Amulets of Mary Blessing Set

Blessing Amulets of Mary Oracle Set

The Amulets of Mary Oracle is a two-fold oracle, blessing and healing set incorporating various ancient traditions including the Benedicaria, the sacred path of the pilgrim and priestesshood in the Temple of Mary and the sanctification of the ordinary through the blessing way.

The Amulets of Mary Oracle and the Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck are a culmination of my own conscious spiritual journey of the past 25 years.  It incorporates the practise of Sacred Altarmaking, the devotion of the pilgrim to sacred places, the use of holy waters and relics, the creation of sacred oils and elixers and my work as Diksha giver (Blessing giver) and Guru in the Shaktipat tradition of the Great Mother and my devotion to the Blessed Mary.

Recently, through various books (all listed in the Bibliography of the accompanying booklet) 

I learnt about the ancient tradition of Benedicaria and the work of a Benedetta.  Although I am not born into the Italian culture, my journey as pilgrim did start in Italy with the call issued by Archangel Michael to visit his grotto in Mont Sant’Angelo and I see myself as a modern Benedetta, continuously uncovering more.

The Amulets can be used with and alongside the Mysteries of Mary Tarot cards.

Benedicaria, the Blessing Way, is an ancient

Catholic and domestic folk tradition practised by the Italians in Southern Italy.  This tradition is fast fading from modern society, but many of its practises are still part of syncretic worship and devotion.

One who practices the Benedicaria, is known as a Benedetta, or a Wise Woman and a Benedetto, a Wise Man .  Benedicaria is a private form of practising your religion and it blends with many domestic practises, such as the blessing of animals and herbs, infusing oils and elixers, creating an altar, using flowers and holy cards for blessings and wisdom.

Benedicaria is predominantly a woman’s practise.  A Benedetta has much in common with the goddess archetypes of Demeter, Hestea, Bridgit and even Athena.   She is the homemaker, mother, herbalist, gardener, chef and healer.  This role is not regarded as of any importance in modern society, but for one who is spiritually aware and who undertakes these tasks with great intent, she understands the spiritual force that is being wielded.  The preparing of food is not only a physical act, but a spiritual one.  If this is done in love it will bless the family;  if done in anger and ignorance, it will curse the family.  The motto ‘cleanliness next to godliness’ means much more than meets the eye.  When you keep your spiritual space, ie the home clean, you also keep your spirit and its physical space clean.

The physical life and its objects are manifestations and representations of the life and existence of the spirit.  Taking care of our physical life is a sacred task and when performed with intent and awareness we realise that the ordinary is indeed sacred.

Every Benedetta will have a home altar and a personal altar.  The Amulets of Mary Oracle set can be placed on your altar along with the Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck.

With the Amulets of Mary blessing set you will receive guidelines for

creating an altar, using coloured candles, how to use the casting cloth,

the holy cards and more.

The novena prayers are an important part of the Benedicaria.  A novena is a prayer that is said for nine days consecutively.  It is said that the first Apostles prayed for nine days between Jesus’ Ascension and the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost.  The number 9 is a very powerful number in numerology (the science of numbers).  Usually a novena is accompanies by candles, rosaries and ritual such as sacred shrine making (see my blog http://pathofdivinelove.blogspot.com) for my art novenas to Our Lady of Lourdes.  The ancient novena prayers are used in conjunction with all of the above as well as an image of the Saint and those who you are praying for.

It is also practise to include the colour of the Saint or Holy One that you are asking for help.

The Amulets of Mary Blessing set consists of a blessed casting cloth, a set of 54 charms in a small bag, nestled in a tin;  a set of holy cards in a linen scapular bag;

an accompanying spiral bound guide book; a small statue for the altar and other options.

Each set is completely unique and one of a kind and cannot be replicated exactly as I use vintage charms, hand cast silver charms and vintage holy cards amongst others.

There are various sets available :  some are dedicated to a particular saint or saints; others to Mary and Her apparitions or a specific apparition, etc. 

You will find more information on the various available sets at The French Madonna on Etsy.com or on my blog.

The casting cloth has been blessed by touching it to the second and third holy relics of Mary’s sacred chemise and roses from St Terese’s sacred garden, as well as roses from the garden of St Francis and other holy relics.  It has also been sprinkled with holy water from Lourdes and Ngome.

