THE GODDESS RETURNS - The SAGA OF AMBERLIN Continues.

THE GODDESS RETURNS - The SAGA OF AMBERLIN Continues. In this next year it is my intention to complete my next 'visionary novel,' the story of Amberlin, the first 'fully enlightened being' who comes to Earth in a female's body. I invite your participation by reading the saga of Amberlin as it's being written and offering constructive questions and comments. Here's the beginning of Chapter 2 of The Goddess Returns: Chapter 2 "Top bunk or bottom bunk tonight?" Jonathan asked as he entered Amberlin's room, even though he knew the answer. "Bottom, please. The top is too high," Amberlin replied. As he lowered her into bed, she asked, "Will you tell me a story, Papa Jon? One of your real ones?" He sat on the bed next to her and chuckled. How she loved his stories, especially the "real" ones about his life growing up that had at least a thread of truth in them. He paused for a moment, trying to think of one he hadn't told her recently. "How about the time I met a real spiritual sage?" "Sure," Amberlin replied, then, "What's a spirit sage?" "Spiritual sage," Jonathan corrected her. "That's someone who has devoted their life to seeking a closer relationship with God, and who often shares their spiritual journey with others." "What was the spiritual sage's name?" Amberlin asked as she snuggled down in her bed, preparing for the story. "His name was Mo Zoloff, and I met him not too far from here, in a retreat center outside of Black Mountain." "I know where that is kinda'," Amberlin said. "Yes, well, it's only about an hour or so drive from here, but when I first went there I was staying even closer at my family's summer cabin, just outside of Black Mountain. It was the summer after I graduated from high school. I wasn't really a freelance writer yet, but I sure thought I was, or at least I knew that's what I wanted to be." "How did you meet Mo?" Amberlin asked. "Well, like I said, I heard him speak at this retreat center. I remember it like it was yesterday, even though it was, well let's see, close to 30 years ago." "That's a long time, Papa Jon." "Not really, sweetheart. It's really just a blinking of God's eye," Jonathan replied. Closing his own eyes, he could picture the rustic, assembly hall filled with people, awaiting the start of Master Mo's talk. I sat about two-thirds of the way from the front. I could have sat closer but I felt out of my element. This was my first time to be in the presence of an actual guru from India, least that what I thought Master Mo was at the time. You can imagine my surprise when a white man in his mid- to late-30s wearing a white t-shirt and black, baggie pants strolled on stage. There was a sturdy table sitting in the middle of the stage. He stepped out of his sandals and climbed onto the table, where he sat cross-legged facing the audience. The room was already about three-fourths full, but Mo continued to sit there with his eyes closed, meditating, I guess. As the room filled, he continued to sit quietly, apparently lost in his own reflection. The minutes dragged by. I began to fidget in my chair, as did a number of other people, then we would all grow quiet again in anticipation of Master Mo's talk. Finally, the figure in the center of the stage opened his eyes, and gazed around for a moment, a smile growing on his face, before he finally broke the silence. "I'm thrilled to see so many people gather here for a 2-hour silent meditation." There was a moment of surprised silence as everyone glanced at each other before realizing it was a joke, then the whole audience burst out laughing as Master Mo joined them. As the laughter finally died down, he spoke again. "And so we begin." And so we did, and for the next hour I sat mesmerized by the quiet man with the deeply moving and inspiring message. He challenged the audience to look within themselves for their own spark of divinity. He accused our Western culture of looking too much to the East - to places like India and Tibet