The Twelfth Insight: The Hour Of Decision Part 6

He slipped over the rocks and headed up the slope. For a long while I just gazed in that direction, catching sight of him a few times as he crept between the outcroppings and trees. Then he was gone.

After a few minutes, someone talking down by the trail attracted my attention. Four rangers were walking in my direction. I grabbed my pack and slipped around the rocks in the opposite direction, hoping to make my way back toward the cliff face where the climbers had been.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and jerked me to a standstill, sending my pack flying ahead of me and causing me to lose my footing. A large man with sungla.s.ses and trekking pants stared down at me. Another man walked up from behind him and leaned forward, then politely lifted me to my feet.

"Remember me?" the man said in a British accent. "Where's your friend, Wilson James?"

I immediately remembered him as the blond man who had been observing me at the Pub.

"Wil left," I replied.

The rangers came up, and the man gave them a look. They nodded and headed back down the hill again.

"No matter," the man continued. "You two are pretty slippery, but I want you to know we wish you no harm. We're trying to help you."

He pulled me over about five feet to where the others couldn't hear. "We don't have much time. But I'm going to tell you something. You must listen very carefully. We know about the release of this Doc.u.ment, and we know you're looking for the rest of it. We're very interested in what it has to say, and we want you to keep searching and tell us everything that you find out."

He gave me a look that was only slightly menacing.

"Who are you?" I asked. "Who are you working for?"

He smiled. "Let's just say I'm speaking for a group that exists at the highest levels of every Western government."

I was struggling to hold on to my clarity. "What could you possibly want with an esoteric doc.u.ment like this? It's about spirituality."

He looked at me a long moment, perhaps aware that he could not win me over without giving me more information.

"I want to trust you," he said. "This release about spirituality is occurring at a time when the war between religions is our most dangerous problem. And don't be fooled. That's what it is, a war between those having primarily one religious view in the West, and those countries, primarily in the East, that have another view. This war may seem quieter on some fronts, but underneath, the tensions are accelerating. We have the best minds working for us, and they're all convinced we are on a downhill slide toward total destruction.

"The problem is simple. It's the old issue of the Cycle of Revenge. Every time we kill one of theirs, ten more join the fight. And every time they kill one of ours, there's a call in high places to do something more drastic to protect ourselves. There is no middle ground here. And the worst is yet to come. The whole conflict is about to go nuclear."

He stepped toward me. "Do you know the religious affiliation of the President of Iran? He's a member of a sect called Twelvers. They believe that Armageddon, the war that is prophesied to destroy the world in the last days, is a good thing-because they think when it approaches, their version of a Messiah, who they call their Twelfth Imam, will come out from the clouds, vanquish all their enemies, and then create an ideal world based on their beliefs.

"Just to show you how crazy it is out there, we find similar views among Judeo-Christian fanatics in the West. They also think that Armageddon is desirable, since they believe it will bring forth their Messiah figures to likewise defeat their enemies. Some people in both camps seem to think it is their duty to actually bring about this great war.

"This kind of fanaticism seems to reflect a growing tendency to give up on this world. People everywhere are hanging on to their religious doctrines at all cost, thinking the rest of the world is going insane. And they're hoping G.o.d will intervene to end the misery."

He looked genuinely worried.

"Don't you think," he continued, "that it's strange how the Iranians are talking, even after everything the Israelis have tried? Iran is much further along in its nuclear capability than anyone thinks. And many of its bases are far underground. That's why even bombing attacks don't deter them. Some a.n.a.lysts think they already have nukes now, and they're just working on the delivery systems."

He reached over and handed me my pack. "I don't claim to know what's in this Doc.u.ment you're studying. It seems like a bunch of talk to me so far. But we know the reputation of Wilson James. If this Doc.u.ment has a real solution, we want to know about it."

He gave me a serious look and added, "Otherwise measures are going to be taken by our group that no one is going to like."

In spite of the threat, I began to think he was being sincere with me.

"Don't worry about getting in touch with us," he replied. "We'll find you. We have people in every department of your government, so we have everything we need to keep up with you."

He paused and looked at me for a long moment.

