România | Love in the Space Between Time
“Gamble everything for love, if you are a true human being. If not, leave this gathering. Half-heartedness doesn’t reach into majesty.” ~ Rumi
Love finds a way, it always has and always will, for love imbues itself in all things. Slipping back through the cracks in time, in hollowed mountain halls Her eminence reveals, forever, timeless. Immortally impressed upon matter is our passage here with the Divine Mother.
For Love has etched itself into our very Being, the plunge to core is the answer and the way.
If one comes to România free to dream the veils are indeed thin. So raw and primal, so Present. Slowing down, listening in this rarefied space is a gift, as the mind stops spinning and senses of a past time activate, one opens to space, to sound, to echoes, to Love. The hologram reveals in shimmering light.
The first impression was tumultuous, the clatter of dishes, voices, laughter, familiar newness, the food aromas, the music and the stomp of feet on a wooden floor… all flooding in. A hand held, a smile, uncertainty brings an immediacy to the moment. The inner nods in alignment and lets go, feels a piece fly off into timeless space, an opening.
The next morning boarding our humble craft, Sophia, we set out in the early light under diffused skies of bluish grey. A road ahead, parts long ago tread and yet something mysterious and new awaits within the remembering. We climb through pine forest and trees that have shed their last leaves, winding upward toward our destination for the night, the Sphinx of România is our first stop. A momentary disappointment as we are turned away from our first port of call, our chosen shelter for the night is not available so we return from the treeless heights to lower quarters … She knows, we flow.
This night the air is icy, dew drops frozen on the low grass fields as we walk, silent, listening to the sound of ice forming, to the cold blaze of distant stars. A mountain river runs clear, her song informing of the ceaseless rhythms of Life, I am here, She sings. A campfire is built, the blaze of warmth, home … smoke swirls and evokes. We sit. A people’s voice is heard mixing in the harmony of the sacred water’s treble, they come to the edge silently in song. Hearing them – they are in communion with the water, with the trees, with the night sky, their voices reaching far in distant time and space … weaving from tree top to tree top, nature’s antenna … listen, can you hear us? Ancient ancestral ones, unbroken in love and the ceaseless dream.
“You’re water. We’re the millstone.
You’re wind. We’re dust blown up into shapes.
You’re spirit. We’re the opening and closing
of our hands. You’re the clarity.
We’re the language that tries to say it.
You’re joy. We’re all the different kinds of laughing.” ~ Rumi
The sun has broken through this next day, we shall attempt an ascent to the Sphinx, not sure I can make it from this valley floor. We head upward, body is protesting the long hours spent on a keyboard this last year, we hope the skyway tram is running though it is already known it is not. Determined and then I, admitting defeat, we rest on a grassy hill side as the warmth of the solar disk beams its rays upon us, a showering of a special blessing we bask in warmth, backs pressed to the sacred Mother. Tea is prepared on the camp stove, herbal and lemony with a touch of alpine honey sustenance of inner joy, a simple silence
Fullness now, we trek down the mountain and having passed a monastery that guards the entrance to a special rock cave on our way up, it becomes obvious that this is the desired exploration for today. Hiking deep into the Heart of Earth we wind our way up and along steel steps penetrating the inner chambers until we come to the pure inner waters pouring forth from her sacred heart, here I drink in recall and reverence.
A new campfire is built tonight along the edge of the stream that empties from the mouth of the cavern. We move in unison, no words are necessary now for we have synchronized with the all encompassing harmony that surrounds us. A few words, some laughter and bright eyes flashing cat-like in the dusk.
Time to move on, the morning sky is grey and foreboding, a storm is coming. If we are to make the Sphinx it must be today and soon. We park Sophia in a buffeting wind at the trail head and wrapped in what warmth we have we set off, a barren landscape fading in and out of view as the wind whips around us. Ascending it begins to snow, hard cold ice flung in our faces we carry on. Again the physical challenge of endurance as my body struggles against a gale force wind, only my companions’ hand that reaches out to lend me strength as we take the final grade. We push inside the shelter’s door as I gasp shaking, relieved and full of life running deeper in my veins.
