The Curse of Grace

The Visitor is not an easy read.  It is not what it appears to be, and even if you think you do understand it, it would be best to place such understandings to the side.  Today, for the first time, I am going to share personal insights that are instrumental in understanding why this book cannot be interpreted by anyone; for anyone else.  It is why The Visitor when talking about Knowledge on page 59 says:

He strips you from reason to reveal the truth
For these visions he sees are not yours.
He guides you to knowledge that lives within you
And leaves you - to open the doors.

As outlined in the very first pages of the book, this story moves from fiction to non-fiction without notice or apology.  As described in blogs to this date; there are two parallel stories that run through The Visitor at the same time; a Love Story, and a Story of Love.  However, neither of those stories will lead you to what is in the pages.  Both of those stories are "fictional".  We have yet to explore the Truth of the novel; the fact that the work itself is one of non-fiction.

To help explain the non-fictional basis for The Visitor - today's blog is about "The Curse of Grace".  To some, this concept may seem blasphemous, crazy, distorted or just simply hard to grasp.  However, The Visitor is very intentional in meeting the reader half-way in this discomfort on page 10 where the author shares;

The rumours of who he was were not the reality, but rumours in time became the accepted version of the truth. Depending on who you talked to he was either a mystic, an intellect or just a crazy old man with a bad temper who had chosen to become a bit of a recluse.

This concept that rumour and versions of realities may not accurately depict "Truth", but may still become accepted as reality is important.  The literal description of the Visitor as possibly being a mystic, an intellect or crazy are all just versions or reality.  It is never clarified which version may or may not be real.

So here, for the first time, are personal insights never before shared with others that may lead the reader to have to choose whether the Visitor is a mystic, an intellect or just crazy.  (To the Visitor, it matters not...as stated very early (on page 3); The Visitor was aware of his shortcomings in not being able to see the middle between extremes; however, he would not have changed his understandings for anything. And here, we have the first glimpse into the suffering of the Visitor -  "The Curse of Grace". 

Grace by the understanding of most people is viewed as positive.  As a "blessing" or "comfort".  It is even viewed by many as a virtue.  So to talk about it as a curse, may be strange for you to understand.  However, The Visitor is intentionally very consistent in the non-fictional underpinnings of the central message.  

In Joy and Sorrow (pg 56) the reader encounters the following statement where the Visitor is warning the reader to not make assumptions beyond the moment - but then talks about "pain" and "current state".  This passage, like the novel itself fails to make sense when read from traditional understanding of what Grace is, yet it is doubtful that the reader actually breaks from the rhyme or rhythm of this verse of poetic parable to notice that it is probably discordant with their understanding of Grace.

Do not pre-judge your future
By your current state of grace
For by pain we all are nurtured
Until all sorrow is erased.

Grace to the author is an understanding and acceptance of a Truth which has no need to be defended and may be hard to accept.  It is to face a situation without hope of it getting better, but Faith to accept what is and will be.  It is why the Visitor is described as "hopeless" and goes to great lengths to talk about Faith.

Grace is to accept pain without blame.  Grace is to accept reality without distortion.  Grace is to give up defending, explaining, or victimizing yourself or anyone else.  

The author shares early on (page 2) the central concept of the Curse of Grace when describing who the Visitor was/is:

The Visitor could have been anyone. In fact, he would have argued he was everyone…more or less. He was not extraordinary, he was certainly no angel, and he was far from a saint. He had laughed and cried, felt pleasure and pain, and endured most of the emotional tides
which we have all shared. Perhaps he differed from most of us in his hopelessness. By that I mean he did not believe in hope.
 

It was not always that way. There was a time when he lived every day in hope, but over time the constant cascading disappointments became too heavy a load to carry. It made sense for him to give up on hope and instead anchor himself in Faith - Faith tied to destiny.
 

He would not have been keen to entertain arguments with others on whether life was a series of events open to arbitrary choice or a matter of predetermined fate. Such arguments he felt were fruitless and without consequence. Instead, he was more prone to admire a
perfectly designed system of ordered chaos constantly in flux with individual human choice. He felt there was something beautiful in the concept of unpredictable chaos within an intentional master design: a duality, like body and spirit.

This is the non-fictional underpinning of the Curse of Grace.  Simply put, the awareness and appreciation of a reality that is as dualistic in nature as the Visitor himself. 

Physical - Spiritual; Predetermined - Individual Choice; Chaos - Intentional Master Design.

As the author, I can attest that I have on numerous occasions encountered Grace, but never by my choice or at the time of my choosing.  I have been witness to things I cannot understand, I cannot explain and that defy logic.  Yet those experiences are real.  It has been found while being lost in the eyes of my Beloved while trying to deny Love.  It has been found in isolation and tears when broken down and subjected to intentional hurt by others and struggling to not hurt back.  It has been found in anger for which I can blame no-one; as all anger is owned by the one who experiences it.  Just as all hatred is owned by the one who hate; and blame lies on the conscience of the blamer.

The Curse of Grace is to be aware and to accept.  No matter what the situation.  It is to forgive while hurting.  It is to Love while being rejected.   It is to say a prayer for those who curse you.  Those are the easy parts.  The Curse is where it becomes hard.

It is to let those who you Love suffer rather than betray yourself or the truth.  It is to allow yourself to be judged in cases where defending yourself would allow an opportunity for one to dilute the Truth.  It is to "not forgive" someone (or yourself), when it may be misconstrued as giving relief to a cause for which they are not truly sorry.  At the same time, it is forgiving someone (or yourself) when you are still hurting from damage inflicted when you see that they are hurting themselves and truly ask for forgiveness. Even when you do not want to forgive.

The Curse of Grace is to be aware, and accept that which you do not wish to accept.  To understand that while your body is literally created in pleasure, your soul is born through pain.  

Silence is Broken

“In the midst of confusion and near the conclusion of where reason had stripped away truth, the Visitor walked towards a familiar hill in the city closest to his home.”

— The Visitor

Chapter II of the Visitor starts with a smooth flowing sentence that is not so smoothly understood.   This simple sentence is instrumental to understanding The Visitor.

                                                                        In fact, this sentence is so essential to understanding The Visitor, that the earliest draft versions of the cover-page contained this quote.  This was actually one of the earliest lines of the novel which came into existence, and provides some insights into the mind of the author during the process of writing The Corvus Chronicles.

In this blog I am only going to focus on the first half of that first sentence..."In the midst of confusion and near the conclusion of where reason had stripped away truth,..." Those few words will be sufficient to provide an intermediate deep dive into interpreting The Visitor.

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Warning: this interpretive dive is not for the faint of heart.  I highly recommend hyper-imbibing with a nice Merlot prior to attempting this dive.  To interpret this first half of the first sentence, it is helpful to break it into three separate “chunks”. 

1.      In the midst of confusion

2.      and near the conclusion,

3.      of where reason had stripped away truth.

• In the midst of confusion:

The Visitor itself is a story which starts near the end…(the eve of death of the Visitor). However, The Visitor is only one of the books in The Corvus Chronicles.  What the reader might not understand is that The Visitor, while released first, is not the first book of the Corvus Chronicles, but rather it is actually book VII.  Not quite near the end, not at the beginning, but rather in the midst (and near the conclusion) of the story. 

The reader is made aware there is more to the story from the quick glimpse of the life of the Visitor in the opening pages.  Fifty years are recapped in under two pages between pages 5 and 7.  To understand who the Visitor is, why the story is recorded, or even why it was important enough for the narrator to “record” the event is a little puzzling, or confusing. However, the reader should be aware, that to the narrator, the story was important enough to "write the story”.  The second paragraph of The Visitor makes this point very clear, where the narrator shares:

Again, I must stress that these words are not mine. I am a mere instrument of the message. I am attempting to tell the story and record the messages as I have witnessed. While I have tried to stay true to the message, I fear that in my own translation much of the understanding is lost. However, I take no small amount of comfort in knowing that it is not until we are lost that we begin to search for our way. 

What we can take from that, if we really try to understand the narrator, is that he is sharing a “message”.  In fact, he is telling the reader that he is trying his best to “stay true to the message” …” but the message is not his own, and he is even fearful that in his “translation” of the message, understanding may be lost”.

A strong hint to the feeling of “confusion and feelings of being lost” are found in the excerpt of the next novel which is shared at the end of The Visitor.  That excerpt is from a prequel to The Visitor - The Stranger. 

What the reader has no way of knowing at this time, is in The Stranger, (which is not just a prequel to The Visitor, but is actually book one of The Corvus Chronicles) the scene which is taking place is the coming to grips of a loved one who is suffering from medical trauma involving the brain (the organ of 'reason').  The confusion, and being in the midst of confusion is a real life event.  Here is a concrete example of where the story moves from fiction to non-fiction without notice or apology (as explained to the reader in the prologue of The Visitor).

The reader is literally being pulled through a story they are unaware of, a story which begins before the book they are reading.  This part is extremely literal to the process of the narrator, who after all is “recording the events”, which is a pretty strong hint that the narrator of The Visitor is in actuality “the author”.  

