Book: Redemption - Part XXXI - Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Connecting the Pieces

May to June 2001

As a child, I accepted as fact the biblical saga of Adam and Eve, their exile from the Garden of Eden, and the murder of one of their sons by another. In my teens, I questioned the arrogance of the Roman Catholic Church to presume it was the only religion recognised by a Hebrew God. In my twenties, I read a book that challenged the Old Testament as an historical record and encouraged me to view the Bible with a more discerning eye. That book was The Chariot of the Gods by Erich Von Däniken[1]. By the time I was fifty, I was convinced the Garden of Eden was really the lost civilization of Lemuria and that it, and the later Atlantean civilization, had been destroyed by cataclysmic floods. The paintings on the cupboard told me something else: when Lemurian and Atlantean survivors established new lives in other parts of the world they took their beliefs with them.

I instinctively knew the woman on the left door was Isis. What I didn’t know until after I had completed the right door was that Isis was the woman Petula saw carrying the child in my aura. The more I learned about Isis the more I realised my subconscious mind had been yielding its ancient knowledge all my life. So much made sense once I discovered the secret to my letter “R” doodles. From the time of the first pharaoh, every ruler of ancient Egypt embodied the god-king, Horus, once regarded as the son of Ra, chief god of the Egyptian pantheon. The falcon-headed god, Horus, was later accepted as the son of Isis and Osiris. After finding Osiris had been slain by his brother, Set, Isis used her magical powers to transform herself into a bird for the purpose of conceiving a son to avenge his father. She then took Osiris’ body to Thoth, the god of magic, to be restored to life. Horus eventually cast Set out and claimed the throne of Egypt, but not before Set tore out his eye and cast it asunder. The eye of Horus was restored by Thoth. In learning about Isis and her son, I couldn’t help but ask another question. Was the statue of Isis holding the baby Horus the inspiration for the iconic image of the Madonna (Mother Mary) holding the baby Jesus?



Left: Isis and Horus. Right: Mary and Jesus

The myths of the ancient past, and their intriguing parallel to Old and New Testament accounts, took me a few steps further in my quest to understand who I was, and why the Eye of Ra or Eye of Horus was so important to me. The right eye symbolised the sun. Its mirror image, the left eye, symbolised the moon. In my doodles and later drawings, I always drew the right eye. This may have been due to my subconscious allegiance to Ra (Re), the sun god. To the ancient Egyptians, the Eye was believed to have healing and protective powers, and as such was used in jewellery and all manner of artefacts to promote good health and well-being. The Eye of Horus was also painted on sarcophagi, tombs and temples because it afforded protection for the dead on their journey to the Afterlife. The ancient Egyptians believed the soul resided in the heart so, prior to burial, the heart was weighed against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of harmony, order, truth, and justice. If the heart was too heavy it was devoured by the goddess Ammit, the personification of divine retribution, and its owner condemned to the Underworld. This ceremony was known the Final Judgement. Is this not similar to the concept of the Last Judgement where those deemed unworthy of Heaven (the Afterlife) were relegated to the Hell (the Underworld)?

Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the Underworld, depicted weighing a heart against the feather

The Eye of Horus was also used as a form of fractional measurement, and for the measurement of ingredients in medicines and pigments. The symbol was divided into six parts, each representing a specific fraction. More complex fractions were created by adding the pieces together. The six parts also represented the senses: smell, sight, thought, hearing, taste, and touch. Was this, I wondered, why Petula saw the symbol for Pi above Isis’ head? Was it important that I understand the Eye’s mathematical purpose? I believe it was because shortly afterwards I came across a small book on Ancient Egypt. On one page I found a drawing of the Eye with its fractions noted.

Fractional components of the Eye of Horus

The “Rx” symbol, used by pharmacies and in medicine, has its origins in the Eye of Horus. The Eye of Providence, or the all-seeing eye of God, an aspect of the Eye of Horus, was clearly important to America’s Founding Fathers for it features on the reverse side of the One Dollar note. The concept of the Eye also features in Buddhism as in the Eye of the World. When I told Peter Harvoe about my letter “R” doodle, and my later connecting it with the Eye of Ra/Horus, he told me the Eye was most likely an Atlantean symbol.

