Union at Grace Cathedral (Jan. 19, 2007) Event.

1 rating since posting on Saturday, January 20, 2007
in Nob Hill
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(submitted by gigi )

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gigi
gigi
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Union -- our artistic takeover of Grace Cathedral
Last night I was invited by Carol Luna and Brad Nye (the Artsfest director) to an event called Union at Grace Cathedral.

The email said: "UNION is intended to activate and rejuvenate the spirit and provide an igniting of our deepest individual and collective spirit within the unfolding potential of a fertile, conscious path here on Planet Earth. UNION will further cultivate an exchange of inspired ideas, the creation of new relationships and the reunion of old, and a sowing of fertile ground for deep social and consciousness I evolution."

I wasn't sure what to expect. As we arrived, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of true spirit I felt inside the Cathedral -- a sense of higher power that I have only felt inside the world's greatest Cathedrals, such as Notre Dame in France. It wasn't just the space itself, the container, but the life force this gathering filled it with.

The fragrance of amber, frankinsence, myrrh and patchouli enveloped us as we were annointed with essential oils as we arrived. Burners in cutting edge artistic fashion flashes of pink hair, long flowing sleeves, fur coats, intricate embellishments, held hands in ritual (calling in the directions) within a circle on the lavender labyrinth at the back of Grace Cathedral. We finished in a slow spiral dance.

At the end, Karma Moffit played a conch shell, echoing through the cavernous arches of the Cathedral, bringing us back here. From the altar, a DJ played glorious, uplifting, jazzy music. A beautiful woman costumed in a white feathered mask and glittered headdress, a delicate dove, started to dance, within the labyrinth. Some traced the labyrinth in personal meditation, some of us danced alone.

I meditated on the overwhelming power of the gray stone arches above me -- and the sense of being ensconsed in the vaulted space that seemed to contain the heavens, feeling the vibrations of our Union intensified to a higher vibration inside that golden number. A flood of creative ideas flowed to me. Insurmountable problems suddenly seemed solvable. I felt less alone.

It was a counterculture takeover of one of the most important spaces in the city -- a significant symbolic event with profound spiritual intention at unifying our community and bringing a higher power into play to accomplish what needs to get done. We reclaimed the church and stripped away the dogma and control, brought back ritual, community and spirit. For that brief moment it felt as if we truly could accomplish miracles together.

As the Grace Cathedral website says of the process of walking the labyrinth, the last stage is Union, returning. "As you leave the labyrinth, following the same path out of the center as you came in, you enter the third stage, which is joining God, your Higher Power, or the healing forces at work in the world. Each time you walk the labyrinth you become more empowered to find and do the work you feel your soul reaching for."

UNION was inspired by the Council of Grace: Brad Nye, Brooks Cole, Colette van Praag, David Chang, Dwight Loop, Eve Bradford, Gordon Davidson, Karma Moffett, Lynn Augstein, Mikael King, Paul Nicholsen, Ron Tofanelli, Samantha Beers, Sarah Drew, and Vinit Allen. It will take place on the third Friday of every month.

Additional Information:

Visit www.ArtSFest.org or call (415) 561-7802. - gigi , posted 01/20/07

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