moonshadows

We made a task list, put pencil to paper. We suddenly have an abundance of workers and a lot of things going on simultaneously, it was time to get organized. There are projects to tackle, plants to water, filtration systems to monitor. One of many items on the list: a huge pile. Part debris, part building supplies to be salvaged, we marked this item "ALL" thinking we could make short work of it with all hands contributing. Later that afternoon, and I'm still not sure why, this was taken on by just David and I. We made good progress just the two of us, he is certainly able bodied, and I am slowly getting there. We sorted, we stacked, we hauled, we unloaded. All the while talking, for the most part uninterrupted. He learned a lot about me and I about him... and about this magical place.

There is still so much history surrounding this homestead that I have yet to uncover. I am only just beginning to understand its story and significance, both personally for the current owners, but also in the context of the nearby villages and to Portugal. One thing is certain, this place has always been holy. There has been a temple for Nossa Senhora da Orada in existence for hundreds of years; one of the conditions for purchasing this property was actually to keep temple in case someone from the town came to seek it out. Pre-dating Christianity, they believe it had pagan significance as well. This makes sense to me. The general energy here, the secluded and almost hidden nature of it within the landscape. David talked about how the moon will sit symmetrically over the property, shining down in such a way that it's all very easy to imagine.

It so happened that last night was this month's full moon. I watched it rise over the course of a few hours, peaking directly in the center of the hill. The shaman that was here recently apparently commented on our valley's particular "vibrations". I have to say that last night I really felt I could feel them too. The air here is so clear and crisp here, it felt like the brightest moon I had ever seen, so bright it actually created shadows.

Tonight, as it wanes, we are still illuminated such that one could easily take a walk without aid of a flashlight. But as it stands I am once again exhausted from a long day of good hard work and only looking forward to another deep and bright sleep.