"There's one more thing. This giving up on the world is not just happening in religious circles. It's happening in the political realm as well. Both Left and Right are quickly polarizing into more dangerous groups, who also think the world is collapsing, and thus they are justified in their extreme action. It is another reason we might have to act. So you want to make sure you align with us in this matter."

With that, he shook my hand forcefully and told me his name was Colonel Peterson, then reached into a satchel on the ground and pulled out some papers.

"Here's part of the translated Doc.u.ment we found," he said, walking away. "The Third and Fourth Integrations. Some of the people we interviewed told us more of it was rumored to be north of here, near a larger mountain."

For a long time, I just huddled there among the rocks, my head buzzing from all this. The sun was now blocked by another thick layer of clouds, and an ominous cool wind began to blow from the north. I opened my pack and pulled out a windbreaker. Now, at least, we knew who was following us. And if he was correct about the geopolitical situation and people giving up on this world, maybe this was why the Doc.u.ment had been released at this time.

I wondered suddenly, in the interest of truth, whether I should have told Peterson about the men who seemed to be holding Rachel against her will. Probably not, I figured, since I didn't know for sure if that a.s.sumption was true. I thought for a moment about reading some of the two Integrations Peterson had given me, but I found I couldn't concentrate. I was getting antsy- I had to do something.

Finally, I decided to move ahead in the direction Wil had traveled.

"Expect Synchronicity," I reminded myself out loud. "And stay centered in the truth of what you're doing, and in Alignment."

I proceeded carefully up the canyon until I noticed another trail that bore to the right through a rocky gap toward the northeast. The trail looked to be rarely used overall, but it contained dozens of fresh human tracks. Following them, I proceeded to another large mound of red rock where I could survey the flats farther to the north.

About a quarter mile ahead, I could see a small clearing where many people seemed to be camped. It was just across the line into the area Wil, and now Peterson, had talked about: the Secret Mountain Wilderness. The multiridged mountain towered in the distance. Camping, I knew, was expressly forbidden in this wilderness. Whoever all those people were in the clearing, their party wasn't going to last very long.

As a gray dusk descended, I hiked down the slope and into the flats. Here the terrain was less rocky and much more green, dotted with large areas of junipers, and large oaks. Several rabbits flushed from the rocks as I walked.

When I reached the clearing, I couldn't quite believe how many people were there. From where I stood, I could see at least two acres filled with campers. Dozens of people were walking around. It was as though someone had organized a music festival of sixty people two miles out in the desert, in a spot where everyone had to hike to. In reality, it seemed to be a totally spontaneous gathering, born of rumor and a desire to find out about the Doc.u.ment.

The larger reality of what might be occurring struck me. Ostensibly, the pieces of these writings had been dispersed all over the world. Was something like this gathering happening in many other places, all at the same time?

Suddenly, I could hear the low whine of a four-wheeler far back in the distance toward the canyon, and I knew the rangers were about to move this way. Hurrying ahead, I picked out a spot near the east side of the clearing, figuring I could make a quick getaway into the junipers when the rangers came. Around me was the glow of eight or ten campfires.

I cooked up some soup on the stove and ate it, waiting for complete darkness, and then I ventured out to see if Wil was here, or Rachel. For half an hour or so I walked around, glancing at the people and listening to their conversations about the Doc.u.ment. Different groups were trading copies and talking about their experiences with Conscious Conversation.

For the most part, I was ahead in the Integrations compared to those I was listening to, and I didn't feel the urge to engage anyone. I wanted to cruise around first and see who was here. After a long time, I had completely checked out most of the sites, except for several larger groups near the southern edge of the camping area. The first one included at least twenty people, all camped together.

In the center of the group, a small gas camping lantern hung from a tree, flooding the area with an odd yellow light, like the bug lights you see on porches out in the country. Moths and dragonflies eerily circled the lantern.

As I walked closer, I almost ran into another man who was entering the camp at the same time. We actually had to stop to avoid cras.h.i.+ng into each other. I paused, wondering if this meeting was a Synchronicity.

"Excuse me," he said, in a friendly manner.

"That's okay," I replied.

He gave me a second look. "Hey, I saw you back at Boynton. You must be looking for the translations."

"Yeah, that's right."

"Where did you come in from?"

I could tell he was sizing me up for some reason.

"Georgia," I said. He introduced himself as Robert, from Idaho.

