She Is Crowned "Queen of the Earth"
Posted by Joan Norton at 6/14/2009 6:32 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
The last legendary Magdalene Mystery story is "At her death, Mary is assumed body and soul into heaven." I've heard Margaret Starbird say a number of times that the the stories of the Mother Mary were late editions, that the stories of Mary Magdalene were told first and earlier. That probably accounts for the confusion of symbolic imagery in the paintings in the category of "The Assumption of Mary". Much of the symbolism original to Mary "called the Magdalene" was later transferred to the Mother Mary. Not that it's only in the Assumption paintings that we find confused symbolism, it's throughout the Mary pictures.
There was a wonderful Brazilian woman who spoke at the Northwest Catholic Women's Convocation, Dr. Ivone Gebara, who said that the "New Hope" theme of the convocation needed to be communicated in stories to people, otherwise it wouldn't be useful. We have to get the stories straight so people can be inspired by them and use them in simple daily ways. It's necessary to know which Mary we're talking about , the Beloved Mother or the Beloved Bride. The Beloved Bride is telling us the story of the soul's flesh and blood life of passion and love lived through an earthlife of the heart, the way people do. It's the Way of the heart.
I wanted to know what "assumed body and soul into heaven" meant so I looked it up and was surprised that one definition was "sacred marriage", meaning a union between heaven and earth. Mary Magdalene's earthly story came to an end and she was received into heaven. She attained a heavenly peaceful union within herself. We have a painting of that from 1620 by Domenichino.
She has the gold brocade of the bride or queen and she has her alabaster jar. I'm sure the "heavenly mountain" to her right has other meanings but I find it a reference to the meaning of her title, hMagdalhnh "the tower". Many spiritual stories from many spiritual traditions have stories about the sacred mountain, also pictured as a tower. It means to have an expanded viewpoint, a way to see things from the sacred perspective. It's not off the earth into the clouds, it's more like an ability to see earthly life as sacred and holy.
We're told that for Mary the Magdalene heaven and earth were united, were married, were completed in union, masculine and feminine in perfect balance within her at the time of her death. She was enlightened, "assumed body and soul into heaven". Other words used for this spiritual accomplishment are Nirvana, Wholeness, Opposites Reconciled, Off the Wheel of Karma,Oneness with the All, As Above So Below, a Squared Circle, City of Light, the New Jerusalem, Completion, and Happily Ever After. I like that one the best and it's the one to use when telling her story. Not all spiritual tales end that way but hers does. The way of the heart has it's blessings. She lived the life of passion, love, tears, birth, death, teaching, and mysticism; and it brought her to a state of holy completion .
This inner spiritual condition of sacred balance between masculine and feminine within ourselves is a place in the spiritual pattern we live daily of cyclic renewal of all life in all ways. We see it in our story of Mary Magdalene's life as the conclusion, but this story pattern lives over and over again in us throughout a lifetime. Her whole story is the same story we ourselves live repeatedly, hopefully coming to a "happy ending" many times and many ways for many small stories in our life. This happy moment is sometimes pictured as a marriage between king and queen, Jesus and Magdalene, Mary crowned in heaven.
We remember at this happy ending that in the beginning there was a sickness needing a healing, a condition of imbalance seeking a healing, of the heart looking for it's story. The story was lived and fully experienced and through that a healing was brought about. A happy ending to be lived over and over again through new beginnings, new love and tears, new insights, and new "heavenly moments" of deep satisfaction.
*****
I leave you today with a picture I found on the internet of women in Guatemala City celebrating the Assumption of Mary (the Mother), but to me it could also be the Assumption of Mary (the Magdalene).
And here is a link to the Magdalene Mysteries Rosary which I use to remember Her every story, remembering also that making your own "seven groups of seven" rosary would be deeply satisfying. I know someone who made one from buttons.
Hi Joan,
What a beautiful entry. I love the richness and complexity that She brings to the Sacred Union story. She really is a healer, a you wrote, bringing us into balance so that everyone on Earth has the Jesus-Magdalene Union not only as an icon of male and female equal union, but a real path to healing and wholeness, earthly and heavenly.
I was just painting the words "Magdala Rosa" this morning on the ribbons I'm
preparing for a ceremony for the "Feast Day of Mary Magdalene." Every ribbon a meditation, a prayer to be given to each votary as a dedication. Our beautiful Lady of Earth and Heaven brings forward such a wonderful, healing path of love and adoration.
