E TREE......................................... LEAF NINE

Names & Aims

“Welcome back girls. It’s a fine day to continue your training, now that you know what your powers are.” Ms Cleanor began our second lesson in training. She was wearing the same attire as she did on the other day. We sat scattered around the Camp aka Assembly Arena and while walking among us, Ms. Cleanor continued to preside.

“History is a divine source which carries most lessons one could learn. History itself is a lesson for those of us who discipline our minds. Your training will be incomplete without your knowledge about your ancestors and their stories. And I’m well aware that all of you know about those little stories by heart as they were told to you by your elders as children’s stories, so I’m not going to retell them and bore you. But we will consider the gist of those.” And then she began.

“You are familiar with the legend of Maya. She is believed to be our core element; the root to our generations. She was compassionate, loving, kind and generous and above all just and wise. She was gifted the powers of Mind’s Eye to make sure the continuity of goodness and humanity in the world. She disciplined her mind as she was told and she gained those powers. Because she was the first and the only one with all the powers, she was named Prior Demnar meaning the Prime invincible Mind’s Eye.

However the legend says that the ability to become a Mind’s Eye comes within the genes. So that would mean each and every one of you should have the same gene as Maya. But in a practical world, this cannot happen as you know genes divide and obviously they can mutate. So, with the advancement of technology and philosophy, we believe, the Prior Demnar gene was split and mutated. And according to science, we are a constantly evolving gene pool so random selection occurs. That’s why most of the time you don’t see Mind’s Eyes in every generation of your family.”

Okay, now that’s more like a science lesson which none of us understood. Excuse me, I thought this was about history. It was apparent by the looks on my fellow classmates that they were thinking the same. Ms. Cleanor noticed that too.

E TREE......................................... LEAF EIGHT

Prior Demnar

I could not help but melt in front of them like a baby. Shameful it was but I felt like my whole world was falling apart. People say crying is an act of cowardice too but what if it is a relief? Ms. Cleanor and Cher thought the same so let me relief myself for a minute or two and Ms. Cleanor came closer to me.

“I understand you my dear, but it’s nothing to be worrying of. If you do not have such fears then you won’t be human after all. You don’t have to be afraid to admit that you have fears and above all you should not bow your head before them. Just because you have experienced failures in the past, you cannot run away from your future expecting the same. I personally believe that there could be no other suitable person than you for these powers.”

E TREE......................................... LEAF SEVEN

The Choice & The Cause

“Let’s go this way.” Cher took me towards the giant Banyan Tree near our classes. Every girl I ran passed seemed to watch me like something they have never seen. I hated the idea of being centre of attraction. Not for this at least! 

We bumped into Mrs. Slenn who stood on our way out.

“You are to see Headmistress young lady. And I thoroughly forbid you to run like zebras in corridors! You are supposed to behave like ladies. Now come along. You too (she was nodding towards Cher) lady.”

Oh! This has to be something regarding my view. First, I was afraid I might not see any view because I was not a Mind’s Eye. Now because I saw one I’m getting all this. Why me?? Errr!!!!! Cher’s involved in all of this now because of me. I looked at her to say I’m sorry and her expression was…. Well… unacceptable at the moment because she was SMILING! With showing her very white teeth too! What’s so funny?

Vegan Recipes For Wesak Week!!!

Hi everyone! Start of another beautiful month is here. As most of you aware, May is a special month for Buddhists all around the world because of Wesak Full Moon Poya Day. It has become a memorable day since 2600 years ago as three significant events in Lord Buddha's life namingly Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirwanaya took place on a day like the Wesak Poya Day. Unlike other full moon days Wesak plays an important role in Buddhists' lives shaping their life styles and day today activities within the Wesak week into a more religiously active life style. A change in their normal meals is also another way of respecting the Wesak week and to restrain from sins. That's why most of the people focus on vegetables in this week. 

It's not easy for someone who has been eating meat to follow something strictly vegan. But with the following recipes, I think you can start small. And trust me being a vegetarian has many benefits too. 

E TREE......................................... LEAF SIX

The View 

For better or for worse, I am a Mind’s Eye. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been called upon that stage. And I’m about to discover what my power is. Now that is not normal for a teenage girl. I had to admit I was all sweats when Ms. Cleanor called my name. 

“Klause, Ishnoya”

I stepped pass the white line. Every time when a student passes that line, it glows for a second and then comes back to normal. Later, I found out that it was a high tech device to identify and confirm students with finger print scanning, DNA probing, Retina identification, blood grouping and brain activity detectors within one tenth of a second. Obviously, it was an invention from the future foreseen by Ms. Cleanor. I guess Cher’s long term question about Ms. Cleanor was answered when she passed the line. 

“Stand on the X spot marked, Ishnoya and state clearly everything you see. Take your time if you need.” 

Ms. Cleanor’s voice was like a distant siren horn inside my head now. I was never a stage person in my life. Audience makes me break into sweats and shakes. This was no difference. I guess Ms. Cleanor felt that too. She took a deep breath and touched my right shoulder. For a minute, I thought she is falling asleep but then she opened her eyes with two quick blinks and stared at me. 

“I know I’m panicked!!!” My head was yelling at her. But she continued to stare and slowly told me to take a deep breath and forget everything else and gaze into the sky.

E TREE......................................... LEAF FIVE

Power Unleashed

“Did you see the notice on the Powerplay?” 

Cher ambushed me and Freya early in the morning on a shiny fine day from our second month at White Lotus. Powerplay is the main notice board displayed near the Headmistress’ Office. It only displays notices that are of utter importance to the whole school and so was this. 

“We are starting training out powers from 5th period onwards. Today is the first day and Head Mistress Cleanor herself is turning up to mentor us. I was always tuning into see what her power is and think of it, finally we can see it ourselves. Whoops! I almost forgot. There will be Power ID tests for everyone and you can find out what yours is Ish.” Said Cher.

“Yeah, I guess.” 

And all of a sudden I was not looking forward for the very moment I’ve been looking forward since I discovered that I have Mind’s Eye genes. What if it is something less useful? Less cool?? Or may be useless…. Or it could be dangerous. Or that I don’t have a power and these people are mistaken. My mind was suddenly busy throughout the whole morning session and I didn’t even feel the end of Interval bell. That was our call to line up at Assembly Arena aka at the moment when training is conducted, Camp.