Novena to Our Lady of the Living Fire Day 6

 I shall try the only thing a devotee can do :

I shall always keep thy divine image

and thy holy divinity

locked in my heart and

conjure them in my imagination

- the words of Lucius, the hero of The Golden Ass

The image is an inner shrine,

an interior refuge.

It is beyond words

but the poet and sage knows how to

invoke the imagination and  the

Sacred One up into the psyche

in an enduring

and nurturing way.

An image includes not only a picture but the way

we experience it, the way we feel it.

Every image we perceive,

every feeling it evokes,

is a living prayer.

Prayer

I open myself to your presence, o Great Mother;

I commit myself to your priestesshood of miracle thinking

and the practise of faith in the extraordinary.

I am willing for my eyes and heart to be broken open

by your divine and blinding presence;

as I priestess your love and compassion in the world.

blessings

Hettienne

Novena to Our Lady of the Living Fire Day 5

The Madonna with the Fiery Eyes

Madonna Nera di Montevergine : Mamma Schaviona

She is one of the Seven Sisters of Calabria in Italy and I visited Her last year. She is known as the Slave Mother, Mama Schaviona and She is the patron of the LGBTQ community, the poor and the oppressed.  She has two feast days that are assigned to her, 2 February and 15 August.  Both these feast days are celebrated with the tammuriata, the song, drumming and dance of the region and sacred to the Black Madonna.  The legend goes that there were seven sisters and the blackest one was the ugliest but then She became the most powerful!!  And this is Mamma Schaviona.

She is located on the top of the mountain and where an ancient Cybele shrine used to be. Cybele has a long history in Africa and Egypt, and was also known as Kybele and it is believed that She was brought to Italy by the people of Africa who migrated to and lived in Italy and Sicily. Maybe when African slaves arrived much later they recognized their mother goddess in the Black Madonna of Montevergine.

She is located on the top of the mountain and where an ancient Cybele shrine used to be. Cybele has a long history in Africa and Egypt, and was also known as Kybele and it is believed that She was brought to Italy by the people of Africa who migrated to and lived in Italy and Sicily. Maybe when African slaves arrived much later they recognized their mother goddess in the Black Madonna of Montevergine.

Madonna of Montevergine has the most piercing gaze and her eyes follow you wherever you move.  By touching the railings and the marble around her inner shrine, one can feel the ages of devotion and faith in Her almighty power.

Contemplation

Mother of the Eucharist

Bread and roses

Mamma Schaviona is on the top of the mount on the site where an ancient Cybele used to be.  The feast of Cybele also celebrated the harvest and a hieros gamos ritual bread and wine. Mamma Schaviona's great feast is also celebrated by her devotees, the femminielle.  Here is a literal hieros gamos which erases all boundaries between the opposites as embodiment by gender. 

The Black Madonna of Montevergine opens the portal into altered states of consciousness and blesses you with a vision of your own Being.

Priestesshood and priesthood is a sacramental aspect of oneself.  Bread and wine are the vital symbols of the Eucharistic sacrament : bread and wine are shared as nourishment and transformation and has been a part of the transformational mysteries celebrated by women outside religion for ages.  Bread is a powerful symbol of the transformation of the alchemical process.

The physical life and its objects are manifestations and representations of the life and existence of the spirit. Taking care of our physical life is a sacred task and when performed with intent and awareness we realise that the ordinary is indeed sacred.

 

Prayer

O Mother of the Eucharist

You are the bread. You are the wheat

You are the field. You are the dough.

You are the fire and you are the loaf.

You are food for the world and you are the world.

O Holy Mother Eucharista

blessings

Hettienne

Novena to Our Lady of Living Fire Day 3

 Mother of Fiery Water - Our Lady of Ngome

Mother of Fiery Water, Our Lady of Ngome appeared many times at during the 1950s in South Africa at Ngome.  Ngome is an ancient sacred site where seven streams meet and Her spirit was revered and the energies kept immaculate by the local Zulu people.  

Mary appeared as a Living Monstrance and asked to be called the “Tabernacle of the Most High”.

The Blessed Virgin stated that she wished a shrine to be built in a place where the seven streams come together—pointing to an empty area.