“BONUS INTERPRETATION POINTS!!!
If you’re really curious about the author/narrator and consistency...start to ponder the following;

If the narrator is the author, and if the author dedicates the novel to his Beloved, then how can someone else (The Visitor) be with the Beloved in the novel?  How, if The Visitor is not the narrator (which he isn’t) be with the Beloved and the story be consistent?”

So the reality is, from the narrator/author point of view, the story is occurring in the midst of confusion – and the reality is that to the reader, while they may or may not be aware, the feeling of “confusion” is being placed upon them.  What is far too complex to get into in this “intermediate deep-dive” interpretation, is why has the sentence changed from the singularity into the plural.  Why has the narrator/author changed from using the word “I” to the words “we / our”.  That is for another day, but there is a very real change that again probably slips by most readers due to the smooth sound of the sentence.

• and near the conclusion:

As already shared, The Visitor is not the first book in The Corvus Chronicles.  The Corvus Chronicles are made up of eight separate “novellas”.  Although The Visitor is the first novella published, it is actually number seven of eight.  So The Visitor is near the conclusion, but is not the conclusion of the story.  The actual order of the novellas are:

1.      The Stranger,

2.      The Beloved

3.      The Crossing

4.      The Calm,

5.      The Storm

6.      The Awakening

7.      The Visitor

8.      ….and then the final Chapter... which cannot be named at this time without giving away the story prematurely, or prior to the reader having had the ability to discover the ending on their own.

However, for the purpose “within” the novella The Visitor, this part of The Corvus Chronicles is taking place on the last few hours before the death of the Visitor.  So, it is also very much taking place “near the conclusion” of the Visitor’s earthly visit. 

(Note:  instead of “death” I have used the term “earthly visit”… which is in line with the actual reason for the title of ‘The Visitor”.  Although the story takes place on the “eve of death”, the story is not about death at all.  In fact, it is quite the opposite,…but again, that is too deep for an intermediate deep-dive and will have to wait for another blog and much deeper interpretation to understand why the main character is only ever referenced as ‘the Visitor”.

• of where reason had stripped away truth:

This is where the "intermediate deep dive into interpretation needs to occur to start to understand what is really going on in the novel.  While the reader can relate to the story being confusing, and somewhat near the conclusion...the idea of "where reason had stripped away truth" is more challenging.  This concept is essential to understand or interpret “The Visitor”.   If you have been following the blogs in an attempt to understand The Visitor and the message within the story, then you know a few things that will help you:

1.      The Visitor is more than a Love story, it is a story of Love.  There are two separate stories occurring parallel with one another at the exact same time.  You will also understand that to the Visitor, "Love" is a sacred term, and whenever it is used it is in contrast to the mundane connotations of common usage.

2.      The Visitor as a character within the story is described very deliberately as “dualistic”.  He sees the world in black or white, in or out, right or wrong, sacred or mundane”.  (In fact it is argued that any essence of things in between he is only able to perceive by his Beloved)

3.      The Visitor is never referenced by name.  Even though this story takes place in the hours before his death, he is not referenced by any name or by any other term such as “The Departed” or anything like that.  In fact, the poetic parables talk about “the procession of life” and about the similarity between death and birth.  The Visitor himself references himself simply as “a guest” who’s time it is “to leave”.  

4.      There are total chapters and poetic parables devoted to the notions of “Knowledge” and “Truth”.  These are concepts important enough and intrinsic enough to the understanding of the story that they have their own chapters devoted to them.  

If you are aware of these few things, then you might be ready to tackle the interpretation of, “where reason had stripped away truth”.  This is best done by understanding that the two main terms, “reason” and “truth” are set as “counterpoints” to each other.  The terms as used within the story and this sentence are not interchangeable.

Michael Paul:

It is never about being ‘right’; but rather, about uncovering the ‘truth’. 

Michael Paul, The Visitor, pg ix

For the purpose of interpretation,  "reason" is the rationale mind which draws conclusions based by observable experience.  It is akin to understanding the relationship between "cause and effect".  It is in essence the human mind (ie., fleshy brain).   At the beginning of The Visitor, we are exposed to this notion of "cause and effect" as shared by the narrator when describing an early experience of the Visitor. 

Though unable to understand why the birds behaved in this way, he was aware they were responding to his acknowledgement. His choice determined which bird came closer. His actions had consequence,even if he did not understand what the consequence meant or why
the birds behaved as they did.

This is the narrator explaining the nature of "understanding, awareness, consequences", basically "reasoning".  The Visitor was aware or understood his actions had consequences - even though he did not understand "why".  This is the nature of reasoning (or reason). 

Towards the end of The Visitor in the poetic parable on Faith this acknowledgment of the limitations of reason becomes evident.  In this section the Visitor shares the following:

Faith is not exclusive to any one church.
Faith is relentless - beyond reason or belief,
Believing in more than can be found in the search
Accepting what is without proof of relief.

Simply put, the difference between reason and Faith is spelled out clearly.  Faith is relentless - beyond reason or belief.  This is in direct contrast to Truth, which is not bound by limits or understanding.

Reason is often seen as a "rationale" argument, cause and effect, understanding, logic, even common-sense.  It is effective for successful protection of the material, of the flesh, of everything physical.  In essence, the mundane or carnal.

Truth, to the dualistic view and nature of the Visitor is the polar opposite.  Truth does not require argument, logic or common sense.  It exists beyond the material, the flesh or the physical.  It is in essence, the sacred.  Belief or proof or argument does not change the Truth. The truth simply is.  

This distinction is made very clear at the outset of The Visitor, in page ix, before the story begins where the author shares, It is never about being ‘right’; but rather, about uncovering the ‘truth’.  This idea is so central to the novel that it is repeated right after the prologue on pg 3 of The Visitor; To him it was never a matter of being right, but rather of uncovering the truth.

There is a distinct difference between what we see or argue as right, to what we may or may not see but is True.  This is the dualistic view of the Visitor.  It is the physical against the spiritual. It is the carnal against the sacred.  It is the conflict between the push of the flesh and the pull of the Spirit.  And it is something which the Visitor see's no value in arguing.  For example, see page 2 of the novel:

He would not have been keen to entertain arguments with others on whether life was a series of events open to arbitrary choice or a matter of predetermined fate. Such arguments he felt were fruitless and without consequence. Instead, he was more prone to admire a perfectly designed system of ordered chaos constantly in flux with individual human choice. He felt there was something beautiful in the concept of unpredictable chaos within an intentional master design: a duality, like body and spirit.

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If you were able to follow this last part then you are ready to understand the sentiment, "...where reason had stripped away truth..."

The arguments, the understanding, the acceptance, the reason of everything makes no sense.  Why be born to die?  Why find joy just to suffer?  Why anything?  

This is the message. This is the central point of why the Visitor leaves his home to gather with those he Love's prior to leaving.  This is the reason why the story is important enough to be transcribed by the narrator.  

To understand the story, you must enter it where reason had stripped away Truth, and find that all reason really did in it's stripping of the Truth, was "uncover the Truth". 

Hence: 

In the midst of confusion and near the conclusion of where reason had stripped away truth, the Visitor walked towards a familiar hill in the city closest to his home.

Remember from the earlier blogs,  the beginning is always somewhat vague, and it is only at the end that clarity begins.  So here...near the conclusion, amidst the confusion, where reason has stripped away - and uncovered the Truth...here begins "clarity".

Until next time, Journey in Love

Michael Paul

Beginnings are always somewhat vague...

“So how did he come to be here, at the beck of the crow and the call of the stars? If he had been asked, the Visitor would have simply smiled, knowing that beginnings are always somewhat vague, and it is only at the end that clarity begins. Today, things would become clear.                      
 Pg 6  The Visitor”

This blog picks up the narrator speaking on behalf of the Visitor on page 6, answering a question posed to the reader, but answered by the narrators interpretation of how the Visitor may have answered.  This is the first "intermediate" deep-dive of the blog interpretations.  The deep dives prior to this one have been beginner level.  Here, the reader will get the first taste of what The Visitor really is about.  There are clue's sprinkled throughout, but it will take a complete literary paradigm shift to understand, that on the many levels of this story; it is the duality of the Visitor's nature, and the duality of the chapter subject matter which frames the essence of understanding. 

Most readers who might try to ascertain the meaning behind the three sentences on page 6 might well focus on the crow, or the stars.  While the images of the crow and the stars are symbolic; the real meaning is to be found in the words which slip by unnoticed.

To be sure there is a lot happening here in these three sentences.  It is hard enough to wrap your mind around the idea of the various forms of communication that are happening.  The narrator asking the reader a question; the narrator claiming to know the answer asked to the reader by imposing thoughts onto the Visitor, and in the Visitor's assumed answer without a word from the Visitor, but rather an answer of silence portrayed by a smile assuming knowledge.  All this finally wrapped up by an assertion of the narrator that "Today, things would become clear".  But clear to who?  The Visitor, the reader, the narrator?  

