A Long Walk After Tea

Born human – A child filled with spirit and wonder. Memories of the land where I was born, but a vague echo. I remember blue sky. Green forests extending to horizons. Exotic animals, both amusing and fearsome.

I grew to adulthood. A life filled with greyness, sprinkled with disjoint flashes of inspiration. When inspired, my heart sang songs. This confused and intrigued those around me. I created contraptions that attracted attention and power. I was invited live in lofty places, with powerful people, where I fell out of grace when my songs and contraptions ceased to be useful.

I was sent into exile, chased by a flurry of shadow demons to a tower in a barren land. I spent mornings sipping tea. I had a vision between sips. Time was lost, the tea grew cold. The vision lingered - the very void of soul. I saw singularity. I saw here-ness and now-ness. It was zero and infinity. No movement, no color. Greyness became a brilliant endless landscape. Inspiration became the signposts on an endless Journey.

With a sip of tea, I resumed Journey that I thought I had forgotten...

This Journey led me to a treacherous trail where neither demons nor saints dare venture. It is a mountainous, razor edge path. An abyss on each side. A lone Owl rules the skies in the darkness and guides me to mountain pools where sustenance can be had.

For more than decade I persevered on this journey. It has led me to a cliff, extended in both directions to infinity. Water falls into a torrential river far below. Before me, a sea of green forest extends from horizon to horizon. Exotic animals call in the distance.

With no choice but the one before me, I leap into the thrashing waters below...

Hot air ascended from foot to head
Like the breath of a lion about to devour its prey.

Interrupted by a jarring sensation.
Swallowed by frigid waters.

Descending into a torrential abyss.

Suspended for an instant in frozen silence.

Searing lungs, pounding heart.

Flung to the surface in a violent explosion of hissing of water.

Gasping and dragged helplessly by an angry river.

Beaten by rocks.

Bleeding and broken.

Drifting to a resting spot at the forest edge...

Vision blurred, body broken, I lay in a calm pool at the forest edge. An unseen monkey laughs as he leaps from tree to tree. I lay shaking on the forest floor. Emotions explode. I laugh, with tears of sadness. I cry to Creator in anger. Escaping eternal barrenness, I lay naked and vulnerable, surrounded by abundance and danger

I seek shelter from predators in the forest. Monkey continues to laugh, invisible in the looming darkness of nightfall. Overwhelmed with exhaustion, I drift into unconsciousness. 

I regain consciousness to the eyes of Monkey staring into mine. 
A reflection of Monkey reflected in Monkey's eyes.
A reflection of myself, looking at my own reflection in a forest pool,
Looking at the reflection of myself in the reflection of my eyes. 

I AM Monkey.

With consciousness regained from my dream of being human, I recall my visions between sips of tea. It beckoned from the Spirit Forest.

I leap to the treetops to feel the moist morning breeze and welcome the sun. I sing a song of joy to all of Creation. The creatures Spirit Forest sing back. My Journey continues.

Monkey Man