Another one of my esoteric stories. The Parable 9 of the Wands by Bill Hostetler There was a great sage who lived the life of a hermit upon a great mountain. And on top of that mountain he was surrounded by goats, eagles and other creatures both aerial and terrestrial that lived at great heights for it was a high mountain whose heights few could attain. And upon those heights there would be snow as late as may. But, he himself was not bothered by the snow for he was acclimated to all weather conditions and temperatures. It was upon that mountain that he felt connected with the highest spiritual forces. It was upon the camp of the hermit that one day there came a maiden. Her name was Angela, for she was named after the angels. And Angela looked upon the hermit and saw that he had great wisdom. Angela said, “hermit, I feel you have great wisdom. I beg of you to teach me of it so that I may be as wise as you”. But the hermit stated that he wished to be left alone for his wisdom was not to be given out. It could only be earned. But since she had gotten up the mountain there had to be a reason for her to be there. She, could there for, spend three days with him and he would help her to find the path that would cause her to find her own way to her own mountain top”. But first he sat her by the fire not just because it would warm her, but also because it would connect her with a fire that would fill her own inner being. After fifteen minutes “Angela told the hermit that she was finally warm and was ready to begin the teaching.” But the hermit stated “you are not yet done you must sit by the fire even longer”. As Angela sat by the fire she became entranced and seemed to fill her own inner being with the energy the fire gave off. She lost all consciousness of time and day until two days later. The hermit came to her and Angela said” what have you learned”. And Angela said “are we ready to begin the lessons.” But, the hermit said “no, what have you learned”. Angela said I have only sat here for a short time, how could I learn any lessons”. The hermit than said, “ no you have been here for two days staring at the fire”. At this Angela was very perplexed for she felt that the time that she had spent with that hermit had apparently been wasted. But, the hermit said, “no you have had a valuable experience and have learned a valuable lesson. In fact the work has already progressed quite well.” And Angela was amazed, ”how she thought could it have progressed so well when I have not learned any thing”! The hermit then stated,” you have sat by the fire and you have learned of depths that you did not know, even now that fire which Is connected to that fire which is within you burns brightly and even now runs closer to the surface of your consciousness. And now if you will follow me I will show you something else.” She followed him back to a grove of trees and saw him cut wood, and as she watched and she was amazed at the vigor and strength that he used to cut the wood, for he was an Old man. When, he was done he took nine logs and carried them at once to the fire and dumped them on. And as he carried them she watched and followed him. The new logs made an even bigger fire. And the hermit said “Angela you must sit again by the fire and watch some more.” Angela was still amazed, and "said how can I learn if all I do is sit by the fire”. The hermit than smiled and walked away, and told her that if she would want deeper illumination she would continue to sit by the fire. Angela began to doubt whether it was all worth it, though she did not doubt the wisdom of the hermit. She felt a deep and oppressive mood filled her, but as she looked at the fire a deep heat seemed to spring up and she could not bear it so she backed away. But, the hermit said “no you must not back away you must remain close to the fire. Go sit closer to the fire and sit there longer until I say you are done”. So Angela went and sat by the fire and she did not leave for she now knew that it was the fire inside of her that burned so brightly, and that the large physical fire if anything would give her protection. She also realized that she would be in the safety of the hermit. Again she fell asleep and awoke on the morning of the third day. The hermit than came to her and said” you have now completed you’re training. And are now well on your way to wisdom. With that I wish you well and say good by. Angela flew into a rage and said,” I have learned nothing, how can I go forth and continue to gain wisdom when you have given me nothing.” The hermit said,” it is true that I have not taught you anything, but that does not mean that you have not learned any thing, if you will walk yonder to the path to your village you will see a change”. Angela than walked back to her home village and it took a day to go back for it was a long way down the mountain. As she returned to the village she threw herself more and more into the day to day life of the village. One day as she sat at the stream by the village washing her clothes. She saw in the stream a vision. It was the now almost forgotten hermit and he said to her in the vision. “Come back to me for I have need of you”. She than found her way back to the home of the hermit now thinking that maybe she would now learn what the hermit had to offer in wisdom. But, as she returned to the cabin she made an alarming discovery, for the old hermit was dead as he sat in chair in front of the cabin. There was a smile of peace on his face and she again felt as if she had lost out. She went back to the village and found men who would return to the cabin and bury the hermit in a fitting way. The few earthly goods owned by the hermit were distributed to the men for there efforts for he had no relatives or will. She had again nearly forgotten about the experience when the hermit again appeared in a dream and stated “and now what have you learned”. Angela again replied I have learned nothing! How could you come to me in a dream and ask me what I have learned when I have learned nothing”. The hermit again smiled and replied that you have learned more than you have thought”. Angela became married her husband was a respected tradesman, a cooper that is a maker of barrels. By this marriage she had three children. The oldest one was a son redheaded willful and spiteful and full of energy. The second child was a daughter mild mannered kind and gentle. The third child was wise in the ways of the spirit, and in many ways he reminded her of the hermit she had known on the mountain. She taught the children the best she could according to what she knew. The first child became a warrior the second one became a mother and wife of a farmer. The third child became a priest in the church. One day as she sat beside the fire she again felt the glow. She felt the fire as she felt it along time ago, for she was now a middle-aged woman. As she felt it surged mightily from her tailbone to the top of her head. It now seemed as though she could now see into the other world. She could now see the priest who had been a hermit and she now knew that he was a priest in the true line of priests. Her old friend looked at her and said “and now you are really ready to learn.” She sat eagerly awaiting her lessons but he disappeared again as fast as he arrived. She then continued to work and labor. She became what was known as a wise woman among her people. There was no great magic, mysticism or learning that she knew. But she had a great common sense and intuition. She also possessed the second sight, though she did not tell anyone. As she observed the world of nature and the world of spirit through her vision she became aware of the interactions of the two worlds. Her knowledge was one of observation and experience. Finally Angela became and old woman. Her first son had died in war. Her daughter lived to see her own family grow and had died. Her third son, who was a priest, would speak to her of spiritual things for though he wore a priestly collar, He was aware of her wisdom that had come from a life time of pain and also from the second sight. They would talk and he would add to that his knowledge from learning and the experiences of others of her kind that he had met on his travels. Between them there was a new energy and electricity created awareness in her son and in her. And they both became more aware of there own inner being. For she had born many burdens as a wife and mother and as one would labor among the village. But she now knew that the burdens themselves had made her stronger and given her a new sense of strength. She recognized that the hermit had only given her a beginning to the spiritual essence that she achieved. She realized that she must yet toil, and through toil will come awareness. Angela did not become a great sage as she aspired to be but she nevertheless became a woman much respected and admired in her village, and that is the 9 of wands. Yet her aspirations were completed in her son, the priest who became a vessel of the hidden wisdom and a great sage, as was the hermit. And she herself died knowing that she was the intermediary of that knowledge.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 12:23:20 +0000
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