Alessandra Belloni

I would like to introduce my readers to Alessandra Belloni, a female performer born in Italy but living in New York. Over 35 years she has made pilgrimages to the sites of the mysterious Black Madonnas in Southern Italy. Her work is extremely impressive and known across the world. She has traced the mysteries back to the Earth Goddess and the long lost deities of Greece, Rome Egypt and Africa. The sacred places pre-date Christianity and many places have retained their magic. Saints days involve meditation, sacred chanting and ecstatic dancing in the sea or walking barefoot in the mountains, some of the rites continue for many hours throughout the night, and the trances produced can be licentious when men and women dance together! The dance of the Tarantella, a dance that mimics the bite of the tarantula spider, are from this region of Europe and relate to the 'bite' of passionate and unfulfilled love. Its complex rhythms have been used for healing abuse, addiction, trauma and depression.  



In her biographical book 'Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna' Alessandra takes us to the most beautiful areas of Black Madonna for the high days and holy days, explaining the sacred rites that she witnessed. As a percussionist, she joined in the ancient rituals, using the frame drum, an instrument first recorded 5000 years ago but thought to be far older, to join in with the tantalising music and dance. Methods are given in the book for personal rituals. These local rites are dying out as young people leave the land and move to the cities. If you would like to follow in the footsteps of the ancients, experience the holy rituals of the Black Madonna, buy the book and head for Naples and walk in the footsteps of the ancient goddesses!
🌟 The Roman Catholic Church have whitened many of these painting and statues!🌟
Alessandra Belloni is artist in residence at Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City. 
Visit:  https://www.alessandrabelloni.com/