The Stars on Her Mantle

 

We are about a month ahead of the Festival of Guadalupe, the Mestizo Madonna of Mexico. She is considered a Black Madonna because of her dark skin, and her image is a beautiful expression of the mixture of both Native and European features and symbolism. 

 

There are so many threads to Guadalupe of Mexico, that it would take hours to cover them all. In fact, I have written an entire book on the subject, The Virgin of Guadalupe, Mysterious Messenger of Destiny

In essence, Guadalupe of Mexico is a miracle, a story of evolution, of progression, of divine love and transformation. Her basic story is that she appeared to a Nahuatl Native on a series of days, December 9 - 12, 1531 to be exact, and the miracles surrounding her apparitions. On December 12th she imprinted her image on the cactus fabric Tilma (a poncho-type article of clothing of Nahuatl peasants of the day) in front of the Bishop of New Spain and his entourage. The image is on display in The Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico, above the main altar. It has been constantly on display for nearly 500 years, as one of the most visited of all Marian Shrines in the world. This image has also been one of the most studied of all sacred items, being deciphered by chemists, physicists, photographers, you name it, and the only thing everyone can agree upon is that it defies explanation in earthly terms, other than the Virgin of Guadalupe of Mexico is a miracle.

 

The Virgin of Guadalupe is not art in the classic materialistic sense, meaning, an image comprised of a canvas covered with some sort of paint. Hundreds of years of materialistic scientific study, including modern computer  x-ray technology and chemical analysis, can not decipher what comprises this image that has inspired millions for nearly 500 years. But in a spiritual sense, Guadalupe is art, in that she conveys quite a message from the Gods. Guadalupe does this through every single fiber, every image, every aspect of the poetic narrative of her genesis, and most elegantly through her timing, the location of her apparitions, as well as her profound repeated statements of her apparitions to Juan Diego

 

Build me a Temple and Where are you Going?

There are many skeptics as to the nature of this image. One of the more interesting and accepted ones, is that it was painted by a Spanish artist schooled in Europe on the painting techniques of the day, about 60 years after the apparitions of Guadalupe. The "painting" was created to quell resistance to Spanish colonialism and insert the Catholic faith to the Natives in New Spain. 

Everyone is welcomed to draw their own conclusions as it is everyone's right to do so, but what I find most interesting in terms of refuting this notion, is the timing of the imprinting on the Tilma and the stars on the mantle of the Virgin.

With modern computer technology, we can plug in dates, locations and times and see how the stars were configured in the sky at any moment in history. If we look at the heavens above what is now called Mexico City at 10:40 am on December 12th, 1531, the exact timing of the miraculous imprinting of Guadalupe onto the Tilma, the heavens paint quite a picture. There is no way that an artist 60 years after the event could have known this. 

The heavens were pointing to the commencing of a new era in the evolution of humanity. The stars point to this. A tradition started nearly a century ago is to pray for 46 days leading up to the apparition of Guadalupe. There are 46 stars visible on the Tilma, hence the choice of 46 days, and each day leading up to the festival has a name (Star of Peace, Star of Hope and so on.) What is interesting is the symbolism of 46 in that it is the number of chromosomes in a human cell. Chromosomes are the essential structure, the template for creating a living being. In the number 46, for me, it points to the fact that Guadalupe is heralding the formation of a new structure for humanity, based on Cosmic Love.

As with all things, we have the freedom to choose this path towards universal and cosmic love.

What is your choice? Where are you going and what sort of temple will you be building to facilitate such a transition?

Our Lady of the Good Death

 

Our Lady of the Good Death, Clermont Ferrand, France

It is hard to know when exactly death started to terrify humans. In Medieval times, the common person's birthdate was not recorded, but their death date was, because it was seen as when the person entered "Real Life" in the hereafter.

In these times, it was important to have a good death, which meant being surrounded by those who one loved, and praying constantly for a good and holy transition. There is an order of Nuns in Brazil who are actually called The Order of Our Lady of Good Death. When someone in the community passes, these women sing and dance in order to accompany the soul into the next life.