Shortly after Holy Communion, Mary stood before me, very close-by. Everything was seen in spirit. I was drawn into another atmosphere. Mary showed Herself in a wonderful light more beautiful than the sun. She was robed all in white, flowing veil from top to toe. Upon Her Breast rested a big host surrounded by a brilliant corona radiating life. She was a living Monstrance.

Mary stood upon the globe, hands and feet invisible. I felt like entering a cloud, drawn by Mary, away from the earth. I had my eyes closed but I saw so much light that, for several days, I was very much dazzled by the beauty and light that I had seen.

Mary said the following:

“Call Me ‘Tabernacle of The Most High’.

You too are such a Tabernacle, believe it.

as recounted by Sr Reinolda May    - these were kept a secret by the authorities for at least fifty years.

At the inauguration of the Chapel of Lady of Ngome thousands of people witnessed another miracle of the dancing sun.  The sun rolled and moved in the sky and in the words of witnesses 'shot a ray of sunlight onto the statue of the Lady of Ngome'.

The original tapestry created by the nuns, shows Mary as having a beautiful glowing dark brown skin but in official church images she is depicted with a light skin.  Annine van der Meer writes that she has found in her research that in pagan times the Lady of the Land known as Grandmother in the matrilineal traditions, always appeared as a radiant 'white' woman.  This colour had nothing to do with the colour of her skin, but everything to do with the colour of her aura and energy. I directly experienced Our Lady of Lourdes as a column of intense white radiance or white light.  As we have seen in the apparitions of Mary all over the world, She speaks the language of the one who sees her, she appears with the symbology and archetypal knowledge of the One Who is the Sacred Land in all instances.

She spoke to Bernadette in a French dialect which only that region knew; Bernadette had to translate the message for the Bishop who speak a more formal French; in the case of Guadalupe She spoke to Juan Diego in Nahuatl, his mothertongue. The Aztec devotees of Guadalupe called her the Heavenly Mother, the Radiant Maiden, Maiden of Light, Cosmic SkyDancing Maiden and other titles that we tend to judge as 'ascension' and 'patriarchal white light' but it is not the radiant white light that teaches escape from Earth, but rather those who created a new dogma from these powerful truths.

The appearance of the Lady in White at Lourdes and at Ngome and the miracles that she brought to the world, has the ability to transform your world.

Ave Maria, Holy Mother of Ngome

Ave Maria, umama ongcwele Ngome                  (Zulu translation)

Prayer

Magnificent Mary may I remain open

to the impossible

May I remember not to ignore the very subtle

messages of Spirit;

and may I undertake each task as the sacred task that it is

Ave Maria

Om jai mata Mary Ma

blessings

Hettienne

Our Lady of the Living Fire Novena Day 1

 

At the grotto I fell in line with the other pilgrims, waiting my turn to touch the walls of the cave and its dripping water.  The atmosphere was light and joyful, although many stood and kneeled deep in prayer.  As I approached the statue of Our Lady where She appeared to St Bernadette, I could feel an intensification of the energy, a slight vibration and a humming sound.  The closer I came, the louder the sound became.  The sound was over and above the sound of the rushing waters.

As I put my hand out to touch the dripping water and I raised my eyes, a column of light was visible to me, shimmering and dancing. My first impression was that it is a giant candle, but then my logical mind realized that this is not possible.

The only way I can describe it is 'a flame of living organic light' :

Her Divine Presence made manifest in this world, visible to my eyes.

And overwhelming and immense feelings which I am at a loss to name.

A feeling of such incredible fullness and completeness which has stayed with me ever since.

A hundred thousand harps take you

like wings and sweep you up out of silence.

And your primitive wind is blowing

the fragrance of your marvelous power

to every being and to every creature in need.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

This is an extract of my very first blog post about my first visit to Lourdes.

And since that blog post I have been offering the Art Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes for the past ten years and this year to Our Lady of the Living Fire.

Candles are kept burning at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes without fail

Contemplation 

Fire and Light

Fire is of great importance to us.  We use it to cook our food and to keep warm in winter. The hearth and its fire has always been a symbol of the divine presence of the Deity who provides and supplies us with what we need.

The candle is also seen as the flame of the Soul. Those with mystical sight can see the flame that is alit on the crown of the awakened ones.

One can see the halo of a burning flame with the naked eye and holy ones and awakened ones are often drawn with similar halos. Even though we understand how fire is created, it remains a mystical ocurrence with miraculous abilities.

