It's not magical thinking

CHAPTER SEVEN

Jayne ascended from last night’s heavenly dream and stepped onto the small porch off her bedroom. She sunk into an upholstered deck chair. The periwinkle dawn provided a backdrop to a sparkling array of lights from the melange of houses below. The Pacific Coast Highway curved its snake-like lava flow, separating the ocean’s deep blue that stretched to the horizon. A new day was waking up ready to greet the sun.

Sipping her morning tea, she tried to filter through the gauze of last night's dream. “What was that dream?” She remembered the Ashram and connecting with Jerome, the ride home on a motorcycle...“Did that happen or did I dream it?” She couldn't clearly remember anything else. “Wait! We were coming to pick up a script for him.” She stood up and made for her study door to see if she was short a script.

The neat stack of five blue folders was still intact. So it was a dream. Jerome probably has no idea who I am or any of this ever happened. She started crying. “I’m such a fake.” Her old familiar demon, the dark cloud was back with a rumble of thunder.

She called Jessie for a much needed pep-talk, but Jessie was distracted and forgot to turn her phone on so the call went unanswered. Distraught, Jayne felt more alone than ever. All those bipolar tendencies lurking, reminding her how fragile she was. Anxiety mounting and instinctively trying to avoid a full on attack, she went back to bed.

A knocking at the front door woke her from a deep and dreamless sleep. Groggy, she put on a robe and with house slippers flapping against the adobe tile made her way to the door. There, larger than life, like a DC comic book hero filling the doorway, stood Ted Powell, her close friend and VP of Production at Paramount.

Jayne squinted against the bright light of the day. Shocked, she managed to utter “Ted? Am I still asleep?” Shaking away the drowsiness she yawned saying “Come into the kitchen, I’ll put the coffee on.”

Ted sat down in the breakfast nook. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop and said nervously. “Maggie read your script and went nuts.”

“Nuts?”

“Yes. She thinks like you do that this concept will stop world suffering, put an end to hunger and bring back all the rivers flowing.”

Jayne threw her head back, laughing loud and hard. “Thank you Ted, I really needed to hear that right now.”

“But she’s told some of her Facebook buddies so now the word is spreading like wildfire. The Studio is getting all kinds of pressure about making it. And it's also getting some negative reactions from Christian Groups as well as Muslims and Jews.”

“Controversy. Is that good or bad?” Jayne asked.

“Well I guess it depends on your perspective. The fact that so many people are ‘getting it’ brings up the question: is this concept of finding the true source already embedded in our DNA just waiting for a leader? The same way the current culture has found its leader to voice their anger and unleash the rampant cruelty and hatred, could it be that simple? If it is, then the responsibility to get it right in a film is monumental.”

“I agree. The message has to have a connection of always having been there. An awakening of it. But people will only listen when they are ready to hear it,” Jayne said over the noise of grinding coffee beans.

“So the film has to prepare them to listen, understand and want it. People prefer to stay with what they're used to, and for so long it's been stress, pain and suffering. How the heck will we do that?” Ted asked.

“I think by having the main character show how she's changing. Once that's established, introduce the Source and show it's unlimited power,” Jayne said.

“How? As an eternal flame? A burning bush that speaks? A genie in a bottle? A wall of water? People need something to identify with.”

Jayne filled a tray with coffee and mugs, her Mom’s homemade jam and bagels and put it on the table. “Since Jerome’s lecture I’ve been experiencing the magic in his words. It actually works. I seem to be able to toss off the things that used to send me into days of tailspinning nightmares. When I couldn't find motive or reason I would let bipolar tendencies control my mood and thoughts. But since I started living it and experiencing it, I can see how these invisible forces—this Source we all belong to—shapes the world and actions of people, and they become the coadjutants, the Light Bringers.”

“But if it's invisible, with no form or content, how do you see this Source manifested?” he asked.

“Well I know one place it isn’t - the mind. The mind can't conceive any kind of divinity. It misshapes it's meaning to conform to it's own rationale. I can see it as something that evolves as the traveler does - becoming solid and tangible in the heart. The person becomes the manifestation. Or as Jerome puts it “The Resurrected One.”

“How would you keep it from being identified with say, ‘The Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ then?” asked Ted.

“Hmmm,” said Jayne, spreading blackberry jam on her bagel. “ Excellent question.” Ted slapped a huge chunk of cream cheese on a sesame seed bagel and replied, “I think it's time to have a meeting with this Jerome person. He would be the one to answer this question. Why don't we drive over to the Ashram and ask him?”

This idea appealed to Jayne. She could once and for all find out just how involved he was in her dreams, and she felt more confident bringing Ted and his DC hero presence along for moral support.

She put on a fresh pair of jeans and a designer tee shirt, casually looking around for the blue silk gown in her dream to no avail. She stepped into her office and grabbed a blue folder to give to Jerome, locked the door and joined Ted in his Chrysler town car. They drove in silence to San Fernando Valley and pulled into the parking area of the Ashram. “My Gawd,” said Ted, “it looks like the Garden of Eden.” As they walked down one of the paths, a peacock strolled causally towards them. Jayne instinctively spoke to it as if they were old friends. Stopping, she said “Oh! Hello! Look how beautiful you are.” Her sweet singing tone persuaded the bird to expand his bouquet of feathers in a lavish array. Strutting proudly to bask in this moment of appreciation. And completing the spell being cast over Ted.

“I understand the appeal this place has,” he said. They entered the hall, slipped off their shoes and were greeted by one of the young staffers. “We came in hopes of talking to Jerome about his lecture last month,” Jayne explained to her.

“He’s in his study, do you have a card?”

