The Age of Wisdom - Chapter III

Jun
04THE LOTUS PEARL OF NAMBOKUCHO2 Comments“THE LOTUS PEARL OF NAMBOKUCHO”
南北朝のハスパール
By
JOHN EVANS
ジョンエヴァンス

TABLE OF CONTENTS
総目次
INTRODUCTION
はじめに
THE GREAT LOTUS VALLEY
偉大なロータス谷
AGE OF INNOCENCE
エイジオブイノセンス
AGE OF WISDOM
年齢の知恵
COURAGE, VIRTUE, HUMILITY, PRAYER
勇気、美徳、謙虚さ、祈り
THE GREAT EMPIRE
大帝国
THE WAY OF LOVE
愛の道

This is a story of an ancient medieval civilization nestled amidst the mountainous regions of a Japanese valley village during the 14th century AD where Di-Li-Su and Guregorii become friends as 7 and 9 years old respectively. A culture of Cherry Blossoms, Japanese Red Pines, and Satsuka Azaleas along with the romantic hymns of the singing poetry and old world literature from Japans Nambokucho dynasty, that draws nearer and nearer to this little girl’s heart as she matures to a young woman spoken for by Don-A-Ru-Do who grows to embrace the life of a warrior, a Samurai warrior, destined for greatness amongst the empire of Japan, as two mighty emperors sought to destroy each other over power for all of this ancient island pearl of beauty.
Guregorii draws closer and closer to the spiritual essence of nature, desiring to be closer and closer to a life of solitude and the wisdom of his religion and to seek his one true god. Guregorii establishes himself through a life of simplicity, as a Sensei Sohei, or, a Master Warrior Monk. As he embarks on his journey of prayer and meditation, a Spirit of Wisdom finds him embracing Buddhism as well as Bushido, also known as, the way of the warrior. He continues his sojourn back to the lush, green valleys of snow-capped fed streams of his village home hoping to discover the little friend he left behind, only to discover a troublesome conflict that would bring him to having to decide between the love he has grown to develop over the hidden memories and years for Di-Li-Su, his village culture, and a world full of savage pillaging and plunder by the wicked love Prince Don-A-Ru-Do possesses for Di-Li-Su
De-Li-Su and Guregorii are the hero and heroine of this story. They are not related but both have descendants as far back as 700 BC and the legend of the Divine Warrior, Prince Yamato, named the warlord of neighboring clans and tribal warring peoples. This great and Divine Warrior as he was known settled his people and followers in the area of ancient Japan known as Yamato. Her leaders believed and dedicated their lives to being of a divine origin. Guregorii while embracing the Wisdom taught to him throughout the years of mastering the Bushido and teaching what has become known as ken-jutsu has been mysteriously handed down the Ken, an ancient sword with two edges, passed down through the ages and kept hidden from outsiders other than Guregorii’s own immediate family. But first, he must prove himself to be worthy of such a gift of great value.
Legend of the Japanese lore handed down since creation that the great sun goddess, Amaterasu, who was one of two gods that ruled over the earth,[ sent her grandson, Ninigi, to Japan with three gifts, her mirror, her jewel, and this great sword], essentially, the soul of Japan. Mysteriously and supernatural in nature, this great sword was as of the Shinto, or, “way of the spirit’s,” where the ancient Japanese believed everything in the earth possessed a spirit, or kami. Forged of heaven’s iron and carbon, and polished and engraved with the eternal name of Amaterasu, whereas, the recipient of this gift from Paradise, was the true leader of the people of Japan, who not only would lead the people, but, give a humbled acknowledgement of greatness to Amaterasu, thus inheriting a reverent reception into the realms of Heaven.
Guregorii grew to establish himself as a young man believing as many of Japan’s people that his purpose during his life was that of a Divine nature. But his purpose was always of goodness, bearing witness that no man should rule another, that man has no master but of his greatest teacher in life, that of which induces him to learn, compassion, honesty, humility, courage to speak the truth, gentleness in love, and embracing an appreciation for art, language, literature, poetry, and drama. Guregorii was passionate for the written art form of his native Japan, Hiragana, and the Kanji version of an expression of meaning.
