Now I would like to share more of what drew me to Europe in the first place – the energy of the Goddess.
A year ago, I had just finished reading a book, The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan.Here is a short synopsis of the story:
Two thousand years ago, Mary Magdalene hid a set of scrolls in the rocky wilds of the French Pyrenees, scrolls that contained her own version of the events and characters of the New Testament. Protected by supernatural forces, these sacred scrolls could only be uncovered by a special seeker, one who fulfills the ancient prophecy of the Expected One.
When journalist Maureen Pascal begins the research for a new book, she has no idea that she is stepping into an ancient mystery so secret, so revolutionary, that thousands of people have killed and died for it. As she becomes more deeply immersed in the secret cultures of Southwest France, a long-buried family secret comes to light, and it begins to appear as if the eerie prophecy of the Expected one may indeed be fulfilled.
Maureen’s extraordinary journey takes her from the dusty streets of Jerusalem to the cathedrals of Paris, and ultimately to the scrolls themselves. She must unravel clues that link history’s great artistic masters including Botticelli and Jean Cocteau; the Medici, Bourbon, and Borgia dynasties; and great scientific minds like Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton. Ultimately, she, and the reader, come face to face with Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, Judas, and Salome in the pages of a deeply moving and powerful new gospel, the life of Jesus told by Mary Magdalene.
I had really enjoyed the story, having been fascinated with Mary Magdelene since before the DaVinci Code came out. (Another great book is The Moon Under Her Feet by Clysta Kinstler.) So as I literally closed the book, I learned that a friend of mine, Amy, would be moving to the southern French city of Toulouse for one year, while her husband, Larry, worked at Airbus. My friend, Libby, first told me of the news, and I looked at her and said, “When can we go?” And so the plan was hatched.
So my quest throughout Europe was to let the Goddess come to me while I visited the cities of Paris, Toulouse, the Provence area, and Barcelona. As with everything in my life, I don’t try to “force” the issue, knowing that Spirit will guide me to the experiences I need for my own personal growth.
My first experience of the Goddess energy occurred naturally. I was traveling with two friends, Dianne and Libby, and both of these women hold such strong Goddess energy, so the three of us left our impact on those we encountered throughout this trip. A favorite motto we share with a group of close friends is that we are “moderately comfortable and occasionally infamous” (a twist to the lifestyles of the “rich and famous”). Goddess energy does leave it’s impact, as we learned, traveling to Paris. Having missed our first flight out (yes, Goddesses must be humbled on occasion!), we seemed to have a reputation in our travels. (“Oh, you are the three ladies who missed your flight out of Minneapolis.” Gulp.)
Our first museum stop in Paris was at the Cluny Museum. In one of the rooms, there was the rotunda of the Lady and the Unicorns. It was a series of six tapestries that depicted “the lady” and her unicorn experiencing the five senses, plus one, “that of love and understanding.” The energy of the Goddess abounded in this exhibit. There was also a piece, Pieta from Tarascon, Provence, that depicts the Mother of Jesus holding his body after he was taken from the cross. In this piece, Mary Magdelene is also pictured with a halo. Her fine clothes and fiery red hair allow her to stand out in the piece.
Our next day, we headed out to Versailles for the day. The Goddess energy appeared once more as we walked through Marie Antoinette’s hamlet.
Marie also had built a rustic Viennese retreat called the hameau. Here, she played at being at being a simple milkmaid. To add to the fun, Sevres porcelain bowls were cast using Marie Antoinette’s own ample breasts as their mould (as was said to have had been done in the case of Helen of Troy). The hameau was stocked with perfumed sheep and goats, but the actual milking and chores were done by servants.
Marie Antoinette embodied strong Goddess energy, both good and bad. After all, she was the one who said of the peasants starving: “Let them eat cake!” And in the end, she was executed: “Off with her head!”
The next day was spent in the museums of Paris. While the D’Orsay Museum offered the best opportunity to view the most famous artwork from the 1800s, I did not experience Goddess energy there. However, at the Louvre, the Venus de Milo does offer Goddess energy, and it seems as you get closer to the statue, she draws your energy to her. I always feel that the Mona Lisa offers Goddess energy, as she seems a bit of a mystic. And then, of course, there are the MANY depictions of Mary Magdelene throughout the museum. Finally, one cannot help but view the Louvre Pyramid as a significant Goddess energy, especially having read or watched the movie, Da Vinci Code. After all, the underbelly represents the Chalice.
From Paris we traveled on to Toulouse and spent our first full day and a half touring the Pyrenees mountains and Provence area with our friend, Amy, who is another woman with strong Goddess energy. One destination I had was Sainte Baume, the resting place of Mary Magdelene’s body. This is the area that she lived in after Jesus had died. To really know more of this energy and the legends of her during this time, I suggest you read The Expected One. Let’s just say that it was an awe-inspiring drive to the area, and had the weather and time cooperated, we would have taken the 2-3 hour walk up the mountain to the chapel that has been built outside the grotto where she spent much of her later days in prayer.
After spending some time in Toulouse, we traveled on to Barcelona. I experienced Goddess energy on the night that we went to see Flaminco dancing at El Tablao De Carmen, in the western hills of Barcelona. The energy of the women and the stories portrayed in the dance and song screamed feminine energy! It was truly a magnificent show.
So the Goddess energy was definitely strong throughout our European adventure, and while I highlighted the many specific examples of Goddess energy, of course, there were the small doses that we would come across and we traveled. The women of France ooze the strong feminine energy, and the ease of Spanish women remind us of the softer belly of feminine energy. I came away from the experience with a deeper appreciation of how the Goddess permeates all of us.