Re-entering Lemuria

I drew a door in the air,
A hobbit hole door
Into another world.

I heard a flute on the breeze,
A silver flute
Held by Le Enchanteur.

Like Pan, she calls,
And those who follow
Dance with every step.

And there are many steps,
The highways and byways
Of Lemuria are numerous.

Some will lead down,
To the endless shores
Where white capped waves break.

Some will lead up,
To peaks of mountains
Where the air is like wine.

Some lead to a wondrous city,
The streets filled with
Colour, aroma and sound.

In this place, this Lemuria,
All roads lead to Le Enchanteur
You will find her wherever you go.

Lemuria is a woman,
Combing her hair in the sun
And singing her siren call.

Journey Begins

The door has always been there. Only now has it chosen to swing open and bid me entry.She is waiting on the other side; patient, calm and serene. She takes my hands in hers and greets me fondly as if she has missed me though I am sure I have never seen her before.

In the dwindling evening light she places a soft embroidered bag in my hands.

My gift to you.

I untie the bag, crouch down, gently emptying its contents on the grass before me. She sits with me as I pore over the items.

What are these?

Talismans, she replies, to help you on your journey. To give you guidance and remind you why you are here.

I look again at the objects on the grass.

A beautifully printed, colourful, paper packet.

Dream Seeds. Plant them, you will know when, they will inspire and surprise you.

A pair of gold-rimmed, rectangular spectacles.

For clarity, vision and understanding.

A candlestick.

For enlightenment.

A tiny, silver anchor.

No matter where you are in your adventures, remember, if you need, you can find safety, help and rest.

A highly polished medallion, embossed with a proud unicorn.

Accept impossibility and beauty.

A pair of silver wings.

There is no limit to your imagination.

The last object is a dull, tarnished brass key.

What about this?

That is your own special gift. You must find its significance. I cannot tell you for I do not know.

Take care of everything, keep your bag with you at all times, it is irreplaceable… Now it is time to go. You must ride tonight.

I gather all the objects, return them to the bag and tuck it deep into my pocket. I turn to thank her, but she has disappeared.  All I can see, further down the hill, are the stables.

Chefleur

Portal to Duwamish Bay

by Peacebird

Take a Little Trip - With Enchanteur

I was sitting in my big comfy chair in my room at Riversleigh, with a good book in my hands and a cup of tea beside me. I had an afghan spread over my knees and I was wonderfully comfortable.  Then I heard a sound. It wasn’t loud, but it was persistent. I turned my head and looked out the window, but there was nothing unusual there. I shrugged and went back to my book. I heard the sound again, this time a little louder. I looked around once more, perplexed. Where was that sound coming from? I got up and looked around the room, but I couldn’t see anything amiss. I returned to my book, but the mood was broken. I sighed and finished my tea. Then I put away my book and folded up the afghan. I went over to my computer and opened up a story I was working on. A problem I was having with it suddenly resolved itself, and I was writing intently when I heard the sound a third time, rather loudly this time. What on earth was that?I followed the sound to its source. It was that small tapestry I had found in the trunk in the attic a while back. As I got closer to it, I could hear what the sound was. It was a voice, and it was calling me. 

“She Wolf….She Wolf….Come and find me, She Wolf…..”  I figured out quickly that this was le Enchanteur calling me. Already? I had just gotten back to Riversleigh. I had heard that there was a wonderful new quest, though, and I had to admit I was intrigued. I took the tapestry down from the wall and looked at it carefully. The voice seemed to be coming from somewhere in the series of tiny islands in the swampy looking little lake.

