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Chapter 6
The Flows and The First Great Truth

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  John 10:27  NLT

     Gerard walked back into the classroom and wrote on the board: “Truth Flow” and “Healing Flow.”
     “You will soon go on small attacks against the enemy.”
     A moment of silence passed as the friends digested this new and somewhat disturbing news.
     Pointing to the board Gerard stated, “This is your weapon: the flows. They come from the Source and are the Source, just like the Beat is from the Source and is the Source. The flows are how you know the true from the false. These flows consist of two streams: a red stream of truth and a blue stream of healing. They go hand-in-hand. There is no healing without truth, and truth without healing is torment. The enemy will attack with their false flows. On the raid, if you are hit I will be there to help, but it may not be immediately. That’s why you must become strong in these flows. When directed against the enemy, it blisters them and they have to flee. The false cannot withstand the true. Any questions?”
     Each of them wondered what they had gotten into, but they didn't want to say that to Gerard.
     “Good,” he continued. “I know you have some concerns. That’s a normal reaction. I would be worried if you didn’t. But I am here to help you. You will be okay.
     “Let’s continue. Like the Beat, the truth and healing flows come from the Source. But unlike the Beat, their strength is dependent on acknowledging your need of them. Here lies the first great obstacle to your journey. People don’t like to acknowledge their needs, for that exposes their weaknesses. But unless they are willing to face the red stream of truth, they can’t be healed by the blue stream of healing. Before you can use the flows for or against others, you must first face them yourself.”
     A sad look momentarily came on Gerard’s face. He was thinking of those who hadn’t been able to go any farther on their journey because they weren’t willing.
     “I’m willing,” Leif exclaimed. The others nodded in assent.
     “That’s what I was hoping you would say,” Gerard said with an approving smile. “For this part of your journey your flows will be strong enough, but not strong enough for the next leg. That is for another day and another instructor. Let’s start.
     “You are familiar with sensing the Beat; now let your Longing and Sensing reach out for the flows. Remember, be yielded to the truth stream and don’t put up any resistance to your need of healing.”
     Two streams, red and blue, came from Gerard and to the four friends. The red stream appeared as a stream of fire and the blue as a stream of water.  "Let your Longing reach out. Be as yielded as you can to anything the stream of truth might tell you. Let the streams go to you and direct them back to me. You can sense them as they flow."
     The four friends did as he commanded and soon small, but discernable streams came from each of them.
     "Let them stop," Gerard commanded. “You now know how to do it yourself.”
     Reluctantly they obeyed.
     "Wow!" Isabella gushed. "That was different. Somehow, I could sense these as forces I didn’t know were there before. And you're right. They had a presence to them-- a living presence.”
     “This is something you have needed but never found: truth and healing,” Gerard answered. "You will find you can also use the flows to directly communicate with each other, but only under certain situations and only as the Source directs."
     He left them with the assignment to spend the remainder of the day letting the flows flow through them as much as they could. The four set to with enthusiasm.
     That night, in his room, Leif was tired but exhilarated. His flowing was stronger. And though he was tired, it was more from straining to do better rather than a physical fatigue. The flows are draining, he decided, since they involved yielding to one’s fears and weaknesses, although he had thus far confronted only a few of his more obvious ones. Maybe that was a limiting factor, especially if it involved his more hidden fears. But if they are what protects me, he wondered, why wouldn’t I want to train hard? Leif knew he still had much to learn about how things worked in Beyond.
     He decided to work on sensing the Beat better. He let his Longing energize his Sensing, and soon he was enveloped in a golden haze, glowing brightly with each beat. Just as before, he was totally at peace.
     Leif froze. Somewhere within him he distinctly heard "Leif, you are never alone." It was the most amazing experience he had ever had, even greater than the Beat and the flows. Somehow, he knew the words spoken by the Source without anything having been spoken audibly. More Source-logic, he guessed.
      Leif rushed to Gerard's room.
     "Yes, Leif, I expected it. The Source has gone from being an abstract concept to a living reality. You have now experienced firsthand that the Source is not an impersonal force, or a common oneness, but a unique one-on-oneness. The Source said your name and yours only. You must always be aware of this. You are never alone. This is the First Great Truth that all who seek the Source must let sink deep within them, for you shall desperately need it on your journey. Now off to bed. We’ll discuss it more tomorrow."
     The others came running, and Leif knew they had experienced the voice, too. Gerard patiently explained to them what he had told Leif and sent them all away. The friends talked into the night of this latest development and what it might mean. They were much too excited to sleep.
     "This is so incredible!" Isabella enthused. "I can't wait for more."
     The others agreed. More than ever they wanted to find the Source.
     "I want to do more of our journey now!" Kamiko exclaimed.
     "Me, too, but I don't think Gerard would think that was a good idea. He says we need more training," Leif replied.
     As usual, Devan was silent. His enthusiasm was never as great as the others. But to his credit, he knew something big had happened to him.

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