At this point, most readers will actually have lost track of the question, which is simply..."So how did he (the Visitor) come to be here?"   It is the notion of "here" that will become clear.  

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Remember that this novel takes place after the death of the Visitor.  So is here a geographical location?  No, that is explained in depth that the Visitor leaves the city with his Beloved and returns only the eve of his death.  We know geographically, more or less where he is.

So is the "here" being referenced something else? A state of mind, of peace, or awareness? Most readers will not even question this.  However from the perspective of the "author" the here being referenced is closer to a state of "awareness", but also one of acceptance (eve of death), but yet more to the point...a state of "Grace".

That is there "here" being referenced.  Remember, the Visitor already argues against the existence of "time" being anymore than a physical notion.  And time and space to the Visitor are relative.  What the Visitor talks about more is "the procession of life" from the body housing the seed of the Spirit - and about growth through Love.  The "here" is really referring to a "state of Grace".  

So the real question is..."How did he (the Visitor) arrive at a state of Grace (here)?.

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From page 2 in the chapter Corvus we already are aware that the Visitor’s state of Grace is not due to any unearthly personal attributes.  The Visitor could have been anyone. In fact, he would have argued he was everyone…more or less. He was not extraordinary, he was certainly no angel, and he was far from a saint.

As such, any such state of Grace the Visitor is in would seem to be attainable to anyone or possibly even everyone. Perhaps a hint to how he came to this state of Grace may be found in the chapter on Prayer.  In that poetic parable (the story within the story) we hear the Visitor’s recorded words as:

Words are not required to speak to the spirit.

If you forget how to pray, then be still.

Stay silent and listen - and your soul - you may hear it

Faith like Grace, is more than free will. 

This idea that Grace is more than free will takes us to the notion that you can’t simply “want it” or “make it happen”.  It is more than free will.  So, this state requires something outside of personal control (or free will).  If the reader can hold the entire context of the novel at once, then within the idea of “Grace, and awareness, and acceptance” you might refer to the poetic parable on Knowledge, where the Visitor shares:

That being said, understand what I say

Your prayers - they are still being heard.

So, let no man ever stand in your way

Of accepting or rejecting the word. 

Simply put…the idea that your prayers are being heard (even if your may wonder if that is the case) is contrasted with the idea of never letting any man stand in your way of accepting or rejecting.  So the idea of knowledge, attached to prayer, being heard is outside the realm and control of others… if you don’t allow others to interfere.   This is reinforced again in the central message when you take stanza six on the poetic parable on Prayer into consideration.

I wish I could teach you how to pray in words,

But God listens not to your muttering,

Except for the times He Himself can be heard

Through your lips at the time of His choosing. 

Here is the connection the “your prayers being heard”…but now the tricky part in describing “the state of Grace”.   Here the Visitor states that God listens not to your mutterings…except when He Himself (capitalized therefore referencing God) utters them through your lips at the time of His choosing. So it’s more than freewill.  There is intervention to attain this “state of Grace”.  You can’t simply choose it to happen.  Yet, your prayers are being heard…but not necessarily through your words or at the time of your choosing. Sound familiar?

Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

So all that said...we might now understand that what becomes "clear" is "how the Visitor arrived at this state of Grace"...but we still don't know how he actually arrives there.  Even with this interpretation, we only understand the question - not the answer.

To understand the answer requires the reader to digest the full Corvus Chronicles. Remember, The Visitor is only the beginning of the Corvus Chronicles - and as already stated clearly...'Beginnings are always somewhat vague".  So while the answer may not yet be revealed, at least now you understand the question.

Until next time...Journey in Love

Michael Paul

The Truth is Out There

I could never quite figure out if he was admiring the night skies, or if he was just deep in thought or prayer. I asked him once, and his answer was simply, "Is there a difference"?

Today's blog is looking at one simple sentence on page 5 of The Visitor.  In this sentence, the narrator is providing the reader a glimpse into the thoughts of the Visitor.  But it is more complex than that.  Ready for the next deep dive into interpretation?

First off, I know that currently there are less than 75 people following this blog on and off.  And I am more than pleased with that.  If there is one person who one night finds something within this blog, than that is success.  And I can guarantee you that there is at least one person, even if that one person is me, the author of The Visitor and The Corvus Chronicles.

As I have explained to my wife, I am constantly struggling to interpret what I have written.  Over the 18 months it took to draft the first 90 pages which makes up The Visitor (one of the eight books which together make up The Corvus Chronicles) I tried to come to grips with a story that is much bigger than myself.  The story folds in on itself and has very many layers.  The easy part is understanding there are two separate stories which run parallel to each other at the same time.  A Love Story, and a Story of Love.  

The book itself is set up to deal with a procession of Life.  From basic needs, to family, to society, to values, to Faith and beyond this fleshy existence.  But even within the various sections, poetic parables, paragraphs and individual sentences there are interactions which are occurring which the reader will not notice.  Some are cryptic (such as actual names), some are illustrated by a change in font, some by a misspelling, some by a change in language or pattern of expected rhyme.  All those are the more apparent stumbling blocks which are meant to trip the reader up, to slow the reader down and to take note.

However, just as many instances occur that run so smooth they will not be noticed.  This is the case with the simple sentence - I could never quite figure out if he was admiring the night skies, or if he was just deep in thought or prayer. I asked him once, and his answer was simply, "Is there a difference"?

In this exchange, there are two people who are both in active in their own experiences.  The exchange of the question tells us they are "together", but prior to the exchange (the question and answer), both are in their own space.  We can assume that if the narrator is thinking, and the Visitor is in thought or prayer that prior to the exchange their is silence.

In the void of silence we are witness to what we all experience daily.  Our thoughts, and how they can be consumed by thinking about someone else, while someone else is not necessarily thinking about us.  In this case, the narrator is wondering what the Visitor is thinking about, (or even if the Visitor is thinking).  The Visitor while answering the question does not provide a direct or maybe even expected answer.  We know that it was never fully answered, since the entire novel is written after the passing of the Visitor, yet the fact is that the narrator is still saying, "I could never quite figure out.." 

Two different experiences, yet a shared experience.  To different perspectives yielded in one exchange.  How can we be so close as to have an intimate exchange yet still at the exact same moment be so alone that our interpretations of the event are not the same, nor even necessarily understood?

Even when we think communication and a shared understanding has been achieved, we are witness to the way the narrator tells the story that it wasn't.  Even after the death of the Visitor, he had still not figured out whether the Visitor was just admiring the stars, in thought, or in prayer.  Yet most readers will not notice this exchange is not complete, no common understanding is arrived at, and we really only get insights into what the narrator is thinking.  The Visitor's response is "assumed" to mean something, but what that means can differ greatly between different people.

Is there a difference between admiring the skies or praying?  Does it depend on the person and the situation? Can both be done at the same time?  Is there a difference between being deep in thought and praying?  Is there always a difference?  Can you be deep in thought while admiring the skies?

What is the connection, even symbolically speaking between using the term "the heavens" to describe the starry skies and "heaven" as it is used in religious dialogue?  

Stars themselves are referenced numerous times in the Bible, for example: Ishaiah 40:26

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

This line makes it pretty obvious that you can do all three things at the same time.  "Lift your eyes and look at the heavens (so looking at the stars).  Who created all these? (thought). Recognizing the power and the might and the strenghth (prayer).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world…
— PSALM 19:1-4”

To the Visitor, it may very well be that there is no difference.  Admiring the beauty of the heavens, to think about the world, the universe and beyond, and to be amazed and in awe can all be the same thing as prayer, thought and admiration occurring simultaneously.  To the Visitor, it may very well be hard not to entertain all these things at once in almost a gestalt manner.

Can you separate the thoughts?  Can you separate your actions?  From the context of the Visitor, the argument would probably be no.  Proof for this comes in the poetic parable on Religion where the Visitor is quoted as having said -

Who can be true in their words and their ways
And separate their Faith from their actions?
Who can divide the moments of their day:
“This be for God, and this for my passions?”

The Visitor would argue that you can't separate Faith from your actions, and does not limit what those actions are.  Therefor those actions would include both thought and prayer.  This is one of the defining differences between "hope" and "Faith".  Faith is all consuming and cannot be divided between the moments of the day.  It is constant. 

If the narrator actually understood the Visitor's answer, he would have been able to understand, that to the Visitor, there is no difference, and if he truly understood what that meant, he would not still be wondering (or even have asked the question in the first place).

This explains part of the reason the Visitor questions whether he can be an instrument of the message, and whether anyone would ever understand what he is saying.  His doubt in relaying a message that people cannot hear is shared many times within the 90 pages of The Visitor.

Even as the author I still struggle with the simple exchange, so the narrator as a character of the story can hardly be blamed for not being able to fully understand.  As such, it may be even harder for the reader to fully comprehend this exchange.  Words are simply inadequate.  

But Faith is that someone, somewhere, someday will understand.  As Mulder would have said while looking up at the skys, "The truth is out there...or...I want to Believe."

