Dayle in Limoux – Day #64

September 7, 2022

Captured today walking the old streets in Limoux. ℒℴve ♡ 

In France, particularly in the Languedoc region, buildings…structures…exteriors…are not allowed to be altered. Interior renovation work must be approved. They protect their history in these sweet villages. No tearing down. No added balconies or windows. Simple upgrades as needed. And you know what else they preserve? Trees.

They don’t cut them down…kill them…to make room for more concrete. They actually build around them. I recently witnessed a construction sight where two mature trees were left standing as a new structure was being built on vacant land around them. Where I lived in Sun Valley, Idaho, trees were an afterthought…worthless. In the way.  What did the candidate in Georgia say…”Don’t we have enough trees?” Lord.

Great story today I found about trees and one person making an effort, over his lifetime, to make a difference. 37 years. Remarkable. His beautiful passion and commitment to Gaia.

Posted on social media by ‘How Things are Manufactured.’

“In 1979, Jadav Payeng began planting a tree every day for 37 years — results are stunning.”

Green Matters

Jadav Payeng is the subject of a short documentary called Forest Man, and when you read his story, you’ll understand why. Payeng is basically the living embodiment of the philosophy that one person can make a difference, and the difference he’s made is incredibly inspiring: since 1979, Payeng has been planting a tree everyday on the barren sandbar island in the Brahmaputra river. In that time, he has built a forest reserve covering 1,360 acres, which is now the home to wild animals, birds, and plants that before withered and died on the sandbank.

Jadav Payeng has created 1,360 acres of dense forest and is known as the ‘Forest man of India’  (Photos by Jitu Kalita) Payeng’s forest is now home for five Royal Bengal tigers, over a hundred deer, wild boar, more than a hundred vultures, and several species of birds.

https://www.greenmatters.com/community/2017/08/21/e7htk/man-plants-tree-every-day-for-37-years

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” ~Jonathan Gottschall

Thank you Sally Kane from Community Radio for posting this quote. We need more stories. When we line-up on our sides and in our tribes, stories grow through the noise and communicate when interpersonally we can not. It’s how Mariam and Yeshua lectured and spoke to their various communities. And people listened. Still.

And this wall. How beautiful is this. What is its story? Left to stand in its history and creation. How fast this would be destroyed in the U.S., for something new.

And this gorgeous arch, and this abandoned building…the round window. What is their story. The renovation! Would love to tour, see the ancient interior, learn the history, listen to the story.

Saint-Martin’s tonight in Limoux.

Illustrated in the book, ‘The Manuscript.’ Close to 700 pages and I’m almost finished. It’s been a journey; taken so many notes and given so many bridges to my writing and research. And so many ‘You are kidding me’ moments. Radical Compassion. 💙 Here, Mariam is seen lecturing the King and Queen of Marseilles. She spent time here after her her boat sailed into to Gaul (ancient France) from the Holy Land. From the painting by Rene d’Anjou, 1408-1480.

Dayle in Limoux – Day #63

September 6, 2022

Crazy discovery today in Limoux at a lovely little museum called musée Petiet de Limoux.

Marie was born and lived in Limoux until her early 30’s. It was after her dad died, also an artist, that she married and moved close to Paris. The discovery? Finding a Mary Magdalene painting! I think I actually exhaled an audible gasp.

Marie was a beautiful painter. So talented. Look at her detail, and use of light & dark.

,

The photo on the right you can see she signed this painting with the year, 1881. She has positioned Mariam in a cave here in the Languedoc region, and she’s gazing at a hill in the distance.

Could it be Rennes-les-Chateau, where the church of Mary Magdalen is located, or Le Bézu…maybe Bugarach? Trying to research and learn more. Many caves in this area, the Languedoc region, with theories and stories enveloping them. I have been to one where it is believed Mary Magdalene visited, near Rennes-les-Bains. She reportedly administered baptisms in the river there, River Sals. There are healing waters in that little ancient village, which at one time were frequented by Romans.

Many authors and artists convene and live there now, as well as a small, private group of people who still practice the Cathar ways. This is where Sir Henry Lincoln lived. [Holy Blood, Holy Grail]

MARIE PETIET
FRENCH, 1854–1893

‘Marie Petiet began her artistic training with her father and uncle, who were wealthy landowners and amateur painters. Between 1877 and 1883 she studied in Paris with the painter Jean-Jacques Henner and exhibited regularly at the Salon. In 1886 she married the painter Étienne Dujardin-Beaumetz and continued to paint and exhibit her works, many of which were inspired by the working-class community in which she lived in the south of France.’ [Women Artists in Paris]

Marie was only 38 when she died. She did not have children. She reportedly lost her life to cancer.

The other discovery. Oh mon Dieu. Couldn’t believe it. From the 10th century.

The identifier is listed at #5. Not much information. Yet researching later I found this:

The Limoux museum also displays a discoidal stele found at Baraigne.

Baraigne is a commune in the Aude department in the Occitanie region of southern France. 

‘Along the roads, you will see these surprising little funereal monuments.

The stelae are funereal monuments that date back to around the 10th century. With a solid surface, the stelae are made up of two parts: a foot of varying shapes surmounted by a disc. They are an integral part of the small heritage in the Lauragais.

Since ancient times they have been placed at the side of the deceased’s head to mark the location of the burial. Some think that they used worn grinding wheels which would explain their circular shape. They signal the presence of a grave and evoke the memory of the person buried through sculpture, of tools or a symbolic sign. Sometimes, they can also serve as milestones on Jacobean routes or mark a place of devotion’ [en.castelnaudary-tourisme.com]

This is a self-portrait Marie Petiet painted.

And here are photographs of Marie and her family.

[photo identifier]

A day of discovery and research. Almost finished with ‘The Manuscript.’ More tomorrow. ℒℴve this book.

Plotting my next adventure, either south to the Mediterranean to visit an ancient village, or north to visit the villages of Joan of Arc.

Bonne nuit.

🎨

Dayle in Limoux – Day #62

September 5, 2022

Reading today about the influences of Saint-Catherine of Alexandria, beloved of the Beguines and Joan of Arc’s spiritual voice and influence. She was 22 when she was tortured and murdered because she refused to marry an Egyptian emperor. She was killed in the year 305.

Britannica: She protested the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Maxentius—whose wife and several soldiers she converted while imprisoned—and defeated the most eminent scholars summoned by Maxentius to oppose her. During her subsequent torture, she professed that she had consecrated her virginity to Jesus Christ, her spouse, and was sentenced to death. The spiked wheel by which she was to be killed broke when she touched it (whence the term Catherine wheel), and she was then beheaded.

The wheel was a horrific way to die a slow, excruciating death. This is why we often see Catherine depicted with a wheel.

From the book, The Wisdom of the Beguines/The Forgotten Story of a Medieval Women’s Movement, by Laura Swan,

The Beguines chose four women who they felt had proclaimed the gospel for their lives: the apostle Mary Magdalene, the martyrs Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and Saint Agnes, and the abbess of Andenne, Begga. You smile with delight (p. 50).

Beguines were a powerful expression of the vita apostolic, being ‘apostolic life’ or ‘the life of an apostle.’ They pooled their resources in order to serve the sick and destitute by building and operating infirmaries and almshouses (p. 17, 19). Many beguines used their sources of income to purchase homes near the chapel or parish church where they gathered together for prayer (p. 15).

Many women became beguines as a result of their newfound literacy (p. 21). Beguinages endured the ravages of war and plague, hostile politics and shifting cultural attitudes […] some managed to survive all the way into the twentieth century (67). Beguines were not nuns (p. 13). Nuns were steady supporters of the beguines (p.15).

Some of the beguines were considered ‘heretics,’ of course. When men didn’t agree with women’s motives or rhetoric, they were ‘heretics.’ One beguines, Marguerite Porete, a larned beguines preacher and writer, was sentenced by the Inquisition to be burned at the stake. She was a learned beguine preacher and writer, and was murdered on June 1, 1310. Her crime? Her work of mystical theology called, ‘The Mirror of Simple Souls,’ which she had composed in Old French and shared with others.

M

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She loves me when I act wisely, and she loves me when I am foolish. Her love is based not on how I’ve acted but on who I am. He knows who I am, for She created me. The Beloved’s love is unconditional.

My errors do not call for God’s punishment, but for His correction. As I atone for my mistakes—willing to make amends with a repentant heart—then His merciful hand will reorder events and allow me new beginnings. Such is the miracle of a merciful, non-judgmental God, the source of all good and the reason for my unending praise.

How awesome is the Beloved, for even when I have fallen from grace – from the truth within me, from the love that is the meaning of my life – She loves me still, allowing  me new life, again and again.

My gratitude is deep.

The light, pours in through the cracks.

From the Dalai Lama, a reminder this morning:

All 7 billion human beings have a common experience—we all appreciate love. We all have a seed of love and affection within us and the potential to cultivate greater love and compassion. If we want to create peace in the world it has to start with the heart, with inner peace.

Julian of Norwich called this love ‘a love without beginning.’

✠

I came across an essay in my research today I haven’t seen in a while. It is so beautifully and intellectually written by a fellow explorer who was a part of our sacred mystery tour here in Languedoc in 2019. His name is Andrew Cowie.