Guregorii, in Hiragana, means, a love for the law of nature, truth, logic, and living mutually compassionate towards one another. This way of life for Guregorii ultimately becomes threatened by Prince Donarudo who seeks only selfish ambition and lust for earthly treasures. He also seeks to destroy the one of whom Guregorii truly has given his heart to, Di-Li-Su.
Guregorii felt truth came from within the human heart and soul, and, that as a people, Japan was a blessed and saved nation of the ever elated beauty and substance all may find for the freedom that dwells from within the epicenter of the human spirit, the very soul of each and every living man, woman and child, as well as, for all life.

CHAPTER I
THE GREAT LOTUS VALLEY

Somewhere from within the ancient earth there came a mystic isle amongst a great vast of glimmering seas that pleased the great sun-goddess Amaterasu. Some have said she comes to the earth amidst what has been called the Tochigi where nestled amongst great mountains of aromatic Red Cedars and Pines there are what have been described as healing ponds from springs that are fed by snow-capped mountains called the Futarasan. These sacred heated springs are covered by an illuminated mist and has a divine essence of healing body and soul, and, if any human were to travel along the lush greenness of grassy shoals that lead back, far back into the heavily dense foliage and fauna of the forest, there were the falls sparkling off the peaks like pearl dew drops that are rained down from the heavens themselves. It is here, within this dense forest of beauty, our story begins.
Di-Li-Su was a delightful child of seven seasons, simple by nature, asking nothing from others but the kindness from within her own tender little heart to be brought back to her from on the selfless offering wings of the delicate nightingale as she gave of herself in a sweet, reverent sort of way. She was truly one of the great Innocents of little girls from the tiny little village of few families, surrounded by heaven’s hem of fire-orange skies coalescing with a deep beautiful blue, and crowned by the grandeur of this rural valley by the tall, smoky scented, island of densely populated Red Cedars.
Some had said that ages upon ages past, the beautiful Amaterasu had a lovely daughter and sent her to the earth in order to beautify the valley forest with songs from heaven for she possessed and embraced the art of voice and the ancient language of the Ainu peoples who were created to inhabit this beautiful lotus filled island as fisherman and gatherers of fruits, and delicious sparkling waters provided to the people for refreshment by the forest gods, and, Amaterasu herself.
Di-Li-Su embraced time with herself and the nature kingdom that surrounded her. She often would speak to the valley forest creatures expressing a sort of loving unity amongst all of her friends of the earth and sky. She would sing songs that echoed from the forest valley floor humbly off the peaks of the surrounding mountain-tops, creating a perfect balance and blissful harmony amongst the creatures, flora and fauna, and the few families who were said to be descendents of the tribal peoples of Ainu.
Di-Li-Su had several neighboring friends but trusted only one little boy who had aged her by two seasons past. His name was Guregorii, but Di-Li-Su would tease him and call him Re-Go for short. One early mist filled morning down by the sacred pond, Di-Li-Su came across Re-Go for the first time. When she first saw him standing strong staring trance like off in to the eastern sky, he appeared to be in deep meditation and contemplation over something that intrigued Di-Li-Su to her soul. Her heart was touched by the way Re-Go would affectionately embrace the delicate Lotus flower. She sensed a tenderness of which only she thought she had for this beautiful flower. She could sense also the great love Re-Go possessed for her magnificent kingdom of the forest valley and her kami filled friends of this inherent little paradise. After all, in Di-Li-Su’s affectionate little heart, the Lotus held deep within, its visionary gem, the jewel of which only Amaterasu placed a single aqua-marine colored pearl, that of which was the divine knowledge of Wisdom held by Amaterasu herself. The solitary recipient of this magnanimous reward, if ever could be found amongst the multitudes of flora, would retain the divinely inspired Wisdom and knowledge to a heaven full of great spirited love known and cherished only by the gods themselves.
Di-Li-Su, mystified by Re-Go’s passion for life, love, and nature, stood there amongst the mist of sunshine, over-lapping with narrow than wide streaks of softly blended light from heaven, and was so enthralled by this great passionate little boy of whom from inside little Di-Li-Su sensed a spark of heart-felt love and admiration for such a kind and gentle little boy. She felt compelled to reach out to him and touch him though held back momentarily, but, alas, could not fight the tears beginning to well up from inside her beautiful young heart for Re-Go. So she moved forward and positioned herself only inches away from Re-Go’s almost divine little nature, and when she could stand no further to keep her feelings of compassion from him, leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek.