---

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars…”— LUKE 21:25

Until next time....Journey In Love

Michael Paul

From Cover to Cover - The Visitor - Chapter 1

The blog posts starting from here will be looking at various interpretations of The Visitor.  It is recommended that the reader first look inward for their own interpretations prior to looking at the following blogs so that they may be enlightened by their own introspection.

Remember, the interpretations that follow are not the only, or even necessarily the right interpretation(s).

The people walked in darkness, But have seen a brilliant light.

The Visitor - Chapter I - page 1

You cannot unsee what you have seen
Nor unhear what you have heard.
Turn around now and take your leave
Or you too will own each word.

The poetic parable above are the first words we hear recounted by the narrator.  It is important for the reader to remain aware that although the visitor's words are represented in poetic parables and italics throughout the novel, that we never actually hear the visitor himself speak as the story is written after the visitors passing.  We only hear the narrator's recollection of the visitor's words, or the narrator sharing the words he heard.

On the surface, this verse is easy enough to understand.  Most of us have experienced the truth in this verse, although unfortunately, we typically have learned these lessons through "negative experiences".  

If you have ever seen or witnessed a horrendous event, you will know what is meant by not being able to unsee what you have seen.  Myself, as the author have witnessed numerous events that I had not planned or wished to see.  For example, my wife Deborah and I were first on the scene at a tragic hit and run in Edmonton years ago.  When we fled from our coffee from the outside patio at a Second Cup to run to the aid of the lady who had been hit by the runaway driver, we came upon the broken sprawled out body of a young women who was hit at high speed and was literally split open with her insides spilling outwards onto the pavement.

This is a vision burned within my mind.  Mostly because I was helpless to do anything.

As the visitor shares (via the words of the narrator) most of our memorable moments are connected strongly to either joy and/or sorrow.  Emotional responses tied to an event.  In the case above, my helplessness at a moment of sorrow tied the sights, the sounds and the even the smells of the event into my memory.

Soldiers, military people, first responders and anyone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) would understand the impact of negative events that cannot be erased from your mind.

The same concept applies to the idea that "you cannot unhear what you have heard".  Again, too many people will understand this line from experience with negative events.  If a loved one says something hurtful, we tend to hold onto it.  Where young kids are bullied and/or embarrassed it can have a lasting impact.

The idea of the opening lines of The Visitor though are not meant to trudge people down negative experiences.  Rather, this verse is a reminder and warning of the notion of responsibility and accountability which remains central within the context of The Visitor.

If you are not aware of something, than it is hard to be accountable for it.  If you hurt someone's feelings unintentionally and were not aware that you had hurt their feelings you would suffer from neither guilt or remorse.  In short, you would probably not even say "sorry" as you are unaware of the damage that you inflicted.

However, if you were aware that something you said or did was hurtful, and you said and did it anyway, then you are both responsible for your actions and accountable for your actions.  Even though you cannot "undo" your actions.

In the context of the visitor, the warning is about "lifting of the veil".  For example;

If you were not aware that anger can lead to hate, and that hate will drive away Love than you may be innocent of not understanding the destruction your own anger can have to an environment of Love.  However, once you have read (or heard) the visitors words throughout the novel - that "anger" provides fertile soil for "hate", and that where there is hate, Love cannot exist; then you now have inner knowledge about the danger and damage that your anger can do.  

Even though it intuitively makes sense, by having the "veil lifted" you are now responsible for the damage inflicted towards Love by your own anger.  Whether your anger is justified or not, you are still responsible for the impact of your anger.

Whether you agree or not, really doesn't matter.  No more than whether you agree or not with any laws in the land you live.  

It is no wonder that many people feel "ignorance is bliss".  

The idea of "innocence verses ignorance" has always been a topic of debate.  From the "two bite rule" when it comes to dogs, to the ways the Western world and the legal system works when it comes to "pleas of insanity" leading to a dismissal of guilt.  

None of that is new. Regardless of the reader's own personal belief system, going back to some of the earliest written script found within the Bible, we see a parallel concept.

The people walked in darkness,
But have seen a brilliant light.
They sat in lands death-shadowed,
Then light dawned [and banished night].
(Matthew 4:16, Isaiah 9:2).

How to read The Visitor - Understanding the Poetic Parables II

Five more days until the official launch of The Visitor.  A few pre-sales have been completed and a consignment deal with a local bookstore will be signed tomorrow.

The Visitor is not just a Love story; it is a story about Love.

The Visitor is a simple story.  A Love Story.  A story about the visitor who is leaving behind his friends, his family and his Beloved.  But it is more than that; it is a Story about Love.

From the visitors last moments of life he has clarity.  That in itself provides a certain peace as his life had been quite conflicted.  However, the reader will not have the insights to his conflicts yet, as those days of angst are described in the prequels to The Visitor (volumes 2 through 7 of the Corvus Chronicles).

The absence of understanding the visitors previous periods of angst may actually leave the reader conflicted.  The Love story part of The Visitor is easily understood.  It's pretty simple.  90 pages.  Two people meet, they "fall in Love", one of them dies; and their is some pain in the parting.  However, it is the story about Love which may tend to trip the reader up.

While the read is short, it is not easy.  It is like a river that flows smooth in some sections, then fast in others, and in other sections seems like it is churning over rocky white water passes that are hard to navigate.

The reader is warned that the novel is hard to navigate by the author in the introduction:

Notably, The Visitor is written from the perspective of a third-party narrative trying to relay through poetic parables a common story about Love and life on the eve of death. It is hoped that each reader will find the message unique to themselves and their own situation.
 

Each stanza is purposefully intended to be able to stand independently while remaining connected and instrumental to one central message. This style is meant to echo how each of us stands alone, yet we are all connected. The discordant rhymes and rhythm symbolize the
unique speech and tempo that exists within us in an attempt to slow down the reader so that they may reflect on a message which may appear unnatural at first reading.

The narrator also warns the reader that the poetic parables of the visitor can be distracting;

An irregular cadence and natural rhythm graced his voice. It was a poetry void of predictable rhythm and strained at times to rhyme. His voice moved discordantly, straining on unexpected syllables, making it hard to ignore, like the flaws in logic or the stain on a favourite garment. To those with too critical an ear, it was easy to miss the point and be diverted from the message.

While the explanation of the author and warning of the narrator may help provide some foreshadowing that the words ahead may be challenging...taken together the real reason the 90 pages may trip the reader up can be understood.

The author indicates that the message may appear unnatural at first reading and may slow the reader down so they may reflect on a message.  This message is what is usually hidden.  The narrator warns it can be distracting for those with too critical ear and again divert the reader from the message.

So, what is the message both the author and the narrator are alluding too?

It is a message found within the entire book.  Both in the author's words, the narrators words and the visitors poetic parables.  There is an underlying story; and that story is not the Love story; it is the story of Love.

The are clues throughout the novel which can help direct the reader towards understanding the deeper story (interpretation of the message) such as;

• when a "was" reads as an "as" to symbolize the concept of a denial of permanent time by eroding a passive particle by simply dropping an expected letter (w)
• when a word is replaces by a synonym, such as "peaces for pieces" or "error for air"
• when a different language is used for one word, such as amour or sans pax 
• When a word is capitalized as a proper noun (such as Love) rather than an adjective (love)
• When a rhyme scheme keeps being thrown of count; sometimes to the point of a line being just one word; (such as Living)

These are all examples of when "the message" is something rather than what you might read on first glance.  Typically, but not always, these are in the poetic parables.  The parable is the story within the story...or if you like, the story of Love within the Love story.  (see June 19th blog for understanding of what a poetic parable is).

When you trip on elements such as those listed above.  Slow down. Stop reading with your eyes/mind and read with your heart.  Read it within the context of the whole story.

There are other elements within The Visitor which are a little harder to uncover.  There are actual cryptic passages which spell out foreshadowing of other novels within the Corvus Chronicles which include even the spelling of actual names (cryptically).  But those are elements for another day.

Until next time,

Journey in Love

Michael Paul

Truth and Honesty - Stanza VIII

The "trickster" is a mythological reference used widely in different religions.  Across different cultures and different Faiths they share a common trait of using secret knowledge to confuse (or intentionally abuse) social conventions. 

Such is the way of the tricksters
To diminish the truths you would speak
To confuse all your brothers and sisters
And to hide the truth you would seek. 

In this blog we will explore the poetic parable running through Stanza VIII of Truth and Honesty.  For those who have been reading the previous blogs, they will understand the concept of the "poetic parable".  If you are not familiar with the concept, I would recommend a quick review of the June 19 blog.

In this stanza, you will become more familiar with both the visitor's dualistic views, and be exposed to how he struggles against both the written and spoken word, wishing he could communicate in another way.  This is shared by the narrator on page 4 of The Visitor;

It was probably a natural progression that the more he heard, the less he liked words. The most innocent exchanges became pointless. He began to dread the socially expected small talk. He started to hesitate before speaking, as he worried about how people might attribute
wrong statements to him due to their different understanding between what he meant and what they understood or what they believed they heard, or wanted to hear.

