Overture

(excerpt from The Elixir of Ponyo)

Overture

If consciousness is a timeline, what then, is the theology of time? Why does infinity flirt with temporality?

Could one dance outside and inside of time? Could one dance inside and outside human and divine? Why the dividing line? Maybe there is no line, could it all be in our minds?

Eternity forcefully penetrated my concept of temporality in my seventh initiatory year in the Science of Universal Awe.

Now I know there are real live men and women existing outside time, operating in a fashion some call divine. Flesh, blood, bones, and mind.

The Great Halijee is one such man. He is my master. Not a slave master, but a master of circumstance, a master of life, now a master of death whose life is lived solely to give life. Heard of him before I don’t suspect, but its possible, maybe you’ve be elected...

History has no need for him yet he can claim direct responsibility for many climatic shifts in global culture this past century. He’s been the starry star in many a dream...

All cosmogonic myths, folklore, fables, and fairy tales, hieroglyphics and Holy Scriptures have whispered about such mysteries, which sound like fantasy in present reality. Still we all are actors in this drama.

The writers, producers and directors in the drama are called Lightholders. They are the light of the worlds. They are the matriarchal marrow of existence. They can easily look back 100,000 years and forward 25,000 years as present as they are now, there.

They can communicate effortlessly across continents with thousands of persons at once while eating dinner (when they decide to eat). I know this sounds fantastical, but such fantasy, for me, has become reality. We call this reality “Universal Awe”.

My name is Tabriz. I will be your host for this magical mystery tour, this quest for the Holy Grail: the elixir which sanctifies existence.

Me? I’m just a wild-mannered barbarian, a ruffian. I jest. Actually I’m quite a cosmopolitan cat. The entirety of my brief life has been an exploration of the above mentioned themes.

1999. After returning from a lost weekend of debauchery in New York City I returned to my little loft in the plaza area of Kansas City. Even though I was a serious student in the Science of Universal Awe, I was going through a “dark night of the soul”. I had rebelled against all the moral tenets of Universal Awe, even developing a fondness for over-the-counter sedatives.

I had flown back for a late-night recording session, but had absolutely no inspiration. After a telephone conversation with the woman of my dreams proved once again the delusion of daydreaming, I just wanted to drift away.

Depression was seducing me. I popped three Nyquil’s, sighed to myself, “Fuck it,” and drifted off into the abyss.

Now these Lightholders just love to disturb depression and self-pity. These are the moments they wait for. Once we’ve given up, they show up.

I began to dream the psychological type dreams which serve the mind as the digestive system serves the body. I dreamt of New York City, the parties, the clubs, the women, the drugs.

I went into a VIP lounge with one of my hip-hop friends to chat. The scene then shifted to a 1940s “Honeymooners” one room shack type of environment.

Across from me sat a tiny dark-skinned woman next to the front door. I sat in a big comfortable chair, my hip-hop friend was in a chair to my right and begins to say excitingly, “The Great Halijee’s coming, the Great Halijee’s coming!”

“Okay, calm down,” I say, thinking nothing of it.

Sure enough, he bolts through the door. He’s moving in the most animated fashion, like a hummingbird or Charlie Chaplin.

He hugs and kisses the tiny black woman, then moves swiftly over to the hip-hop star and hugs him. Then he comes to me.

Now all modern students of Universal Awe adore this man yet only a few have physically seen him. Those who have, report back to the others what they’ve experienced. So I knew from those descriptions and the giant palpitations of my heart who this was.

We make eye contact. He stood about 5’4” and was slight of build. His complexion is like creamy coffee, beach sand, or very light cinnamon. He has exquisitely tender facial features, small nose, lips, and crescent shaped full moon eyes. He radiates an otherworldly beauty that is intoxicatingly hypnotic.

Looking at him was like looking at the sun for it seemed that all the light in creation for it was emanating from him.

He wore a light grey jumpsuit which resembled what an inmate might wear in prison. I looked down at his exposed chest and thought to myself, he’s a little fellow, built kind of like me. Immediately he puts his hand on my chest and pushed.

