  
[5] Excalibur is the legendary Arthurian sword believed to hold ultimate power, which can only be wielded by the true master. In certain traditions, it means hard lightning.
[6] A few years later, I discovered this phrase in the Gospel of Matthew 28:20.
[7] This was a situation I described in Chapter One of Book Two: The Summit.
[8] While writing about this incident a few years later, a friend pointed out a couple of relevant quotes about these two approaches to life. The one on the right is narrow, while the other on the left is broad. Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction… narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life. (Matthew 7:13,14, KJV. In Ecclesiastes, we read in 10:2, The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left (KJV).

  

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PENDING PUBLICATION OF ELYSIUM’S PASSAGE SERIES

                                    

The Ascent: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Summit: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Quantum Leaps: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Surreal Adventures: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Mystical Romance: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Elixir: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Return: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

 ­­­­­­­­­

1. THE ASCENT is the first novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage that’s foundational to everything that happens in the following narratives, which embark on an adventure that will surprise and delight the reader like no other book.

It all begins with an extreme adventure of climbing a remote and challenging mountain somewhere in the Andes Mountains. Just as James, the protagonist, is about to reach the mountain summit, he falls into an abyss that leaves him in a coma for almost a year.

After being airlifted by a forestry helicopter and flown back to London, where his body remained for almost a year. Eventually, he learns it was not he but his body that was rescued. Several days later, without understanding what happened, he continues to climb to the summit in an alternate dimension of higher consciousness.

Fortuitously, he meets two adventurers on the summit ridge who are no longer of this world. After that, his surreal life leads him to several new adventures in the subsequent chronicles, which include a rich mix of adventure, romance, and fantasy, along with profound discussions of philosophy, spirituality, and the afterlife.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

This first book in the series may be accessed on this blog site. https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/The-Ascent 

2. THE SUMMIT, the second novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, carries on where James, the narrator and protagonist, is taught more about a multidimensional reality that he finds difficult to comprehend.

Not only does he find he’s not as clever as he imagined, but his off-world companions on the summit demonstrate that much of what he believed about life was not just parochial but wrong. At first, he finds this difficult to comprehend since their teachings are contrary to his limited understanding of non-material reality.

After being tricked into teleporting off a ledge where he was trapped, James becomes aware of a new reality that makes him capable of far more adventures than he could have ever experienced in his physical body back home.

Now, if only he would win over the only woman in this life who matters, the nurse on the other side of the veil, who continually demonstrates her unconditional love toward his healing.

This book may also open the reader’s eyes to a much vaster reality than many may be aware of. As with the other Chronicles, there are discussions of philosophy, the spiritual afterlife and what might seem like fantasy.

3. QUANTUM LEAPS is the third novel in Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, where James, the philosopher-protagonist, teleports back to London to visit his body and make contact with the special nurse taking care of it in his absence. Immediately, he feels an inexplicable spiritual bond with her for reasons he remains unaware of.

Now aroused by a renewed interest in matters of love, the beginnings of a relationship begin to emerge as he attempts to reach across the chasm of their worlds. But it’s not until the fifth novel, Mystical Romance, that he encounters her in a way that he finds difficult to believe.

However, before that can happen, there is much about his failed relationships that must be resolved before he is ready to move forward in his new life in Elysium’s Passage. It is during this time he christens his comatose body as the fall guy since it took the fall for him down the abyss so he could learn the lessons he’s now learning.

That will be the next focus of his life, where, in his next Surreal Adventures, he is given virtual lessons to release many of his past beliefs about the world and his life.

4. SURREAL ADVENTURES is the fourth novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, which finds James, the protagonist and narrator, escorted by his companions to a remote South Pacific Island, where he is left to reflect on what he’s learned.

During the next forty days, he battles the demons of his past as he works through some rather painful issues from his early youth. Here, in a tropical storm, he encounters an eerie, suspended spectre of the one he loved yet still resents for abandoning him as a child.

