Lazaris Remembers Lemuria and The Cave

Years ago, I was browsing in a small card shop on the east coast. It was one of those touristy stores that sold posters, candles, incense, and a variety of books and music. I’m sure I could have found crystals if I’d been in the market. However, I’m not a channeling spirits kinda woman. I don’t remember how I happened to be in a shop with such a new age edge, and truthfully, the only reason I recall it at all is because of a piece of music that was playing.

I didn’t notice the sound at first, but as I looked through a rack of cards I felt myself begin to drift away. It was the music. I heard a soothing composition that captured the sound of waking up. Music that drew a foggy pre-dawn picture filled me as I stood there with my eyes closed and a forgotten card dangling from my hand. I froze as the music made me feel the color blue. I listened carefully knowing that on the edge of that blue sound was the promise of light. Yes, those notes represented rebirth. Resurrection. The melody held the promise of a new beginning. The instrumental was called, Lazaris Remembers Lemuria.

I purchased a copy and have listened to it on and off for almost ten years. It is playing in the background as I write.

At the time, I didn’t know what the title meant. But the music was powerful enough, yet gentle enough to evoke its own story. There was only one Lazarus that held any meaning for me and though his name was spelled differently, when I listened to Lazaris Remembers Lemuria I envisioned the Lazarus of the bible emerging from his grave. I pictured Jesus as he called, "Lazarus, come out!" In my mind's eye I saw the disoriented once dead man shakily stepping out of his tomb, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth covering his face. I saw his resurrection.

Just as I had no idea who the Lazaris in the album title was, I had no idea who or what Lemuria was. I later learned that it's an ancient land predating any civilization we currently know. Predating Atlantis. Lemuria, like Atlantis, is a mythical place and as such I could imagine it to be anything I chose. Today, I choose to see Lemuria as Plato’s Upper World. Today, Lemuria will represent reality - the place of blinding light just outside my prison cave.

In The Allegory of the Cave, Plato describes mankind locked in a dark cave. The world they see, the things they believe to be true are merely shadows.


Merely shadows cast on the cave walls.

Behold! Human beings living in a underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads… They see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave.

Inside the prison cave mankind sees only lies, but outside this place is the real world. The truth. Plato through Socrates describes what would happen if the prisoners are released from their world of shadowy illusion.

See what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, -what will be his reply? And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them, -will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?

And this I think is where I am. I am being led toward the light… the truth… reality. Like Lazarus, I am emerging from my tomb, following the voice of God as he urges me to come out.

I should be eager. But I am not. I am afraid - not of any pain that may be associated with the truth, but of the inevitable sense of loss associated with giving up the lies - the shadows.

Much of what we believe, what we accept to be real is so deeply ingrained in us that to shake it lose is to give up a part of ourselves. That is the thing I fear – giving up a part of myself – even if that part is based on lies - lies that are poor reflections of the truth cast on the walls of my life.

I’ve been here before. Of that I am certain. I’ve stood here before, freed from my chains, facing the unguarded cave opening, hearing God’s call. I’ve stood here many times, occasionally taking a small step toward the light, venturing out just enough to know that something else awaits me. And just as I’ve stood in the doorway of truth I’ve stepped back, fled back, to the safety of the familiar. I’ve voluntarily chained myself back in position and tried to take comfort in the shadows. However, each time I do this, each time I retreat from the truth, the shadows become less comforting. They taunt me. They call me foolish. They laugh at my cowardice. They hold me prisoner. And I allow it.

Oh, but this time, this time I will not retreat. This time I will surrender myself to the truth.

Here's to entering Lemuria.

The Allegory of the Cave (The Republic , Book VII)

I read this in college. At that time, I thought of it in relation to education and politics. Today I've been challenged to look at it as it relates to the Christian experience.

At the heart of The Cave Plato expresses his belief that the world revealed by our senses is not the "real" world but only a shadowy representation of it. His premise is very Matrix-like and appeals to the poetic side of me! I won't post the relevant excerpt from The Republic here, but if you are interested you can find the text online: The Allegory of the Cave.

Stay tuned as I look past the shadows and toward the light!

Oh, and here's to discovering the distinction!

Love's Crusade

I thought I was the object of his desire

But I…

I was secondary to the dance

The sport

Love’s crusade

Yes, I…

The trophy

Was not his goal

His goal was the game

His primary concern

The thing that made him play with me

Was not me…
I simply had the qualities
Of a good game piece
But there are many suitable pieces
Easily rearranged
Quite simple to exchange
No, the thing that drew him to me
Was not me…

It was the feeling I could stir within him

It was the taste of love he sought

The flavor and not the substance

To increase the caliber of his play
He held me beyond his reach

Because I…

I am secondary to the dance

The sport
Love’s crusade

LightAndShadow

Happy New Year... and all that!

I missed blogging today. I think I took on one too many projects. I’m off tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be able to sit down and put my thoughts on paper.

I’ve had a couple of interesting experiences this holiday weekend… faced a test or two, solidified a friendship, questioned my own attitude, cried over foolishness, had a couple of good laughs, been a little mischievous, practiced the fine art of forgiveness, and was reminded, yet again, that it ain’t really about me!

All in all, God’s doing his thing and I’m trying awfully hard not to get in the way!

Here’s to another year of living!

Job And His Attitude

Is it true that Job's situation didn't change until he changed his attitude?

Hmmmm.