My first fleeting glimpse of the near-mythical French village of Rennes-le-Chateau was suitably mysterious. Perched atop a majestic cliff in the foothills of the Pyrenees, she peeked out briefly and tantalisingly from behind a murky veil of mist before swiftly vanishing again, leaving behind only more questions and very little by way of answers. This murky first encounter seemed somehow to encapsulate everything about this magical village and the labyrinthine web of mysteries which entangles it – a place full of wonder and intrigue, its secrets forever elusive, the answers always remaining just slightly out of reach. Rennes-le-Chateau attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year, many of them treasure hunters drawn to the area’s rich history and mythology.

[Rennes-les-Chateau]

Legends of buried treasure abound here, with the village thought by many to be the location of the riches of the Knights Templar or the Cathars, the resting place of the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant. Some believe it to contain the tombs of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, while others claim it to be the site of a subterranean extra-terrestrial base. The area is a conspiracy theorist’s paradise and it’s easy to see why it has attracted this reputation.

[Le château de Montségur, one of the last refuges for the Cathars, who, in mass, were burnt in giant pyres in the field below in 1244.] 

Everything about this place, and the wider region of Languedoc, is jaw-droppingly bizarre, from geological anomalies and precise geometric alignments to extraordinary natural phenomena and a chain of endless peculiar synchronicities which cannot simply be dismissed as chance. Indeed, the further I ventured down the veritable rabbit warren of the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery, the more I realised that the truth is much, much stranger than any fiction my writer’s imagination could ever conjure.

It’s a thoughtful and passionate piece. Andrew is a former journalist; he wrote this about a year after our return, in 2020. He lives in Scotland. It will give you a great foundation for learning more about the mysteries of Languedoc, sacred geometry, and Rennes-les-Chateau. Here’s a link to the full essay.

https://www.phoenixcoaching.co.uk/post/holy-grail-the-mysterious-treasure-of-rennes-le-chateau

I’ve been listening to a lot of Ani William’s music since I’ve been back in France. Ani is a world-renowned harpist and singer, and has recorded more than two-dozen albums of original sacred music based on ancient spiritual traditions. She has done seminal work in the study of sound healing and the relationship between musical tones, the human voice and healing.

Here she is singing Aramaic Lord’s Prayer at Rennes-le-Chateau. Extraordinary.

The lyrics, the Aramaic Our Father:

Heavenly Source

You Who are everywhere

Thy Kingdom come

Your will be done

Here and ow and for evermore.

Fill us with the power of your mercy

And free us from the fetters with which we bind each other.

Lead us out of temptation: free us from ourselves.

And give us the strength to be one with You.

Teach us the true power of forgiveness.

May this holy moment be the ground

From which our future actions grow.

Amen.

-The Manuscript, p. 440

From Ani’s website: The prayer knows no gender, and celebrates the Light and Sound of Creation, inviting this into our Holy of Holies within. This video was filmed in the chapel of Mary Magdalene. [https://aniwilliams.com]

L A B O R

D

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U.S. states and activists started celebrating the labor force in the late 1800’s. New York was the first state to introduce a bill, yet Oregon was the first state to codify it into their state law. ‘Labor Day honors and recognizes the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States’ [wikipedia].

Mother Teresa:

“The miracle is not that we do the work, but that we are happy to do it.”

Some captures from earlier Labor Day honors.

Roller skates and sashes. Can’t think of a better way to celebrate. Beats buying a mattress.

And a song from Woody Guthrie, about 1,200 striking coal miners and their families in Ludlow, Colorado on April 20, 1914. It refers to the violent deaths of 20 people, 11 of them children, during an attack by the Colorado National Guard on a tent colony there in Ludlow. The clip features the late historian, author, and activist Howard Zinn.

Bonne nuit.

✌🏻

Dayle in Limoux – Day #61

September 4, 2022

Today I left the city centre of Limoux and hiked about 30 minutes to the edge of the village to visit an ancient Basilica.

Notre-Dame de Marseille

Where a Black Madonna is found and has drawn thousands of pilgrims to the Basilica for her healing energy, and waters, along the sacred path.

This is the ancient path approaching the Basilica. Look at these inlaid stones, and the old water pump.

‘There are many legends and mysteries associated with the basilica. It is even called one of the most mysterious places in the region. Legend says that a Black Madonna statue was found on the site of the church.

The plowman, who discovered the statue while cultivating the land, brought it to his house three times, but it returned three times to its former place. Therefore, there was the decision to build a chapel here, which was elevated to the basilica rank on February 5th, 1905.’

Side note: Basilica, in the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches, is a canonical title of honour given to church buildings that are distinguished either by their antiquity or by their role as international centres of worship because of their association with a major saint, an important historical event, or, in the Orthodox Church, a national patriarch. The title gives the church certain privileges, principally the right to reserve its high altar for the pope, a cardinal, or a patriarch, and special penitential privileges that remove the basilica from local geographical jurisdiction and give it international status. [Britannica.com]

Source: https://all-andorra.com/notre-dame-de-marceille-basilica/

Here is the source of the healing water.

The translation above the water alcove:

‘A thousand kinds of evil, the virgin, washed away with water.’

The water, reportedly, heals ailments…eyes particularly.

Although the historical marker lists the 14th century, it is, according to a pamphlet found at the Basilica,

‘it is impossible to date precisely the construction of the monument, but several writers believe it could have existed since the 10th century and might be due to Benedictine monks of St. Hilaire. A title dated from 1011 and reported in the History of Languedoc calls the place “Sainte Marie.” So, in one case or the other, this monument dates back from long ago.’

Look at the indentation on the entry stone. That’s a lot of feet!

Dutch doors, high above the regular doors. I wonder if they ever open them. Notice the ancient hardware.

Mary Magdalene, Joan of Arc, Cathar crosses, all very prevalent inside the Basilica. Even the stained glass behind and above the alter depict Yeshua and Mariam.

‘She rests at last beneath the starry skies.’ -Robert Langdon 

Saint Germaine, shown in the capture above,

St. Germaine Cousin was born near Toulouse in 1579. Her right hand was withered and paralyzed at birth. She lost her mother when she was only a child.

After the death of her mother, her father remarried and St. Germaine was treated harshly by her stepmother and was denied a real place of her own in the family home. She relegated to worked as a shepherdess for the family and slept in the stables. She was denied practically any contact with her stepbrothers and stepsisters.

While her homelife was horrible, her inner life was the opposite. She was a pure soul, in constant contact with God, daily praying the rosary and attending Mass. Germaine’s love of God spilled into her love for her neighbors and she would often teach local children the basics of the faith.

She died at the age of 22. Nearly a half century after her death her body was found to be incorrupt. When it was left exposed for a year it became the object of great veneration and the source of many miracles. In 1864, more than 250 years after her death, St. Germaine was canonized as patron saint of people with disabilities and those who have been abused or abandoned. She lived in the family barn, repeatedly refusing her family’s invitations to move into the house. She tended after her family’s sheep and preached the gospel to anyone who would listen.

Leaving the Basilica, pumpkins!

And, just learned France has a Labour Day, too. The holiday is celebrated annually on May 1st. In French, Labour Day is known as Fete du Travail, and traditionally celebrated by giving and sharing Lily-of-the-Valley flowers. Lovely. Along with Forget-Me-Nots, my favorite.

À bientôt.

❀

Dayle in Limoux – Day # 56

August 30, 2022

Les Ampoules sont meilleures! Dieu Merci.

🌸 

After my climb up to St. Salvayre late last week, the blisters are better and time for  new exploration. Heading to Arles tomorrow, where I can explore Roman ruins and basque in the energy and paintings of Vincent van Gogh. In 1888, after two years living in Paris, he yearned for sunshine and the colors of Midi-France, the South of France. Apparently, he was consumed by creativity during his time in Arles, before he left to voluntarily be committed to a psychiatric institution in Saint-Rémy de Provence. 🌻

You know what’s so wild? I was in Denver last summer for my birthday to be with my son and his girlfriend, and my daughter and her boyfriend, to visit the traveling Van Gogh exhibit called, Van Gogh Alive!

It was s p e c t a c u l a r and incredibly moving. And now, this year for my birthday (!), Arles and walk in Vincent’s footsteps, absorbing, Gaia willing, his energy…feeling his presence. Who knew! The Universe. ℒℴve ☆҉  it when that happens.

Incredible, really, the U.S. media has not picked up on what Lance Armstrong and his WEDŪ team did for the kids in Uvalde. Maybe if DT was somehow involved, either dissing it or the providers, they would have then covered it and amplified what collective compassion and goodness can do for a community to heal violent devastation and emotional wounds.

I wrote about this yesterday. If it wasn’t for listening to the Vuelta update on The Move podcast/YouTube, I would not have known the bikes were delivered.

 

BIKES FOR UVALDE DELIVERED

On August 27th, 800 bikes and helmets were delivered to the children in the Uvalde, Texas community – $269,446 in donations! 

Here’s what Lance had to say about your tremendous efforts.

Thank you for making a difference!

 

From Lance…

“To say the experience was powerful & moving & emotional would be wildly understating the resilience of the children and community of Uvalde, and of the human spirit; but it’s a good place to start. I truly believe there’s an unmatched freedom in bicycles; and in that freedom, there’s power. To all involved, thank you.”

Would love to find the Cave of Bethlehem, where the Cathars reportedly conducted their initiations, for the Parfaits, and many people connected with them visited. Perhaps Mariam of Mandela…and Yeshua. The Rosicrusians ascribed and still ascribe great importance to the space. Some believe invitations continue to take place there in the cave.