Another famous Egyptian symbol, usually depicted in the hands or being presented to another, is the Ankh. A cross with a loop at the top, the Ankh symbolised life. On the same day I had my epiphany, a package arrived in the mail with a Victorian return address. When I opened it, I found a small round box, inside of which was a golden Ankh, but nothing to indicate who it was from. A few days later, inside an envelope bearing an Australian postage stamp but no return address, I found a beautiful card written in Liz’s own hand along with her business card. Naturally, I assumed she was in the country and planned to surprise me. On emailing her, I discovered she was still in California. She had ordered the Ankh online with specific instructions as to how and when it was to be delivered. The same day she mailed the card with her payment to the seller because he preferred to be paid in cash due to bank charges. In mailing the package to me at the agreed time, he took a chance because her payment had not yet arrived. When it did, with a card she had not told him was coming, he sent it on to me.

Ankh

Early May might have been an insightful time for me, but for Tamara, it was an uncertain time. Against her former Director-General’s advice, she had taken a job in Treasury, but it was coming to an end and she was yet to find something else. It was very unlike her to be so concerned, but on May 6^th, a calmness came over her, which left her feeling all will be well, something my readings confirmed. She had been so concerned with how government departments deal with temporary staff she wrote to the Premier, Peter Beattie, suggesting a pool of experienced workers be established to fill temporary positions. On May 7^th, Steve and I did what we did every year on Labour Day if possible. Since the fateful Labour Day march of 1969 we’d only missed a few.

In the middle of May, Tamara shouted me a wonderful trip to Surfers’ Paradise as a Mother’s Day present.  Barring hospital stays, it was the first time I had been separated from Steve and it clearly gave him something to ponder on because he was thrilled to have me home. A week later, she rang to tell me she had three months work in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, where she began her public service career, but when she arrived to start she was told the job was gone. She had been selected in case no internal placement could be made, and when it was, at the last minute, she was out. It was a cruel thing to do. Yet, the cards suggested something good would come from it. On the last Friday in May, she received a curt reply to her letter to the Premier. Her suggestion had been sent to some committee or other for consideration. Tamara may have been naïve in the ways of the world but she certainly had courage. The following day, we both read for several people at a natural health centre, courtesy of one of Leigh’s contacts. It was good experience for her because she was toying with the idea of becoming a professional reader.

May ended with Petula terrified of what to do regarding her settlement claim because Neville was contesting her right to do so. Life was unsettled for Liz as well. I had been looking at her work on an online auction site. It seemed pretty good. And although she was happy with how it was going, she felt it wasn’t what she needed. The trouble was she didn’t know what she needed. Gaele rang to say she was no longer living at West Chermside and was technically homeless. For the time being she said she was staying with her estranged husband and wanted to meet me for coffee. When I told her about the insecurity people I knew were dealing with she said it was a worldwide problem. She said things will remain that way until after the lunar eclipse and winter solstice on June 21^st. I hoped Tamara and Steve could find work before then.

On Friday June 1^st, I woke recalling snippets from several strange dreams, none of which made much sense. Tamara called to tell me she got a call from Virgin Blue regarding a reception position she applied for. That night, I did some readings, several of which predicted, what I took to be, an airline disaster. I hoped, in spite of myself, that Tamara wouldn’t get the job. She didn’t. The following Wednesday, Che informed me he was moving out to share a place with Jenny. Although I expected as much, I did not expect what happened when I rang the Department of Housing. We would not be asked to leave as four-bedroom houses were not urgently required. It was two and three-bedroom houses people wanted. However, the woman I spoke to added, if we wanted to move into a smaller house or a unit we could request such but would have to go to the bottom of the waiting list!

Two days later, Petula called to tell me Neville was furious with her for rejecting his efforts to keep their private business private. He told her he had no intention of borrowing the thousands she was asking for and his solicitor would see to it she regretted her lapse of judgement. The next day I had a huge fight with Steve over something inconsequential. His repeated efforts to find work were at the root of it but I couldn’t see why he had to take his frustrations out on me. That night, I did some readings for Tamara that suggested something would come up suddenly and from an unexpected quarter. When I rang to tell her she decided to come over for tea and stay the night. Her readings concurred with mine. Around 11pm, I was woken by Che and Jenny having a huge fight, not in his room, but through the window. She was downstairs. The next sounds I heard were feet stomping down the front steps, car doors slamming, feet stomping up the steps, front door slamming, and the fight continuing through the window until Steve told them both to shut up. Perhaps moving in together would not be such a good idea.

