Faith & Science

On July 1st, 2006 I had a supernatural encounter with the Spirit of Wisdom and the Spirit of Revelation. They were assigned to me so that I might know the Lord better.

In chapter one of his letter to the Ephesians Saint Paul prayed:

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe”.

During this encounter The Spirit of Wisdom told me that “All time and space is established and sustained by the Almighty’s word”. Then the Spirit of Revelation added that “All time and space are advanced by His word". A subsequent experience on July 15th, 2006 convinced me that it is possible to move through time in the Spirit.

Yesterday my son sent me a video by Rob Bryanton. This animation illustrates the concepts presented in chapter one of his book titled "Imagining the Tenth Dimension". His concepts reminded me of my July 15th encounter. I encourage you to watch this two part, 12 minute video and allow it to inspire you to think outside the box.

© 2007 Tom Zawacki





About Rob Bryanton
Imagining the Tenth Dimension Blog
Imagining the Tenth Dimension Website
Imagining the Tenth Dimension Video
Imagining the Tenth Dimension Text Based Version
Buy Imagining the Tenth Dimension here

11/11 Angels of Destiny

I find myself flying throughout the universe within the very heart of God. Galaxies, star clusters, planets, sights, colors and sounds zoom past me. At one point I see multiple planets where various categories of angels or more accurately heavenly beings dwell. These angelic type beings are very large and white, pure white, like marble statues. Just looking at them I’m suddenly filled with the knowledge that these heavenly beings carry the purposes of God and the destinies of men and women. They are eager and ready to be sent. Some are very old carrying the destinies and inheritances of generations.

I knew that some had been sent but the people who initially received them wearied of the responsibility and laid them down. Others belonged to those who had served faithfully and finished their work. They were now waiting for their next assignment. Some had never yet been assigned - some because it was not yet time and others because no one had ever asked for them.

11 Heavenly Beings
Floating above these planets, looking upon these majestic beings I knew that some of them belonged to me, I was their assignment. So with a boldness and freedom that this amazing atmosphere affords I asked the Lord to give me what was mine. Instantly three heavenly beings where launched forth and entered my heart like streaks of brilliant white light. Maybe it was because there were so many waiting to be assigned or maybe it was because I felt so completely safe and secure, I’m not sure but I asked for more, “Lord give me more, a double portion” and five additional beings where launched. Just like their brothers, like brilliant rockets, they too entered my heart. My body reacted to their entry, almost like being shot but without the blood or pain. A third time I asked the Lord for yet more and three final beings where dispatched. Eleven heavenly beings in all carrying the purposes of God and the destinies of men and women… dispatched… assigned… to me.

Military Dress
As I stood there, floating actually an angelic being flew up to me and placed golden epaulets on each of my shoulders, the type worn by naval captains. Next a second angelic being approached and placed a purple sash across my chest from my right shoulder to my left hip. A final being approached and placed a white naval hat upon my head. It had a black, shiny black brim on it reminiscent of the type of hat a naval officer would wear. It’s now that I remember that today is Veterans Day

GO!
As I look around I can see planets and stars and comets, the heart of God is alive with activity. I feel a great rumbling; all of creation seems to be shaking. Suddenly I hear the voice of God command GO! I find myself launched from the mouth of God and heading toward the Earth like a missile. I’m brilliant with sparkles of light and color trailing behind. I see myself impact the Pacific Northwest of the United States with great power. Three things happen simultaneously upon impact. First I see a ripple in time and space spreading out from the point of impact in Southeastern Washington State through the entire Northwest. Next I watch a trail of light looking very much like the original, jump from Kennewick, Washington to South Central Japan, landing in the Kobe / Osaka region. Finally, the light I bring, like fire from the heart of God ignites the fuses of many other people, some from my church and others from the region. I see many others launched like fireworks or missiles from Kennewick throughout the world. I saw people sent to Russia, Mexico, China, Japan, Africa, Australia, Eastern Europe the UK and other countries.

It’s the Father’s love and it’s, from the very heart of God. It set captives free and launches them into their destinies. I know that this is the light and the fire I have carried back with me.

Back On My Face
At this I… recover and find myself still on my face in the center of my little Montana log cabin. I get up and quickly record this amazing encounter in the pages of my journal. It took me days to recover emotionally. Just the though of these events brought me to tears. Many days later I was able to share it with my wife and daughter, later some close friends and then the church. What does it all mean? Well, I discovering a little more each day. Understanding is coming but I don’t know, not completely and for now I’m comfortable with that, I trust God. His love for me is overwhelming, it’s comforting. I feel safe and secure. He knows what he’s doing and he will bring it all to pass.

