The Sky of Salamanca
[Soulful Experiences] Guided to follow evocative soul yearnings
Travel plans were of a different nature for the two parts of this soul directed trip, the first geared towards walking part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain (more about it in upcoming posts), and the second resulting in me visiting Salamanca.
Before this time, I did not really know about Salamanca, never thought I would visit it, but deep Soul yearnings were at work, weaving strands of evocation and pursuit.
A precious connection with Soul Mentors and Guides
A number of years earlier, I received clear directions, and encouragement, to use flower essences to help me establish an effective dialogue with sources of spiritual mentoring. One of my more recent teachers, Tim Kelley, calls this a relationship with our Trusted Sources, and I specially love this way of naming it.
For this, the essence of Mountain Forget me Not was recommended to me for use on an ongoing basis, to enhance this practice of cultivating listening and receptivity.
You can see it also has the fine hairs that other Boraginaceae plants have. I have learned to see these as crystalline structures of transmission, a characteristic present in other plants of its family, like Borage and Forget me Not.
We understand, and feel, that as flower essences, Boraginaceae flowers, each one in their own way, support us in clearing and opening our internal capacity for allowing in currents of light and higher frequency information. This helps to bring in levity, when we find ourselves despondent, heavy hearted and crushed by the dense and painful aspects we witness while experiencing life in this plane.
These are precious teachings I initially received from my mentors Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, who have, from early on, inspired me in studying the Botanical Families of essence plants. Ever since, this has become I lifelong passion.
Over many years, this connection with my Spiritual Guides and mentors has been my best way of receiving blessings and guidance for spiritual nourishment and perspective. The Mountain Forget me Not flower essence developed by FES, has been a companion for me ever since, always toning my alignment and focusing my intention of staying receptive to these levels of connection.
In saying this, I want you to know that, just like everyone else, I also have to remind myself when I am in need of a dialogue with my guides. Like now, like today…. My husband is one who often reminds me of this as well.
At this time in the world, as it often has been through hard historical times, we really need to gain and hold perspective, allowing the light in.
Led to visit one of the four oldest Universities
Salamanca was the place of the oldest University in the Hispanic world, founded in 1218, also being one of the four oldest and still operating Universities in the world.
I can’t remember where I first heard about Frei Luis de Leon, a historic figure who had been a scholar there. Born from a family of Jewish origins in 1527, he became an Augustinian friar and an academic, who mastered the Hebrew language. Amongst many other endeavors, he took upon himself the task of translating several scripture texts directly from Hebrew into Spanish.
For issues related to translations he did, directly from Hebrew to Spanish (and not to Latin), he was imprisoned by the Inquisition while being an established chairman at that University, and for five years endured long trials, before being acquitted and allowed to go back to teaching at this same lecture room, that is still in place today.
….. “When denounced before the Inquisition, his Jewish ancestry was revealed, Luis was removed from the Chair of Theology at the University of Salamanca. He was immediately moved from Salamanca and jailed at Valladolid by order of the Inquisition for abetting the other two Salamanca professors. In the isolation of prison, and according to the standard practice of the Inquisition, it was a long time before Luis was told either the precise charges that had been made against him or the names of those who had reported him.”…
…”His trial extended over nearly five years, during which time Luis de León was held in prison. Finally the Inquisition at Valladolid declared Luis de Leon guilty and asked that he be given torture on the rack. This sentence, however, had to be ratified by the supreme council at Madrid.”
“But nine days later, on 7th December 1576, this body reversed the sentence. It acquitted Luis de León, ordered that his university Chair at Salamanca be given back to him, but nevertheless warned him to be more cautious in his teaching in future.” Quotes from his biography.
As I write this, I now learned that Frey Luis de Leon was a mystical poet of the level of Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Avila. I did not know this then, but I felt drawn to connect with traces of his existence and to see this University town.
Walking the streets of Salamanca to the University
Quite late in the evening, I was dropped at a small hotel I had booked, right by the entrance of the Plaza Mayor, the most perfect location for this experience.
From there, in the very heart of town (just the way I like it), all my planned destinations were at a walking distance. Early the next day I found my way to its two cathedrals and eventually to the University’s older buildings.
In Spain, families gather outside into the late hours, seated at cafe tables, eating and sipping drinks, actively socializing in these public places.
On that evening, I was still able to get a meal, even that late. On the day I left, I had this view of the plaza in the very early morning after overnight rain.
Called the Golden City, for the color of its stone buildings
At every step along the way, I was absolutely fascinated by the colors, and by the calligraphy used on the sandstone walls. Salamanca is a historical treasure, that I encourage you to learn more about.
The philosopher and poet Miguel de Unamuno, who died in 1936 under house arrest imposed by the military forces that occupied Salamanca at the time the Franco dictatorship, spoke of it: “Del color de la espiga triguera, / ya madura, / son las piedras que tu alma resisten, / Salamanca“ - Of the color of wheat spike already ripe, are the colors that your soul endures, Salamanca.
Salamanca’s two historic cathedrals and many buildings are built in this warm colored sandstone, often exquisitely carved, and on the University building’s walls, they also paint using this maroon color, the names of what each building holds.
It is said that the blocks of stone of which it was constructed, are initially soft and liable to be finely sculpted, and become harder and more resilient over time.
Calligraphy over stone walls
Calligraphy is, in fact, the evocative reason why I started writing this post, after what I shared in the previous post I wrote on Botanical Art.
Over many years, I spent hours translating and revising texts of the flower essence researcher’s original writings, and when doing this, I had moments of soul evocation, with a sense of being a scribe, carefully working on producing text with fine precision.
And this is where following Soul prompts led me to: after a one month walking retreat along the Camino, without ever knowing this existed, I was led to see frescoes originally painted on the dome of one of the oldest libraries in the world.
The old library dome named Cielo de Salamanca
Recovered after being hidden away in previous renovations, carried over piece by piece, the original painted dome of the Old Library, created by Fernando Gallego in 1485, bathes us in this amazing imagery of the constellations of the Zodiac.
The entrance to it is right by the statue of Frei Luis de Leon, inside a room with very low light. When we enter this space, we are enraptured by the presence of Archetypal figures - and stars - representing Zodiacal cosmic forces. Please make sure you enjoy this document experience, a real gift for humanity.
This Google Arts and Culture interactive document illustrates the imagery of these frescoes beyond the few photos I posted here. It is an interactive document that takes you through the remaining part of the Zodiac characters depicted on these frescoes, so you can travel into their Archetypal presences.
