Life In The Unification Church Part 6

James W. Kovic
December 2007

It was Wednesday, just the day before the Blessing when all of the couples were asked to gather in the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden for a wedding rehearsal. When we took our seats, boxed lunches were distributed to everyone and then we sat there as the details were explained to us about what was going to happen the next day. It seemed to me that the first speaker actually explained everything pretty clearly but then a couple of other people seemed to hash over the same things. I turned to Makiko as she was chewing on a roast beef sandwich.

"Are you okay with eating that sandwich?"

"Sure, why do you ask?"

"Because I'm sure it's very different than the food you're used to eating in Japan."

"It is but actually I think I need the protein. For some reason or another I don't think I've eaten too much in the last few days."

"Is it because of what's been going on? Let's be honest now, Makiko. Some of the things we've been through have been enough to question our own reality."

"I know!" She said as she placed her left hand on my thigh. "I still can't get over the fact that I can speak English now. What a miracle."

"What was it that you did with those crystals up in your room?"

"It's a ceremony that my father taught me a long time ago. It's called "The Way Of The Heart". Usually it's done to resolve relationship problems or discord in marriages but I thought perhaps it would work to bring us together."

"The way I feel toward you now, Makiko, I don't think we'll ever have a problem with our marriage."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Jim but we will have some disagreements. After all, marriage is for getting to know you, exploring who we are and resolving misunderstanding. But at least we can begin by having a common way of communication. I know many other couples here will have to struggle with that but I didn't want that for us. We're soul mates."

"Soul mates?" He said as he furrowed his brow in doubt. "I mean, I feel that I do love you, Makiko but you're talking about reincarnation."

"Yes, my family is Shinto and reincarnation is a very important part of what we believe. Jim, I wouldn't have been able to do this Way Of The Heart ceremony with you and be talking to you like this if we weren't soul mates. I know it's not what we believe in the Unification Church but you must believe it. It's true."

"I don't want to cast doubts on your belief, Makiko, but I've never given any thoughts to reincarnation."

"Have you ever experienced Déjà vu? Have you ever been with a person who seemed so familiar or visited a place seemingly so familiar yet you know you never experienced that?

"Yea, a few times, I guess."

"You have. Of course you have. Be careful when you use the phrase, I guess. Don't let doubt color your reality. Remember when you told me about the past life we shared together in China. That's real. Don't analyze it or compare it with what you've known before. It's more important to feel and then your heart will tell you what is true."

"Hey, everyone's getting up. Look's like we're starting the rehearsal."

"Jim, look at me!" Makiko grabbed his shoulders and looked him straight in the eye with a seriousness and a clear resolve. "Jim, you had a tendency to deny this reality once before in one of our past lives together. Don't make this mistake again. Be strong; look in my eyes."

"Makiko, we're holding up the people behind us."

"I don't care. Look in my eyes and feel who I am and what it is that we are. Remember all that we've been through since Father brought us together. Remember what you felt and the depth of magic and wonder deep in my soul and don't allow yourself to question this important part of your reality."

But when he looked into those obsidian eyes he was confronted by that darkness once again. By the time he was captured by the allure of the pain within her soul the gap between themselves and the couple seated next to them had widened leaving eight empty seats.

"Do you understand my heart now?"

"I'm begin… ning…. to." He said as he felt an overwhelming emotion well up in his heart and a tear come to his eye. "You're suffering, Makiko. Have I done this?"

"We both erred at one time or another but we mustn't go over this same ground without our clear intention to resolve this issue. I sense the pain within you too, my darling and I will commit all I am to heal your heart."

"I understand now, but I think we should be going now."

She turned in step with her eyes lowered and started walking but she grabbed his right hand with her left. She hoped what she said to him was enough to startle him out of his preoccupation with the illusion of who he is now and not confuse it with the reality of who he really is.

The next day, Jim and Makiko joined the rest of the couples as they all walked across the street from the New Yorker Hotel to Madison Square Garden. You've never seen anything until you've seen 2075 couples, men in dark blue suits with their brides in their traditional white wedding gown. It was a spectacle. It was awesome. It was surreal.

Now take another look at that photo of the 2075 Wedding which, for your convenience, I've included on the left. Just think of what it took, what it must have involved for all of those people to march from the Felt Forum down a maintenance causeway and into the Madison Square Garden Arena.

Once we left the Felt Forum we were organized into a phalanx of six rows of couples abreast down that causeway until we came through the main entrance. Now, Makiko and I were about three quarters of the way in the rear of this mass of finely dressed brides and grooms so that when we finally came through into the arena as Reverend and Mrs. Moon were showering us with sprinkles of Holy Water we saw what made all of that waiting and sweating worth while.

Covering the stage we now were going over was a deep red carpet. Reverend Moon was on the left and His wife on the right. They were both assisted by two younger women, the daughters of two elder couples in our church who held the crystal bowls of Holy Water for them. And as we walked over the rise of the stage we saw, already assembled, a thousand couples standing at attention. The sight was overwhelming. The only other people who were there were relatives of most of the brides and grooms and the media covering the event. Where Makiko and I eventually ended up was about thirty rows up from the floor in the rear of the arena. When you look at that photo above there are three lightened rectangles from spotlights that were directed at the couples located in the back. I would venture to guess that Makiko and I were in the area that was the second from the left lightened rectangle.

Anyway, the rest of this story is detailed in "Tamara's Journey: Integration Of Power" so when you read it you'll know what happened.