Brida. Paulo Coelho

Brida’s body and unbuckled the belt of Brida’s jeans, then half-unzipped them. Brida’s muscles tensed.

      ‘Don’t worry,’ said Wicca affectionately.

      She lifted up Brida’s T-shirt to reveal her navel. Then she took from the pocket of her cloak a quartz crystal and placed it on Brida’s navel.

      ‘Now I want you to close your eyes,’ she said softly. ‘I want you to imagine the colour of the sky, but keep your eyes closed.’

      She took from her cloak a small amethyst and placed it between Brida’s closed eyes.

      ‘From now on, do exactly as I tell you and don’t worry about anything else. You are in the centre of the Universe. You can see the stars all around you and some of the brighter planets. Experience this landscape as something that wraps about you completely and not like a picture or a screen. Take pleasure in contemplating this Universe; there’s no need to worry about anything else. Simply concentrate on your own pleasure. Without any feelings of guilt.’

      Brida saw the starry Universe and realised that she could step into it even while she was listening to Wicca’s voice. The voice asked her to imagine a vast cathedral in the middle of the Universe. Brida duly saw a Gothic cathedral made of dark stone and which, absurd though it might seem, appeared to form part of the surrounding Universe.