Pea Doubleu Sacrifice in personal ways is always required for the greater collective good. Willow's choice was not simply a matter of either physical with boy A or metaphysical with boy K. It was, it seems to me, a choice to cooperate with her obvious giftedness, then pooling her gifts with similarly gifted others to animate life and possibility for the many. How to keep the focus outward and for the good of life for the many is the work. On a similar note around indigenous spirituality and practice: when we choose to connect with all our relations and the land, we have the opportunity to recognize our selves, our life, as part of the greater whole, part of the expression of Creator Spirit (if you go in for all that...). Our own physical longings are part of the Great Story, but when we make our choices based only or mostly on selfish personal needs/desires, so much is forgotten, lost, harmed and/or destroyed in the process. Ultimately, including ourselves.

Pea Doubleu: I'm reading a good bit of Ojibwa/Canadian author Richard Wagamese's work these days, and it occurs to me as I read that the 'evolution' of our species could be aided significantly by returning to a more indigenous understanding of creation, life, land and relationship. From the book “Keeper'n'me” this passage struck me as relevant: If you sit there long enough while the sun's going down behind the hills you'd swear you can see those hills move. Like they're breathing. It's a trick of the light really. Or something caused by distance and time and quiet yearning of magic we all carry around inside us. That's what Ma says. Says that magic's born of the land and ones who go places in life are the ones who take the time to let that magic seep inside them. Sitting there, all quiet and watching, listening, learning. That's how the magic seeps in. Anishanabe are pretty big on magic, she says. Not so much the pullin' rabbits outta hats kinda magic but more the pullin' learning outta everything round' em kind. A common magic that teaches you how to live with each other. See them hills breath, and believing it, is making yourself available to that magic. Like leaving the door to your insides unlocked, she says. If we are going to evolve it probably has less to do with embracing something new and more of a stripping away the technological and economic trappings of 'progress' and then reawakening to Spirit that is present and alive in every single thing. Including us.

Robyn: Pea Doubleu haha how did you know! 😅

Pea Doubleu: Robyn, this is such a helpful description of your flow through the revelatory process. But I still believe you are thinking of the colour orange. Or something that rhymes with orange...

Robyn: I was unfamiliar with these concepts, however I was always subconsciously aware that 'Vision Speak' was not the same as mind reading, that it required a deeper spiritual connection. I developed this subconscious thought through the descriptions and introduction to 'Vision Speak' in the early chapters, and again in later chapters. The way the reader is introduced to the concept of meditation and deep connection, as well as being able to 'feel' others around you while in 'Vision Speak' immediately differentiated 'Vision Speak' from your standard "You are thinking of the colour Orange" mind reading.

Susan Levoy: Trump certainly illustrated the fact that trying to run a country like a corporation does not work. He claimed he was going to drain the swamp but we we all know how that ended. Manipulation of information was also demonstrated with his Twitter account. The instructor of a current events course I took in the 90’s told us to never take our democracy for granted. It has only been in the last 4 years that I truly understand what she meant.

Irene Remme: It makes people feel PURE is a wonderful place on the surface and gives one a sense of freedom. On the other hand, there’s a dark force or cult looming in the background. People today are questioning the freedom of speech, religion, health products to name a few, they once had. PURE (the government) quietly controlled the information that was broadcast to the world. Everything was fine. The people thought they were free but underneath they were quietly being controlled through messaging from PURE. This is similar to what is happening in the world today.

Susan Levoy: Young people and sex have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. There is an urgency that young people are more interested in satisfying than worrying about what others might think. Knowing that they are being watched might push them to test the boundaries. I do not see it as encouraging promiscuity I would tend to believe it has to do with control.

Susan Levoy: Our current society ( especially in US) reflects many undertones of the Republic. Like Roland many are are angry and unhappy with their lives so are looking for something or someone to believe in. Solutions depend on the outlook of one’s views.

Susan Levoy: In our world today with a worldwide pandemic having over 2 million dead, things that we would never have envisioned give us pause to think yes our world could end in a way we never expected or even comprehend.

