chamber, numerous small, clustered chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, enveloping the room in a soft but uniform light.
Spaced evenly across the floor were individual high-backed seats, not unlike those one would see in an upscale movie theatre. They were spaced, however, approximately two meters apart, providing a sense of isolation for each occupant. The seats’ padded light-gray upholstery was luxurious, with onyx-black glass trim on the upper armrests and other decorative areas. The upholstery and design cradled the occupants, positioning their arms and legs in a relatively upright, but slightly reclined, seating position.
As with the dressing chamber, the entire room was carpeted in a deep, golden, bronze color, but the carpet in front of each seat was a different style, being very low and tight. This carpet was also a lighter contrasting color, accentuating the numerous seating rows in the room.
AT THE FRONT OF THE room was a small, circular stage.It was flanked by two huge ornate wooden doors, rising about a meter above the floor, its perimeter trimmed with a deep olive-green curtain. Near the doors, small side sections were open in a series of shallow steps to the floor.
Entering the stage from one of the side doors, Joseph motioned to the group of people below.
“Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable. Please tell Brother Simon if you have any last-minute needs.”
When all were seated, the room’s overhead lights slowly dimmed to a gentle glow and soft, melodic music filled the room. Small, hidden lights illuminated the central part of the stage.
“Brothers and Sisters, I present to you...Father Soone.”
As Joseph stepped to the side door, Father Soone entered the stage from the opposite door.
“Welcome, my friends, welcome.”
A slender, robed man stood before them. Appearing to be in his early 40’s, his clean-shaven face was pleasant looking, but his strong, penetrating eyes expressed a sense of authority. A deep purple color, with intricate gold details, his full-length robe glistened in the stage lighting. His hair, longer than the current fashion styles, was pulled back in a neat ponytail, tied with a small silver and gold ribbon.
“Are you ready to begin your journey?” Father Soone glanced outward at the expectant faces before him. Acknowledgements filled the room.
“Before we begin, let me be clear.”
“My associates and I are not a cult or religion, no, no, no,” Father Soone chuckled. “We simply seek to help you experience your life to the fullest, through enlightenment and focused learning. We do this by immersing you in a pleasant experience, utilizing ancient learning techniques involving all of your senses.”
He smiled, “We will embark on this journey as one, supporting and helping each other along the path to fulfillment.”
“To prepare for your complete immersion into my teachings, I ask that you join me in a few moments of serene meditation. During this time, you must remain quiet, and keep your eyes covered. There is a resting mask in the pocket on the side of your seat, please place it over your eyes accordingly.”
“To help guide your meditation, I offer you a heartbeat of relaxation.” A deep sound softly filled the room...bump-pah...bump-pah...bump-pah. Soon, it was a low frequency sound that was not only heard, but felt, deep within their bodies.
“My friends, relax and let your mind drift, without fear.”
IN AN ADJACENT CONTROL room, technicians were attentive at their computer monitors, busily tracking key biometrics; temperature, heart rate, eyelid opening, eye movement, and others, from the participants.
The carpet in front of each theatre seat was slightly heated to match body temperature, making that specific area unnoticeable. When activated, thin capillary tubes within and underneath the carpet laced the top surface with a solution of propofol and propylene glycol, that was absorbed through each person’s bare feet. The transdermal absorption caused a continuous sedative effect which, in combination with the rhythmic sound of a beating heart at a specific frequency and tempo, quickly placed the person into a deep, trancelike state, not unlike hypnosis. For people highly receptive to suggestion, the trancelike state could be extreme...and not remembered.
Within the heartbeat sound, subliminal dialog put the participants into a desired frame of mind, while suggestive dialog helped focus them into an orchestrated question/answer sequence.
For monitoring, the masks tracked eye movement, utilizing embedded wireless micro-vid cameras. Infrared and contact sensors were positioned in various key locations throughout each seat, as well as microphones and directed speakers.
The opaque upper surface of the seat arms contained recording sensors that, when triggered, scanned any available fingerprints within their viewing area.
Signatures were scanned from