December 12th is Our Lady of Guadalupe Day, in a sense it is the start of the holiday season. (I have loved the Guadalupe, since I became aware of her presence many years ago.)
For Mexicans this is an extremely important holiday celebrating the patron saint. It is a day of festivities and when people from all over the country make a pilgrimage to the Basílica of Guadalupe in Mexico City where there is a miraculous image of the Virgen Morena, known to heal its visitors.
Guadalupe is an aspect of the Virgin Mary. She appeared to a Catholic convert, St. Juan Diego, in 1531 and asked him to build what is now the Basílica of Guadalupe. As proof of her visit Guadalupe dropped rose petals at Juan Diego’s feet, during his sighting and when he requested the bishops permission to build the shrine. The Basilica is now one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.
A Mexican artist friend tells the story that as a sickly child her nursemaid insisted that she crawl to the Basilica and pray. Soon after she regained her health.
My Empress card image in the Polarity Wellness Tarot deck is of the Guadalupe. She signifies pure earth-motherly love, the kind of love that nurtures the body and soul. The love we all deserve and need to give ourselves if for some reason we didn’t get it as a child.
This week’s theme for me is about self-love, perhaps the kind the pilgrims ultimately feel at the sight of the Basilica. The promise is that if you follow your heart, do what you love and love yourself with all your heart, everything will fall into place.