The Church of Mary Magdalene

Mind Body Soul Ezine Book Review: The Church of Mary Magdalene - The Sacred Feminine and the Treasures of Rennes-le-Chateau by Jean Markale

This book examines the connection between the Templars, the Cathars, and the enigmas of the Rennes-le-Chateau area of France, and its connection to the legends of Mary Magdalene. Does the church hold the answers to the questions that seekers ask about who Mary Magdalene was? Was she ever there? Was she married to Jesus? Did she have children? Was she a High Priestess who anointed the Priest King into his spiritual destiny? Etc. These questions are answered in the text along with the mystery of a newly appointed priest in 1885 and the unusual behaviour and strange building work that occurred during his tenure. Did he discover something valuable while renovating the church, from Roman, Templar, Cathar, or other group?  

The Templar Treasure of Gisors

Mind Body Soul Ezine Book Review: The Templar Treasure of Gisor by Jean Markale, Published by Inner Traditions/Bear & Co. Paperback 304 pages, £15.99 Using source documents, this controversial author, the late Jean Markale, considers that Templar treasures were hidden within the Cathedral at Gisor, possibly within the many underground chambers and passageways that are held to be too dangerous to investigate by modern archaeologists. The author accepts that the original confession of the Templars to heresy (conducted under extreme torture) was true and ignores their following retraction. Jean Markale (1928 - 2008) was the pen name of Jean Bertrand - described by himself as a Celtic and mediaeval scholar at the Sorbonne. Here he suggests that within the Knights Templar Order was a secret band of knights who had access to knowledge and wealth, spiritual and material, that is still to be found. This author has been discredited more than a couple of times!

Cathedral of the Black Madonna

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Cathedral of the Black Madonna - The Druids and the Mysteries of Chartres by Jean Markale. Published by Inner Traditions.

It’s been 50 years since I visited Chartres Cathedral on a road trip through rural France. The countryside was almost mediaeval in those days and Chartres stands out in my mind as place of great peace and holiness. I wonder if it retains this atmosphere! In place of a visit, this book by Jean Markale will sustain you! He describes the site as a Druid grove where the Gauls met annually to honour ‘virgo paritura’, the pure young woman who gives birth to the world, to humanity, to the role of women in perpetuity, a symbolic representation depicted in the black Madonna of the Pillar statue. He describes the Christian Mother Mary with Jesus on her lap as having pagan roots in the solar goddesses and in Cybele and Isis. 

Merlin

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Merlin - Priest of Nature by Jean Markale. Published by Inner Traditions. Translated from French into English by Belle N Burke.

Jean Markale is the pen name of Jean Bertrand, a Celtic scholar and teacher. He used original material to question the many stories that exist about this mysterious character; Did Merlin ever live? Was he a magician? Was he a major player in a royal court, such as Arthur’s Camelot? Can a person with a magical persona be psychoanalysed?

All Markale’s books are well researched, comprehensive and deeply passionate as he channels in his writing, a deep love of his subjects! The literary and historical texts are examined in detail. Merlin is an enigmatic and compelling character, a spell caster, poet, fool and shaman, a man who lived after the time of Arthur in sixth century Scotland. He is an archetypal divine representation of the rustic madman who resides in a sacred forest clearing as a hermit living with the fairy queen, Vivian or Gwendydd, the Lady of the Lake, at his side as his companion. Markale does not shy away from controversial subjects such as ‘sacred’ incest! Merlin is a person who lived close with nature, knowing the animals, plants, the springs and deities of the forest. His philosophy is relevant for today. It is one of universal brotherhood, enlightenment, a respect for nature, a love of his companion, and one who sees and speaks truth and justice.  

The Grail

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Reviews: The Grail - The Celtic Origins of the Sacred Icon by Jean Markale

This story makes its debut during 1180-1190 in the Champagne region of France. Chretien from the town of Troyes nearby wrote the story of the Grail for Marie, the daughter of the great Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. She instigated the most fashionable court, with artists, minstrels and troubadours, of which Chretien was her most famous entertainer. The story is about a wondering innocent young knight who experiences many adventures that include rewards, obstacles, mistakes, difficulties and good fortune. 

