Creating the Mysteries of the Red Madonna and her Beloved tarot deck in 2022

The Passion of Venus and Pluto

from the Mysteries of the Red Madonna tarot deck

Immerse yourself in the radiant beauty

which is the world beyond the mind.

Surrender every thought, every attempt at creating a division between yourself and the other.

Join heart and sensation with the continuous dance of lovemaking between devi and dev, shakty and shiva, bharavi and bharava, god and goddess, Maria and Christos, Sophia and the Dove.

Join with the Madonna and Her Beloved who is making love in every particle of creation

With every breath and touch bless the life that surrounds you

A blessed year of the Lovers and the unfolding of the Mysteries of the Red Madonna and Her Beloved to you

 'Those initiated into these Inner Mysteries discovered that Christianity was not just about the dying and resurrecting Son of God. They were told another myth that few Christian today have even heard of - the story of Jesus' love, the lost and redeemed Daughter of the Goddess. ... They understood the Divine to have both a masculine and a feminine face; they worshiped the Divine Feminine as Sophia, the wise Goddess. - Jesus and the lost Goddess by Timothy Freke

Elaine Pagels in her book, the Gnostic Paul, writes that Paul says that 'Among the initiates we speak of Sophia' for it is 'the secret of Sophia' that is 'taught in our Mysteries'.  She also explains that when initiates of the Inner Mysteries of Christianity partook of Holy Communion, it was Sophia's passion and suffering they revered and remembered.  It is said that priests and priestesses offered initiates wine as a symbol of 'her blood.'  The prayer that was offered was :

'May Sophia fil your inner being and increase in her Gnosis.'

Another prayer to Sophia was :

'Come, hidden Mother; come, you who are made manifest in your works, and give joy and rest to those who are bound to you.  Come and partake in this Eucharist which we perform in  your name, and in the love feast for which we have assembled at your invitation.'

The Mysteries of the Red Madonna and Her Beloved will be a deck that will bring together the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine in the mythological teachings of Sophia, Her Daughter Mary Magdalene and Her Son-Beloved-Brother Yeshua or Jesus.

In the Mysteries of the Red Madonna I will once again explore the allegorical teachings encoded in the Outer Mysteries.  These Outer Mysteries included the allegorical initiation myths of the 'lost and redeemed' Goddess and the 'dying and resurrecting Godman of the various Gnostic communities and idealogies.  These mythological motifs are displayed in the Pagan Mysteries, and taught by the great Pagan Gnostics and the later Jewish mythological mysteries.  The Mysteries of the Red Madonna will firstly illuminate the stories and teachings of Sophia and her lost daughter, Mary Magdalene.  The Inner Mysteries of the Red Madonna will reveal the esoteric or hidden Inner Mysteries which lead to Gnosis and the final stage of Hieros Gamos or Sacred Marriage with her Beloved and Consort, the incarnate Godman.

I will explore the divine couple in Egypt, Isis and Osiris; in Greece as Persephone and Dionysus, in Syria as Aphrodite and Adonis; Cybele and Attis, Ishtar and Marduk, Asherah and Baal amongst others.

Sophia, Lady Wisdom and Maria-Sophia in the Mysteries of Mary, has been the Goddess of the Pagan philosophers for centuries.  'Philosophy' means 'lover of Sophia'.

The Goddess Ashera, in the Jewish tradition,  became known as God's companion and co-creator Sophia, in books such as Proverbs, the Sophia of Solomon and The Sophia of Jesus the son of Sirach.   

As in both the Mysteries of the 'White Lady' Mary and the Black Madonna, there will be an overlap between these three decks in the Red Madonna as well.  For the original Christians, Mary had always represented the Goddess Sophia, Queen of Heaven.

The Literalists, those who are exponents of the literal interpretation of the Mysteries, put an end to the Goddess and Divine nature of Mary and Sophia both.  They saw her as merely a mortal woman who gave birth to a divine son.  They also put an end to the equality of the sexes as proclaimed by the Gnostics and women no longer were spiritual partners to men.  Women were seen as the evil descendants of Eve because of whose sin the son of God had to die.

