Sacred Space, Sacred Sound: The Acoustic Mysteries of Holy Places
Sacred Space, Sacred Sound: The Acoustic Mysteries of Holy Places
Overview
Chartres Cathedral Cathedral space is perfectly suited for chanting because the voice too has immense space, great depths and soaring heights. The voice can be a nave waiting to be filled with praise, a passageway for the Divine. The voice can be a reflector of silent interiors, a deep well of knowing, an altar to receive communion. Sound travels up through the body. The voice is the place where spirit and matter merge, where heaven is brought to earth.The CryptSometimes we need to be witnessed by others for these mysteries to unfold. On my second day at Chartres I toured the crypt with six others. I asked the guide if I could sing, still reverberating with my experience singing the night before. "Oui, Madame." After I sang a brief song, a Belgium couple came up to me. The man said, "It was you Madame! It was you we heard sing in the cathedral last night. Do you know that your voice filled the entire cathedral? We went all around looking for you." He said his name was Franz and introduced me to his wife Beatrice. Since he spoke fluent French I asked if he would mind asking the guide if I could return to the crypt to sing for a longer time. "Yes, will you allow us to accompany you?" I was moved to have companions with me on my song quest.The three of us returned later that afternoon and had an hour alone together in the crypt. Wordlessly I went to the altar of Our Lady Under the Earth. Franz and Beatrice sat on different sides of the aisle. We were silent, each in our own state of prayer. I closed my eyes breathing in the narrow chapel and heard centuries of pilgrim voices still lingering in the air. I heard the sound of my heart, a song of the moment emerged, first with deep blue "Ouuu's" that changed into rosy "Ahhh's." The "Ah" became Ave Maria. I felt I had sung here before with these two people. I was drawn to walk down the aisle singing. From the back of the crypt I heard the overtones of my Alleluia resonate off the far wall where the Black Madonna sat. I imagined what it would be like if the room were filled with other singers. Suddenly the lights went out and just as suddenly tiny rose colored lights illuminated the aisle. A group of about twenty singers entered the crypt singing Alleluia. They formed a circle around the altar and sang. I moved slowly towards them. Franz joined me and we walked down the aisle together. The group opened to include us and we all sang as one, becoming the rose singing together in praise of the mystery.After several songs in Latin we processed slowly up and down the aisle singing Alleluia, singing this pilgrim's path. Some sang with their hands over their hearts, others with their hands extended out. Some walked with their eyes closed. Mine were open in ecstasy. Then, without a word or cue, following some other voice, they left singing. We heard their voices linger in another part of the crypt. Then it was quiet.Beatrice was crying. She looked at me with tears streaming down her face. I sat in front of the Black Madonna and now it was my turn to cry. I felt so small compared with all this glory and beauty. I couldn't comprehend any of it. I heard the Black Madonna speak to my heart, "Yes, you are small, tinier than you can even imagine. Do you know how vast the universe is? You can't begin to understand the powers that move through me. Do you know how big you are? How much you are needed? Do you know how important it is that you sing?" I sat with her words, humble and grateful, moved to trembling.As we were leaving Beatrice paused for a moment and then went to the altar. She stood silently and then sang a song in Dutch, her voice shook with emotion and praise. We emerged from the crypt, hugged and then parted. Later that day in the cathedral I met the three English ladies who had been with us on the crypt tour. When they asked me about my day I told them the experience I had in the crypt with Franz and Beatrice. While we were talking they appeared. I introduced them to each other and asked Beatrice about the song she had sung. She told me she was scared, that she had never sung alone, but knew it was something she must do. As she translated the song into English the three ladies beamed, "we know that song! It's written by Rudolf Steiner. We must all sing it together in the center of the labyrinth." Franz said "Yes! The cathedral and the human cathedral must meet through the voice!" Together we walked into the petals of the labyrinth, six of us, from Belgium, England and America, one for each petal.In Search of the Holy Grail Do we wander from land to land...I left Chartres, that great Lady of Roses, on a bus to southern France. As I climbed aboard I saw an African woman dressed in a long blue satin gown with a blue satin turban on her head. At her breast was a nursing child. The Black Madonna has traveled with me ever since.Description
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- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
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- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