Ted produced his Vice President of Paramount Pictures calling card and the petite hostess disappeared for a time then returned, followed by Jerome.

“Hello, how may I help you?”

Jayne looked at him waiting for some signal of recognition, but all he showed was his warm engaging smile. Jayne felt a pang of hopelessness. It seemed this whole adventure had been another ego fantasy - just one of olympic proportion.

Jerome led them into his study and offered them a seat. The ambiance was not that different from the garden. Plants and flowers seem to blend inside and out without delineation.

Three ornate framed needlepoint hangings decorating the wall read:

I AM the Eternal Healing of your Divine Oneness with Me

Another proclaimed:

I AM your True Existence and Being

And one more completed the thought.

I AM Your God-Self the Divine Self of all Beings I am your Source

Ted stopped to read them and asked Jerome if he would mind if he took a photo.

“Of course please do, we have a great many works like these in our gift shop, some of our talented member's stitch them and sell them here.”

“Thank you, I would be very interested to see them.” Ted turned to Jayne and said, “Maggie would love to have something like this.”

Jerome settled in his desk chair and looked at Jayne. “You look familiar, have we met?”

Trying to hide her disappointment, Jayne said “ I attended your lecture a few weeks ago. You made quite an impact on me.”

“For the better I hope. I do remember you. You thought I was handsome.”

Taken aback by his frankness, Jayne blushed. “Well, it’s been affecting my dreams, of which you seem to be a large part of,” she admitted “You don’t remember coming to me to explain the cosmic ocean of love and bliss?”

“Oh my,” he said. “When I lay down to sleep I’m out, but my soul takes off and I am not always aware of who is calling me or with whom I’m visiting.”

“Well it’s having a profound effect on me,” she continued. “I have written a screenplay about my transition, based on your inspirational words,” she placed the blue folder in front of him and said, “Ted here, Mr. Powell, is interested in producing it, which is why we’re here. First to ask your permission and secondly to consult on what a solid manifestation of how Source might appear.”

Jerome looked intently at her. He opened the folder and started reading. Ted and Jayne sat quietly, looking around the room, getting swept into its peace and stillness.

The peacock, affectionately named Nester, strutted past the open French doors. The scene was pure enchantment. Ted was entranced.

Renee, the petite staffer that met them earlier, breezed in with a tray of drinks and set it on the low table before them. A carafe of fresh pressed apple juice and handcrafted ceramic cups sat invitingly. “Oh Ted, wait until you taste this juice, it’s otherworldly!” Jayne blurted.

Jerome looked up from reading and asked Jayne. “You’ve tasted it? We just pressed it this week.”

Jayne, embarrassed by this reveal, squirmed in her seat.” Yes, last night in a dream,” she admitted.

“Oh,” was all Jerome said and continued reading.

They quietly drank the cider with an occasional yum breaking the silence. Ted’s eyes started welling up overwhelmed with emotions. This was all so new to him. He was usually the stoic one.

After a few minutes Jerome closed the folder and looked at the two. Both were wide-eyed, anticipating his comments.

“I agree there is an urgent need for souls to awaken to their True Identity. Humanity is on a collective spiral downward into irreparable despair. There is a need to shed light and expose it. That is what my teaching is all about. I’m all for bringing it to the world. A film introducing it would be of benefit to millions. Something to last through generations.”

Ted spoke up. “That’s the answer! We introduce it and the people themselves become the manifestations. They become the before and after of a new paradigm.”

Jayne added, “To awaken in Radiance knowing it will make you a beacon in a dark world - a world that only gets brighter when it’s no longer being denied. Listen to me, a month ago this was just gobbledegook. But it must truly be infused in my core to understand it this well. You were right Ted, people need to awaken this embedded instinct and bring it to life. I believe the seed was planted with the creation of humans. It’s been lost and forgotten as we became more human letting the mind freely create its fragmented worlds. These labyrinths of misery and unhappiness have become playgrounds for mental disorders to flourish.”

Jerome finally spoke. “It's not magical thinking. It has to make sense. It must be from deep love. It must be felt because your True Source is saying to you, ‘You love Me, because I Loved you first, I’ve always loved you. Stay strong in the Beauty of My Truth. This Is My Unwavering Love. Submerge yourself in It and avoid being scattered by a broken world. This demands ultimate vigilance and integrity of your True Being in Me. Be rescued. You will not fail by My Grace. Be My signpost in this shadow world. See it brighten up, as you do not deny Me.’

“Maggie has often said that ‘invisible forces’ shape the world and peoples’ actions.”

“Belief in a higher purpose or force seems to help people take that leap,” said Jayne. “When you finally surrender, it seems magical thinking helps fill a gap in their lives. Magical thinking appears to be deeply rooted in the mind. It originates from the brain‘s cognitive biases. We’re always searching for causality.”

Jerome sat in silent contemplation. Jayne was so drawn to him, finding it hard to reconcile that these feelings she’d been experiencing were all her own machinations.It turns out his involvement was non-existent. Yet how real that single flame she felt in her dream was. This must be what it feels like to be a part of the “Resurrected One“ she thought. The bridge between them was secured without any dialogue or exchange.

Jerome agreed to come to Paramount for a meeting with the other department heads to discuss particulars. He also consented to using the Ashram whenever needed, and was overjoyed at the revenue Ted was offering the nonprofit center.

On the way out they stopped by the gift shop and Ted bought Maggie one of the needlepoint hangings that said:

Infinite Radiance and Blessings to those who know I Exist

And Jayne bought one for herself.

I Am your Godself know me

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Thank you for reading my story to follow the rest of it here’s where it starts

Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Eight