In this poetic parable we see the visitor explain some of his hesitation towards language, as he starts to openly discuss how using words carelessly in our everyday language can diminish truth. 

Truth and Honesty, Stanza VIII - Line I : Such is the way of the tricksters

This line may seem to catch the reader off guard.  Exactly who, or what is meant by "the tricksters"? 

The "trickster" is a mythological reference used widely in different religions.  Across different cultures and different Faiths they share a common trait of using secret knowledge to confuse (or intentionally abuse) social conventions.  For example, intentional misuse of the word "Love" would not be outside the norm of the trickster.  Many readers may be familiar with Loki from Norse mythology who was not only a trickster, but a shape-shifter.  The common connection of all the tricksters is they use intellect, trickery and deceit.  Again, the misuse of the word Love to get what someone wants (calling on the sacred to obtain the mundane) would be a prime example of how a trickster works.  

The warning of the trickster is also cited many times within the Old Testament.  Probably the more well known example is the story of Jacob.  In Genesis Jacob is shown how to trick his brother out of his birthright, and then trick his father out of Esau's rightful blessing.  In each  case Jacob is shown to be intellectual, dishonest, greedy and skillfully manipulative.  In each case he blurs the lines between sacred and mundane.

 Truth and Honesty, Stanza VIII - Line II : To diminish the truths you would speak

Here the visitor flips back to focus on the role of our own actions.  The way of the trickster may be to confuse, but the responsibility still rests with each of us.  To accept common bad practice as normal does not protect us from the impacts of participating in bad practice.  Again, the visitor is very consistent in this message.  As he shares in the poetic parable on Laws

     Try as you must and accepting the flaws
For the best, we must all get along;
But silence or absence from your book of laws
Is no defence against doing what’s wrong.

Responsibility and accountability always remains with each of us.  Even though it may well be acceptable to use the word "Love" for mundane things and possessions, that does not protect you from diminishing you truths you would speak when you use the term Love flippantly.   

This personal accountability is another strong central theme running through the course of the novel.  In fact this concept of personal accountability is stressed on the first page of The Visitor where the narrator of the story literally provides the reader with a warning: 

You cannot unsee what you have seen
Nor unhear what you have heard. 
Turn around now and take your leave
Or you too will own each word. 

This warning basically calls the reader to accountability.  When the veil of ignorance is lifted, you can no longer truthfully hide behind it.  This warning is provided on the very first page of The Visitor to let the reader know that there is a responsibility which goes along with awareness and understanding.   

But again, this line runs even deeper in conjunction with the underlying poetic parable.  By bringing the element of the trickster and awareness together we have added the element of responsibility and accountability - at least as far as Truth is concerned. 

Truth and Honesty, Stanza VIII - Line III : To confuse all your brothers and sisters

He once again we find the cost.  Confusion.  It is the lack of clarity which causes many conflicts.  It is misunderstanding; whether caused intentionally (as in the case of the trickster) or unintentionally (lack of clarity or common understanding).  It is in the mixing of the mundane with the sacred where the visitor has a lot of spoken issues.  

Case in point is the narrator's description of the visitor when it comes to the subject of prayer in the prologue of the novel;

Saying he may have been “offended” by people who prayed with hope, as if tossing coins in a fountain during difficult times, is probably a bit unfair. I am not sure he would have been “offended”, but he did struggle with people habitually turning the sacred into the mundane.
You would see a flash in his eyes when people used terms like “Love” to describe their favourite meal. To him the word “Love” had been misused so often it was now corrupted beyond any practical use. To the Visitor, Love was a word reserved for the sacred, such as the spirit of another person - not for chocolate or wine.

This intentionality an clarity within a dualistic viewpoint is one of the consistent characteristics of the Visitor.  To him, things were mundane or sacred, hot or cold, black or white.  It is why he sees himself and his views as extremely simple.

Truth and Honesty, Stanza VIII - Line IV : And to hide the truth you would seek. 

Without a doubt there is a play on words in the last line of stanza VIII.  In between "hide and seek" is the truth.  To the visitor, the truth is accessible to us all, and to each one.  He does not go so far as to ever claim a universal truth, but rather, that the journey to truth may in fact be different for each and everyone of us.

Again we see consistency in this message, for example in the poetic parable on Hiding our Nakedness, the visitor says;

There are many different ways to go;
Your journey is not mine.
Trust me, you don’t want to know
The path etched in my mind.

It matters not what you may think
Of where or why I go.
From my cup you cannot drink
Worry not ‘bout what I know.

_____________________________________________________________

So while the poetic parable running through stanza VIII of Truth and Honesty may seem complex, from the visitor's viewpoint it is quite simple and his message is consistent.  Do not accept the social norms of mixing the sacred with the mundane, such as using the word Love to describe your favourite meal.  When you blur the lines between sacred and mundane, you diminish truth.  The cost of diminishing truth is confusion, to yourself and to others.  And in such a world of confusion, you may obscure your own truth you are looking for.

Until next time; I leave you stanzas VI through VIII on Truth and Honesty together.

Journey in Love - Michael Paul

Never say “Love” as a word with no weight
Sacred words should stir from your soul
Nor should you ever speak dark words of hate
As dark words of hate take their toll.

When you claim “Love” in describing possessions
You diminish the meaning of your word
So when you say, “I Love” it may lead to questions
And your true passion may never be heard.

Such is the way of the tricksters
To diminish the truths you would speak
To confuse all your brothers and sisters
And to hide the truth you would seek.

Truth and Honesty - Stanza VII

When you claim “Love” in describing possessions
You diminish the meaning of your word
So when you say, “I Love” it may lead to questions
And your true passion may never be heard.

In Stanza VII on the poetic parable on Truth and Honesty, the visitor describes the conflict between the sacred and the mundane.  However, it is not just the dualistic conflict which is presented, but also the confusion which is created when blurring the lines between sacred and mundane.

Truth and Honesty - Stanza VII - Line I : When you claim “Love” in describing possessions

While the words of the stanza may seem a bit confusing on first read, the moment the reader recognizes what the visitor is saying, the message becomes instantly clear.  Although the poetic parable on Truth and Honesty doe not sure up until exactly mid-way through the novel, the visitor's views on this matter are presented early (page 3) where the narrator describes from a third party perspective how the visitor reacted to people using the term "Love" casually.

The word PASSION comes from the Latin passionem which really means "suffering, enduring"

Saying he may have been “offended” by people who prayed with hope, as if tossing coins in a fountain during difficult times, is probably a bit unfair. I am not sure he would have been “offended”, but he did struggle with people habitually turning the sacred into the mundane.
You would see a flash in his eyes when people used terms like “Love” to describe their favourite meal.

To him the word “Love” had been misused so often it was now corrupted beyond any practical use. To the Visitor, Love was a word reserved for the sacred, such as the spirit of another person - not for chocolate or wine.
 

It is worthwhile to note in this line the idea of someone being able to "claim" Love.  This means that Love can be viewed as a personal declaration (you claim).  Here in lies part of the problem.  Claiming something does not make it necessarily true - and that is why this poetic parable falls under the category of Truth and Honesty. 

Truth and Honesty - Stanza VII - Line II : You diminish the meaning of your word

The next point worth noting is the idea of using the declaration of "Love" in describing possessions (as presented in Stanza I).  As already outlined in previous blogs; the visitor is clear that everything from the earth remains with the earth.  So here is the dualistic conflict regarding Love which we find ever present in the visitor's words.  How do you claim something which is mundane (possessions) as sacred (claiming Love).

Can you factually and actually Love something material?  Or is Love something beyond the material realm.  That is the point of the visitor.  People are blurring the lines between sacred and mundane.  You can Love the spirit of another person, but is that same emotion present in your like for coffee or chocolate?  If you use the same word for both, you are diminishing the use of the word itself.

If I tell my Beloved, "I Love you", but also tell her; "I Love the Edmonton Oilers hockey club"...what is the message?  Do I really have the same emotional, spiritual connection to my wife as I do to my favourite sports team?  

The important thing to note on this line is the fact that by misusing the word Love you don't really diminish Love.  What you do is diminish the meaning of your word.  You nor I have the power to diminish what is sacred; but we do have the ability to diminish ourselves.  

Truth and Honesty - Stanza VII - Line III : So when you say, “I Love” it may lead to questions

This line follows closely the two previous lines.  If you toss around the word Love for things that are mundane, and you diminish the meaning of your word, than it may lead to questions.  Too often people use words like "Love" to get something they want, or to avoid unpleasant situations.  The word Love has weight.  It should not be used lightly.  It has become habitual how people toss the term "Love" around now to the point it is no longer recognized as a word best reserved for what is really important.  

If there is one central element in The Visitor it is around the concept of Love.  It is why the author uses the phrase, "Journey In Love".  It is why the word "Love" is always capitalized.  It is why the word Love is used 102 times in 91 pages.  Yet; the visitor cautions against over using the word.  So what this tells us is that the visitor's message is a message about Love.

