CH 4 - ATLA 3 - Therapy With Guru Pathik

(Word Count: 2,290)

The morning of my 7th day with Guru Pathik, we had our onion-banana juice as usual. You know? This stuff kinda grew on me, I didn’t even grimace. As it turned out, the juice was made from a single fruit that was called the onion-banana. This stuff contains all the nutrients your body needs, except the raw calories. But that's fixed by eating more of them.

Pathik had cultivated a full grove of the onion-banana trees. They grew like bananas, in larges bunches, and transitioned from green to yellow as they ripened. But, they were fat like onions, so they ended up looking like massive bunches of grapes.

“You have done remarkably well, Callan. I see many great changes within you. Today, we will open your chakras. What do you know of the chakras?” Pathik asked.

“I know that there are seven of them, each blocked by some sort of emotional turmoil. That’s all.” I knew that the first few were named after the elements, but It has been too long since I’ve seen the show for me to remember anything specific.

“Hmm. That's better than most people!” We left the air temple’s courtyard and moved into a clearing in the woods behind the temple. There was a series of little ponds that flowed down in little streams. 

Pathik continued his lesson. “There are seven chakras that go up the body. Acting as pools where your Chi can gather. Each pool of energy has a purpose but, just like these pools here, they can be blocked by a specific kind of emotional muck. Be warned, Callan, opening the chakras is an intense experience, and once you begin the process, you cannot stop until all seven are open. Are you ready?”

I didn’t come this far just to back down now. “I’m ready.”

“Very well. First we will open the Earth Chakra, located at the base of the spine. It deals with survival, and is blocked by fear. What are you most afraid of? Let your fears become clear to you," Pathik said in a soothing voice, guiding my meditation.

I focused my chi to the earth chakra, and suddenly I broke into a cold sweat. I could see all my fears. My family dying before me, staring at me with lifeless eyes. I couldn’t save them. My mother’s corpse twisted its head to look at me and whispered in a cold accusing voice. “This is your fault, Callan.”

“No!” I tremble, crying bitter tears.

“Callan, your vision is not real. You are concerned for your family’s survival, but you must surrender those fears. Let your fears flow down the creek, and be washed away.” the voice of Pathik shook me out of the horror I was feeling.

Right. This will not happen. I am getting stronger to save them. They will be fine. Determination to succeed filled me, and I cleared the image out of my head.

“You have opened your Earth Chakra! Well done,” Pathik said.

I open my eyes, wiping away all the sweat away from my face. “That felt way too real.” I take a deep breath. “What’s the next one?”

“Next is the Water Chakra, located in the sacrum. This chakra deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Now, look at all the guilt which burdens you. What do you blame yourself for?”

I close my eyes again and focus my Chi on the Water Chakra. I see myself living a sedentary lifestyle going to college and being lazy with my studies, while my grandparents pay for it all. They've given so much for me, and how do I repay it? 

“Accept the reality that these things happened, but do not let them cloud and poison your energy. If you are to be a positive influence on the world, you need to forgive yourself," Pathik urged.

I take a deep breath, and as I exhale I let go of my guilt. I am not that person anymore. The life we've known has ended. It will be my turn to help them once I return.

“Third is the Fire Chakra, located in the stomach. This chakra deals with willpower, and is blocked by shame. What are you ashamed of? What are your biggest disappointments in yourself?”

Focusing on the Fire Chakra, I see all the things I’ve left unfinished. I’ve started learning the piano, the violin, and the guitar. I’ve started karate. I’ve started writing many of my book ideas. Nothing was ever finished. “I’ve never finished anything. I’ve started many things, but I always quit midway," I said.

“There is nothing wrong with exploring new things, and as you continue, you will experience and drop new things. There is no shame in this, it is how you discover yourself. Take your shame, and let it wash away.”

Another deep breath, and I let it go. There were things that I did finish, and I was also making a lot of progress on all of my skills here. I’ve gotten pretty good at blacksmithing, if I do say so myself. That’s something to be proud of.

“Fourth is the Air Chakra, and is located in the heart. It deals with love and is blocked by grief. Lay all your grief out in front of you,” Pathik said.

I focus my Chi in the Air Chakra, and I see all the friends I’ve had that have come and gone. My family moved around a lot as I grew up and so I was always the awkward new kid. I would make a few friends, then move to a new school and town. Then no one would try to maintain contact with me. The friends I thought were friends forgot about me. This repeats all my life until I just gave up on making new friends. That didn't mean I didn’t hurt. That I wasn't lonely.

I was smacked with all of the pain that I pretended wasn’t there. I couldn’t stop the tears this time.

“It is lonely when love is not returned. But love is a form of energy, and it swirls all around us. The love you have in your heart will never go away, but will be reborn in new forms of love. Do not try to push down the pain. Instead, let the pain flow out and away,” Pathik said.

I focused on my family. My mom was there to pick me up at my lowest point, even if I haven’t been the best son growing up. My twin brother Hadrian has been there for me through thick and thin. I share all of my ideas with him, even if they're cringe. Ideas for games, original stories, or even fan fiction. He's my soundboard for everything. I may not have made any friends in life, but I had my family, and that's what mattered.

