Given what I’ve shared in recent (and previous) posts, it seems a fine time to have a nice pot of tea and a renewing, revitalizing visit with the Black Madonna.
I’ve written a lot about the Black Madonna over the years, and will link to a couple of those posts here — they delve more deeply into the meaning, the history, and my own journey of introduction to her Mysteries.
In short, the Black Madonna is the Virgin and Child, Mother Mary and the Christ child. With a twist.
Her blackness is multi-level symbolic, but hints at the depths of the Mysteries … in this case, Christian, but connected by an ancient thread to pre-Christian traditions.
In most appearances, the Black Madonna has a different quality than the sweeter, more etheric Virgin Mary depictions do. The Black Madonna has a sense of deep groundedness, a greater fierceness, a fullness.
In the Salisbury Cathedral, the Dark Madonna presides over a chapel for prayer for ‘prisoners of conscience’, for the disappeared. There’s a clue.
Lech Walesa of the Polish Solidarity Movement wore a Black Madonna pin on his lapel and dedicated his Nobel Prize to Her.* There’s another clue.

The Black Madonna also came to symbolize that which was oppressed, repressed, abused, powered-over, turned-upon, negated, forgotten. But not lost, simply buried away, gestating, waiting for its time of re-emergence from the Chrysalis.
In this case, Wisdom is what got repressed, shunned, negated, and (it was hoped) erased (but she’s persistent, this one, and had her Keepers of the Flame all along the way).
But by virtue of the symbolism, the Black Madonna:
“… has no qualms with standing for humanity, for Wisdom or the Heart, for authentic being, or standing up to power that has been abused and become tyrannical, oppressive, and socio- and psychopathic. That means outside of us, as well as where we’ve internalized the ‘voice of tyranny’.” (Source: my Rilke and the Black Madonna post – link below.)
As within, so without.
So perhaps we begin to emerge from the hypnosis and ensorcelment of archontic tyranny, both external to us and as we’ve internalized it, maybe even over generations, as tyranny is the enemy of creativity, genius, and true spirituality? And, I’d say, tyranny really is the enemy of Life. Just as the Aquarian Prometheus defied the crusty, power-greedy old-guard and brought fire — Wisdom — to the people.

Various times, cycles, astro-energetic portals, and sacred Earthy places can serve as particularly fertile gateways.
But we can, at any time, consecrate space for taking stock, assessing where we are, and very heartfully open to or rededicate ourselves to soul-aligned intentions that can guide us forward with a refreshed devotion and dedication to living into those higher spiritual sensibilities in a very embodied (vs. transcendent, lofty, out-of-body) way.
These are times, and initiations accordingly, to bring us to our senses, into our bodies, and down to Earth … spirit in matter, or Mater, as it were.
But as I mention, too, the Black Madonna, like Durga and other ‘Goddesses of No-Fear‘ before her, is a symbol of the deeper Mysteries of the Feminine and also of the deep, courageous remembering of what has (or who has) been oppressed, suppressed, marginalized, erased (or attempted erasure), and so on.
Here’s a good place to begin in acquainting with or stirring your ancient memory of the Black Madonna tradition (which was as vital in the true core of Christendom as otherwise, for those unfamiliar with the tradition):

