The Power of Twelve Read online

  Minutes later, Arnold was marching back to his SUV with Eugene watching the chaotic swarm of miners. A young miner suddenly rushed toward them as Arnold stepped up into the Yukon.

  “Please, sir, my brother is trapped in the mine, along with several of my cousins. What can we do to help save them?”

  Eugene looked at the young miner with compassion as he was forced to deliver the bad news. “You need to speak to the mine manager. I am sure all that can be done to save your brother and cousins will be done.”

  “Eugene,” Arnold called from within the opened car door, “we are falling behind schedule. We have an appointment in Prague, and we need to get back to our G5 or we will be late.”

  Eugene was left to explain. “I am sorry, but we have to leave. Talk to the mine manager. Hopefully your brother will be saved.”

  With that lie he eased into the backseat, and the driver forged a way through dozens of other miners wanting answers that would not be forthcoming.

  Arnold was already on his cell phone making arrangements for his arrival in Prague that evening. As the Yukon passed through the mine gates, Arnold turned to Eugene and admonished him. “Don’t lose your focus. Remember who you work for. I am the Grand Light and Keeper of the Code. We are protecting not just my interests but the interests of the 319 families who form the Illuminati. We have a sacred duty to protect this planet.” Arnold waved toward what they had left behind. “It is regrettable that some miners are going to die, but they are not important to the long-term goals of the Illuminati. We are here to ensure that the world does not devolve into chaos. We must never be distracted from our important mission to gain absolute economic and political control over this planet.”

  “I apologize, sir,” Eugene responded, “but I could not help but feel bad for that young man.”

  “I feel sorry for all of them myself, Eugene,” Arnold agreed, “but the good of the many outweighs the needs of the few.”

  Eugene knew from years of service as Arnold’s personal bodyguard that it would be unwise to continue the conversation, but he could not help but question to himself, “But aren’t the Illuminati actually the few?”

  Do you believe in the Illuminati? Are they active today? These are actually 2 different questions. But in either case,

  CHAPTER TWO

  FULL FEMININE POWER NOW

  CHATEAU MCELY, CZECH REPUBLIC

  DECEMBER 22

  AT CHATEAU MCELY, just outside of Prague, Jim and Inéz Cusumano were double-checking that all was in order for the celebration planned for that evening. December 21 had come and gone. The world had not been destroyed. The Mayan calendar had ended, but the world itself was still intact. What did it all mean?

  As Inéz checked the flowers for the second time, she turned to Jim, pleased with the elegant arrangement of flowers, tables, and chairs. “This really is going to be a wonderful event. I have been talking with Gayle, and she explained to me that yesterday was the beginning of a new 26,000-year cycle on our planet. I am not sure what this means, but I can already feel a new energy in the air. Somehow, in some subtle way, everything seems different to me than it did just twenty-four hours ago.”

  Jim smiled back, replying, “I don’t sense any real difference, but I am pleased if you do. I never thought the Mayan calendar had any scientific validity, but as a former chemist I do think that there is truth to the concept that our world is based on cycles of 26,000 years. That is the amount of time it takes to complete a full wobble of the axis of the planet as we revolve around the Sun. I have no idea how the Mayans could have discovered or intuited that such a cycle exists, but it is an intriguing notion.”

  As Jim was finishing his sentence, Gayle Newhouse and Randall Jenkins descended the stairs and greeted them with hugs.

  Gayle was first to speak. “This is such a lovely home. We are so grateful to be your guests.”

  Randall added, “Yes, and I can think of no better place on earth to celebrate the beginning of the new cycle of feminine energy than right here in Chateau Mcely. Thank you so much for arranging this lecture.”

  “The pleasure is all ours,” Inéz insisted. “Really, it is an honor to have you here this evening. We have invited some of our closest friends, including Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla. All of those in attendance are interested in learning more about your concept of feminine energy replacing masculine energy as the dominant spiritual energy on our planet for the next 26,000 years.