“Can I get some water?” I croaked out, rubbing away my tears. He handed me a cup, already prepared for it. 

“The fifth in the chain is the Sound Chakra, located in the throat. It deals with truth and is blocked by lies. The ones we tell ourselves. What are the lies that you tell yourself?” Pathik asked.

I see myself every time I’ve declined an invitation. I’ve told myself that they would have a better time if I wasn’t there. I’ve been telling myself that I’m never good enough, that there was nothing about me that was interesting at all. I started pushing people away. I hardly even call my own parents anymore because I don’t know what to say.

“Oftentimes the biggest voice of abuse doesn’t come from our enemy, but comes from ourselves. You must learn to be kind to yourself. Take your self-doubt and let it go.”

I was now traveling through other worlds! I’ve learned so many new skills, met many new people! I’ve set sail through the ocean on my own! I was now stronger and faster than Olympic athletes! So why doubt myself now? Why question my self worth? With a deep breath, I let it all go.

“The sixth pool of energy is the light chakra, located in the center of the forehead. It deals with insight and is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one in the same.”

I see all the books in the Akashic Library, each its own universe with its own people, but all of them are just that, people. All feeling the same emotions, feeling the same fears. Each universe is connected within the cosmos. All a part of the greater Omniverse.

“We're all connected. Everything is connected. Even across other universes. Me being here now is proof of that.” The story of Avatar Aang, the redemption of Zuko, and the voice of Iroh. The lives of these people had touched my heart entire universes away.

“That’s right. We are all one and the same, making up a part of the larger whole. Even in death, we are never truly separated from each other.”

“The Thought Chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world. Now, let all of those attachments go. Let them flow down the river, forgotten.”

I thought of my family and my twin brother Hadrian. They were the only ones that have been consistently at my side. I took a shaky breath and thought about the previous chakras. Though we may be separated temporarily, my love for them will always be there. But ultimately, they are living their own lives and I must let them go so they can do that, and also for me to live my own life.

By letting them go, I felt like I was betraying them in some way. It was a bit contrary to when I cleared the first few chakras, just a little while ago, our connection was a good thing. It wasn’t like I wouldn’t get strong enough to protect them in our changing world, but I couldn’t let that promise dictate my life. It will come naturally. With a deep breath, I let them go.

With all 7 chakras opened, I connected with the cosmic energy of the universe. All of a sudden my spirit seemed to leave my body, and I found myself floating in space. It was like I was a tiny candle compared to the stars around me. Looking around, I was standing on a glowing blue path suspended above the planet. The path wound its way through space to a large version of me, but I was at least 40 feet tall and glowing blue. My cosmic self, I realized. It wasn’t just the avatar that had that? Could I somehow attain powers from my cosmic self? Become one with it? Would I gain access to something like the Power Cosmic from Marvel? Maybe down the road with the help of the system, but for now I didn’t know how. Just as soon as the vision came, it left. I was back in my body, but I felt new senses.

I could immediately feel as if I was touching upon fate and karma. I could feel many different people that would play a part in destiny. I could feel everything slowly but surely coming together. My Chi seemed to automatically reach out and I could see Aang, Katara, and Sokka. They were by a river side. Aang and Katara were practicing some waterbending forms from a scroll. Aang seemed to get the forms easily while Katara struggled. This was in the episode of the waterbending scroll. ‘This must be that scrying thing that Aang did!’ I thought giddily. 

Zuko and Iroh were not far away. Iroh was busy shopping, making their men carry loads of items back to their ship. Zuko fumed in anger.

Toph was sneaking out of her family’s estate. It looked like she was on her way to the earthbending contest as the Blind Bandit. 

Fire Lord Ozai was in a war council planning for the capture of Omashu. Someone brought up plans for a drill to attack Ba Sing Se.

King Bumi was playing with Flopsie, his large goat-gorilla. Though there was a general of some sort giving a report of Fire Nation attacks on nearby villages.

Using this chance, I searched for the remaining lion turtle. I found him nestled in a valley just North East of the Wulong forest, which is actually the "forest" of stone pillars where Aang has his final showdown with Ozai. As my Chi connected with him, the lion turtle noticed. He opened his eyes, which flashed gold and suddenly we were both looking at each other. It was as if he was looking into my very soul. He huffed and in a deep rumbling voice he said. “Very well, come. I will hear you out.”

I broke out of my meditation, and my connection with the cosmic energy lessened to a vague intuition. “Wow.”

Guru Pathik grinned at me. “Cool, right?”

I checked my system and there was a new skill, and more WP

[Chi Sensing LVL 1/100]

Increases the clarity in seeing Chi and in feeling the connections between yourself and others by 1%/LVL

[Low Cosmic Connection LVL 1/100]

Requires all 7 Chakras to be open. You are able to touch upon the cosmic energies of the universe. You are able to peek into the movements of fate and destiny.

Increases the effect of Chi by 10%/LVL

Increases Chi regeneration by 10%/LVL

Increases scrying effects by 10%/LVL

WP: 750

“Yeah,” I said. “Way cool.”