This is the end of my 11/11 experience but God isn’t finished, there’s more. On January 10, 2006 I had another very powerful supernatural experience, actually two. I’ll write more about them in the near future.

Copyright © Tom Zawacki 2006

11/11: Swallowed by God

I offer you the details of this experience as honestly as possible. I don’t pretend to comprehend it’s fullness nor do I feel the need to defend it. Rather, I’m simply telling my story. These events took place just as I’m about to share me.

The Sword
As I lay prostrate on the cabin floor in the presence of the Lord, I am suddenly taken into the Spirit. I see the Lord standing before me; I’m facing him on my knees. The Lord takes a sword, raises it above his head and says “I consecrate you and set you apart for myself”. As the Lord says this he takes his sword and passes it down through the center of my being. Through the top of my head then down through my heart, my gut and finally through my groin. Oddly, I wasn’t spit in two, the sword simply passed through me. As it did, I knew it had profoundly impacted my mind, my passion, my courage and my intimacy.

The Breath of God
Next the Lord put a sword in each of my hands, he placed his thumbs in my eyes and his mouth over my mouth… he actually breathes into me. At this point I am undone. My entire being goes numb. It was as if my circuit breaker popped. I was completely overwhelmed by the breath of God and lost consciences. I’m not sure how long it took me to recover, but when I did I was even more amazed.

Swallowed by God
I open my eyes and see the mouth of God. It’s open wide and overtaking me, He consumes me. I’m swallowed by God and I descend into, not his digestive system but his heart. In this place I experience the most exhilarating freedom of my life! Complete, uninhibited limitless freedom, I feel safe, totally secure and loved like I have never been loved before. Within the heart of God I spin, I twirl, I dance and I fly with inexpressible joy.

Flying
In this place I knew that the entire universe easily fit within the heart of God. I could see the universe from end to end and there was still room to spare on either side. I was flying through galaxies, star cluster and the far reaches of the universe. The colors were amazing, especially the reds, blues and brilliant bright whites. Light and sound were all around me, everything was alive! It was strangely peaceful yet exhilarating both at the same time. What could possibly happen next?

To Be Continued…

Tomorrow: Angels of Destiny

Copyright © Tom Zawacki 2006

11/11 Continued

A Call
After that late night encounter with the presence of the Lord I slept very well. I was awakened at 6:49 AM to the sounds of the cabin door opening and someone calling my name out loud “Tom”! I sat up, looked around the small cabin, saw that the front door remained locked and laid back down to sleep.

A Dream
I awoke for good at 8:04 remembering a dream. In my dream I’m reading through teacher evaluation forms. In the natural I’m an instructor for Streams Ministries Institute for Spiritual Development. At the end of each course we ask the students to fill out an evaluation form giving us feed back on the class and the teachers. They’re scored numerically. In my dream I’m reading my evaluation forms. Repeatedly the comments were “He spoke with authority, he spoke with authority, he spoke with authority…” However, the score I received was only 5.1, an unusually low score. The score 5.1 reminded me of an earlier experience in the Spirit the Lord used to communicate Romans 5:1-2.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand”.

For years I have been asking the Lord for more, more of Him, more of a supernatural life in the Spirit. With this dream the Lord was saying yes, reminding me that he has provided me access into the spiritual realm.

The Kalispell 101 Class
At the same time I’m in Whitefish for this wedding, members from my church were helping to lead a Streams 101 class in Kalispell, Montana, just 15 minutes away. It struck me as curious that at exactly 11:11 AM on 11/11 I was sitting in a very nice church building listing to my close friends teach the Streams 101 class - “The Art of Hearing God”.

I returned to my cabin after lunch, I had few hours to myself before the ceremony. I returned to the same kitchenette table as the previous night, I removed my socks and shoes and began to study the word. Remaining barefoot was an act of submission and humility. It was a physical reminder of my encounter with the Lord the previous night and that this was a holy ground.

Logos
I meditated on scripture verses from the prophet Isaiah. These verses have had personal significance to me over the last few years, verses such as: Isaiah 61:1-7, Isaiah 11:2-3 and Isaiah 11:11. I also took time to study what I call the great number two’s of the bible, those who had served others faithfully and graduated to a position of leadership, for example; Joshua to Moses, Elisha to Elijah, Peter to Jesus & Timothy to Paul, this study included their commissioning.

