Orison – Praying, Remembering. Chapter 5: Remembering the Lady Compassionate, the Lady Benevolence

[Glitch]

Hear my prayer, Lady, and remember me, the child you named Kalpana, though in my heart I always remained Girl. In the Postulant House I learned of your first aspects, but I didn’t truly understand until the township and the pilgrim hospitium …


Girl stands by the prayer flags, several yards from the hospitium door, and not only to ready herself for the stench of illness and death. She’s accompanied priestesses of Compassion and Benevolence on many occasions to comfort the dying, but always alongside other postulants. This time she’s the only one.

Girl has learned a great deal in her six years in the Postulant House, not least that it’s more than a place of teaching, it’s a place of assessment, and not every applicant is accepted into the Order. She’s determined to become a priestess, but first she must progress to the Novitiate House, and she’s sure the hospitium is where she’ll be tested and the decision made.

One deep breath and she takes a step forward. Then stops dead. Inside the hospitium a woman’s voice has risen in a screech.

“Girl! GIRL!”

Read more...

 

[The Judge]

Great images again, Glitch! For those who've not come across them before, the coloured material in the photo here and on the banner image on Kraxon's home page are prayer flags, the different colours representing different elements.


@Parson I don't know if you've kept up with Girl's story since the first episode in January, but I thought I'd flag you as this tale with its issues of compassion and forgiveness might perhaps be of interest.

 

[Parson]

I have not kept up. I have to run now but will intend to get back to this. Thanks!

 

[Boneman]

Great picture... to go with great writing!

 

[Parson]

I'm impressed Your Honor! The story does indeed tug at the heart strings. And except for the forgetfulness part, the story paints a picture like what I see of the one I serve. One who is not tamed, who is not confined by wishes and prayers, but one who is wild and dangerous but alwauys loving in very nature. So like I understand Aslan to be portrayed.*

*terrible to admit but I've never read The Chronicles of Narnia

 

[The Judge]

Thank you, Parson! I guessed the story might some resonance for you.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Oh, this seems like a very important chapter, TJ! Love that the story has jumped ahead a bit, and this ended on a really big note for Girl. Really fine writing, and storytelling. Very excited to read June's instalment, well done! CC

 

[The Judge]

Thank you! The story will be jumping years on from now, to take her to adulthood -- though I was sorry to leave the small child behind, I'm sure she'll stay with Girl throughout.


And though I mentioned the prayer flags, I forgot to add the important part of them, at least as I understand it. They're not prayers as we think of them, ie an individual asking for something, but are a way of spreading virtues such as compassion as the wind takes the words on the flags and blows the message to everyone.

 

[Parson]

They're not prayers as we think of them, ie an individual asking for something, but are a way of spreading virtues such as compassion as the wind takes the words on the flags and blows the message to everyone.

That's very different than what I imagined. I absolutely thought of them as visible representations of individual prayers.

 

[The Judge]

That was what I'd originally thought! But if the Western term was a direct translation of the Tibetan, the small square-shaped ones would be called Windhorse Windhorse Imports - Prayer Flags

 

[Parson]

That was what I'd originally thought! But if the Western term was a direct translation of the Tibetan, the small square-shaped ones would be called Windhorse Windhorse Imports - Prayer Flags

Every day I learn something new. Thanks @The Judge!