After this, he achieves peace of mind and is ready to return to his lodge to join his off-world companions on the Andes summit. However, just when it seemed things couldn’t get any stranger, a sixteenth-century sea captain sails his ancient ‘ghost’ ship onto the beach. Together, they sail off on a mystical ocean voyage to a couple of virtual islands supposedly in the South Pacific, where he witnesses and, at times, participates in several important life lessons.

Near the end, these encounters help prepare him for a new challenge within the interior of a mountain, where he falls deep into a dark tomb of fear. After being rescued by a mysterious stranger wielding his Excalibur, he continues on to where his life is about to be transformed in the following chronicle, Mystical Romance. 

5. MYSTICAL ROMANCE is the fifth chronicle in Elysium’s Passage, which will surprise the reader with a romantic twist of how love is expressed in higher realms. From this lofty perspective, everything about intimacy is understood as within, so without.

After escaping his tomb, James, the narrator and protagonist, makes his way through a maze of tunnels until he arrives at a large oak door, which he opens with the golden key he had been given. There, he steps into Elysium’s Passage’s Great Hall, where his life and recent achievements are celebrated now that his eyes have been opened to perceive a fascinating interior world of wonderment… and romance.

To say more might risk diminishing the multitude of delightful surprises as circumstances begin to open to The Elixir, where James is about to re-enter his earthly body’s existence. 

6. THE ELIXIR is the sixth chronicle of the Elysium’s Passage series that prepares James, the narrator-protagonist, to awaken and return to his body in London. Before that can happen, however, his off-world friend presents a mysterious equation, enshrouded within a light code frequency, that will stimulate the multidimensional DNA strands within him.

Much of this narration is centred in London, where his nurse unknowingly becomes involved in how the Elixir’s equation finds its way from a taxi cab driver to higher echelons of science. There are many twists in how she unwittingly brings the Elixir to the attention of mathematicians and physicists, after which they eventually discover how to code the equation into a laser ray to stimulate his fall-guy body into full consciousness.

Ostensibly a new Adam, he is destined to return humanity to a higher multidimensional existence. How this happens is filled with intrigue, as is his shocking return to his earthly body.

 
­­­­­7. THE RETURN is the seventh and last chronicle in the series where James, the narrator and protagonist, has re-emerged from Elysium’s Passage as he readjusts to life in the third dimension. Many of the events from the previous novels are tied together in an exciting, fast-paced, and action-packed narrative that spans several countries.

 At first, it seems all memories have been lost, with his fall guy’s brain not being aware of what happened to him while in his coma. As a consequence, it takes a while for him to be convinced he had been out of his earthly body for almost a year.

Through some unexpected events and evidence, along with his girlfriend’s urging, he comes to realise what had occurred. It takes a while for his mind to catch up with the changes made in his heart during his stay in the alternate realm. But after experiencing several harsh realities, he discovers what he has become while out of his body. Gradually, he comes to understand the many challenges that lie ahead for him in fulfilling his future mission on Earth.

This final book is filled with adventure, romance and personal intrigue that ties together all six previous narratives of the Elysium’s Passage series.

The first few chapters of THE RETURN may be accessed at this blog link. 

https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/THE-RETURN 

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SUMMARY OF ELYSIUM'S PASSAGE NOVEL SERIES
 

This series of seven Elysium narrations tells the story of a young British philosopher named James Phillips, who finds himself living in an altered state of reality while still remaining on Earth.  

After experiencing a near-fatal fall while climbing to the summit of a remote mountain in the Andes, James awakens in a new dimension. He soon encounters two mysterious beings who provide him with a very different perspective on the nature of his existence. Over the next year, before his body recovers from the coma, he is challenged to re-examine his understanding of life’s meaning and purpose far beyond anything he previously believed or could believe.

An engaging and sometimes surreal adventure with intimations of impending romance, the narrative explores the most important questions about life, death, reality and our ultimate destiny. 

The Plains of Elysium (Champs-Élysées) was described by Homer, Hesiod, Virgil and many other poets as the paradisiac afterlife realm reserved for heroes. As the title suggests, this is about a journey through a passage that leads towards Elysium’s exciting realm of existence.

To read a sample press review, at: https://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/05/prweb15515775.htm