thumbs and
index fingers touching at the tips.
‘ In the beginning,
yes. You must be completely comfortable my young rei,’ he replied
without opening his eyes.
‘ Well I’m certainly
not,’ Seteal muttered once she’d folded herself into a position
that bore some resemblance to Far-a-mael’s.
‘ Certainly not what?’
Far-a-mael asked, opening one eye.
‘ Comfortable,’ Seteal
muttered. ‘You just said . . . oh, never mind.’
The old man was making fun of her. He
chuckled and opened his other eye.
‘ Eventually you’ll
get used to it and then you’ll find it helps in concentration.’ He
frowned. ‘If you really don’t like it, though, fear not! Very soon
you’ll be able to touch the Ways in whatever position you like, but
for now we’ll do it like this. Now, close your eyes and open your
mind.’
‘ What’s that supposed
to mean?’ Seteal asked abrasively.
‘ If you find that too
difficult, you might at least close your mouth and open your mind,’
Far-a-mael said with disdain.
‘ Fine, I get it.’
Seteal shut her eyes and waited.
‘ Concentrate on your
breathing. Nothing else matters,’ Far-a-mael began. ‘If a thought
occurs to you, accept it and let it pass without dwelling on it too
much. If you deny the thought, you’ll only find it more difficult
to let it go. Accept and release until nothing remains but your
breathing. Feel it rush in, and out. In. Out.’
What a waste of
time, Seteal moaned inwardly. Still, she
had to try, didn’t she? She accepted that the training was indeed
ridiculous and then released the thought. No more than a second had
passed, however, before she began to worry about her father and her
friends. It was no sooner than she’d dismissed these thoughts that
she began to worry about leaving El-i-miir alone with Seeol. It
just didn’t seem to be working.
‘ You’re not having
very much luck, are you, girl?’
‘ How’d you know?’
Seteal opened her eyes.
‘ You’re frowning,’
Far-a-mael sighed. ‘You’re unable to relax, eh?’
‘ I don’t think I
can,’ Seteal replied honestly. ‘I can’t stop worrying.’
‘ Hmm.’ Far-a-mael
tapped his chin. ‘Can you make any connections or think of any
habits or thoughts that may have preceded one of your knowings in
the past?’
‘ Not really,’ Seteal
answered impatiently. ‘It just happens.’
‘ Very well. Let’s go
back to relaxation.’ Far-a-mael paused, looking Seteal in the eye.
‘I could help you this time.’
Seteal knew what that meant, but again
she realized there wasn’t much of a choice. She nodded and closed
her eyes. A kind of calmness overwhelmed her. The feeling was
somehow and yet not entirely, disconnected from herself.
As her senses dulled and her mind
glazed over, Seteal soon found herself focusing on nothing more
than her steady breathing. In and out. In and out.
‘ Now you’re getting
it,’ said the voice of an elderly man somewhere far away. ‘I want
you to forget you’re breathing now. Acknowledge nothing aside from
my voice.’
Seteal did as she was told. The
experience was one that couldn’t be properly explained, for it in
itself was the lack of information or explanation. Floating in the
void of her own mind, Seteal felt disconnected from reality. The
darkness behind her eyelids was tranquil and calm. There was not a
bitter thought, nor a worry or concern to bother her.
A night bird shrieked somewhere
outside. Having momentarily feared it was Seeol, Seteal’s control
wavered. Far-a-mael steadied her and began to withdraw his support.
His comforting power drifted away, leaving Seteal alone in the
tranquillity of her aura. She faltered and almost lost control, but
quickly drove all thought from her mind and was free once more
within the empty space.
‘ Excellent! Come back
now,’ Far-a-mael spoke, his voice insignificant and distant. ‘I
know it’s exciting the first time, but you really must return so
that we can talk about your progress
index fingers touching at the tips.
‘ In the beginning,
yes. You must be completely comfortable my young rei,’ he replied
without opening his eyes.
‘ Well I’m certainly
not,’ Seteal muttered once she’d folded herself into a position
that bore some resemblance to Far-a-mael’s.
‘ Certainly not what?’
Far-a-mael asked, opening one eye.
‘ Comfortable,’ Seteal
muttered. ‘You just said . . . oh, never mind.’
The old man was making fun of her. He
chuckled and opened his other eye.
‘ Eventually you’ll
get used to it and then you’ll find it helps in concentration.’ He
frowned. ‘If you really don’t like it, though, fear not! Very soon
you’ll be able to touch the Ways in whatever position you like, but
for now we’ll do it like this. Now, close your eyes and open your
mind.’
‘ What’s that supposed
to mean?’ Seteal asked abrasively.
‘ If you find that too
difficult, you might at least close your mouth and open your mind,’
Far-a-mael said with disdain.
‘ Fine, I get it.’
Seteal shut her eyes and waited.
‘ Concentrate on your
breathing. Nothing else matters,’ Far-a-mael began. ‘If a thought
occurs to you, accept it and let it pass without dwelling on it too
much. If you deny the thought, you’ll only find it more difficult
to let it go. Accept and release until nothing remains but your
breathing. Feel it rush in, and out. In. Out.’
What a waste of
time, Seteal moaned inwardly. Still, she
had to try, didn’t she? She accepted that the training was indeed
ridiculous and then released the thought. No more than a second had
passed, however, before she began to worry about her father and her
friends. It was no sooner than she’d dismissed these thoughts that
she began to worry about leaving El-i-miir alone with Seeol. It
just didn’t seem to be working.
‘ You’re not having
very much luck, are you, girl?’
‘ How’d you know?’
Seteal opened her eyes.
‘ You’re frowning,’
Far-a-mael sighed. ‘You’re unable to relax, eh?’
‘ I don’t think I
can,’ Seteal replied honestly. ‘I can’t stop worrying.’
‘ Hmm.’ Far-a-mael
tapped his chin. ‘Can you make any connections or think of any
habits or thoughts that may have preceded one of your knowings in
the past?’
‘ Not really,’ Seteal
answered impatiently. ‘It just happens.’
‘ Very well. Let’s go
back to relaxation.’ Far-a-mael paused, looking Seteal in the eye.
‘I could help you this time.’
Seteal knew what that meant, but again
she realized there wasn’t much of a choice. She nodded and closed
her eyes. A kind of calmness overwhelmed her. The feeling was
somehow and yet not entirely, disconnected from herself.
As her senses dulled and her mind
glazed over, Seteal soon found herself focusing on nothing more
than her steady breathing. In and out. In and out.
‘ Now you’re getting
it,’ said the voice of an elderly man somewhere far away. ‘I want
you to forget you’re breathing now. Acknowledge nothing aside from
my voice.’
Seteal did as she was told. The
experience was one that couldn’t be properly explained, for it in
itself was the lack of information or explanation. Floating in the
void of her own mind, Seteal felt disconnected from reality. The
darkness behind her eyelids was tranquil and calm. There was not a
bitter thought, nor a worry or concern to bother her.
A night bird shrieked somewhere
outside. Having momentarily feared it was Seeol, Seteal’s control
wavered. Far-a-mael steadied her and began to withdraw his support.
His comforting power drifted away, leaving Seteal alone in the
tranquillity of her aura. She faltered and almost lost control, but
quickly drove all thought from her mind and was free once more
within the empty space.
‘ Excellent! Come back
now,’ Far-a-mael spoke, his voice insignificant and distant. ‘I
know it’s exciting the first time, but you really must return so
that we can talk about your progress
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