You’ll find the Black Madonna (and other faces of the Great She) in the audio programs of The Feminine Mojo Mystery School.
And find a rich collection of posts in the new Black Madonna & Feminine Mysteries page (you’ll see it in the sidebar, too).
It makes it easier for you to find Sophia’s Children archive posts on the Black Madonna, Sophia, Lilith, Magdalene, Wisdom, and the Way (or Dark Night) initiation into Wisdom. They’re all related, and they’re all re-emerging Mysteries.
And if you really want to delve in and immerse — if you feel the twinge and know or suspect you’re in the initiation path now — send me an email to explore a more personalized curriculum into the Black Madonna, Deep-Feminine Mysteries.
See the recent post, Subtle & Overt Attacks on the Feminine and links within it for more on a few reasons why reclaiming the Feminine really is still an issue, should we need the added motivation (the Great She can be very persuasive, after all!).
And so we remember, we embody, we ‘stand for’ the values and virtues and gifts that bring the ‘medicine for our times’ into being through us.
The adventure continues …
Big Love & Inspiration on the Way,
*For more about Lech Walesa and the Black Madonna, see this New York Times article.
Featured Image Credit: Green Sophia, by Daniel Mirante, contributing artist to the Artists Envisioning the Divine project. Learn more about the Artists Envisioning the Divine Project at the link below this post.
April 10, 2015 at 5:46 pm
I think this is the first acquaintance I have with this fine Lady in Black… an interesting post with many links provided for further exploration… I may delve deeper over the weekend 🙂 Thank you Jamie.. Hugs Sue x
April 10, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Oooh, yummy for you, Sue. 🙂 I’m about to post a Black Madonna & Feminine Mysteries page, because they’re in the ‘top 3′ in the ol’ reader favorites, plus my favorites too. So you’ll see that maybe as soon as tomorrow, and it’ll include links to a whole roster of the Virge Noir explorations. So empowering, she is! I hope you feel it too, as you peruse. 🙂 xoxo Love, Jamie
April 10, 2015 at 6:03 pm
I will be sure to let you know 😀
April 10, 2015 at 6:28 pm
🙂
April 10, 2015 at 6:01 pm
How interesting, too, in terms of our recent discussion about suppressing Her the more She rises: when I clicked on this post, my Webroot Security gave me a red alert that your site would likely try to get me to disclose my password or some such nonsense. The degree to which things are programmed not to reveal this Wisdom is so deeply layered, and yet … all I needed to do was to click “send me to this link anyway.” To me, that’s a metaphor for accessing all that has remained hidden and suppressed. It’s all there for the embracing now, though warning bells will go off since when you explore the Black Madonna (or the Dark Mother), you’re about to go off-script. Thanks for all you put out there, Jamie! Love, Laura
April 10, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Wow, that’s wild, Laura. I almost added into the post the experience of so many of these sites having been bricked up or gated or otherwise ‘under lock and key’, limiting and closely supervising access, and here’s your comment about this very phenomenon, lurking through the tech-no-sphere! I saw this pop up yesterday for a site I was visiting and thought, Huh? It made no sense … and yet it just might.
So true, the Black Madonna is ‘off road’ … at least off those straight Roman-style roads, anyway. Thanks for the comment, and for your work in the world, too, Laura.
Love, Jamie
April 10, 2015 at 9:09 pm
Reblogged this on Writing from the Twelfth House and commented:
Following on Easter, Jamie over at Sophia’s Children reminds us of the deep, ancient wisdom held in the archetype of The Black Madonna…read, reflect, enjoy…In Jamie’s words “…this Whole Feminine, this symbol of deep wisdom and Unity, of remembrance and healing of what has been fragmented and abused, … is needed right now in the world.
She is calling for remembrance and expression in our work places, in our leadership, in the way we understand and express ourselves. The heartbeat grows louder, and the need for it grows as well. As we remember Her, she expresses herself more powerfully through us…”
April 10, 2015 at 11:20 pm
Thank you for sharing the Black Madonna, Anne, and for your beautiful intro! I appreciate it. 🙂 Blessings, Jamie
April 11, 2015 at 1:16 am
Thank you for this wonderful reflection, Jamie. I have been acquainting myself with the Black Madonna and last Fall saw Her in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. This was on of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. blessings, Gray
April 11, 2015 at 3:57 pm
You’re welcome, Gray. Oh, that sounds wonderful that you were able to visit with the Black Madonna at Einsiedein, Switzerland, and that the experience was so extraordinary for you! Each ‘She’ and the energy of place seem to have their own essence, so it’s interesting which calls to us and when. 🙂 Thank you for sharing it! Blessings, Jamie
April 11, 2015 at 8:12 pm
Hi Trinity Friends,
We must embrace both sides of the coin in order get the big picture and advance in our life studies. Only then can we move ahead – find real answers to real mysteries. Your post’s info reminds us of this.
Thank you for your research,
hugs,
o and om.
September 24, 2022 at 11:43 am
Thank you for sharing! 🙂