  Do you believe in the concept of 26,000 year cycles?

  Is there any evidence to support the belief in the rise of feminine energy?

  Do you think Sheryl Sandberg’s book “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” is promoting feminine or masculine prototypes? Why?

  I know that this new era is going to focus on the importance of environmental sustainability in ways that will interest all of our friends.”

  “That is true,” Jim confirmed. “And I cannot think of a better audience to share your newest book, Full Feminine Power Now, with, either,” Jim added, smiling at Gayle.

  Gayle smiled modestly, accepting the acknowledgment. “Why, thank you, Jim. As you know, Randall is the expert on the importance of the Mayan calendar and these special times. My work is focused on how we can use the new energies to take advantage of feminine wisdom on a daily basis. I wrote the book to help people heal their immediate problems and to find ways to nurture each other in the here and now.”

  “Well, we are both excited to learn more over dinner,” Inéz replied. They all turned as the front door opened and the arrival of Prince Charles and Camilla was announced.

  SHY BY NATURE, Gayle retreated to the bar area, where she was served a glass of champagne. As she sipped the bubbly, she thought back to the reasons why she had decided to write Full Feminine Power Now. Writing was not something that came easily to her, and she did not like being in the limelight, but she had had visions of Mother Mary ever since she was a young child. The first actual visit had come just months before the end of the Mayan calendar.

  Gayle had been sitting alone in her garden in Cardiff, California. She had chosen a bench in her garden on which to sit and meditate. She proceeded to focus, slowing down her breathing. When she had reached an utterly calm state, she felt a strong presence that immediately captivated her. As she opened her eyes, she saw in front of her a woman in a blue dress. At least she thought it was a woman. She could not be certain, for the vision was so ephemeral and glowing with light that it did not seem human.

  Intrigued by the strange vision, Gayle shut her eyes. When she opened them again, the woman had vanished, but she noticed that the bush across the path was quivering. She looked around and felt no wind. She checked the bush again and still it was moving. She blinked her eyes hard, trying to clear her head.

  Upon opening her eyes, she once again saw a woman in a blue dress standing directly in front of her, almost touching the bush. The woman had the palest of skin, dark black hair, and the softest, most beautiful face she had ever seen. The woman smiled at Gayle and moved closer.

  Gayle had no doubt. This was not a vision, but an encounter with a physical presence. Gayle could almost touch the woman. She saw the faintest sign of breath coming from her soft lips in the cool morning air as she spoke.

  “Do not be alarmed, my child,” the woman spoke. “You are doing important work, and I want you to know that I will always be here to assist you. You have within you the authentic feminine energy that this planet needs at this time. You will be facing significant challenges in order to help others to realize the power of authentic feminine energy, but persevere and all will be well.”

  Gayle, still startled that such a thing could be happening, replied, “Thank you for these words of encouragement. All of my life I have felt that I was meant to teach others the true meaning of love and caring.” In this woman’s presence she felt words that she had never fully conceptualized pouring out of her. “It has been so difficult for me, and no matter how much I have tr
ied to help others, I have experienced so little progress and so much cruelty. Most people seem weak or insensitive and do not rise to their higher purpose.”

  The woman’s eyes were shining with a luminosity that was incandescent. Although her face appeared young to Gayle, it simultaneously contained an ageless wisdom and love that could only be expressed by a much older woman. Her blue dress was simple and yet she seemed regal in every detail. She moved with grace, and when she spoke there was a gentleness that immediately comforted Gayle.

  “You are protected at all times. I know what you have suffered as a daughter and a mother. It was no accident that you were given such challenges. Human beings must experience cruelty and even hate to learn to truly love. I am not sure why this has been necessary, but I can assure you that in the two thousand years since my son Jesus journeyed on this planet, the level of cruelty and hate has escalated. It is now time to end cruelty. It is now time to end greed. It is now time for women like you to truly flourish. It is now the time for Authentic Feminine Power to arise throughout the planet.” Almost before the woman in blue had stopped speaking, she was gone.

