I spent the afternoon in Montreal. G was looking for shoes and I was the
reluctant tag-along. Anyone who has been
to Montreal knows how busy it can get especially during the week. Traffic is a constant in the city and if
you’re trying to find parking, you better be prepared for a few annoying spins
around a maze of one ways. Some of us
who believe in Spirit usually do a few prayers before leaving home. Quick parking is usually a confirmation that
Spirit is on our side… J
G and I usually park near the Cathedral
Marie Reine du Monde when we want to go walking in centre town. It’s a bit of a stroll to reach Ste-Catherine
Street, the main shopping strip; but the “Sacred Site vibe” I’ve always gotten
from the Cathedral and its surrounding areas is well worth it.
In Shamanism, a Sacred Site is often
another word for a cemetery. For as long
as I can remember, I’ve always been able to pin point a burial ground just by
the impressions I can pick up from the land.
Of course, unless there’s a few tomb stones to validate the actual
existence of a cemetery, it’s more a hunch than anything else. It’s not like I can start digging and prove
my case…
I’ve been visiting the Cathedral Marie
Reine du Monde ever since I was a child. My grandparents were actually married there
some time in the 1920’s. It was during
my adolescence that I started having phenomenal experiences in and around this
Cathedral. Spirit seemed more abundant
there in comparison to other historical and touristic sites. Even after doing some research, I couldn’t
find too many reasons why this area felt more to me like a cemetery.
Today, we couldn’t park the car near the
Cathedral because of construction. Just
as we rounded the corner of the Place du Canada where much of the re-vamping
was occurring, we noticed a large banner showing archaeological photos of
remains discovered under the plaza of the Place du Canada where millions of
people cross every year. According to
the data there was an old cemetery exactly where I felt it…
For G and I, this kind of incident is what
we call “Geo Dreaming.” Similar to Australian Aborigines we believe that the
Earth or the land dreams or sings the stories of the living creatures; who
settle on it. We’ve noticed through the
last 15 years of exploring different cities in different countries, that
“geology” holds memory. It’s almost as
if the land remembers the wars, the love affairs, the droughts and the great
empires; or maybe it inspires them…
While visiting with traditional Wabanaki
elders in Northern N.B. almost a decade ago, it was fascinating to hear all
kinds of stories where rivers, mountains and valleys were personified with
emotions; and the ability to communicate and affect people. Some rivers were said to be angry enough to
kill. In Hawaii, Pele is not only a
Volcano; but the Goddess of Fire: Passionate, volatile and capricious. People often refer to this Volcano as if it’s
a person capable of conveying lessons and reprimand.
Indigenous people have always believed that
landscape holds and shares dreams.
Anyone who has travelled has certainly noticed that every city, village
or mountaintop holds a particular impression:
A signature of sorts. One of the
fascinating aspects when traveling across Canada and the U.S. is the perception
of invisible borders. If you are
sensitive to the land, a skill most of our ancestors possessed because they
were dependent on nature and the stars to survive, you can also be attuned to
the memories buried there.
Just as we passed the Cathedral, G brought
back a story; which occurred in winter of 2006.
I woke up from a dream that morning where EC, a Passamaquoddy deceased friend
and teacher, asked me to go to the Cathedral of Marie Reine du Monde for 11:00
am. I remember sitting in the Church
with no real idea of what to do next.
Suddenly my cell phone rang and I had to step out to take the call. When I returned my winter gloves had been
stolen.
I was pissed off!
I couldn’t believe I got robbed in a
Church. There were a few homeless people
roaming the aisles that day trying to stay warm. Since I wasn’t there to witness the robbery I
couldn’t accuse anyone. Plus, I figured
these people needed the gloves more so than I.
I gave a gratitude prayer for the abundance and beauty Spirit has
granted to my life – and left wondering why EC had sent me there for something
seemingly insignificant.
Today as I read the story behind the
cemetery I understood that even in the 1800’s the Cathedral of Marie Reine du
Monde attracted countless people dealing with hardships. Built near the Port of Montreal, the Catholic
Church received many immigrants who were leaving famine, illness, and poverty
for a new World and a hopeful future.
This Cathedral contributed in helping many Catholic families settle
in. A good amount of the remains found
on site were relocated to the Côte des Neiges cemetery and belonged to victims
of an outbreak of cholera in the mid-1800’s.
It’s amazing how we can humanely alter the
land we live on but we can’t erase the memories of the past. Our ancestors ironically left behind a
legacy; which ‘til this day still unconsciously affects us. Our dreams, our thoughts, our emotions are bombarded
by memories on a daily basis; sometimes we are the solution or the resolution
to old stories and other times, we carry the burden of the land.
Do you have a Geo Dreaming story to
share? If yes, please send me a comment
with the details.
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