The fact that the visitor sees Love as an acceptable response for all of life's issues is brought to the readers attention in many different ways:

Pg 7:  While he did not know this at the time, saying yes to Love would save him, even though accepting the gift would almost destroy him.

Pg 25: So far, the crowd had only asked the Visitor about the base human needs of food, clothing, shelter, and the need to work to meet such needs. However, if they had listened carefully they would not have failed to observe that the response was often about Love and compassion, with a constant consistent message that they already held the answers to their questions within themselves.

Pg 27: While his answers acknowledged the needs of the crowd, the discourse was slowly moving into areas of discomfort. From the first exchange, which was almost a “mocking” of his message of Love, he had slowly disarmed the resistance of the crowd. The air was now
heavy with the expectation of words we wanted to hear, but we could not voice.

Truth and Honesty - Stanza VII - Line IV : And your true passion may never be heard.

Here the visitor shares the cost of lightly using the term "Love".  If you throw the word around loosely; in describing both the sacred and the mundane, then how will anyone ever be able to hear you when you are speaking from your spirit.  How will you actually make a point in being able to share your true "passion" apart from things that you really just like or enjoy?  

The use of the word "passion" is also purposeful.  As already shared in previous blogs, it is  the intentional use of certain words that sometimes break the rhythm or rhyme, or seem out of place (different language, font etc.,) that give clues to the deeper parable.

Most people think of passion in the romantic sense.  It is used interchangeable to describe an intense desire.  However, the word itself comes from the Latin passionem which really means "suffering, enduring". The word itself as used actually depicts something different than a longing, but rather a "suffering, enduring".  In Christianity "the Passion" is the final days of Jesus leading up to his crucifixion.  

This imagery used by the Visitor again is repeated and consistent in the poetic parable on Freedom where the image of the crucifixion is used to explain the cost of Freedom:

Even at costs that run dearly,
Like a cross / cross your back / on your knees
Then you may finally see clearly.
Then you may finally be free.

__________________________________________________________________________

So the parable within Stanza VII is not just a story about being careful with your words so that you are not misunderstood...but paints a picture of taking care not to paint the mundane as sacred.  To understand the importance of the words you use, and the impact they have on you. Used properly, the same term should not really be used to describe how much I enjoy a cold beer on a hot summer day and the suffering enduring passion of someone who gives all for others.

Until next time, Journey in Love: Michael Paul

__________________________________________________________________________

When you claim “Love” in describing possessions
You diminish the meaning of your word
So when you say, “I Love” it may lead to questions
And your true passion may never be heard.

Truth and Honesty - Stanzas VI through X

Never say “Love” as a word with no weight
Sacred words should stir from your soul
Nor should you ever speak dark words of hate
As dark words of hate take their toll.

Our words impact not just others, but ourselves.

When you claim “Love” in describing possessions
You diminish the meaning of your word
So when you say, “I Love” it may lead to questions
And your true passion may never be heard.

Such is the way of the tricksters
To diminish the truths you would speak
To confuse all your brothers and sisters
And to hide the truth you would seek.

________________________________________________________________________

For the next few blogs I will be moving on from excerpts on the poetic parable on Love (see previous blogs) and offer some insights into the interpretation of stanzas VI through X regarding the poetic parable on Truth and Honesty.

Again, the literary device of a poetic parable is to provide an easy story upfront, but offer the opportunity for personal introspection into deeper meaning.  Each reader may interpret something different.  What follows is only the interpretation of the author.  And fair warning, there are many different interpretations of the stanza's which follow.  Your own personal interpretation may differ.

For today's blog I am specifically going to look at stanza VI of Truth and Honesty.

_____________________________________________________________________

Stanza VI, Truth and Honesty - Line I : Never say “Love” as a word with no weight

It is important to recognize  the word Love is again capitalized.  This provides it the literary value of a proper noun; such as the name of a person or place.  It is not used as an adjective.  As discussed in the previous blogs on Love, the visitor sees Love as an entity.  In this use of the proper noun, the visitor is really using the word Love in the form of a "name".

The word "never" is a strong word.  The visitor is not saying, "try not to use the word Love loosely" such as in describing something mundane - for example; "I love chocolate or I love wine or love how cute that puppy is".  He is saying "Never" use the word Love carelessly. This is again a consistent message shared by the visitor.  Love is an entity, not only deserving respect, but crossing the line to "sacred".  Therefore, understand the "weight" or the seriousness of using that word.

How do we know the visitor regards the word as sacred?  Simply by the second line immediately following this first one.

Stanza VI, Truth and Honesty - Line II : Sacred words should stir from your soul

Here the reader is left with no doubt that the visitor sees the word "Love" as sacred.  So even though talking about Truth and Honesty the visitor is again delivering a message using a continued story of "Love" as the answer.  Love being more than an adjective, but being a "noun or name to represent something sacred".  As such, the word when used should be motivated (stir from) your soul.  This concept is nothing new.  From Jewish tradition, the name Yahweh is sacred and is described as being both unpronounceable and incommunicable.  It is a word spoke more from the heart or the soul rather than from the lips.  As such it is often represented by the tetragrammaton (four letter word/symbol) YHWH.

For those following the blogs to date or reading The Visitor and understanding the influence of Thomas Merton, it should come as no surprise to see another reference which bridges inter-faith understanding.  

This practice of sacred words that cannot be spoken actually was recently reintroduced into the Catholic Church when the Vatican reiterated a directive that the name of God as revealed in the tetragrammaton YHWH is not to be said in liturgy or music. (http://www.catholic.org/news/ae/music/story.php?id=29022) 

"As an expression of the infinite greatness and majesty of God, (the name) was held to be unpronounceable and hence was replaced during the reading of sacred Scripture by means of the use of an alternate name: 'Adonai,' which means 'Lord,'...Invoking a Vatican document from 2001, the Congregation reminded bishops that the name "Yahweh" in Catholic worship should be replaced by the Latin "Dominus" (Lord) or a word "equivalent in meaning" in the local language.

The concept itself has even made it into popular literature in J.K. Rowling's books regarding Harry Potter.  In this case however, it is portrayed as the villian and symbol of evil in the character of Lorde Voldemort as "he who cannot be named".  Incidentally,  in Danish "volde" means "to cause" and in French "morte" means death...so it can be argued the character name of the villain (he who cannot be named) actually translates into "cause death".  

So be it historical, or pop culture, the idea of "sacred words" should stir from your soul and that there are words that should not be said lightly is nothing new.

Stanza VI, Truth and Honesty - Line III : Nor should you ever speak dark words of hate

The reader should easily note how the word Love is capitalized while the word "hate" is not.  That is the first clue.  The word hate is not from the sacred realm.  However, just like the popular culture of Lorde Voldemort the visitor would agree such words should still not be spoken.   This becomes more apparent in stanza VII of the poetic parable on Good and Evil.  In that specific parable the visitor states:

For where Love is absent darkness takes root
Where darkness takes hold, anger thrives.
And where anger grows, there hate may be born
And where hate lives - Love can’t survive.

Again, the reader should easily see the clue of how Love is capitalized and words like hate, anger and darkness are not.  This line when taken into the full context of the visitor's words re-emphasizes why you should never speak dark words of hate.  Simply put, Love and hate cannot co-exist.  Where hate lives - Love can't survive.

Stanza VI, Truth and Honesty - Line IV : As dark words of hate take their toll.

A couple of things are clear in the last line of stanza IV.  The dualistic black and white nature of the visitor, when describing words of hate as dark, and the idea that the words "take their toll".  Literally, "to take their toll" means their is a price, as in payment for crossing a toll booth or road or section of your own personal journey.  The connotation of "take their toll" is even more direct, meaning "causes damage".

So summed up, Stanza VI on Truth and Honesty is a strong warning.  Love is a sacred word with heavy meaning, and should not be used carelessly.  However, even dark words which are the exact opposite such as hate should not be used, as they are damaging.  This stanza illustrates again both the extreme dualistic nature of the visitor, and his consistent message regarding "Love".

Until next time, Journey In Love - Michael Paul

Never say “Love” as a word with no weight
Sacred words should stir from your soul
Nor should you ever speak dark words of hate
As dark words of hate take their toll.

The POETIC PARABLE

Sooo... a few colleagues have been asking me what exactly is a poetic parable?

Thanks to Wikipedia I have a quick succinct explanation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable

A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles.

A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters.[1] A parable is a type of analogy.

The Visitor makes use of the parable concept combined with poetry, resulting in each stanza of the visitor's comments being a "poetic parable".  In other words; there is a story within the story.

The reader can read the visitor's words and obtain a clear surface story which illustrates one perspective; easily digested and understood.  However, within the surface story, a little deeper lurks the parable (instructive lessons or principles). 

To understand the parable it is important to understand who the visitor is; and that part is a little tricky.  The reason being is that "The Visitor" is only the first of eight novels which together make up "The Corvus Chronicles: A Journey In Love".  To make it even a little more challenging, "The Visitor" although the first novel released; is really the seventh book.  (Books II and III - The Stranger and The Beloved - are both prequels and will be released next).