P. 422 of the book, The Manuscript, I picked up at the book shop in Rennes-les-Chateau: “…can’t run away from he past, always present and now.”

Ancient Aramaic prayer:

Heavenly Source

You Who are everywhere

Thy Kingdom come

Your will be done

Here and now and for evermore.

Fill us with the power of your mercy.

And free us from the fetters with which we bind each other.

Lead us out of temptation: free us from ourselves

And give us the strength to be one with You.

Teach us the true power of forgiveness.

May this holy moment be the ground

From which our future actions grow.

Amen.

To many of you, this will sound familiar. You may know it in later versions as “Our Father,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” or “Pater Noster.”

From the Center of Action & Contemplation this week:

“Parables are a wisdom genre. They belong to mashal, the Jewish branch of the universal tradition of sacred poetry, stories, proverbs, riddles, and dialogues through which wisdom is conveyed. . . .

We can see the razor edge of Yeshua’s brilliance as he takes the familiar world of mashal far beyond the safety zone of conventional morality into a world of radical reversal and paradox. He is transforming proverbs into parables—and a parable, incidentally, is not the same thing as an aphorism or a moral lesson. Its closest cousin is really the Buddhist koan, a deliberately subversive paradox aimed at turning our usual mind upside down. . . . Their job is not to confirm but to uproot. You can imagine the effect that had on his audience!

Stories were Yeshua’s stock-in-trade, the main medium by which he conveyed his message. The parables occupy fully 35% of the first three Gospels. But one of their most surprising features is that they are not about God. They are about weddings and banquets, family tensions, muggings, farmers sowing and reaping, and shrewd business dealings. God is mentioned in only one or two. . . . Rabbi Yeshua obviously wanted us to look closely at this world, not some other one. It is here and now—all around us in the most ordinary things—that we find the divine presence.”

jai

Drinking Blanquette de Limoux, Perrier, and inhaling the sounds, the music, the French conversation, the beautiful and quiet energy of Limoux, on the Place de le Republique. Merci, Le Concept, for the Wifi. :)

Demain (tomorrow), Gaia willing, Arles!

🌻

Dayle in Limoux – Day #52

August 27, 2022

B A R C E L O N A❗️

From Alet-les-Bains in southwestern France to Barcelona in northeastern Spain to see my dear friend and sorority sister from DePauw University. A city of trees. So pretty.

And, of course, the architecturally and geometrically glorious Segrada Família. ♰

The Basílica | Sagrada Família is a large unfinished church building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and is currently the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church. Designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), his work on Sagrada Família is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica.

On 19 March 1882, construction of the Sagrada Família began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. In 1883, when Villar resigned, Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. [wikipedia]

✧        *    .    *    ✧     .   *   .   *
.  *   .    * .’ Light not only shines into the Sagrada Família through windows on the walls, but also through skylights in the vaults.’     .   ✧        .
✧  ✧   *    .   *        .       .     *.     .
✧   *    .     .     ✧     .     * .  *   .

“The book of nature.”

“The great book, always open and which we should make an effort to read, is that of nature.”

 

According to our docent, as architects and their creation continued onward after Gaudí’s death, some of the initial reaction wasn’t always positive. In particular, this structure shows a nude Yeshua, not, apparently, depicted before. Quite controversial.

And here, we see Judas kissing Yeshua. I thought about asking if it could possibly be Mary Magdalene. :) Re-considered the question after reading the room.

Antoni Gaudí’s obsession, dedication, and faith is fascinating.

All of the diversity of languages represented in this sculpture. Notice the A|G in gold, his initials. I purchased a book mark of this image; so beautiful.

Had to highlight…the Camino!

A plaster image taken from his death mask.

“Gaudí’s primordial soup, Langdon thought, again startled by how perfectly the city of Barcelona dovetailed with Edmond’s curiosity about the beginnings of life.”

—Dan Brown, Origin

In Barcelona, Sofia! Gnostic’s wisdom at every turn on this journey. Here, the name of my hotel.

The concierge headed us into the direction of a fabulous restaurant…I mean, truly fabulous food and service. It’s called ‘Green Spot Diagonal.’

The curry was a-MAZ-ing.

And for a starter, absolutely get the hummus. The best. Marc from Costa Brava, thank you! You made our night so fun. And for the blue bottle. :)

À bientôt.

❀

 

Dayle in Limoux – Day #50

August 24, 2022

✧        *    .    *    ✧     .   *   .   *
 .  *   .    * . m y s t e r y      .   ✧        .
 ✧  ✧   *    .   *        .       .     *. m a g i c    .   
✧   *    .m a g d e l a    .   ✧     .     * .  *   . 

The last time I visited Saint-Salvayre was before times, in the fall of 2019. I’ve been contemplating this day for so long, yearning to be here, pulled to being here.  And as Sir Henry Lincoln (‘Holy Blood Holy Grail’) said to me that day inside the church as he was sitting quietly next to the ancient standing stone, “This is a very special place.”  I captured Henry as he was leaving the church in the small hamlet of Saint-Salvayre near Alet-les-Bains.

Sir Henry died this year on February 24th. He was 92. How I wish I could meet up with him where he lived at Rennes-les-Bains and talk all things Mariam of Magdala and her journeys with Yeshua in the Languedoc region of France. I have so many more questions and perspectives to share. More than that, just to listen to him speak of this history, where ever he chooses to take the listener. “Don’t look, see.”

When I visited this tiny, ancient church/Roman resting place on my first visit, we were in a small van. I had no recollection how vertical! the journey was.  I remember reading recently about Roman garrisons lighting fires in St. Salvayre to alert chateaus in the surrounding area thinking, how could they see it, it is not very high. And when I heard people drive up to the hamlet to watch the Bastille Day fireworks being displayed in Carcassonne, I thought, but isn’t that high, so maybe the open space? Now I know. The views of the Pyrenees are spectacular; just the general splendor of the entire region is on display on the long hike up. The path is six kilometers from Alet-les-Bains and it’s all vertical. I read recently where someone had shared it was a ‘comfortable hike.’ My take? A little different. Some thought processes today in the 95 degree heat…going up.

Starting point: If I lived here, I could climb this every morning for prayers and meditations.

1/4 way up: maybe once a week.

1/2 way up: maybe twice a month.

3/4 way up: maybe just once a month.

Almost there: definitely need a Vespa.

Seeing the sign…f i n a l l y. So happy.

And then, there it is.

Pausing, reflecting, and centering before entering.

Gratitude and grace for surviving the plague and being given the gift of returning to this sacred and magical place, Saint-Salvayre. Indeed, as Sir Henry shared, a very special place, from the shrines to Mary Magdalene, to the painting of Yeshua, still living, being helped from the cross by St. Francis. The messages, the meaning, and the mystery. It’s all of it: the history, the sacred geometry, and the ancient standing stone, where it seems the structure was actually built around.

The stones, the shapes, their placement, all speak to ancient Roman times. Where this structure is placed could once have been a pagan place of worship. Then, in later centuries, a new structure built in the shape of St. Andrew’s cross. The Templars were reportedly here (Baphomet), and it was a place of refuge for Cathars.

Cathar cross.

And here, a shell. Was this left by a pilgrim on their way to the Camino de Santiago de Compostella?

A small ancient water basin outside the door of the church discovered behind thick foliage.

A marker outside of the church, just up to the left. The markings look Greek, or Egyptian. I haven’t been able to locate any information about this stone piece.

I tried to locate the twin trees and other standing stone about 1.5 kilometers away, but couldn’t find it this time. It’s been three years and there’s so much undergrowth and with COVID, very few visitors. I really tried.

I don’t remember the barrier there; climbed over.

By then, my feet were hurting so badly from the climb…blisters.

So after one more repose inside Saint-Salvayre, I started the climb down, grateful to use a different set of leg muscles, although my poor pieds, pas bon.

I stopped at one point on a hill of natural limestone to find Rennes-les-Chateau in the distance…sacred geometry.

Light. It’s everywhere. We just have to see.

I loved today.

Bonne nuit.

🔆

Dayle in Limoux – Day #42

August 16, 2022

Just finished my first France journal my daughter made for me at Christmas.

🌸🤍🌸🤍🌸🤍🌸🤍🌸🤍🌸🤍🌸🤍🌸

#Deux!

‘If you think one noble thought in a mountain cave, then it will form vibrations throughout the Universe and will do what can and must be done’ [p.95, The Manuscript].

Again.

‘We all take part in the cruelty of the world. Even when we think we know nothing about it. We all carry a Hitler and a Yeshua in us. At one time or another each person must stop and face their own failures and cruelties. Otherwise they are just projected on’ [The Manuscript].

Indeed. When we forgive and offer grace, and it is not received, it is gravity. [Dualism] ‘Earth is a half-way house.’ And then, it is no longer ours. Forgive: to let go. If the other does not, it is their path now, not ours.

From Marianne Williamson today:

‘With every breath, I breathe in the holy substance that infuses all things.

On this day, I remember and will not forget that love is all around me. I acknowledge love’s presence in myself and others, and breathe in with every breath all the power it bestows.’

