All of those resonate with me. They are meaningful, profound and mindful and can be interpreted in different ways. This is how each commandment sits with me....
Breathe Deeply
For someone who used to live in a fast paced world, being busy every day and ascribing to the rat race, I often used to forget to breathe deeply. During one period in my life I experienced panic attacks and forgot how to breathe altogether! Crazy to think there are times you don't think to recognise that your breath is your life force. Today I breathe fully and mindfully, I breathe in fresh air, from clear skies, I breathe in the culture of these amazing historic villages and towns. I breathe long and deep, thankful thank I have made the right decision and found a place that feels like home. Watching the people who have been born and raised in these villages, they are all so calm - they walk slowly, smile easily, talk freely and live long. They have an inherent ease about them which I can only link to the beautifully moderate pace of life here.
Listen to the walls
Never have I lived in a place so steeped in history and tradition where you feel like you could be encased within the pages of an archaic book. The first time I came here I was astounded by the huge boulders that pepper our landscape, like ancient sleeping giants. All around me I can feel Roman soldiers passing by or medieval farmers tilling the land. Stone walls cushioned in moss line our pathways and cork trees that are hundreds of years old whisper in the wind. It has a truly magical feel. On our land I keep turning up artifacts - old bottles, shoes, farm implements and what not, that remind me of those who's steps I'm following in. One day I'll find gold perhaps!
Believe
This is a biggie.... If you believe, you CAN make it happen. When we first came upon this place we now call home we used to sit on an old stone bench outside the house with the stunning view of the Estrella Mountains to the west in front on us. We sat and ruminated how good it was going to feel when, as owners, we would sit here drinking coffee in the morning and wine in evening - it was already OUR view. We never thought this place wasn't going to be ours, we had total faith that it was right for us, and by hook or by crook, we were going to get it. And we did. That's belief. Over many centuries people have travelled these lands, persecuted by various regimes and made it their home. They believed this was their place too, and it was.
Look Beyond
It's always good to broaden one's horizons and it's said that people are called to this region by strange energetic forces - I myself can't pinpoint how exactly I came to be here, feeling that I was drawn here in some inexplicable way. Others swear blindly that it’s a landing place for UFOs. In one of the local Facebook groups I'm a member of people often ask if anyone's noticed unusual recent sightings in the sky. That aside, in a more common sense way, I've found this region to be very mentally and spiritually expanding. There are many different types of people from all walks of life all willing to share and welcome you, non judgmentally. I've found myself to be more sociable and accepting and less cynical since settling in to the community here.
Listen To The Countryside
Until now I never had such joy at immersing myself in nature. It's impossible not to love it every day. I read somewhere that you should walk as if with each step your foot is kissing the ground, at one and in harmony with your surroundings; when I walk around our land there are so many delights - seeing the Kingfisher swoop out of the well, observing the fruit trees develop through the seasons, watching the rabble of goats and sheep as the shepherd escorts them past our front door; currently in the evenings I can hear a chorus of frogs. Plants, birds, animals and insects are all evident in abundance.
Savour Life
Savouring life in central Portugal has a lot to do with enjoying the fruits of your labour and your land. This has been massively rewarding for us. I've become an accidental farmer! Producing olive oil, wine, growing peaches, figs, lemons, oranges, apples and pears - more pears than we could ever know what to do with! In addition we have discovered local specialities such as a world award winning cheese, which is a blend of goat and sheep cheese, smoked sausages and my favourite 'pastela da nata' a custard pastry. On a less obvious level I'm savouring life TO THE FULL, not just in terms of what we eat. Less is more here. Less stuff, less money, less noise but more time to appreciate and savour the things that are important, like relationships, nature, your self.
Be Silent
In a world that is generally pretty hectic, it's both energising and calming to be somewhere where you can just 'be'. To have a peaceful place to be silent, with no intrusions or distractions. To have time and space to reflect, to look inwards as well as outwards. There is a lot of strength to be gained from the epic mountains and rocks that surround us here. They silently watch over me and remind me to stay grounded.
So that's my take on the seven commandments for Beira Baixa and I think they are an excellent and solid set of rules to live by.
Finally, a quote From Patrícia Brito, who sums it up perfectly:
"These are the seven commandments for discovering one of the most authentic regions of Portugal, where the African outlook of the Alentejo finishes, crumpling up and becoming mountains. Here, in these lands of world navigators there are Roman ruins, Medieval castles, fine bloodlines and embroidery, schist houses and historic villages. There are also cheeses, smoked sausages and game, as well as beautifully tranquil fields, rugged mountains, and tall houses emerging from mature cherry orchards. People are traditional, upright and weathered like granite, and will raise their hats to greet you".
Todo Bem xx
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