The Grail Family Lands in France Once More
Posted by Joan Norton at 5/22/2009 4:51 AM 
Categories: The Magdalene Rosary
Tags: Mary Magdalene 14 Steps To Awaken the Sacred Feminine Women in the Circle of Mary Magdalene
Categories: The Magdalene Rosary
Tags: Mary Magdalene 14 Steps To Awaken the Sacred Feminine Women in the Circle of Mary Magdalene
"Mary's boat with no oars is swept ashore in Gaul" says the Magdalene Mystery of the Magdalene Rosary. We celebrate with great heart that the Grail family has endured the perilous sea voyage to an unknown new land and has arrived safely. The year is thought to be A.D. 42 and the legend is celebrated every year on May 24-25 in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Mediterranean coast of France. I wish we celebrated it here.
"It seems likely that after the crucifixion of Jesus, Mary the Magdalene found it necessary to flee for the sake of her unborn child to the nearest refuge", is Margaret Starbird's description of how the child on the boat in France came to be called Egyptian. Alexandria, Egypt was "easily reached from Judea and contained well-established Jewish communities at the time of Jesus. In all probability, the emergency refuge of Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea was Egypt. And later-years later- they left Alexandria and sought an even safer haven on the coast of France."
"It seems likely that after the crucifixion of Jesus, Mary the Magdalene found it necessary to flee for the sake of her unborn child to the nearest refuge", is Margaret Starbird's description of how the child on the boat in France came to be called Egyptian. Alexandria, Egypt was "easily reached from Judea and contained well-established Jewish communities at the time of Jesus. In all probability, the emergency refuge of Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea was Egypt. And later-years later- they left Alexandria and sought an even safer haven on the coast of France."
And so the mystery of the little child continues today as a dark companion to the "Marys on the boat" arriving by sea in Gaul. The festival honors a child born in Egypt who accompanied the Grail Family to France.She was called Sarah , which means Princess in Hebrew. A princess girl-child, born in Egypt, in a boat with the Grail Family of the man said to be the intended King. I know we don't think of Jesus that way these days, as an intended literal King of the land, but that's the story of the literal bloodline. His child would be thought of as "princess" of the House of David. She, as well as her mother Mary Magdalene, was consigned to the underground stories, to the "secret traditions" which had to be practiced in the shadows. They were cast into the dark.
In people's inner life as it appears in dreams, something which is not consciously accepted will appear as dark, meaning "in the dark" or "unknown to me". Margaret Starbird's work has helped us to understand that that's what happened to Mary Magdalene and her daughter. They disappeared into the collective unconscious as "dark" or "rejected" elements of the christian spiritual story, and of ourselves.
Here's how she looks today as she is figuratively celebrated as the dark princess who arrives yearly amidst great honor and celebration. People cast their petitions to her in hopefulness for their future.
Part of the legend that's grown up around Sarah is that she was late in getting on the boat and her Mother, the Magdalene, threw a cloak out onto the water and she walked on the cloak to the boat. Every year people give her beautiful new cloaks that look like dresses so that she will be able to make the voyage. She's bundled in new finery and carried from her underground chapel through the streets to the sea where her ancient arrival is re-enacted. Because the Church doesn't recognize her as a saint, her statue has to remain in an underground place where it doesn't touch "real" church grounds. Goodness, could it be more clear a re-enactment of the suppression of the feminine in Christianity ? But at least we have a ritual celebration of the flowering of the Sacred Marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, their daughter Sarah. In this story we see the garden grow and the flowers bloom.
On the second day of the festival a statue of the two Marys in the boat is carried through town by crowds of people to the sea where the arrival of the Grail Family is re-enacted again. Two Marys plus the Daughter Sarah..... it certainly looks like a Triple Goddess pattern. It's an archetypal reality that the Goddess comes in threes as Wise Old One, Mother Creatrix, and Daughter. Variations of those stories abound in every religion, everywhere. When I say "Creatrix" I'm reminded that Jesus' Sacred Partner Bride was designated in the Greek gematria code language as "the Magdalene" , which is the number 153, which has the meaning "creatrix of life". It has many other meanings as well, all establishing her as Goddess. To say "153" is a kind of code word for the womb of all life. People who understand esoteric mathematics might say that it has a literal meaning about the vibrational shape which is "mother of all forms". It's the reason one of the rosaries is priced with that number. We shouldn't underestimate the effect of our symbolic gestures.
I wish we had more symbolic gestures to celebrate the Magdalene Mysteries and I wish we had the "Mary's boat with no oars is swept ashore in Gaul" festival here. How shall we create some symbolism for this Mystery? A little boat is the obvious one, and I also like the doll dressed up in many beautiful cloaks. We need to tell our children these stories with the symbols to go with them. I hope some of you will write back to me and tell me what you think the little symbols should be. Maybe Sally can make a small symbol for one of her rosaries to go along with the symbol of the Grail family embracing a child, which she uses now. But for now we have the new prayers to say, the rosary of the Magdalene Mysteries.
"Dear Mary Magdalene, love incarnate,
Sacred Vessel, Holy Grail,
Chosen were you from all women,
And blessed is your union with Jesus.