Cue The Troggs. :)

—

From the book, ‘The Beauty and Mystery of the Languedoc:’

‘The Languedoc region has a very extraordinary history, full of tragedy, conquer, drama and mystery. When you drive through the sleep villages today, it is hard to imagine that this region was once a metropolis of the highest importance and was at other times the seat of power from which large parts of the world were ruled. That is why it is worth while to have a closer look at its amazing history, because if you know what to look for, you can still find relics of these high times hidden in the most remote places.’ -Julia B. Kingsley

C’est vrai.

Look what I found. This ancienne église (ancient church) in Limoux, set back, and fenced off from the public due to safety concerns. I believe there is a renovation plan in place. Gorgeous. Even the tile. In many apartments and homes in the Occitanie region, the buildings are original, like the building I’m staying in, and often the original tile and flooring is in place, as well as stone walls and cobbled streets. In France they preserve and honor their history. How I wish the stones could speak. If we vibrated just a little more slowly, perhaps we could listen!

I want to hear their stories. It was once a convent in 1358.

I remember what Sir Henry Lincoln once said to me, ‘Stop looking, and see.’

Oui.

“The Holy Grail ‘neath ancient Roslin waits / The blade and chalice guarding o’er Her gates / Adorned by masters’ loving art, She lies / She rests at last beneath the starry skies.”

Bonne nuit.

🌹

Dayle in Limoux – Day #40

August 14, 2022

Back in Quillan for the Criterium!

It’s back after a two year hiatus because of the plague. Lots of happy people and bikers and music and…refreshments. Lots. :)

Cue the riders!

It’s the oldest criterium in France, 77 years!

And a better capture of the sun dial in Quillan. That’s what we need, more sun dials, and town criers…and church bells. Definitely more church bells. Speaking of…had to go back.

I was born in the wrong century.

Had to go back to the church and basque in the Divine Feminine. 🥀

Love France. This random saint sculpture above a bar at the bus stop. Yohannan is everywhere in Languedoc. And Mariam the Mandala. Big time. Yeshua? Not so much.

Hey! I had a Renault! Not as incredibly cute and cool as this one, though. l o v e

Reading the label…

Instantly?

At this moment, 11:15 pm, or in France 23:15, it is 77! It wasn’t 400 degrees today. Lord. So needed the cool down as fires continue to burn and rivers dry; Spain is getting hit, too, now.

[Reuters]

And so many people, U.S. law-making people, still screaming their blah blah at anyone who will listen, it’s made-up. God bless the u.s.a.

Bonne nuit.

♥

Dayle in Limoux – Day # 39

August 13, 2022

The Satanic Verses [1988]

Posted by Mikhail Khodorkovsky. https://khodorkovsky.com

From Dan Froomkin at Press Watch:

‘Mainstream media reporters are having a hard time fully explaining the link between the increasingly violent rhetoric acts like Thursday’s attempted attack on an FBI office in Cincinnati.

The phrase they’re looking for is “stochastic terrorism.”

It may not trip off the tongue, but it needs to become part of the media lexicon.

Stochastic terrorism means

terrorism that’s statistically predictable but individually unpredictable. In simpler language,  it is not just possible that someone at some point will do something about it, it’s damn near inevitable.

Calling certain forms of violent rhetoric stochastic terrorism is essential to holding the perpetrators accountable for the tragic consequences.’

Symbol from the book, The Manuscript, depicting the marriage at Cana where both Mariam Magdalene and Yeshua were present, and as presented in the book, where the ‘first’ miracle occurred between the two of them. Their wedding day. Yeshua turns the vats of water into wine. And it was Mariam’s idea, the ‘gate of grace and compassion.’

‘I will show you that which the eye cannot see,

the ear cannot hear,

no hand can touch,

and no man understand through his own understanding.’

-The Gospel of Thomas

‘The time will come when time is meaningless, and place is nowhere. All our concepts wait, but their appointed ending. They uphold a dream with no dimension. At the gate of Heaven are they merely laid aside, before the blazing of the light within.’

-Helen Schucman

Mary’s prayer:

Heavenly source, you who are everywhere,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, here and now and in eternity.

Fill us with the power of Thy grace.

And set us free from the chains which which we bind ourselves and each other.

Lead us out of temptation: Free us from ourselves.

And lend us the power to be one with You.

Aum.

Om.

Amen.

⦿

“This is my daughter, Mariam, in whom I am well please. Today she has received the name Magdalene, the Exalted Spirit of Peace. I have some back to the world in her shape. Bu her power shall humanity understand its destiny. Through her shall humanity again find peace.”

[…]

“Now, in this 21st century, a creative face which is still effective and which manifests itself in the ethereal plane, a new feminine form of energy through Rucha d’koodsha…Holy Spirit.”

The old patriarchal energy has had its day.

• Separatist
• Divisive
• Egotistical

An Earthly flame now dying.

The new power, the Feminine Power:

• Inclusive
• Healing
• Altruistic

“Everything you want to become you already are.”

“Mariam Magdalene was the true founder of esoteric Christianity.” 

What we need, truly need, to heal and re-set is for all social media to go dark for awhile. I think at least six months. Or, bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Or, re-write the dreadful Communications Act of 1996. All probably not going to happen. Maybe what we need, then, is a moment…a day…of reflection and re-prioritizing, knowing and agreeing to the perilous moment the United States of America is facing. Jon Meacham on Friday focused his ‘Reflections of History’ on Lincoln’s Proclamation of Prayer and Fasting. On August 12, 1861, President Lincoln calls for a national day of prayer and fasting.

Lincoln:

Nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State.

From Jon:

‘Speedy restoration of peace was the key element. So the Union turned to prayer. Not a conventional religious believer, Abraham Lincoln was, however, a man of conscious. A student of the Bible, and an inherent to the school of thought that held that human events were in fact under the care of a providential force. […] Whether prayer made any difference, is a matter of interpretation. But this much is clear, the nation that emerged from what Lincoln once called ‘the fiery trial of the war,’ lived in closer accord with the dictates of the all mighty. And the America that had begun that war.’

The country shuts down for O N E day for reflection and contemplation. No bar-b-q’s and no mattress sales, only prayer and contemplation. 

Here’s the link to listen to this episode of Jon Meacham’s ‘Reflections of History.’

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reflections-of-history/id1563421928?i=1000575851761

Thunderstorms tonight; continuously rolling thunder and lightening. Only sprinkles, though, no rain, and with the drought, so desperately needed.

From The Independent:

“In places, the Loire can now be crossed on foot; France’s longest river has never flowed so slowly. The Rhine is fast becoming impassable to barge traffic. In Italy, the Po is 2 metres lower than normal, crippling crops. Serbia is dredging the Danube.”

Across Europe, drought is reducing once-mighty rivers to trickles, with potentially dramatic consequences for industry, freight, energy and food production – just as supply shortages and price rises due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bite.

Driven by climate breakdown, an unusually dry winter and spring followed by record-breaking summer temperatures and repeated heatwaves have left Europe’s essential waterways under-replenished and, increasingly, overheated.

With no significant rainfall recorded for almost two months across western, central and southern Europe and none forecast in the near future, meteorologists say the drought could become the continent’s worst in more than 500 years.”

• Climate breakdown.
• Viruses.
• Violence.
• Migration.
• We need that day of collective prayer and contemplation. Jon, talk to Joe.

In the meantime, I’m on baby lizard watch. Apparently there’s been a ‘hatch’ (?) and baby lizards are everywhere. And they’re spastic. And very fast. 😳

Lizards in Limoux.

Please just don’t fall or crawl on me. You’ll freak me out.

Time for yoga. On the floor.

À bientôt.

🦎

Dayle in Limoux – Day #37

August 11, 2022

Ruka d’koosha/Holy Spirit

Neshama (Hebrew: נשמה) is a Hebrew word which can mean “soul” or “spirit”. It may refer to: The Jewish notion of the soul.

‘Above the heart I saw a pyramid turned upside down. The triangle was made from the fire that is near quenched and the water from which all higher life springs through the imitations of the mystics. A symbol which I knew to be the symbol the Heavenly Source, the Creator, the Father/Mother, radiated from the top left edge o the triangle.

The symbol of the Heavenly Child, the Created, the Son/Daughter radiated from top, right edge of the triangle.

The symbol of Ruche d’koodsha, the Holy Spirt, radiated from the lower point of the triangle. At the same time, the whole triangle symbolized the three uppermost energy centers of the human being: the crown centre, brow centre and throat center.

Below the heart was an upright pyramid. This triangle was filled with earthy fire and the water from which transit life arises.

The masculine symbol radiated from the bottom, left edge and the feminine from the right one.

The symbol of Naphsha, the Higher Self, humanity’s connection upwards, the bridge to the higher worlds, radiated from the topmost point.

Within this triangle the human being’s lower centre of energy were presented, the root, sacral and solar plexus centre.

Both triangles slowly glided towards the heart.

The ★ with the ♡ was the sign of Marian Magdalene, the sign of the cosmic, feminine power. 

It was not until 1989 that I really began to recognize Mariam Magdalene’s rightful place in Christian mythology. My studies in early Christian and Gnostic writings told a story about a woman and a being that spoke directly to something deep inside me.’

[pp. 266-268]

[Love this book. It’s a trilogy in one hardback tome. This particular version is only available at the Rennes-les-Chateau book shop.]

