I think I’ve met you, but also know I Haven’t
Episode 3 – There’s only one me
Superstition and fear around the number 13 is thought to have several origins. Norse mythology tells us of a party where the primary 12 gods were peacefully sitting down to enjoy a nice dinner together, when a disgruntled and uninvited Loki, the god of mischief showed up. He was the 13th guest, and after his arrival chaos and carnage ensued resulting in the death of Balder the beautiful, a God who represented joy and gladness. Christian tradition also gets in on the act, generating bad press for the number. There were 12 diners at the Last Supper, and the 13th to arrive was Judas, who went on to betray Jesus.
As part of a recent sold out symposium on the re-popularisation of the number 13, Professor Patrick Baker, who considered himself quite a hip kind of guy, presented a lecture entitled, Bakers dozen.
‘Look…taken on its own, there were never any real problems with the digit, but, I contend, that it’s 13’s proximity to the number 12 that makes it look bad. Oh yeah…I mean, 12 is considered by many to be a ‘perfect’ number…oooh the pressure (Polite laughter from audience). True, it has traditionally had maybe more significance in our everyday life…12 months in a year, 12 hours on a clock, 12 signs of the zodiac etc. etc. etc. 12 is also the largest number that has only one syllable…(Sarcastic)hurray for 12. But……Stile 12 isn’t where it’s happening is it? No, 12’s day in the sun is over. Stand aside 12, 13 is back in stile…that’s stile with an i.’ (Whooping and cheering from the audience).
Prior to the emergence of Stile 13, there Were those who did Not consider 13 to be an unlucky number. They considered the number divine, and argued that when embraced, it could bring with it good fortune and prosperity. This minority however were not all that vocal, hiding their opinions to avoid superstitious scorn and ridicule. However, since Stile 13’s emergence, things have changed and they have come out of the shadows to loudly and vociferously tell everyone and anyone, how right they were all along.
Nearly 30 years before the first mention of stile 13, Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking, along with US physicist James Hartle, used a theory called quantum mechanics to explain how the Universe arose from nothingness. Their theory suggests that the big bang created not just one universe, but an endless supply, where all existences are possible.
Although he never openly revealed it, Professor Hawking is generally believed to have been a stile 13er himself. He often used humour to defend or deflect any implied criticism of the parallel universe theory. One example of this occurred in 2014 when he appeared on a US satirical news programme where the comedian host was a Stile 13 sceptic.
“You’ve stated that you believe there could be an infinite number of parallel universes. Does that mean that there is a universe out there where I am smarter than you?”
“Yes, and also a universe where you’re funny.”
Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity tells us that the heart of a black hole has a singularity where the mass is so great that the space-time curvature becomes infinite and, consequently, the laws of physics break down. He hypothesized that black holes may be gateways to other dimensions. Of course the fact that the nearest black hole is thought to be 1600 light years away makes it hard to physically test his speculations.
Unfortunately, he did not live to see the furore cause by stile 13’s emergence. One can only imagine the excitement and exhilaration that such easy access to inter-dimensional gateways would have brought him.
He died in New Jersey in 1955.His last words were in German, and were spoken to a nurse who was by his bedside. She quickly jotted them down, even though she did not speak the language, He said,
‘Ich Bin ein Berliner’.
But, probably because it had been so long since he spoken his native language, it came out when translated as,
‘I am a jelly doughnut’.
Our own traditional singular universe, the one that we’re used to, is pretty vast. It contains hundreds of billions, maybe even trillions of galaxies…and each of those galaxies comes with around a trillion stars inside.
Scientists and cosmologists generally agree that the universe has existed in its present state for about 14 billion years. What came before that, nobody really knows.
All this should make us humans feel pretty small and insignificant, but, that is in fact not the case. Perhaps this is down to our brains not being able to comprehend the sheer size and scale of the numbers and distances involved, or maybe we unconsciously bend our perception of reality to meet our expectations and desires?
Whatever the reason, many people find it hard not to place themselves at the centre of every story, allowing the universe to be present Solely because We can observe and countenance its existence.
Those in the anti parallel universe corner argue that this amount of space should be enough for anyone, often taking to their soap boxes to loudly state their grievances.
‘Why do we need unlimited universes when this one is so huge? And why would we water down our individuality by introducing other versions of ourselves into the equation? I’m not having it. I’m in my skin and I intend to stay there. (Chants)There’s only one me. There’s only one me. There’s only one me.’
An Oscar Wilde saying, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken”, served as a title for a recent gathering of academics in London. Those assembled were from both sides of the Stile 13 divide, and they had come together to discuss and debate the latest claims that indicators from our everyday lives, gave sustenance to the idea that gateways had always existed.
One of the speakers Doctor Izzy Forreal presented her paper, The Déjà view. Doctor Forreal suggested to her audience that the feelings of déjà vu that we all experience at some point or other in our lives could be connected to a parallel universe glitch.
