A Conversation

Before I had totally come down from my first experience with the swan and the butterfly, I sat up and took a few more hits. Again I lay down, pulled on the eyeshades and closed my eyes. 

Again, I felt like I was sinking into a deep ocean of darkness. Off in the distance, maybe light years away,  I could see an immense machine the size of a small planet. It was clearly made of metal and there were conduits along its sides and what looked like a huge lotus on its face. And I had the impression it was generating compassion that was emanating throughout the cosmos. 

In the darkness nearby I felt a presence. And when I turned my awareness to discern what it was, it resolved into a large mantis. It was as though it had turned aside a curtain to watch me. 

"What do you want?" I asked curiously.

"To give you something." It said quietly in my mind. It wanted to inject some knowledge into my mind.

Unsure of its intentions, I wanted to see if it could be trusted.

"Let me give you something first."

It remained impassive so I projected and image of a mandala I had been working on. The creature was curious and unperturbed so I decided it could be trusted.

"Ok." I agreed to receive it's gift. It reached a long front leg , extending its tibia over my head and quietly pressed a long finger down where I could not see. I felt nothing and it withdrew, folding its leg back into waiting and watching.

"Are you alone?" I asked.

"No." It said. And from behind, six mantis peaked out, three on either side.

Slowly they faded from sight and I settled back down into my body.