A quintessential French evening with dinner and amazing wine and music with my new amis en France! So hot and so fun. ღ

The heatness continues, but! Look. Sunday. Happy Dancing. 80’s! 80’s is C O O L. :)

I so want to know the story on these tiles…so old, as is this building I’m living in. Did German soldiers march their boots across these floors when they occupied France and Limoux? The man who lived here before the current owner, was born in this home and lived here his whole life…90 years. He shared at the time of purchase that he remembers hearing their boots on the stairwell.

Read this story earlier today. How great the tourists left it in place, took a picture, and then reported it to the park staff.

The Sacramento Bee

Tourist at Little Bighorn battlefield finds piece of history buried in dirt, park says

[A Civil War General Service cuff button was found in the dirt by a visitor at Little Bighorn Battlefield Monument in Montana, the National Park Service says. National Park Service photo.]

‘A haunting bit of history was found by accident at the Little Bighorn battlefield where 263 U.S. soldiers — including Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer — died fighting Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors in 1876. One of Custer’s soldiers must have lost a button 146 years ago, and it turned up Monday, Aug. 8, lying in the Montana dirt, according to the National Park Service. The battlefield is about 60 miles southeast of Billings.

Officials did not reveal where the button was found in the park, but note it counts as a battlefield artifact and “will go into the museum collection.” “These objects are still telling the story of the battle. If artifacts found on the field are removed or taken, that part of the story is lost,” park officials said. “The park is truly grateful for the visitors yesterday who reported the find.” “They did right thing. They left the button where it was found. They took a photo and reported it to park staff.”’

[full piece]

https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article264407946.html#storylink=cpy

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BBC

France firefighters battle ‘monster’ wildfire near Bordeaux

Dayle in Limoux — Day #31

August 5, 2022

Marche

Esperaza

Mary’s Grotto

Dinosaurs

Rennes-les-Chateau

Visigoths

Books

Lepidolite

1163

:)

It’s been a day!

On this day, August 5th, in 1163, four Cathar men and a girl were burned for refusing to ‘repent’ after it was discovered they were living in a barn in Cologne and had not gone to church that Sunday. They were called out for heresy and would not deny their Cathar, or Good Christian, faith. So they were thrown into the fire. The story goes that some of the villagers were holding the girl back, trying to protect her, but she would not leave her Cathar brethren. She tore herself away from them and threw her body onto the pyre.

Burnings, you may be surprised to learn, had been very uncommon up to that point, and in the past had sometimes taken place at the request of noblemen for potlical, rather than religious reasons. After 1163, everything changed.

I’ll update soon! My phone went completely dead and it’s taking forever to charge, so I can’t grab my photos. I’ll be back…

(Did you know the first dinosaur eggs to be found anywhere on the planet were discovered in this region of Southern France? One of the many discoveries today.)

U

P

D

A

T

E

Well, an update to the update. I just lost all of my edits…photos…text…two hours just 💨. Poof. Gone. Trying to recover, no luck. Not sure I have the energy to do this all again.

I think, without trying to re-create all my writing, I’ll post photos and give you an idea of the day’s exploration. My phone wouldn’t re-charge, tried outlets and cleaning portals…nothing. Knew I needed a new chord…travel with two or three! I only brought one. So I set out on a reconnaissance mission for a virtual life-line and with the help of a new acquaintance found the store without a sign or a street name. New chord, a charged iPhone, and now access to photos!

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

—John Steinbeck, East of Eden

 I’m finding myself drawn to mess, to darkness, to things that are loved to the point of shabbiness, or just wildly imperfect in their own gorgeous way. 

Present is living with your feet firmly grounded in reality, pale and uncertain as it may seem. Present is choosing to believe that your own life is worth investing deeply in, instead of waiting for some rare miracle or fairy tale. Present means we understand that the here and now is sacred, sacramental, threaded through with divinity even in its plainness. Especially in its plainness.

—Shauna Niequist

Wildly imperfect. My new mantra.

The day started at Saint Martin’s for some time with Mary Magdalene.

Then the marche with wildly imperfect sites and sounds and aromas and people. The Friday markets are the best…blocks of vendors and local foods. Although I reject fish and seafood as nourishment, I had to capture a photo of this sweet man’s Paella. He was so proud to share his creation. It looked amazing!

Found some more incense and then it was time to head for the bus with my €1…public transportation here is the best…and journey to Esperaza. There’s a church there I really wanted to see, dedicated to Mary Magdalene.

I was dropped at the stop and started walking. Finally found the city center, or place [pronounced ‘ploss’] in this sweet little village.

And then, the church!

So much history. I tried to open the door. Locked. Shoot. So I walked around the church and starting taking pictures…

When I walked back around I saw a woman who looked like she just left. What the heck. Tried the door. Still locked. But! The door next to it that looked like a storage closet was open! I was in. As my eyes started to adjust, that’s when I saw it. Mary Magdalene’s grotto. What. My Gaia. So so beautiful.

Mary is revered in Languedoc. For good reason. Will share more later. The history of the church in Esperaza is that it was built in the 1200’s, and one of the old pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela passesd this way, through the mountains and on into Spain. The town lies in the very heart of Cathar country and intersects the sacred geometry in the region. I spent awhile inside.

The flooring! A want for my future French home.

☆☆•*¨*•.¸¸

☆☆¸.•*¨*•☆☆•*¨*•.¸¸☆☆

Then it was time to find a taxi and head back to the sacred space of Rennes-les-Chateau.

But.

No Taxi.

But.

Found a dinosaur museum!

In this sweet tiny village a dinosaur museum. Pourquoi pas? I mean, who knew the first dinosaur eggs on the P L A N E T were found in this region in Southern France? Crazy.

And this region at one time was more hot and humid than now…tropical, actually. Climate only a dinosaur could love. Also learned that the Ginkgo Biloba trees have been evolving for some 290 million years.

When I went back outside to remove my mask and breathe a bit, somebody sent in this pre-historic bug.

‘To the eternal happiness of all species.’

Found a new number for a taxi service and with the help from the attendants at the museum desk, went out to the road and wait.

Had about a 30 minute wait, so grabbed some Perrier and nuts out of my backpack, grateful for the shade of a beautiful village tree. And a sign. A sign that reminded me it’s my day. :)

Perrier, Blanquette de Limoux, and crème brûlée in the Jardin de Marie at Rennes-les-Chateau. For my birthday! Yep. I celebrated a birthday while in France. 

Joyeux anniversaire à moi!

Look closely and you’ll spot another ancient chateau. My heck. They’re everywhere here! The vibrations from Gaia pulsating with history and mystery.

I was able to join a special meditation located in the ancient Visigoth structures, from about 500 CE.

We had live music accompaniment, too. Beautiful. And transcendent. Talk about vibrations…

Then back to Mary Magdalene’s church.

‘She rests at last beneath the starry skies.’

There it is. Mary’s rose cross. l o v e. 🌸

Then it was back to the book store for more books. The young book shop clerk there is so kind and helpful. His name is Adrian. Wonderful softly-spoken sense of humor. It would be so fun to hang with the workers there, discover their stories and lives. I made a discovery through the books I purchased…more music dedicated to the Magdala. Quite lovely. From Ani Williams. Prolific catalogue of music.

Then it was time to call for a taxi and leave the Chateau.

Back in Limoux I had my new books and found a nice little table at the Grand Cafe there on the square, the Place du la Republique, with one of my favorite servers and had myself a yummy little birthday dinner.

Thanks to Hulu, DePauw University, my dentist in Coronado, a pharmacy on the San Juan Islands, and Delta Airlines for all of the birthday messages. :)

August 5, 1163. Will always remember now the young girl in Cologne. The day she was violenty forced to leave the earth, on the date I was welcomed in. jai

À bientôt.

🎈

Dayle in Limoux – Day #20

July 24, 2022

The heat is absolutely defeating me. Today the humidity was up twofold, so, yeah, I was done. It cooled off to 88 tonight around 10:30. The reading indicates a low of 62. Haven’t seen that yet. Never thought I’d believe 88 is cool.

BUT!

It was the Tour! Final stage, into Paris. Some of my favorite captures.

So great. Vert is GREEN in French. :)

Joan of Arc welcoming the riders to the Champs-Élysées! This shot always knocks me out. The Maid of Orléans. Can not wait to visit the town where she was betrayed and put on trial then burnt at the stake in 1431, like so many women considered Heretics. Then I’ll drop down and visit her birth town. I believe her home was destroyed by the Nazi’s during WWII. A new structure was built to replace what was destroyed. Twenty-five years after she was massacred, her conviction was formally overturned. She became a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in 1920, 488 years after her death. Not unlike Mary of Magdala. Pope Gregory decided she was a prostitute and cast her out, 591 I think.Thanks for looking out for her Peter. Lord. In 2016 Pope Francis elevated the annual memorial of Mary Magdalene on July 22 to that of a Feast. She is fittingly called “Apostle to the Apostles.” (I wonder if the Pope understood the relevance of the numerical power of 22. Another post.)

I’m going where he’s going. :)

💛 ❗️ The sunset shot. Perfect.

Spectacular tour. Incredible athletes. Simply unreal. Fastest Tour de France ever! Like Lance said, “I don’t even know this sport anymore.” It’s off the charts and massively fun to watch. Great guys, tough tour, lots of COVID, scary heat, and many injuries. Only a few teams made it with complete groups. UAE was down to four riders at the end. Eurosport/GCN did an incredible three-weeks of coverage! Thank you. Loved. 2023 is going to be off the rails! OK. Now the withdraws kick in. Seeing the Tour in France while living in France was incredibly special and so much fun. Watching it last year, who knew I would be here. Two stages! (So deeply grateful to science and vaccines.) Met some amazing folks. They love their tour. Vive le Tour! 🚴🏻

—

Earlier today I was able to visit Saint-Martin’s church, more of a cathedral really. Built in the 1100’s, although some believe the original structure was constructed in the 800’s. Look who’s at the church:

O

U

I

!!!

