The Magnificent Mansion of my Soul

Room: One – Wisdom and Knowledge

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” Buddha.

The crispness of the air snapped me from my sleep in the early hours of this morning. I came out of dream state suddenly, frustrated by the unfinished script of my dream. Prior to the rude awakening I remembered walking into an old mansion. The decrepit house felt hauntingly familiar. The marbled foyer was grand escalloped by four Italian marble columns. Slowly I stepped on to the landing unafraid or apprehensive, instead calm and centered.

Walking up hundreds of staircases I fingered the walls where animated portraits hung with a ravenous familiarity. At a closer look I realized that they were incarnations of me. On each landing a realistic bust representing my Spirit Guides was poised on a marble plinth.

I kept walking upward and as I creaked along the wooden stairs the staircase would change direction. Surprisingly I was not weary but rather curious as to where I was going. On one stair case I heard footsteps and looked over my left shoulder. I didn't see anyone, of course but I certainly felt their presence.

At the top of the stairs there was a door. Under the door a bright golden light shone like a beacon. I couldn't resist I turned the antique door knob and walked in. The room was all but empty except a glass coffee table in the centre. I walked over to the table and noticed a large book placed in the middle. In the focal point was a large heart shaped ruby. I gasped with excitement and as I clutched at my face the gold leaf pages of the book opened to a page. On the page raised in gold embossed writing were: PhD.

I’ve always had a love of learning – a thirst of knowledge – curious and questioning. It has been said that I was the infuriating, “why Child” in my youth. But, a PhD – why would I? How can I benefit humanity with a piece of paper and what sort of commitment would be required? And do I really want to undertake such a journey at this phase in my life.

A million questions flooded through my mind as I closed the book and inquired, "What does this truly mean?" Does it signify a new academic journey? Is the message for me? Or is it a secret message for another visitor? I caressed the ruby inset on the cover and tingles vibrated throughout my being. There are more questions than answers perhaps I need to be patient.

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world.” Woodrow Wilson.

In magic and wonder, follow your heart and soul.

Julia Ashton-Sayers


Room two: Love and Humanity

“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering.” Buddha

In dream state I wander back to a family cove, a sanctuary picturesque and safe beneath the glistening waterfall. A chequered blanket atop a grassy knoll surrounded by scented fields and feathery companions amid the haven of my dreams.

Curiosity of mind and heart is the compass for my journey. As I step on to the rug in anticipation of the next adventure into the mansion of my soul.

My breath deepens and I lay facing the twilight sky. The stars are familiar and I begin to count them one by one. My mind is open to the subtleties’ of the moment. I am drinking in the atmosphere allowing the sounds and smells envelope me like a cosy rug.

Melodic pan pipes play with the rhythmic earthy sound of the didgeridoo. The music is perfectly attuned to the natural wonders of my refuge. Voices beckon beyond the ridge as my essence follows a memorable path. I am taken on an adventure to the grand hall of my spiritual retreat.

The cobblestones beneath my feet are cool and soothing. Humility and modesty is my compass as I enter the castle of my past.

The sign Room: 2 is etched into the door. My fingers gently caress the wooden masterpiece carved so perfectly and smooth. I push the door open and take a long deep breath before entering.

The room is dimly lit with the aroma of sandalwood, rose and neroli. My heart beats stronger as I step toward the big lounge chair. A white chair in the centre of the room is draped with a pink pashmena – labelled from Tibet and I pick it up and caress my face.

I sink into the chair and gently pull the wrap around my shoulders tracing each fibre with gentleness and care. Another swatch embossed into the shawl with initials JAS.

The lamp beside me glows a golden beam. I reach for the envelope and open it with prudence. Inside the message, love and humanity was written. I felt the love and kindness of everyone who had touched my life.

I sank further into my chair and wrapped myself tightly in the swaddling of love. Around the walls a pantomime was playing – a celluloid displaying messages of peace and love.

The feeling was addictive. I didn’t want to leave the room. Nestle in the bosom of humanity I felt safe and protected from negativity.

I knew that this was an interlude to my ultimate journey and the evolution must continue. If I wish to grow and learn I must continue with the alchemy of my fate.

The waterfall splashes an awareness I am back from my latest bequest. The blissful state of wonder has rejuvenated my soul once more.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Peace and Love,

Julia Ashton-Sayers

Room: 3 – Spirituality and Transcendence

There is always something to be thankful for.

“The way is in the heart. Allow the beauty of your soul to shine.” Buddha

The Northern lights guide me toward my destiny. Poised delicately atop the ice cavern the mansion awaits drawing me closer – beckoning me toward another encounter with my soul evolution. The familiarity of the mansion is overwhelming. Corridors and smells of fresh alpine fragrances – juniper, cedar wood and spearmint cleanse my mind and eradicate any expectation of previous visits.

I open the door and am immediately blinded by the starkness of the room; white walls, white curtains and in the corner a white piano. In contrast, the purity of the room is surpassed by the warmth of love and spirituality.

