Mary Magdalene
Hannah Green
Dear Community,
Happy August and I hope this finds you well!
It seems lately that my spiritual life and close relationships both therapeutic and personal are the only real substance of life. On the surface of things, near constant change glimmers and shimmers. I find myself celebrating many of these changes while simultaneously feeling worn out and irresistibly drawn to what feels reliable and constant.
My husband, my work, Winnie the Pooh read aloud, these things anchor me in a time of flux.
In Jungian psychology what we call the red thread guides us to our passion, purpose and ultimately leads us home to our Selves.
Take a moment to ponder the stories, music, films, places and people that excite you and connect you to your core.
Lately this red thread has led me into an exploration of black madonnas of southern France, Italy and the Mediterranean with inspiration from the incredible Allessandra Belloni and has inspired me to also learn more about the legendary Mary Magdalene of early christianity.
Exploring these maternal archetypes feels timely. The mothers and caregivers at home during the pandemic have been top of mind. Many of these caregivers are working from home, managing child care, education, relationships and much more. The pandemic has been hard on women and mothers in many ways and we see the tremendous capability and generosity of women all around.
Is there a caregiver you could send some acknowledgement and love to today?
Can you acknowledge yourself for the care that you give?
Years ago when I started following the red thread and exploring the feminine face of God, I was excited and stunned to see how much the ancient Goddess was all around me, hiding in plain sight. I started to see imagery that spoke about wholeness, love, sacred sensuality, nature and deep emotion. This brought a grounded, enlivened, embodied and much more real spirituality into my life.
Metaphorically and literally I was no longer only exploring the nave and the facade of a cathedral, I was going down into the crypts where the goddesses are kept and the old wells still trickle.
Mary Magdalene is another figure who has been hiding in plain sight.
To find Mary hiding in plain sight Kathleen Asbo PhD explains that there are several symbols to look for in ancient art that are associated with Mary Magdalene:
Loose flowing hair
The color red
An open book
Feet
A skull
An anointing jar or container
Pearls
What do these symbols communicate to you about who Mary Magdalene was and/or the meaning of Mary Magdalene as an archetypal figure?
I have been fascinated to learn more about this inspiring and controversial woman. Was she married to Jesus? Was she a whore as the establishment claimed? Was she an apostle?
Evidence from recovered gospels found in Nag Hammadi Egypt in 1945 and in more recently excavated catacombs beneath the Vatican suggest that we have long misunderstood Mary Magdalene. The image at the start of this email is a beautiful example of what is being discovered beneath the ancient city. The recovered gospels remained untranslated for many years and then two more copies of these texts were found in Greek and Coptic languages. These ancient texts include the 7 pages remaining from the once longer Gospel of Mary. Scholars date the text around the time of the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John. Contained in these recovered gospels are many other stories revealing Mary to be the star pupil of Jesus who is described as a wisdom teacher similar to Socrates.
Early Christianity was comprised of many wildly diverse groups led by teachers, some of whom were direct pupils of Jesus. According to the First Apocalypse of James (Jesus' brother), there was an original inner circle of teachers which included Mathew, Thomas and Mary where Jesus conferred advanced mystical teachings. It seems out of this early multiplicity of groups, two major streams developed: the stream of Mary Magdalene and the stream of Peter. Mary's stream seemed to focus more on the interconnectedness of all things and on fundamental goodness.
Everything created, everything born, everything in nature
Is one interwoven life, and everything will return back to its origin.
(from the Gospel of Mary from Joseph Rowe's English translation)
And on remembering our true nature and finding God there, in our own heart or "root."
And the Good is in us, in our deepest nature, it is our root.
(from the Gospel of Mary from Joseph Rowe's English translation)
Peter's stream would later evolve into the more established church and seemed to focus more on sin, evoking a more punishing version of God. Interesting that this version of Christianity gained traction while Mary's stream went underground. It was at this time the version of Mary Magdalene as whore and temptress gained momentum. The following chapters in Christian history would systematically and shockingly disempower women, excluding them from Church leadership and paint them as temptress rather than priestess.
What feelings are coming up? Take a moment to breathe deeply.
Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene first after the resurrection and sent her to tell the apostles the good news. She has always been depicted as very close to to Jesus but more recent evidence like this excavated Eucharist table from the catacombs of Priscilla show how instrumental she was as a teacher and early leader.
Mary Magdalene was also an early archetype of love and devotion to the divine as seen in countless artistic expressions of her deep emotion and spiritual passion.
The Deposition, Sandro Botticelli
It turns out that Mary, rather than just a name, was a title given to early Christian priestesses that meant something similar to "nun." Magdalene was a further term of distinction and leadership. This and other writings from recovered gospels, along with many ancient paintings and frescoes showing Mary Magdalene instructing apostles and performing spiritual rites is why many scholars today refer to her as the "apostle to the apostles." There is further evidence revealing Mary Magdalene to be a great student and scholar of the mysteries and to have financially provided much support to early Christian groups.
In Jungian psychology an archetype is the original pattern from which all copies are made.
I have been enjoying and reflecting on the archetype of Mary Magdalene and looking for her in myself and in the people around me.
For me the Mary Magdalene archetype is feminine, wise, generous, passionate, devoted and maternal. She teaches, supports, guides and inspires. She has integrated her Shadow and been initiated into the mysteries. She is tender and powerful.
Moncrieff, magdalene Ascending
Questions for Reflection:
What does the Mary Magdalene archetype mean to you?
Who are the Mary Magdalenes in your own life?
What aspects of Mary Magdalene do you see in yourself?
What magic is hiding in plain sight all around you?
Where is your red thread guiding you now?
Why do you think the story of Mary Magdalene as a whore gained so much traction in the establishment?
Resources For Exploring Mary Magdalene:
Books:
Mary Magdalene Revealed by Meggan Watterson
Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels
Esther DeBoer, The Mary Magdalene Cover Up
Cynthia Bourgeault, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene
Resources For Exploring the Black Madonnas:
Allessandra Belloni
The lovely novel Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice
Dancing In the Flames: The Dark Goddess in the Transformation of Consciousness by Marion Woodman
More on these fascinating relics and archetypes later!
Carter Hollman
A beautiful original painting by Carter Holman given to me by my Mother this month. This beautiful woman and the symbolic bounty surrounding her speaks deeply to me of the Mother archetype of of Mary Magdalene. Look at her red shawl and blue anointing jar! The synchronicity of this gift touches me deeply.
Thank you Mum!! Xx