Dear Friends,
My book The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece was issued in Italy this past fall as Partenogenesi: Il Culto della Nascita Divine nell’Antica Greca (Psiche 2, Turin)… and Feb 12-27 I’ll be in Italy doing talks and workshops to launch it. Please let your friends in Italy know!
Re-Member Medusa?
Meanwhile, my brilliant translator and event co-producer, Valeria Trisoglio, keyed into the blog I did a while back, Medusa’s Head Has Been Restored; Your Participation is Needed. I discussed the ritual my students did in March 2012 to reattach the head of Medusa, whom I contend was an historical North African warrior queen.
I put out the call for a global “Medusa Re-Memberment Activation” — an invitation for people all over the world to enact their own Medusa re-heading rituals so as to energetically reinforce and affirm this “do-over” of history. I envisioned this activity as a new kind of post-2012 Vagina Monologue-esque event and enjoined people to create pageants, performance art, and social action around such rituals. Well, Valeria has organized 15 cities to conduct these rituals all over Italy!
The idea began in Rome, with women and men enthusiastically planning and participating, and has spread from the Alps to Sicily in cities such as Arezzo, Biella, Bologna, Genova, Lucca/Pisa, Mantova, Messina, Milano, Napoli, Palermo, Parma, Pomezia, Torino, and Udine. Events began with a lecture and powerpoint packet developed from my writings on Medusa in The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece, followed by sacred rituals with effigies of decapitated Medusas in various materials (clay, cardboard, fabric, etc.), which they they solemnly re-headed. Valeria also provided a chant, which some groups sang: Morte e vita, veleno e cura Lei trasforma e fa paura. Regina e donna, Dea Serpente Medusa è integra e potente. Death and life, poison and cure She transforms and instills fear Queen and woman, Serpent Goddess Medusa is whole and powerful.
The experience has been powerful and moving in every city. The round of rituals will conclude on Feb. 14 in Milan, which will connect it with the global 1 Billion Rising movement spearheaded by Eve Ensler to end violence against women. I will be in Milan presiding over that re-memberment ritual!
Visit these Facebook pages to see photos and comments on some of the rituals done so far: General Rome Milan Genoa Biella
Many thanks to Valeria and all of the Italian women and men who have joined this powerful movement.
Please pass this on to friends around the U.S. and world to encourage them to create their own Medusa re-memberment rituals.
I know of several that have also taken place in the United States…
Marguerite’s Italy Events
Milano: giovedì 14 febbraio ore 20.00: Ri-membrare Medusa e 1 Billion Rising con Marguerite Rigoglioso viale Monza 142 (cit. 105) contatti: argiopedonnenelsacro@gmail.com Torino: sabato 16 febbraio: ore 18.00, “Il culto della nascita divina nell’antica Grecia,” Presso Villa 5, Parco della Certosa, Collegno Torino: domenica 17 febbraio ore 9.00 – 19.00: Seminario, “Gli antichi oracoli e il messaggio delle Pleiadi – I misteri femminili della profezia e la saggezza” Presso Villa 5, Parco della Certosa, Collegno
Roma: venerdì 22 febbraio ore 18.30-20.00: Conferenza presso la Casa Internazionale delle Donne, “Il culto della nascita divina nell’antica Grecia,” via della Lungara, 19 Roma
Roma: sabato 23 febbraio ore 9.30-13.00 14.00-18.00 circa: Seminario, “Gli antichi oracoli e il messaggio delle Pleiadi – I misteri femminili della profezia e la saggezza” Centro Nuove Luc Via Ostiense, 367 (Metro B San Paolo) tutte le info qui: https://www.facebook.com/events/362251423873768/ contatti: argiopedonnenelsacro@gmail.com Palermo – domenica 24 febbraio ore 10.30-13.30 14.30-19.00 circa: Seminario a “I Misteri di Demetra e Persefone in Magna Grecia“ contatti: dariopastore81@libero.it
Warmly,
Marguerite Rigoglioso
Founding Director, Seven Sisters Mystery School SevenSistersMysterySchool.com