Meditation, August
The Madness of Love
The madness of love
Is a blessed fate;
And if we understood this
We would seek no other:
It brings into unity
What was divided,
And this is the truth:
Bitterness it makes sweet,
It makes the stranger a neighbor,
And what was lowly it raises on high.
This sage poem is from 13th century Flemish Beguine, Hadewijch of Antwerp. She was mystic, who wrote of her experience of the divine as “Love” capitalized and grammatically feminine. She, like other Beguines and Beghards in Western Europe, took the vow to not marry, dedicating her life to God and helping those in need, existing in voluntary poverty to fulfill her vision of the message of Jesus to care for the poor and sick.
Hadewijch’s spiritual poetry is ecstatic, effeminate, and unique, which of course meant she was accused of heresy (belief going against what is orthodox and famously burned at the stake should one stand accused and convicted). Yet she remained true to her vision of her own connection with her spirituality and through letters we know she taught other young women to do the same. In letters, we can read that she encouraged non-binary, open thought as a way to alchemize whatever experience befalls us for the good: “You have to consider by yourself how you endure what opposes you…when something good befalls you, examine what use you can put it…when you are troubled or of peace of mind.” All true mystics are artists, as they created art from their life and teach us to do the same. This is your "one wild and precious life", make it as meaningful and beautiful as you can.
She was a radical and her poetry evokes that spirit within each reader. Take the lines “it brings into unity/ What was divided/… Bitterness it makes sweet.” I recently learned that it was Sappho (the first poet, a female off the Isle of Lesbos in 570 BCE, who wrote of the divine feminine ever so beautifully and provocatively) who coined the term “bittersweet”. Of course a radical poet would do so. If ever there were a liminal word, as it merges binaries to come up with something all the more real. How rare it is for something to be either or, it is so much more often “And”. It is not bitter or sweet, it is bitter AND sweet.
So what can we learn from these ideas and this poem for our month’s meditation? Love, an elevated consciousness, lends us to a space of pure potential and possibilities. A lack of love, a lack of elevated consciousness, lends us to a space of limitations and division—a person is a “stranger” instead of a “neighbor”, you are "lowly" instead of "raised on high". But, the warning? This state of consciousness is a “madness”, meaning this type of radical awareness is likely not going to be generally celebrated. Ever wonder why mystics, poets, philosophers, and inventors are considered “mad” in their time? Well, Hadewijch would claim its because they have awoken their god-consciousness, entered the “blessed fate” of Love.
Since our poem focuses on the divine feminine, consider the date August 8th. By many, it is considered a day of deep potentiality, the Lion’s Gate, a day of opening instead of closing (a very liminal day). With the Sun in Leo, the star Sirius (yes, the liminal character Sirius Black is named after this star, the brightest star in our night sky), Orion’s belt, and the earth all align. Mystics have believed this to be a day infused with more light, illuminating all the possibilities. There is a lot more to say about the number 8…but this introduction should allow for some ideas to come through for yourself about what you may want to encourage and open to in your own life.
So, for the next week, especially on the 8th, read and sit with this poem each morning (give yourself 8-10 minutes to yourself). Where in your life do you need the madness of Love to dissolve limitations? Where do you need to open yourself to Love as a way to make something bitter become bittersweet, or better yet mostly sweet? What stranger could Love turn to your neighbor? What parts of your life are being disregarded as lowly that Love could elevate to most high? What a luxury to have this heretic’s poetry, to call us to find where Love can illuminate and dissolve binaries, opening us to the endless potential that is our life.
Happy meditating, be good.
Amanda
These monthly write ups are micro versions of topics explored in 1:1 mentoring and group courses.
Courses listed through 2022, hint there is one about using The Hero's Journey to help you heal and grow!
"Writing to Heal" is a 6 week workshop, starting August 11. For the introductory group, I am offering an over 35% discount! Register here and share with anyone who is ready to take their healing to a new level.
Register here for a free 30 minute Wellness Consult with me.
Sharing with other's also helps to support me and could help someone else, a win / win!