 I will explore the 'fallen goddess' theme in the many references to 'the soul as prostitute' in both the Gnostic texts as Biblical texts.  This will take us into the stories of Mary Magdalene, the priestess who anointed the Godman; Mary Magdalene as the Beloved Disciple and the ancient tradition of temple priestesses or Devi Dasi, the ancient Hindu tradition of the temple priestess who were called 'prostitute'.

I will also explore the various Red Madonna Sophia figures in these stories, such as the barren Elizabeth, Rebecca who draws water from the well of wisdom of Sophia, Martha, the prostitute Tamar, the fallen Batsheba, and more.

'Jesus does not show himself as he really is, but he shows himself as people are able to see him.  He shows himself to all.  To the great he appears great. To the small he appears small.  To the angels he appears as an angel, as to men as a man. Hence the Logos conceals itself from all.  Some indeed see him and realize that they are seeing themselves.' - The Gospel of Philip

I invite you to join me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/templeofmary and to become a part of the final deck in the Mysteries of Mary.

blessings

Hettienne

Giveaway on Patreon for the Month of May

Mary Magdalene giveaway

We enter the month of April through the Holy Week, Easter, Lent and those in the Northern Hemisphere, the celebrations of Ostara.

We are initiated into the mysteries of the Holy Gardener, the gestation of the seed in the tomb and womb of the Black Holy Mother by the Three Holy Marys. After three days and three nights in darkness,  we are initiated into the mystery of resurrection and regeneration.

And on the eve of these Great Mysteries, we are a witness to the anointing of the Holy One by the priestess and Holy Bride, Mary Magdalene.

For this month’s giveaway I am gifting two of these Mary Magdalene statues; each with a Mary Magdalene holy card

a miniature skull

and an extra card for your altar

and for one of these I am including the amulet set of the Priestess and the sacrificial Son.

Here in the Southern Hemisphere we are entering the descent of the sun into longer nights and shorter days; either way, spring or autumn, all of creation is aware of the cycles that cannot be controlled by us.

The amulet set includes the goddess moon, the sun, the chalice, rose, crown of thorns, the star, a small apothecary bottle for the sacred oil and the pouring pitcher

Anyone across all tiers can enter and I will change the game every month : this month patrons will be the judges. I will share your submissions here, anonymously, so that no-one is influenced and I will ask you to vote for your favourite entry.

If you want to enter, please send a few lines, or art, or doodle, or musings, or collage, or poetry about the meaning that this theme of sacrifice, death, loss and resurrection has for you. You can send it via email to me personally on Patreon.  The cut off date is 25 April 2021

blessings

Hettienne  

Monthly Mary Reliquary Treasures Giveaway

The Temple of Mary on www.patreon.com

 Exciting news! I have been planning these treasuries for a year but with the pandemic shipping parcels to you have been impossible. But now the time has arrived to give away a monthly treasure from the Mary Repository. The definition of ‘repository’ is

a place where or receptacle in which things are or may be stored.

as well as

a place where something, especially a natural resource, is found in significant quantities.

I have many sacred altars that I have been creating, holy cards, sacred oils and incense and other devotive items that I have prepared to send out to you. My wish is that they enhance your bhakty and add to your spiritual practise and your most secret vision for your life ♥️

Each month I will put together three treasure boxes - one for each section of tiers of The Temple of Mary. The new treasury boxes and sets will be revealed during the first week of the new month.

Names of the patrons on The Temple of Mary will be put into 3 different jars. In order to qualify for the month’s draw, you have to be a patron for at least 3 months. I will update the jars each month with the new names of qualifying patrons.

And I ask of you in return that, when you win a box, that you share it on social media and that you tag me. If you are not on social media, then do not worry about it.

Each month I will share the content of each box and parcel and it will be wrapped with special care and little extras; the way that I usually do.

The repository treasure for all Order of the Dove tiers is a small Black Madonna travel shrine

 

 

A small tin with a miniature statue of the Madonna Santissima l’Incoronata from Foggia in Italy. I brought her back with me and she was touched to the statue of the Black Madonna of Foggia and blessed with the holy oil that is still available at the sanctuary.