On the casting cloth is a hand drawn diagram.  

Hail Mary, full of grace,

The Lord is with thee

Blessed art thou among women

and Blessed is the fruit of thy womb

Holy Mary,  Mother of God,

oh Rose Queen

Bestow your Blessing upon us

Now and Forever

Blessings

Hettienne

The French Madonna

www.etsy.com/shop/thefrenchmadonna

IV Roses - Chapel of Miraculous Medal, Paris

The Miraculous Medal Chapel shrine, rosary and tarot card
www.hergracesacredart.com

The IV of Roses in the Mysteries of Mary Tarot deck is the captured image of my experience
in the Miraculous Medal chapel in Paris.  I have had the privilege to return twice to the chapel
and to attend a special mass for Mary's nativity!!

After my first visit I created a couple of shrines to represent the
incredible light and Presence which is in the Chapel, a place of
Mary's manifestation and visitation.  This shrine eventually became a card in
the Mysteries of Mary tarot deck.

Chapel of the Miraculous Medal, Paris, France
www.hergracesacredart.com

I have also made a few rosaries which can be bought with the tarot deck
or on their own.  These are powerful healing amulets and many have testified
to the healing power experienced when wearing them.

' 'I received our Lady of Lourdes, mystical healer stunning wearable shrine today. The moment Hettienne shipped it, I saw a white light with a white flame in its centre. Throughout the shrine's travel I would keep visions of it. I can firmly attest that this is more than a necklace, but carries divine consciousness which is transferred powerfully through the artist's love and devotion. The package arrived fully intact, filled with frankincense and myrrh and tiny shells and pebbles, the precious necklace safely wrapped. Thank you! Arathi Ma.'

Here is an extract of my post in 2012

A hot steamy day in Paris, a cooling breeze dancing in the tree outside my balcony. ..... This question is even more prominent when we visit the beautiful cathedrals of Paris. At each and every one of them tourists are turned away because of wearing shorts, short skirts and sleeveless shirts. The latter included cotton shirts, covering up to the neck, but lacking sleeves! Which part of the body is offensive to whom and why? I wonder whether it is offensive to the Divine that tourists, carrying their backpacks, are taking the time to integrate the spiritual with the secular? Is it not the nature of life that these two cannot be separated? 

But then, of course, the church is an institution and it has it's own backpack to contend with. It took me a while to learn to look past bureaucracy and dogma and to not let these exclude me from experiencing the Light upon which most cathedrals and other beautiful gifts are built. 

One such gift is the miraculous medal. A young nun at the Daughters of Charity Chapel received a visitation from divine Mary. In more than one visitation she received the image and instruction about the miraculous medal. Mary made it clear that this medal can be worn by anyone and everyone, regardless of religion. The only requisite was faith in 'when you ask, you will receive'. 

The chapel is tucked away in a busy street across from a large departmental store. The nuns scrutinize all visitors and the tiny gift shop is spartan and does not use electronic means of payment; each sale is written down by hand. The chapel is incredibly beautiful, and as soon as you enter you feel the incredible Presence. 

Soon the images seen by my eyes disappear and only a brilliant golden light is visible. The light has a silver rim to it and it is alive and palpable with wisdom and knowledge which cannot be translated into words. This is the Presence of Divine Mary. The light translates into my physical body and energetically there is deep movement in and through my body. 

Then my heart fills with a feeling that seems physical. Everything and everyone around me is bathed in this beautiful light and they all glow in love. The Light becomes stronger and more powerful and I see the intense Light at the centre of it all and also at the centre of each and every person. And the quality of this Light is Good and only Good - pure and beautiful and innocent! And it does not matter what happens on the exterior : nothing can corrupt or diminish that Light which is you and me. 

Blessings from Paris 

Hettienne

Now available at The French Madonna

www.etsy.com/shop/thefrenchmadonna 

Join us on a pilgrimage to Mary Magdalene, France 2018

The Magdalen card in Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck www.hergracesacredart.com A mystical journey to Mary Magdalene in the South of France www.hergracesacredart.com

Come with us on a journey filled with mystery and

awaken the Divine Feminine within yourself

Join us on a mystical journey to the sites sacred to

Mary Magdalene in the South of France

23 to 31 May 2018

Spend a week exploring the myth and ritual

of Mary Magdalene, Mysteries of Mary tarot and

ritual in Provence, France

Shrine of Mary Magdalene in the Basilica of St Maximin st Baume on my blog Cloister of the Heart http://pathofdivinelove.blogspot.com

Join us for 8 nights and 7 days in the

South of France following in the footsteps of Mary Magdalene

after the Resurrection, to the last days of her life in the grotto

at La Sainte Baume.

