“If you find thoughts attempting to enter your mind and distract you, just bring your focus back to your breathing,” Tanya said, clearly getting a peek into my mind.
I resumed my position and focused back on my breathing. As I did this for several minutes, I felt a weight slowly being lifted from my consciousness. The worries and stress fell by the wayside, and my mind became significantly quieter, not silent, but there was much more space in there.
“Feel a wave of relaxation flow through your body, starting with the top of your head. Like water slowly running down your limbs,” came David’s voice in the silence. “Feel the tension in your head alleviate, going down your neck to your shoulders. Feel it run down your arms to your hands and each of your fingers. Feel your chest and stomach expand and open to relaxation, let your lungs take the air in more deeply as you create more space for breathing. Feel your hips relaxing and forming to natural resting position. Feel your legs, knees, and shins become heavy with relaxation. Let that run through your feet to each of your toes.”
As the words came to my mind, my body obeyed his suggestions. I felt warmth and relaxation flow through me, my muscles’ tension easing each moment we worked together. I was thoroughly enjoying learning this technique.
We worked together for almost half an hour, then took time afterward to discuss a few things and enjoy each other’s company.
“You’re with me next,” came Chad’s light voice form the back door. I looked in his direction and then back towards the others.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you guys at dinner,” I said, getting up.
“Dani,” came Tanya’s voice from behind me as I walked away. I turned to her, “You all right? I didn’t mean all that stuff I said before about you not being a Dual Soul. I know you are and it’s cool that you’re here with us.”
“I agree,” David said, “I think you could teach us a lot.”
“Thanks guys,” I said as I proceeded up the stairs to meet Chad.
He was positioned in the doorway with his hair hanging in his face, holding the door with one hand. He stepped out of the way as I walked into the house and closed the door behind me.
“All right. Now that you’re done with them, you’re going to practice some self-care with me,” he said, grabbing my arm and interlocking it with his as he led me upstairs.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It’s a lot of things. Like meditating is a form of self-care, but we’re not doing that,” he said, waving his hand in the air.
“So what are we doing?”
“We’re going to self-care our body and spirit souls,” he said. “I’m talking manicures, moisturizer, masks, deep conditioning, and exfoliating.”
I laughed at his words, thinking he was kidding. I realized he wasn’t as he led me into one of the bathrooms upstairs. It looked like he had set up a miniature spa. He had all the products laid out, complete with white robes.
“Welcome to La Spa de Chad,” he said, waving his hand whimsically to display the bathroom.
“Oh, wow.”
“Do you like it?” he asked with praying hands, waiting for approval.
“I love it,” I said, genuinely impressed.
“Excellent. Let’s get started. “
Chad helped with everything and taught me all the information one could possibly desire to know as he used each tool and applied each product. He poked, prodded, filed, and shined my nails, then applied a gray polish to them. We soaked our feet in warm water in the tub and used some sort of sandy scrub on them. They turned soft and smooth. It was like magic. We moisturized our legs and put masks on our faces. While waiting for them to dry, we chatted with each other a bit.
“This shit is so amazing,” I said, “I feel so rejuvenated.”
“Right?” Chad said, with his eyes closed, “It’s paradise.”
Knock, Knock, Knock.
“Are you almost done in there? I need to shower,” came Caleb’s voice from the other side.
“Go away!” Chad said, not opening his eyes.
“Chad, you’ve been in there for an hour.”
“Use the other bathroom!” Chad called.
“My stuff’s in this bathroom,” he said.
“Well, come in and get it,” Chad said with a smile, opening one eye to peek at me.
Caleb was silent.
“Gaw, Caleb, give me five more minutes. You literally never shower. I’m teaching Dani something important and you’re interrupting. ”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know. I’ll come back later,” he said, as I heard his footsteps walking away.
“He’s so fucking cute,” Chad said, his eyes closed again.
“Caleb?”
“Oh my God. Yes, girl, and he’s so nice, I can’t help but be an asshole to him,” he said.
“He is really nice,” I said.
“You’re up with Rebecca next. Be careful, girl. She’ll wanna eat you alive.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s bi and you’re just her type. She’s like a mini version of Caro. Caro actually used to be her mentor, ya know, same gifts.”
“Oh, I see.”
I was slightly guarded and intrigued when I sat down with Rebecca to train. It was just us two in her room, on her bed, with a deck of cards. It was a twin-sized bed like the rest and we sat facing each other.
“Okay. We’re going to play a game. You are going to draw a card and I am going to ask you questions about the card. You can either tell the truth or lie, and I have to determine which it is.”
“Okay,” I said, picking up a four of diamonds.
“Is the card in your hand a red card?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Is the card in your hand a jack?”
“No.”
“Is it a number?”
“Yes.”
“Is it the number six?”
“No.”
“Nine?”
“No.”
“Four?”
“Yes.”
“Four of Hearts?”
“Yes.”
“Dani, this training doesn’t work unless you lie,” She said with a seductive smile, looking into my eyes.
“I did lie.”
“What? No way!” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s not the four of hearts,