The ancient Land of Făgăraş holds mysteries. We take a detour to a temple of unknown age, said to be formed by extraterrestrial races we are curious so we take this side road. The senses immediately detect an energy evoking the sacred, we walk in silence ignoring the other pilgrims bent on religious ideologies, we reach deeper into the mystery. Again a pure water fount and an entrance to a structure not stone and obviously purposely carved in a grit of sandstone, silicon and quartz crystal… eminence. Hushed tones I sense the presence of a distinctly feminine energy, a blue shimmer that transforms to sacred Mary in my minds eye. Was this place a primal foundation for our race? An inner nod and silence.
Our next destination is following the famous Transfăgărășan highway, a switch back road that is closed in winter, we are fortunate for it is partially open and so we arrive at the base of the aerial tramway. Breathtaking is the view as we ride suspended upward to the charming Hotel of Ice Balea-Lac, a winter wonderland greets us in sparkling light. Warmed inside the hotel we sit in delight with each other, offering gratitude and momentarily three people touch hands in a circle … a bright shock of pure light ignites, a moment so bright and knowing so powerful that it will simply be left here speechless in the radiance.
“It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. ” ~ John Burroughs
Magic comes with comfort later this day in the medieval town of Sibiu. Cobbled streets and a haunting feeling of the darker ages meet us as we wander through the crooked streets, we come to a cathedral and finding the doors open we explore, the steps to the bell tower are open so we climb the steep stair well … up, up, up. Rebellious by nature we ring the bell! Peals of laughter follow our way back down. We wander through the twisting streets and come upon a Christmas fair, we indulge ourselves in the lights, sounds and the joyous feelings of childhood, chocolates melt in mouths and gifts are purchased to take home.
Our stop tonight is in the Valley of the Thrones, at the Pensiunea Cotiso guest house. We arrive late and yet are received in the abundant arms by Mariana who shows us to our cozy rooms and lights a fire for us downstairs. Deep harmony overtakes us as we relax into the fires warmth, tomorrow is another day to be lived!
I know nothing of this place, not yet anyway as it hasn’t impacted my senses just yet. We are not able to pass to the ancient capital of the Dacia people, Sarmizegetusa, as the road was closed for repairs so we set off to Costeşti, a citadel and the First Royal Residence of the Dacia. What hidden mystery holds these people who I have never heard about? What fierce warrior spirit I feel, mystical and shamanistic.
Walking up the mound to Costeşti we hear voices from the past, children’s laughter and the crack of cooking fires, the energy field is thick around us, the imagination is easily engaged, this is a primal power place. One senses the water that runs underground. The three of us maintain silence, each involving in our own world of remembering.
This night I dream of a wild life in the woods, shape shifting feline forms, hair grown long and tangled with leaves and feathers as adornments. My beloved is with me in the game, hiding behind trees and springing at me in surprise to disappear again. It is a wanton abandonment to the senses that seems to know no limits. Then something horrible happened, an attack was made and our warriors were murdered in front of our eyes. Mad with grief I screamed and screamed, I uttered a vow… I will never forget, never. I will fight for freedom from my core to my last breath. These were my people too. It is the pure passion of love that moves through me in this moment, it too knows no limit.
Writing this now is as vivid as the dream as it was then, this is the journey of souls through time and space as we find each other again. In the depth of the pain is the longing to the return to love and the knowing of the mystery that awaits our next turn on the magnificent Cosmic sea, our ancient self is all of the above and more. Earth Mother, heart of flowing water, everlasting Life.
A quiet last night high in the Transylvanian Alps, a long walk under a dimly lit sky as the moon plays hide and seek with the clouds. It is cold and the river we walk beside continues on its way murmuring with the song of life. Again our silence is the best company, we seamlessly read each others thoughts now … this quiet is so timeless, so caught in eternities embrace. My only words are, “It feels like snow is on its way.”
And indeed it was…
