Wisdom and the Way of the Stars

As we proceed through the year, our planetary system is like a symphony of movement throughout the heavens. As we traverse the stars, each month gives us a new opportunity for deeper understanding on our journey.

The Holy Nights are a microcosm for this journey. The period between Christmas Eve and Epiphany is a time when time in some aspects stands still. The days and nights are pretty consistent in their length during this time, and after Epiphany the length of the days increases in the northern hemisphere.

During Medieval Times, there was a thirst for the Apostolic fervor of the early days of Christianity. This desire for passion led people to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to test themselves for endurance either through fasts, extreme hardships through monastic living and other endeavors. A famous route for Pilgrimage through the European Continent which still stands today is called The Camino de Santiago de Compostela, or the Way of the Stars.

What is unique about this route is that it literally casts a net over the entire continent. The route also has a correspondence with the Stars. Legend says that the dust of the footprints of the pilgrims made up the Milky Way. 

The Black Madonna's are found in churches, shrines and cathedrals along this Camino. An interesting correspondence with the stars is in France, where the Virgo Constellation is reflected in the location of the major cathedrals dedicated to "Our Lady" or Notre Dame. 

The star in the constellation that corresponds to Chartres is Porrima, or the Roman Goddess of Birth. There are three Black Madonna's at this Cathedral, which was also the home to a great Templar Mystery School. 

Pilgrims would flock to Chartres, start out their journey in the crypt and make their way up into the Cathedral of light. The mysteries of Birth, of Light and Dark were the focus of this school. When you go from the Crypt into the main sanctuary, filled with colored glass, you can see the beauty and meaning behind these mysteries.

The Black Madonna's are placed throughout the Camino. I think they were placed there to remind us that we must now use our will, our effort to reach out to the Spiritual World in our modern times. I also think the Black Madonna's are reminders of our cosmic origins and our spiritual natures.

After the the Christ Event on the first Easter, the mysteries were opened to all. Before this time, only a select group of people were initiated into the mysteries. After the Christ event, life itself became the initiation, and our path through the year as indicated by the journey through the stars, brings us Wisdom.

These ancient Icons and Fresco's with Christ and the Zodiac offer a unique perspective on our collective journey. As we enter the midpoint of our Holy Nights journey, it is my hope that we remember that all paths lead to the Christ for those who can take up the task, and answer the invitation to be whole.

Blessings to you as you continue your journey on the "Camino" of the Holy Nights!

Christmas Eve and the Birth of the Son Within

All the preparations are done and the world turns inward for the annual celebration of the Birth of the Christ. There is something so special about Christmas Eve. I have always loved the quality of this evening, the anticipation, the onset of the celebrations. If you haven't got everything done, then, oh well, it probably won't get done before the big day, because it Christmas is going to start anyways, regardless if you baked that amazing cookie recipe or made those awesome place cards out of foil. The Church services, the candlelight, the music, it all starts up and something magical is in everything, the light, sounds, smells and feeling.

Every year for the last decade or so, the local classical music station in Southern California broadcasts the annual festival of Carols from Kings College in Cambridge England. It is a lovely combination of poetry readings, scripture and choir music. It always starts with the Genesis story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. The significance of this story for  Christmas is the fact that the plan was put into motion way back in the dawn of human history, for the Christ to come to Earth through the vessel of a human body.

Adam and Eve: Windows to Beginnings by Paul Matei

http://www.paulamatei.com/?p=107

The first centuries of Christianity there was a comprehension of the Christ that is very different our modern understanding. It was common knowledge until the 9th century that Christ descended to Earth from the sun to join his destiny with that of humanity. Christ was seen as the "sublime being of the Sun," who descended to Earth for our benefit. 

Human beings in this context were seen as having a threefold nature; body, soul and spirit. I go into great lengths about this in my book, The Black Madonna, Journey of the Human Heart. But for our discussion here, many events in heaven and on earth conspired to create a dimming of this awareness.

Icons of the 4th Ecumenical Council of 869-870 AD

In the 9th Century, a great Ecumenical Council took place in Constantinople, then the seat of the Vatican and the head of the Holy Roman Empire. At this Council in the year 869 AD,  consciousness of Christ as a being of the Sun, and knowledge of the existence of the Human Spirit was made into heresy. Essentially, teaching, preaching or writing about the human spirit became illegal, and the church hierarchy became the disseminator of the mysteries. The mystical knowledge of the Christian impulse started to dim, and make way for a more materialistic orientation towards the Spiritual World. Ultimately, this has lead to the opportunity to develop our freedom and independence, but the drawback was a shutting down of the living knowledge of the nature of the Christ. 