Dearest Bride and Beloved of Christ,
Show us the Way of the heart."
Dear Joan~
I have been quiet for a bit, but continue my journey and my searching. Having just finished McGowan's "Expected One" and currently reading the follow up, "Book of Love," I'm continually experiencing the synchronicity that moves me along this path. My soul is singing with the words of Margaret, you, Kathleen, and Ki about the Holy Family and their resting in Alexandria prior to sailing for Gaul. As Margaret is so apt to remind us, there is no physical proof for these "stories," no undeniable truth to the cause for such celebrations. But there is a resonance that blows across the heart strings of my soul.
Just as with your Easter blogs, encouraging me to look beyond the death, so does this entry give me reason to enjoy this Memorial Day weekend! These 2 "holidays" have always held a dullness for me, not in the activities, but in the emotion. And now, both are billowed with the voice of the Feminine Sacred.
Thank you, Joan, for the continued guidance!
With warmest blessings and love~
Jenny
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Hi Jen, Nice to hear your voice again. I picture you in your busy life as a mother doing all the million things, with your inner intelligence following a spiritual story and hearing an inner call. Kathleen McGowan lives "just up the road a piece" and she came to a couple of my Magdalene Circles. Small world. You probably know you can stay in touch with her on Facebook too.
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Hi Joan,
Just going to chime in on your and Jen's sentiments; however, this weekend, although is a time of picnics and observation, can also be a little sad if we have lost someone in the military. Your article is a sure remedy for the soul! I felt better as soon as I read it and love being reminded of the 153 significance, myths surrounding the Magdelene, and as always her place in our lives and consciousnes NOW. When I started reading I had a quick longing for such a celebration in this country and "there it was"! you had suggested the same thing! Mmm.....a possible retreat idea for you and Margaret?...blessings..sheila..: )
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Dear Sheila,
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Hi Joan,
Well, how about calling this date... hmmm....(drumming fingers on desk and pondering...)
"ADVENT OF THE MAGDALENE IN GAUL"
Altar:
A picture/painting of a Mother and Daughter, A small ship or image of a ship, a chalice of water, some little home-made scrolls to symbolize the teachings she brought with her, and an image of a fleur-di-lis.
Love, Jennifer Reif
"The Holy Book of Mary Magdalene"
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Hi Jennifer, Of course I should have asked you right away.... you being the creator of so many, many beautiful liturgies and rituals to celebrate the Sacred Union.
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Hi Joan,
Thanks so much for the nice words. Technically we could go through each special Magdalene date and give it a special holy name, I've written "A Magdalene Easter" as you know, for the second edition of my book (still on hold), but the dates that are Magdalene-focused, as an annual cycle could each be flushed out with a sacred date name and liturgy. As you know, I've already written liturgy for "The Feast Day of Mary Magdalene" in July, but that's more connected to her Catholic sainthood than to her personal journey.
Love, Jennifer
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I remember Margaret saying that in the original liturgy for her feast day they used passages from the Song of Songs... the great Sacred Marriage poetry which has been a part of each previous god-goddess couple liturgy. When we get closer to July's Magdalene Feast Day I hope you will post little tid-bits of what you've done. xoJoan
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Hi Joan,
That's so lovely that the traditional church uses part of the 'Sacred Union' passages from "Song of Songs." Perhaps an echo of the church's lost knowledge?
Regarding posting parts of my Feast Day for Mary Magdalene liturgy (From "The Holy Book of Mary Magdalene") ...will do, maybe toward mid June. Perhaps one day some of us in LA (and elsewhere!) can perform this new liturgy that celebrates Our Lady's day, together.
Love, Jennifer
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Yes, I really think the desire for greater recognition and ritual and celebration of Mary Magdalene and her Sacred Marriage is growing. Women who start Magdalene Circles will certainly get curious about your book's gorgeous poetry and may want to include some pieces of it in their design for their individual circles. xoJoan
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Wow, Joan!
I love the link with Persephone! Immediately it was like a V8 moment, it makes so much sense! Now I need to go revisit my greek/latin mythology!
Thanks to both you and Jennifer for the great dialogue!
Jen
P.S. I'm psyched to hear Jennifer's got another book in the hopper. The above work is part of my regularly read stash to bolster my Magdalene worship.
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Oh good! I'm glad you've already discovered Jennifer's work. She's really got a gift for spiritual liturgy. I could easily picture her with a Magdalene and Jesus church of her own..... conducting the ceremonies and rituals which help to pull our psyche's into expansive perception and loving respect for Earth.
The only person I know who's done inner work specifically with Magdalene's daughter is Sandra Pope, author of Growing Up Without the Goddess , A Journey Through Sexual Abuse To The Sacred Embrace of Mary Magdalene . Maybe Sandra will check in here and let us know some of her experience.
Once the "daughter aspect" of ourselves goes to the underworld (or a dangerous voyage) she has necessarily lost her girlhood innocence and always retains the wisdom of those depths. She becomes both our virginal state of expectation and our mature ability to nurture our depth experiences.
xoJoan
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