On the morning of Tuesday June 12^th, a woman called to tell Steve his father had passed away during the night. She said he had enough money in his bank account to cover his funeral costs, and that a funeral provider had been contacted. Steve was more shocked than he thought possible. The only contact he had had with his father’s siblings was through his Aunt June so he called to let her know. Shortly afterwards she called back to say she and her brothers wanted no more to do with Cecil in death than they had in life. Steve was to do what he thought best. A man from Metropolitan Funerals called the moment he replaced the receiver. They were handling everything as instructed, but if Steve wished to discuss anything he could stop by at 1pm. Steve then called a person from the Public Trustee’s office and the woman who called that morning. She told us of Cecil’s last months in the hostel where he was living. Ravaged by guilt, she said he sat in his room most of the time haunted by the life he had lived. She said the voices in his head and the shock treatment he had received in the past didn’t help. Whenever he spoke of his family, it was about the harm he had done. I was so grateful Steve had taken the opportunity to write to him when he did. It made this time infinitely easier on him than it might have been.

As there would be no service, the man from Metropolitan Funerals agreed to call us when Cecil’s cremation was to start so Steve and I could mentally participate. We stopped into Zillmere library on the way home so I could email Liz because Heather had been unable to contact John, her US-based brother. She kept getting a message that the number dialled was incorrect. She knew John would never move without telling her. Thankfully, Liz was online at the time and promised to do what she could.

At 9.30am on June 13^th, I lit a candle and Steve and I held hands while I talked him through a guided meditation. When I ‘saw’ a brilliant white light surround and penetrate Cecil’s coffin I knew all would be well. I thanked those who assisted in his transition. If Steve saw anything, he kept it to himself.

On Monday June 18^th, I went to Leigh’s home for another reading day. Glenys wanted to go first as she had to leave early. She was her usual reticent self but when I asked if the previous reading had helped her she said: “Oh, yes! More than you know!” The next in line was Andrea’s mother, on holiday from England and flying home on Wednesday. Andrea was the lady whose husband worked for Ansett. I then read for Andrea and her daughter, Rebecca. The cards were still forecasting problems in her husband’s workplace, and came up again in Rebecca’s reading. Andrea said she had spoken to her husband after the first reading but was assured all was well. She would tell him again and leave it with him. Of the two others present, one was going overseas in less than a week and was too afraid of having a reading, just in case she got some bad news. The other said she had no idea I was doing paid readings; she thought it was a ladies’ morning tea. I didn’t know whether to believe her or not. Despite being very religious and afraid of “meddling with the Devil”, she had a reading and said she would pop the money in my letter box as she lived nearby. She did. I felt it was another test. I will get all kinds of people in this line of work and I must know how and where to draw boundaries. The next person I read for was Sue, the lady whose daughter invited me to read at her baby shower. She popped in after lunch for a chat and decided at the last minute to have a reading. It was very timely for it gave her a lot of insight into something she was concerned about.

When she left Leigh told me more about the trip and gave me a lovely T-shirt she bought in Thailand for me along with an interesting wooden brooch. After more talking and looking at photos, we did some readings for her and her children. She was thrilled her eldest daughter, Aimee, the one living overseas, was coming back to Australia in August/September. I was so exhausted I fell asleep on the train coming home. Thankfully, I woke up at Zillmere station! That night, Leigh rang with some amazing news. Glenys had rung to tell her I was “very good” because as she drove through Strathpine, not happy with what I had told her, she stopped in for a reading at a little shop there. Just as the reader was about to lay out her cards she stopped, saying she got a message that Glenys had already been told by Spirit what she needed to know and that no more information would be forthcoming. To say I was blown away would put it mildly.

When I got home Tamara called to tell me she was offered at job as a receptionist for a well-known accounting firm. As she had an interview for an admin position at the University at St Lucia the following day she asked if the job would still be there on Wednesday. They couldn’t say. On Tuesday, we drove to Wynnum to pick up the Cecil’s funeral bill and had no trouble accessing his bank account. After collecting his ashes, we drove home in silence. Steve kept too much locked up. If he doesn’t vent soon, I thought, he will explode.

When Tamara learned she missed out on both jobs she realised disclosing to one potential employer that you have an interview with another is not always the best policy. She was in dire straits financially, and without unemployment benefits would not be able to pay her rent. She didn’t even have enough money for train fares. We helped her out where we could, but we were stretched to the limit, too.

At the library on Wednesday June 20^th, I was thrilled to read that Liz had been in contact with John. He was still living at the same Maryland address and still had the same phone number. However, area codes had changed which was why Heather kept getting that message. He told Liz to tell me he would ring Steve on the weekend. Afterwards, I took Tamara to a Centrelink seminar at Brookside. It was the usual drivel, a total waste of time and money. One thing was certain, though: the Warman-Casey passion for workplace justice was still alive and kicking in Tamara. She came away with two days work and said she had asked Mum for help, saying “Nana, I can’t do this anymore. You have to help me.” Later that day she got a call regarding another interview. She also received a more dignified response to her letter to Premier Beattie from Matt Foley, then Minister of Employment and Industrial Relations.

