I dreamed I went to sleep within my dream to meet my Master. He looked just like Jeff Bridges in Tron: The Legacy. I was terrified of being made to look like a fool, for I knew I had to battle this experienced Master.

He challenged me to defeat him and I lost, again and again. We were flying through mental planes that were sometimes bizarre and sometimes beautiful, and always I lost. We were tethered together the entire time, sometimes by holding hands and sometimes by a long thread of thought. It began in space, or looking out at a city street like in The Matrix, or in another exotic location of his choosing. Each time he challenged me to reach beyond what I thought was possible, each time he presented himself as my enemy. 

Then, one night I was tired of letting him choose the location. I appeared in a large room, as large as several stadiums, perfectly square and brightly lit from nowhere. My hand met his and I visualized bubbles within and around us. They exploded into mushroom clouds and as I fell, I visualized a cushion to catch myself. As the battle continued, neither one of us actually being injured, I was able to anticipate none of his moves but was aware enough to anticipate my own and the effects it would have. Because of this, I could land safely and have time to create the next attack while he was left scrambling each time.

Finally, I saw him standing in the center of the room and I knew the battle was over. I approached him and bowed low. I heard the Master’s voice in my head, “Emily, you have defeated the demon that attacked you each night: your own disbelief.”

Though he released my hand, I could still feel the connection between us as he moved away. The connection was a choice, one that I made each moment.

By: Emily Breder