MARY MAGDALENE - High Priestess and Sacred Prostitute

My awareness of the Goddess came to me somewhere in my early 30’s and deciding to seek her out academically many years later has been an awakening, as are all major truths in our lives. To my surprise I discovered that much of the world for millennia lived in a world where their God was female and she was the Goddess – benevolent, fertile and above all sexual. Very sexual! Today we have a profound difficulty in associating the profession of the prostitute with anything vaguely associated with sacredness, but in ancient times these women were held in the highest esteem in the temples of the Great Mother Goddess. The sacred prostitute or temple priestess became the representation of the goddess in physical form and with their bodies entered into sacred sexual rituals with the men who came to worship.

My studies have shown me that long before Christianity (which has only been around 2,000 years) and as far back as stone age times (10,000 plus years), people experienced their surroundings, their heavens and earth and all forms of life in worship of the Great Primordial Mother Goddess. Their crops were grown in cycle with the changing seasons and phases of the moon and both the abundance of the harvest and the winter frosts were all experienced as aspects of her changing face.

As far back as the 4th millennium BCE the practice of sacred sexual intercourse within the temples of Innana and Ishtar in Mesopotamia were yearly rites performed between the King and the Goddess and were understood to reinvigorate the land and people with divine fertile energy. The priestess’ of the temple took the title of “Hierodule of Heaven”[1] which meant ‘servant of the holy’ and it was a great honour to make love within the precinct of the goddess. It is not difficult then to understand that the practice of sacred prostitution became a religious act of worship where sexuality and spirituality became one and the same.


In Babylon there was a hierarchy of prostitutes from the high-ranking priestesses known by various names including Qadishtu, Hereta, Naditu or Entu, right down to the tavern or street whore called harimtu. The Goddess Ishtar did not differentiate in bestowing her blessings and honoured the sexual act howsoever it be performed[2]. "Who will plough my vulva?" calls Inanna in the old hymns..."Who will water the holy lap?"[3] The power of the divine feminine, embodied in the sexuality of all women both made the earth grow and was a power for transformation

So what do we know of Mary Magdalene? There is very little actual historic evidence to draw upon apart from the writings of the New Testament. They tell us that she was a prostitute from whom Jesus cast seven demons and that upon her healing she became a follower of Christ. She is the one who washes his feet and anoints him and who witnesses his death and resurrection. She becomes the woman mentioned most often in the New Testament.

It is known that the Temples of the Goddess existed throughout biblical times and some were still to be found up to the middle ages, amongst them, temples to the Goddess Isis. One well known image shows Mary holding the alabaster jar and wearing around her waist what is known as the ‘Girdle of Isis’ or the Isis knot which was worn by priestesses of Isis. In Lesley Crossingham’s channeled book Amma Na Tha, she speaks of Mary (or Mari) coming to her first menses and being sent to Egypt and the Temple of Isis to become initiated into the ways of the sacred Priestess. Here, she becomes Qadishtu and is taught the practice of sacred sexuality where she becomes the living vessel for the Goddess to enter in the ancient rite known as ‘hieros gamos’ or ‘sacred marriage’. The Da Vinci Code speaks of this sacred rite where through ritual sex, both parties are able to experience God/dess.

Looking historically at womens’ status and freedoms at the time of Jesus and particularly Jewish women, we see that they were severely limited by Jewish law and customs. In general terms they were largely confined to their father’s or husband’s home to raise children and keep house. Considered to be inferior to men, women were under male authority, either their father before marriage, or their husband afterwards.

It is known that women traveled with Jesus, were seen in public and attended at meals without any attachment to a specific male or household. This behaviour was highly suspect for the period, especially for women of any social standing.

It helps to explain how women seen in public with Jesus and even talking to him could be viewed as promiscuous. Mary Magdalene has been cast in the role of prostitute for public association with Jesus and behaviour that was no doubt completely at odds with the social practices of the day. Luke 8:1 though, tells us that Mary and the other women were financially underwriting the early Jesus movement out of their personal resources. This helps paint a picture of a powerful, educated woman, a High Priestess who was forthright enough to stand against the social prejudices of the day and who also had independent financial means.

Mary being cast in the role of repentant prostitute for so long, speaks of the Church’s attempts to denigrate the powerful sexual attributes that can be seen in the goddesses religions of old. But like the goddesses of old, women and men related to the sexually erotic feminine archetype being represented by the Magdalene and despite the attempts of the Christian fathers to repress and manipulate her image, she remained loved and revered.