Similarly, as prana is ignited in the body (spontaneously or through spiritual practice) and involuntary and unexpected changes take place in both the mind, the body and the heart, it is a wondrous mystical occurrence.

As inner sight develops and extra sensory perception and a vast peace eventually settles in your being, one feels drawn to make these events manifest in ritual, practise and art.

Since ancient days a candle was kept alit in the temples and cities as an offering to the heavens and as a sign of the unwavering spirit. This is still the practise at Lourdes and also at Kildare where the Brigidine nuns keep the flame lit.

She was a poor shepherdess, Bernadette, 

growing up at the foothills of the Pyrenees, 

on the banks of the Gave du Pau.

Tending the very poor family's

small flock of sheep

When the most miraculous vision

appeared to her.

A vision of Light

with roses on Her feet.

From this numinous event

flowed forth a stream of healing water,

a holy place was born,

Bernadette's life was transformed

into one of passion,

commitment and a vocation to the highest Love

A place where the fire was lit long ago

and the fire of your Soul

and Its unconditional love

is kept alive

And such is the miracle within our own hearts

reminding us of the Sacred in the Ordinary

and when we open ourselves to the healing possibilities

we find that Love is everywhere

Prayer

Radiant Mary, shine radiantly upon me.

Bright Lady who illuminates my inner darkness

Yours is the incorruptible fire;

As it is clean, it cleanses; as it is pure, it purifies

You are the Living Fire,

the eternal flame of Love

May my heart and eyes open to the beauty of my own being,

halo to Love's fire

Ave Maria

Om jai Mata Mary Ma

blessings

Hettienne

A blessed Candlemass!

 

A blessed Candlemass and feast day of the Black Madonna of the Green Candles to you

If you are interested in going deeper, posts with more content, ritual and prayers are shared on Patreon.

A major pilgrimage takes place every year at Candlemas (a celebration 40 days after Christmas) in the town of Marseilles, France. In the evening of 1 February the preparations already start and on the morning of February 2nd, a procession starts from the Old Port to the Abbaye of Saint Victor.  The pilgrims carry long green candles symbolizing the eagerly awaited green shoots of spring. The black Virgin stored in the crypts is dressed in a green cloak and presented to the crowd.  The archbishop then blesses her and a mass begins.

Afterwards, everyone goes to a nearby bakery to buy navettes, long thin biscuits flavored with orange water and intended to resemble the boat, or navette, that brought Lazarus, Mary Magdalene and other saints to Saintes Maries de la Mer in Provence 

Black Madonna of Confession; The Good Black Mother; Our Lady the Green One; Our Lady of New Fire

Bride of Holy Wells in the Mysteries of the Black Madonna tarot deck

Today, 2 February, pilgrims descend onto the crypt of the Abbey;  they light their green candles and carry the Black Mother with the green cloak up and out into the procession.  The Candlemas procession of this Black Madonna replaced an ancient torchlight procession in honour of Persephone, daughter of Demeter. 

The green candles of Candlemas symbolize fertility, the birth of new life and the greening of the Earth.  The wings of the goddess Isis is still depicted as being green and there used to be a devotion to Green Isis.  

Our Lady of Confession, the Black Madonna, has always been known as Our Lady of the New Fire because on her feast day, the new candles are blessed for the year.  Devotees still take their green candles to be blessed in the annual ritual in the Abbey.

She is still known as The Green One and her woollen green mantel is overlaid with a green cloth coat and green candles are lit in front of her.  The colour green is also associated with the planet Venus. - from the Mysteries of the Black Madonna

You can read the entire story of the legend of the green candles in the Abbey of St Victor in the guidebook of the Mysteries of the Black Madonna. 

Many believe this Madonna to be Mary Magdalene and there is also a strong connection with Sante Sara.  

She is the personification of new life and fertility.  She reminds us that Our Lady of Living Fire restores health and joy after the long dark nights of the winter of the soul.  She restores hope and optimism as her fire lights the candle, both within and within our world.  

Blessing rite of the green candles

What is needed beforehand :

Set up your altar

Place two green candles on altar

Place bowl of water on altar

Have prayers and mantra at hand (for sanctification of space and water)

Today is when the blessing rite of the green candles take place.  Place two green candles on your altar.  I have shared with you the opening and closing prayers and the sanctification mantras, to clear and bless your space all your sacred tools.  Before you do the candle blessing rite, first sanctify your altar and make sure that you have placed water on the altar.

