Syria is full of fascinating sites and Palmyra was one place that left a special mark on my radar. However, Deir Mar Musa is worth an entire entry if not more. Deir Mar Musa is an old monastery in the mountains of Syria and requires climbing over 1,000 stairs to get there, but the visit is worth the hike.
Paulo, a priest from Rome, has been overseeing Deir Mar Musa since 1982 with the intent to revitalize the monastery way of life and teach about a monastic lifestyle. He and a few others who share his vision strive to synthesize Islam and Christianity, but most who go there are neither Muslim, Christian or religious in general. There is no preaching here, just people gathering from all over the world, from various stages and walks of life, discussing their experiences (spiritual or not) and gathering around the possibility of something greater than themselves, whatever it may be. Paulo and the others here recognize that people are searching for something and rather than pay attention to the details of one religion or another, Paulo emphases that, "god is not with you or with me, God is with us."
When staying at the old monastery (the main one I stayed in which has been in use from the 1600s and two other buildings constructed more recently to support the growing number of people who come here during certain seasons), you are provided with a communal bedroom, as well as clean sheets, blankets and towels. Meals are served three times daily, tea is available at any time, showers, bathrooms and a library are also provided, there is plenty of mountain for hiking and there's an old church (my favorite part of the experience) near the entryway. Meditation as well as prayer services are held in the morning and at night, though no one is required to attend anything and everyone helps do what they can (cook, clean, etc.). If you want to leave a donation at the end of your stay you're more than welcome to, though it is not required, otherwise you pay nothing. People here stay for days, months, and even years as they take in what the place has to offer.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not religious. However, I attended the prayer and meditation services and found them to be nothing short of beautiful. The bibles on the shelves of the church were in Arabic, German, French and a variety of other languages. Almost everyone attended the services and there was something so powerful about the diversity of age, language and spiritual beliefs in the room all coming together regardless of the differences.
There is a serenity to the desert that is unique from other venues in the natural world; it emanates a spirituality of a different taste. Despite the compliment of the desert mountains and plains, there is a power to this place that is indescribable and originates not from its surroundings, but from within. I simply felt alive here. It was as if all the experiences, thoughts, emotions and unknowns from the last year and beyond were able to break free from the confines of my subconscious and face me head on. I could see here and amongst all of those thoughts I'd been putting off for later came giant strides of clarity.
I write poetry. For the last year and a half or so I've had an incomprehensible writer's block, but for the first time in a long time I could write like I use to. I was only able to spend a day and a night here and it pained me to leave, but I am determined to return and stay for at least a week, if not longer. Check out the pictures to get a better feel for the place (soon to come I promise) or as I highly recommend, go there yourself.
Paulo, a priest from Rome, has been overseeing Deir Mar Musa since 1982 with the intent to revitalize the monastery way of life and teach about a monastic lifestyle. He and a few others who share his vision strive to synthesize Islam and Christianity, but most who go there are neither Muslim, Christian or religious in general. There is no preaching here, just people gathering from all over the world, from various stages and walks of life, discussing their experiences (spiritual or not) and gathering around the possibility of something greater than themselves, whatever it may be. Paulo and the others here recognize that people are searching for something and rather than pay attention to the details of one religion or another, Paulo emphases that, "god is not with you or with me, God is with us."
When staying at the old monastery (the main one I stayed in which has been in use from the 1600s and two other buildings constructed more recently to support the growing number of people who come here during certain seasons), you are provided with a communal bedroom, as well as clean sheets, blankets and towels. Meals are served three times daily, tea is available at any time, showers, bathrooms and a library are also provided, there is plenty of mountain for hiking and there's an old church (my favorite part of the experience) near the entryway. Meditation as well as prayer services are held in the morning and at night, though no one is required to attend anything and everyone helps do what they can (cook, clean, etc.). If you want to leave a donation at the end of your stay you're more than welcome to, though it is not required, otherwise you pay nothing. People here stay for days, months, and even years as they take in what the place has to offer.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not religious. However, I attended the prayer and meditation services and found them to be nothing short of beautiful. The bibles on the shelves of the church were in Arabic, German, French and a variety of other languages. Almost everyone attended the services and there was something so powerful about the diversity of age, language and spiritual beliefs in the room all coming together regardless of the differences.
There is a serenity to the desert that is unique from other venues in the natural world; it emanates a spirituality of a different taste. Despite the compliment of the desert mountains and plains, there is a power to this place that is indescribable and originates not from its surroundings, but from within. I simply felt alive here. It was as if all the experiences, thoughts, emotions and unknowns from the last year and beyond were able to break free from the confines of my subconscious and face me head on. I could see here and amongst all of those thoughts I'd been putting off for later came giant strides of clarity.
I write poetry. For the last year and a half or so I've had an incomprehensible writer's block, but for the first time in a long time I could write like I use to. I was only able to spend a day and a night here and it pained me to leave, but I am determined to return and stay for at least a week, if not longer. Check out the pictures to get a better feel for the place (soon to come I promise) or as I highly recommend, go there yourself.
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