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.