Stepping into the room the soft whispers stimulate my curiosity. Familiar chords emanate from the piano – John Lennon sits wearing a white suit and white tie with tiny blue globes floating on the centre. He smiles a wry grin and “imagine” begins to fill the room.

The room begins to fill with past legends and spiritual masters – people who have cometo our planet, and an impact and left far too quickly. Visitors like: John F Kennedy and his son, Martin Luther King Jnr. and Abraham Lincoln are joined by Eleanor Roosevelt and Helen Keller are entertained by Plato, Woodrow Wilson and Ghandi. They share their personal truths and the room is filled with love and wisdom.

In the corner of the room a young man sits alone.

He is sad, confused and somewhat tormented. As I approach he looks up with his big brown eyes and begs, “What is this place and why am I here?”

I smiled and offered, “This is a healing place – a safe haven where souls come to connect with other souls so you are never alone.”

He responded with a shrug and said, “I’m never alone, I’m Michael Jackson – I just want to get back home.”

I replied, “Sure, you may have been Michael Jackson in your former life but here you are a spiritual warrior. Your mission is to transcend the limitations of your body and take the messages of love and humanity back to the world.”

Confused, he replied, “How can I do that if I can’t sing or dance?”
“How can I show people how much I loved them and how can I guide my children to adulthood if I’m stuck in here?”

“No one is ever stuck (unless they choose to be, of course). You can easily move between that world of earthly requirements and this one a realm of spiritual enlightenment. You are free to move. Besides, you’ve made your footprint upon that world – you’ve given all you had – you were exhausted and now you have a chance to heal your soul.”

The centre of the room began to glow a soft azure blue – a globe appeared hovering above the crowd. Eyes look upward toward the spinning sphere – a hushed silence fell around the room and then they disappeared.

Michael sat there perplexed. “Where have they all gone and what was the rush?”

“They’ve gone to all of the places in the world that need their love, wisdom and guidance the most.”

“Now I’ve got it!” he squealed and disappeared in a puff of gold dust and only left a shimmering puff of smoke.

I strolled over to the piano and stroked the arms of a familiar Guide. “You did good” he offered in his Liver-puddlian accent and loving wide smile.
“You’re doing much better, I replied.
He winked and I smiled.

In a blink of an instant I foraged out of sleep. Fighting the darkness of my entry back into the world I held tightly to the messages of my visit. Remanets of conversations float around in my mind – messages of love, integrity, honesty and truth layer the experience of the night.

“Be mater of mind rather than mastered by mind.” Zen Proverb

And finally, Erich Fromm once said, “That man can destroy life is just as miraculous a feat as that he can create it, for life is the miracle, the inexplicable. In the act of destruction, man sets himself above life; he transcends himself as a creature. Thus, the ultimate choice for a man, inasmuch as he is driven to transcend himself, is to create or to destroy, to love or to hate.”

Peace and Love,

Julia Ashton-Sayers

Room Four:
Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

"There is no calamity which a great nation can invite which equals that which follows a supine submission to wrong and injustice and the consequent loss of national self-respect and honor, beneath which are shielded and defended a people's safety and greatness." Grover Cleveland

The end of the rainbow is never quite in reach. The room swirled in psychedelic colours littered with millions of messages. I twirled around trying to catch the rainbow paper as it fell from the ceiling.

Lacy scrawl delivered the messages loud and clear: justice, fairness, equity, citizenship, duty, teamwork and loyalty. I grabbed as many of the tiny messages as I could and tried to put them into my pockets and as I did they mysteriously disappeared into my body. The messages have become an intricate part of my inner fabric interlocking ideals and values I embedded in my soul.

In the corner a compelling figure sat alone on a golden throne. Her chair was decorated with intricate designs of divine ornate threads encrusted with sapphire, amber and emerald green.

Without a word I was ordered to sit on a large cushion at her feet. I sank slowly into the golden velvet bolster while wondering why I was there. I looked closely at her stoic stare and thought how can I penetrate her mind and ask her the purpose of my visit.

She leaned back into her chair and rested her arms on the two large golden serpent’s heads. After a few moments she deliberately reached down on to a red cushion and picked up an athame. The sword was bejewelled with every precious stone imaginable. Across her knee scales appeared and balanced delicately in mid air.

Each agonising second passed and she sat poised, frozen -expressionless. Her face was androgynous and devoid of colour. And yet this translucent image was framed with four perfect ringlets golden brown cascading down her neck.

Her stare aloof and you knew that she demanded proof of your integrity and commitment. Her purpose in life was an advocate for justice and truth and she wouldn’t tolerate and fools or breaking the rules.

Her lips did not move but her voice was soft and deliberate. She spoke of her concerns for people on earth and how we’d forgotten our basic premise of peace, love and free will. I felt ashamed on behalf of mankind and sat and listened to her rhetoric.

She spoke of justice as if it was a birthright – injustice she claimed was the poison of our world. Killing, murder and harming one another with brutal words, rejection and guns were contrary to our existence. Hate was the destructive force that will harm us all and eventually obliterate our existence.