Massive baptismal font, right in the middle of the aisle heading toward the alter.

These stairs…

…and this door. Ancient.

The acoustics were crazy. Just amazingly clear and full. The organist played and when the people of the congregation sang, it sounded like a massive choir.

A memorial in the church to honor those from Limoux who perished in WWI.

It’s so beautiful, incredibly inspiring. So close to where I’m living. I walk by all the time, yet hand’t been able to go in until this morning. ☆☆¸.•*¨*•☆☆•*¨*•.¸¸☆☆

We may have a bit of a reprieve with the weather the next few days, in the 80’s before it gets back to triple-digits. After 20 days of 40C, I think I’ve hit my threshold. Hiking up to Rennes-le-Chateau on Friday for Mary’s Feast day wiped me. Another 103 day. But it was for Mary. And so wanted to be there for her. The Beloved.

Thinking earlier if the Cathars had survived, and Roman Catholicism didn’t, we’d be in away different place. More folks like St. Francis and Mary, and fewer like Pope Gregory. I think the matriarchy deserves some years of leadership, right? We certainly couldn’t do any worse. ‘Higher moral compassionate value.’ Jai Mary of Magdela.

Bonne Nuit.

✿

☆☆¸.•*¨*•☆☆•*¨*•.¸¸☆☆ 

Dayle in Limoux – Day #18

July 22, 2022

Mary Magdalene church at Rennes-le-Chateau near Couiza in the Languedoc/Occitanie region of France. Couiza is tucked in the foothills of the Pyrenees and is at the foot of the hill leading to Rennes-le-Chateau where The Church of Mary Magdalene is located. It was renovated by Father Berenger Sauniere, finished in 1897, the year of the dedication. Sauniere re-named it to honor Mary. It is believed an earlier construction was built in the 11th or 12 centuries. Above the door as you enter is a carving of Mary Magdalene and the inscription in Latin, “Terribilis est locus iste”–This is a place of awe.

Aujourd’hui

Saint Mary Magdalene

Feast Day

‘Mary Magdalene has been a victim of mistaken identity for almost 20 centuries.’

[Franciscanmedia.org]

It was a climb; five kilometers to the top.

It really felt like a pilgrimage, like being on the Camino, which I loved since it was Mary’s Feast Day. A pilgrimage to Mary. And it was H O T. Again. 99 degrees with double the humidity from last week. I hadn’t planned on trekking it, but when the bus dropped me in Couiza, I couldn’t find a taxi to the Chateau. I stopped into various shops to find some taxi numbers. I called three numbers, each did not have a driver. Tried to locate one on my phone, didn’t work. I thought I might just take the bus back in about an hour, so had a café au lait and a Perrier.

I really wanted to be there on Mary’s day, so I decided to go for it. Five kilometers is about 3 miles, so I plugged in the destination on my phone and headed up. Way up.

When the back of your hands perspire, you know it’s hot.

It was about then that my phone sent me a prompt to cool off my phone. Yikes. I had some water with me, though not enough. So rationed it. I rested in a couple of spots when I found shade, and I think it was in one of those spots where I lost my prayer amethyst. I think it fell out of my pocket. It’s loaded with prayers, so whoever finds it, I hope it has good energy for them. It’s so beautiful.

Because I chose ‘walkers’ directions, the little Map Genie took me on a path not frequently travelled and behind gates with markings that really looked like I probably should not have traversed. What the heck, Map Genie, seriously?

Lost and alone on some forgotten highway
Traveled by many, remembered by few. -John Denver

So, I kept climbing. Saw a ruin in the distance; not sure which one it is. Can’t wait to find out. Would love to explore…

Finally. Rennes-le-Chateau.

More refreshments needed!

Time to visit with Mary.

I want to learn more about this piece…

Rex Mundi. Cathars were dualists, the physical and spiritual deities. Rex Mundi was the false God – the chaotic god of material things, the Demiurge, and the embodiment of evil. Sadly, someone tried to attack the Rex Mundi in the church once, did some damage, too, so the caretakers put some protection around it.

For Mary.

There are so many discoveries and histories…theories…with this church. The Languedoc region is thick with Cathar history, the Templars, Inquisitions, and Mary. And if you’re really into Chateau history and all things Mary, you’re a ‘Rennie.’ :)

If you’d like to learn more, check out the late Sir Henry Lincoln’s videos on YouTube, Henry Speaks. Fascinating history and Henry explains the sacred geometry studies in the region, too, i.e., how it all connects.

There are many studies and writings on Mary. One of my favorites is The Meaning of Mary Magdaline by Cynthia Bourgeault. It’s subtitled, Discovering the Woman of the Heart of Christianity. I think I flagged every page.

More from Henry with his books, too, like Holy Blood, Holy Grail, the pre-cursor to The da Vinci Code. And The Holy Place/Sauniere and the Decoding of the Mystery of Rennes-le-Chateau.

There’s a little book store on the grounds.

Found some great books for my studies, including this one which the author only sells (the hardback) at this little shop.

Started reading when I got back. So good.

“We were both familiar with the colorful story about the small town of Rennes le Chateau and the priest Sauniere who in 1886 during a major repair work on the altar of the local church, had apparently found a number of documents containing information which from one day to the next transformed him from a port minister on the fringe of society to a rich man with unlimited funds and a fashionable circle of acquaintances.

Sauniere had spent part of his fortune on the restoration of the church. He further built a new house, ‘Bethanie,’ as well as the tower, ‘Tour Mandala.’ 

Sauniere died in 1917 leaving the secret with his housekeeper of many years, Marie Dernaud, who promised to disclose it on her deathbed.

Unfortunately, when that day came in 1953, she was paralyzed by a stroke and thus was unable to disclose anything at all. Apparently the secret of Sauniere was buried with her. 

Since then, the mystery had been made the subject of many speculations, several of which had revitalized the legend of Mary Magdalene and her alleged escape from Palestine to the South of France after the death of Yeshua” [p. 273].

Adrian, who works at the shop, helped me secure a taxi to get back to Limoux. He had to phone four different taxi services to find a driver for me. I told my daughter, when you travel, there are always angels on your path.

---

The Tour. Great capture during Stage 19 today. Si jolie. (So pretty.) J’adore France.

Crazy sprint finish today with a surprise winner…not so much the team. Jumbo Visma. The whole Tour has been insane and crazy fast. So fun to watch. Only two more stages going into Paris on Sunday! 🥂

This one in reference to yesterday’s Wout Route…

Clever. And so true. :)

And this which sums up not only stage 18, but the entire Tour and how Jonas and Tedej respect each other and their sport. This connection occurred after Jonas clipped is pedal and wobbled and then when Tadej slid out misreading the line on the descent. Scary fast. And Jonas waited for him. Tadej reached for his hand as he caught up almost as if to say, “It’s yours.” He had attacked so much, trying to gain time, and then he handed the baton. And he didn’t attack again. Tender, and sweet moment to witness. 💛

Bonne nuit.

❁

Dayle in Limoux – Day #17

L’ étape 18 ❗️

What just happened. My lord. Even if you don’t follow the Tour, you must find and watch Stage 18. [GCN/Eurosport].

#TDF2022 🚴🏻 The next generation.

Racing manuals were being tossed out of windows yesterday. Wout exploded out on the attack at kilometer zero. Incredible to witness.

Only four teams remaining in the Tour have a complete team due to injuries, illness and COVID. Wout’s team, Jumbo Visma, is down, too, yet UAE, skeleton group down to four riders. Even so, Tadej Pogacar said at the end of the race that with a full team they couldn’t have beaten Jonas Vingegaard, who now wears both the KoM jersey

[🔴⚪️🔴]

And the yellow. Three more days of the tour, yet barring any injuries or positive COVID tests, the podium is seemingly set. Monster of a tour–the fastest on record! As a cycling fan, watching it unfold has been outstanding. Like Lance said on his podcast re-cap, “I don’t know even know the sport anymore.” Crazy unbelievable athletes. No fear.

Then, on a hot hot hot day, another one, with increased humidity, lovely…time to refresh in the Place de la Republique.

Blanquette du Limoux. Si bon.

Y

E

S

❗️

Gorgeous capture. Last day in the Pyrenees.

À bientôt.

❀

Tomorrow, the Feast of Mary Magdalene.

 

Dayle in Limoux – Day #16

July 20, 2022

‘No one feels deeply at home on this planet; it is not where we come from, and it is not where we are ultimately headed. It is a place we stay but for a little while, beautiful and blessed when we allow our perceptions of the world to be overshadowed by God’s – We are here because we have a mission: to be the love that is missing in this world, and thus reclaim a darkened world for light.’

-Marianne Williamson

It isn’t our home, we’re only here for a short while.