There are many Black Madonnas associated with the underworld, with death, with transitions. For the next few days, from October 31 through to November 2, it is considered Allhallowtide Triduum, a time for honoring those who have passed. Dios de los Muertos is Mexican evolution of this tradition. Allhallowtide is a "time to remember the dead, including martyrs saints  and all faithful departed Christians." The present date of Hallowmas also known as All Saints' Day and thus also of its vigil (Hallowe'en the night before Hallowmas) was established for Rome perhaps by Pope Gregory III (731 - 741)  and was made of obligation throughout the Frankish Empire by Louis the Pious in 835. So the origins of Halloween are actually quite sacred, and it is odd to me it has been made such a scary secular production, while simultaneously being feared and avoided by many Christian sects. 

Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are sacred times within a community. Those who have passed before us, gave us so much. They are often still with us in many ways.

The Church Triumphant, Fresco by Andrea da Fierenza in Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy

I wish you all a sacred and reflective time this year as we begin our festival season leading up to Christmas and the New Year

Blessings!

The Modern Black Madonna

Oil Painting by Leanne Oliver

 The Black Madonna is an ancient artistic form. It seems that in cultures across the globe, some form of a dark mother has been part of the imagination since the dawn of time. During the age of exploration, manly from the renaissance on, there has been a retreat from the dark virgin. It is odd, since most of the world has people who are not pink skinned, regardless, the dominant focus has been on light skinned women in many aspects of religious art. These images are quite beautiful in and of themselves, but are also a bit alienating to those whose physical appearances differs greatly from the artistic presentation before them.

If one has ever been to a shrine honoring a Black Madonna, the mixture of intimacy with reverence is unique. These images invoke a profound response in many of the worlds peoples. Obviously Divinity does not have a specific skin color, nor gender actually. Divinity is supra sensible, and beyond much of our ways of understanding reality. Limiting Divinity can be, well limiting. But we must have a way to comprehend and understand Divinity, to feel as if we belong to these beings in some way. 

Humanity is reorienting itself in this great period of transformation. We have run the gamut of materialism and it is literally killing us and the planet upon which we depend. 

The Black Madonna is calling us back into the primordial velvet that once was our constant companion. We are more awake now, so the Black Madonna has deeper lessons for us.

May we hear and comprehend what it is the Madonna wants us to know.

We are one, yet individuals within the embrace of the cosmos. She has missed us, and await our fully conscious return.

Black Madonna Resources

Our Lady of Jasna Gora, Czestochowa Poland

 It is hard to believe, but all of my efforts, relationship and writing with The Black Madonna are coming on to 20 years! Starting when I was a student enrolled in Sofia Institute through then Holy Names College in Oakland California, and now flourishing into a series of books, a podcast, active speaking schedule, I am somewhat of an expert in a now, in a newly joyously crowded field of amazing creators, authors and poets!

Starting in November, I hope to figure out how to change all of my Social Media "handles" to reflect the podcast. Everything takes me quite a while to figure out, as I am a staff of one along with being notoriously low tech. 

What I hope to convey through this blog post is a few of the resources I enjoy as a researcher and I hope you are enriched by them as well!

Our Lady of the Good Death, France

The two websites I find invaluable are

Black Madonna Index, Interfaith Mary Website

https://www.interfaithmary.net/black-madonna

University of Dayton Ohio Marian Library Website

https://udayton.edu/marianlibrary/index.php

Longing for Darkness Tara and The Black Madonna by China Galland

https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780140121841

This was my first book on the subject, as part of the module on Feminine Spirituality through the Sophia Institute. It is a wonderful introduction to the subject, part travel journal, part historical review, part personal evolution of the author. While there is, obviously from the title, attention played to Tara a Hindu Goddess, there is much about the culture and history surrounding the Black Madonna.