 

 

It includes Black Madonna of Tindari holy cards, a Tindari amulet with image of the Black Madonna, rosary, frankincense and Mary stickers

 

For the Inner Sanctum of the Black Madonna and the Virtual Pilgrimage tiers ($15) the Black Madonna reliquary box

 

A gold silk hand made tarot pouch, a small Black Madonna statue, a clay copy of the sacred chemise of Mary from Chartres, a set of blessing seeds with one sacred chemise blessing seed, rosary, frankincense, Mary stickers and holy cards

 

 

All tiers of $10 per month and lower

Our Lady and the Dove

 

A beautiful piece of chambray linen with print of an old Mary holy card from my collection, a rosary, Mary stickers, a miniature dove, a clay amulet of the sacred chemise of Mary from Chartres and a dove feather from the doves that live in my Mary garden. You can read my many posts about the many messages and guidance that these doves have imparted to me over the years. The last few weeks they have been leaving so many feathers for me, and every day a dove has been in our house; some fly in, others walk in and sit for hours in my studio with me. Through the years this has always guided me through huge changes and healing.

 

plus two cards from the Mysteries of Mary deck for your altar : the two Black Madonnas of Chartres

 

I will announce this month’s winners on the feast day of the Annunciation

blessings

Hettienne

Walking with Mary - why Mary?

From Mara to Miriam, from Miriam to Mariam and Maryam to Mary.

She is the archetypal Divine Woman of our times. 
Mary is the bridge

between the mortal and immortal feminine. 
She is the Sacred Virgin and Mother, Beloved Bride

and Lady Wisdom.

'Whoever knows the spiritual secrets of the world and knows what speaks through

Isis and Madonna sees in them something of primeval life, something much more alive

than whatever one can express in any slaving imitation to a physical human model.

A person of this kind whose gaze penetrates to the living quality of the Madonna

as through a veil, beholding the spiritual behind her, can feel piety in

complete spiritual freedom, free from all dogma and prejudice.  Such a person

will unite science, or wisdom, with art in his or her soul and give new birth to genuine

free religious feeling' - Rudolph Steiner

According to the Ageless Wisdom and great seers like Rudolph Steiner and Helena Blavatsky, the Grail knowledge (esoteric and hidden knowledge of the new era of divine love) began to flow into the consciousness of humanity 2000 years ago.  This new consciousness has the ability

to transform wisdom into love.  Through love outer wisdom becomes inner wisdom.

The transformation of wisdom into love is an action.  It can be seen as a passionate on-going relationship with another being.  In the case of the spiritual vision it is seen as a Feminine

Being and the transformative power of your love for Her.  This is called Bhakty (devotion) in 

Tantra Yoga (the sacred tradition of the mystical marriage).

The thirty days of Walking with Mary practises is part of the Yoga of the Mother in the
Bhakty tradition

of devotion to Our Lady Mary.

The poet Dante had a great love for Lady Philosophy. Dante's relationship with her
was no mere allegory.

It was a concrete experience of a passionate relationship with Lady Philosophy.

For Jacob Boehme the incarnation of Sophia in Mary is central to Sophiology ;

'Sophia was above all chosen and sent to unite herself with Mary and to

strengthen her, so that she would be able to become the mother of the

Incarnating Logos.  She incarnated into Mary; Mary is the incarnated Sophia.'

But Christianity, by insisting on the chastity of the Mother Goddess, utterly

transformed the meaning of the matriarchal image even though to all outward appearances

it remained unchanged.  The image of the Mother Goddess with her child

represented her sexuality and procreative power, whereas that of the Virgin

and child stood for her celibacy and the will of God.
 She was merely the agent through which he acted. 
But early on, many women and men felt differently.  They paid homage to 

Mary by customary offerings to Goddess.  The church, aware of the similarities

of Mary with Goddess, converted existing temples and shrines and adapted

rituals into its own devotional calendar.

Thus Mary seemed to belong to the Roman Catholic Church and early on she was
even there side-lined into a minor role.
She was virtually removed from the Protestant Church.

Mary's most common personifications in the liturgy and in art are

Virgin, Mother and Queen (reminiscent of the Triple Goddess ).
 'Mary' is a Greek pronunciation of the Hebrew name Miriam

or Miriamne.  There are many theories about his name, such as that Mary

might not even be a personal name, but a title meaning Priestess.