The Black Madonna of Montserrat Discovered in the Mountains 

Discovery Dated in the late 700's Early 800's

Painting by Ricci 1640 AD

The Black Madonna Appearing to St. Meinrad of Einsiedeln in the 9th Century

During this time, the 9th Century, the Black Madonna's started to "appear" on the European Continent. The discovery narratives of several of the major Black Madonna's tell of the works of art revealed through light and sound, music and stars. As the age of the Crusades commenced with the founding of the Knights Templar, the Black Madonna's began to be brought to Europe by their efforts. Rudolf Steiner indicates that much of the secret efforts that the Templars had on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem was to penetrate the Sophianic Mysteries, The Grail Initiations. It is in my estimation profoundly significant that The Black Madonna's appeared in earnest during and after the 9th Century, just as human consciousness was dimming, as a invitational spark into memory. But this time, humanity would have to develop their consciousness of the Spiritual World, of the Christ Impulse out of their own efforts, through translating Divine Will symbolized by the color black and the large hands of the Madonna's.

The Holy Nights that are the yearly festival of Cosmic Memory, begin on Christmas Eve. December 24th, Adam and Eve Day, is the commemoration of the great drama that unfolded, when the spark of the Divine plan for the Incarnation of the Christ in response to the Fall of Man was set in motion. It is a time for us to remember how we can see the Sun at Midnight, that the light is present during the darkest time of the year.

What is particularly moving to me each year, each day in fact, is seeing the effort and gesture that the Spiritual World has towards to humanity. That after the event in Palestine over 2000 years ago, the Spiritual World continues to reach out to us. The Black Madonna's are for me part of this gracious reaching out to humanity, as a constant reminder we are not alone, that our suffering and endurance has purpose, and that we are thought of so highly that the Christ would come to dwell amongst us.

Blessings to you this Christmas Eve!

The Fourth Week of Advent, Darkness and Wisdom

We are now in the last stretch of Advent, completing this cycle of the Path of Initiation as modern Christians. The Third week of Advent is the microcosm for the Water Trial outlined by Rudolf Steiner in How to Know Higher Worlds. During the Water Trial, the initiate develops the qualities of attention and courage. For those of us who have been suffering with the difficulties of life, and gain from our suffering instead of spiraling into despair and anger, we know on a cellular level the gifts of these trials.

When we successfully pass through this trial, we are then allowed to enter the "Temple of Wisdom." In my personal journey, the outcome from my own suffering has been wisdom, which actually almost makes the suffering worth it. For some reason we humans need to suffer to attain wisdom, but at least this gain, this transformation, the beauty that lies beyond, is the lifeline during the trials.

The Fourth Week of Advent is the corresponding time of the year for the entry into the Temple of Wisdom for our modern day Christian Initiation. In the northern hemisphere, this occurs during the darkest time of the year. What modern science tells us about darkness speaks volumes about the spiritual nature of the Cosmos.

12 Century Icon of the Divine Sophia, Mary and John the Baptist

The Divine Sophia or Holy Wisdom is a being that is becoming increasingly more visible in our modern culture. She has many qualities and definitions. In the Hebrew Tradition we hear of her in the Proverbs, we are told that she was the first creation of God. How I like to view her is that the Sophia was the first created being, that was designed in order that creation could actually happen. There needed to be a container for the creative word of God, the Logos, and Sophia was the result. She is also considered to be the Divine Feminine Wisdom of God.

The Black Madonna in Barcelona, Spain

Our cosmos is an entire community of stars, which dance through the depths of infinity in an orderly spiral fashion. The fact that the Cosmos continually moves, continually expands without a mass collision I think is the deep miraculous proof of the existence of a benevolent creator, a loving universe.

With the development of greater telescopes, many discoveries have been made in the last several decades. Astronomer Vera Rubin in the 1970's observed that over 90% of the universe was made up of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, which could not be seen, but held everything together. For me, this is the physical reality of the Sophia, the dark, loving container for all of creation.

 The Divine Sophia by Dr. Mary Plaster

To order copies and find out more about the artist go to http://www.maryplaster.com/sophiadivinewisdom.html

As we enter into these last dark days before Christmas and the Holy Nights, I hope you feel the love that surrounds you. We are entering into the dark Temple of Wisdom, where  Isaiah tells us in verse 43:3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness, and the hidden riches of secret places." 

