Daily Meditation: Saturday, December 26, 2015

Black Madonna - a symbol of alchemical matter

12/26/2015

Black Madonnas have been worshipped for centuries in certain churches, where their presence has raised many questions. The answer is simple: Black Madonnas are connected to the alchemical process of transmuting matter. The base matter the alchemist works on is usually described as a sort of original chaos, and the Black Madonna is a symbol for this. This is why, in most cases, the statues representing her are placed underground in caves or crypts, because the matter they symbolize is taken from primitive virgin soil – this is why the Madonnas are referred to as ‘black’. And alchemists say that, just as the virgin gave birth to the Christ-child in pain, so the alchemical matter, after a long time cooking in the fire, gives birth to the philosopher’s stone, which transmutes metals into gold and heals all illnesses.