I thought for a minute or two, but no longer. The decision was made. I opened my door carefully, but nothing strange happened. Apparently it wasn’t the portal this time. Going out into the hall, I found some of the Riversleigh residents; I asked if they would water my plants, because I might be away for a while…again. I just couldn’t resist following le Enchanteur’s call. This time I took my time packing. I did not leave out such essentials as a pocket knife and bedroll and tin mug for the campfire. I put in my matches in a water proof container, a little lightweight cooking set, some tea, and a little food- the cook was a help here, and found some good trail foods for me. I grabbed my journal and pens, my colored pencils, and my knitting- socks of course, because they are portable. I packed a few spare clothes and a big plastic poncho in case it rained - I did learn a few things last time around. I also took a canteen filled with fresh water. There. I thought that perhaps I might be ready now. I thought for a few more minutes and put in my wooden flute and then added a needle and thread and a set of nail clippers. I also added a candle stub and a piece of chalk. Why? I don’t know. It seemed prudent at the time. I have learned that le Enchanteur is full of surprises. Finally, I wedged in a plastic container of soap and other toiletries and a washcloth in a plastic bag. There. That should take care of all sorts of things, but undoubtedly not all things. I was as ready as I could be. I changed into decent hiking boots and clothing for traveling, adding a lightweight wind proof jacket as the top layer. It wasn’t as comforting to the heart as a wool cloak, but it was far more practical.

I picked up the tapestry, which was still calling me, and set out. I had no idea where this area was, but there was no time like the present to find out. I started off in the direction of some water gardens I remembered seeing. The water gardens were beautiful and well tended, so I went through them. The area became swampier and less well kept as I went. I came to a little wooden deck that had a pond on one side of it. It was getting wild here, with lily pads and frogs every where. I sat down to look at everything for a few minutes and think about what I wanted to do. The dragonflies caught my attention- they have always been favorites of mine- and water striders scooted about on the calm surface of the water. I could see little fish coming to up to the top of the water trying to eat the little insects there. It was very peaceful. I could hear birds singing, frogs croaking, the tapestry calling…the tapestry! I took it out again and looked at it. There was a little bug on it. I tried to brush it off, and realized it was part of the tapestry. I also realized that it was moving. I turned around, and so did it, so it was still crawling in the same direction. “Thanks, Enchanteur!” I called, and set off in the direction the bug indicated.

Things quickly got messy and boggy. I picked my way from tussock to tussock in the swampy mess. I made it to a dry section and wandered among the overgrown trees and bushes. There were still flowers here, too, growing wild. I paused under a willow tree to get my bearings. The little bug was still moving straight ahead, so I continued on. I went through a lot of overgrown gardens gone wild and wondered who had planted them. They must have been beautiful at one time.

I came to the edge of another pond and this one looked familiar. It seemed to be the one in the tapestry. There were several dozen small islands that must have been full of plantings at one point. The pond was like the path, and the islands were the flower beds. Now they were full of weeds and trees planted by the birds.  I looked at the tapestry again. The bug was showing me that I needed to go to one of the islands in the middle of the pond. How I was going to get there, well, that was another matter entirely.

As I watched the pond, I saw something moving through the algae. It was something large. I gulped, realizing that there was something reptilian in the pond. I backed up slightly, and as I backed up, I tripped over something and landed on my rump in the weeds. It was a boat! It was upside down in the weeds near the edge of the water, and looked to be in decent condition when I examined it. It took a while to get all the vines and weeds off of it, but I finally hacked it free. I should have packed a machete.

I grabbed a branch and put it under one side, using it as a lever to heave the boat right side up. I grunted, groaned and fought with it, and finally the thing turned over. Lots of small things with many legs scurried away as fast as they could. I was glad to let them go. The boat looked to be in even better condition than I had thought, and there were even some oars and oar locks that had been stored under the boat. Now, if I could get it into the water, I would be in business. After still more heaving and pushing and grunting, I managed to slide the boat down a small hill into the water. I held onto the bow while I waited to see if there were any huge leaks, but the boat remained as dry as a bone.

Carefully, I climbed in and fitted the oarlocks into place. Then I slid the oars into the oarlocks and started out. It had been years since I had rowed a boat, but it came back quickly. I checked my tapestry, and set a course in the direction the little bug indicated. It was fun to row through the water garden, and imagine what it must have been like.  There were shallow sections with stepping stones between the islands, and places with benches and tumble down gazebos. There were places where the flowers had taken over and other places where wild plants were growing. I thought that I would have to let Lady Sybil know about this wonderful place.