The Cult of the Black Virgin by Ean Begg

https://www.sandmanbooks.com/book/9781630512705

There are two editions of this book. One is 2006 and the other which is often available through eBay, Goodwill, Thrift Books, and Abe Books and Amazon as a used book are editions from 1985 and 1996, I suggest hunting for these editions. I have both the 2006 and 1996 edition, as I see both as vital. The older version is an incredible resource as half the book is essentially an index of locations and folk lore about quite a few European Black Madonnas. I do not understand why the newer edition does not have this valuable resource, but there you have it.

The Black Madonna in Latin America and Europe: Tradition and Transformation by  Malgorzata Oleszkiewicz-Peralba

https://unmpress.com/books/black-madonna-latin-america-and-europe/9780826341037

This is an excellent scholarly overview of Black Madonnas, as the title conveys, in Latin America and Europe. It is scholarly however, and may be a bit dry to read, but he information is quite valuable, well researched and a broad overview of the cultural implications of Black Madonnas in these regions. 

These are my go to sources, and I will add more, as more amazing titles, sites and artists are worthy of exploring! I suggest that these books and website are a good start for those wanting to delve into the subject matter a bit more.

Blessings on your Journey!

The New World

Our Lady of Regula, Spain

 

As we mark the 530th anniversary of the Columbian Voyage, the world is eerily similar to the turbulent days surrounding the time of that fateful event. I sometimes wonder if at the time, everyone knew how significant and world altering such a journey would become, or they were just interested in immediate results.

It has fascinated me for awhile now, the inherent discontent humanity has with its situation and surroundings. A casual observation of the entire history of humanity is one of constant relocation. I wonder if this tendency is a subliminal nod to our spiritual nature, that we are made up of the stuff of stars, and being earthbound temporary and  uncomfortable for us. We always seem to want something else, something new, over there has more of what we need, and the people living where we want to go are this great problem we must somehow solve often to the destruction of the other.

Unfortunately, every place on earth has certain drawbacks and limits, and humans constantly try to bring the familiar to the new. This tendency is odd, since one could have the familiar where they left, but it is the tendency to move about. This was certainly done with the Spanish expansions in the 16th century. Affectionately called "The Columbian Exchange" it was the greatest and swiftest transformations of ecologies and relocations of peoples at that point in global history. It id not occur to the Spaniard that there would be food in the new world, so they brought their plants and animals with them, destroying native ecologies along the way. It was also a time of great transformation and expansion of the Christian religion. Note the word "religion" and not necessarily The Christ Impulse.

Long strangled and stifled through politics and institutions, it is a miracle that any aspect of the universal love and intimacy Christ sought to bring into human awareness through his Incarnation ever seeped through the bloodied history of Christianity. One aspect of enhancing this awareness of the original intent was and is through the Madonna, particularly the Black Madonna. 

As Europeans dominated and oppressed numerous continents with the sanction of the Caucasian church deities, the Black Madonna became an image of inclusion and divinity to those who did not resemble or understand their conquerors ways. Our Lady of Regula is one of these images. She has her origins in Africa, traveled to Spain and then the rest of the world to become one of the most beloved images of divinity in the world. Is she sanitizing oppression, softening the blows of slavery and domination? Some may think so, I however do not. 

Our Lady of Regula is reported to have thwarted all attempts to whiten her skin. Her coloring allowed the Yoruba peoples transplanted to the Caribbean through the slave trade to find solace and strength in unimaginable circumstances, not to just obey but to endure with dignity the injustice of international corporate greed.

She still inspires to this day. May she inspire us to greater cooperation and recognition of divinity in all peoples. 

The Word Became Manifest

 There are two manifestations of Mestiza Madonnas in the Americas.

One is the miraculous and famous Virgin of Guadalupe of Mexico

The other is a less famous but also miraculous image of Las Lajas of Colombia.

One of the hallmarks of the Christian Impulse, is that Divinity came to Humanity. The prologue of the Gospel of St John states "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." John 1:14 This profound statement is worthy of contemplation for countless hours, but in essence describes how the being of Divinity, Christ, became a physical presence and lived among our human family. Christ incarnated at a time when humanity was so ensconced in the material, it was difficult to communicate with and sense the presence of the spiritual world.