We’re stewards. And we’re wrecking the place. The leaders have failed Gaia and most likely the future of all humanity. Many species will survive, perhaps thrive, after too many years of recovery. Humanity though? Gone. Metaverses and AI don’t count. This is Gaia’s home. If we could only change our perspective from taking to giving, to repairing, and saving in honor of those who have been here, and those yet to come. How can we be that ‘light’ in our corner of the world? I spoke about this with someone I met after the Tour stage in Limoux who lives in Modesto, CA, in her 70’s, who teaches still in a private school and is depleted by what’s happening in the United States. She feels she can only be an example, and create light in her corner of the world, for her students and their parents, guardians, and families. She is ‘reclaiming’ that light for them. We are desperately running out of time and we must, must, stop allowing aged white capitalist men to continue to make directions about how we heal our earth so we can live. The planet is burning. And politics is killing us.

🖤

I learned yesterday from someone at the Tour that getting a driver’s license in France is one of the great mysteries. An acquaintance of theirs has been trying for 2.5 years! The health care is amazing and plentiful, yet those DL’s? Precious. BUT. There is a car we can drive in France, as young as 14, that doesn’t require a license. It’s called a VSP. After doing some light research, I was out walking about and saw one parked in the street! Love symmetry.

Two-seaters. This one is a Citroën and all electric! Top speed? 45 kmh, or 28 mph. About $5,000.

VSP is a Voiture Sans Permis, or, ‘car without a license.’ They sell for around $6,000 new. This one is an ‘Ami’, friend in French. Love France.

And here’s a photo I found I wanted to share with you as I mentioned a couple of posts ago about Templar Knights and how they sharpened their swords. I saw this in an ancient village in France back in 2019, BT…before time.

I’m trying to find the name of the church. Anyway, this is often how they would sharpen their swords. I just learned, too, that mummified remains were found at Rennes-les-Chateau were there’s a Mary Magdalene church honoring the Divine Feminine.

I plan on being there Friday for Mary’s Feast Day on the 22nd. Rennes-les-Chateau is loaded with Sacred Geometry and the number ’22.’ The address of where I’m living in Limoux! Sacred geometry is found all over the ancient Languedoc region, discovered and reported by Sir Henry Lincoln. I’ll have more after my visit on Friday.

Soon, too, back at this place. My most personal sacred space in this region.

About six kilometers from Alet-les-Bains. It’s situated in a tiny hamlet with three houses and two farms. It dates to around 830 CE, however some believe other structures were on this site during Roman times, with an ancient standing stone that protrudes through the small church floor. Here’s a picture of Sir Henry leaving the structure in 2019. He died on February 24th of this year. He was 92.

The exterior of the church.

Discovered inside, Mary Magdalene. The energy in this place completely envelops. Palpable and powerful. More on St. Salvayre soon.

French blue and birds in a window. Si française.

À bientôt.

❁

dayle in limoux – day #1

July 5, 2022

Think Emily in Paris, but without the clothes. And youth. When an almost two decade dream becomes a reality, it kinda feels like a simulation, an alternate reality I created in my mind because I thought about it so much.

July 3rd and 4th were travel days. To celebrate the 4th of July, I left the country. And on July 4th, another senseless gun massacre at     a     parade. Nothing will be done because the United States values guns more than life. Too many people own too many guns in the U.S., high powered military weapons. And the killing continues. I know I don’t want to go back to the cesspool that it has become, an experiment that is dissolving because of greed, power, dark money, systemic patriarchy and leaders who should not be leaders. So many brilliant, young people and minds in the United States, and this is who we get. So, yeah, I don’t want to go back. Yet, without a residency visa, I can only stay three months. I met a woman from England at the marche [market] today who has lived here five years. She shared her visa experience was one of ease and permission. Yet her driver’s license experience? Ooh la la.

It took two months to compile the needed paperwork and requirements for the visa application. I flew to Los Angeles in March to meet with the visa consulate in person. I was in their office for 4.5 hours. A week later I was denied. Their reason is that my reason for wanting to research and write in the ancient region of Languedoc wasn’t a good enough one. I will try again. Until then, I am here. Researching ruins, studying the Cathars and connecting with Mary Magdalene.

After two years of COVID French Duolingo, I’m not ready. At all. People speak French here. A lot of French. Only French. :) Phrases and words, reading and comprehension coming along, yet speaking? Pas bon. (Not good.) But, you know, Emily didn’t speak French when she took the job at that AD AGENCY in Paris. I’ll learn. I wish I had a mind for language. I took Russian in college…and a little French. Tons of Spanish in high school, and still, to this day, my first foreign language default is Spanish, which worked nicely on the Camino in Spain. Not so much in France.

Bonus. Massive bonus. I happened to choose to be here during the Tour de France. Big Fan. Yet I had no idea the tour was actually going through Limoux. What?! Yep. I think stage 16, after the rest day, on July 19th. From Carcassonne (about 30 minutes north from Limoux) to Foix as the riders approach the Pyrenees. So passing through! I’ll be there! I brought my polka dot pin from the 2004 Tour when I was on the Champs-Elysees and watched Lance win his 6th in his gold helmet. Indelible. Thank you, Theodore.

I slept 11 hours after I arrived. From San Diego to Salt Lake City to Paris to Toulouse. Delayed in Paris, but my bags made it! Even with all the flying warnings and chaos stories. Whew. I opted to pay more for a taxi instead of trying to maneuver the train with a backpack and three large bags. A taxi service I pre-ordered through booking.com (don’t) bailed on me, so I had to search for someone to drive for me. It was an hour and 30 minute drive through fields of sunflowers and grapes for their brilliant Blanquette de Limoux. Jean-Michele, my driver, was so kind. And he played Cat Stevens the entire way. Glad Cedric decided not to stay. Yeah, pretty great. It’s a sign. :)

Nicolette, who owns the flat where I’m staying, is from Scotland, her dad lives in Spain. English! She’s helping me acclimate in a language I understand. So grateful. She has put so much thought and care into her flats at La Maison 22. Her French country decor and comfort are simply perfect. My place has a small balcony and overlooks the river Aude, where I can listen to the bells from the Church of Saint-Martin, built in the 1100’s. I’ll be back. When I get that visa!

Last evening I took a stroll around the village, many establishments are closed on Mondays. It was a quiet. A young man walked close by to me and said, “Stone. Stone.” I must have looked as perplexed as I felt. And then he made the universal gesture for getting stoned. Although a lovely idea after two days of travel, weed is highly illegal in France. So, thanks, really, but no. And a smile.

Today was organizing and unpacking, streaming the Tour, French Press coffee on the balcony, happy birds, frantic ducks, and a happy heart being so far removed from the United States both physically and mentally.

Nicolette emailed me about the marche, the first of the season, every Tuesday evening through July and August in the village. Happy people, music, and dining al fresco on the historic centre around the Place de la Republique.

Tomorrow, more exploring and picking up train schedules.

Deep sorrow for what is happening in, to, the United States. So much promise. So much devastation and harm. For now, my focus is on possibility, potential, and purpose as I ease into life’s chapter 4. It took a lot to get here. To be here. It isn’t a simulation, its providence, and grace.

Thanks be to Gaia. And my ancestors, particularly, my great-grandma, Alma Evalo Latta (who gave me a mother’s love), my brother, Darrell Lee Ohlau, and my dad, Robert Dale Ohlau. Mitakuye Oyasin.

Bonne nuit.

Languedoc is a centre of the distinctive civilization of the south of France. Its name is derived from the traditional language of southern France, in which the word oc means “yes,” in contrast to oïl, or oui, in northern French. From the 13th century the name applied to the entire area in which the Languedoc, or Occitan, language was spoken and came to apply specifically to the territory of the feudal county of Toulouse.

From 121 BC the territory that constituted Languedoc was part of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis, which connected Italy to Spain, and was strongly influenced by Roman culture. With the breakdown of the Roman Empire, the region was controlled by the Visigoths in the 5th century and was partially conquered by the Franks in the 6th century.

From the mid-12th century, the Cathari, a Manichaean sect, won wide support from the people and the nobles of Languedoc; the Cathari were sometimes called Albigensesbecause of their strength around the town of Albi. They were branded as heretics by the Roman Catholic church, and Pope Innocent III preached a crusade against them, precipitating an invasion of Languedoc by a northern French army in 1209. The ensuing wars, which lasted until the mid-13th century, ended the political independence of Languedoc. [britannica.com]

❀

🌷Practicing resurrection.

April 17, 2022

“A rabbi friend taught this prayer to me many years ago. The Jews did not speak God’s name, but breathed it:

Inhale=Yah

Exhale=Weh

“God’s name was the first and last word to pass their lips. By your very breathing, you are praying and participating in God’s grace. You are whoo are are, living God’s presence, in the simplify and persistence of breath.

God creates things that continue to create themselves.”

-Fr Richard Rohr, Center for Action & Contemplation

---

What Did Easter Mean to Early Quakers?

Quakers insisted that the spirit of Christ that was experienced by Jesus’s disciples after the resurrection, by Paul on the road to Damascus, and in gatherings of the early Church, is universally available to everyone in all ages, locations, and cultures.

For early Quakers, Christ was not tied just to Jesus, but, as with the Word in the Gospel of John [Gospel of Mary Magdalene-dayle], was present from the beginning and is manifest in the prophets of Judaism and other religious traditions. One might say today it does not matter if the resurrection of Jesus was physical or spiritual, for, from the beginning, Quakers have insisted that Christ’s spirit can be experienced by any of us anywhere. Hence Mary Fisher, one of Quakerism’s founding Valiant Sixty, felt confident she could minister to the Sultan of Turkey, because he would know the same universal spirit of God or Christ that she did.

