Published on Edge Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Going back to my native Morocco after five years absence was quite an experience this past year. I left as a corporate employee, single, glamorous and ambitious and I came back a healer, not glamorous, caring much less about ambitions and much more interested in the realms of love.
A group of Minnesota women and I spent time with my family, and then we visited Casablanca before heading south to Marrakech. We had the privilege to visit the biggest mosque in the world -- Hassan II Mosque -- which was built half on land and half on the sea. It is a jewel of Moroccan architecture. The first day in Marrakech, some of us visited the ancient part of the city, which is colorful, rich and abundant with merchandise of all kinds: spices, olives, almonds, pottery, brass ornaments, carpets, clothing, shoes and much more. We walked all morning and finally stopped to have lunch in a two-story restaurant on the roof overlooking the ancient place of Jamaa El Fenaa. Oh, the food was among the greatest enjoyments of the lands of Morocco. Mostly grown organicly, the food was served in much smaller portions, but it was so tasty. It was the middle of the day. The temperature was hot, yet feeling good.
The following day we traveled to Essaouira, the blue and white pearl of the Moroccan Atlantic coast, the city of silver, thuia wood, where you can enjoy the fish caught early in the morning for lunch! The Festival of Gnawa Music was taking place, and the city was full of visitors and artists from all over the world. Five big stages set up in different parts of town held free and open shows. The whole city was in a magical trance and the music was playing everywhere. It almost felt like one big heartbeat, and that beat stayed with me for almost two months after I returned to Minnesota. The people were dancing in the streets and there was so much joy and happiness. I realized afterward that during this whole tour I was not afraid, nor were the women with me. In fact, they sometimes stayed outside walking and shopping all by themselves until 2 in the morning.
Morocco is filled of sacred, fascinating and mystical places. However, the most sacred, powerful one that affected me the most is the kindness and the warmth of the people of Morocco. The women attending the retreat and I made wonderful connections with the people we encountered. We were helped, taken care of and overly spoiled by almost everyone: my family members, the Sufi Meditation Women's group, the hotel workers, restaurants waiters and mostly everyone we encountered!
Because I am from Morocco, I am not quiet sure if I forgot or if I ever appreciated what I had when I lived there. But this trip, despite all the responsibilities I had as a retreat leader, was the most magnificient traveling experience I have ever had!
-- Najat Fares Kessler, Minneapolis
Published on Edge Life on February, 2005. http://www.edgenews.com/issues/2005/02/postcard.html
