BEYOND THE RISING SUN

"You've heard about the fairy land
  Where people walk hand in hand
  I tell you, I know where it is

  It's past the apples of the sun
  Near the land of the Golden One
  Far beyond the risin' sun

  You pass the oceans of this land
  Past the man with a golden hand
  Who smiles as you watch the dragons fly

  And play upon the golden shore
  And bang upon the magic door
  Behind, where some people never die

  When finally you make the scene
  You see things you never dream
  You thought they were only in your mind

  Where unicorns and young gods play
  From the break of dawn till the end of day
  Always happy and kind, in their minds "
                                              Marc Bolan - The Beginning Of Doves

This is one of the first epistles written by Marc Bolan in which he definitely assesses his belief in a world of higher dimension. Higher, because Marc states that this is "where people walk hand in hand" and "where some people never die". This in itself allows us to realize this world is far beyond what we can actually experience on this planet where one who takes birth is certain to meet death.

We also know for a fact that although we may live in a safe environment, peacefully, with people we love; we are bound to encounter difficulties, pain, suffering and eventually, to lose everything. So one can be sure this earth planet is certainly not what is implied in the word "heaven", nor "paradise".

Marc Bolan also specifies that once the traveller reaches this world, one realizes that it is above any concept one could have dreamt of, and knowing the human limits of the mind, he prudently advises us of the weirdness of such an idea on this material plane, up to the point where one may actually think this is just a fantasy, an impossible reality, 'You thought they were only in your mind'. The end of the epistle gives us a hint of the infinite state of peace attained in this wonderful abode. "Always happy and kind, in their minds" : one will surely agree that in this universe, peace of mind is of the utmost importance for one who wishes to be happy. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna tells his friend Krishna that the mind is impossible to control, that it would be easier to try to control the wind; Krishna replies that only through yoga and hard practice is it possible to tame this wild tiger.

Nevertheless, Marc also tells us that we actually have heard of such a place and that even if one has doubts, most of this knowledge had already been transferred to us by the "Golden One" and other "prophets, seers and sages, the angels of the ages" who lovingly make sure each one of us does hear about this kingdom.

So Marc's early epistles clearly set the ultimate goal one should strive for. We must also take into consideration the fact that in the first paragraph, Marc bodly states he knows where this land is. While studying the other chapters of the Gospel According To Marc, one must absolutely keep in mind this most important statement.