Re-Go turned, also mystified from the moment, his handsome little face toward her, and as he did, Di-Li-Su expressed herself, laying claim to hiding her feelings no longer, as she says to Re-Go, “I like you!” Re-Go, feeling somewhat shy though yearning to face this tender moment of ageless beauty, expressed from within the tenderness indwelling from inside his heart, upon witnessing Di-Li-Su’s expression of amazement upon her angelic little face, declared as well, “I like you, too!”
The two of them stood there looking into each other’s eyes for just a simple moment, and then, Di-Li-Su turned, and in a flash had vanished in a haze of early morning light from the rays of the sun sparkling off the crispness of icy dew upon the verdant grasses beneath her bare feet. Time had frozen for little Re-Go for just a moment, and then he turned, and he as well, vanished from the partially frozen grasses of the lush forest valley floor, and, into the light.

CHAPTER II
Age of Innocence

Weeks passed, and the thoughts of Di-Li-Su were etched softly within the heart of Re-Go, it was as if an inevitable mystery of poetic beauty were sustained as he continued, almost as if the effort was casual, soft and smooth. He thought of her night and day and simply wondered where does such attraction, harmony and peace cohabitate within the realm of a world sometimes seemingly that can be full of imperfection. It almost appeared as if an injustice of sorts had found its way into his nine year old way of thinking. But she was there, with him, every moment, every breath.
Re-Go early on in his young life had made the decision in his heart to allow love to abide where she pleased. This may have become the origin of a heaven sent wisdom that he insisted clearly upon to guide him in all the simple or yet even complicated matters in his young life. He knew there was certainly a difference between good and evil, though was he completely and thoroughly aware of where evil began or what evil was? How does someone know that such a thing exists in such a beautiful land as his? Where would evil strike next he wondered at times? He knew of such things from the elders within his family, but until now had only really heard of such things. All Re-Go insisted upon, was not to think of such things but cast his concerns on the love in the hearts of all living creatures. After all, every living thing had kami, but for now, Re-Go would not think of such things. He would only have his good thoughts in his heart for Di-Li-Su.
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Don-A-Ru-Do had been known by many of the village children to possess an inherent wicked nature creating a negative emotional sense of unreliable character. His decisions seemed to be based on a selfish side of nature as some of the nearby children and elders stayed clear of his presence. He was rude though quite cunning in his approach to receiving, (or taking), whatever he desired, almost courageous in a manner of speaking, though his actions would seem to prove futile but at the expense of neighboring tribal communities and the people who lived there.

Don-A-Ru-Do was also nine seasons of age but had not the same type of courage as Re-Go. He lived with the peoples from a nearby village who also lived in the forest valley about half a day away on foot. Yet he extended his travels to neighboring tribal communities some say to harass the other children. His father was well known for his trade of hammering the iron for the neighboring warriors who demanded high quality swords for battle with local prefectures who were considered tribal enemies, usually peaceful clans that migrated from the mainland and resisted attempts by this village of Don-A-Ru-Do’s to supply them with most of their harvest of fish and rice. It was really the land they occupied that the neighboring warlords were interested with for their value of producing food supplies was great. This type of land was little in the region and thus became quite valuable by all.
Yet as in all earthly tribal communities value is held high with many things of earthly sustenance as well as creatures and life of beauty. Di-Li-Su’s beauty was rare, for she was not only adoring in appearance by the people, but embraced such beauty valued from within, and, her voice of heavenly beings were known to be precious by all earthly creatures as well. One day though, as she would grow and mature, she would be valued also by her husband, but, in Di-Li-Su’s culture, she was to be given away by her family in an age old agreement by her ancestors to a tribal warring clan that was now occupied by the inhabitants of the village of Don-A-Ru-Do.
Don-A-Ru-Do, would grow to a man of whom, would be that man…
Di-Li-Su had only to wait in order to know the new truths of life, that one day, and one man, and a series of life changing decisions, would alter her future for all of eternity. Was being a daughter of the sun-goddess Amaterasu enough to keep her safe from the malevolent life-style of Don-A-Ru-Do, or would her decision turn to love him honoring her family’s ancestral rites be the key to her happiness…or despair?