"From Georgia, huh?" he commented. "Some people in our group are from there. We have all of the translations through the Third Integration."

At that moment, another man walked up and handed him a cup of coffee, and Robert asked me if I wanted one.

"Sure," I replied, certain now that I was being shown something important here.

We walked over to the fire and sat down, and I was handed a cup of coffee that was very hot and smelled wonderful.

"It's terrific that this Doc.u.ment is coming out now," Robert said. "The country is in great danger. Maybe this will get people motivated. I'm pretty sure the government will be declaring martial law pretty soon, and people need to be prepared. The first thing they'll do is take up all the guns and many books."

It was becoming clear that I was talking to someone on the extreme Right politically.

"Wait a minute," I said casually. "None of that can happen. There are const.i.tutional safeguards."

"Are you kidding?" he reacted. "One or two more Leftist judges, and that won't be the case anymore. Things are out of control. The country we grew up in is being changed. We have to do something now. We think the Doc.u.ment is going to call for a real rebellion against the Leftists."

"What?" I said forcefully. "I can't see anyone getting the idea of a rebellion from this Doc.u.ment-maybe a more enlightened Centrism. Have you read it?"

"Much of it," he said loudly. "Our people are studying it more closely now. They'll let us know about the details. You may not believe it, but things are about to degenerate quickly. You had better decide who you want to side with when it happens."

Several other people in the group heard him and began to walk toward us.

"Everyone has to wake up," he went on. "The Leftists are slowly undermining the Const.i.tution by overregulating. They're taking advantage of this financial crisis to consolidate power."

He stopped and looked hard at me.

"I think you're overstating reality here," I said. "There was a swing to the Left that occurred during the crisis, when more of a safety net and consumer protection were demanded. But if anything, there's been a turn in the other direction since then."

He suddenly stepped back and began to look at me with more suspicion.

"Well, boys," he said to the others, "I think we have a Lefty right here."

Before I could respond, several other people jumped in with their own thoughts on the subject, basically echoing the first man's point of view and arrogantly emphasizing my naivete. As they continued, I began to feel slightly confused and off center and no longer wanted to argue with them.

So much for this being a Synchronicity, I thought. Best to leave now.

"Look," I said, walking away. "Everything you are saying can be debated, but you're not open to that. There is another side to all these issues." I set the coffee cup down on a rock.

Robert was laughing now, but some of the others were giving me intimidating looks.

"You better wake up," one of them yelled. "You people on the Left are ruining this country, and we're not going to stand for it much longer. We'd rather have the corporations take over than you idiots."

Walking back to the tent, I could feel my clarity of mind finally coming back to me. I had no idea that the extreme Right would have an interest in this Doc.u.ment, if indeed it was a genuine interest. More likely they were just trying to use it for their own purposes. Most upsetting of all was the fact that my energy had collapsed. I felt I had held on to a more rational view with them, which I considered most truthful, but I had definitely been affected by the verbal onslaught.

Then it dawned on me. These people were controllers, in the same sense that the Old Prophecy had described them in the Fourth Insight. We had come to the Fourth Integration-so of course I would be running into controllers!

As the Prophecy had shown, controllers were not interested in truth, and only marginally motivated by outcomes. What they wanted above all was the feeling of power that comes from dominating others. In order to do this, they make up any facts necessary to throw the other person off balance and undermine his self-confidence. And if the controlling was successful, the victims would eventually lose their centered clarity altogether and begin to defer to the controllers' opinions-which, of course, would give the controllers a hit of energy and power from the others' attention. Controlling is obsessive behavior, used to push away insecurity.

This type of controlling is the chief characteristic of those both Left and Right, who have a primarily ideological approach to politics. They don't want to debate the issues. They want only to shout down the opposition and win. The old Prophecy predicted that this selfish insecurity could be resolved only when one found true security: a spiritual connection inside, where seeking the truth and being of service were more important than winning.

Shaking off the experience, I continued to look around for any sign of Rachel and Wil but saw no one I recognized. I was about to head back to the tent when I heard someone talking in a loud voice in a campsite to my right. I looked around and tried to see through the dim, flickering light. The night was now draped in a slight fog-like haze from the smoke of the campfires.