Love, Jennifer
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Hi Jen,
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I agree and it makes sense to me that the two Mary's were confused. I've been confused all my life as a Roman Catholic why the Mother of Jesus would be assumed into heaven, and not his father Joseph. There always seemed to be a missing link in the logic, not that religion can claim much logic!
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Dear Laura,
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Beautiful, thank you Joan for sharing this important information with the world in such a poignant way. Everyone needs to know this and celebrate Mary Magdalene.
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Hi Cintra, Thanks so much.... so happy to have you here. xoJoan
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Hi, Joan! I love this pattern for the journey within that you have brought forward. For the feminine energies, this journey pattern feels just right and is so attuned to what I experience in the inner and outer worlds. I loved the hero's journey pattern for a lot of years, though even Joseph Campbell said it was not for women and there was no pattern for a woman's journey. That way of being wore me out, and now as I am deepening into the menopausal/crone stage, it is so comforting for me to have this other way of being in both worlds! Love.
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Hi Sandra,
Thanks for your insight about the heros's journey model and that Mary Magdalene's story of Sacred Union is the feminine counterpart. The story of the heart's journey on earth, as lived for men as well. It's a story of individuation rather than the story of "compliance" that the Church Father's dreamed up. As you well know because you've been on the individuation path for a long, long time; the development of the soul through the heart Way is always going to be unique to each one of us... but we have the archetypal pattern which governs the general outline. Lately I've been aware that some people think that going "the Way of the Magdalene and Sacred Union" is a path of compliance to what they think are "Christian values". I want to quote the Analytical Psychology Club of L.A.'s current catalog about Carl Jung's theories of the path of individuation, which is the path of the soul. " The major thrust of psychology is oriented towards alleviating suffering, facilitating better relationships, healing early wounds, and promoting a reduction of psychological conflict. Jung's perspective, in contrast, is oriented towards individuation, which emphasizes a separation from the collective psychologies in the service of something larger." The story path of the soul's journey on earth is the story of the feminine (Magdalene) in relationship with the masculine (Christ) and it will always be a unique and individual story lived through individuals in relationship to "something larger".
Thanks for being there, xoJoan
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That was an excellent piece of writing. I came across your piece and found it extremely positive.
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Joan you are an absolute treasure. Your words are a sacred healing balm.
This made me think of the two Marys and how important it is for not only the truth of Jesus and Mary Magdalene to be told but the truth of the Marys. All these stories altered by the masculine have caused not only an imbalance of masculine/feminine but an imbalance and denial of every aspect of divine union. The relationship of Magdalene and Mother Mary is a magnificent example of the extraordinary bond that women have with one another. It is most surely a Divine Union.
I share here an excerpt from The Heart of Love which speaks of this.
For this was so necessary for one such as he
the love of his mother and the love of his wife
this is what all still yearn for
this is what the Marys provide
call to them when you feel abandoned
call to them when you do not feel loved
for they are ever with you
and they shall always guide you
and nothing on earth can cease this loving transmission
understand now, this has been lost
the powerful memory
of the love of these two women
for this Christ needed for his life here on earth
and this filled his heart as he walked upon the earth
now we must fill our hearts with their message
now we must fill our hearts with divine feminine love
so gently and softly they held him, loved and comforted him
they offer this to you for you yearn for this love
look all around you to those who carry this light
for it is surely there and you may surely feel it
follow your hearts to the beautiful divine mother
the mother of all, your light and protector
feel the love of Mary our mother
and grace yourselves with the love of Mary Magdalene
for these are vibrations of everlasting love
these are vibrations from heaven most high
as Mary Magdalene begins to be acknowledged
for the feminine love she was destined to give
she takes her place with our most beloved mother
they are hand in hand in offering you their love
for as these things were suppressed throughout the ages
so has love been suppressed here on earth
long do you search for the love of these Marys
long do you ache to be held once again
as falsehoods fall away in all dimensions
the falsehoods of your lives will fall away as well
for this is a new day
the day of truth and divine love
and all is being restored
for love and peace shall reign
see the Beloved Marys standing now before you
see their arms outstretched to welcome you home
for the divine feminine will fill you and heal you
and your memories of love will be born once again
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Dear Gail,
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