As such, the reader may be a little disorientated when looking for the deeper meaning.  And that is totally okay.  The first 20 pages or so in The Visitor are used to help anchor "who the visitor is" which is important in attempting to grasp the underlying message.  There are clues throughout the novel beyond the introduction which help.  Sometimes it is the simple change of font in a sentence, sometimes it is a switch in language, and sometimes a name is literally spelled out although hidden in plain view.

The reality is; it is not until you have gone through the Journey in Love (The Corvus Chronicles) that you may understand know who the visitor is; and it may very well surprise you.  It's not me, it's not a historic or religious figure, it is not anyone overly famous - but it is someone you may recognize.

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Whether or not you see the parable directly in your first read matters not; as I am sure that you will find something that holds meaning to you.  As you become more familiar with the story, chances are that you will start to see the underlying message.  The message you take is yours.

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For further illustration of the concept of a "poetic parable" I invite you to check out the previous blogs on Stanzas I-VII on "Love" where you will see the author's commentary on the deeper messages within the poem.  Even so, remember that is only the author's interpretation and your understanding may be totally different, yet still true.   

That is the beauty of the poetic parable.  It is by its nature tailored to orientate you towards your own heart.  After all, a parable must be read by the heart, not the eyes.

Matthew 13:15

For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts

Love - Stanza III

And Love will drop you like a bird
Scorched flying near the sun
Do not the dizzy heights disturb
Love’s quest to become one.

As explained in the first two blog entries previous to this, the poetic parable on Love has meanings and interpretations which flow as an under-current and at times contrary to the face value of the poem. 

Typically, the reader who does not reflect on these meanings will feel the story is about emotional or romantic love.  And that is fine.  As it partly is.  The reality is though that in the visitor's use of the word Love he means more than the emotional / romantic / feeling connotation of Love.  The Visitor makes an argument through the novel that it is the misuse of language which makes many words now meaningless; and cites the word Love as being one of those words.

The first two stanzas on Love (discussed in previous blogs) explain how through the Visitor's eyes Love is more than a feeling, but rather an entity and describes it as a sacred sentiment.  As such, the first two stanzas talk about Love (subject) beckoning or lifting (action); and then wrap up by the concept of our response to Love may best be served by the concept of sacrifice.

Love Stanza III - Line I :  And Love will drop you like a bird

In the first line of stanza III again the reader is subjected to the concept of Love as an entity capable of action.  This is similar to the notion in the first two stanzas, but in this case Love (object) drops (action).  

The idea of "like a bird" is consistent with the Corvus/Crow concept.  Here again we build on the physical (height, flight, vantage) as well as the spiritual notions of the impact of Love on our lives.  Often we talk about "falling in Love".  In this reverse perspective, we talk more of the idea of "falling from Love".  

It is a cost of Love.  The reader will see this sentiment in various other areas of The Visitor, such as at the outset of the book (Silence is Broken) when the narrator describes:

As all those who enter our lives are destined to go, we embrace the initial welcome, even knowing the pain of departure will someday arrive. Still, the Visitor knew that to go in peace he must come in peace, and leave thoughts of his leaving behind.

This is further reflected in some of the first comments of the visitor in the same chapter (Silence is Broken).  When speaking to the crowd he shares in his style of poetic parable

I wish I had more time to live,
And yet less time to grieve.
To feel the ground beneath my feet,
And taste the Love I leave.

Besides other examples which will be explored later, this concept is really driven home in the first chapter of The Stranger (Book II of the Corvus Chronicles) which is shared in the epilogue of the The Visitor.  In the opening chapter of The Stranger the main character comes across a stranger outside a hospital while grieving for his mother, and the stranger engages him with the comment of:

“Have you just now realized that the price for life is death and the cost of love is hurt?”

Love Stanza III - Line II :  Scorched flying near the sun

Phoenix from Metz Cathedral, Lorraine France.

The imagery now of a bird flying too close to the sun depicts the mythology of The Phoenix. The reference to the phoenix calls to mind the influence of Kahlil Gibran on The Visitor.  Although Gibran does not mention the phoenix, the phoenix is a Greek mythical creature that symbolizes cyclical regeneration and rebirth (which is a similar message with Gibran's The Prophet).

But why a departure from Gibran and the imagery of the phoenix?  As the reader will understand; the common message of the phoenix it is about rebirth, or arising from the ashes. This can be interpreted as either moving on after death, or a spiritual rebirth as in baptism.  

The imagery and height was not lost on the architecture of Metz Cathedral, A Roman Catholic church built in 1200 in Lorraine France.  The image in this blog is from Metz Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church also known as "The Good Lord's Lantern" due to the fact it boasts the largest display of stained glass windows within a Catholic Church.

Love Stanza III - Line III :  Do not the dizzy heights disturb

The idea of Love, of lifting, of flight, of heavens have already been discussed in the previous two blogs on Love which dealt with the first two stanzas of the poetic parable on Love.  This concept of "rising up" is also captured by the phoenix imagery in the first two lines of stanza three.  It is not mere coincidence that "The Good Lord's Lantern" (from where the image of the phoenix in this blog is from) also boasts one of the highest naves of all churches.  

But the idea of dizzy heights disturb also calls to the feeling or disorientation one may experience in the acceptance of Love.  It can be scary.  To accept Love as well as to sacrifice as the cost of acceptance (described in stanzas I and II; see previous two blogs) and deny self interest (Self interest must be breached) is disturbing.  This third line basically again brings up the notion of "staying strong" or FAITH.  To not be disturbed.

Love Stanza III - Line IV :  Love’s quest to become one.

If there was any doubt in the "personification" of Love, (the concept of Love as an entity) this line itself should remove all doubt.  Here Love as described by the visitor is not a feeling.  It is an entity.  An entity with purpose.  To declare Love has a quest, is declare it has intention.  That intention as described by the visitor in the fourth line of the third stanza is "to become one".

This is again a common theme throughout The Visitor and The Corvus Chronicles.  The journey of Love is a quest to become one.  The very first words of the visitor in the first chapter of the book direct the course of this journey when the narrator states, "If anyone had asked the Visitor who or what he was, he would have simply said"

I am a part of you, just as you are part of me.
No more, no less; just another guest
Whose time has come to leave.

Upon reading the novel the reader will not be able to evade this concept.  The idea that "we are one" is constantly refreshed both through the narrator's narrative and through the visitor's poetic parables.

If you have read the first three blogs, I hope that within these first three stanzas of the poetic parable of Love you are starting to feel and see that The Visitor is not the simple read it appears to be at first passing.  Again, the interpretations are broad, and you may find other meanings or messages that resonate for you.  Take the time, explore and look inwards.  I can not, even as the author, tell you what message waits for you on your journey.  As the Visitor comments in the section regarding KNOWLEDGE when asked about teaching (see Chapter V - Communion) , the visitor shares:

He strips you from reason to reveal the truth
For these visions he sees are not yours.
He guides you to knowledge that lives within you
And leaves you - to open the doors.

He leaves you to walk through the threshold alone
As we all stand alone before God
And lifting your gaze you will see we are one
And the division is but a façade.

Until my next blog, when I discuss my interpretation of Love - Stanza IV I leave you with the first three stanzas on Love:

When Love beckons, do not sleep
And let none stand in defiance of;
Though cost be high and loss be steep
Leave doubt behind and yield to Love.

As sure as Love will lift you high
To heights beyond your reach
To fully grasp; you must partly die
Self-interest must be breached.

And Love will drop you like a bird
Scorched flying near the sun
Do not the dizzy heights disturb
Love’s quest to become one.

Journey in Love

Michael Paul

Love - Stanza II

In today's blog I will quickly review some of the personal intentional meanings behind the second stanza of the poetic parable on Love.  As indicated in the previous blog, this is only my personal reflection on the meaning of the words.  You as the reader may find a different meaning within the stanza.

LOVE - Stanza II

As sure as Love will lift you high
To heights beyond your reach
To fully grasp; you must partly die
Self-interest must be breached.

Love Stanza II Line I  - As sure as Love will lift you high

As discussed in the previous blog, Love in the terms of the visitor is more than just a "feeling".  It is a term attributed to an entity capable of action.  In the first stanza, Love (subject) beckons (action).  In this line Love (subject) lifts (action).

It is important to understand the meaning provided to Love as used by the visitor to get the greater sense of the parable.  In this line, the visitor remarks basically says its a sure thing that Love will lift you high.  That concept is important to understand.  It is not that it "might" lift you high, but rather, it is assured.  

The concept of being lifted high is a two part metaphor.  One is contained within the entire series and that is of the Crow.  The Crow, a member of the Corvus family (therefore Corvus Chronicles) is a bird which both is capable of flight (soars through the heavens?) and also walking on the land.  The Crow is symbolic across many different cultures.  Sometimes as a harbinger of death (a murder of crows), sometimes a symbol of "the Trickster", and sometimes an omen of change.  

