“How is it that stars are able to speak?” asked Alice, utterly transfixed and amazed as she watched them float gracefully to the forest from the heavens.
“All of us can speak, with you and with each other, without any words,” said the Star. “We are all connected.”
Suddenly Alice recognized one of them. “You there, you are the Sun! It is you who breathes life into my planet and compels its motion around you.”
“Indeed, it is I, the Sun!” it gleamed happily as it glided into Alice's open palm. “And you are one of my beloved children! However did you find yourself here in this imaginary world?”
“I became restless, and I dreamt, and I found myself here.”
“Have you been deaf to the voice of passion for so long? Have you found what you are looking for here?”
“To be sure, I have found more than I have ever dreamt of on my own.”
“And still your heart is restless? What you seek is self-love, child.”
“But what is such a thing?”
The Sun spun merrily and shone even brighter, apparently pleased to be asked this question. “Within every human soul there lies a pearl of greatness that shines brilliantly. When a being practices the art of self-love, that light is expressed through our appreciation. Appreciation of things, tasks, people, animals, ideas, deities, industries, methods... Anything beloved underneath my Light is automatically blessed. Therefore, it is most important to love yourself first, so that you may have as many blessings to give as there are stars in this Universe, and still remain infinitely blessed yourself. When you are blessed, you have every reason to be happy.”
Alice felt very cheerful upon hearing this, but then an unsavory thought occurred to her. “Suppose there are some in this world who are not blessed... How can one's Light shine from beneath the darkness of the world they are born into?” The star glowed contentedly, apparently even more pleased. “The great celestial pearl shines in all our hearts, and remains forever an infinite abyss of love well within our reach. This great Light shines regardless of anything, a lighthouse within our hearts: should we find ourselves shrouded in darkness, with shadows clouding our eyes, we need only love ourselves to reach for this pearl of power within us, and by the magick that truly makes this Universe run, that Light will consume us, and anything will become possible.”
All of the stars twinkled with joy upon hearing this. Alice felt quite satisfied with this answer, and then noticed her dear friend the Cheshire Cat up in a very twisted and desolate tree, smiling upon her from the shadows. This made Alice curious.
“Oh, Cheshire Kitty! You have been listening too?” she asked.
“I have,“ he answered, purring deeply. “You love the Lights?”
“I do. They are so wise, and they are so alive. I feel so glad to have met my Sun in person.”
“The stars are alive. They are animals in the shape of pearls. They watch over us eternally, passing the responsibility to their progeny. Did you know that we are all the progeny of stars?”
Alice gave a small nod. “The Sun told me. But tell me this, Cheshire friend, how is it that you have come to love the shadows so much?”
The Cat grinned even more abundantly, apparently very much pleased with her question. “All creatures have their personal preferences that bubbles up within them as they live their personal lives. The creatures that live at the bottoms of the oceans are suited to their environment, and remain very much happy to be alive: because, you see- or don't- they personally prefer the comfort of shadows. They shine better that way, you see. Long ago, some other creatures determined they preferred the surface of the Earth, where the starlight shines abundantly, and thus life exploded upon the land. Neither land nor sea nor sky is wrong, but all are righteous instead.”
Alice felt very pleased to hear this, and a warm comfort embraced her soul. As she turned and observed the forest around her, it was a beautiful sight to behold: as the Greater Light shifted to the Lesser Light, day became night, and the large crystals guiding her on the ribbon path through Wonderland began to shimmer and glow with a gossamer melody tinkling through the breeze. A magickal wind blew in from the North, causing the foliage to turn invisible as it flowed through the branches of the trees. But curiosity burned in Alice's soul, as she wanted to know The Reason for Everything. She ardently desired to speak with the Celestial Lights, the Sun and the Moon.
“Greater and Lesser Lights, please listen to me! This world is quite different than mine, and yet both worlds truly exist in their own domains, with their own sets of possibilities. But what is it that makes the worlds different from one another? And what is it that makes them the same?”
The Celestial Lights glowed with the substance of pure wisdom. “Beloved One, the entire Universe is one essence manifest in many forms. Even as the substance manifests individually, it is also manifesting multidimensionally. We are all One, yet different from one another. Every particle to ever exist is divine. This is sublime beauty. Even as you are eternal, you will never live exactly the same life twice. It is wise to make your world a better place by allowing your inner celestial pearl to shine as brightly as the stars.”
