As you can see from a look at the three sections I have used different cadences and styles in the sections in order to create more reader interest and give a distinct feel to each of the threads. Here’s a third section:
Jurgen Fried wore the green cloak with pride as he made his way through the congregation. They too were decked in green. Green was the colour of plants and of the Earth. Green was the mother of colours. It was the spectrum of the producers that gave life to everything. Green was the symbol of all that was pure; of the mother from which they had sprung.
Reaching the platform he solemnly mounted the steps and then turned to face the joyous congregation he raised his hands in the air and proclaimed the truth to the faithful –
‘The Earth lives!’
They roared their agreement. The Earth did indeed live. They were the sons and daughters of Terra.
‘We sprang from the soil,’ Jurgen announced looking up towards the heavens.
‘We will return to the soil.’ He looked down at the ground. It was all very theatrical and dramatic. The liturgy of Gaia followed a set format. Part of its appeal was that they shared this routine; they were part of it in brotherhood and sisterhood of Terra.
Gaia had asserted itself into the vacuum that had been left in human nature by progressing into the scientific culture after the old religions had been left behind. Science had partially filled the gap but had failed to answer all the questions of the mystery of life. Human psychology required something more – some ritual – something based on irrational belief – something that satisfied that quest for purpose and explanation as well as something that created that bonding, that tribal sense of belonging that humans seemed to crave. Gaia, with its richness of ceremony, symbolism and sense of purpose filled that gap.
Its very nature was satisfying and reassuring. In this age of synthetics and sanitised life, totally separated from nature, there was a need to reconnect to the primeval forces from which life had emerged. People wanted a psychological and spiritual connection. They wanted something mystical and metaphysical that connected them to the universe and linked them in to a force that was much greater than themselves. There was almost a desperation to believe in a spiritual power outside of themselves.
Gaia proclaimed that there was such a force and it flowed through them, the planet and out through the whole universe. Everything lived. There was a cosmic dynamo and they could all be one with it.
Gaia gave them belief in a greater spiritual entity that gave purpose to their lives.
Gaia filled all those basic human needs.
They wanted it.
They craved it.
They felt reborn in it.
Jurgen could feel that passion and devout fervour welling up to him from the crowd below as he stood on his platform, and he channelled it into himself and back to them, magnified tenfold. He fed off the energy coming up from them and he reflected it back to the ecstatic crowd in a great rapturous wave of sheer pleasure. He felt the power soar inside him and was exhilarated by it.
‘The planet lives!’ Jurgen proclaimed as the crowd went wild.
‘We are one with the planet!’
It truly felt as if they really were. The feeling of oneness and elation of belonging was overwhelming. Even Jurgen could sense it and was beginning to believe there might be a basis to it. He was in danger of becoming a devotee himself. That would be quite something!
Gaia was a force to be reckoned with.
‘The planet lives!!’
His spirit rose up, carried by the mountainous roar coming up from the faithful below.
All comments welcome!
In the UK:
In the USA: