After journeying through the planes of pure contentment, the traveler
cometh to




The Valley of Wonderment


and is tossed in the oceans of grandeur, and at every moment his wonder
groweth. Now he seeth the shape of wealth as poverty itself, and the
essence of freedom as sheer impotence. Now is he struck dumb with the
beauty of the All-Glorious; again is he wearied out with his own life. How
many a mystic tree hath this whirlwind of wonderment snatched by the
roots, how many a soul hath it exhausted. For in this Valley the traveler
is flung into confusion, albeit, in the eye of him who hath attained, such
marvels are esteemed and well beloved. At every moment he beholdeth a
wondrous world, a new creation, and goeth from astonishment to
astonishment, and is lost in awe at the works of the Lord of Oneness.

Indeed, O Brother, if we ponder each created thing, we shall witness a
myriad perfect wisdoms and learn a myriad new and wondrous truths. One of
the created phenomena is the dream. Behold how many secrets are deposited
therein, how many wisdoms treasured up, how many worlds concealed.
Observe, how thou art asleep in a dwelling, and its doors are barred; on a
sudden thou findest thyself in a far-off city, which thou enterest without
moving thy feet or wearying thy body; without using thine eyes, thou
seest; without taxing thine ears, thou hearest; without a tongue, thou
speakest. And perchance when ten years are gone, thou wilt witness in the