  Gayle pinched herself to be sure that she was not dreaming. “That was Mother Mary,” she thought. “She visited me as a child in my dreams but never appeared with such a physical presence. This time she seemed like a person of flesh and blood.” She had to consider that notion. Mother Mary really had seemed to be standing right in front of her. “I know that is not possible, but clearly she wanted me not to doubt the urgency of her words.” Gayle was emerging from the memory of her transformative encounter with Mother Mary when Inéz Cusumano approached her with Prince Charles and Camilla at her side. “Gayle, may I present to you the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.”

  Gayle was not sure what the proper response was, but she managed a curtsey and stammered, “I—I am so honored.”

  Before she could think of what to say next, a waiter was ringing a chime and announcing that dinner was served. Relieved, Gayle joined the other guests as they wended their way toward the elegant dining room.

  BETWEEN DINNER AND DESSERT, Randall and Gayle were given an opportunity to speak as the featured guests for the evening. The topic was the significance of the end of the Mayan calendar the day before and their views on the importance of the change of the 26,000-year cycle. Gayle focused her remarks on the significance of feminine energy. “This planet will not survive if we continue to focus on exploitation. The planet is in need of a more nurturing and gentle touch.” She looked out over the long tables filled with well-coiffed luminaries. “There is nothing wrong with strong masculine energy. As a woman I love strong men. In terms of our civilization, there is no doubt that male energy has produced incredible comforts and technology over the last 26,000 years. But life is a question of balance. Only by staying in balance will we truly reap the benefits of this change in energy. Randall has told you how many societies throughout the world have prophesied that we are now entering the golden age. This is an age of harmony and peace.” She saw smiles break out on many of the faces in her audience. “However, we will not experience this golden age without significant and immediate change on our planet. Part of this change requires that each one of us learns to go within and tap into this new feminine energy. That is why I wrote Full Feminine Power Now. In the end, it is a question of trust. Strength is important, but trust is even more important. You must trust your feminine instincts and you must dedicate yourselves to your higher purpose and join with others to ensure that your best purpose will be fulfilled. In essence, this is a feminine rather than a masculine ability. Thanks to Jim and Inéz, a copy of Full Feminine Power Now will be waiting for you as you leave this evening. Please apply the techniques I share with you only for good. The techniques will work for you whether you limit yourselves to your own immediate goals or use them for the higher goals of our planet.” She spread her arms wide to indicate the limitless possibilities. “We have financial crises, environmental crises, the great inequity of wealth and opportunity. Please use this sacred information, which in olden times was only available in mystery schools and passed from master to student in secret, for the benefit of all.”

  Gayle was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the women at the dinner but only polite claps from a number of the men. She noticed that one of them, dressed in an elegant suit with enormous diamond cuff links on his shirt, did not applaud at all. He had a somewhat bored and condescending expression on his face, as if he were saying, “Such a charming woman, but like so many of these new-agers, a complete dreamer.” As she watched, he made a joke with two of the other distinguished gentlemen at his table, and she could not help but think that he was mocking her.

  Gayle’s attention was diverted as Inéz approached and asked her to autograph copies of Full Feminine Power Now. This task she did with pleasure, asking each woman who approached her the exact spelling of her name.

  At the end of the dinner, after signing more than twenty copies of her book and connecting personally with many of the women whose books she had signed, Gayle returned with Randall to the Mark Twain Luxury Suite, the special accommodations that had been selected for them, given their roles as professional writers. On the way Gayle asked him quietly, “Do you think any of the men in the room really understood what I was saying, or were they just being polite?”

  “Oh, I think most of them were sincerely moved,” Randall reassured her.

  “Most of them? You mean, you think some did not understand?”

