Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna

This book by China Galland has opened my mind to various questions about my own spirituality and about the sources of iconic and archetypal figures in religions. I've become thirsty for more knowledge due to this book, and I don't know whether to be thankful, or not.However, it is deeply involving, dragging one into this journey, this search for self or deeper understanding, under the guise of searching for the Black Madonna archetype in different cultures around the world. As always, the answer is within oneself, but sometimes you can't find that answer without dragging yourself all over heck and creation, as does China Galland. I still don't know if she really has "found" anything, or not, but I think she's gaining a great deal of other kinds of knowledge trying.

One part memoir, one part spiritual journey, two parts historical information about the divine feminine in her many forms, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although I originally read this over twenty years ago, I still refer it to people.

Very readable account of the author's journey to different sacred sites, and the wisdom she gained from these journeys. Wonderful connections to the Black Madonna in many cultures.

I'm interested in the topic, and open minded to it (as someone from a Catholic/Protestant background who is a longtime Zen practitioner). However, maybe I started to read this knowing too much about Buddhism (the Vajrayana material wasn't fresh or interesting, and I have opinions about the all male system and the sexual misconduct it has permitted in the US) for it to be really engaging to me. As a purely personal preference, I had a hard time too with how much of the book was about the author, her traumas, her recovery and her fears for her children. And I'm female! Just not my thing, I didn't make it through the first 100 pages.Edited to add - I just wish that the author had gotten to the meat of the dark goddess archetype and its appearance in Kali, Tara and the Black Madonnas sooner. I usually love memoirs (Peter Matheissen's The Snow Leopard is a Top 5 favorite lifetime book) but I found the author too much in this one.

A good story of one woman's spiritual journey. The author's discussions of the relationship of Catholicism and Buddhism was especially relevant to me.

If you are looking for scholarly answers to the possible connection between the Black Madonnas of Europe and the Tibetan Tara and Indian Kali, this book will probably frustrate you. Galland's approach is to take us along for the ride as she explores both psychologically and physically the places of the Dark Mother. Not exactly travel writing, and not exactly spiritual memoir, her book combines some of both styles. Sometimes you may wish she spent less time describing the flowers on her walks and the twists and turns of her own anxieties and questioning. But she is a more or less pleasant travel companion, so if you want to cover the same ground, this is not a bad book.What I enjoyed most was her description of an annual pilgrimage in Poland from all parts of the country to the shrine of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa. Who knew that a million people spend two weeks every year walking, praying, singing and camping as they return to the Madonna who represents their nation? Who remembered that Lech Walesa was inspired by this Madonna and that Solidarity banners were flown by these pilgrims in spite of being illegal. I was inspired to recall that a non-violent spiritual movement is what brought freedom to Poland.I also took comfort in the fact that after abandoning her devout Catholicism and practicing first in the Zen tradition and then the Tibetan tradition, China Galland found herself also drawn to re-integrate her own spiritual heritage. Her experiences in Poland and Medjorge Yugoslavia are as important as her visits with the Dalai Lama and Tara initiations.Though the book is a bit dated, most of the issues she raises continue to be relevant. I read this to help me understand The Secret Life of Bees better as a teacher, and it certainly does that. I wonder if Sue Monk Kidd may have read it too.

Great informative book

A VERY PROFOUND EXPLORATION, WALKING US THROUGH AS IF WE WERE/ARE THERE.