The Table of Illusion and Reality: The Master's Table

* * *

Suddenly the Riddler of Life appears, his midnight black cape flowing and gloved hands outstretched towards you. See him before you? Your escort through the Hall of Mirrors. No ordinary place, this Hall of Mirrors reflects back your thoughts and consciousness in the journey of your soul.

On your journey you will encounter Dr. Kagan the Alchemist, Theophilos, and many others. In a startling and engaging tale these characters pose thought provoking questions about what is "Illusion" and what is "Reality."

Picture yourself transformed into the student, as riddles and teachings are imparted about seemingly opposite "science" and "faith."

In a sumptuous drawing room the book culminates with a gathering around a long mahogany table. Looming in front of you, the magnificent Sphinx roars and growls, the floor trembling beneath you. What if the Sphinx were to ask you a riddle? How to unite Science and Faith, Quantum Physics and Mysticism, East and West? How to reconcile the teachings of Christ and the beliefs of other faiths? How to link music with the orchestration of the universe?

The Riddler of Life has placed the keys in your hand, so it is up to you to use the correct key to open the door of light, to answer the riddle of the Sphinx in the journey of your soul.

I believe we all grow up in circumstances in childhood which shape the 'cake' of our lives. Generally, our first teachers are our mother, father and siblings, but perhaps most of all ourselves. Growing up in a suburb of Philadelphia with two brothers and a [fraternal twin] sister, mother and father, my life was 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary' at the same time. I had unusual questions as I suppose all children do.

When I was about three or four years old I recall looking at my mother and father and wondering who they were and if they never would have met, would I exist? Also, I thought about if I had never been 'born' what would I be? I would look at people and wonder why I was in my body and not in theirs? What it would be like to be 'inside' them?

Reviewing back, I suppose I was having metaphysical thoughts about the existence of my spirit/soul, distinct from my body. As a small child I did not verbalize these thoughts to anyone.

I remember my mother, Virginia,when I was about six years old, mentioning her grandmother, a theosophist in New York City. My mother told me she remembered her grandmother saying, 'A soul and life goes out and a new one comes in.' This made a great impression on me. I also remember in childhood hearing about Edgar Cayce, the clairvoyant, who quoted Christ's words, 'In my Father's House are many mansions.' I wondered at the significance of this and how larger 'mansions' could fit inside the 'Fathers House?'

My reflections turned into a love for drawing and painting and I graduated from Tyler School of Art of Temple University with a BFA. Parallel to my 'outer' art work was my private 'inner' study of metaphysics, mysticism, Taoism, Buddhism, astronomy, physics, mythology, psychology and Christianity.

I became aware that some of my thoughts and experiences were paranormal to many: direct answers to prayer, incidences of clairvoyance, telepathy, visions and precognition. Not until I moved from Philadelphia to the Texas Hill Country, at the age of thirty-one, did I start to consistently meet others with third eye vision - so-called by some 'psychics' or visionaries, healers and mystics. Meeting many of my karmic 'friends' and lessons in Texas, much of my soul memory was triggered and I began to understand more of my soul purpose in this lifetime.

In the summer of 1995 I had a series of visions(dreams OBE) in which I traveled into my future. In one 'dream(I will recount) I was on a huge plain which was heavenly in appearance. In the center of the plain was a shimmering glowing edifice which I knew symbolized a new 'home' for humankind - 'the new heaven and earth'. Around the edifice was an oval track on which walked all races, cultures and age groups of humanity. I was watching from afar, then suddenly I was walking among the people. I was trying to speak to everyone through the heart and eyes, saying words of love and healing to some, simply touching others with kindness. As I approached the end of the 'circle', I came up behind an old bent Hispanic man with ragged clothing. I could not speak Spanish, his language, but I touched him from behind on the shoulder and he looked at me. His eyes were filled with tears and he lowered his head with shame. Around him, at his feet, were his poorly dressed, hungry grandchildren. He questioned me with his eyes and looked away. I said to him, 'Do not be ashamed of what you are. Whatever you have done you are already forgiven. Look at the beautiful gift you have of your grandchildren. Do not be discouraged, hold up your head and walk on. You are loved.' His eyes filled with tears of joy and he smiled. Suddenly I was lifted off the ground and a force was pulling me at a tremendous speed towards a shimmering edge of a canyon. I knew I was going over the cliff's edge and I knew I could not stop the force that was pulling me towards my destiny. As I was propelled over the precipice edge I prayed, 'Thy will be done, I am in your hands. If I fall, so be it'. Strangely I had no fear. Once suspended in air over the cliff my body was lifted at a tremendous speed vertically and I passed through strata of different dimensions. When I stopped rising I was in a massive 'space' that was silent and felt like eternity. I had 360 vision and a screen appeared in front of me with flashing images. They happened at a rapid rate, then a scroll of what looked like sheet music appeared with electronic dots and dashes. A 'cartoon' figure of a woman appeared pushing a baby carriage, then I awoke on my bed. I called one of my minister friends the next day to see her interpretation of my vision. She summed it up by saying, 'You are going to give birth to something, that is what the baby carriage symbolized.'

Looking back on this dream, I see that the birth is perhaps this book, which is why the information on the screen looked like electronic Morse code of words and information, and the birth of the electronic Aquarian Age. The birth of this book I had symbolized, in the chapters titled: The Sycamore and Time Travel, at the beginning of the Table of Illusion and Reality.

Shortly after this vision I took a drive in the summer of 1995, from my home in San Marcos, Texas, to my birthplace in Philadelphia. It was the most profound journey of my life, so far, because in metaphysical terms, I decided to keep my third eye open at all times. I asked in prayer to be guided to those I could help on the journey. Perhaps I will write this trip in another book because I experienced it in may ways the 'holographic' nature of the universe ina profound way. Linear time existed on the trip but parallel to it I felt in the center of timelessness, where past, present and future merged into a continuum of 'Now.'

On my trip I was guided in prayer to give out blessings and gifts to so-called 'strangers'. To some I gave musical tapes, objects from my altar, but mostly I gave prayers and money blessings. The clear message came for me to tell people that 'We Are All One'.

In prayer I am guided over and over to help build 'The White City'. This, to me, represents the New Heaven and Earth, or the New Jerusalem, where the light of 'I AM', the Christ Consciousness in us all, illumines our hearts - beyond barriers, beyond divisions, beyond religion and race - We Are All One in the House of God.

In 1997 I became ordained as a minister through the Universal Brotherhood Movement, Inc., an interfaith ministry (based) in Orlando, Florida. My decision to become ordained was to affirm my life of service. To link Light Workers, to awaken people in remembering our union. Thank you and bless you all, Shalom.