News from the Unscripted Self
The wound is the place where the light enters you,
Rumi.
The Generalife, gardens of the Alhambra
Throughout history man has always found a way to express his vision of the divine in the world of stone and water and light, be it in ancient cave paintings, of in the medium of running water, or in bone and stone rising up to the sky . . .
Today I’m going to wrap up my trip to Spain in September with the Alhambra.
There are four parts to the Alhambra. The Generalife, which are the gardens, Carlos V palace, the Alcazaba, a fortress, and the jewel in the crown, the Nasrid Palace.
Water was sacred to the Moors and in the gardens of the Alhambra rivulets and channels were formed that brought the water down from the mountains. Owing to the many aromatic plants the gardens are also scented, adding to the lushness and sensuousness of it. Also they have added the sound of running water throughout, giving it a lovely authentic touch. One feels like you’re back in the 12th century.
Leading into the Alcazaba is the famous Wine Gate, which inspired Debussy’s La Porte de Vin.
The Nasrid palace is the oldest part of the Alhambra, built by the Nasrid kings in the 11th century. The stucco ceilings are truly amazing, made from thousands of pieces of marble or onyx whose crystals dance in the light and seem to move.
After the defeat of the Moors by the Catholic kings, Carlos V built his famous palace on the site. It’s a beautiful renaissance building (a perfectly round structure placed in a square one, I love the irony!), but of course it’s wholly in the wrong place.
Thankfully, the older Nasrid palace survives as do the Lucena, the shells of the houses and shops of the ordinary folk who populated the area then.
If you ever get the chance to visit Grenada in southern Spain do visit this wonderful monument. You will not be disappointed.
but what is real ?
The world can be heartbreakingly beautiful. But it can also deceive. All the time I was travelling around I kept reminding myself that I’m creating all this, that it’s really some image in my visual cortex at the back of my brain! The amazing thing is when we remain conscious and see the world this way it can actually seem even more beautiful. And it’s way more fun!
I’m off to Budapest next for a few days in December.
The Nasrid Palace
See the beauty around you. But see it consciously.
This Month’s Reading
Pandora on Fire.
A review of Pandora’s Fire by Sylvia Warham.
Karma Karma
Literally just up few hours ago!
Distant Healing
My friend Susan has asked that we send her love and energy, her beloved whom she looked after tirelessly during his illness has just crossed over and she misses him terribly.
Finally,
Your Lord resides within you just like the fragrance is in the flowers. You keep running here and there madly for the Lord like the deer which has the musk in its navel yet, it knows it not and searches [for musk] among grass for the source of the fragrance. Kabir
Next month’s Soundings will come out a little early to avoid clashing with Christmas.
Take care till then.
Talk to you soon.