Markale always comes up with surprises and this is an ideal story for him to address the many enduring questions that this story raises. All his books are steeped in magic and wonder. Poetry in prose!

Reviewer Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk 

King of the Celts

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: King of the Celts - Arthurian Legends and Celtic Tradition by Jean Markale, translated by Christine Hauch, Published by Simon & Schuster

French historian, Jean Markale is an academic, a prolific author of 45 books of well researched ancient data. The Celtic era is his forte. Though he writes about complex subjects, his work is easy to read and very enjoyable. The introduction to this book is a tour de force in truth -v- fiction, and some describe his beliefs as speculative, but he covers objectivity and more in the first few pages of this book. 

From Roman Britain to the dark ages, we are taken on an interesting story based on a real life fifth century English warrior hero who fought the Saxons. Some chapter headings: Erec et Enide; Le Chevalier a La Charrett; Le Chevalier au Lion; Le Lai de Tyrolet; Perceval; Lancelot; Merlin; Morgan; Holy Grail; King Arthur; Perlesvaux; Jauffre; Meriadeuc; the Plantagenets, John of Salisbury; Glastonbury Abbey; courtly love, politics, social mores, etc. 

Women of the Celts

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Women of the Celts by Jean Markale, originally published in French in 1972

Celtic studies were Jean Markale’s speciality though he wrote extensively about religious and historical mysteries of France. During the Celtic period in European history, this book explores the role of women in social life, and the power they held within society. They could own property and they had widespread sexual freedoms, including divorce. The Celtic Goddesses were powerfully honoured and female prophets and religious leaders and educators had parity with men. Women were also respected warriors on the battle field.  

The major thesis is based on Celtic myths of womanhood, and they make wonderful reading, especially the grail quest for the paradise of love where woman is the initiator, transformer, and deliverer of the developed male psyche. Chapters include Rebellion of The Flower Daughter, Princess, Lady of the Night, The Great Queen, Lady of the Orchard, etc. 

The Great Goddess

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Great Goddess  -  Reverence for the Divine Feminine from the Palaeolithic  to the Present by Jean Markale 1999

Patriarchy pushed the goddess religions underground but Jean Markale shows that the goddess was never fully defeated and still exists in many aspects around the world. He follows their thread through the Middle East, Greece, Ireland, Europe, India, the Orient, the Americas and honours many names still known to us for wisdom and nurturance in Isis, Hathor, Dana, Rhea, Anat, Demeter, Anapurna, Maria, Grainne, Lilith, etc. He includes an index of goddess sites, museums and sanctuaries and where pilgrimages are extant across the world. 

Markale writes with respect for this ancient connection to the divine feminine. I like the topics Jean Markale covered in his writings and the way he writes! Considered, concise and clear! 

Montsegur and the Mystery of the Cathars

Mind Body Soul Ezine Book Review: Montsegur and the Mystery of the Cathars by Jean Markale

This book looks at mediaeval Occitan culture and traces the origins of the Cathar beliefs back to Persia and the Zoroastrian religion. It explains the Cathar's vegetarianism, tolerance and non violence, and it questions their pact with the Knights Templar. It describes the harrowing circumstances when 200 Cathars were isolated in their mountain stronghold on March 16, 1244. The Roman Catholic Inquisition had ordered that they be burnt alive for heresy. Four high ranking Perfecti are said to have carried treasure to safety from the mountain retreat on the night before the attack. Hugenots and Hitler's SS believed that some kind of hidden power or treasure lay in the Cathar regions. 

The author is a controversial figure whose real name was Jean Bertrand, a mediaeval scholar and Celtic specialist, has been accused of the 'creative' use of scholarship to make excessively large leaps of reasoning. 

The author also wrote: