The elder rested her forehead against the trunk of the graceful oak, leaning into its wisdom and beauty. A door opened behind her, followed by a melodic voice. “He’s asking for you again. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. It is my pleasure.”
Sliding doors opened before her as she walked down the granite halls toward the child’s bedroom. She knocked gently.
A tiny voice called out, “Is that you, Great Mother?” She entered, smiling at the child who sat up in his bed.
“Will you tell me the story of Kaiulani again? I’ve been trying to remember it, but I keep forgetting parts.”
“Of course.” She climbed into bed beside the boy, drawing him close. When she felt him relax into her, she began. “It started before time began, when Kaiulani gave birth to an idea…”
“Was it the idea of time, Great Mother?”
“Yes, the ideas of time and space were set as boundaries for her new creation, a world made manifest on the physical plane. She made many choices that led to countless expressions, each unique and magnificent.”
“Creations come from choices, don’t they, Great Mother? Like when I choose blue paint, I’m choosing not to paint with red. Is that how Kaiulani creates?”
“That’s right, dear. Kaiulani’s choices created millions of her own reflections, filling a beautiful new world that teemed with life.
The elder waved her hand toward the ceiling, causing holographic images to appear to illustrate her story.
“Rocks, minerals, soil, and sand formed the foundation of the planet. A cycle of water, formed itself into seas, lakes, rivers, and streams. Plants flourished in countless varieties—lush ferns, fragrant flowers, cacti, herbs, spices, berries, vines, trees, fungi, sea plants—thousands upon thousands of plant species abounded.
“Kaiulani created all kinds of animals in many shapes, sizes, and colors. From teeny, tiny organisms to giant mammals, the planet burst with life and vitality, filled with living, moving creatures to populate every corner. Kaiulani was overjoyed.”
As she spoke, the little boy stared at the changing scenes, fascinated by all he saw. He’d heard the story many times before, but every time the Great Mother told it, the images changed. Scenes of jungles, tundra, forests, mountains and seas, complete with sensory detail and moving images captivated him. When he’d watched long enough, he said wistfully, “It really is beautiful. It’s too bad Kaiulani went too far.”
The old woman nodded. “Ah, you remember. Yes. Kaiulani wasn’t content to watch her creation; she wanted to be a part of it. She longed to smell the musky earth through a physical nose, to touch the fur and scales of the animals through real skin, to taste the salt of the sea and the honey of the bees on her own tongue, to hear the songs of the birds and the rustle of leaves in the wind through her own ears. In order to do that, she needed a body of her own.”
“Was it bad that she wanted a body? Is that why things went bad?”
“None of it was bad. Having physical experiences was just a choice, like everything else. After many attempts, Kaiulani created a beautiful body for herself that complied with the limitations she set for the rest of her creation.”
“Did it hurt to make herself small like that, to restrict herself to a body?”
“Well, she wasn’t confined to it. Experiencing though a body is an idea, so she was only restricted while she held that idea. It didn’t hurt exactly, but it was tight and contracted. At first, she didn’t stay physical for very long, but as she got more accustomed to it, she held the idea of being in a body for longer periods of time. She created and occupied millions of bodies over thousands and thousands of physical years. Because she is who she is, Kaiulani was able to live thousands of lives at the same time. Every version of herself lived out a different scenario with different parents and different circumstances. Every lifetime brought different challenges, which allowed her to expand and express in different ways. It wasn’t easy, but she was having a great time creating lots of experiences.”
“But something went wrong, didn’t it, Great Mother?”
“No…nothing that comes from love is ever wrong, but Kaiulani’s ideas changed, which means her creation changed. As she spent more and more time experiencing through a body, she started forgetting who she was. She immersed herself in each incarnation until she only remembered the truth between incarnations, when individual bodies expired. Her original idea to have unique experiences through each incarnation was brilliant, but when she held the idea that she was separate from her other selves, separate from the rest of her creation, and even separate from Source…well, that was when the trouble started.”
“That was a silly idea. But her ideas become her creations, right?”
“Exactly. So what happens when a perfect and powerful creator has an impossible idea? It’s not possible to actually be separate because there’s only one Source, but Kaiulani created the perception of being separate, which led to a kind of dreamed experience. It wasn’t real, but it seemed real. All kinds of consequences came out of that belief in separation, which changed everything.
“Now every version of herself believed they were on their own, which made them desperate to protect themselves. Incarnations began to turn on each other. They all shared the same heart, which ached for love and union, but they forgot everything was already joined. Each new incarnation was born into a false world where everyone believed they were separate. It created some new experiences, like suffering and loneliness. All of her selves knew something was wrong, but they forgot what it was.”
“What happened to her creation when Kaiulani forgot?”
The elder hesitated. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“I’m sure. Show me.”
With a wave of her hand, new holograms appeared above them. Instead of beautiful scenes of nature, horrific scenes flashed of people killing and hurting each other. Some people were enslaved by other people, sold and abused, and treated like property. Thousands of angry, fearful, hate-filled faces appeared above them. Horrific scenes of war revealed piles of maimed soldiers and discarded bodies. Images of starving people desperate for food and water appeared next to moving images of people living in opulence and luxury with no regard for those who suffered.
Once-lush lands turned to wastelands in time-lapsed images, showing lands stripped of minerals and desecrated forests and jungles. Dead animals washed up on beaches, no longer able to thrive in polluted waters. One species after another became extinct, unable to survive on a raped, polluted planet.
“You should have stopped it. You could have made her wake up.”
The elder said nothing while the images continued. Sparkling rivers and pristine lakes morphed into brown, toxic carriers of sickness and disease, full of chemicals and sludge. One cruel and ugly scene flashed after another. Fires, floods, and raging storms destroyed towns, islands, and entire countries. Terrified faces flashed in all directions.
“Stop the story! I don’t want to see anymore of this!” The child buried his face in his pillow. The elder sat in silence until he sat up. “Why did you show me those things? I don’t like feeling sad.”
“You asked for the story, remember? Why do you always ask to hear the story even though it makes you feel sad?”
He faced her, tears still running down his cheeks. “Because I wanted to remember, Great Mother.” He took a big gulp. “I’m Kaiulani, aren’t I? This is my creation we’re watching.”
The elder wiped his tears. “Yes, my love. You are Kaiulani. You always ask for the story before you go back. It helps you remember.”
The little boy climbed into her lap. “I don’t want to incarnate again. I never want to go back there again.”
“Are you sure? Who will rescue all those parts of you who believe they’re separate and alone? They’re miserable.”
“I’ve tried telling them before, but they won’t listen! I’ve created religions, written books, come up with teachings and practices to remind them of the truth, but hardly anybody remembers. I don’t know what more I can do. It’s a terrible mess.”
“Actually, more incarnations are remembering the truth all the time. Ideas that were once considered crazy are becoming mainstream. You know what I think? I think you’re getting ready to wake all your selves up out of that dreamed world.”
He sighed. “Maybe, but it’s hard to live there, and I don’t like it any more. Won’t they all wake up on their own eventually? Why should I worry about it?”
“You don’t need to worry about it. But that’s you, down there, suffering. Those other selves need you to remind them. Think about how much you love that moment when you wake up inside the dream. Sometimes I think that’s the whole reason you chose that dream—because you love the thrill of remembering who you really are. Do you remember how that feels?”
The boy laughed sheepishly. “It is pretty fun. You think the world is one way, and suddenly, it all opens up. It’s a surprise to realize the truth was there all along. It makes me laugh when I remember.”
“And remember what it’s like to join your heart with your other incarnations, to meet them in the field of love? Or what about that feeling when you open your heart to the natural world and discover it’s all a part of you? What does that feel like?”
“It’s so good. My heart turns to yummy goo and swallows us up into itself. And when the dream world flips, and love makes my creation real again? When I’m still in the dream, but I’m awake? That’s the most fun of all. You’re right, Great Mother. I need to go back. I want to join my other incarnations in flipping our creation back to love. I’ve had enough of pretending to be separate. I’m ready to heal the dream.”
His face clouded. “But I won’t remember who I am, will I? I’ll be born into a world of fear and separation again, won’t I?”
“Yes, but deep down you’ll remember love. Once you’ve remembered the truth, you never totally forget. You won’t be satisfied until you figure it out. Plus, I’ll be there to remind you. I’ll send a breeze to caress your cheek. I’ll sing from the throat of a bird. I’ll fly circles around you on a butterfly’s wings. I’ll call to your heart over and over, whispering messages to remind you that you’re one with everything. No matter how many times you ignore me, I won’t leave you alone until you remember. I’ll never abandon you, for I am part of you, and you are part of me.”
“What if something bad happens, and I can’t get over it? What if I can’t remember?”
The elder shrugged. “It won’t matter. Every experience is valuable. No life is a mistake, and you can’t really be threatened. Plus, you’ll always come home.”
He snuggled into her with a deep sigh. “Okay, I guess I’ll go back. I really love my creation, Great Mother, even with the sad parts. It’s so beautiful.”
“The sad part is only a dream, little One. Everything in your creation is perfect.” She caressed his cheek. “Don’t worry, Kaiulani. You come from love, and you create from love. No matter what happens, only love will remain.”
His sleepy voice asked, “What does my name mean again?”
“Kaiulani means three things: “Royal,” because you’re the child of Source, “Holy,” because you are perfect love, and “One,” because there is only one, and all of it is you.”
She pulled the blankets up around his shoulders and turned out the light. Leaning over him, she whispered, “Don’t worry, little one. You can’t get it wrong.”