The Golden Madonna in the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Cathedral, Istanbul, Turkey

Resources:

How to Know Higher Worlds by Rudolf Steiner 

http://www.steinerbooks.org/books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=21921

The Cycle of the Year as a Path of Initiation by Prokofieff

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Cycle_of_the_Year_as_a_Path_of_Initi.html?id=WLpUQ5rbmU4C

The Christian Community in North America, a community of congregations that embraces Anthroposophical Christology http://www.thechristiancommunity.org/

The Christian Community in the United Kingdom 

http://www.thechristiancommunity.co.uk/

Resources for Anthroposophy http://www.anthroposophy.org/

Listen to The Black Madonna Speaks a new podcast featuring the Art, Culture and Spirituality of Esoteric Christianity, and all things Black Madonna.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackstefka

The Archangel Gabriel

The Archangel Gabriel

Winter starts today, where I am, it begins at 9 am. Yesterday, the last official day of Autumn here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, it was snowing. We joked at supper, that it already feels like winter, what would the difference be at 9 am the next day? But there is a profound difference within.

The Archangels Gabriel, Michael and Raphael

Each season is ruled by an Archangel. The Archangels are the beings that are directly above the realm of the Angels. Angels are more personal beings, each human has an Angel. The Archangels are the leaders of humanity, they help to impart knowledge of the Christ to groups, nations and ages of humanity. It was determined that an Archangelic Age was 354 years and three months, and is led by one of the seven main Archangels.

The Archangel Gabriel is best known for his announcing to Mary that she would bear the Christ Child. Gabriel is known for his participation and rulership over all things to do with birth and heredity. We are told that during his last age which was from the 1500's through the late 1800's that he was helping to create organs of perception of the Christ in humanity.

It is fitting that Winter is ruled by Gabriel, that Gabriel is associated with Christmas. Winter is the time of gestation, of preparation for new birth in Spring. These long dark nights of Winter are times of dreaming, of planning and preparing for the coming of the Sun and the renewal of life in the Spring.

I love this period of time between the Winter Solstice and Epiphany. For me, these dark days are full of treasure, are an invitation to brood, to nest, to turn in quiet to the mysteries of the Cosmic birth of the Christ. I love the image of Gabriel announcing to Mary her destiny. But more importantly, as an example to us all, Mary said yes to this cosmic destiny to the benefit and freedom of us all.

The Madonna as symbol is the representative of the ideal of humanity. The Madonna, the story of Mary is for us to say yes to the Divine, say yes to the Christ. Humanity evolves in relationship to comprehending the Christ. Gabriel announced the coming of the Christ, Gabriel helped to fashion human physicality to comprehend the Christ. When darkness descends during this time of the year, we can more accurately comprehend this miracle.

Blessings to you on this Winter Solstice day, may your dreams bring you peace

Solstice, Darkness and LIght

Winter Solstice is my favorite time of year. Growing up in Southern California, intense sunlight is almost a daily experience, and for me it was always too much. I looked forward each year to the longer nights, and the softer quality of the sunlight during Winter. 

I was having supper with some dear friends the other night, and the husband was telling stories about his work trips to Alaska. We were both sharing our experiences of being on the Arctic Circle during Summer, where the sun really never set. I asked him how he felt with the 24 hour light, he said he had to set his clock to make him go to sleep, because he would go go go, unless he had an alarm to remind him to rest. I told him how I found the endless light difficult. We all remarked that in Washington State, where I am visiting, the days are very long in the Summer, and residents are extremely active, but come the long dark nights of Winter, the locals withdraw into their homes and are much less active.

I am often amused at those who proudly proclaim there is no God, and miracles if they exist, can always be explained through materialistic science. I am also intrigued when people report that nothing special ever happens to them. Often during periods of grief or sadness, those who are suffering see nothing positive, no proof of goodness around them. When I am sad and struggling, I look to the heavens, I look around me and I see order, harmony, mystery and love. I especially see these things during the dark days between the Solstice and Epiphany. 

During dark and starry nights, I have lain on a patio deck or on the ground staring into the heavens. When you consider you are peering out into the cosmos, on a planet that is spinning on an axis anywhere (depending on your latitude) from 700 - 1000 miles per hour, around a Sun, that is part of a family of planets and stars, and you are not flung off into space or crash into anything, for me this is always a miracle. Knowing that there are galaxies, an infinite cosmos out before me, always helped to put my current sorrows into perspective. The fact that I live on a planet that provides all to nourish me; water, air, food, along with extreme beauty both here and in the heavens, the realization always takes me out of my sadness. Feeling the darkness around me, seeing what the heavens contains, for what ever reason, makes me feel held, and part of something so much bigger than my current temporary drama.

The Solstice is the longest night of the year. For me on the West Coast of the United States, that point of the Solstice, the beginning of Winter is 9 am on December 21st, Pacific Standard Time. 

This is a fun site where you can find out when Winter officially starts in your area

 http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunearth.html?iso=20131221T1710

Recent scientific discoveries illustrate that all of life, the originating cosmic bursting forth that birthed our cosmos, our galaxies, came from darkness. These are some astonishing pictures of Black Holes in Space, taken by numerous telescopes. The NASA website is a great place to see more.

http://www.nasa.gov/

Dark Matter and Dark Energy is the substance that can not be seen, but holds the galaxies together, in a never ending spiral dance, throughout the year, and since the dawn of time. 

