It has been too long since my last post. I visited my family in Spain for a week during Easter. My Spanish family come from a very beautiful and idyllic city called Toledo. It is situated in central Spain and is about an hour's drive from Madrid. Toledo is ancient and has a very rich history. During the middle ages it was the traditional centre for those who wanted to study Kabbalah and astrology and magic as many texts were translated there. It has been a traditional centre for Muslims, Jews and Christians and has a notable Arabic stamp on the place, which you can see in the architecture especially.

Easter is big in Spain and dramatic processions take place through all cities and towns every night up until Easter Sunday. In Toledo the processions usually began at midnight and would often continue on up until 3am!

I have been reading "The Mystery Religions" by S. Angus and have been reminded of just how much Christianity (especially Catholicism) drew from these religions. The processions certainly made use of many of the techniques enjoyed by those who participated in the old mystery faiths, those Catholics really know how to create drama! Dramatic music, enforced periods of silence, the ambience of the night, the flickering candlelight, the whispered prayers, elaborate and ornate icons and costumes all blend together into a well loved and time proven recipe for a heady religious experience. This is a little video I made by compiling various bits and pieces of footage, the result is a little creepy!



And now I am back home again and working towards the same goals. Beltane was pleasant and saw my first leap over a bonfire, as is traditional at this time of year. I am grateful for my friends and loved ones and even though I am still in this state of limbo in my life, I can feel the presence of something fresh just around the corner.