The energy pulse darted across Mt Pleasant Ave and into the heart chakra. As we came close to the community college we saw the pulse in front of us, lighting up a young man who was running across the street. He was very flamboyantly dressed in colourful flowing fabrics. While his long bare legs made a dash for the community college, the colours flowed out behind him like the feathers of some exotic bird. He ran along with the pulse for a quick breezy moment. He had dressed and made up his face to challenge everyone with an outrageously provocative stereotype. And his efforts were heightened by the pulse, which is probably something he didn’t reckon on. He disappeared into the college very quickly after we saw him but he left a flash of amazement in his wake. The effect was sweet and innocent and vulnerable and dangerously naïve.

    The pulse had this encounter just around the corner from Sweetheart Park. But even though it’s so close, the pulse cannot just take the imprint of this event right into Sweetheart Park. It must carry it all the way along the G-chi path that leads up to the crown before turning around and coming back down as far as the heart chakra. At that point it will come across a path that leads off the main G-chi path and into Sweetheart Park. We are committed to ensuring that this path will be taken.

    So the young man is in the same situation as the pulse. His proximity to Sweetheart Park doesn’t mean that it is readily accessible to him at this point. Well, he could get there alright, via the minor channels that lead to the park, but it wouldn’t mean anything to him, he wouldn’t have accessed that part of the Giant’s heart which is useful to him. He wouldn’t, in other words, be able to find Sweetheart Park on his own whether or not he stumbled into the little park around the corner. And the energy form that was surrounding him, including him, can’t flow into Sweetheart Park except via the main paths. A change of levels is so close, it looked like his body could sense the proximity of it, but there’s a longer path to travel than it seems at first. In fact, though, his timing was perfect and he was more successful than he could ever know. When he flashed across the street the pulse was immediately right with him and the imprint was made. This imprint of his open-hearted action will be brought to Sweetheart Park without his knowing it. The symbol that was imprinted on the pulse was:

    After some talk everyone began to move around freely within the field, all the while staying aware of the emotions we were feeling, until we came to a natural stop. Then we each picked up some object that was in our vicinity, anything that we were attracted to, and brought it to the exposed rock in the middle of the field. Everyone did this and within about 15 minutes we were all gathered around the bowl of water and a collection of objects.

    There were very large emotions present that no one person could claim but that everyone was feeling and being affected by. These emotions were bigger than the objects, bigger than anyone’s stories about their objects, bigger than anyone’s personal feelings. Which is not to say that the personal feelings were drowned out or overcome, not at all. They were accentuated. This fact made it difficult for some people to be comfortable with what was going on. For instance, someone came to the centre with a handful of small items and threw them down disdainfully. Other items were placed more carefully but there was still a general inability to take up the invitation to handle the objects and move them around, to make some group arrangement.

    After the objects were in their final arrangement strings of colourful flags were handed around to each person and we all moved backwards, stretching the flags between us so that together we made a much larger circle. The landscape’s emotions that everyone was now feeling found expression in movement and chanting. A great joy spread through this part of the Giant’s body and the whole circle was animated with a power beyond each personality. The time with the objects had gathered in the emotional energy and now this dance was letting it out. The more we chanted, the more everyone had the opportunity to let go of themselves and enter into the Bighearted presence. This is the work we were here to do – to let the landscape’s emotions move through us. The circle slowly moved around clockwise. This lasted for about 10 minutes then gradually the chant died down and the dance was done.

    The three of us who had begun in the root chakra now packed up our things, put on our rain coats and headed north. The day had grown cold and wet. But we were full of a quiet inner joy, bright eyes smiling to each other, wordless.

   That event left its memory in the field we were now walking through again, 1 ½ years later. The joy stayed with us while exiting Bigheart Park at its north end and following the pulse as it continued along the G-chi path that crosses Russel St.

    The pulse was moving along Moor Place Rd at a moderate pace and we stayed with it until we reached Pembroke Place. We had to wait for the light to turn before we could get across but the pulse just kept going and entered the marketplace on the other side. It’s a rather long light, affording a prolonged view of the market square across the busy road. What’s in view over there is definitely a different landscape from where we stood at the intersection. It’s like looking at an island from the mainland, an island which will be explored as soon as the boat gets us across.