The Christ Impulse and movement is not "just like all other religions." The main difference is that through this spiritual orientation, we understand that Divinity came to humanity, and inhabited a human body to understand and help transform the human/divine relationship. 

To have a human body on earth, one must be conceived in, gestate and be born of a woman.

A woman was essential to this entire divine process, and that woman was The Virgin Mary.

An interesting phenomena in the Americas is for the Virgin Mary to appear to natives and mixed race people, Mestizos, and ultimately imprint her image on physical matter.

The Virgin of Guadalupe of Mexico imprinted her image on cactus fiber.

The Madonna of Las Lajas in Columbia imprinted her image on stone.

The Americas are the most materialistic and dense lands on earth. The elementals in these vast territories are materialistic, the Natives knew and respected this reality, which is why mining and other forms of human activity that destroy the earth were never practiced here by the ancient peoples of the continent. The Natives knew such practices would unleash powers with which humans would have difficulty living. We can see the consequences of unleashing such power has done by Europeans to the people and land of the Americas.

The spiritual world often brings counter impulses to invite humans to  healing, moral and loving alternatives in contrast to destructive ideas and actions.

The Black Madonna does just that, and the Mestiza Madonnas in the Americas use the physical, material substance of cloth and stone to offer loving presence and alternatives to those who will listen.

In both Guadalupe and Las Lajas, spirit became manifest and is dwelling amongst the faithful.

Iberia and The Black Madonna

Guadalupe of Extremadura 

 

Art is a reflection of the evolution of human consciousness. It is also a reflection of human history. The Black Madonna for me is a reflection of the first thousand years of the Christian movement.

As humans were created to be the catalyst for the transformation of the Cosmos of Wisdom into the Cosmos of Love, we were given Freedom. To love involves freedom, as anyone who has experienced unrequited love will attest. But to have freedom, there has to be choice, and this was the reason for the introduction of evil into the world.

When Christ came, his purpose was to help us heal from all our freely chosen evil, for we would have been on a karmic cycle for infinity had he not. Ultimately the Cosmos of Love would never come to existence. The forces and legions of evil who had become accustomed to their earthly power were none too keen on this new development, and set to work immediately on thwarting new opportunities set into motion by the Christ Event. The main stumbling block to the widening Christ Impulse of love, freedom and equality was humanities affiliation with materialism. Materialism politically is expressed through power and greed. It is the main reason the Romans were so aghast against the early Christians, who simply were kind and loving to everyone. 

Constantine the Great decreed the official toleration of Christianity as a religion in the 4th Century, but he also knew of the power it represented. He co-opted the power by institutionalizing the movement. This concept became quite useful to secular power structures, specifically monarchies. As the centuries moved forward with the ever increasing connection between institutionalized religion entwining itself with monarchies, eventually there was quite a revolt against both. These movements resulted in the Protestant Reformation and various dynastic wars. 

On the Iberian Peninsula, there had been great conflicts over the invasion of Muslim conquerers. The resistance to such invasions took 700 years to complete, but it was finished by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. One of the only places the Muslims did not have control over was along the Northern Spanish Camino. This was also a place where the original Christ Impulse free from Roman influence flourished. There was an alternate liturgy, music, and of course The Black Madonnas dotted the landscape.

Could it be that these images along with the rituals and practice in the region represented a deep Christian mystery? Could it be these images were harkening to profound truths that challenged institutions?

The Iberian Peninsula was the embarking point for conquest, environmental degradation and religious persecution that spanned the globe. A counter to this stream was the healing message of The Black Madonna. As we face difficulties in our modern world, many that had their origins in the conquests initiated from this famed peninsula, let us look to the healing counter message of The Black Madonna for inspiration.