And where would Re-Go disappear to? Would his journey bring him back to his village to restore love, and peace to a community of family whose lives had been changed in such terrifying ways?
The answers are not even known by Amaterasu for it was not her place within the earth and sky to alter the events of what the inhabitants of this lush, beautiful land would decide in their hearts to do. No, no…this was not her decision, but someone, or something may be able to resurrect the peaceful lives all of civilization that this great century once embraced. Only time, a miracle, and perhaps someone…someone with the courage and knowledge and great wisdom of who could battle this great enemy of Nambokucho. The question still remains, whom, would this man be? And when…would he manifest himself?

CHAPTER III
AGE OF WISDOM 知恵

Re-Go enjoyed his hikes into the mountainous areas from his little hamlet village of about eight separate families. When he had aged past twenty snows he took some time from his normal chores and routine of assisting his family with farming rice and gathering fruits and water and wood for the colder weather, and directed his attention to the mountains that hemmed the beautiful nearby pond. He chose the path of grassy green but as soon as he had reached the little mystical pond, the grasses were about waist high. There were fields and fields that appeared endless before he would reach the foothills of the area known to the locals as mountains that breathed air of scented Red Cedar, which was wood taken from felled trees to build their tiny homes.
Re-Go thought to himself, how the smoky scent of Red Cedar lingered about the little village as individual fires were kept alive by some of the women to cook their meals of fresh fish and rice, almost always served up with fresh fruits gathered by the little children. The older ones would carry home-made baskets and buckets of water from the spring waters and use this as a fresh supply of drinking water. Occasionally wood was shaved with sharpened hand-made planes to keep the residents reminded of not only the beauty of nature that surrounded them, but of the great value these people had for such kami filled life forms of Cedar trees. The aroma of freshly cut or shaved cedar was fresh in the air on a daily basis.
He had kept a steady pace on his sojourn of journeying to the mountains and as he walked he thought to himself, “Why is creation so beautiful? The gods, who were they all and why were there many? Could there,” he contemplated, “be only one great god of being the Great Creator over even the gods in the earth and in the sky? Who would this god be called? Was Amaterasu the goddess of the sun the one great god?” So he thought and he thought, until he was tired of thinking and tired of walking. He decided to rest for awhile and looked for shade.
Up ahead Re-Go saw the Satsuka Azalea tree he would rest under when- ever he grew tired for his journey was about a two day trek to a certain mountain top cliff he would sit and meditate. He brought with him some fruit and rice for his hike and sat comfortably against the Azalea and began to eat. When finished with his meal he began to make himself even more comfortable against this beautiful Satsuka when all of a sudden Re-Go was blinded momentarily by a sudden flash of white light. He paused and noticed how he was feeling. He felt as if he had just blacked out but instead of darkness he notices the entire sky and his line of vision had turned a brilliant flash of white light. It lasted for only a moment but he thought, “What was that flash of light? And, what was its meaning?”
This perplexed Re-Go completely but left with-out any clues of where this light came from he dismissed it as an unknown mystery and once again leaned up next to the tree and began to fall asleep. As he began to nap, he heard a voice. It was a woman’s voice and it was very loud. It was as if thunder had spoken but at the same time was soft enough to have been a beautiful flower. He sensed love, peace, and a beautiful, softness within his heart. The voice had called him by name, but not the name Di-Li-Su had given him of Re-Go, but, his proper name given him by his family, Guregorii. He tried to answer back but was so taken aback by the events surrounding him all he could do at that point was look into the clearness of the bright blue sky. He saw nothing, and once more, even more perplexed, tried to get some rest, for his journey was still awhile before he would reach the mountain-top.
Re-Go slipped into a very deep sleep that kept his mind at total peace. As he was at total peace, what appeared to be an ancient kami or Spirit came to him while he dreamed. His dream was different from normal dreams for this one was very realistic and he was very much aware of his feelings and the Satsuka Azalea tree, but, could see a creature of sorts who had a brilliant aura of radiating light coming from within him and around him. Re-Go knew he was awake but saw his body still in a deep sleep.
As this beautiful, handsome being stood within Re-Go’s reach, he remained motionless. During this present moment he was very much aware of his human consciousness and felt entirely free, though frozen in time at the same instant. This great creature was human in appearance and spoke to Re-Go of many things.
