Around the world, hundreds of images have been found of the Virgin Mary with dark skin. Some of these Black Madonnas, as they're known, are more than a thousand years old, but as my guest on this episode explains, what they represent is something far older - a connection back to the Great Goddess Herself. Alessandra Belloni is an award- winning percussionist, singer, dancer, actress, teacher, and the author of Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna. On this episode, Alessandra and I discuss the meaning of the Black Madonna and Her ties to Goddesses such as Cybele, Isis and Diana, Her relationship to dance and music, and the miracles that are possible when we offer Her our devotion.
You can learn more about Alessandra Belloni, including the classes she offers, at her website: https://www.alessandrabelloni.com/.
Her book, Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna, is available on Audible here, and in paperback and e-book format here.
During the episode, Alessandra performed her powerful Healing Chant for the Black Madonna for the Plague, from the Middle Ages. You can learn more about the chant and watch her perform it with her ensemble here.
You can also watch Alessandra perform Nigra Sum Sed Formasa (I am Black and Beautiful) here.