SWITZERLAND
& ITALY Re-cap
Thank you to all of you who asked about my
month-long journey to Switzerland & Italy in April & May. After
reading the Summer Astrological Predictions, maybe take a deep breath. And step
back from the energy you may have experienced if you
were thinking about events in the outer world. The following is about
an inner journey interwoven with my recent personal experiences in Europe.
I arrived in Switzerland just as the winter snow was melting
and the fragrance of the blooming spring flowers pervaded the enchanting
silence of the Swiss Alps.
Swiss
Alps in the Spring
The loudest sounds I heard as I immersed myself in a 10-day
silent meditation retreat were the tinkling of cowbells, the clucking of
hens, and the gentle Alpine winds. The absence of any outer distractions
made me even more ready to sink deeply into a tranquil silence within. The
outer world gradually receded and a peaceful and rich inner world gently
emerged.
My Swiss meditation retreat drew to a close 10 peaceful
days later, on Easter Monday, just minutes after Pope Francis left
this Earth. The news quickly jolted me back to earthly reality. The Pope's
passing the day I was going to Italy symbolically screamed: "Retreat Over,
Reality Resumes." What an historic moment to be visiting Italy!
From a small Swiss mountain village, I took a
picturesque train ride through the snow-covered Alps to Italy to
visit old friends with whom I have remained closely in touch since I lived in
Florence, Italy, 24 years ago.
Once in Italy, I
discovered that the altars of many Italian churches were draped with white
cloth to commemorate the passing of Papa Francesco (Pope
Francis).
Tributes to Pope Francis in Churches Around Italy
There was a sense of anticipation in the air about
who would be chosen to be the next Pope at the upcoming conclave.
Seventeen days later, when I departed Italy for California, white smoke
billowed from the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, signaling that the first
American Pope had been chosen.
The
Vatican
There
is nothing like Tuscany in the spring....endlessly green rolling hills, budding
olive trees, blue skies punctuated by sudden rain showers, and the fragrance of
freshly budding flowers...and of course, Renaissance art & architecture...
Rolling Hills of Tuscany; Poppies Blooming in Spoleto; Assisi
Cathedrals in
Citta di Castello; Spoleto; Assisi
...and close-up of the Duomo of Florence & from a distance...
Another highlight was riding with friends through the streets
of Bologna on electric bikes. I was amazed by how quickly the bikes
went-without even pedaling! (Leave it to the Italians, where even old ladies
speed like race car drivers!)
Riding
e-bikes with friends in Bologna (I'm 3rd in the line of 6)
Bologna (pop. 400,000) is about 50 miles north of Florence
and is home to the oldest university in continuous operation in the
world. The University of Bologna was founded in 1088. Aside from being an ancient
university town, Bologna is lined with more than 35 miles of cobblestone
sidewalks under 11th-century porticos that define the city, along with medieval
towers and an ornate hilltop church that houses an image of the Virgin
Mary, said to be painted by Luke the Evangelist.
After the invigorating bike ride through the city
center, we walked up 660 steps to the Sanctuary of the Blessed
Virgin of Luke the Evangelist at the top of a hill overlooking a beautiful
panorama of Bologna.
Sanctuary
of the Blessed Virgin of Luke the Evangelist (by day & night)
Image of the Madonna Painted by Luke the Evangelist
And after enjoying pizza at the Sanctuary's summit, we
descended back down the more than 660 steps for beautiful views of the city at
night. (Lest anyone who knows me think that I ate pizza, I assure you that I
had a salad, but it came on top of a pizza crust. And the pizza crust was among
the best I have ever tasted!)
The rest of the journey consisted of visiting many spiritual
pilgrimage places-including Assisi-where we found the incorrupt remains of St.
Clare and the tomb of St. Francis.
Incorrupt
body of Saint Claire of Assisi; Tomb of Saint Francis; Cross from which Jesus
Christ spoke to Saint Francis
We also visited the incorrupt remains of Saint Rita of Cascia
in the province of Perugia in central Italy. Saint Rita of Cascia is
often depicted with roses because on her death bed in January of 1457, she
requested a rose from the garden of her former home. Even though it was January,
a time when roses normally do not bloom, a cousin found a single rose in bloom,
which led to her being the patron saint of impossible causes. Many pray
for her intercession in otherwise hopeless cases. So, if you find yourself in
an impossible situation, pray to Santa Rita!
Basilica
of Saint Rita of Cascia, Italy & Incorrupt Body of Saint Rita
Next, we spontaneously visited the village of Citerna (pop:
3,332) in the province of Perugia. It is a lazy little town where most of the
residents seemed to be in the village square on the morning we arrived, talking
about the Pope and drinking coffee.
We stumbled upon what we thought was a humble village church called the Chiesa
di San Francesco. Once inside, we were greeted by an older gentleman who
said he just "happened" to be in the church and also just "happened" to
have the key to a room where a statue of "Madonna with Child" by
the famous Renaissance artist Donatello was stored. (see photo below)
The older gentleman man excitedly put a big key into what looked like a
600-year-old lock. He turned on the lights to illumine the 600-year-old
masterpiece (sculpted between 1415-1420) and beamed adoringly at the depiction
of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. His expression and that of the
Madonna were so lovely that it brought tears to my eyes. This was one of the
many synchronicities-and miracles-we experienced on our journey through
Tuscany, Umbria, and Perugia.
Donatello's
Sculpture of the Madonna, Church of Saint Francis, Citerna, Italy
In another example, we visited Collevalenza,
a pilgrimage place in the province of Perugia, where water
miraculously sprang from the earth. The water is associated with many
miraculous healings. We were fortunate to be at Collevalenza on one of the few
days where you can immerse yourself in the holy water. We drank of the healing
waters of Collevalenza, prayed to be receptive to its healing powers, and
immersed ourselves in the holy waters. I felt refreshed and purified, as if
something I no longer needed was left behind.
I learned after I returned home that the golden mean (the phi
ratio of 1.618), also called the divine proportion, defines the
proportions of everything from the human body to a flower to a seashell to a
leaf. It also is found in the proportions of Renaissance art, paintings,
sculptures, and architecture. Because the optic nerve runs throughout the
entire brain, viewing these objects of art also coordinates the brain's
hemispheres and brings you into a sense of balance, peace and harmony.
According to one study, Renaissance art harmonizes brain functions, causes
deeper breathing, quiets the mind, and enables the viewer to feel closer to the
Divine. No wonder I craved the experience of meditating in churches
encircled by Renaissance art, surrounded by rolling hills with nature
blossoming, and immersed in sacred healing waters! Perhaps these images
can be an antidote to some of the less savory events in our world that are
disrupting collective consciousness at this time.
As I departed for California in May, and a new Pope was
chosen, it felt like a fitting finish to yet another chapter in our
ever-changing world, where there can be so much hope and promise when
we connect with the many miracles of our daily lives as well
as the love and compassion that ultimately define our world!
Many Blessings for love & light,
Laurie
***