September and The Madonna

Birth of the Virgin, Russian Orthodox Icon

September 2022 has been labeled as The Month of Our Lady of Sorrows. It seems a proper memorial for a very difficult time. The Virgin has so many correlations, but the most significant one is that she experienced quite a bit of sorrow, and is a model of what we can endure.

September 8 is considered the Nativity of Mary, and is also the festival of the Grape Harvest in many traditions. September 14, is the holy day commemoration the discovery of the True Cross by St Helen of the Cross, as we might guess her name would be. 

In this months Podcasts on The Black Madonna Speaks, we will explore several Madonnas and interview Graphic Novelist Carlos Nieto, as he discovers his heritage through art and historic exploration.

Yes, the Madonna is sorrowful, but she is also healing and peaceful, and brings much to us in terms of her many many stories.

Listen in, new episodes are posted every Wednesday

https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episodes
 

The Black Madonna and Modernity

Our Lady of Loretto Statue in Primošten, Photo by Silverije on Wikimedia Commons.

 

The Black Madonna as an artistic genera is quite popular in the last several years.

In the Early 2000's when I was starting my research, the Internet was still in its infancy. There were only a few books on the subject, and the main website for information was The University of Dayton Marian Library, which actually was quite detailed and informative.

Now there are numerous sites, books are also plentiful, there have been organized tours and pilgrimages to Black Madonna Sites all over the world. Modern artists are also embracing the theme, especially African Americans. Why this sudden interest and exploration in images that are often a thousand years old?

One of the main migrations of Black Madonnas to the European Continent occurred during the  Crusades. Rudolf Steiner tells us that the Crusades were a preparation for the Age of Consciousness Soul. According to his cosmology, this is the era we are enduring at present. I have always seen the Black Madonna as a gift and message from the Spiritual World that we are supported, understood and loved during our ordeals on Earth. 

No one would deny that our age is extraordinary in terms of challenges. I think this is why so many imaginations are sparked by these mysterious images. The Spiritual World is reaching out to us, and we are responding, because this is the time and we are the ones we have been waiting for all these centuries. We are loved and supported, and trusted.

The Black Madonna of The Pacific

 

Our Lady of Antipolo, Philippines 

The Black Madonnas of the World are unusual in that most of them have origin stories of discovery. These images also have stories of endurance through great odds. The Black Madonnas of the Americas and the Pacific Islands often include discoveries by peasants, being washed ashore, or surviving shipwrecks or great storms.

These Madonnas are part of the evangelization of the areas where they are discovered, and in my opinion, have great meaning in all aspects of their narrative. Unfortunately, many of the people in the Americas and the Pacific Islands are not native to the region, but were taken by force to be slaves by the colonists. Often, the passage to the colonies was quite treacherous, sometimes deadly.

To   have a narrative of survival of a dark image of Divinity was very meaningful and comforting to those who were suffering under such oppression. In fact, having a dark image of Divinity is profoundly healing to those who also have dark skin. When they see such images, they feel included, seen and loved because of such images.

Hopefully, all of humanity will recognize the unconditional love the Spiritual World has for every person, regardless of all the externals most of us consider valuable. What counts is what is inside our hearts and minds, how we treat one another. The color of our skin is simply an example of the creative expression of the Cosmos. We are all born of the stars, and to the stars we shall return. 

Until then, let us heed to call to recognize Divinity in all with whom we meet!

The Assumption of The Virgin Mary

The Assumption of Mary

 

August 15th in the Western Catholic tradition is considered to be the festival of the Assumption of Mary. In the Anglican tradition, it is considered to be a devotional focus, but no formal dogma exists. In the Eastern and Orthodox tradition, the festival is at the end of August. 

Some traditions call it the Solemnity of The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, others call it the Dormition of The Virgin Mary. This commemoration has quite a history and is steeped in what many call the Apocryphal texts. 

From the beginning of the Christian movement, there were intense debates, theories and essentially confusion about the Christ impulse. For many, it was simply incomprehensible as to how a god could come to earth to be a human and live a mortal life. Why would a god, any god, but particularly the creator of the universe choose to inhabit a mortal body and suffer a public execution? This debate and confusion extended to the parentage of Jesus. What about that virgin birth thing, and also who was Joseph, and who or what was Mary?

