Constância - A haven for the heart
September 13, 2024
Pilgrimage is an invitation to discover the labyrinth of our hearts. As we walk on sacred paths, and traverse our own lives, we are each invited to experience love in her infinite guises. Certain places can invoke or awaken our hearts, such that we feel openings in our emotions which express joy and happiness or a calm peace. And so it is for me with Constancia.
Located at the confluence of the Tejo and Zezere rivers, Constancia has a quiet confidence of a place which knows herself, is proud of herself and sure of her roots and present day offerings. Her modesty and gentle presence provided the perfect place for me to write two books and produce a series of six paintings. They are featured on my website as evidence of what the soul of Constancia can ignite in our creative spirit to be manifested. That Camoes lived here is no surprise, since there is something in the air in Constancia which provides the space to explore the depths of our being and it’s infinite potential and flourishing.
As I have nested in the arms of Constancia, walked her winding streets, sung in her church, and frequented her many cafes, my heart has kissed her residents. They are the true treasure in her story. All those residents I have embraced and engaged with in my faltering Portuguese or French, have helped to mend the soft petals of my heart which needed mending, and allowed the rose within me to fully bloom. I love Constancia with a profound resonance I might be able to convey by singing Fado, or with a poem crafted at dawn when the sun rises over the town as the river taxi driver starts his day. Go to Constancia when your spirit needs nourishment, since it is indeed a haven for the heart. Buen camino.