    The market includes the open square where on weekends vendors set up tables and sell a variety of things – vegetables, clothing, jewelry, food, etc. Probably in days past this square used to have a much bigger and more vibrant market. Even so, today there’s colour, people crisscrossing the square or sitting on the low concrete wall to eat or rest, kids running about - that sort of thing. Taking up the west side of the square are the best public toilets in Liverpool.

    TJ Hughes department store stands along the north border of the square. This is an old building, a city landmark; its turret can be seen from far away. North of TJ Hughes and to either side of it are several one or two block-long streets with fabric shops and a few restaurants and home furnishing shops. There’s a history of commerce in the Giant’s throat chakra. Communication and exchange of are indigenous qualities here.

    We had already been traveling for a few hours and were ready for a bit of a break. A cup of tea. Somewhere to sit down. We entered TJ Hughes. We’d never been in here before but felt sure there would be some sort of restaurant. There was one in the basement. It’s a big open cafeteria with many tables, only a few of them presently occupied. We bought some tea at the counter and sat down near a corner. There’s a simplicity here where nothing complicated is expected either of the staff or the customers. The place is spacious, bright and starkly unadorned. The sounds of clinking cutlery and ceramic dishes are amplified. It’s completely unpretentious and its comforting effect is surprisingly strong. The tradition may be crumbling but the working energy that’s the underpinning of any tradition is still around.

    The most remarkable thing was the sound. There was a constant clatter of cutlery, not only from the customers while they ate but also from the kitchen and especially at the counter where employees were bringing out deep trays of washed cutlery and sorting them out. The clatter was hugely amplified by the unusual acoustics of the space. It was exaggerated to such a degree that an uncanny atmosphere was created that was having its own way with my mood. A nearby customer was reading a newspaper at the same time as mindlessly clinking a spoon around the inner edges of the cup of tea in front of him. Strangely, the effect was not annoying but quite the opposite. It was musical, in its own way, full of natural information. Once we left the restaurant and resumed walking we were surprised by the obvious change that had taken place – there was no more tiredness and we were totally revived.

    In retrospect, our time in the cafeteria had an affect similar to sitting by a babbling stream. There’s a flow of pure energy in this part of the Giant’s body. It’s different from the spring in the root chakra but with some similar qualities of renewal. Probably it has been flowing for a very long time, certainly well before TJ Hughes was built. The building was erected around it and the area around the bubbling energy was made into a cafeteria. We had gone inside thinking we were taking a break, going off the path a bit maybe, but in fact we did nothing of the sort. We were led into a very vibrant area of the Giant’s throat chakra. Now we’re wondering if there’s something like this place of renewal in each of the Giant’s chakras. This one is along the midline of the body.

    We continued along the G-chi path with the pulse heading northwards along Craven St to busy Islington Rd, a separated highway which always has lots of traffic speeding by in both directions. Once across, the pulse moved up Soho St to a large open field passing a football pitch on the left. We’ve never seen anyone playing inside here and it doesn’t look conducive to any game. The pulse spread out into the field. We had plenty of time to look around and let any thoughts and feelings about the place arise.

     There are walking paths crisscrossing through the field. A woman enters the field along one of these diagonal paths from the far southwest corner and walks all the way through to the northeast. The pulse is with her. She keeps her head down, watching her steps. She seems to be pulled down by gravity, is wrapped up tightly within her large overcoat, holding a purse securely against her side. Certainly she has passed along this same route very many times. She knows something of the burial beneath her feet. She seems not to be aware of the large, light-filled space all around her, however it is there. She is the perfect flower blooming in this field at this moment. Her passage left a strong impression on the pulse:

    On the left, opposite this empty place, is a heavily-fenced yard with some big machinery inside. It’s a city works yard and there are big skips in there. Usually the yard is closed up tight and made invisible to passers-by. Several big “No Trespassing” signs are posted. However once in awhile the solid gates are open a crack and it’s possible to see something of the activity inside. The outer barriers are protecting some softer human-ness within. The yard, even with all its heavy machinery, is a pleasant, light-filled space. There are flowers growing in there.