The other concept is that Corvus is also a constellation, or part of "the heavens". (There is a whole other meaning of "Corvus" as in the constellation Corvus, but you will find very similar messages across cultures).  So the other meaning beyond flight, is that of heaven.

As indicated in the prologue, the novel is influenced by Thomas Merton.  As also indicated Thomas Merton was both an advocate for international peace and inter-faith understanding.  As such, the novel is based on the image of the heavens symbolized by both the bird (Crow; Corvus family) and the constellation (Corvus, constellation) as natural representations of international peace and inter-faith understanding.  These are concepts of a different perception; both those found in flight (a higher vantage) and those of spirituality (heavens).  Both also relate to the idea of "Journey".

For example: page 6 of The Visitor (Chapter Corvus) reads;

So how did he come to be here, at the beck of the crow and the call of the stars? If he had been asked, the Visitor would have simply smiled, knowing that beginnings are always somewhat vague, and it is only at the end that clarity begins. Today, things would become clear.

This sets the stage for some of the metaphors and interpretation of poetic parables within the book.  Basically, this is the ending (eve of death) of someone who sees through the vagueness which has plagued him throughout life except to provide a moment of clarity towards the end.  The beck of the crow (call of death) and the call of the stars (pull of the heavens) is a literal metaphor which together set the stage for this first book of The Corvus Chronicles.

Love Stanza II Line II- To heights beyond your reach

It is probably obvious to you now that the "heights" can be seen as both a different perspective (as in the flight of the crow) or spiritual (heavens/constellation).  

The reality is that whether it is the vantage of a different perspective enabled by the crow which follows the visitor, or the spiritual vantage point, that they are beyond the individuals reach.  However, in the context of the poem; with Love - they are within your reach.  Again, Love being an entity more than just a feeling means that there is an ability to reach those heights, but not by yourself.

Love Stanza II Line III- To fully grasp; you must partly die

There are many different interpretations of this line.  Probably the easiest to comprehend is in the literal translation of "you must partly die".  This is the concept of baptism.  In baptism, you partly die to your physical self at the birth of your spiritual self.  It is not surprising that many Christian churches still use "full immersion" as a preferred method of baptism.  In that practice, the person is full immersed in water (symbolizing burial) before being lifted out of the water (symbolizing renewal of life).

However, this line leads to the next line in a purposeful manner.  To truly move forward in a journey, you must leave something behind.  This goes as well for a Journey of Love.  You cannot remain in one place.  You must leave one place to get to another.  Each step of life requires leaving something behind.  Basically, life is a procession towards death, at least "earthly death".

Love Stanza II Line IV  - Self-interest must be breached.

Again we see the concept of sacrifice that was evident in Love Stanza I (Previous blog).  Self-interest must be put behind.  In various sections of The Visitor the reader will encounter this concept.  Whether it is regarding giving, or raising of children, you must let go of self-interest.

Again, this concept is found not just in society and in communities, but within various religious beliefs.  The idea of "the greater good" or the idea of "giving" or the idea of FAITH.  All require self-interest to not be the primary mover of your actions.  Even to the point of LOVE, sometimes you are required to think of the other person first, whether a parent, a partner or a fellow human being in need.

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Again, these are just perspectives of the meaning of the words from the view of the author.  They are not exhaustive or exclusive.  I hope that whatever meaning you might find provides you comfort in your journey.

Now for Stanza's 1 and II on LOVE together:

When Love beckons, do not sleep
And let none stand in defiance of;
Though cost be high and loss be steep
Leave doubt behind and yield to Love.

As sure as Love will lift you high
To heights beyond your reach
To fully grasp; you must partly die
Self-interest must be breached.

Michael Paul.

Love

The poetic parable on Love is found in Chapter III of The Visitor.  

This blog is the first in a series of blogs which will in part explain what the words within The Visitor and The Corvus Chronicles mean to me, the author.  (The Visitor is the first book in a series of eight books that together make up The Corvus Chronicles).

I am aware that there are different interpretations and meanings possible within the poetic parables and I would encourage each reader to understand the message unique to themselves.

As described in the prologue of The Visitor, the story may appear to be very simple, but it is not; and although I may have penned the words, the words are not exclusively mine.  

The Visitor is a complex read which contains deeper meanings interwoven throughout which the reader may not notice during their first reading.  The book itself  was written in a state of prayer illuminated by the peaceful glow of seven candles.  

The full poetic parable on Love contains 16 stanzas (64 lines) which stand independently but together weave one holistic message.   In blogging "The Visitor; Re-Visited: I will explain parts of the poetic parables from the book one stanza at a time ; and then present that stanza with other stanza's in future blogs so the reader can see how the story is changed when viewed from a more holistic (sic) lens.

It is important to re-emphasize that I am only presenting the first stanza at this time.  You may read the first seven stanzas of the poem on Love for free at https://www/michaelpaul.online  

STANZA 1:

When Love beckons, do not sleep
And let none stand in defiance of;
Though cost be high and loss be steep
Leave doubt behind and yield to Love.

STANZA 1 Line 1 - When Love beckons, do not sleep

The narrator of The Visitor explains within the book how the visitor himself felt that words have become somewhat meaningless.  Words like "Love" (which should only be used when describing sacred things like the spirit of another person, not chocolate or wine) have become so corrupted that they are meaningless.  As such, it is not surprising that the visitor does not use the word Love to describe only "a feeling".  It is not by accident that the word itself (Love) is capitalized throughout the entire novel.  This is employing an intentional literary device meant to push the concept that Love is not an adjective, but rather a personal pronoun.  This is part of the deeper meaning.  Love is not just a feeling, as it is an entity.  An entity capable of communicating or calling.  When Love beckons is really depicting an entity calling out.  A subject (Love) taking action (beckons).  

STANZA 1 Line 2 - And let none stand in defiance of;

The visitor advises those assembled to hear his final message(s) that when Love calls - pay attention (do not sleep) - and awaken to the call.  The second line of the first stanza is a message to respond and stay strong. It is the concept of Faith.  The reader will also recognize that the word Faith is also always capitalized.  Again, this is not by accident, but rather reflects my desire that people see Faith as a sacred word, which should always be capitalized.  

As described in the novel The Visitor, the visitor is described as hopeless.  Hopeless in the true sense that he does not believe in hope.  The narrator of the story explains how the Visitor had to give up on hope and anchor himself to Faith, and then explains the differences between hope and Faith.  In addition, within the line And let none stand in defiance of;  the visitor calls us to be aware there are external entities (people, forces) that may not be supportive of the calling of Love. 

These first two lines of the first stanza together convey a constant message found within The Visitor.  Within these two lines the reader is again exposed to the dualistic view and dualistic nature of the visitor himself.  The visitor views the world through extremes; such as hot or cold, in or out, black or white. Within the story The Visitor; the narrator describes how the visitor himself was unable to recognize the colours which reside within his black and white view of the world.  It was only when finding Love (with his Beloved) that he was able to understand the complexities within Life.  As such, one of the central characters in the book (the Beloved) is an important element in providing the visitor with his "missing peaces" (sic) which he shares on the eve of his death.

This concept of dualism is repeated throughout various sections of The Visitor.  In the section of Joy and Sorrow, the visitor describes how joy and sorrow are simply two sides of the same coin and both arise from the same place within your heart.  While one is awake, the other sleeps.  The same concept is found when the visitor talks about Love and hate.  They are also two sides of the same coin and cannot exist together.  The visitor often warns about how hate will choke out the ability for Love to grow, and how Love can conquer hate.  

STANZA 1 Line 3 - Though cost be high and loss be steep

This line in its simplest most direct interpretation is the concept of sacrifice.  It does talk about the reward of sacrifice, but rather the cost.  The reader will find this concept throughout the novel as well.  For example in the poetic parable on Freedom (Chapter IV of The Visitor - The Needs of Many)  stanza IX reads:

Even at costs that run dearly,
Like a cross / cross your back / on your knees
Then you may finally see clearly.
Then you may finally be free.

Here the visitor shares the concept of sacrifice when describing the price of Freedom.  While this particular parable talks about personal Freedom, by raising the awareness of others who have given up their Freedom to provide for the Freedom of others; this particular stanza however directs the reader to the imagery seen within "The Stations of the Cross".  Literally this is a description of acknowledging the ultimate sacrifice.

STANZA 1 Line 4 - Leave doubt behind and yield to Love.

The last line in the first stanza on Love circles back to the concept of Faith and Love.  To leave doubt behind is to have Faith.  With Faith, the Visitor encourages those who have come to hear his last words, to surrender themselves to Love. 

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Such are some of the messages contained within only the first stanza on the poetic parable on Love.  As described earlier, The Visitor is a complex read with very many levels of interpretation.  Remember however that this is only the author's explanation of his understanding of the words.  You as a reader may have a different interpretation, and that is good.  

After all, it is never about being right, but rather about uncovering the truth.

Journey in Love

Michael Paul.