Joshua’s Commission: Joshua 1:1-9, 5:13-15
Elisha’s Commission: 2 Kings 2:1-18
Peter’s Commission: John 21:15-19
Timothy’s Commission: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Isaiah’s Commission: Isaiah 6:1-13

At this point I could once again feel the presence of the Lord in the room. Like the night before I sensed the Lord’s presence behind me and to the left. This time I decided to get on my face. I laid down in the middle of the room, in the exact spot I sensed God’s presence. That’s when things really got interesting!

To Be Continued…

Tomorrow: Swallowed by God!

Copyright © Tom Zawacki 2006

Eleven Eleven Everywhere

Sometimes it’s the little things that get your attention, the usual and natural things that are suddenly revealed as unusual and supernatural. So it was with this wedding.

I’d been given a prophetic word from an extremely credible source that something good is going to happen to me on 11/11, November 11th, 2005. Instead of sequestering myself in the nearest prayer closet I kept my commitment to officiate a wedding 7 hours away, for dear friends in Whitefish, Montana. The groom’s mother, (fully aware of the 11/11 word I‘d received) asked me if I had noticed that there were 22 people at this wedding, 11 from the groom’s side and 11 from the bride’s side. There were 11 men and 11 women. To top it off both the bride and groom had traveled extensively as missionaries for YWAM, and yes, he had been to 11 countries and she had been to 11 countries as well! Every doubt I had, questioning if I was indeed in the right placed was completely washed away. I was surrounded by elevens! I was absolutely in the right place at the right time. I had a divine appointment with God.

Interestingly my experience with the Lord began at sundown on the 10th. Here’s an excerpt from my personal journal:

11/10/05 - 10:15 PM
“I can feel the presence of God. The room seems to be alive with the activity of heaven. I feel as if I’m not alone. I feel a mixture of excitement and fear. 11/11 is less than 2 hours away… Something has changed in the Spirit - an intensity – an anticipation, I feel it even now”.

I brought only two books with me, my journal and my bible. The only other reading material I had was the November, 2005 E-Newsletter from WhiteDove Ministries. Paul Keith and Wanda Davis had ministered here in the Tri-Cities many times in the past few years. Through hosting these events we have become friends. I have great respect for Paul Keith and I eagerly look forward to their newsletter each month. It had arrived the night before I hit the road for Montana, so I printed out a copy and threw it in my bag.

Paul Keith had written a wonderful article titled: “As I Was With Moses”. Not only was the article well written but it carried an anointing on it. I read and reread the article. It spoke of Joshua’s commissioning. This led me into the word, for the next hour I studied Joshua 1:1-9 and Joshua 5:13-15. Verses 14- 15 impacted me powerfully:

“Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" The commander of the Lord's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.”

Another Journal excerpt:
“As I read verse 15 I realized that I was barefoot (I’m almost never barefoot) and a holy terror over took me, I was afraid to open my eyes”

The Presence of the Lord had fallen so heavily on the room that all I could do was hide my face in my hands, cry and shake. The fear of the Lord had hit me. I stayed in that posture for a long time. I was sitting at a small kitchenette table alone in my cabin. I could sense the powerful presence of the Lord just behind me and to my left. At some point I final gathered up enough courage to peek over my left shoulder. I was both disappointed and relieved to see that no one was in the room with me. However, there remained a powerful sense of God’s presence right in the section of the room. I went to bed just before midnight expecting to meet with the Lord on that very same spot the next day.

To Be Continued…

Copyright © Tom Zawacki 2006

A Fractal Art Gallery by Ken Keller
Curl 11 by Ken Keller

11/11

One of the main purposes for writing this blog was to have a forum for recording my supernatural experiences. I’ve already chronicled my Baseball Vision (3/29 post); today I will begin recording my 11/11 experience.

This supernatural encounter actually began on October 22, 2005. I had just spent the week in Bartlett, NH attending a Streams Ministries Teacher Training course with my wife and four members of our church. As I was leaving the hotel I saw Aaron Evans. Aaron is a wonderfully gifted man who serves as Vice President of Streams. As I walked over to say my goodbyes, Aaron looked at me and said “Eleven eleven, yep November 11th something good is going to happen, you call me on the 12th”. The spiritual weight on his words impacted me significantly. I thanked him, said goodbye and promptly recorded his words in my journal.