Re-Go tried asking the beautiful being who he was and how did he get there, but all he could do was listen with his heart and soul. This lovely person of light told Re-Go the nature of the human was formed together as soul and body and that every human possessed a soul that very clearly was one unique human nature. The creature continued to translate, heart to heart, and, soul to soul, without even speaking a word. His lips would move but Re-Go heard the sound of the being’s voice not with his ears of his body but with the ears of his soul.
The being taught Re-Go in a flash of a moment, that, ”All human souls are individual and immortal as well.” He also said, “You are created by God, the God of the Most High.” He stated to Re-Go, “the soul does not ever die with the death of the human body, but with the body, will one day be re-united with the soul in the final days of the Great Resurrection.”
This creature from the light said before he departed Re-Go, “Our vision of Eternal life is supernatural and created by the Great Creator of all Life.” He ended the conversation by breathing upon Re-Go words of comfort, “You will learn of the great Divine Master of unfathomable Mercy.” And then, he was gone.

Re-Go, now completely awake, had feared some, of just having some kind of mystical experience or possibly a Divine revelation of sorts from one of his ancestors. His ancestors did have a direct lineage to the Divine Warrior, was this who he just spoke with? Questions began to mount within his mind trying to figure what was happening to Re-Go. He felt a tremendous stirring from within his soul that almost resembled the power of a great typhoon, only Re-Go was not angry as if fierce winds were gnawing at his soul, rather, a huge whirlwind of power that was sustained by his love and adoration he felt towards and for this Great Creator, and now, for the Divine Master of unfathomable Mercy.
He grabbed his belongings he carried with him and began his walk towards the mountain-top. He thought, perhaps there, upon the mountain, next to the great Red Cedar of all Cedars, with a huge twisted trunk and scented foliage, there, he may find some comfort, and, an answer. For this great tree of 1000 ages would have an answer.
The sun began to set in the western sky of this beautiful paradise and Re-Go noticed the clouds beginning to form as a softened kiss of wavering billows of white smoke. As Re-Go began to search the right spot for a well deserved night of rest and sleep, he could feel his spirit breathe, alive he felt, to the eternal kisses for this soft cool air, in quiet solitude, as he sat consumed by nature’s stare. He knew the dawn would rise quickly, and hopefully blend to a sapphire blue, as the beautiful age of wisdom was upon him, and his mind relieved by this lofty fresh air, as his tired and weary mind dissolved within the being of light and the loving flow, for this freshness that was brought forth by a tender Autumn scene of care.
Before Re-Go would sleep for the night, he felt a very powerful yearning to pray. He had learned through his Buddhist teachings on prayer that there was a need for the being to come to be silent in a contemplative manner. This was to symbolize the effect and power of ‘silent love’ which would feed the fires of this Great mystery of love and ultimately alter the state of mind and character of the individual praying.
Re-Go experienced this kind of prayer often as he would travel on occasion to the nearby Buddhist monastery where the Monks would teach him to pray. They were his friends and were where the seeds of his faith of the Great Lover and Creator of Life were first introduced to him. He enjoyed time spent in the monastery and the monks would allow him to travel the stone porticos so long as he kept the vow of silence and respect, for these were not just words to comfort someone, but words of encouragement to embrace and to live by.

Re-Go was about to continue on his way to the mountain-top where the mighty Red Cedar tree awaited him for a time of reflection and meditation. He received a prompting from what he considered to be his “spirit teacher,” and travel by a different path. He was familiar with his normal direction but decided to go with the feeling that was stirring. It had been a pretty exciting day for him, he could not understand it but felt a new way of travel may prove beneficial in some mystical kind of way.
He started out on this new leg of his journey when after some time he was frightened when he stepped on a green grass snake that appeared to be chasing him once he began to run. It would whip around his legs as if it were trying to scold him for not being more watchful, and as he ran the small serpent seemed to follow him, whipping his legs more and more. He ran a good little distance when all of a sudden the small snake had stopped. As Re-Go kept running to get away, he noticed he was all alone in the wilderness and discovered the terrain was slightly different and a bit un-recognizable.
As he walked a bit further over a small hill, as he looked out over the plains of tall grasses, he noticed a wooded forest area of fresh foliage from a small grouping or gathering of mid size Red Pine trees. They were of a considerable size smaller than the Red Cedars he was on his way to meditate by, but these trees looked manicured to some degree. There were all varieties of smaller trees that blended in with a soft, peaceful, and coalescing of verdant grasses that created a tiny little path that led further back into the smaller wooded area.