How could a mortal human give birth to a god?

Many of the Apocryphal books of the Bible as well as books that were not included in the Canon we have today, try to explain the phenomena of Christ Jesus coming to earth and experiencing a human body as well as life. The Proto Gospel of James, The Dormition of the Virgin, and The Gospel of Bartholomew are just a few of the ancient texts trying to explain away the mystery of the Virgin Mary.

In the 5th Century, the Dogma of the Virgin as "God Bearer" became accepted  Christian theology. But what happened to Mary when she died was controversial in the Western Catholic tradition until 1950, when Pope Pius XII declared that the Virgin Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven upon her death.

At the heart of the controversy, is trying to make sense of a mystical spiritual event with materialistic reasoning.  The contortions and pretzel bending the ancient texts proclaim regarding where Mary came from, wether or not she was born from an immaculate conception herself, and what happened to her when she died, show the difficulty in trying to rationalize the suprasensible with the material. 

Mary is a mystery, and there is a beauty in this reality. Sometimes, it is OK to not understand something beautiful and good. Emil Bock in his book The Three Mary's says it the best. He points out that in the beginning of the New Testament, we have the image of Mary in the Luke Gospel. She reminds us of where we have been, our innocent paradisiacal beginnings. This is the attraction to Mary, she reminds us on the one hand of what we have lost, but what also is at the center of our being if we can access it. Bock goes on to remind us that at the end of the New Testament, we read about The Virgin of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation. This Virgin reminds us of what we are to become. 

As an artistic image, Mary is a symbol of the highest potential of the human soul. I think this is part of the mystery behind the Assumption of Mary, that the human soul, the essence of who we are, is infinite and everlasting. That our spirits as well, will ascend at the moment of our deaths. The word "Dormition" is considered "sleep" and the relinquishing of our bodies when we pass as going to sleep, is an image we should embrace and not fear. 

The images of the Dormition, especially in ancient Christian iconography of the East, shows Mary on her death bed. Above her is Christ who appears to be holding a baby. This is symbolic of Christ escorting Mary's soul to heaven. It is the completion of the arc of the Nativity images where Mary kneels before the infant Jesus who has come to earth.

 Assumption of Mary by Giotto di Bonone

How ever you perceive the Mary Mystery, you are invited to perceive it as a loving gesture towards human kind.

Blessings on your journey!

August Marian Festivals

August is an interesting month. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is a time aptly named "The Dog Days of Summer," apparently because dogs like being super hot and lazy. It is a time of a beginning of the harvest season in many places, and in others, there is this pregnant pause as fruits and grains ripen in the warm sun. Hot August nights are filled are meteor showers, and everyone is trying to enjoy the last days of Summer, before the business of Autumn.

There are two specific Marian festivals in August. 

St Mary of the Angels Chapel in Assisi

August 2nd is The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels, which is a Franciscan observance, marking the day that St Francis of Assisi witnessed a small chapel dedicated to Mary near Assisi filled with light. It is in this chapel that St Francis heard the charge to "Rebuild my Church," and Francis started repairing the 7th century structure, as well as launching his movement to bring Christian values to a world and church that was becoming more materialistic. It is on this day that La Negrita, the Black Madonna of Costa Rica was found in the early 1600's.

La Negrita, Costa Rica

The other festival is called The Assumption of Mary in the Western Catholic communion, and in the East, it is called The Dormition of Mary. This festival commemorates the death and bodily rising up to heaven of The Virgin Mary. Both the East and Western festivals are celebrated on August 15. The history of this festival is quite interesting, and is a reflection of the human grappling with the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ as well as how the birth of Christ could be related to a human being. Essentially, it is the difficulty early Christians had with comprehending how a god could become human and die an agonizing death. 

When one explores ancient iconography from the 4th Century onward, there are artistic representations of the Assumption of Mary, and there are legends pointing to how it happened and who were the witnesses. 