It’s interesting; over the previous few weeks I had been noticing 11’s and especially 11:11, on digital clocks, timers, speedometers and TV channels. It seemed like anything that could have an eleven on it did. I recall thinking to myself that God was trying to tell me something but I was unsure what it was. I’d looked up various 11:11 scripture verses but nothing seemed to hit me. Aaron’s words however, did. It wasn’t a scripture verse but a date the Lord was communicating to me.

My first thought was to clear my calendar for November 11th and spend the day in worship and prayer. However, when I checked my palm pilot I remembered that I was committed to officiate a wedding in Whitefish, Montana for that date. I had spent weeks working with the young couple, the groom’s parents are close friends, leaders in the church and the wedding was just 17 days away. I couldn’t bail out on them at the last minute. If something good was going to happen to me on November 11th, it would have to happen while I was in Whitefish.

The bride and groom had planned a simple affair with family and a few close friends in a beautiful Montana log cabin lodge. The plan was to drive over on the 9th and head back on the 12th. For that reason the family graciously provided me with a private cabin. Any doubts I had about officiating the wedding were soon to be profoundly washed away.

To Be Continued…

Copyright © Tom Zawacki 2006

The Dugout

(This completes the baseball vision, your comments and questions are welcomed)

The Dugout
After walking the bases the Lord led me over to the visitor’s dugout. I remember thinking “Lord why are we in the visitors dugout, I want to be the home team”. He told me that this was a traveling team and that Heaven was our home, that we were strangers and aliens in this world (Hebrews 11:13, 1 Peter 2:11). As we entered the dugout I knew that I was the manager of this team. Although I hadn’t met the players I could see their uniforms. They were white (representing purity) with a five pointed star on them. The Lord told me that this was an all star team of five fold ministries (Ephesians 4:11) and that I would manage them. My role wasn’t to be the one playing the game but rather to help the players become better at their positions.

Helmets & Swords
As I looked to my left I saw the racks which held the players helmets and bats. Instantly I knew that these were helmets of salvation. Instead of bats the racks were filled with swords. Each sword was different with gleaming blades and handles of gold, encrusted with multicolored jewels. The handles were molded perfectly to fit the hand of it’s owner. I knew that these were the Sword of the Spirit, the rhema word of God (Ephesians 6:17). As I looked at these helmets and swords I knew that they were for the purpose of prophetic evangelism.

The Championship Rings
While still in the dugout I turned to my right and the Lord had in his hand a jewelry box, he opened it to reveal a ring. This was a championship ring. I knew that each player on the team had his own ring. The rings were gold with the words “Dread Champion” (Deut 11:25) written on them. Each ring had a precious stone surrounded by diamonds. I saw rubies sapphires, emeralds and clear large diamonds. I knew that this team would never lose so long as they played as a team valuing unity and love (Ephesians 4:2-6). These rings symbolized the victory and authority these players would walk in. I knew that the Red Sox, who had won the World Series just four nights earlier, were a prophetic sign of this team, those who would walk victoriously in the anointing and never give up.

While in the dugout I knew that there were people back in the trainer’s room symbolizing support people and I also knew that this team had a jet representing national and international travel.

The Great Cloud of Witnesses
What was once a simple field was now a full professional baseball stadium. The stands were full of people who I knew were the great cloud of witnesses from Hebrews 12:1. There is the music of heaven in this place and it has the passionate feel of a sporting event. The witnesses are cheering us on! They are crying:

He is worthy! He is worthy! He is worthy!

I knew they were saying that He is worthy of our lives, He is worthy of our best, He is worthy of any cost. They were exhorting us to live lives worthy of the calling we have received. (Ephesians 4:1). Don’t give up no matter what the score! As they cheer they are all pointing in the same direction, up toward the Owner’s box.

The Lord
As I turn to see where they are pointing I see the Lord on his throne in brilliant white glory. He is positioned atop the stadium with the light of his glory overwhelming everything and anything around Him. I am far from Him and can barely make out the form of a person seated on the throne through the brilliant pure white light. I explode in tears and worship Him. The next thing I know I am sitting in my seat that the conference.

