Opening her eyes to escape the unwanted nightmare Ani saw to her great delight the bus turning the corner and heading toward her. As usual the bus was full. In addition to the many Tibetans on the bus living in exile in Dharamsala, Ani was always surprised by the number of tourists who came from around the world to see the Dalai Lama and to learn about their ancient faith tradition. She enjoyed the diversity, but was continually disappointed that the publicity surrounding the Dalai Lama seemed to have no effect on the Chinese government's treatment of her people.

As the bus came to a halt, Ani scanned the crowd disembarking. Suddenly, he was there, standing in front of her. Isma'il Ahmad al-Azhar. He seemed even taller than she had remembered. His long white robe in combination with the white kufi on his head added to his elegant, almost royal, stature. His dark, almost black, face with the traditional tribal scars seemed much more worn and drawn than it had been when they first met four years earlier. But his eyes still shone bright with wisdom and joy.

" Ani-la!” exclaimed Isma'il, smiling a broad smile and bowing deep. Her eyes followed him fondly. Standing tall once more, he said, " It is so good to see you again. I hope you are well.” As he continued to speak, Isma'il stepped aside, saying with a smile, " Ani-la, you remember Appar, do you not?”

Ani could not believe her eyes. Isma'il's coming was hard to grasp, but to see Appar as well was almost too much. But there he was, still wearing his old, worn robes and long, unkempt hair. " Welcome, Brother Appar,” she said, and then asked, " But how is it that your wanderings have brought you back here to Little Lhasa? Have you renounced renouncing?” They both smiled and bowed.

" It was the will of Allah,” stated Isma'il firmly, but with joy. " I saw him at the train station in Jullundur on my way here. He claims to have been waiting for me.”

" I am, of course, over-joyed to see you both,” Ani said. " Come, let us go to the guest house. The weather has been exceptional for late October and the walk will do us good. When we arrive, we can have some tea and you, Isma'il, can tell us what is of such great importance that you came all the way from Sudan to see me.”

Isma'il picked up his small bag and the three of them began strolling toward Tushita Retreat Centre where Ani had reserved a room for Isma'il. On the way Isma'il told them what had happened since they had last seen each other. " Things have not been good in my country. The civil war continues to destroy us through its never-ending violence. The Christians in the south are using violence indiscriminately. They have found a strong ally in the West, who has been using its economic might to render us poverty stricken. My brother Muslims also grow more vicious, while hiding behind the shadow of their supposed faith. How can either side be moved toward peace, when both have a knife at their throats? I feel more than ever that my Sufi tradition is needed in my country. But no one wants to hear about meditation and the inner life, about true peace, when guns are so readily available and hatred so strong.”

Ani and Appar listened in silence. Both knew first hand the destructiveness and horror of violence. They had heard the news of the escalating violence in Sudan and thought often of their friend Isma'il. The silence was broken as Ani pointed out that they had arrived at the Retreat Centre.

" Let us go in and then we can continue our conversation over tea,” Ani suggested.

After the arrangements had been made for Appar to share a room with Isma'il, they went into a small tea room next to the retreat center. When the tea was served, Isma'il continued his story.

" About three months ago I felt a strong voice, calling me to fast and pray. Leaving my home I went out to an isolated cave. On the third night of prayer and fasting a vision came to me. I saw a couple and their child. It was dark and they were huddled together, sharing warmth, protecting one another from the cold. I knew at once that Allah was with them, that they embodied the hopes and dreams of all humanity, and that they embodied all the pain and sorrow that keep hopes and dreams at a distance.

" As I continued to pray, I felt deep within me - I don't know why, but I felt it strongly - that I was to return to you, Ani-la. Meeting Appar on the way was not a coincidence. I don't know yet why we are to be together, but our gathering here is the will of Allah, of that I am certain.”

When Isma'il finished there was a deep silence. Appar and Ani both knew the truth of Isma'il's words. They too had felt the pull of newness and gathering.

Ani broke the silence first. " I had seen there was something new in the stars and in the strange alignment of planets. I did not understand it, but your letter seemed to be related to what I was seeing in my charts.” Nodding in agreement, Appar spoke. " While lost in a deep meditation, I was shown a strange path. It appeared to be a completely new pilgrimage. Standing at the beginning of the path had been you, Isma'il. Given what you have said, my image came to me about the same time as yours. I was in southern India at the time. I immediately stood up and headed north, allowing Shiva to guide me. When I arrived in Jullundur, I understood that I was to wait for you.”

" We are together now,” Isma'il said matter-of-factly. " What we must yet discern is why we are together. I continue to be haunted by the vision of this couple and their baby. Other than the fact that they are from the West, I know nothing.”

Appar spoke. " The strangeness of the path I saw was that it ended in total darkness, but there seemed to be light and something else on the other side of the darkness.”

" Without a doubt we are joined together for a purpose,” said Ani. " I will study all my charts again. Perhaps with the information you have shared with me, I will be able to better understand what they are foretelling and what is expected of us. I have the feeling we should not waste any time. You two are surely very tired from your trip here. Get some rest. I will go back and study the charts.”

With that said all three stood up and left the tea room. Isma'il and Appar returned to the retreat center to rest. Ani headed to Library of Tibetan Works and Archives to consult the astrological and astronomical tables and charts. She wished she were back at the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute in Gangchen Kyishong, the center for the study of traditional Tibetan medicine. There would have been a greater depth of materials. She would just have to make do with what was here in McLeod Gunj.

The hours of study flew by. Ani had forgotten how much she had enjoyed her five years studying to become an astro-practitioner. Still this project was proving almost too difficult, even for Ani, who had a special talent for interpreting the signs. All her arranging and rearranging of numbers around stars and planets did nothing to lift the veil of secrecy. Just as she was about to give up, Ani remembered the new light she had seen in the northern sky recently. It had puzzled her, because she had never seen it before and because it stayed in a constant, stable position in relationship to the North Star.

Ani added this new object on the horizon to her calculations. Adjusting the charts accordingly, she began to read the results, and couldn't believe what she saw. Bounding from her chair, quickly putting the charts and books back in their place, Ani left the library and ran as fast as she could back to Tushita Retreat Centre. Without even noticing that it was after midnight Ani began to pound on the guest room door. After what seemed like forever, Appar opened the door and Ani burst in.

" You won't believe what I have found out!” she exclaimed. Standing and panting Ani looked into the bewildered faces of Isma'il and Appar