Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“We should start with the why,” Pine said. “For many years you will focus on chakras and later your aura, but it’s critical to remember that these are only signposts to your true destination. It is easy to become so caught up in the practice that one loses sight of the goal.”

Pine paused but Ruwen remained silent. The old man was the expert and he knew the best way to impart his knowledge. Acting as the student, Ruwen would only ask questions if prompted or at the end of the day’s training.

“You obviously know the cost of power,” Pine said. “Training, discipline, and focus are the currency of strength, but strength is not our goal. The power to fight, to protect, to survive is a byproduct of the true goal."

Ruwen nodded his understanding. He had the same philosophy. What had set him apart in the Bamboo Viper Step Clan was his deep understanding of the lessons the Steps taught. Those hard won secrets are what made him so devastating.

“The true goal is enlightenment,” Pine said. “But what does that mean? Harmony. Control. Connection. All are facets of enlightenment. Chakras and aura are weapons, but first they’re the threads that tie you to yourself, to the earth, to the universe. You develop chakras because, without training, you lack the roots required to anchor yourself in the storm of life. The path to enlightenment begins as an internal journey. An inward focus that—”

Pine stopped suddenly and Ruwen realized he’d caused it. When Pine had described enlightenment as something internal Ruwen’s thoughts had exploded with connections.

“I recognize revelation when I see it,” Pine said. “Are you able to share the truth you’ve discovered?”

Ruwen gave a small bow. “My apologies, Elder. I lost my attention for a moment. I hadn’t considered chakra development and enlightenment as internally focused, but in hindsight it makes sense.”

Ruwen didn’t want to sidetrack his lesson but decided to give Pine a little more context. “There are many magics, and I’ve been trying hard to understand how they balance. I believe Soul energy and Chakra power are opposites. Soul energy requires minimal training to harness, is constantly regenerating, and is outward facing. It makes sense then that Chakras would be hard to find, need training to awaken, and require an internal focus.”

“Interesting,” Pine responded. “Perhaps you can teach me about this Soul power once your Chakra training is finished.”

“Of course.”

 “Chakras are wells,” Pine continued. “Each resonates with different aspects of the self—survival, desire, willpower, compassion, truth, insight, divinity, and our connection to the universal consciousness. As we refine these chakras, we learn about our strengths and flaws. This understanding allows a practitioner to perform feats of strength, endurance, or insight that others mistake for magic.”

Pine held up a finger. “But these are byproducts of unity. Unity with yourself, unity with the environment, and unity with the universal consciousness. All of that encompasses enlightenment. To reach this goal we start with chakra Activation which is like planting a seed. Awakening occurs when the seed sprouts. With time, a mighty tree will grow—an advanced chakra that serves you and nourishes others.”

Pine paused and his expression turned serious. “To Awaken a chakra you’ve got to face what it holds. Root is about fear—fear of death, fear of falling, fear of failing. You Awaken it by letting go of that fear, by trusting the foundation you’ve built. That is why the Bamboo Viper Steps are so effective for Root advancement.”

Pine placed a hand over his lower abdomen. “The Sacral holds guilt—Awaken it by forgiving yourself.” As he continued, he touched each chakra. “Solar Plexus is shame, Heart is grief, Throat is lies, Third Eye is illusion, Crown is attachment. Divine… that’s the hardest. It’s surrender. Surrender to the Universe.”

Ruwen fed his anxiety to the Third Meditation. He hadn’t known what to expect, but it was something simpler than Pine’s descriptions. From Pen’s journals he’d expected Grandpa Pine to demonstrate some poses and meditation techniques.

“What’s wrong?” Pine asked.

“I didn’t expect so much self-reflection. I thought Chakra training would involve more things like poses, breathing, and chanting.”

“It does, and I’ll demonstrate all that. Some even succeed with just those tools, but it takes longer, and it stunts your growth. My grandson is an example of this, although it’s hard to fault Ash since he’s only a teenager. At such a young age he might not even recognize the emotions for what they are.”

Ruwen understood Pine’s comments were also aimed at him. He looked like a teenager after all. He nodded his head in acknowledgment. Thankfully Hamma and Gunder had both worked with Ruwen. Hamma on recognizing and dealing with emotions, and Gunder on how the world reflected the illusions Ruwen’s perception created.

“I understand,” Ruwen said not bothering to hide the worry in his voice.

