Personal Journey - Ben Youssef Medersa, Marrakech

The Personal Study

In  Morocco, non-Moslems are not allowed to enter any mosque, which sadly limits the opportunities for exploring Islam. But there is one wonderful religious site you are allowed to visit, the Medersa or religious school, often called a Madrassa, that is attached to the Ben Youssef Mosque. It is now not in use, but, the structure, decoration and architecture is very much as it was from the time of its building in the 17^th century.

How to discover the inner life of this marvellous building? I used a technique that it very helpful to me to learn more about such places, it is a process of waiting – waiting quietly that is until the place itself suggests a journey of exploration to you. It is a simple but very effective way of connecting to special places, described in detail elsewhere in my work. But very briefly - when you visit someone’s house, do you come in the front door, and immediately and uninvited, rush through the rooms taking photographs, then upstairs to explore the bedrooms and rummage through the cupboards? No! We all understand the way to behave is to wait politely until we are invited to explore.

The Collective Meeting Space

So it should be, I think, with any special place. I therefore waited near the entrance, taking note of what I could see, admiring, for example, the beautiful decorations; until I felt the suggestion of invitation, to start upstairs where the students and teachers had their private quarters, which initially was rather surprising to me. But there I found one of the students rooms set out as it might have been while the religious school was at its height; and suddenly this special place came alive to me, and many fascinating explorations opened from that point.  The one I wish to focus on here was through the life of such a student, and how it highlighted to me aspects of all our lives - which you might call our three homes.

What opened up to me at that point was the architecture of the Medersa and how it mirrored the three levels or ‘homes’ of our student as well as ourselves – though of course each in our different circumstances. First is our ‘personal’ home of our own individual private lives – in the Medersa seen in the personal study and living quarters of each student. Then there is our collective life, which we lead out amongst our family, friends and society; in the Medersa seen in the main courtyard with its large communal fountain and meeting and gathering alcoves all around. Thirdly there is our more spiritual life, whatever is our higher or governing interest; here in the Medersa seen in the exquisitely decorated pillared hall for religious teaching and prayers, with the beautiful Mihrab in the eastern wall facing towards Mecca.

The Spiritual Point of Focus

As I journeyed through the Medersa from that point of ‘connection’ at the individual study, in my mind’s eye I also followed the student through the three aspects of their life too. Working studiously on the Koran or sleeping in their private space; gathering with friends for conversation, cleansing at the pool, perhaps also eating and other communal activities; and finally receiving spiritual instruction on Islam or praying in the religious hall. Before leaving this magical place and scene, it may be worth adding that another way of seeing our three ‘homes’ is our body, our planet and creation or the universe, as representing in more physical terms the natures of three important aspects of life that the Medersa represented so clearly.