Susan James: No, I don’t believe we’ll end up in a cataclysmic world- ending event. Fundamentally the question you’re asking Eden is will fear or love triumph? Because fear, anger, hatred, conformity, rules, rigidity of thinking are all based on fear being the driver of actions. Love is based on compassion, understanding others’ struggles and fears, forgiveness and belief in our commonality and the good that is in all humans. We as a society and a civilization are too evolved to succumb to the domination of fear. In saying this, I think it’s worth pointing out that those of us who think we’re on the ‘right side’ of this schism, this socioeconomic and ethical divide would do well to remember that name calling and disavowing/invalidating of others’ ideology does not enhance peace or open a door to solutions. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what’s happening in the world - a massive spotlight has been shone upon what I would call the darkness (in the U.S. which is representative of the world) and all that is unjust. Which is great! - awareness is the first step towards evolution/righting wrongs. Then actions can be taken towards moving forward in a positive and healing fashion. Martin Luther King Jr said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” I believe there already is far, far more love in the world than hate, but our most difficult task now is to find the humanity in those we consider ‘them’. And it starts with looking into our own hearts, and speaking and acting from a place of love, inclusivity, patience, trust and belief in our fellow man. I believe the ball is our court to respond to this current day challenge. And as Ram Dass said: “The answer is always, work on yourself.”

Susan L: During these tumultuous political times and seeing the profiles of those arrested, it is frightening to see all the anger and divisiveness with these extreme radicals and their twisted views. Similar to cults their views are unorthodox and seek a leader to idealize.

Pea Doubleu: The necessary inclusion of 'description/explanation' in these first 15 chapters are not intrusive. They are part of the flow of narrative and are tied to the experiences of the characters as the story moves along. I never feel like I'm suddenly lifted out of the flow and are being fed a 'lesson.' I'm getting a sense of both the restrictions of PURE and the liberation promised by Vision Speak. Glad to be reading your book again. (bob)

Rosanne: I like the pace of the book ... too many descriptive explanations can hold up the reader and prevent us from getting to know the characters in the book. The readers imagination is in overdrive throughout the beginning as we attempt to relate to the grand settings andthe motives of the characters.

Robyn: I felt the descriptions set the stage well for the reader, I am always keen to delve into the world I am reading about, and look forward to future books providing us with further insight to this new world!!

Everyone on the Facebook poll (11 voters) indicated that they felt it was just right and explanations are needed and don't detract from the story. (there were 3 choices - Just Right, Too Much, Too Little) Some specific comments follow.

Irene: Hi Eden I am really enjoying reading your book again. I like the pace of the book I do have a little bit of problem keeping up with the different characters but probably age related. I haven’t finished all the chapters yet. I am on chapter 12 and will probably finish chapter 15 tonight. I think The book can be considered for two categories, fiction and science fiction. I also like the suspense in the book as it keeps me very interested to continue.

Susan James: Pea Doubleu That’s a very interesting perspective. Thanks.

Pea Doubleu: If society does not find a way to pass on wisdom and experience from generation to generation there will be no society and no culture. We are engaged in this very conversation because we are human beings interested in stories. Stories, memories, experiences, learning, interaction and exchange are all absolutely necessary for life to have meaning. Ancient ancestors told stories around campfires, so that current and future generations might know who they are. Orson Scott Card fundamentally changed the way I do funerals because he wrote a book called 'Speaker for the Dead,' in which one person travelled the galaxy to listen to the life of one in the community who had died--through conversations with those still living--and then mirror that life back to family, friends, neighbours, society, telling the truth about that person and about them. Your 'Life Journals' are a vehicle for the lived reality of citizens to transcend what might otherwise be destroyed by a society bent on telling the only acceptable story. Think '1984.' Life is colourless, hollow, flat when bureaucracy is in charge of defining that life.

Susan Levoy: I think sharing memories are relevant and pertinent. It allows us to understand our predecessors more fully and how they perceived the world. It can serve as a learning tool.They help us understand our shared realities and strengthen our shared connections.Memory keepers preserve the past. Bequeathing memories entails more responsibility depending on what those memories are.