Finally, I spotted four or five people standing in a group, illuminated by a large campfire. Two men were opposing each other in a heated interchange. One of them was shouting, and the other man was ... Coleman!

I was so glad to see him that I rushed over and stood just to the right of him for support.

"You're one of those Right-wingers," the loud man said, waving a finger at Coleman. "If you weren't, you wouldn't be talking like this."

Coleman shook his head. "I'm only saying that it takes a balance. Some people want big government totally regulating everything and others want big corporate influence and very little regulation. I think the best position is right in the middle, with just enough regulation to provide adequate consumer protection."

His opponent wasn't listening, going off on a tirade about how those were just code words for Right-wing intentions to undermine programs for people. He called Coleman a fascist extremist out to control the economies of the world and oppress anyone who wasn't rich.

At that moment, a lightbulb went off in my head. We were now seeing the reverse of what I'd experienced earlier. When I tried to discuss politics with the Right-wing guy from a more moderate position, he called me a Leftist. And now I was witnessing a man on the extreme Left-because Coleman was also coming from a moderate position-accusing Coleman of being from the extreme Right.

Both extremists were using the same tactic. If someone disagreed with them even slightly, they were simply pushed into the opposite extreme category-so they could be dismissed and dehumanized and not taken seriously. That way, each side-far Left and Right-could justify their own extreme behavior. Each thought of themselves as the good guys having to fight to save civilization from a soulless enemy.

As the other man continued to shout, Coleman gave me an exasperated look and nodded that we should leave.

"Where are you going, Right-winger?" one of the other men shouted. "You aren't going to win. If we have to install a dictator, we'll do it. You aren't going to win!"

Once we were out of sight, Coleman stopped and pulled a copy of the Fourth Integration from his pack.

"We need to talk," he said.

As we walked back to where I had set up camp, I gushed out everything that had happened, including experiencing the Third Integration, seeing Rachel and the strange group she was with, and listening to the far Right guy acting just as irrational as the guy Coleman was arguing with on the Left.

Coleman listened and busied himself with picking up some dead mesquite limbs. Several times he paused to tell me he had had similar experiences with the Third Integration, not from losing his food but from being alone and losing his way and seeking help from others. We were both at the same place: in Alignment and beginning to seek the Fourth.

When we arrived, I used some starter wood Wil had placed in my pack to build a small fire, listening at the same time for any sounds that might indicate rangers were approaching.

Coleman was watching me, growing more excited. "Have you seen what the Doc.u.ment says about the Fourth yet?"

"Not yet."

"We're seeing all this for a reason! The Doc.u.ment says that during the transition from a material worldview to a more spiritual one, civility is the first thing that goes out the window. Those holding on to the old worldview often begin to cling to their obsessions with ever greater ferocity, until their beliefs become an ideology, a system of ideas that aren't based on truth any longer. It is based on the perceived idea that there is an enemy out there threatening the world. And in such a dire situation, they feel it is okay to give up on truthful democratic debate and legal procedures.

"The political Left and Right are both moving to the extreme because each thinks the threat is so great from the other side that extreme measures need to be taken. And of course, it's all self-reinforcing. When people exaggerate the facts, they abandon truth, and then the Law of Karma kicks in, and each side draws in their opposites who are lying as well, and they just fan each other's flames.

"What's worse," he went on, "is that those in the middle-as we just saw-are constantly accused of being extreme by both sides, so gradually everyone tends to be pushed toward the extreme opposite poles."

He poked the fire with a stick. "The Doc.u.ment says the danger lies in this increasing polarization of political thought, with more people moving to the extremes every day. This is a very dangerous situation. Either side can become violent or despotic. The Doc.u.ment says those in Alignment must find a way to stand up to those in extreme ideologies by creating a new, enlightened center, devoted to the truth. It says this is especially true when confronting religious ideology."

I just looked at him.

"I was very interested," he said, "when you were telling me about the group Rachel was with."

"Why is that?"

"Because the Doc.u.ment says religious ideology will also be increasing in our time. In this period where many people want an open discussion about spirituality so we can build a consensus about our spiritual nature, many in established religions will begin to feel threatened. And in an effort to defend their doctrine, they will move to extremes as well, even to the point of giving up and wis.h.i.+ng for the end of the world."