Words, thoughts and concepts were crafted into innate philosophies. Her speech was engaging and as reminded me of the cancer that is poisoning our souls. Man’s inhumanity to man will be considered as we will weigh up our lives on the scales of Justice. One day we will be defined as to whether we’ve lived our lives for the purpose of good or evil.

In the early morning mist of my dreams I awoke in my familiar space. Processing the visit with Athena I considered the importance of the lessons in room number four. Disheartened and frustrated I asked out loud, “so when are we going to get it?
“There is perhaps no phenomenon which contains so much destructive feeling as "moral indignation," which permits envy or hate to be acted out under the guise of virtue” Erich Fromm

And finally, Peace is more important than all justice; and was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace. Martin Luther

Peace and love,

Julia Ashton-Sayers

Room: five – Temperance.

My eyes drifted skyward and I caught a glimpse of an Angel. I watched her serene demeanour pour liquid gold from one silver and one gold chalice.

“May I follow you? I whispered and she looked and smiled.

She floated across mountains and oceans her wings barely moving – her poise was captivating and I went along for the ride. I didn’t care where we went or how long we would be there I desired to be in her presence and that was all that mattered.

On the outskirts of the Temple she looked over her shoulder and reached for my hand. The touch of her was heavenly. My hand snuggled into hers and we walked along the corridors together. Each room we would stop and she would smile and nod acknowledging my journey thus far.

Room five was dimly lit. Soft music played as we walked past two large Italian marble columns. My hand slid over the marble feeling the colours ingrained in the stone. The flecks reflected red, gold, a rich cream and soft green. The long pile carpet felt good beneath my bare feet.

In the centre of the room a large screen was lowered slowly and as I gazed up into the smoky glass monitor I began to cringe.

Images of war, human degradation and mass murder flicked past in some horror news reel. I was revolted by the scenes but felt compelled to watch none the less.

I begged the question, “where is the kindness and mercy that we all deserve as part of our birthright? Why must we treat each other with indifference and commit shameful acts of abuse and rob each other of the right to live and be free?”

The Angel nodded in agreement and said simply, “yes – why?”

I asked my Angel for mercy and forgiveness. I asked what I could do to change the circumstances of the past.

She replied, “Live each day with mindfulness and open up your heart.”

Psychedelic streamers fell from the ceiling. Messages on rainbow coloured paper flew around my head: integrity, honesty, kindness and generosity – thousands of words of encouragement floated through the air.

On my return I am filled with gratitude and appreciation for my life. My heart is burdened by the sadness of war and anger that permeates our world. However,
I want to consciously create humility and modesty. I intend to demonstrate acts of kindness and encourage joy, zest and enthusiasm. I feel it is my mission to be an active participant in this world and to offer a heart with integrity and honesty. I desire to spread the message of love and peace throughout the world.

Please join me in my mission.

“Temperance is a tree which as for its root very little contentment, and for its fruit calm and peace.” Buddha

Peace and Love,

Julia Ashton-Sayers

Room: Six

A man of courage never wants weapons. ~Author Unknown

Two lions strolled out into the centre of the room. I knew that it was room six and I was here to be reminded of qualities I had forgotten. I’ve overlooked such essential ingredients as: valor and bravery in my quest for the best life. I’ve been guilty of “people pleasing” and seeking harmony instead of fighting for what was right.

The beasts strolled with a magnificent gait. I wanted to touch them and get closer. I knew instinctively that these two large beasts were the ultimate predator but I was not afraid. I felt courageous and comfortable in their presence. They walked over to me and lay at my feet. I crouched down and began to stroke their soft fur – they purred like domestic kittens and I got lost in their rhythmic breath.

The golden hue of the room swaddled me as I lay between the two beasts. Their strength filled me with supreme calm and confidence. My fears about the future and my abilities faded into their long luxurious manes. They encircled me with their gigantic bodies and I felt safe, comforted and pampered. I instinctively knew that I was protected and guided.

The return to my morning ritual was unceremonious and sudden. I remembered every tiny detail and I could even smell the warmth of the lion’s coat. The journey through my magnificent mansion of my soul was nearly complete. I reflected on the rooms and how each visit had taken me into places of my soul I had protected from inquisition and explanation.

I felt forlorn and incredibly sad for the lives that had been annihilated on the screen in room five. I was disgusted by the images of man’s inhumanity to man. I prayed for forgiveness for all of the wrongs I had done and asked that those whom I had hurt along the way could possibly forgive me for those trespasses.

Each room left me with a profound impact. I felt that the messages were strong and direct. While I was responsible for my investment in humanity I did not have the ability to change the past. My mission was to make a difference with every step and breath I took in my daily life. I could create peace and harmony in my world and send those positive beams out into the world.

My script is written and I intend to deliver the messages of love, peace and harmony to my corner of the world. With deliberate acts of kindness mixed with ingenuity the energy of love will permeate the negative and fear of this wholesome sphere.

Please join me in my quest – peace and love and deliver our best!

“No act of kindness however small is never wasted.” Aesop

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. “~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Peace and Love,

Julia Ashton-Sayers