At the grotto I fell in line with the other pilgrims, waiting my turn to touch the walls of the cave and its dripping water. The atmosphere was light and joyful, although many stood and kneeled deep in prayer. As I approached the statue of Our Lady where She appeared to St Bernadette, I could feel an intensification of the energy, a slight vibration and a humming sound. The closer I came, the louder the sound became. The sound was over and above the sound of the rushing waters.
As I put my hand out to touch the dripping water and I raised my eyes, a column of light was visible to me, shimmering and dancing. My first impression was that it is a giant candle, but then my logical mind realized that this is not possible.
The only way I can describe it is 'a flame of living organic light' :
Her Divine Presence made manifest in this world, visible to my eyes.
And overwhelming and immense feelings which I am at a loss to name.
A feeling of such incredible fullness and completeness which has stayed with me ever since.
A hundred thousand harps take you
like wings and sweep you up out of silence.
And your primitive wind is blowing
the fragrance of your marvelous power
to every being and to every creature in need.
- Rainer Maria Rilke
This is an extract of my very first blog post about my first visit to Lourdes.
And since that blog post I have been offering the Art Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes for the past ten years and this year to Our Lady of the Living Fire.
Candles are kept burning at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes without fail
Contemplation
Fire and Light
Fire is of great importance to us. We use it to cook our food and to keep warm in winter. The hearth and its fire has always been a symbol of the divine presence of the Deity who provides and supplies us with what we need.
The candle is also seen as the flame of the Soul. Those with mystical sight can see the flame that is alit on the crown of the awakened ones.
One can see the halo of a burning flame with the naked eye and holy ones and awakened ones are often drawn with similar halos. Even though we understand how fire is created, it remains a mystical ocurrence with miraculous abilities.
Similarly, as prana is ignited in the body (spontaneously or through spiritual practice) and involuntary and unexpected changes take place in both the mind, the body and the heart, it is a wondrous mystical occurrence.
As inner sight develops and extra sensory perception and a vast peace eventually settles in your being, one feels drawn to make these events manifest in ritual, practise and art.
Since ancient days a candle was kept alit in the temples and cities as an offering to the heavens and as a sign of the unwavering spirit. This is still the practise at Lourdes and also at Kildare where the Brigidine nuns keep the flame lit.
She was a poor shepherdess, Bernadette,
growing up at the foothills of the Pyrenees,
on the banks of the Gave du Pau.
Tending the very poor family's
small flock of sheep
When the most miraculous vision
appeared to her.
A vision of Light
with roses on Her feet.
From this numinous event
flowed forth a stream of healing water,
a holy place was born,
Bernadette's life was transformed
into one of passion,
commitment and a vocation to the highest Love
A place where the fire was lit long ago
and the fire of your Soul
and Its unconditional love
is kept alive
And such is the miracle within our own hearts
reminding us of the Sacred in the Ordinary
and when we open ourselves to the healing possibilities
we find that Love is everywhere
Prayer
Radiant Mary, shine radiantly upon me.
Bright Lady who illuminates my inner darkness
Yours is the incorruptible fire;
As it is clean, it cleanses; as it is pure, it purifies
You are the Living Fire,
the eternal flame of Love
May my heart and eyes open to the beauty of my own being,
halo to Love's fire
Ave Maria
Om jai Mata Mary Ma
blessings
Hettienne
No comments:
Post a Comment