Andalusia first impressions and inspiration

Looking back today to my trip to Andalusia last month. The first words I have written in my journal were:

Where olives, walnuts, figs, almonds and pomegranates are growing on the trees - there I feel home…

Right, I felt very touched by this andalusian environment and culture - something felt so familiar.

Although it was only a short trip, it was incredibly enriching and fulfilling.

In fact, the trip kindled my creativity and passion in a way which I would not have expected.

Traveling to inspiring places and creating art and inspiring courses from the artistic and cultural impressions and energies of the places is one of my biggest dreams. So I could say that this was my first baby step in this direction!

I am going to share with you my impressions, inspirations and ideas in several posts.

My first inspiration: THE POMEGRANATE

The first thing that caught my eye when I arrived in Andalusia was the pomegranate.

While exploring with my dog Luna the area around the small village of Nivar I saw these fruits everywhere. In full maturity this time of year. The pomegranate is one of my favorite fruits. A fruit that has always fascinated me. I remember when I discovered this fruit for the first time. I was a kid then. My grandpa and grandma traveled every year and they always brought something special with them. It was often an interesting fruit that I had never seen before. So one year they came back with the pomegranate! I had the feeling of seeing hundreds of small gemstones. I was so fascinated! And I am still today. The beautiful intense red color, the shape of the seeds, the taste, everything gives me the feeling that this is a very special, precious and magic fruit!

I learned that the pomegranate is the symbol of the city of Granada. It was brought to Andalusia from north africa. That's why you can see it everywhere: painted on house walls, street signs, as sculptures, on ceramic dishes, etc. Even our rented house had richly painted tiles with the pomegranate motif everywhere.

Some say that the pomegranate is the apple from Eve. It is a sacred fruit for jewish people and also one of the three blessed fruits in buddhism. In Syria it is the symbol for the goddess Atargis - the goddess of fertility. It means life and rebirth in Greek mythology.

Did you know that the pomegranate is a so-called superfood? It has powerful antioxidant properties which prevent cell damage. It is rich in fibers, Vitamin A, C, B and K, iron and potassium. It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. It is said that it goes straight to your heart!

I discovered the symbolism of the fruit and connected myself to it by eating and drawing it ;)

It is the symbol of fertility and abundance. What a welcome sign at the beginning of my journey!

And right! Nature reflected the abundance everywhere: ripe fruits as far as the eye can see: olives, almonds, walnuts, khakis, figs and the pomegranates …

And I can tell you: when I arrived home back in France I felt as if my heart itself had transformed into a pomegranate :) It felt so vibrant and full of passion, inspiration and new potential! Ready to seed itself in new creations, courses, ideas and projects…. More about this soon!

Stay tuned!

♥ Maria