    Certainly from our human point of view this whole area in the Giant’s throat chakra is looking tightly suppressed. Every attempt is being made to avoid the kind of violence and trouble that is ready to erupt. It’s not expressing itself except through covert bursts of violence and despair that are quickly squashed. There’s heavy police surveillance. Even the occasional and surprising flashes of gentle beauty are kept under wraps as much as possible. But the Giant has a different reality than ours and in order to perceive what’s going on from the Giant’s standpoint, we need to enter right into that reality – it can’t be seen from the outside. The inner sense is one of impending change. Something is about to happen and it’s not the negativity that easily defines this area from the outside. There’s a percolation in the earth – in spite of efforts to prevent change, it is occurring already anyways. It is good. It is alive.

     As well as making pickups, the pulse is also dropping off its original energy. Its passage along the G-chi channel is a continual sweeping and nourishing of the landscape. It may not have to do with awakening the Giant but it always has to do with keeping the Giant alive and healthy. The beneficial effects of its passage are never kept out by closed doors or “No Trespassing” signs – it permeates everywhere.

     Soho St ends at Everton Brow Rd where there’s an auto shop that usually has its garage doors open so that while walking to the end of Soho you’re looking right at whichever car is presently being repaired. Each time we’ve passed by here we’ve seen an unusual, always very expensive car being tended to. Vintage cars or expensive models outfitted for the unique pleasures of their owners. An odd business to be tucked away into this vast silent area. But who knows what it’s all about for the Giant?

    Down Bute St and around the north side of the church is a big bell in its open iron housing. It would be good to hear that bell peal out a loud celebration of the awakening of the Giant. For now it stands silent behind the fence in the overgrown churchyard. We have tossed stones at it to hear the ping. We can imagine it moved to the throat field when the garden is lush and the Giant is more awake. If the throat chakra begins to function well again the voice of the bell will surely be heard. It awaits the time.

    There is a very strong building on Fox St between Upper Beau St and Prince Edwin, used now for auctions. The shared boundary area of the throat and 3rd eye chakra probably runs through this property. In any case, when the path turns east and proceeds up Prince Edwin, it has entered the 3rd eye chakra.

    So the throat chakra encompasses a large area in the body of the Giant including many different landscapes. The path between the field and the beginning of the 3rd eye is not so clear. The pulse seemed to be making its way between multiple blockages in the same way that water flows through a tight area by finding the small openings. At first sight the area doesn’t look tight – it looks vast and open. But even though there’s a wideness to the landscape there is also blockage within it so that the passage is not, in fact, wide open and clear. It’s possible to get through but obviously much more investigation of this whole area is necessary.

    As the pulse crosses Netherfield Road South it flows into a different area of the 3rd eye, one that we’ve informally dubbed “the locks”.There are a series of steps and canal-like walkways that link two small areas as the path turns back north and climbs Everton BrowThese places invite the traveler to stop and wait for a while, almost as if there is some as-yet unknown activity to perform at each place. We started calling them the locks because it felt as if we had to wait for the water level to rise high enough to match the next section of the canal-like path. The first waiting area is closed in by small trees and bushes. There are many steps to sit on and the general feeling is of being tucked away and intimate. A number of people could meet here and have some experience together.

    The path continues up and around to a second meeting place which is more exposed and open to sightlines looking in and out. Travelers can look down the hill before proceeding up the last bit of the path and arriving at the upper levels of Everton Brow. This whole locks system occurs directly on the midline of the Giant’s body.

    The energy that has come through here has given rise to this theatrical architecture although it will be a different kind of energy that will be able to make use of it. The preparations have been made for a future activity but there’s a whole shift of consciousness that needs to happen before the place can be properly used. Once the meeting happens in the heart, energy created from that meeting will be brought to all areas of the Giant’s body. This theatre will be an active place.

     This is where the water that was brought up from the root chakra spring during the first walk through the Giant’s body in 2006 was poured out at the end of that journey. On that evening a service was about to begin in the church – it was dusk on an autumn Sunday – and the choir had begun to sing. We poured out the water and stood by the tree for a quiet moment while members of the congregation approached and entered the church. We left the yard by the gate out onto St Domingo Rd. This eastern wall of the church is all stained glass. Just as we were leaving, the lights went on inside which lit up the colourful glass. The timing couldn’t have been better. We were filled with love and joy.

    Today the pulse took the same path along the north side of the church to the gate at St Domingo Rd. It moved swiftly across the street and past the old boarded-up library which led us to the corner of the crown chakra field.