  “It is not so much a question of not understanding as not agreeing. I’m sure most of the guests want to do good, but in reality they are more concerned about what is good for them. The people here have large homes, businesses, extensive real estate holdings. Hearing that everything is going to change and that the masculine energy of the last 26,000 years, upon which their wealth was created and perhaps depends, is giving way to the feminine, is not going to go over well with everyone,” Randall explained.

  “Well, the women at least did seem enthusiastic.”

  “Yes, but how could they not, with a book entitled Full Feminine Power Now?” Randall said easily. “I’ll tell you what the proof will be: how they react once they read the book. Many women as well as men are going to have to fundamentally change the way they are living. Sad to say, human behavior is not going to change overnight.”

  “But it must,” Gayle responded with alarm, “or there will be no solutions to the problems of this planet. We have long passed the time for only sporadic acts of goodness. Unless everyone participates, there will be no progress.”

  “Oh, Gayle, you are such an idealist. Surely we can make progress a little bit at a time,” Randall chided.

  “No. Absolutely not. Those days are done,” she countered adamantly. “That is the masculine way. Compromise here, compromise there, when in fact the compromises are just concessions to maintaining the status quo. Once they learn how to harness the new energy, everyone must learn to appreciate the miracle of life and learn to share from their heart.”

  “Well, that is why we are here,” Randall pointed out as he smiled and kissed Gayle sweetly on her mouth. “Tomorrow we will discuss Project Wake Up with Jim and Inéz. Don’t worry, we are going to make what you envision truly come to pass.”

  Gayle was pleased that Randall was supportive, but she knew that he was wrong in thinking that progress could be made a little bit at a time. The change could not be gradual. Mother Mary had assured her that the time was now. The world could not wait.

  CHAPTER THREE

  ANYONE FOR CHAMPAGNE?

  DECEMBER 23, 2012

  THE NEXT MORNING Randall and Gayle entered the breakfast room, which had high ceilings and beautifully cut flowers on every table. She instantly noticed the man from the evening before who had been so bored by her talk. She knew that type of male so well. Gayle had been raised in a traditional family, and the concept of female liberation, in terms of political, economic, or sexual freedom, had never been part
of her upbringing. She had been raised, however, with a strong sense of moral indignation concerning injustice and inequality. Only now was she coming to realize that her natural tendencies to nurture and appreciate others were essential to the survival of the planet.

  Arnold Wheeler had flown in for the dinner the night before and, like Randall and Gayle, had been invited to spend the night at the Chateau. Arnold was already seated at the table that had been reserved for the previous evening’s special guests. He rose and introduced himself, “Good morning. My name is Arnold Wheeler. Those were quite interesting speeches you gave last night. I’m not sure I agree with either of you on the importance of this energy shift you were talking about or the accuracy of the notion of a 26,000-year cycle, but your ideas certainly made for an entertaining evening.”

  Randall shook Arnold’s hand and Gayle smiled. Keeping her tone light, she admonished him, “Now, Mr. Wheeler, how can you possibly doubt anything we said last night? You seem like an intelligent and thoughtful man. Why would we make any of this up?”

  Somewhat taken aback by Gayle’s direct challenge to his remarks, Arnold parried, “Oh, Gayle, I do not doubt your sincerity at all. It’s just that I live in a world of hard, cold practicality and not just ideas. I’m afraid I do not see any proof that any change is happening at all. I only believe in what can be replicated scientifically or proven in some other way. For me the concept of”—he made a slight face—“authentic feminine energy is not tangible in any meaningful way.”

  The man was such a pompous creature. “Have you ever seen a mother bear defend her cubs?” Gayle shot back. “Or a mother bird feed her nestlings? I can assure you, feminine energy is real.”

  “I do not doubt that there is such a concept as feminine energy,” Arnold retorted dismissively. “I’m just questioning if there is any real shift going on. I also do not see how what you are calling ‘authentic feminine energy’ is any different than pure animal instincts of survival. To me, adhering to these feminine principles would be going backward, not forward. If you ask me, women have made progress in the last forty years precisely because they have started to act more like men.”