I read these paragraphs lately in the book Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna by Alessandra Belloni, and it struck me as very appropriate for our current time:
“In the Middle Ages, people in Europe and especially in parts of Italy believed that the end of the world was coming, and they lived with a great fear of death by war, natural disaster, or contagious disease. They believed that the Black Madonna protected them. I am fascinated by the fact that it was during the so-called Dark Ages that all the Black Virgins came to life with strong devotions in Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, and Greece. It is important to note that during the Byzantine Empire and at the time of the Crusades, our Christian traditions mixed with those of the Moors through music and dance.
When the Plague spread all over Europe, decimating the population, people carried statues of the Black Madonna in powerful processions. They drummed and danced in circles and in a trance state and paraded through the streets to expel the fear of death and to stop the Plague from coming to their villages. Through musical exorcisms, which used the obsessive 6/8 of the tarantella rhythms, identical to African drumming rituals, entire villages celebrated the miracles of the Black Madonna—protecting their towns from the Plague as well as from earthquakes and foreign invasions.
This tradition is alive today, especially in the region of Calabria, and I firmly believe from my own experiences that the Black Madonna is alive today with the same power to protect us from the ongoing wars, disease, and political crises we experience.”
p. 156 in Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna: Chants, Music, and Sacred Practices of the Great Goddess by Alessandra Belloni
In the Brain Education practice that I do, we often use vibration exercise or what some might call “ecstatic dance” to release tension, slow down our brain waves, and connect our body, brain, and spirit. Rhythmic dance is my favorite form of connection and prayer.
I have also felt connected to the divine feminine, which is one of the reasons I bought this book. I think now is a time when the masculine and feminine aspects of humanity are trying to come into balance.
While I don’t know much about them, this passage reminds me of what I’ve heard about Pele, a Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes, and the Hindu goddess Kali. Both have the power to destroy and create. New life comes after death, so I welcome the disruption and even destruction of our current times as I sit safely and peacefully in my house. Perhaps it’s what we need for real change.
But recent events also bring out my need to protect and heal. So my thoughts have quickly turned to how we can heal the pain and suffering that has been festering for centuries and has erupted once again under tremendous pressure.
My week was filled with blogs and newsletters with hopefully helpful messages, but is it really enough? Necessary perhaps, but not concrete enough. I don’t really ever do anything concrete, so I’m a little lost as to what concrete action I can take now that would make a difference. Should I try to think big, or just start small? If I could take action, then that would be living my truth.
At the very least, I will use rhythmic music and dance in my next Sound Healing live class on Change Your Energy this month so we can all subject the fire raging now to the power and wisdom of our souls. In these modern times, we can be divine agents in the world.
Good Morning Sun! Shedding a little light on life 