There were major arguments as to the nature of Mary, as to how a mere mortal of lowly status could birth a god. I will leave this argument up to scholars and theologians. For me the mystery of Mary is that her life was a template for the human soul. Artistically, she represents the human soul. The recognition that she was elevated into heaven upon her death, is a symbol of what we have to look forward to upon our human death. She was declared Theotokos in the 5th century, which means "god bearer." In fact, most Black Madonnas from the Eastern Church Iconography are called Theotokos.

Iveron Theotokos, Georgia

We too are bearers of the Divine, and I look forward to the day when it is universally recognized so that we can honor not only ourselves but all with whom we come in contact

Art and Culture

Madonna and Child by Kevin Wak Williams
https://artbywak.com/

 Here we are at the beginning of August, a month that has many festivals in the Christian liturgical year, specifically regarding The Virgin Mary. The art surrounding Our Lady, as so many call her is extraordinary. It inspires and comforts many. 

Why is that?

Rudolf Steiner tells us that art is the creation of organs of perception by which the spiritual world communicates to humanity. 

We witness many forms of art, and it can be said that there are many messages that are being conveyed. It has always fascinated me when cultures and religions restrict art. In some religions, art was and is banned as some sort of sacrilege. In Christianity of the 700's, particularly in Constantinople, it was thought that God was mad if religious images, and since the Christians were using them in churches and homes, and the Muslims were not, maybe if the Christians got rid of art, then God would help them win battles.

When Constantine V decreed that religious art was banned, then he won a couple of battles, and the rest we know of as history. It is of note that it took three generations of Byzantine empresses to reverse the decision, bringing back religious art, but not until after quite the theological and political fight for nearly three generations. Other great debates and even schisms have happened in cultures regarding whether or not art should be present in daily life. This history shows us how powerful image and art is in culture. 

Art, specifically religious art, has great influence.

What about modern art? Some would argue that television and movies are modern forms of art. The organization that gives out awards known as "Oscars" for movie performances and production, is actually called The Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Recently, a beloved actress from a very influential television show in the 1960's passed away. Star Trek, which has inspired generations of fans, numerous television and cable shows, as well as several movies, featured Nichell Nichols as playing an African woman in a position of power on the Star Ship Enterprise. This character was the first time a woman of color was seen in a leading roll, not based on a maid or American slave. The character allowed for the acceptance of women of color in healthy, educated and leadership positions. Nichols wanted to quit the role for various reasons, but was told to stay in her character by none other than Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, precisely because having a woman of color in such a position would influence the acceptance of Black women as full members of American society. While Star Trek was several centuries in the future, it showed that advanced cultures included people from all races as contributing members of society.

Obviously Star Trek and The Black Madonna are quite different in their core messages, but both are healing influences on culture because they show that humans, regardless of the color of their skin, have something to offer. In the case of The Black Madonna, she shows that Divinity has many colors, and that those who have much melanin in their skins, are Divine, just as those with varying levels of melanin. 

May these images, and art of all forms inspire us to recognize the dignity of all human beings.

Blessings on your Journey 

The Heart of the World

There are many ways to look at the world, especially in terms of energy. We are told that the human being is a macrocosm of the entire universe. Our Earth also is a mini cosmos, with the stars and planets imprinting themselves on our landscape.

The Earth can also be understood as a living being, with a physical body, and etheric and astral body, as well as an ego. Often thought of as a mother, this being has energetic foci similar to humans. The chakras are seven energetic foci each human has that connects their spirit to the broader cosmos. So does the Earth.

The Heart chakra on a human located at the heart level. It acts as a center of compassion, empathy and love. This chakra governs one’s senses of trust, fearlessness, peace, generosity, gratitude, and connectedness. The heart chakra is special because it is the fourth of the seven chakras, making it the exact halfway point of the system and the unifier of the physical and spiritual chakras. The heart chakra acts as the bridge between the earth and spirit.

