Chapter 11-12

Chapter 11: The Magnetic Field

About five minutes later, a tall, composed young man entered alongside Laura and another man. This young man had an ordinary appearance, but his features exuded an extraordinary charm and harmony, especially his bright eyes and even his walking posture, which carried an indescribable allure.

You might not remember his face later, but his unique, extraordinary aura was unforgettable.

With the young man's entrance, Needham heard several low gasps of recognition around him. He also noticed that the young man wore seven golden rings of decreasing size on his chest, likely a symbol of his status within the sect.

Laura and the other man whispered respectfully to the young man, gesturing towards Needham and another girl, probably introducing them.

"Good morning, my friends. You are very lucky today as Bishop Darryl will personally lead our discussion," Laura stepped forward with a smile to introduce him, then sat down.

Those who recognized Bishop Darryl immediately started clapping enthusiastically, their excitement clearly visible. Their actions seemed to inspire the rest, who also welcomed him warmly.

Could these people be plants from within the sect? And wasn't Bishop Darryl a bit too young? Needham, not one to easily believe, felt today's arrangement seemed a bit too staged.

But there wasn't much time to ponder, as the tall young man, now identified as Darryl, sat down with a smile: "Good morning, my friends. I am Darryl. Some of you may have seen me before, or attended discussions organized by other sect members. I wish I had more time to interact with everyone, but unfortunately, my personal energy is limited, for which I ask for your forgiveness."

His voice was unique and magnetic, easily captivating the audience, including Needham.

"Let's spend a few minutes for everyone to introduce themselves," Bishop Darryl suggested.

The eleven people present each stood up to introduce themselves and share their troubles.

Then, Bishop Darryl instructed everyone to close their eyes, concentrate, and spend some time "releasing" their bodily pain.

"Don't focus on anything too stressful. Gather all your thoughts in your brain, let go of constraints, and relax," he advised.

Everyone did as told, Needham included, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't release anything. After about five minutes, he was ready to give up.

Such a silly act! How could anything be released?

Needham thought, somewhat self-mockingly, as he prepared to open his eyes.

"Don't open your eyes!" Darryl suddenly spoke, as if sensing some were about to give up. This surprising command made Needham reconsider and keep his eyes closed.

"I know most of you have never gone through this enlightenment phase before, so it's normal to have doubts. But for the next ten minutes, I hope you can set aside those doubts, relax your mind and body, break free from mental constraints, and focus all your energy into your mind, slowly, slowly..."

Following Darryl's guidance, Needham gradually relaxed, and after a few minutes, he felt an odd ripple gently emerging in his mind. The ripple moved like waves, feeling completely natural, as if returning to a mother's embrace—calm, peaceful, and tender. This sensation was so vivid, drawing all his focus.

Then, as if the fatigue, frustration, and pain in his body were being expelled by the ripple's motion, he experienced an indescribably mystical feeling. It was impossible to articulate the sensation of the ripple oscillating in his mind, yet it felt so real, cleansing him from the inside out, making him want to immerse himself completely...

This enjoyable process was surprisingly brief. Needham barely had time to fully comprehend it before the ripple disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.

"Alright, everyone can slowly open their eyes now," Bishop Darryl's voice sounded again.

Suppressing his excitement and astonishment, Needham opened his eyes to a world that seemed entirely different from moments before, as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a vibrant, dynamic world that amazed him. He also saw the moved, astonished, happy, and joyful expressions on others' faces, with every detail vividly clear.

"Oh my goodness! That was amazing!" Mandy, a girl who had joined alongside Needham, was visibly shaken and incredulous.

"This feeling, it's just too..." a young woman was so moved she covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

"Is this real? Am I dreaming?" Harris, a large man, sat stunned, seemingly still lost in the mystical experience, unwilling to return to reality.

Honestly, Needham could understand their nearly uncontrollable reactions. Even he, usually so composed, was deeply touched by the extraordinary experience, feeling as if he had touched a higher level of existence, creating a more vivid and lively vitality that was unforgettable.

"That's all for today's discussion. If you want to learn more about Enlightenment or participate in activities

, you can talk to Sister Laura and Brother Scott, or any other consultant. Sorry, I must leave now," Bishop Darryl said, standing up with a smile and nodding to the crowd.

Several emotionally overwhelmed attendees, including the girl, reluctantly approached to hug Bishop Darryl and thanked him profusely, causing him to spend extra time calming them before he could leave.

Needham sat in place, deep in thought. Bishop Darryl had announced the end of the discussion, meaning an hour had passed? Excluding the introductions and discussion at the beginning, plus the brief moment of enlightenment, there were still about 40 minutes unaccounted for.