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We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Overview
Chartres Cathedral Cathedral space is perfectly suited for chanting because the voice too has immense space, great depths and soaring heights. The voice can be a nave waiting to be filled with praise, a passageway for the Divine. The voice can be a reflector of silent interiors, a deep well of knowing, an altar to receive communion. Sound travels up through the body. The voice is the place where spirit and matter merge, where heaven is brought to earth.The CryptSometimes we need to be witnessed by others for these mysteries to unfold. On my second day at Chartres I toured the crypt with six others. I asked the guide if I could sing, still reverberating with my experience singing the night before. "Oui, Madame." After I sang a brief song, a Belgium couple came up to me. The man said, "It was you Madame! It was you we heard sing in the cathedral last night. Do you know that your voice filled the entire cathedral? We went all around looking for you." He said his name was Franz and introduced me to his wife Beatrice. Since he spoke fluent French I asked if he would mind asking the guide if I could return to the crypt to sing for a longer time. "Yes, will you allow us to accompany you?" I was moved to have companions with me on my song quest.The three of us returned later that afternoon and had an hour alone together in the crypt. Wordlessly I went to the altar of Our Lady Under the Earth. Franz and Beatrice sat on different sides of the aisle. We were silent, each in our own state of prayer. I closed my eyes breathing in the narrow chapel and heard centuries of pilgrim voices still lingering in the air. I heard the sound of my heart, a song of the moment emerged, first with deep blue "Ouuu's" that changed into rosy "Ahhh's." The "Ah" became Ave Maria. I felt I had sung here before with these two people. I was drawn to walk down the aisle singing. From the back of the crypt I heard the overtones of my Alleluia resonate off the far wall where the Black Madonna sat. I imagined what it would be like if the room were filled with other singers. Suddenly the lights went out and just as suddenly tiny rose colored lights illuminated the aisle. A group of about twenty singers entered the crypt singing Alleluia. They formed a circle around the altar and sang. I moved slowly towards them. Franz joined me and we walked down the aisle together. The group opened to include us and we all sang as one, becoming the rose singing together in praise of the mystery.After several songs in Latin we processed slowly up and down the aisle singing Alleluia, singing this pilgrim's path. Some sang with their hands over their hearts, others with their hands extended out. Some walked with their eyes closed. Mine were open in ecstasy. Then, without a word or cue, following some other voice, they left singing. We heard their voices linger in another part of the crypt. Then it was quiet.Beatrice was crying. She looked at me with tears streaming down her face. I sat in front of the Black Madonna and now it was my turn to cry. I felt so small compared with all this glory and beauty. I couldn't comprehend any of it. I heard the Black Madonna speak to my heart, "Yes, you are small, tinier than you can even imagine. Do you know how vast the universe is? You can't begin to understand the powers that move through me. Do you know how big you are? How much you are needed? Do you know how important it is that you sing?" I sat with her words, humble and grateful, moved to trembling.As we were leaving Beatrice paused for a moment and then went to the altar. She stood silently and then sang a song in Dutch, her voice shook with emotion and praise. We emerged from the crypt, hugged and then parted. Later that day in the cathedral I met the three English ladies who had been with us on the crypt tour. When they asked me about my day I told them the experience I had in the crypt with Franz and Beatrice. While we were talking they appeared. I introduced them to each other and asked Beatrice about the song she had sung. She told me she was scared, that she had never sung alone, but knew it was something she must do. As she translated the song into English the three ladies beamed, "we know that song! It's written by Rudolf Steiner. We must all sing it together in the center of the labyrinth." Franz said "Yes! The cathedral and the human cathedral must meet through the voice!" Together we walked into the petals of the labyrinth, six of us, from Belgium, England and America, one for each petal.In Search of the Holy Grail Do we wander from land to land...I left Chartres, that great Lady of Roses, on a bus to southern France. As I climbed aboard I saw an African woman dressed in a long blue satin gown with a blue satin turban on her head. At her breast was a nursing child. The Black Madonna has traveled with me ever since.Description
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
Shipping & Delivery
Shipping Fees
- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
Shipping Cost
We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
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