Insects were buzzing around, birds were dipping down into the water and calling in the trees and I thought I could see koi swimming in the shallow parts of the water. I never saw whatever had scared me earlier. I could keep exploring here all afternoon, but I could hear the Enchanteur calling again, and louder than before.

I homed in on the island the bug indicated and pulled up to its grassy side. It was one of the smaller islands, with a tumbledown tea house on it and old rose bushes growing here and there. I climbed out of the boat and pulled it onto the shore with me. Looking around, I didn’t see any obvious portals, but that didn’t mean anything. I climbed carefully onto the remains of the tea house. Suddenly I was falling down, down, down…

I landed on my feet by the side of a little trail that looked vaguely familiar. Then I realized that it wasn’t the trail that was familiar, it was the area. I was near Duwamish Bay once more. 

- She Wolf

An Ghlao [The Call]

Turas de Bhanlaoch: Slí an Trodaí Bhandé

[Heroine's Journey: The Path of the Goddess Warrior]

(a) An Ghlao [The Call]

Aréir

tháinig Sí ar ais,

na focail Uaithi

ag foluain san aer.

Agus bhí Sí

ag glaoch m’ainm

go ciuin, go caoin,

go seasmhach

mar shoith ag cnaíomh

ar chnámh nach

scaoilfeadh sí leí.

Aréir

chuaigh an Mháthair Dorcha

isteach ionam

agus thóg Sí seilbh

ar m’anam.

———————————————-

Last night

She came back,

Her words

floating in the air.

And She was

crying out my name,

softly, gently,

insistingly,

like a bitch gnawing

the bone she won’t

give up.

Last night

the Dark Mother

entered me

and took possession

of my soul.

Enchanteur Calling Bo

I hear a whisper, a teeny buzz in my ear. Is it from an early spring mosquito or static from my music player or breeze from the blowing trees of Central Park or mumbling from pedestrians on East Parkway? I concentrate. No buzz, no static, no breeze, no mumbling, but I still hear the whisper. It is getting louder and my grassy place under the maple trees is beginning to shake. Yes, shake. I’m in New York City, where earthquakes occur once every century, and the ground below me is shaking.

Funny, though. I see no one else reacting to the noise or the earthquake. Children are playing on a wide expanse of park land just steps from me while their parents are sitting on benches and sipping drinks poured from their Thermos. Perhaps I am hallucinating. I make myself look calm while I consider what to do.

Now my blanket is moving. Really? Yes, something is is moving. A snake? A gopher? No, a faerie, barely three inches tall, slithers from under my blanket. She pushes the grass and dandelions from her face and crawls on my blanket.

We both sigh with relief. “Bo! Thank goodness, I say. I traveled from Maine to California and from Florida to Washington State searching for you. I even flew to Hawaii and drove a dog sled in Alaska. Enchanteur never told me you’d be in a metropolis. She clearly said ‘nature’.”

“Should I feel sorry for you, Etouile? Just how long did this marathon trip take you? And what’s wrong with my metropolis? New York City is a lovely city.”

“Well, it took me 14 seconds for your information. And your metropolis is quite lovely, but this isn’t nature.”

“Etouile, Central Park is as much nature as New York City gets.”

“Yes, perhaps. Anyway, I have a message from Enchanteur. She wants you to come on the Heroine’s Tour while working on the Bumper Catalog.” The faerie’s eyes sparkle with glee and excitement. “It is a request not to be refused.”

Knowing I’d agree in the end, I moaned a little. “But I’ve only been home a few days. Some personal business… I plan to return to Lemuria in a day or two.”

“On behalf Enchanteur, I am here to escort you. Everything you need is be provided. I have an empty suitcase for you to take on your travels. Are you ready?”

“Why, I guess. Yes, I’m game. What do I do next?” I look around, checking to see if anyone is watching me or the faerie. No one is. We might as well be invisible.

She reads my mind. “We are invisible, Bo. Faeries always travel incognito and so do those who travel with them. Now hold your suitcase in one hand and pick me up in the other.” The faerie holds her arms up to me. “Don’t let go. The ride is a bit bumpy.”

The faerie jumps on my hand and we whirl into the sky as if we are in the eye of a tornado. in seconds we set down in the yard of the Riversleigh Mansion — four stories of a red brick house, a swimming pool, natural gardens and manicured roses and more.