He noticed some of the trees to be Azaleas, Gardenias, Red Pine, Red Cedar, Cherry Blossoms and a tree he had heard about they called the Mountain Laurel, which had lavender petals on its very sweet fragrant blossoms. They were miniature by normal standards but very beautiful and well taken care of. Who took care of this tiny little paradise?
Re-Go came upon a small stream of water that seemed to go on for quite some way and then straight ahead along this lush green winding little trail that was surrounded by beautiful miniature trees, he saw a small pool of water about the size of a very small pond…smaller than the pond back home by a considerable amount. Streaming down the small cliff-side was a beautiful little waterfall steadily rushing to meet with the soothing looks of the sparkling fresh little pond.
This little pond was full of life, why…there was Koi, and tadpoles, and turtles and little forest frogs…life everywhere. Re-Go saw a snow owl of white, and other lovely creatures of the air. He saw baby Asian Gazelles, and a pair of snow monkeys in some of the taller trees. Every kind of creative beauty he felt he could bear. He thought about swimming in this pond as it reminded him of the heated springs at the small pond near his village where his family as well as neighbors would bathe and rejuvenate in the waters that fed the body and soul.
For some reason, though, Re-Go felt compelled to look beyond the pearl drops of snow fed spark-lets of water and he saw what appeared to be a small cave. It was small but large enough should he creep down a bit he could manage to make his way inside. As he made his way in and through the moss covered walkway into the small cave, he began to notice how the cave became larger and larger. This cave became a much larger cavern full of natural limestone stalactites hanging steadfastly to the ceiling of the stream filled cavern. The walkway continued inside with a combination of stone and mossy grass dampened with so much moisture the ceiling of mighty stalactites embraced a steady flow of water drops as if it were raining inside the cave.
The water was a beautiful aqua-marine color with light coming in from an opening in the roof of the cavern making its stream-lined path under the watered pool that Re-Go saw brilliant stones of many colors nestled along the bottom of the pool’s floor. Inside, up the cavern’s wall was as if temple towers were present where a steady stream of yet another waterfall emerged free-falling into the greenness of the brilliantly lit cavern pool.
Behind this second indoor sparkling lit diamond drops of water, dancing off and from the ceiling of this new heaven on earth that Re-Go was favored to witness, he noticed a light, a different kind of light. It was as if someone had placed a small spark of glowing embers from a freshly lit campfire upon an alter pedestal of stone like the one his grandfather had made for his grandmother to attract the lovely native village, tiny birds to drink from and to bathe in.
The glow of light only caught Re-Go’s eye for a moment as he held his hands to his heart in curious amazement as if he were praying to Buddha. He looked down at the pool for a moment and looked up and witnessed the glow a second time. As he drew near the source he was close enough to the stone pedestal that resembled a bird sanctuary, he noticed what appeared to be a round of beads. These beads were of the same Aqua-marine color as the pearl held deep within the Great Lotus down in the valley. This was the pearl supposedly left by the grandson of the sun-goddess Amaterasu. But, these beads also looked of a pearlescent aqua-marine color and were much more beautiful than any that human eyes had ever witnessed in all of creation.
“Where did they come from?” Re-Go wondered. “Who left them here?” he said to himself, as he dared not reach for them, for he feared to some degree the sun-goddess herself would bar him from the gates of the Heavenly realm should she be displeased with Re-Go’s actions. He was about to turn and wander away from this place and head back home to his forest village, when, just as he had turned to run, a voice spoke to him as in a command, “Do not run and leave dear son of Mine,” a thundering voice, that of a woman, an Asian woman of Re-Go’s age had spoken.
Re-Go, scared to death as he dared not look upon this woman fearing a sudden death if he did, slowly, was frozen as still as the Bonsai’s that surrounded the entrance to the cavern stood still. “Please,” calmed the woman, “please stay with me and listen to what I have to say to you.” As he calmed somewhat from the strangeness he felt in his knees, he slowly turned, and as he did, his eyes made contact with the adoring, loving, kindness of the woman’s eyes. She was standing, levitating above the small tree behind the stone pedestal, and as she stood there, Re-Go noticed a similar set of pure white beads draped around her praying hands.