Africa is considered by some spiritual researchers to be the heart chakra of the world. There are some of the most ancient civilizations on earth present in Africa, it is thought that the continent was the cradle of humanity. In South Africa, there are structures that archeologists date to over 250,000 years old, involving networks of circular buildings associated with gold mines. In the ancient traditions, this area is seen as the point where the sky god kissed mother earth and all of creation resulted from the union. 

The Madonna and Child of Soweto is a modern Black Madonna. Painted by Larry Scully in the early 1970's in the heyday of the Anti Apartheid movement, the image gave hope and solace to those trying to transform oppression of the South African government into a harmonious culture. In an effort to truly heal the deep trauma of Apartheid, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up where victims and perpetrators could face each other, air their traumas and seek and give forgiveness.

This model is a pathway to the Beloved Community we all strive towards. No wonder it came from the continent that is the Heart of the world, no wonder it came from the connection between spirit and physical on Earth. 

Tune in to The Black Madonna Speaks to hear more about the inspiring story of The Madonna and Child of Soweto 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-black-madonna-speaks/id1622348404

Treasures of Darkness

Image from the James Webb Space Telescope

 

I will give you the treasure of darkness, riches stored in secret places so that you will know I am the Lord

                                                       Isaiah 45:3

This verse is one of the positive in the Bible regarding darkness. Every time I read it, I think of the night sky and the infinite vastness of darkness dotted with the jewels of stars and planets. A recent discussion regarding the nature of the human etheric body and darkness, my conversation partner questioned why darkness, black in fact, was in anyway beneficial. My response was that all life begins in darkness, that black is generative. 

The Southern Ring Nebula as seen by the James Webb Telescope. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, And STScI

Think of the seed germinating underground, how fertilization of eggs happens in the darkness of the womb, and black holes in space spew forth the basic elements that make up life. I often wonder why darkness, the color black has been used to describe evil, isolation and pain. Why is that really? I have been in places during the time of year when the sun barely sets below the horizon. It is almost unbearable, the intense light, and one can never really rest fully because the heavens are always illuminated. 

Our current time is one of great upheaval and transformation. As the infant becomes more cramped and restless in her mothers womb just before birth, she is enveloped in the warmth, security and darkness that will be forever shattered when she emerges through the threshold into life. It is terrifying for the infant as she has no reference for time, has never experienced anything but enclosure, now sounds are amplified, touch is new and the light is difficult to decipher. But many wonders, joys and challenges await in an unknown, unfamiliar future.

A star forming region NGC 3324 as seen by the James Webb Telescope. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, And STScI

We are experiencing the same thing as a global community. Our planet is transforming in ways we do not understand, our security is threatened, and the immature respond with violence, greed and theft. Is it not interesting that in the midst of all the upheaval the human imagination and intelligence has produced a new space telescope that is giving us glimpses into the infinite universe of which we are only a tiny speck? 

Life in general fascinates me. While I dislike the pain and annoyance associated with interpersonal conflict, I become completely mesmerized by the elegance of nature, the grander of the cosmos and the wisdom that holds everything together. The images of the Webb telescope bring to mind the verse in Isaiah. Have we used our human gifts of the mind and will to create a method by which we can see what Divinity has in store? Is the timing of this gift to remind us of what is truly real and worthy of attention? Our wars and conflicts, how do they compare with what we are seeing that lies beyond the edges of our galaxy? How can we be distracted by petty disagreements and ego clashes of one nation against another, if we would only look up to the heavens? 

We are so small, and yet we have every aspect of these treasures of darkness within. Every element that makes up our bodies is present in the stars, what animates us is love born out of wisdom. 

Mother of God of Ostra Brama

Most Black Madonnas have crowns of stars upon their heads. Are they Black and have stars to remind of us from where we have come? Are they present to remind us where we shall go if we can love enough to know what is true?

We have been given the treasures of darkness, the riches stored in secret places since our beginnings. May these images coming to us through the ingenuity of humanity, remind us of the Cosmic love that surrounds us all.