‘Look, you may think you have heard this before (scattered polite laughter), but…joking aside, I think we all can agree that it’s not always possible to reach out and make contact with something that is vibrating at a different frequency to ourselves. This includes other universes…that could literally be all around us. I contend that it’s very plausible that every so often, two extremely similar universes intersect, become in phase so to speak, maybe one in which a version of you exists slightly ahead of the other…creating the impression that you have already done or experienced something. We become in sync for a moment with one of our other selves. (Muttering from the audience)
I know…I know, that many of you will say, that’s rubbish.’
(A heckler shouts up) ‘That’s Rubbish.’
‘I knew you were going to say that (More scattered laughter). Look…I understand. I know that some of you think that Déjà vu is just a simple trick of the mind (a few hear hears from the audience), but, that’s the old way of thinking…pre Stile 13. On behalf of those of us who Have had a passing through experience, I leave you with this…If you feel a lot of dissatisfaction in this world, and perhaps you feel you are ready for a new outlook…a new…viewpoint, then pay more attention to your next experience of Déjà vu. It might just be a pointer…showing you the way to your own portal’.
Our ancestors knew and accepted that there are certain times of the year when the veils between worlds grow thinner. Samhain is the first great winter celebration on the Celtic calendar. It falls between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, and for our pagan relatives it marked the end of the harvest season. But it was also the time of year when the otherworld blurred into this one, and beings from other dimensions could visit for the night. People laid out food and drink, bonfires were lit, music was played, and dancers danced alongside the ghosts of their forefathers (Sounds of celebration). But things did not always run smoothly. The open portal to the otherworld sometimes allowed mischievous and malevolent spirits to come through (Sounds of screaming). Because of this, people made masks to hide their appearance, in case they were stolen away to another existence or dimension. You couldn’t trust anybody being who they said they were on this night. Today, Samhain is better known as Halloween or All Hallows eve, but it still retains many of the traditions that were part of the Celtic festivities. Because of its association with parallel worlds, the annual celebration has become the major holiday for established and would be Stile 13ers. Places like the Boyne valley and the hills of Tara and Ward, where gatherings have traditionally been held to celebrate Samhain, have of late become popular beacons for gateway people who come to celebrate alongside druids, hippies…and some individuals who just like the vibe of it all. Because of the positive ambience, or maybe because…as our ancestors believed…there is something special about the areas, a large amount of passing through experiences are reported from these locations every year.
On the last all Hallows eve an outside broadcast team were in place to report back to the main studio from the top of the hill of Ward, where a large bonfire was burning in the background. People were receiving great encouragement from the crowd, as they took turns to run, and then jump through the flames. (Sounds of revelry)
‘So…you’re telling us Suzanne, that these people believe jumping through the fire will help them cross into a new and better world? Well…they’d want to be careful it’s not the world of the emergency department they land in. Don’t try this at home folks.’
‘Yes Daithi. Apparently that is the case. There’s been a lot of talk about doorways and ways in to other dimensions lately, and this is, as one man described it to me earlier, a type of shortcut to finding your own actual portal. I can’t say if that’s the case or not…but it seems I’m going to find out. I’m being strongly urged by these guys behind me to give it a go (Cheering). Honestly...the things I do for this job.’
She handed her microphone to one of her crew and took her place at the other side of the bonfire (Background encouragement), then took a long run up and launched herself across the flames (More cheering).
Sparks flew as her foot clipped a log and her landing was obscured by a waft of smoke that hid her momentarily from the camera. When she emerged, smouldering trails were rising from her clothing and her hair, and she looked surprised and confused. Some of the crowd around her started nodding their heads knowingly. The crew member handed her back her microphone. She looked at the camera and slowly smiled. Her last words before she executed a very cool mic drop were,
‘This is not me…no…definitely not me.’
She then ran and joined a very exuberant conga line that was winding its way around the hillside.
‘Hey…wait for me.’
One of the main claims made by people, who have been lucky enough to find, recognise and then consciously pass through their own Stile 13, is that they can never look at their surroundings in quite the same way again. Although each individual appears to have been affected in their own unique way, all are in agreement that their lives were irrevocably changed by their encounter. Commonly they describe colours as being more vibrant, the air as fresher, even noises seem crisper and things taste…well…tastier. They generally agree that opportunities appear to present themselves more readily, with synchronicity and coincidence becoming part of their daily lives.
An involuntary or unexpected portal journey can achieve much the same things, but only if we are open to change…and not too stuck in our ways. If we reject or try to ignore a passing through experience, then we will find ourselves trying to revert to our former versions, and this can cause us unrest and unease.
So…it’s really best to be prepared. An encounter with your own Stile 13 can happen any time…and awareness of where we are in any given moment is a good thing. Well…usually.