The Virtual Black Madonna Pilgrimage
“The Black Madonna…is known as the healer of crippledness, the healer of harmed women, hurt men, and injured and abused children…she is mother mild and tender, mother most alert and tending to, mother most fierce and protective, and mother who heals the worst of the wounded.”
— Clarissa Pinkola-Estes, Untie the Strong Woman, p. 145
Hello fellow pilgrims!
Thanks to all who journeyed alongside me while I was on a Black Madonna pilgrimage in France in late 2018, and to those who are newly joining!
Welcome!
This post is an orientation to our virtual pilgrimage — which I am so excited about! Together, we will journey to 12 Black Madonnas all over the globe — from the Caribbean to Latin America to Asia to Africa and Europe. Each stop on our pilgrimage will include four invitations — (1) to consider my own brief reflections about how cultural perceptions of race and gender impact our experience of the Divine, (2) to engage an idea/piece of art/beauty as we think about our own experiences of the Divine, (3) to reflect on several questions either individually or in community, and (4) to practice a different way of interacting with the world that will hopefully open us up to new experiences of the Divine.
There are no requirements.
Though I plan to post a new pilgrimage stop each month in 2019, please feel free to go at your own pace, and to listen to your heart. My only hope is that each person will remain open and soft-hearted to whatever the Divine might want to teach us. I also absolutely encourage you to share your own reflections and questions here on the Patreon page! As we engage with each other, let’s try to keep in mind that many people are on this journey of looking beyond what they think they know about God because they have been hurt by what they have taught about God. Let’s communicate with each other with openness, care, and honor.
I’m excited to learn from you all, and for us to practice community together!