Light the two candles and repeat the following prayer.  Sprinkle candles with the blessed water on your altar.

You can use the sanctification prayer and mantra that I shared with you in the previous post

on creating your altar.  There are also more prayers on Patreon.

blessings

Hettienne

Our Lady of Living Fire Altar

 

Never underestimate the power of ritual and ceremony. The ritual of preparing the altar, lighting candle and incense, etc indicates to the subconscious and unconscious that you are now entering sacred time and space.

Blessings to you on this feast day of Our Lady of the Green Candles and the

Novena to Our Lady of the Living Fire.

Welcome to our virtual community where we connect with each other,

with our devotion to the Divine Feminine in Her Grace as Mary

and with our innermost selves.

If this is your first visit to the blog you may want to scroll down and read the previous posts

with information on the idea of these offerings.  You will also

find links to my other blogs and stories on this path of

walking with Mary, in the side bar of this blog.

Today I am sharing with you the preparation of a sacred altar for both the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Green Candles and the 9 day novena.  Throughout the novena you may add colours or flowers for the specific aspects of Mary for that day.  You do not have to follow my suggestions;  you are free to create an altar that is in alignment with your own vision and desire.

I will throughout the 10 days of feast days and novena, share various prayers and practices; these all form part of the Immaculate Practice which is part of the Order of the Dove training.  Some of these practices and prayers will only be shared with the Order of the Dove in keeping with the Temple of Mary on Patreon.  All posts for the novena is shared early with patrons and specific prayers, mantras and invocations are only shared on Patreon.

Gather the following items for the altar and rituals : a meditation shawl (if you like to wear one), rosary or mala or prayer beads, a few fresh lemons - at least one or two, one or two cups of coarse sea salt; essential oils (lemon and rose geranium); candles especially green but you can also add white and red and black and yellow.  Fresh flowers and an image of Holy Mary.  

 There are various ways of clearing your space : burning sage or mpepho (a local indigenous plant in South Africa); lavender, burning aromatherapy oils;  holy water; sacred waters and salt.

My favourite way of cleansing is the following :

A whole lemon placed in the room and one on the altar.  I leave the lemons in place for weeks (until it has naturally dried out).  When the lemon starts to rot it has absorbed negative energy and you have to put it into the compost or garden and replace it with another fresh lemon. Lemons are powerful energy clearing fruit and one of the oldest holy fruits that we know.  The lemon also aborbs the sacred energies of the activated altar and space and you can eat it as prasadh (blessed food) after your sacrament.

You can add the essential oils to your oil burner.

It is a powerful practice to have a sacred space in which to meditate and work your holy medicine.  You only need a small space. You can prepare this space beforehand with a special chair or space on the floor to sit.

If you already have a meditation shawl, place it in your sacred space.  I suggest that you find a special (meaning one that you use for this purpose) shawl with which to cover your shoulders or head.  In the bhakty tradition we wear white.

Create your altar with candles, incense, an essential oil burner, fresh flowers and of course an image of Mary. Add your Mysteries of Mary and Mysteries of the Black Madonna tarot deck or any deck that you will be using. 

We invoke a blessing and sacrament from Mary on our sacred work and offerings.  We will sanctify our meditation shawl, rosary

(and/or mala) and any other items to be used as sacred altars and tools.  

Place  a glass or bottle of water on your altar.

You can drink this water after the blessing ritual.

 

Should you want to, you can repeat this invocation daily. The more

often and the more people that repeat the same mantra, the more

powerful it becomes.  Traditional mantras which have been chanted

for many years, have great healing effect on the vibrations of our

physical and spiritual world.

Mantra for blessing (invocation)

Ave Maria Sanctum Gloriae

Ave Maria Sanctum Gloriae

Ave Maria Sanctum Gloriae

OM

After you have blessed your space, open the ritual with a prayer to Mary.

Prayer to Mary

                                       Holy Mary, Mother of God                                             

oh Rose Queen

Bestow your blessings upon us

Now and Forever

To open and close any sacred work dedicated to Mary we use :

Om jai Mata Mary Ma Namah

blessings

Hettienne