I am confused from that speed warp trip. “Etouile, tell me what I do next.”

The faerie nods. “You’re near the portal of Lemuria. Enchanteur is waiting for you on the back porch. I do believe she has a cup of tea and some sweets for you. Now I am needed elsewhere. Good bye, Bo.”

I swear that the tiny faerie disappears in my hands as I look up and see a woman in splendiferous clothing appear from thin air. She calls my name. “Bo! Bo! Come over here. I’d like a conversation with you. I have a cuppa for you and a brownie or two.”

I heed her words and find myself seated comfortably on an upholstered settee. I am parched and hungry so the treats taste wonderful.

“Have whatever you fancy, Bo. Have it all if you like and I’ll let you know the specifics. It is time for you to take The Heroine’s Journey through the land of Lemuria. You will discover many things and thrill with what you learn. When you finish the journey, you will find you have a new soul.”

“Enchanteur, I do wish to explore this mysterious land. But I am afraid, too.” I do not like the unknown.

“That is good. A little fear will keep you alive and on your feet. Your adventure does include its’ unknowns,” says Enchanteur. “Have that last Brownie, Bo. It will fill you up.” She walks over to the porch steps as I struggle to my feet. “Now head into the Murmuring Woods. Simply walk along. You will find a portal or perhaps two or three. You will instinctively know which portal to enter and through that you will cross into Lemuria. Now, go ahead. You’re on your own, but do not worry. We shall meet soon.”

I stumble down the steps, follow the stone walk to the edge of the woods and enter the Murmuring Woods, unsure of what I am to find. I peek in holes of tree trunks, scramble through chutes of rocks which, in turn, roll down upon me. I stroll along a short stretch of beach near a nameless lake. I dub it The Searchers Lake as I search for a hole in the sand but find nothing. When I turn to head back to the Woods, I am surprised to see a row of caves nearly hidden in a small granite bluff. With greater confidence, I head towards these caves. I count. Twelve. There are twelve caves that I can see.

Enchanteur assured me I will know when I reach the portal to Lemuria, so I explore each cave in turn. The first seven caves give me no clue, and I weary of the black, damp interior of the caves. Perhaps I made a mistake? I look beyond the last cave and notice a pile of scrub and cut tree trunks, all jumbled together. At the bottom of the mass of wood, I see a distinct hole lit a pale yellow. I run, passing the other caves, and study the opening. Indeed there is a portal, and indeed there is a pathway. The pathway is lit by tiny lights set into the walls.

Slipping into the hole, I follow the dim lamps some twenty feet. Gradually a golden glow appears. I make a sharp turn in the tunnel and before me spreads a luminous land. I step out into the crystal air. The sky is the deepest color of azure blue, and speads light as bright as daylight, but with no sun overhead. Large sparkles of jewels in star shapes, not twinkles of lights marking Earth’s night, light up the sky. Clouds of an iridescent gold fluff are intermingled with the starry jewels. The landscape is expansive, covered with giantess’ flowers and ten feet grasses as far as I can see. Unusual animals (ones I’ve never before seen) and people of the sort I do recognize, travel in pairs or small groups, roaming the land.

I entered Lemuria near the top of a hill and I sit upon the grasses to catch my breath. I cannot take my eyes from the land and sky, as it majestically spreads before me. So this is Lemuria!

I lie down on the soft grass and close my eyes for just a minute. Just before I drift off to sleep, I hear a musical chirping.

Journal entry submitted by Bo

Into the Blue

It was still dark when I rose from bed. I slid open the doors to the balcony of my room and stepped into the pre-dawn chill. Before me was a lake as flat as glass and mirroring the blazing vault of the heavens.

I had come to Madame Lysandra’s lake-side home in the Mulberry Highlands a few days ago to participate in her annual viewing of the cherry blossoms. A number of poets and artists from all over Lemuria were there as well, and Lysandra’s gracious hospitality, once again, was praised and lauded by all.