Let us then think of the risen Christ  [consciousness] as a transforming experience of the Divine that is available on any day of the year without regard to religion or theology.

What Did Easter Mean to Early Quakers?

---

 

[The Beloved Companion/The Complete Gospel of Mary Magdalene,

by Jehanne de Quillan]

The Gospel of Mary

In our present age, we stand at a crossroads in our history. No one can deny, as well at our world today, that all about us we see turmoil and suffering, war and economic exploitation, corruption and greed; while torture, rape, and murder have become politically justifiable weapons of war. In our clearest moments, we must recognize that these are the first signs of the collapse of our social and economic forms and institutions. Perhaps, in the midst of this seemingly endless change of chaotic events, we need to look very closely at the value sand beliefs that have brought us to this place. For only be amning our past can we come to understand our present, and perhaps, by learning from our mistakes, begin to change our future.

---

 

Pink Moon 

ღ

‘Focus on the feminine aspects of beauty, forgiveness, compassion and healing.’

-Power Path

‘All shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.’

-Julian of Norwich

‘History is set on an inherently positive and hopeful tangent.’

-Fr Richard Rohr

---

R

I

L

K

E

‘Ever again, though we’ve learned the landscape of love

and the lament in the churchyards names

and the terrible, silent abs where the others have fallen;

ever again we walk out, two together,

under the ancient trees, ever again find a place

among wildflowers, under heaven’s gaze.’

The origin of the order can be traced to Mount Carmel in northwestern Israel, where a number of devout men, apparently former pilgrims and Crusaders, established themselves near the traditional fountain of Elijah about 1155; they lived in separate cells or huts and observed vows of silence, seclusion, abstinence, and austerity. Soon, however, the losses of the Crusading armies in Palestine made Mount Carmel unsafe for the Western hermits, and around 1240 they set out for Cyprus, Sicily, France, and England. [Britannica]

Carmelite philosopher Edith Stein:

“I do not exist of myself, and of myself I am nothing. Every moment I stand before nothingness, so that every moment I must be dowered anew with being … This nothing being of mine, this frail received being, is being … It thirsts not only for endless continuation of its being but for full session of being.”

St. Teresa of Ávila

Of all the movements in the Carmelite order, by far the most important and far-reaching in its results was the reform initiated by St. Teresa of Ávila. [Britannica]

Ileo Delio:

“For Stein, the very existence of ‘I’ means the ‘I’ is not alone; the ‘I’ experiences loneliness only when it becomes unconscious of its very existence.”

French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil:

“Whoever says ‘I’ lies.”

[The Unbearable Wholeness of Being, p. 61.]

A final thought in memory of my late sweet friend Marilyn Andrews:

“How do we give thanks and give back to other earth — G A I A ❀ — and the cosmos and all the blessings our species has inherited?”

Rabbi Abraham Heschel teaches that a prophets primary task is to interfere.

Julian of Norwich, by calling us to interfere with patriarchy and heal the wounds that it has wracked upon human history and the human soul and the earth, beckons us from folly to wisdom. Are we listening?” -Matthew Fox

Are we practicing resurrection? -dayle

Thursday, March 24th, 2022

March 24, 2022

Slava Ukraini

‘Perhaps Sartre was not far wrong in saying that where freedom is abused, society itself turns into hell.’

L’enfer c’est les autres.

---

Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation:

“When you say you love God, you are saying you love everything (being Gaia). That’s why mystics can love the foreigner, the outsider; in fact, they cannot not love them, because they see truthfully and fully!”

“Return of the Divine Feminine (Mary Magdalene). As the late physicist David Bohm put it, ‘Something more than siren is needed.’ Values are needed, as well as the passion and courage to live them and put them into practice.”

-Matthew Fox

“Meister Eckhart, “Nature is grace.” Creation spirituality. A return to love.

Gnostic gospels of Thomas, Philip and Mary, right practice v. right behavior, the Canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Cynthia Bourgeault, Episcopalian priest:

‘Mary Magdalene’s place of honor is so strong that even the heavy land of a later (300 years), male-dominated ecclesiology cannot entirely dislodge it. […] The high position she held among the close followers of Jesus is more explicitly shown in the Gnostic Gospels where Mary Magdalene is seen as “First among the the Apostles”, not because she was the first on the scene at the ressurectioin but in a more fundamental way: because she gets the message. Of all the disciples, she is the only one who fully understands what Jesus is teaching and can reproduce it in her own life. Her position of leadership is earned, and it is specifically validated by Jesus himself.’

Again, it’s right belief v. right practice. Spiritual Creation is practice. “When you love god, you love everything. That’s why the musics can love the foreigner, the outsider; in fact, they cannot not love them, because they see truthfully and fully” (Richard Rohr).

“The world will only change as we change.”

[Now on Netflix]

Marianne Williamson:

“America has lost its capacity to respond to an emergency. Materialism and consumerism have made us dense and sluggish and unable, or unwilling, to collectively respond to even dangers in our midst.” ❁

 

Mary of Magdala

July 22, 2021

‘…the first great bough, the fruit of love & compassion, the foundation of all things.’ -Mary Magdalene ღ

Today, the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene.

Today is the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, one of the most misunderstood of all saints.  In this excerpt from A Jesuit Off-Broadway, I relate her (true) tale and how her life intersected with that of the gifted actress who would portray her in the play “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.”

America/The Jesuit Review

Who was Mary of Magdala?

by James Martin, S.J.

One of the note cards from the cathedral gift shop in Los Angeles struck a chord with the actress Yetta Gottesman, because it depicted her character, Mary Magdalene. The delicate tapestry presented a young woman with close-cropped black hair, her head bowed in prayer, her hands clasped to her chin.

Thanks in great part to Dan Brown’s best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, interest in the historical Mary Magdalene has risen stratospherically during the past few years. As with her fellow disciple, Judas, we know very little about her. Jesus cast seven demons out of her (we don’t know how these demons had manifested themselves in her behavior); she remained at the cross with two other women when the other (male) disciples had all fled; she watched Jesus die; and she was the first one to whom Jesus appeared after the Resurrection. In a touching scene on Easter morning, a grieving Mary initially mistakes the risen Jesus for the local gardener.

Even with these distinguished credentials, Mary Magdalene (the name means “of Magdala,” a town in Galilee) gradually became known as a prostitute, though there is no mention of this in the Gospels. (The word maudlin comes from her name, presumably the result of her grieving for a sinful past.) The most benign explanation for this confusion over Mary’s identity is that there is a veritable crowd of Marys in the Gospel stories (besides Mary, the mother of Jesus, there is Mary of Bethany and Mary, the wife of Clopas). Mary Magdalene was also, oddly, conflated with a woman who had bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and then anointed them with oil. In AD 591, Pope Gregory I preached a sermon in which he proclaimed, “She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark.”

Full read:

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2011/07/22/who-was-mary-magdala

[Image: Thomas Merton]

Cynthia Bourgeault:

“Mary Magdalene belongs to the great worldwide stream of spiritual awakening and has nothing whatsoever to do with organized religion.

If we are serious about activating Mary Magdalene’s wisdom presence within contemporary Christianity, the first step is to increase her visibility within the liturgy, particularly during Holy Week, where her presence is so crucial to understanding the Paschal Mystery as an act of redeeming ℒℴve.

I would like to see the entire Holy Week liturgy reframed around two parallel anointings…at Bethany and in the garden of the resurrection…which so powerfully convey the energy of transformative love.

Early Easter morning ceremonially enacted, rather than merely read, the gospel account of Mary Magdalene’s visit to the tomb. The basic ceremony, the Visitatio Sepulchri, has been around since the tenth century; it merely needs to be returned to active duty.

Mary Magdalene weaves into one whole cloth those strands that have traditionally been kept so stringently separated: conscious ℒℴve, healing, kenotic surrender, the feminine, singleness, transformation. To touch any part of the this hologram is to invoke all the rest.

We do not know for certain what happened to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection. The gospel bearing her name confirms that her spiritual leadership was honored in a least some circles of early Christianity. She may well have sojourned in France. What we do know for certain is that the fragrance of her presence did not disappear from Christianity. In mysticism and allegory, in art and folklore, in esoteric circles…all veiled, but pointing like a finger at the moon…her mysterious alchemical feminine was kept alive. Now at last, in our own times, it comes above ground again, asking us to awaken yet again to the morning of the resurrection and find ourselves in the garden, awaiting the encounter that can change our institutional hearts.

The imaginal realm is real, and through it you will never be separated from any one or anything you have ever loved, for ℒℴve is the ground in which you live and and move and have your being. This is the message that Mary Magdalene has perennially to bring. This is the message we most need to hear.”

---

‘In 591 Pope Gregory claimed that Mary of Magdala was a prostitute, a misconception that remains to this day. In 2016 she was named by the Vatican as the apostle of the apostles, their equal.’

-Written by Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett. Directed by Garth Davis.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mary-magdalene-2019

“As someone who watched it twice in 24 hours, ‘Mary Magdalene’ moved me in a way that no previous film about Christianity ever has.

Mary finds a place in the world and a cause in which to place her profound empathy. She was not just any spectator, this telling argues, so much as proof that at the core of Jesus’ teachings is a feminine influence.” -Nick Allen

[Must see.]