Dear Empowered Wayers:

About 800 years ago, the Sufi Poet, Rumi, began writing about love, loss, and life. His poetry is timeless and speaks to the common thread of humanity across time and space.

Another place that also speaks to the common thread of humanity is the gothic masterpiece, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral, located in Chartres, France. The current building was finished in 1260, about the same period that Rumi was creating beautiful poetry.

Is that a coincidence? Or a confluence of energy that materialized in poetry and architecture?

Sacred and Holy Ground

The location of the Cathedral is known as an ancient, holy site for the Druids and Celts. Ancient texts indicate a pagan sanctuary dedicated to a young woman who was to give birth. For Christians, this story predicts the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus.

A church has stood on this ground since at least the sixth century. An altar dedicated to Mary has been identified as from that era. Earlier buildings were destroyed by fire or invaders and the current masterpiece of Gothic architecture was built on the foundation of its predecessors.

There are many layers of meaning embodied in the Cathedral. On the surface, it is a monument to Mary, Jesus, and the Christian Story. Statues of prophets, angels, and saints adorn the portals and exterior. The collection of 12th and 13th century stain glass portrays the Old Testament and New Testament in brilliant colors and shapes. In fact, there is no natural light that does not shine through the stained glass.

The physical presence of the Cathedral is massive. The two spires next to the West Portal can be seen for miles and provided a beacon for pilgrims traveling long distances. The interior feels infinitely spacious because the vaulted ceiling is 120 feet (12 stories) above the ground.

The designers and builders of the Cathedral also included older, pre-Christian elements. The stone labyrinth in the nave is the most obvious.

The Chartres Labyrinth

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol of wholeness. The imagery of the circle and spiral combine into a meandering but purposeful journey. The labyrinth represents a journey or path to our own center and back again out into the world.

The Chartres labyrinth stretches across 240 feet and it sits between the West Portal (the main entrance) and the altar. Before the Church covered it with chairs, worshipers would walk the labyrinth as a meditative and preparatory practice before moving deeper into the church.

Study the design of the labyrinth. You will see that there is only one way in and out. The path inward reaches the six petal center, where God is said to reside.

As Kathleen McGowan describes so beautifully in her book, “The Source of Miracles,” the labyrinth was created “as a prayer tool, a path that could be walked while praying, toward a center where God awaits.”

This ancient prayer tool directs you to the center, “where God awaits.” Rumi’s poetry has the same impact, only with beautiful words and images that invoke sacred union with God.

The Story of Rumi

Rumi was a Sufi poet who lived in the 12 Century. He was also Muslim and gay, in a culture that abhorred homosexual behavior. As you can imagine, he never felt as if he belonged.

He longed for true love. He finally found it in his early 40s, even though he was married with children. Rumi left his family for his new love, but it didn’t last long. His lover was murdered and Rumi became lost.

Why had he found the one thing in his life that he longed for, only to have it taken away?

To move through his grief, Rumi began to write poems. His writing helped him find faith, trust love again, and feel peaceful. As he continued writing, Rumi discovered a deeper love with himself.

His great insight was that the love he gave to his lover was always in him. He didn’t need the other person to feel that same love for himself. And from that love, Rumi wrote timeless words that still ring true today.

Imagine the Chartres Cathedral Speaking This Poem to You

I recently returned from a trip to Chartres. I was there for a workshop called, “Holding Space for the Sacred,” given by Lauren Artress and Judith Tripp from Veriditas. We spent many hours in the Cathedral and experienced a private walk of the labyrinth.

To say that my time in Chartres was life changing is an understatement.

When I returned home, I discovered the following poem by Rumi. It felt as if the Cathedral was speaking to me from across the miles. Please read it slowly, as if a higher power was speaking from the first person (“I”).

I have come to drag you out of your selfand take you into my heart.

I have come to bring out the beautyyou never knew you hadand lift you like a prayer to the sky.

If no one recognizes you, I dobecause you are my life and soul.

Don’t run away, accept your wounds andlet bravery be your shield.

It takes a thousand stagesfor the perfect being to evolve.

Every step of the way I will walk with youand never leave you stranded.

Imagine having a relationship like this. Imagine that you are held and loved, no matter what your past or your weaknesses.

Imagine finding God at your center.

To your blessed life,

Kathryn

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