In the age of the troubadours, Mary was

praised as the object of courtly love, the untouchable beauty to be praised above

all others.  Many paintings of this era portrayed Mary as a sensuous woman.

Offering of love to her were common.  One legend tells of a man who gave

Mary a crown of 50 roses every day.

Monks and priests used to wed Mary.  Hopeful knights were known to

place a ring on Mary's finger.  If the statue gripped the ring firmly, the knight

considered himself her Bridegroom and entered a religious order.  In Greece,

men who worshiped Venus performed the same ritual.  Venus was also known to 

firmly grip the rings of the men she loved. 

In the annual Thirty Days of Mary I share ritual and initiation with you;
practises and a spiritual path that I wrote down in a state of bliss for hours
through the night.  I had followed a path of tantra yoga and had received
various initiations.  During my visit to Lourdes I felt deeply called to marry
the eastern tradition of bhakty with the western tradition of pilgrimage
 within myself and my spiritual path.
(You will find more posts on my story on my blog Cloister of the Heart)
The pages that I had written down that night, contained a complete guidebook
for a spiritual community devoted to Mary.
I founded the Temple of Mary and initiated Flamekeepers to maintain
the fire in the Hearth of Mary.
Working on the tarot deck of the Mysteries of Mary and my
pilgrimages I withdrew deeper into my spiritual path
and realised that I cannot burn the candle on both ends.

My vision is to continue to offer the Thirty Days with Mary
to all those who work with the deck and that each year the
thirty days retreat will deepen and expand.
When you have completed the Thirty Days you
are a Keeper of the Hearth and you can continue
to keep the flame burning.

For those who would like to continue the journey and become
a Flamekeeper, I will be introducing the initiations on Patreon
later this year.


blessings
Hettienne

Sri Hettienne BhaktyMaria Ma

Thirty Days with Mary September 2019

Walking with Mary for thirty days
7 September 2019

When you pray to Mary, mother of Jesus, you pray, without knowing it,

to the World Mother in her many forms. -  The Mists of Avalon

You are invited to join me and the Temple of Mary in a 30 day practice with the metaphor, Sacred Presence and iconography of Blessed Mary.  

We will start Saturday 7 September 2019 on the eve of the Nativity of Mary
 and continue till Sunday 6 October, the eve of the feast day
of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Walking with Mary focuses on the tarot deck
Mysteries of Mary tarot deck.  If you do not own the deck you can still
join in.  There are daily practises, mantras, chants, ritual, dance,
soulcollage, tarot spreads and more.

A  Walking with Mary community exists around the globe and
we are united in our love for the sacred feminine in the embodiment of Mary.
If you wish to, we share on Instagram with the hash tags
#walkingwithmary
#thirtydayswithmary
#30dayswithmary

and on Facebook on the Mysteries of Mary tarot deck page.

You can subscribe to this blog on the right hand side column
'Subscribe by email' and you will receive the posts via email.
You can also follow this blog.
I have a group on Patreon called Walking with Mary.
You will find us on www.patreon.com/thefrenchmadonna
and for $5 a month you will receive monthly posts and background
information on the deck and an on-going spiritual practise.

You can participate wherever you are and you can spend as much time as you can afford to on the daily practise.  The month of Walking with Mary will include special prayers, contemplation, spiritual exercises and tools to uncover your own Sacred Heart and strengthen your relationship with 

Blessed Mary.

This is a free event and open to everyone

Over the next few days I will share here a few items that you have to collect and prepare beforehand.

If you own the Mysteries of Mary tarot deck and/or the  Amulets of Mary Healing Oracle,

you can bring them to this event.

We will consecrate our decks and we will set up a special Walking with Mary altar.  

The Walking with Mary online retreat in January and February is
devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes, the Immaculate Conception.

The Walking with Mary online retreat in September is devoted
to Our Lady of the Rose.

You may like to read my Art Novena to Lourdes or Mondays with Mary posts
on my blog Cloister of the Heart at
http://pathofdivinelove.blogspot.com
for some background to my sacred path of art as spiritual practise
and what you can expect of Walking with Mary.

You will experience the flowering of peace and joy and you will see the changes in your personal life unfold as you walk these thirty days with Mary.

blessings

Hettienne