Dark Matter and Dark Energy, "discovered" by Astronomer Vera Rubin as she sought to answer questions of how the universe held itself together, is the majority of what makes up the cosmos.

What I find so profound, is that when humans try to answer deep questions about the nature of life, the make up of the Earth and Universe, when they try to answer these questions without looking to God as source, the science they produce for me always points back to the Divine.

Image of a Black Hole Transforming Matter, the Death of a collapsing star 

and the birth of a new one

We are in constant, harmonious motion in our sojourn through space. The stars are teeming with radiant light and activity. Stars are born out of black holes, which are the densest so called voids and abysses of "nothingness," a remnant of a collapsed galaxy or star, and yet the smallest particles of life eliminate from them.

" I will give you treasures of darkness, and the secret riches of hidden places, that you may know I am the Lord God, who calls you by name." Isaiah 43.5

For me, the Black Madonna carries so many messages from the Divine, but the color Black, the dark faces convey this incredible message of cosmic love and universal harmony, a reminder of where we have come from and to where we will return. May this dark time be a period of rest for you, for reflection and renewal that our modern culture, obsessed with artificial light and frenetic activity does not allow. I hope you can carve out time for silence and quiet. May this Solstice be an awakening for you, that you can see and feel the treasures, the cosmic love that birthed the universe which sustains you in body, soul and spirit on this lovely dark day.

The Black Madonna of Vilna, Poland

The War on Christmas

I lived in Germany for a year in my late 20's. I had finished Naturopathic School, and thought I was to be married to the love of my life. My beloved was a sociopath, who was the love of many women's lives, with fiancees in many cities across the nation. When I found this out, I broke off the engagement and fled to a job in Germany for a year, nursing a broken heart but taking in the sights and sounds of Central Europe during a transitional time in history.

When I came back to the states, it was during the "Holiday Season." I got a job in retail, and immediately involved myself in the hustle and bustle of Church, Family and Friends. It was one of the most difficult Christmases of my life. I left the relatively quiet and reserved observance of Christmas in Europe, after a year of soaking in the great Cathedrals and magnificent music that was offered weekly in various Munich churches, to the incessant blaring of Santa songs and twinkling consumerism of 1990's holiday gluttony. My nervous system reeled with the assault, and I underwent a crisis of faith.

For respite, I attended a silent Advent retreat at a local spiritual center. During a Direction meeting with a presenter, I shared my dismay over the blaring hysteria around me. What did all of this rush to buy and eat have to do with the event in Bethlehem? 

A yearly whine that seems to occupy conservative punditry on the air and cable networks is the so called War on Christmas. Debates ensue each December over the ability to have nativity scenes in public places, and what sort of greeting should be given shoppers as they storm discount stores in the middle of the night. Apparently these external practices and displays are the most important thing, and inhibiting them will thwart the Christ impulse amongst humanity. But I have felt for many years that the commercialization, the materialization of Christmas has done the greatest damage of all. A recent study by the Pew Research Center indicates that a large percentage of Americans celebrate Christmas but do not believe in the Christ.

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/christmas-non-religious_n_4453828.html?ref=topbar

Depression is common during this season. But I feel the depression comes from not being able to meet the consumeristic fantasy. The "true spirit of Christmas" the commercials tell us we should feel if only we would buy more stuff is a hollow lie. The true spirit of the season is recognizing the divinity that is within our souls, that Divinity came to us, to set us free from the confines of our minds. We are part of a vast community that is connected with love.

These past few years with the loss of so much in my life, my Christmases have actually gotten better. With no externals to distract, no gifts to be given or gatherings to attend, my focus has been more directed towards the festival itself. While I enjoyed family and friends, the bustle of the holidays past, what I long for most these days is the warmth of the darkness where love shines it's brightest. I long to be alone with God. 

These long dark cold nights of Advent and the Holy Nights are where I can feel the Divine most vividly. I long to dream dreams, to immerse myself in the mystery of God coming to us, to be one of us, to live amongst us, to go through a human life, human trials, human death, to better understand and love us. When you look at all the effort to orchestrate the Birth of the Christ, for me it says how much we are cared for, and what the spiritual world thinks we are capable.

The externals of my life are heart breaking, but the hope of Christmas, of a silent simple Christmas I eagerly anticipate. The veil between the worlds is very thin this time of year, and I savor every second, where I feel the presence of the Divine acutely. Somehow, this desire for everyone to feel this presence, this peace and hope, just can not be put into a simple phrase or a decoration. But I hope you all experience this rich envelopment of Divinity during these last few days of December.