It is only recently that a reinterpretation of various texts reveals that Mary Magdalene was indeed the partner and most favoured companion of Jesus. These recently discovered writings from the Nag Hammadi library deliver up to us texts which reveal insights into the role of women and Mary Magdalene herself, at the very emergence of Christianity. The Gospel of Philip speaks of Mary Magdalene “as the most favoured companion of Jesus who loved her more than the other disciples and would kiss her often on the mouth”. [4]

Other Nag Hammadi texts paint a story and image of Mary Magdalene as one who had an innate understanding of the teachings being given, and who had an intimate relationship not only with the man, but with the wisdom that was being spoken and that it was a joining of two equals with the Magdalene representing the divine feminine element as did Jesus the masculine.

While there is no actual historical evidence of a sexual relationship between Christ and the Magdalene as portrayed in the movie the Da Vinci Code, nor Mary bearing children and creating the supposed royal bloodline, there is now historical evidence that this was a powerful woman, an educated woman, one equal in spiritual understanding and training to partner with Jesus. Only a High Priestess or Qadishtu of the temple of the Goddess, trained in the ancient ways, a divine emissary in her own right would be able to enter into the sacred marriage of masculine and feminine as has been done throughout time. Was this person Mary Magdalene, Priestess of Goddess? I leave it up to you.


[1] Marvelly, P. Women of Wisdom (p9)
[2] Cunningham, E. Sacred Prostitution: The Whore and the Holy One
[3] From “The Courtship of Innana and Dumuzi” translated by Samuel Noah Kramer
[4] Meyer, M. The Gospels of Mary Magdalene (p49)

Salvia

Sage is an herb that is known for its healing and medicinal properties. People have burned sage since ancient times to cleanse and purify objects and homes. Proponents of sage burning, also known as smudging, believe that the sage smoke is a way to bless your home and dispel it of negative energy and influences. You might wish to burn sage to purify and cleanse your current home or a new residence before moving in.

FOR HEALTH: Science has discovered that the healing properties in sage come from antibiotic agents they have identified. Some people boil sage and drink the water as a tea. Many have found relief in the smoke for sinus congestion and pain, and even for migraine headaches. For this purpose, break off a single leaf, and breathe the smoke through your nose.

FOR PERSONAL CLEANSING: If your energy is low, or you feel depressed and out of sorts, or if you have been around negative people in a negative situation, try cleansing your entire energy field. The most effective way to do this is with a broad, strong feather, or a group of feathers in a fan. Have someone sweep the smoke over the entire outline of your body, front and back, head to toe. Don't forget the top of your head and bottom of your feet. If you don't have someone to do this for you, pass the sage bundle around your own body covering as much area as you can. Breathe deeply and calmly while doing this, and you'll notice the difference at once.

Before going to bed, try using sage to clean away the physical and emotional grime and stress of the day. For a peaceful night's rest, break off a single leaf, and burn it carefully in your safe container. Be sure there's no paper around, or anything that can catch fire. Remember to blow the flame out at once. You don't want the fire......you want the smoke. :)

FOR GROUP CLEANSING: If you're in a group where this would be appreciated and welcomed, this is an excellent practice. First of all, use the entire bundle to cleanse the room, or the area where you will be. Be careful of dropping hot embers if you're inside as they will burn a carpet. Start at the back of the room, walk along each wall reaching as high as you can, and then criss-cross the center of the room letting the smoke rise at its own pace. As you walk, ask that only positive energy be present, and that the group be blessed with experiences for their highest and best good. Then cleanse each person as they enter the room as described above in Personal Cleansing. Ask that they be made peaceful, and blessed with positive awareness and learning.

FOR HOUSE CLEANSING: To cleanse and bless your house or apartment, again use the entire bundle to light. Open your front door. Go to the back of the house, and cover as much of the room as you can reach. Be sure to hold the bundle as high as you can. Don't forget the corners of the rooms. Work from the back toward the open door at the front. Go into every room, including bathrooms, closets, utility rooms, kitchen...everywhere. When you get to the front door, say "Anything not here for the highest and best good of those who live here, be gone. You are not wanted, and you are not welcome. This home has been cleansed and blessed." Then walk out the door, close it, and sage around the door and door frame. Leave the bundle outside to burn itself out. Make sure you put it on dirt, or on something that will not burn.

Source-www.meyna.com

Kundalini Hair

Consider the possibility that the hair on your head is there to do more than just look good. Man is the only creature who grows longer hair on his head as he grows into adulthood. Left uncut, your hair will grow to a particular length and then stop all by itself at the correct length for you. From a yogic perspective, hair is an amazing gift of nature that can actually help raise the Kundalini energy (creative life force), which increases vitality, intuition, and tranquility.

CUT HAIR
Long ago people in many cultures didn’t cut their hair, because it is a part of who they are. There were no salons. Often, when people were conquered or enslaved, their hair was cut as a recognized sign of slavery. It was also understood that this would serve as punishment and decrease the power of the enslaved.