He had taken notice more clearly of her apparel as she was enfolded by a wrap of sorts that was a beautiful sapphire silk only royalty would wear. Her gown was a blinding brilliance of white with sapphire stripes around the enlarged cuffs of the sleeves on this beautiful gown. He noticed three stripes on each sleeve and three stripes down each side of her white silk gown. Surrounding the outer perimeter of her beautifully colored aura, were a crown of twelve stars, and it was as if she were clothed by the brilliance of the sun in all its brilliant splendor.
Re-Go began to sense the peaceful calm that surrounded him. He felt enfolded within the beautiful lady’s arms as if he were an infant as his dear mother nourished him with tenderness. Re-Go, now feeling a little less apprehensive, asked the lady, “What is it you desire of me dear lady? Are you Amaterasu, the great sun-goddess who desires something from your servant that I am?”
All was perfectly still and quiet for a moment. Then the lady began to speak again. Re-Go listened as she spoke with his heart wide open. She said:
“It is my wish that you visit with me for forty days and forty nights that I may teach you in the ways of Love and Mercy. It is also my wish you open your heart to what I have to say about prayer as well. And though you, Guregorii, are a special son of mine, it is also my wish that you know although I have many sons, there is One Son of mine Who is the Son of the Most High that I wish for you to love, for He is Love and Mercy Himself.”
Re-Go, embraced every word as Truth as if one Word outweighed all of Creation, for instantly, he saw a brand new world. A world of Hope, Faith, and Love. He felt in an instant, also, as if he had known all along of an all-powerful Love in Creation, and that, one Word of Truth was Creation, as well as a saving Grace for all the spirit kami of every man, woman, and child. He was eager to learn and earnest to find out more of this Lady’s beautiful presence and her Son of the Most High. Who was He and how did He know so much of Love?
Re-Go asked the Lady who she was and what was her name? She told him, “She was the Lamp of the Moon,” and “that her purpose was to make known the Way of Love and for all of Creation to know her Divine Son Whom was a Gift to all men.”
He had so many questions but as he listened he felt more and more at ease with the Lady and listened to her as if he were in a mystical daze of some kind. It was something he had not ever experienced and his feelings were changing from what was once known to him to be of childish things were now replaced by the things of a man, a real man, of Courage, Valor, Honor, and of Respect. He was a new man of Love and a new man of Strength. He learned of Holiness as the wise monks had taught him in the monastery nearby his village. He understood how to be divinely Gentle and divinely Strong at the same time.
The Lady of the Angels as she told Re-Go she was also called, said she had many names but she desired for Re-Go to simply know her as his Divine Mother. She continued to teach Re-Go all she knew of the many things she desired for him to know. And when she finally talked of prayer, she told Re-Go, prayer was an important dialogue he had with her and with all the Great Army of Angels in Heaven, but prayer, especially was the Way of Love to her beautiful and Divine Son, who Re-Go learned in all the conversations he had with this Lady of the Angels, was that her Son learned from her as Re-Go was learning from her, but, that her Son chose a life as a Sacrificial Lamb for all of God’s creatures of men. She told the whole story of Creation and from the beginning of time, the Way of the Word, and of Love, was the Way of a life with her and her Son in Heaven.
And now, it was time. For in an instant of conversation with this beautiful Lady of the Angels, the forty days and forty nights were complete. The wishes and desires from the Lady’s heart had been accomplished not only in her Divine Son, but with Re-Go. For, as a final gift from the Lady, she handed Re-Go, the beautiful Aqua-marine beads, into his hands with the special prayers she taught him, on fire within his heart. She told him during the difficult days ahead, to pray these special prayers from Heaven and of hers and her Son, and they would prepare a Holy Path for Re-Go as he continued on his journey of life.
She foretold of a mighty battle that would take place between two great Empires in his land, and that he must meet with the two highest ranking Samurai Warrior Chieftains, and lay counsel to both, that they must lay down their weapons and live as one under the Goodness and Kindness of the Way of Love, or, that this mighty Empire of whomever may not be defeated, will surely face difficult days for a nation of peoples that only the One true God was able to lead, the One who was called, the Sacrificial Lamb, and was also known as, “The Good Shepherd.”