But as much as I wanted to stay and enjoy her company, it was time to depart. I was all packed and ready to return to the City of Cyberia and the Taverna. I groaned inwardly as I thought of the condition my establishment would now be in– heel marks on the table tops, the rum supply utterly depleted, and the staff– oh dear, the staff. I could only imagine what kind of trouble Maximo, my bouncer, and Hans, my chef had gotten into by now.

I heard a quiet knock on the door. I returned to my room and opened it. It was Lysandra holding a folded blanket.

“Good morning or good night,as the case may be,” she said in a hushed voice. ” I heard you moving about and thought you may be looking for a comforter.”

“Oh, thank you, Lysandra. In fact, quite the opposite. It was a bit stuffy and I needed some cool air.”

Lysandra smiled as she usually did when she had something more to say. “Are you enjoying the starshine?” she asked.

We both strolled on to the balcony to survey the sky. “Yes, it is truly amazing. You don’t see this in Cyberia– too many lights.”

“Too much of many things, I should say.”

“Excuse me?”

“I have noticed something. May I tell you about it?”

I stiffened a bit, but nodded for her continue.

“You rushed to get up here. Now you are rushing to leave. You seem restless and pre-occupied.”

“No, not at all. I just needed a few days away from the City…to recharge… now I need to get back to the Tavern. You know… responsibilities and all?”

“Yes, I understand.”

We stood for a moment watching the stars pulse and twinkle. Lysandra was deep in thought.

Still staring at the lake, she broke the silence at last. “When was the last time you wrote?”

“Excuse me?”

“When was the last time you wrote a story?”

“A few weeks ago– well, maybe it was longer– why? I’ve been busy, you know– with the Tavern and the Kitchen–oh, and the Atelier– yes, I’ve been focusing on art-making at the moment….” I shifted uneasily on my feet. What was Lysandra up to?

She nodded and gazed at the night sky.

Finally, she turned towards me, her green eyes looking square into mine. “Yes,” she said with a bit of sharpness in her voice. “You need to leave here now.”

“Yes, I’m packed and I’ll leave after breakfast. We’re having French Toast, right.” I wanted to change the subject.

“No, you need to leave now. It’s time for the Journey.”

“Journey? What journey?… You don’t mean THE Journey, do you? I’ve done that already. I told you all about that, remember? How I got Syren and found Cyberia and the Taverna……”

“You need to go on The Heroine’s Journey.”

“But I’ve done that once. I found my voice. I don’t need to do it again.”

“You found your voice, my dear, but what have you done with it lately!”

I faded into a stunned silence. As gentle as Lysandra was, she could lance a person with just the tiniest shard of the truth.

“But I can’t do the Journey twice,” I whined.

“Who said you can’t? This is Lemuria– nothing is linear. Everything spirals and comes back around again. You’ve come back to a beginning and need to go again.”

“But the Journey is about entering Lemuria. I’m already here!”

Lysandra looked at me with bemusement. “Yes, this is Lemuria, but there are many layers to it–layers that take your farther, deeper, higher– wherever you NEED to go.”

“You sound just like Enchanteur!”

Lysandra chuckled. “Yes, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed and I go a long way back. And she as well as I want you to step through the Portal and journey again. And you need to go NOW.”

“How can I go now? The Portal is miles and miles from here, in the Murmuring Woods!”

“The Portal is wherever you want it to be. Just look….” Lysandra gestured toward the sky.

I squinted my eyes. Something was moving. A speck of blue seemed to be spinning. It grew larger and larger until it filled all the night sky. A wind off the lake picked up and began to blow across the balcony. I wanted to run away but I could not move.

I heard Lysandra whispering in my ear, “Step into the blue, my dear, and go deeper into yourself, farther into Lemuria. Find out what you need to say…..”

My mind was spinning. My first journey had been an amazing yet terrifying endeavor. Now I was being asked to go again. I did not want to go. If the first time had been hard, what would the second be like?

But I could not resist the Call. Enchanteur was calling again, through my friend Lysandra. I sighed. With my eyes on the swirling blue vortex, I began to climb over the railing of the balcony……

Text and digital constructions by Lori Gloyd (c) 2007

 

 

Entering Lemuria