The bones in the forehead are porous and function to transmit light to the pineal gland, which affects brain activity, as well as thyroid and sexual hormones. Cutting the hair into bangs, which cover the forehead impedes this process. When Genghis Khan conquered China, he considered the Chinese to be a very wise, intelligent people who would not allow themselves to be subjugated. He therefore required all women in the country to cut their hair and wear bangs, because he knew this would serve to keep them timid and more easily controlled.

As whole tribes or societies were conquered, cut hair became so prevalent that the importance of hair was lost after a few generations, and hairstyles and fashion grew to be the focus.

The science of hair was one of the first technologies given by Yogi Bhajan when he came to America. “When the hair on your head is allowed to attain its full mature length, then phosphorous, calcium, and vitamin D are all produced, and enter the lymphatic fluid, and eventually the spinal fluid through the two ducts on the top of the brain. This ionic change creates more efficient memory and leads to greater physical energy, improved stamina and patience.”

Yogi Bhajan has explained that if you choose to cut your hair, you not only lose this extra energy and nourishment, but your body must then provide a greater amount of vital energy and nutrients to continually re-grow the missing hair.

In addition, hairs are the antennas that gather and channel the sun energy or prana to the frontal lobes, the part of the brain you use for meditation and visualization. These antennas act as conduits to bring you greater quantities of subtle, cosmic energy. It takes approximately three years from the last time your hair was cut for new antennas to form at the tips of the hair.

KUNDALINI HAIR CARE
In India, a Rishi is known as a wise one who coils his or her hair up on the crown of the head into a ‘rishi knot’ during the day to energize the brain cells, and then combs it down at night. A rishi knot energizes your magnetic field (aura) and stimulates the pineal gland in the center of your brain.

“This activation of your pineal gland results in a secretion that is central to the development of higher intellectual functioning, as well as higher spiritual perception.” Yogi Bhajan
During the day, the hair absorbs solar energy, but at night it absorbs lunar energy. Keeping the hair up during the day and down at night aids this process. Braiding your hair down at night will help your electromagnetic field balance out from the day.

SPLIT ENDS
Loose scattered hair can develop split ends. Instead of trimming them and losing your antennas, Yogi Bhajan recommends applying a small amount of almond oil to you hair overnight so that it can be absorbed before you wash it the next morning. Keeping your hair coiled on your crown and protected with a head covering during the day will help your antennas heal. If you have long hair, see if your experience is different when it is clean and coiled at your crown, or down and loose.

WET HAIR
One year, after Winter Solstice, when Yogi Bhajan was sitting with wet hair, he explained that he was drying it before putting it up in order to avoid a headache. When you put your hair up wet, it will tend to shrink and tighten a bit and even break as it dries. A better idea is to occasionally take the time to sit in the sun and absorb some extra vitamin D. Yogis recommend shampooing the hair every 72 hours or more frequently if the scalp sweats a great deal. It can also be beneficial to wash your hair after being emotionally upset, to help process emotions.

WOODEN COMB
Yogis also recommend using a wooden comb or brush for combing your hair as it gives a lot of circulation and stimulation to the scalp, and the wood does not create static electricity, which causes a loss of the hair’s energy to the brain. You will find that, if you comb your hair and scalp front to back, back to front, and then to the right and left several times, it will refresh you, no matter how long your hair is. All the tiredness of your day will be gone.

For women, it is said that using this technique to comb your hair twice a day can help maintain your youth, a healthy menstrual cycle, and good eyesight.

If you are bald or balding, the lack of hair can be counteracted with more meditation. If you find some silver strands in your hair, be aware that the silver or white color increases the vitamins and energy flow to compensate for aging. For better brain health as you age, try to keep your hair as natural and healthy as you can.

TAGORE’S HAIR
Yogi Bhajan told a story about hair many years ago at Khalsa Women’s Training Camp (KWTC) in New Mexico:
Recognize how beautiful and powerful your hair is – that when you keep it you live a life of fulfillment in this world. When Rabindranath Tagore, the great poet who found God within himself, tried to meet a friend on a steamer ship, the friend didn’t recognize him and so he wrote him a letter. “We were on the same steamer, but I didn’t find you.”
Rabindranath Tagore**
May 6,1861 - August 7, 1941
Tagore said, “When I realized the Oneness of all, I threw my shaving kit into the ocean. I gave up my ego and surrendered to nature. I wanted to live in the form that my Creator has given me.”
When humans allow their hair to grow, they are welcoming the maturity, the responsibility of being fully-grown, and fully powerful. That is why you will find grace and calmness in a person with uncut hair from birth, if it is kept well. The Creator has a definite reason for giving you hair.

It is said that when you allow your hair to grow to its full length and coil it on the crown of the head, the sun energy, the pranic life force, is drawn down the spine. To counteract this downward movement, the Kundalini life energy rises to create balance. In Yogi Bhajan’s words, “Your hair is not there by mistake. It has a definite purpose, which saints will discover and others will laugh at.”