Prologue
I believe that this open heaven experience has in it divine strategies for my life. I am also aware that there is yet more to be revealed specifically what is on those bases, who specifically these players are and what they represent. I believe the children from the earlier experience are the players the Lord has for this team. Give me wisdom and understanding Lord, let the game begin, amen.

Walking the Bases

(and now back to the baseball vision)

After playing catch for a while, the Lord walked over to me and put His right arm over my shoulders and together we walked the bases. We went from first to home stopping to look at each base. I could tell that there was something written on each of the first three bases, written in a red baseball type script or font. Unfortunately I couldn’t read specifically what each said. The Lord said to me that three bases would be established before I “go home”.

OK, you may be asking so Tom, what does all this mean? Well, I don’t know, not completely but this is what I think so far. Looking at this metaphorically…

Painting with a wide brush it means that God has set a path for me, that he will be with me each step of the way and that multiple “bases” would be established before I go home.

Playing catch with God: He trusts me; he’s willing to put the ball in my hands and it will be fun.

The Right Arm of God: Speaks of a closeness, protection and power.

My Shoulders: Represents a governing leadership

Walking the Bases: The set path

Inability to Read what was Written on the Bases: Simply means that it is yet to be revealed to me, there are some surprises ahead.

Going Home: This statement didn’t make much sense to me at the time but it had a profound significance to me more than a year later when I was diagnosed with cancer. Although I don’t know exactly what each base represents, I do know that there is more to be done before I “go home”

As I am exploring the freedom of walking in the Spirit, I’m discovering that God likes to speak to me in parabolic form, in mysteries and in riddles. Proverbs 25:2 from the Message comforts me…

"God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things"

Let the discovery continue!

Next… The Dugout…

© Tom Zawacki 2006

The First Visit

You see, I had been to this baseball diamond before. About six years ago while leading a bible study in our basement family room in Nutter Fort, WV, the Lord took me to this same place in the Spirit, this same little league baseball diamond. This earlier vision hadn’t included the gate or the spiral staircase. I just remember closing my eyes, feeling the presence of the Lord and I was there. I remember standing off to the first base side of this baseball diamond. The Lord was standing on my left and He waved His left hand in a sweeping motion as if to say look at the field.

As I did I saw that there was a group of young children playing and they were having a blast! No adults around to tell them what to do, they were running, jumping, laughing and having a great time. They were just playing baseball and loving it. There was so much pure joy and freedom on these kids. No anxiety, no stress, no pressure, they were just playing the game and enjoying one another.

My reaction was a stark contrast to the children’s. I immediately felt a self imposed stress trying to figure what this scene could mean. This had to be some kind of metaphor or a visual parable the Lord was communicating to me, I had to figure it out! I remember thinking to myself, OK, OK, Ok… the grass was green and colors have symbolic meaning, right? Yeah, yeah green could mean something, but what? And the field, it was in the shape of a diamond, surely that could mean something! And then there were the two teams, each had nine kids that was eighteen in all, surely numbers mean something here, right? But what! I had squeezed every last bit of theologic, philosophic and metaphoric understanding out of my brain cells and came up with absolutely nothing. God was asking ME a question and I failed to provide an answer.

Clueless and frustrated I turned to the Lord and said, “I don’t get it; it’s just a bunch of kids having fun, what’s the point?” Immediately, with a smile on His face, the Lord said to me “that’s the point!” and the experience ended.

The Lord wasn’t asking me a question; He was showing me that the Kingdom of God belonged to such as these. Those with childlike hearts who are free from the “grown up” stuff. Free from stress, pressure and performance of 21st century Christianity. Little ones who don’t have the need to figure it all out. Children who know how to play in the Kingdom, who know how to have fun in the Kingdom. Six years ago the Lord revealed to me that He wanted me to lighten up and learn to have fun like a little child playing baseball. Oh to be childlike without being childish.

This latest visit to the baseball diamond has revealed so much more.

To Be Continued…

© Tom Zawacki 2006

Play Ball!

So, in the Spirit, I’m standing in a place of complete and total whiteness. I’m very much at peace, relaxed and wondering what - if anything would happen next…

The Baseball
Much to my surprise I see a baseball, yes a baseball and it’s headed directly toward me. It’s a brand new ball, spotless and it stops right in front of my face. It’s just floating, hovering there, so close in fact that it covers almost my entire view. It’s so close and the image is so clear that I can see the intricate details of the red stitching and the texture of the white rawhide.