During a reading I did for her later that day I got a “Karmic Crossroads”. I learned about these spreads from Eileen Connelly’s books on the Tarot. A Karmic Crossroads spread is a Celtic Cross with at least three Major Arcana cards and five cards of the same Minor Arcana suit. I had four Major Arcana and six cards from the Pentacles suit. When I placed one more card down, another Pentacle, I knew that whatever was coming for her there was absolutely nothing anyone could do or say to change it. The Tower, in position five, the current energy, was indicative of upheaval while the extra card, the Five of Pentacles, indicated extreme fear related to the challenges encountered. I could only hope she would be alright.

The interview was in regards to two-week’s work, possibly more, with some sports and recreation section of government. When she rang to tell me she got the job she said she had been talking to her landlord, a former high level public servant about the letter she wrote Peter Beattie. When he asked if he could read it, she printed him a copy. He told her he thought it was well written and constructive, but that Beattie would never have seen it. Some lackey would have sent that first reply, which was more of a slap on the wrist for daring to write to the “Main Man.”

At 7.20 on Sunday morning, June 24^th, John rang. It was 5.30pm on Saturday afternoon in Maryland. The first thing Steve said when he got off the phone was: “He sounds like a yank!” I couldn’t help but laugh. What did he expect? John had been living in the United States for a very long time and had raised a family there. John was the brother-in-law Petula’s reader friend, Margaret, said was my husband in a past life. It was a strange feeling. I never had much to do with John when he was in Brisbane, although I had more time for him than his younger brother, Adrian, who developed an unhealthy fixation on me in the ‘70s. That he ended up like his father was sad. He enlisted in the navy in the 1980s, but that brought its own problems and he was discharged on medical grounds. He was mentally unstable. It didn’t help that it was Adrian who found his mother’s body in 1976.

Adrian also had an unhealthy relationship with Heather. In his eyes, she was supposed to look after him like their mother had. She did try, but when his irrational demands became too much, she told him to leave. He retaliated by threatening to kill her. He came to visit me once in the hope I would agree to be his carer. When I refused, he asked Tamara. When she refused he became angry but made no threats. He knew what Steve would do if he dared. In time, he threw himself off the cliffs at Kangaroo Point. After being discharged from hospital, he came to see Steve. He wanted to play the sympathy card. Look at me, I’m broken and battered. Now you’ll have to look after me. Steve not only told him to get out and never come back, he said he should have done a better job of it, and to make sure he did the next time. It was cruel, but it was the only way to deal with Adrian. Heather found that out to her cost.

Another intriguing development concerning Adrian was his friendship with trainee priests at the Banyo seminary. On a stormy night one of them came to the old house at Cribb Island looking for him. I opened the door at the very same instant a flash of lightening lit up the sky behind him. To the accompanying rumble of thunder, the man flung off his raincoat and hat with a flourish. My scream brought Steve racing to the door. It was an exact replay of a time in my early childhood when my great uncle came to visit. In another time and place, another man must have done the same thing, a man who left an indelible impression on me and not a good one.

On Wednesday June 27^th, I received an amazing email from Liz. For some months I had been doing readings for her in regards to a new friend she met through her auction site. He had bought some jewellery for his mother and maintained contact. Her disintegrating marriage was the only reason she continued communicating with him, but my readings warned he was not who he claimed to be. He had a dark side she needed to be very wary of. She also maintained contact with another person who bought jewellery from her site. This was a lady in Arizona. The email Liz sent me concerned both. Unknown to me, she had sent this woman all my readings about the man. She not only concurred, she had things to say about me. Her name was Dee, and she was a Tarot reader and clairvoyant of thirty years standing. Dee said I was a “natural medium, greatly gifted, and powerful. I commune with the highest levels and as a result, get accurate information.” I was so stoked! I was at a period in my life when I needed a boost.

The next day another boost came when Leigh rang to tell me I had been right about her daughter, Jade, getting work in July. She starts on the 2^nd. At the library, I had emails to answer from Liz, Roberta, Gaele and John. There were also a few forwarded emails from Jenny’s mother, Merle, in New Zealand. When I got home I found paperwork from the Public Trustee's office in relation to Cecil’s estate.

[1] First published in 1970 by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Later editions by other publishers followed.

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