For the past week I have been in Chartres as a participant at the Ubiquity University’s Cosmic Dance of Astronomica Mystery School.
For some years I have dreamed of coming to Chartres to walk the labyrinth and acknowledge this sacred site of Europe. My dear friend and sistar Kate Genevieve lit this fire for me back in 2013 when we met at Parihaka and I am so grateful to finally be here ❤
Chartres has long been a pilgrimage site, reaching back thousands of years to when the Druids would hold ceremonies at the well. In those days there was a grove of 13 Oak trees where the druids met. This site was, like many other sacred meeting places, inevitably taken over by the church.
The Cathedral is known as Mary’s House or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres). It was constructed between 1194 and 1220, standing at the site of at least five cathedrals that have occupied the site since Chartres became a bishopric in the 4th century.
It has been such an amazing week where the theme of forgiveness and open heartedness has echoed through all of the teachings. We have shared our dreams, hugged trees, spun like dervishes, sung Ave Marias in the cathedral and polished our hearts. These moments are just fragments of the great beauty and wonderment which has characterised our week.
The faculty included: Apela Colorado, PhD, Ruth Cunningham, Jim Garrison, PhD, Andrew Harvey, PhD (Hons), Caroline Myss, PhD, Calen Rayne, DMin and Banafsheh Sayyad, MFA, MA.
Today we closed the week in the same way we started – with a ceremony around the tree in the secret garden. As we said goodbye to new friends and old it was clear that many deep connections were made – with the site of Chartres and the Ubiquity community. Out of the many hopes and intentions, there is one that shines through – that I may make the journey every year to be a part of this incredible melting pot of inspiration.
More soon ❤
Tracey M Benson || Bytetime 