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When the Extraordinary Hits Home
yet unannounced to other participants), and above all, was anxious
about what was to come.
The tone becomes quieter and more serious with opening prayers,
the Lord’s Prayer and a spontaneous prayer led by Michel asking for
spiritual protection for the evening’s activities. We hold hands, form-
ing a circle. Michel assigns positions at the beginning of each year ac-
cording to the aura of the individual, sometimes seeking to harmonize
energies, sometimes to provoke a little creative dissonance.^16 For the
first few months, I am seated about seven or eight places to the left of
Michel. Some months later, several of us are asked to change places,
and I find myself seated next to Michel, on his left. Being close to Mi-
chel while he is in trance, even a light trance, has a deeply calming ef-
fect on me. Moreover, it allows me to sense which spirits are coming
to speak through him (perhaps cued by small changes of posture), as
happens from time to time. There are regular visitors, like his native
guide, Michel’s main protector and “gatekeeper” spirit, the one who
decides to let others come through or not—such as the nun who speaks
in a high, sweet voice (a bit comical in the persona of Michel), the lit-
tle boy who teases and laughs, the Chinese guide, and others.
After prayers we stand to do breathing exercises (“to open the
chakras”), and then take our places, sitting with ankles crossed for
meditation. According to Michel, the ankles are like another chakra,
so this helps the quality of meditation. Michel provides guided im-
agery leading us to focus on themes that change each week, such as
forgiveness, or changing the world. For about half an hour, we medi-
tate, eyes closed. A single blue light tempers the darkness. Often I find
myself quickly borne away into a state that leaves nothing but a few
words or images in my memory, and I thus miss much of the guided
meditation. Eventually, I hear Michel instruct us to come back to the
group gently, to move our hands a bit. An exchange about the med-
itation follows: Michel calls upon a member, and in clockwise rota-
tion, each tells what happened during the meditation.
Next comes a brief recess. If weather permits, some go onto the ve-
randa behind the church to chat or have a quick cigarette. Otherwise,
we stay inside. Most take advantage of the break to stretch, perhaps
go to the lavatory. Members come from various parts of the metro-
politan area, so the period before the class and this break give them a
