Hello again everyone,
I’ve got a smorgasbord of flavors for y’all. The next 7 days of this tour have 6 shows in 3 countries. There is already so much that has happened since, so I’ll do my best to keep y’all up to date. Below you’ll find the nest VLog entry, Jarrod’s Soul Symphony, tid bits of silliness, a small gallery, and a century old pipe organ after being refurbished this year. Finally, you’ll find another creative writing that I wanted to share with y’all.
To sum it up, Germany has been absolutely wonderful. It’s been filled with classical concert halls, private concerts in curches, fantastic lasagna, and lovely fall colors. Thank you for the support and well wishes. Every one is happy and well. Now we’ve gotta get to work.
With it being All Saint’s Day I have discovered my posture to be more solemn than usual. Moments of reverence for the brevity of breath have cultivated a melancholy peace in me. Today we visited the Köln Cathedral, which took over six centuries to assemble. As I sat in that house of worship that is of a religion I do not participate in, I could feel the warmth of a companion's coat on my back as we started our long walk into Winter.
My brother turned to me and asked, “Are you a man of faith?” I turned to my right and responded, “Not of this faith, but I do have faith.” Since then, I have been steeping in that thought. I have faith. I have faith in the Golden good, the good that serves every thing. I have devotion to Truth, the purity of our words, and the congruence of our actions. I have confidence in the efforts of benevolence returning the energy you gift threefold. I believe in the power of prayer, that my thoughts permeate the composition of existence to affect not only my reality but also our shared experience.
Yesterday I was returning from dinner alone in the dark on Halloween. I was nearly back to my ephemeral home when I crossed the passageway to a graveyard. My initial sensation was a distrust that urged me forward, but as I queried with my eyes I saw a small shrine radiating with candles. Upon noticing the familiar reverence for the sacrificed savior, I decided that I would pay homage and spend time inside.
Concentric circles of small elegant candles illuminated a portrait of the virgin holding her lifeless son. In exchange for protection from meandering souls, I lit the expired candles and meditated on gratitude. After that period of intention, I walked in awe of all the lives that were entombed inside that plot of land. The landscape was ornamented with such detail that I too wanted to Rest In Peace there for a short while.
Space has a way of being impacted by intent and the effect compounds with time. A canvas for ideas and experiences to be illustrated upon that matures like wine. Those influences can saturate an area to the extent that it becomes impossible to ignore. Humans can build a tribute to a gospel and capture the attention of seculars for eras after the architect is long decomposed. But there are many species and magnitudes of temples and each has its charm.
Nature conjures its own sacred space. I’ve been blessed enough to witness a few. The summit of a mountain permits you to peer over enormous portions of Earth. A pilgrimage through discomfort and alien atmospheres to gleam a gem of wisdom that doesn’t fit into Language. At the base of a waterfall, you can witness the tireless fortitude of water’s efforts carving through Stone. These churches recite incantations that gift the scope of how massive Continuum is to anyone humble and patient enough to ponder there.
I am immensely fond of sacred spaces even though I cannot name my faith. In my wandering throughout the landscape of spirituality, I have found many traditions that I resonate with. Some teach that every step you take is onto holy ground. That lesson has forever changed how I live my life, and perform my craft. But as much as I try to embody that and leave no trace in the woods of the divine, I can’t help but think that it kisses the idea on the cheek. I surmise that if you wish to touch lips with the sacred, some spaces stand empowered and the depth of intimacy experienced there is otherworldly.