Like the chi master who can knock down ten students with the slightest tap of his palm, I was thrown back into my chair with gale-force speed.

He laughed as I looked back up at him. Then he smiled.

That smile and the light which emanated from him began to take on a life of its own. A soothingly centripetal force was pulling me into him. This light was alive and it was taking me somewhere. The most blissful feeling enveloped me.

Yet I was frightened. This feels too good. And he just stared at me so tenderly, so beautifully, so lovingly. Then I realized I was looking at love itself. I was experiencing a capacity of love I couldn’t have imagined possible. Yet I didn’t want to go with him. The unknown was too unknown for me. Gently, I pulled away or maybe gently, he pushed me away. Soon I was back in bed, back in my loft, trembling with that tangible

feeling of loveliness all over me still. I luxuriated there until I had to pee. Damn.

Now if I get up will this feeling end? I contemplated this until biology took over. Reluctantly I arose to slowly, painfully reenter the “real” world.

Back in bed I curled up foetus-style, reviewing the chain of events. There was no doubt in my mind that I had actually met my master. So why would he come to me now, when I was in Lucifer mode?

I picked up the phone and called my dear friend and brother in Universal Awe, Roberto. It was three in the morning, one in Los Angeles. Excitedly I ran down my experience.

“T, call Ponyo. Write it all down and report it to Ponyo.”

He gave me the number. Apparently, Ponyo and Michael Thomas would be in LA to visit Roberto in a few days. Yes! I needed the beach. I needed to enjoy California, enjoy the ocean for a few days. That morning I left a message for Ponyo.

Ponyo and Michael Thomas each had forty years under their belts in the Science of Universal Awe. They were highly respected and their legend had taken on mythic proportions.

Currently, they disguised themselves as traveling salesmen and were making their way from Texas to California. Those highly advanced in the Science of Universal Awe cloak themselves by participating fully in the contemporary world, particularly sales or other endeavors which keep them untraceable. There’s no hermit trip at all.

I flew to Los Angeles, rented a car, and drove to Roberto’s condo in Santa Monica. A bond was formed.

Three days were spent with Ponyo and Michael Thomas. On the third day I asked Ponyo if I could write the story of his life. He laughingly explained that a psychic in Kansas City once predicted great wealth would come from the publication of his life story.

Before we go forward, I must offer a brief description of the life of this

party.

Ponyo stands approximately 5’9”. Admiring glances circle him like Cessna’s. He’s a dashing figure, who imports the finest suits and watches from the East, so he’s always draped immaculate. Occasionally he’ll transition into a hip-hop type jumpsuit with a baseball cap or simple silk pajamas when at home. He has a light caramel complexion and closely cropped curly black hair with natural silver highlights.

All in all, if Ponyo were to walk pass you in a grocery store, you’d notice something spectacularly unusual about him. You’d notice something magnetic pulling you his way, especially if you’re female. Ponyo would charismatically greet your curiosity with a nod of the head and a twinkle of the eye.

His best friend of fifty years, Michael Thomas, is somewhat of a contrast. He stands a robust and stately 6’3”. He’s what they used to classify as a mulatto, octoroon, or quadroon; he can effortlessly pass for White. He has neat straight black hair with a few silver strands. He has a long but attractive face and dancing greyish-black eyes.

If MT were to pass you in the grocery store you’d notice him and he’d immediately engage you so disarmingly, so naturally you’d easily divulge all your personal business even your mother wouldn’t want to know, especially if you’re female.

After confirming that my experience with the Great Halijee was an authentic initiation, I dropped everything in Kansas City and began traveling with Michael Thomas and Ponyo. It took 5 years but finally Ponyo and I headed back to Los Angeles to write.

Being morning people we usually began our sessions early, over coffee, rap all day long, then cap it off with a spectacular dinner cooked by Ponyo with a good bottle of vino.

So here we are. Let the journey begin!