It will include three days at the

Sara la Kali pilgrimage and gypsy festival 

at Saintes Maries de la Mer

The focus of this pilgrimage is the Divine Feminine

and her story in the myth of Mary Magdalene

and Sara la Kali.   Time will be spent immersing

ourselves in the sacred energies as pilgrims on these

ancient paths;  a daily meditation circle and tarot work,

tarot journalling, ritual, finding your Earth gifts and

creating a mandala in the forest, visiting the reliquaries,

creating your own tarot card and collage, creating and

ceremoniously walking a Goddess labyrinth.

And did I mention three days during the feast day of

Sara la Kali and the sacred gypsy festival and pilgrimage?

And a full day of scouring French brocante and flea markets?

We will meet on 23 May 2018 in Marseilles France

and spend the night.

The following day, after a visit to the Black Madonna of

Marseilles, we will travel to the village of

Saintes Maries de la Mer

for the three day Gypsy pilgrimage to Sante Sara la Kali and festivities.

(You can read about my previous pilgrimage to

Sante Sara and the Gypsy pilgrimage on my blog here)

Then we will move to Saint Maximin de la Sainte Baume

for the remainder of the trip.

The basilica in St Maximin la St Baume where the remains
of Mary Magdalene was found and the basilica was
erected on the site

Here we will visit the Mary Magdalene shrine

and skull reliquary at

Basilica Saint Maximin la Saint Baume.

We will travel to the sanctuary and Grotte St Saint Baume of

Mary Magdalene and ceremoniously 

walk the pilgrimage to the sacred Grotto where Mary Magdalene's bones

 are kept and where she spent the last thirty years of her life.

We will drink water from the sacred spring in the Sanctuary

of Mary Magdalene.

Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck

A day workshop in tarot and specifically the Mysteries of Mary

tarot deck.  Each pilgrim will receive the deck and book

as part of the pilgrimage gift pack.

Each morning will start with a sacred circle of

focus and intent;  I will share with you how to work

with your personal numerology and the tarot.

Each pilgrim will receive a specially created tarot journal

and images for the pilgrimage.  You will have time to

journal and collage your entire pilgrimage and all work

done with the tarot.

A workshop in which you will create your own personal

tarot card compiled of insights and experiences

during the pilgrimage.

A leisure day to explore the old village and its

amazing architecture and sights, the many patisseries,

fruit stalls, street markets and coffee shops.

A day trip to the markets at Arles and Aix-en-Provence

Visits to cathedrals sacred to Virgin Mary and

Mary Magdalene in the region

We can only accommodate maximum 7 people.

A handcrafted Mysteries of Mary Tarot Rosary
for each pilgrim
www.hergracesacredart.com

Each pilgrim will receive :


* a Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck and Book

*  a Mary Magdalene tarot rosary which can be

worn to all sacred sites for blessing

*  a specially created pilgrim's tarot journal specifically

for the Mary Magdalene pilgrimage

*  sheets of images and small items for your own tarot

collage and tarot journalling - we will scavenge the village

brocantes for additional material and visit the shops at

the sacred sites for holy medals, etc.

*  a bottle of salts to be blessed and used in ritual

Final dates, details and prices will follow in due course.

If you are interested to receive more information or to be put

on the list, please send an email to hettienne@telkomsa.net

or subscribe on this blog www.hergracesacredart.com

in the top of the right hand column.

The full itinerary will be posted here

The facilitators are Hettienne Grobler, artist,

 Creator and author of the Mysteries of Mary tarot deck,

founder of Temple of Mary,

spiritual teacher and guide and pilgrim to sites

sacred to the Divine Feminine across the globe for the past

20 years and

Terry de Vries, labyrinth facilitator, creatrix and

builder of labyrinths,  pilgrim who has walked the Camino four times,

shaman and yoga teacher

and priestess in Temple of Mary

We are both intrepid travellers, artists

and holders of energetic space with many years

of experience in working with groups.