“Good, I believe you. Now let’s try reaching your Root chakra. We start with deep breathing. Hold the air in your lungs. Sense the oxygen recharging your blood. Release the breath with a controlled exhalation. All three steps—inhalation, hold, and exhale should be equal. As a Step Grandmaster you’ve already mastered such trivial breathing techniques, so you can immediately start the next phase. With each exhalation, visualize your body sinking into the earth. With each inhalation, draw stability and strength from the ground beneath you. Watch me.”

Ruwen switched between normal vision and Harmonic Sight and Knowledge every few seconds. Pine’s eight chakras were clearly visible with Harmony, although with varying degrees of brightness. To Ruwen’s shock he witnessed an intricate web of connections between the chakras. Fainter connections extended from the chakras to Pine’s skin. No, past his skin. They interacted with his aura.

Like a giant oak tree, the energy around Pine’s Root chakra stretched into the ground. Ruwen studied the flow of energy in and out of the ground that perfectly synched with Pine’s breathing.

“Let me explain a few aids that might speed your development,” Pine said. “The color red is associated with the Root chakra and may help with your focus.” Pine held up his hands making circles with his thumb and middle finger before placing them on his knees. “There are different shapes that impact the flow of energy through the body. This one represents a grounded circle, and resting them on your knees promotes stability.”

Ruwen mirrored the hand gestures and placement.

“These are usually coupled with a tone,” Pine said.

Pine hummed softly, barely audible for a normal human. It was close to a perfect middle “C” and Ruwen leaned forward as Harmony displayed the fireworks now going off inside Pine. The older man’s Root chakra had become much brighter and the exchange of energy with the ground pulsed with strength.

After ten seconds Pine stopped humming and opened his eyes. “There are gemstones and crystals that enhance the process as well. Unfortunately, I stuck mine in Ash’s pack when he left, but I’ll try and find some replacements for you.”

That triggered a Notification and to Ruwen’s surprise it contained a quest.

Ting!

You have received the quest…

Radiant Eight

Locate and harvest an appropriate crystal for each chakra (0 of 8).

Root: Red Jasper, Hematite, or Black Tourmaline

Sacral: Carnelian or Orange Calcite

Solar Plexus: Citrine or Tiger’s Eye

Heart: Green Aventurine, Rose Quartz, or Emerald

Throat: Aquamarine, Blue Lace Agate, or Lapis Lazuli

Third Eye: Amethyst, Sodalite, or Labradorite

Crown: Clear Quartz, Selenite, or Diamond

Divine: Phenakite, Moldavite, of Celestite

Reward: Radiant Meditation Mat.

Restriction: Prospect and harvest with own skills.

Restriction: Crystal damage < 10%.

Accept or Decline

“Any questions?” Pine asked.

Ruwen accepted the quest and refocused on Pine. “How will I know I’ve Activated a chakra?”

“Activation is usually accompanied by a warm sensation and sometimes people experience vibrations or tingling throughout their body centered on the chakra. You will likely feel calm and your chakra will feel far more solid to you.”

“What about Awakened? Will I have any control over the abilities it grants?”

“Let’s worry about Awakened after you Activate a couple of chakras. Abilities do vary a little but no one is given a chance to choose them.”

Ruwen wondered if no choices were related to the absence of a System interface. Hopefully he’d find out soon.

Another quest appeared.

Ting!

You have received the quest…

First Steps - Activation

Activate your chakras (1 of 8).

Root: Dormant

Sacral: Dormant

Solar Plexus: Dormant

Heart: Dormant

Throat: Dormant

Third Eye: Dormant

Crown: Activated

Divine: Dormant

Reward: Displacement Bell.

Accept or Decline

Ruwen accepted as Pine spoke.

“Let’s give your Root a try,” Pine said. “All your Bamboo Viper training should make this the easiest chakra to access. Even so, please don’t get discouraged if it takes months or even years to Activate. This isn’t a race.”

Ruwen nodded his understanding.

Pine continued softly. “At the base of your spine a red light shines, warm, steady, like a coal glowing in the dark.” After twenty seconds, Pine continued. “Feel the earth under you—how it holds you up. Feel its strength, durability, and patience. Feed the red light these truths. Stretch the light into the ground. Create a connection to the earth beneath you.”

Ruwen closed his eyes and fell into the breathing technique Pine had taught him.