|
~~~~ Allen's Account ~~~~ Installing The Third-Eye Satellite Dish |
| xxxx |
The walk up to the foot of Everton Brow was quick and easy. The satellite dish looked quite indigenous as it moved through the streets. I had anticipated that people would stop and stare, but I don’t remember this happening at all. It was almost as if no-one really saw the dish as it passed.
|
We had something of this same phenomenon when En and I brought fire down from the crown chakra in 2008. We carried the fire as charcoal in a large Tibetan incense burner and also as a lit candle in a large clay candle lantern. Although we walked through many crowded areas (most notably a busy street market) no-one seemed to notice as the fire went by. The satellite dish seemed to enjoy the same safe-passage, either invisible or so indigenous that it looked completely normal and un-noteworthy. |
|
|
We stopped at the open field at the corner of Neverton Road S and Everton Brow, just across the street from the old Everton Keep. There is a large tree in this field that is exactly on the midline that connects the fire pit in the crown chakra with the spring in the root chakra.I was surprised to see that someone had started a project to plant wild flowers there, mostly blue if I remember correctly. They were growing quite densely and there was an energetic air to the whole field. A diagonal path crossed through the many flowers and was well-used. The flowers were untrampled though, seemingly respected by the locals who must regularly use this route.
(the picture
at left is from 2010)
|
On our last visit in June 2010, En and I were investigating this field when a large group of school children paraded by carrying a large flower they had made. Maybe they were the ones who planted the flowers, maybe not, but whoever was responsible had chosen the location well - it was one of two places that was serving as an emerging special consciousness place for the throat chakra (the other, more wild location is another empty field at the nearby corner of Shaw and William Henry streets). |
 |
Stefano and I stopped amidst the flowers and (very briefly) discussed tactics for filming the satellite dish’s ascent. I was to go ahead into the third eye, and when I was set and the camera was rolling I’d wave back for him to start his journey. The plan was for him to walk past and up the hill. I would follow and continue shooting - I wanted the walk up to the top to be a continuous one-shot.
Stefano didn’t know exactly where we were headed as he had only been that way once before when we traveled the Giant’s midline channel in 2010.
|
|
He knew of the winding path up through the rock outcroppings to the yellow-room trees from the same 2010 expedition, but I didn’t actually identify the tree I thought the satellite dish was heading for in much detail - partly because I couldn’t really do so, but also because I didn’t really want or even think I needed to. We’d just end up there. Or not - whatever the outcome it seemed like the end of our work was already correctly in place. |
We talked briefly about how he might want to check the focus of the satellite dish from time to time as he walked, letting it hone in on its destination. Don’t remember the exact words, something along the lines of letting the satellite dish find it’s own way up there and keeping his attention fixed on it so it would stay aligned. Very short on the talking, more impending action than words.. |
 |
|
The whole event was quite effortless and graceful, very matter-of-fact in a completely unique, nothing special sort of way. Suchness. Just that. Pay attention. Right there. Everything seemed to be in harmonious alignment, though a quirky energy pervaded. It was fairly windy going up the Brow, particularly at the place where the winding trail heads off up through the sandstone rock outcroppings. |
Some rain came blowing through from time to time, though not all that much actually fell until just before we finally arrived at the yellow-room grove (interestingly the dish did finally bring Stephano to the same tree I was thinking of earlier). There was an ice cream truck playing a tinny recording of “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” to alert possible customers that it was nearby. This can be heard in the soundtrack of the movie. I also used a Dave Van Ronk version of this song at the beginning and end of the film. |
 |
 |
The satellite dish was more difficult to instal than I had thought. It was large and somewhat tricky to guide up through the branches of the tree without the spokes getting snagged. Once it was in place it was a bit fussy and hard to focus. Stefano was up in the tree doing the hands-on work. We found it hard to communicate with each other (and our own selves) as to what had to be done. Eventually it became clear that we just had to pick away at the action of it until the dish itself slid into position.
|
If we kept our attention and focus on the dish, then the dish would focus itself through our continuing attentive actions. It took twenty minutes or so but eventually that’s what happened - suddenly, it just clicked into place. I was standing down below and felt it right away, though it took some urging to get Stefano to stop adjusting and come down from the tree. When he finally did climb down he was instantly convinced that the satellite dish was correctly aligned as soon as he stood in the focus point of the teasel. |
 |
Three people came by while the satellite dish was finding its final focus. The first was a middle-aged guy with his dog. He had followed us up the last bit of our walk and seemed curious about what we were doing. Though it was hard to give him a reasonable answer he seemed satisfied enough with the statement that we were making a movie and showed some interest in the story of the Sleeping Giant. His dog was very interested in a ball he liked to retrieve and then carry around in his mouth. They were both pleasant to be with and sociable even, seemingly accepting us and our endeavors and on the whole very encouraging. Soon after they departed two more people came by and talked with us. One was a teenager and a bit confused in some way that was not readily apparent. The second was older than I was, maybe in his seventies and also rather odd, though in a completely different direction. The impression that I had was that he was used up in some way, as if frayed from use rather than broken. These two weren’t really interested in us at all, except as a curiosity break while on a well-worn, habitual walk. They quickly moved on without much genuine interaction, also content with the film-making statement. |
Stefano and I walked back down into town soon after filming the second shot of him up in the tree and then climbing down. The day’s event seemed quite fluid and satisfying, never any doubt about why or what or how long the satellite dish might last up there in the tree. It would last as long as it did and I remember feeling quite happy to think that we might have to come back and instal another. What a pleasant, natural way to spend the day! |
 |
| xxxxxx | |
 |
|
 |
| xxxxxx |
contact us at giant@wearewakingthesleepinggiant.org |