River

A New Journey

The darkness was complete. If he had not known the path well he would have strayed off it long ago. Soon his feet felt the wet wash of the river, and he walked forward without hesitation. The water lapped at his ankles, his knees, then his waist. When it reached his chest the current pulled him in and effortlessly whisked him downstream.

It was warm, an amniotic warmth which was reassuring - and yet, he needed no assurance. Every fiber of his being had been preparing for this moment, this immersion of surrender. He knew this, without knowing how he knew it.

He was aware of another presence close by, drifting along the same passage as he: his friend. He did not worry about him, or have concern about his well being - but simply acknowledged a kindred direction.

Darkness prevailed as he drifted downstream, yet there was something in his vision that allowed him to see light. It was more of a sparkle, or perhaps myriad sparkles, but he was feeling these more than seeing them. They were like diamonds bouncing near and far, part of the same force which buoyed him forward, an unseen but caring force which cradled and embraced his momentum. The sparkles were an affable companion to his sojourn, and he enjoyed their presence.

Besides the sparkles, all was long shadowless darkness.

Amorphous shapes came and swiftly went, huge rocks or treelike protuberances. Again, he sensed these more than saw or felt them. But nothing hindered his progress. His total awareness was on a gentle bobbing movement, warmth of the water, and sense of being cradled by an unknown beneficence.

The river had expanded, it was now wider than could be imagined. He bathed in the jewel-like essence of the water as it lent a sense of support and comfort. Its warm embracement affected his whole body and consciousness, allowing him to most fully fall into the rhythm of his odyssey.

He deepened into the presence of the moment, having no connection with past or future, or any other concern. Only the movement of the current, slight rustle of liquid eddies, and the mother-like enfoldment of the wide and endless river claimed his awareness.

He knew not where he was going, nor did he have that concern. Occasional glimpses of his friend on the periphery of his vision ebbed in like a distant memory: of something pleasant but nearly forgotten. At some point his own remembrance of any experience brought nothing beyond awareness of the flow, the current that propelled and encouraged him forward, and little more. He had no question of where he was going, or if his journey would change, or end. He was simply in the moment of drifting, gliding, unsinkably afloat…

And then, after an indeterminate time - it might have been hours, years or lifetimes - he became aware of his feet dragging against sand. Soon he could stand, then was ashore as the water softly delivered him onto the river bank. Another figure - it was his friend - was also being deposited and the two stood looking at the river, their earthy surroundings, and a hint of dawning light on the horizon. They looked at each other and without a word discerned a similar thought: a New Journey.

We have Begun.

Listen to Mark’s Deep Immersion Into Oneness album.