Wonderful review of Mysteries of Mary

King of Vessels : The Marriage of Canaan

Arnell Ando wrote a wonderful review on The Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck

on her website 

Arnell Ando' Art at www.arnellart.com.

In previous posts I have written about the role that Arnell's work

has played in my life (we have never met, but who knows, that may change!)

Here is the link to my previous posts : 

http://www.hergracesacredart.com/2016/08/my-journey-with-creating-my-own-tarot.html

This is an extract of the review.  If you are interested you can read the entire
review here :  http://www.hergracesacredart.com/2017/01/wonderful-review-by-arnell-ando.html

The Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck & Book 
Inner Mysteries of the Journey of the Soul as Portrayed by Mary
Created by: Hettienne Grobler
A Limited, Signed Edition
78 Card Deck & Book Set
Cards: Semi-Gloss, Sturdy 350 Gsm Stock, with Gold Edges & Rounded Corners
Each Image Created as an Individual Shrine
Card Dimensions: 5" L by 3.75" W, 12.7 by 9.5 Cm
Card Backs: Non-reversible Image, (Shown Below)
Accompanying Book: Soft-Cover, 160 Pages, Written by the Artist
Price: $75. + P&H
Self-Published in Cape Town, South Africa, 2016
Review by: Arnell Ando

I recently received a simply divine 78-card Tarot deck and book set from this gifted artist in Cape Town,  South Africa. I was immediately struck by the intricate, symbolic altars in the imagery, which she painstakingly created for each card with great purpose and attention to detail. Even a heathen like me could feel the 

artist's sincere devotion to the subject matter and her deep reverence for Mary. 

Every card depicts a small, hand-crafted, wooden shrine with a miniature diorama  dedicated to an archetype or an initiation into the Great Mystery, while revealing a vignette woven into this rich, meaningful tapestry dedicated to the sainted mother of Jesus.

The four suits of this deck correspond with the four elements and four cycles of Mary's life:  Virgin and Priestess is denoted by the suit of Vessels (Water, Cups); Beloved and Bride, is the suit of Holyrood (Fire, Wands); Mother and Sacred Woman is represented by the suit of Distaff (Air, Swords) and Wisdom is attributed to the suit of Roses (Earth, Pentacles).

 

The cards were professionally photographed and printed in a large format 

(5"L by 3.75"; W, 12.7 cm by 9.5 cm) on sturdy cardstock and would work nicely for readings or as one's daily card meditation (also serving to study her personal associations and interpretations). 

The 160 page, soft-cover book goes into great detail about each card, while sharing stories with historical and mythological context and analogies. Each limited edition set is signed by the artist and comes beautifully packaged, including a unique cloth pouch in the style of the deck, adorned with a St. Mary amulet and a rosary, for a distinctive and enticing presentation. Alternatively a version with a handcrafted box relating to the iconography of this deck may also be available upon request from the creator. And an expanded version of the guidebook became available in early 2017.

Hettienne Grobler believes Mary's long legacy is connected to the ancient Goddess culture and lore. She envisions Mary as the archetypal Divine Woman of our time as well as the bridge between the mortal and immortal feminine and the sacred heart of humanity, (in dire need of myths which can usher in an era of intuitive awareness, visionary creativity imagination, social justice and the healing of humanity, the earth and all her creatures!)

Ms. Grobler surmises that we currently recognize Mary as the Mother of Jesus, playing a small part in the story as told by Protestant Christianity or having a more significant role in the Roman Catholic tradition. However Mary is less known as a goddess in the feminine traditions and few would connect her with the great Mother Goddesses of distant past or as the Lady Sophia in the Wisdom traditions. But to the creator of this deck and others like her, there is an underlying red thread of connection. Since the ancient divine feminine became demonized many moons ago and her stories went underground, one must rely on myth, fairy and folk tales, oral traditions and subtle clues to uncover Her story.

 Grobler adds that if we dig deeper, we can discover that many of the titles belonging to Mary used to also be attributed to ancient goddesses in various cultures and traditions and that even the name 'Mary' has been known to signify a title, such as 'Priestess', beyond being used as a personal name. Ms. Grobler goes on to state that the history of both the power and eradication of the  Divine Feminine as an ideology have been suppressed and hidden by each subsequent ruling power throughout time, until she was at last removed from any meaningful role in religion and thereby relegated to only a minor part in the story.