I was both amused and amazed by this sight before me. As I wondered to myself why was I seeing this baseball the thought occurred to me that maybe I should catch it. So, I slowly reached up with both hands and took hold of the ball. As I brought the ball down I could see behind it and there was the Lord. Jesus was standing, oh maybe 25 feet away. Even though I couldn’t see His face I somehow knew that He was smiling. I could sense that he was pleased. Pleased that I was in this place and that we were together. He looked at me, without saying a word, motioned with his arm and a sight shrug of his shoulder for me to throw him the ball, so I did and for a while we just played catch. There may have been some theological, metaphorical or philosophical reason that I got to play catch with Jesus in this great whiteness but in these moments it just seemed like fun.

The Diamond
At some point we finished playing catch and I noticed that the whiteness behind the Lord has changed. Now behind Him was a little league baseball diamond. It had perfectly manicured bright green grass, smooth soft undisturbed brownish base paths and four bright white bases. Behind home plate was a fence, three sided like you’d see at any little league diamond. We were standing off to the first base side of the field; this is where we had played catch. Although no one else was there I suddenly knew exactly where I was.

To be continued…

© Tom Zawacki 2006

Freedom From & Freedom For

The freedom we have in Christ has got to be more than just freedom from sin; it has to be freedom for something as well. As I read through Paul’s letter to the Galatians, especially in chapter 5, I’m convinced that the freedom Christ won for us was a freedom to live by the Spirit.

Although I am a professional communicator, I’m not a writer. Speaking in front of a congregation or across from a friend at Starbucks is much more my genre. Writing is a new expression of creativity for me and blogging has been a comfortable medium for this new outlet.

I’ve had some interesting experiences as I’ve explored Freedom in the Spirit. Friends have encouraged me to create a record of these events. I intend to use this space to do just that. May this process encourage your exploration.


The Baseball Vision

Prelude
This experience took place on Saturday evening, October 31, 2004 in Kansas City, Mo. I was attending the “Living Under an Open Heaven” conference sponsored by WhiteDove Ministries. The conference speakers were Bob Jones, Paul Keith Davis, John Paul Jackson, Bobby Conner and Shawn Bolz. This was the final of seven sessions.

Paul Keith Davis, Bob Jones and Shawn Bolz spoke and ministered to the crowd of approximately 2200 people. As Bob ministered to us I experienced a profound ache in both of my thumbs. The sensation was similar to what I feel when the Holy Spirit is on my hand but much more intense and concentrated to my thumbs. Later in the evening Shawn declared that there was an open heaven in the room. He could see an opening into heaven in the center front portion of the room. I found myself on the outer rim of this portal.

The room was electric with excitement; this was the crescendo of the weekend. For years I’d been provoked to jealousy by stories of others being translated to heaven. I very much wanted this experience for myself and had often asked God for it. Something stirred within me and if I could have willed it to happen I would have. I was the picture of striving… and failing. At the peak of my striving Shawn addressed the crowd, in a loud voice he told us to stop striving and just focus on the Lord. His words jolted me. As I followed Shawn’s instructions a supernatural peace swept over me. Instantly every part of me relaxed, as if a switch had been flipped. It was almost as if I was alone in the room.

The Gate
In this peaceful state with my eyes closed I began to see a gate. It was an old garden gate, ornate and metal with vines and plants about it. As I stood there the gate slowly swings open before me. The gate opened inward from right to left and I proceeded forward. I don’t recall actually walking but I did move forward.

The Spiral Staircase & The White Room
The first thing I saw inside the gate was a cobble stone step and then another and another. The steps were also very old. It appeared as if no one had walked them in a very long time. By the time I had noticed the third step I could tell that they were part of a spiral staircase proceeding up and to the right. As I looked up I began to go up - very quickly. I was launched upward at an incredible rate of speed. As I went up I could see that this staircase was very long. I seemed to go through three places. The first seemed to be the natural sky above me. The clouds were a grayish white color. The next section seemed to be a narrow band of darkness, like very dark clouds. As I punched through this dark section I found myself in a place of clear, clean, pure whiteness - whiteness for as far as I could see. It was like being in a huge white room without definition. I couldn’t differentiate walls from floors or ceiling, everything was just white! I recall having great peace as I stood there. I even folded my arms and thought to myself, “well now, isn’t this interesting”. I had wanted this for so long and now here I was. I wondered where “here” was specifically and what would happen next.

To be continued…

© Tom Zawacki, 2006