In Needham's perception, the experience from the ripple's appearance to its disappearance, which felt like just a moment, had actually spanned over half an hour! He glanced at his watch, the hands clearly indicating that indeed more than an hour had passed, even a few minutes more.

Chapter 12: The Devotees

Why was there such a huge sensory gap? It was truly astonishing...

Like Needham, several others remained seated, evidently lost in reflection. In contrast, those Needham had initially thought to be plants stood up, their faces glowing with joy, seemingly overjoyed at their luck.

"Today is just too lucky, to have Bishop Darryl personally lead the discussion!"

"I heard someone offered ten thousand dollars for a private session with Bishop Darryl but was turned down. He said he wanted to help more people understand themselves."

"I've never heard of such a magical sect that considers its followers so thoroughly. I'd rather donate more."

"Actually, this is my second time experiencing Bishop Darryl's guidance, and it truly feels clearer than with other monks. Once, I didn't feel the ripple throughout an entire discussion."

"You didn't seriously review the sect's materials, did you? That's the life magnetic field, we just don't usually feel it..."

"John, you know so much. Are you preparing for the sect's entrance exam?"

"Of course. Only by passing the test to become a monk can you begin to truly understand self-improvement."

"You're incredible. Those doctrines are so profound; I struggle to understand them. I wonder when I can take the entrance exam..."

These devotees were in high spirits, chatting as they walked away. Needham then stood up, feeling the long-standing fatigue lifted off his shoulders, the stress from work and life no longer binding him. Even his steps felt more robust and vigorous.

This wasn't just psychological! Needham was filled with shock, unable to explain but swearing the reality of his experience. His physical condition was utterly different from before the session.

To think he had suspected those devotees were staged; they were the true believers, and he was just a lucky passerby.

Eager, even though Sister Laura had left, Needham excitedly approached the reception and was guided to the consultation room. "Can I register as a devotee?"

"Of course, we welcome all sincere believers. You just need to fill out this registration form, take a photo, complete a survey, and there's a ten-dollar registration fee," the consultant explained patiently, guiding him through the process.

As Needham was about to start, he looked up awkwardly, "I believe in God. Would that be a problem?" As a theist, he suddenly realized he hadn't thoroughly understood Enlightenment's doctrines and beliefs. A conflict could be problematic.

But everyone who heard his question, including prospective devotees filling out their forms, laughed, leaving Needham surprised and puzzled.

"Hey, man, you didn't even look at the flyer, did you? Enlightenment's core idea is self-liberation, self-improvement, healing oneself physically, mentally, and spiritually. It doesn't reject other beliefs, nor does it force you to believe in anything," a friendly African-American man clapped Needham on the shoulder, answering his question.

The consultant nodded, affirming his words. Needham, reassured, filled out the forms earnestly, then turned to the survey. The questions were simple yet intriguing, such as:

"Do you often hum or whistle happily without realizing it?"

"Do past failures trouble you?"

"When communicating, do you initiate conversation or wait for others to start?"

"Do you often sit down to ponder death, disease, pain, and sadness?"

"Do you think you appear younger or older than your actual age?"

There were over a hundred such engaging questions, requiring only a checkmark.

"This helps us understand your state of mind and body, allowing us to recommend specific courses and healing sessions," the consultant explained patiently.

"Oh, sure, of course," Needham responded without looking up, feeling his mind was clearer and more responsive than usual after the session with Bishop Darryl.

"Besides the registration fee, I heard the sect accepts donations, right?" Needham handed over the forms and inquired.

"Yes, but I must clarify, Mr. Smollett. We don't encourage donations, and even if you donate, it won't affect your participation in sect activities. Becoming a monk still requires passing the entrance exam," the consultant seemed to dissuade him from donating, albeit gently.

"It's okay. I just want to give a little something. I'll donate a thousand dollars," Needham offered his credit card. His income could easily cover this donation, especially considering the profound experience he just had.

"Thank you, Mr. Smollett, for supporting Enlightenment," the consultant said, processing his card.

Minutes later, Needham left the Enlightenment building with a stack of materials, feeling refreshed and almost ready to burst into song. When was the last time he felt so alive, especially after turning thirty?

"I definitely have to bring Mom along for registration next week," Needham resolved, thinking of his mother who was frail and plagued by diabetes.

In just two encounters, he had been completely captivated by the wonderful atmosphere of Enlightenment. Whether it was the positive and sunny vibe of the place or the brilliant enlightenment coaching, he was drawn to it all.

They even urge you to think twice before you donate money, can you believe it? This is a bright, wonderful, and holy sect, at least that's what Needham thought at the moment.