IMPORTANT!
 As
of March 2, 2016 we only have 2 places left in this group.
Tour Registration closes on March 25, 2016, or sooner if the group fills before that date.
This is a
one-time unique spiritual journey; we will not be offering it again anytime soon.
So if these sacred places of the Divine Feminine are calling to you,
we invite you to join us on this transformational pilgrimage!
For Pricing and a Registration Form, scroll down past the itinerary to
the "Registration" section.
Also,
please visit our When to Register page
for more information
about why
registering early is of benefit to you. Thanks!
TOUR
DESCRIPTION
Sacred
Sites of the Divine Feminine
Mary Magdalene by Daniel Gabriel Rosetti
The Goddess is beckoning you to come bask in Her
radiance and wisdom again,
just as pilgrims once did during Her glory days in Europe!
The resurgence
of the Goddess around the globe has re-energized the sacred sites and mystery schools of the Goddess throughout Europe.
Many of Her sites are now marked physically by magnificent Gothic
Cathedrals, which were anciently designed and built over
powerful vortexes by masons trained by the Goddess-loving Knights Templar. These
cathedrals were dedicated to the Goddess and designed to generate Her transformative power that was represented
by the Black Madonnas gracing their main altars, as well as
Her sacred labyrinths that covered their floors.
During our Sacred Sites of the Divine Feminine pilgrimage we
will visit the revived sacred sites of the Goddess at Notre Dame in Paris, as well as those at Chartres,
Rocamadour, Le Puy-en-Velay, St. Maries de la Mer, and Vezelay, where the relics of
Mary Magdalene – once venerated as an incarnation of the
Goddess – are interred. And we will also visit places where the Goddess’s Holy Grail and Bloodline Mysteries were once transmitted and are
now being resurrected, including St. Sulpice in Paris and Rennes le Chateau in the Langueduc region of southern France. If you hear Her Call, please join us for this auspicious spiritual
pilgrimage. (Note: This will be a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity, as we will not be offering it again.)
Black Madonnas
Black Madonna of the Pillar, Chartres Cathedral
Medieval cathedrals
often had the name Notre Dame, ("Our Lady"), which denoted a veneration
of the ancient Great Goddess's majesty. Ensconced in these alchemical crucibles built by the Knights
Templar using the principles of sacred geometry were Black Madonna statues. Many of these cathedrals were located on
popular pilgrimage routes. Throughout Europe there are over
500 examples of these black images (most in France and Italy) and, while anathema to the
orthodox church, they are widely venerated as having esoteric,
magical and wonder-working powers. Whoever the enigmatic Black Virgin may be, She
holds a powerful attraction for her millions of devotees around the world. Her sacred
sites stand on highly charged earth energy vortex spots, enhanced by megalithic
ley-lines and sacred architecture. From ancient times to the present, people have
undertaken pilgrimages to Her shrines as a way to explore Her mysteries, as well as to
receive Her miraculous healing, transformation and inspiration. France has more than 300
Black Madonna places of worship and over 150 Black Madonna statues still in existence.
During our spiritual pilgrimage we'll visit several of the most important
and powerful Black Madonnas in all of France, and maybe in the world in general. So
this is a unique opportunity to connect
and commune with this icon of the Divine Feminine. Prepare yourself for shifts in
consciousness! People's experiences with the Black Madonnas are intimate,
primarily anchored in their emotions, using an intuitively-oriented energy. Allow yourself to receive the many
Blessings that will surely be bestowed upon you.
The
Rennes-le-Chateau Mysteries
The majestic Languedoc region of southern France
- one of the lands of profound mystery on our Mother Earth - is primed to give up
her secrets as humanity rejoices in the prophesied planetary return of the Goddess. For
many thousands of years this region has been a reliquary and bastion for the sacred
artifacts and mysteries of the Goddess Tradition that have been
interred within its terrestrial pentagram. The Priory of Sion maintains that within the
region’s gigantic five-pointed symbol of the Goddess lies another Solomon’s Temple,
built to scale and then buried. According to other related legends nearby it are hidden
relics that may include the body of Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail itself.
Upon this land the descendants of King David once ruled their great Jewish Kingdom known
as Septimania,
and it is here that the Goddess-loving Cathars and Knights Templar once
observed their ablutions and performed their ancient and “heretical” gnostic
rites. In its heyday the Languedoc attracted Goddess worshippers from all over Asia and Europe,
who converged upon her sacred soil to celebrate the Mysteries of Alchemy, Gnosis, and the Divine
Feminine.
The Goddess is now calling Her children back to the Languedoc to assist in Her
restoration and to revel once again in Her glorious presence. Join two Gnostic Knights
Templar and life-long devotees of the Goddess Mysteries, Mark Amaru
Pinkham and Andrea Mikana-Pinkham, as
they travel to the Goddess’s sacred shrines, portals, and holy places of southern
France to assist in the re-activation of Her kingdom and to retrieve some of Her most
ancient wisdom and relics.
 
Connect with the powerful energies of the mysterious sacred places of the Divine
Feminine
in southern France associated with Mary Magdalene & the Black Madonnas.
Mary Magdalene, Her Relics and the secret Holy Bloodline
The Black Madonnas: Their origin and present day place in the
Return of the Divine Feminine
The
Holy Grail: What
it is and how you can embody it
The Enigmatic Knights Templar: Masters of Alchemy and
Gnosticism,
who once resided in towering castles throughout France
The elusive secrets of the Rennes-Le-Chateau
Mystery & its connection to the Divine Feminine & Mary Magdalene
 SPECIAL
OFFERINGS!
Our spiritual pilgrimage will be punctuated with both transformative
meditations and rituals,
as well as cutting-edge information regarding the sacred mysteries of the Divine
Feminine.
IMPORTANT!
Though we will be visiting cathedrals and churches during this spiritual pilgrimage,
our focus will be non-sectarian, non-religious.
Since these structures were built by the masons of the Knights Templar, using the
principles of Sacred Geometry,
they engender high frequency electro-magnetic energies which balance the hemispheres of
the human brain,
moving us into higher states of consciousness and receptiveness to seeking balance
between the mental energy of logic and the emotional energy of intuition.
Also the presence of a feminine representation in the form of the Black Madonnas in these
places,
where the powers of Unconditional Love have manifested themselves for pilgrims
coming in devotional visits for centuries is still meaningful today for those of us who
will journey to them.
It can also be felt how the figure of a Mother reflects the healing energies of the
spiritually powerful place.
We will seek to connect with the energies of the Divine Feminine,
in whatever form She reveals Herself to each of us.
TOUR
PERSONNEL
Mark Amaru Pinkham
Featured Speaker & Meditation Facilitator
Author
of & Researcher/Teacher of the Goddess Tradition
Mark
Amaru Pinkham has been involved with researching the history and rites of the Goddess
Tradition worldwide for the past 40 years. Many of the Divine Feminine
Mysteries Mark has been initiated into during this time are
incorporated in his five books that include: Conversations
with the Goddess, Guardians of the Holy Grail, The Return of the
Serpents of Wisdom and World Gnosis: The Coming Gnostic Civilization.
Mark's 6th book, Sedona City of the Star People was released in September
2015.
Mark
is a Gnostic Knight Templar and the Grand Prior
of The
International Order of Gnostic Templars (IOGT), a modern day spiritual mystery
school which is dedicated to the revival of the Divine Feminine Mysteries
of the original Templars. He is
also the Founder & Commander of The
Djedhi Templar Corps, a spiritual “special forces” tradition that
has its roots in ancient Egypt.
He is also a professional Western & Vedic Astrologer, trained shamanic
practitioner, and founder of the Seven Rays of
Healing System and Correspondence Course.
A
Message from Mark: "I have visited Goddess shrines all over the globe and none are more
powerful than those we will visit in France. I encourage all venerators of the Her to take
advantage of this amazing & unique opportunity to delve into some of the most profound
Goddess Mysteries on the planet, while continually basking in the loving and immensely
transformative power of the Divine Feminine."
For more information about Mark and his work, click here.
Andrea
Mikana-Pinkham
Featured Speaker, Meditation Facilitator & Tour Director
Researcher/Teacher
of the Goddess Tradition
Andrea Mikana-Pinkham is the Founder/Director
of Sacred Sites Journeys. She is an avid practitioner of the Goddess
Tradition. Andrea has been an intuitive channel for over 28
years, bringing through the energy of the Kumaras, etheric teachers of
the Divine Feminine. Her service to humanity for the past twenty-one years has been to
create, organize, operate and lead spiritual pilgrimages to the world's
sacred sites for the upliftment of consciousness on the planet.
She is a Lady
Gnostic Knight Templar and the Grand Prioress of The International Order of Gnostic
Templars, a modern day spiritual mystery school which is
dedicated to the revival of the Divine Feminine Mysteries of the original
Templars. Andrea is also a trained shamanic practitioner, Reiki
Grand Master of Ichi Sekai (One World) Reiki, and a spiritual counselor.
 A Message from Andrea: Mark Amaru Pinkham and I invite you to
join our group of spiritual pilgrims to explore and experience the mystical sacred sites
of the Divine Feminine in France. We've led groups to these power places several times,
and have always found them to be alive with ancient wisdom and potent energies! During our
sacred journey I assist you to connect with the transformative energies of these sacred
sites, as well as the Black Madonnas who still radiate their Divine Blessings to all who
come to be with them. I'm honored to support you to manifest your dream of traveling to
these sacred sites, and will assist you to create the sacred travel experience of a
lifetime during this spiritual journey.
For more
information about Andrea and her work, click here.
Mark and Andrea have led our spiritual pilgrimages to FRANCE in the past.
Here's an article - The Forbidden Secrets of the Black Madonna by Mark
Amaru Pinkham
TOUR
ITINERARY
Sacred Sites of the Divine Feminine - Paris, Chartres,
Rocamadour and Rennes-Le-Chateau
April 30 -
May 7, 2016
 Pricing and
a Registration Form is now posted!
Scroll down to view both.
Day 1. Saturday, April 30. Arrive Paris; Group Meeting;
Welcome Dinner (D)
Eiffel Tower and Seine River
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
AM: Arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on
your own.
Later morning / noon group transfer to the hotel. (Time to be announced)
PM: Check in at hotel. Free time.
Lunch on your own.
Early evening Group Meeting - Welcome and Introduction by Andrea Mikana-Pinkham.
Presentation by Mark Pinkham: The Mysteries of the Goddess Tradition in France
Welcome Dinner
Overnight Paris. Hotel Relais Monceau.
Day 2. Sunday, May 1. Paris: Notre Dame Cathedral; St Sulpice
Church (B)
 
Left to Right: Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Sulpice Cathedral
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Breakfast
After breakfast we gather for our Group Meeting - Presentation by Mark
Pinkham: The Divine Feminine Mysteries of Paris
Then we're off with a local bilingual guide to visit to Notre Dame
Cathedral built by the masons of the Knights Templar to honor Mary Magdalene. NOTE: Entrance fees
to the bell towers are at your expense.
Standing on the Ile de la Cité on a site that was sacred
to the Celts and their Goddess Culture, and where the Romans
worshipped Jupiter and Mars, the cathedral is in the center of the land that eventually
became the capital of France.
On the old Knights Templar pilgrimage route Notre Dame was the Mars Oracle,
associated with the color blue, the 5th Chakra
(communication), and the Degree of the Pelican. In Grail
symbolism the Pelican is the bird that wounds its own breast to feed its young.
Notre
Dame is one of the supreme alchemical temples in all of Europe. The color
blue in the rose window, made by the Knights Templar and their masons in
a secret process, cand annot be duplicated today even by the most advanced scientific
methods.
After
a guided visit through the Cathedral, we have time for individual
meditation/reflection to connect with the powerfully transformative energies
of the Divine Feminine, an auspicious beginning to our pilgrimage! Open
up to the Truth of the Goddess as She reveals it to you.
Connect with the energies of the throat chakra,
to be able to speak your truth for your own spiritual growth, as well as to serve the
upliftment of consciousness. Ask Her to assist you to during our pilgrimage for your
personal growth and transformation.
Free time for optional walking visits on your own to
1) St Chapelle Cathedral, a royal medieval Gothic chapel
with some of the most breathtaking stained glass windows in all the world
2) the park on the island of the Ile de la Cite or
3) any other nearby places that call to you that are near Notre Dame.
PM: Lunch on your own with the group
After lunch we visit St Sulpice Church with our
guide; it's the second largest one
in Paris after Notre-Dame. Full of imagery of the Holy Grail, the classic
18th century church sits on the site of the Rose Line, an alchemical
pathway upon which other churches, temples and buildings that were used as the
headquarters of secret societies were built.The church itself was purported to be the
headquarters of several secret societies, such as
There is a gnomon, an astronomical measurement device designed to cast a
shadow on the ground in order to determine the position of the sun in the sky. In early
modern times, other gnomons were also built in several Italian and French churches in
order to better calculate astronomical events.
There are several original paintings in the church to view; two
magnificent Delacroix frescoes, Jacob Wrestling with the Angel and Heliodorus Driven from
the Temple.
Time for individual meditation/reflection
Return to hotel. Free Time
Dinner on your own
Overnight Paris. Hotel Relais Monceau.
Day 3. Monday, May 2. To Chartres; Chartres Cathedral; Free Time
(B/D)
 
Left to Right: Chartres Cathedral, Black Madonna of the Pillar and Black
Madonna of the Crypt
Breakfast
AM: Group Meeting - Presentation by Mark Pinkham: Mysteries of Chartres
and the Gothic Cathedrals
Depart via private van/motorcoach to Chartres.
Arrive and visit Chartres Cathedral, built
on a former Neolithic burial mound, was known to the Gauls as Carnutes and according to
Julius Caesar was the central annual meeting place for the Druids and Druidesses
of Gaul and beyond. Above the South door oak twigs and tree spirits are sculpted. Oak
leaves are also entwined around the Black Virgin of the Pillar a statue who stands
in the main church. Thus this capital of the ancient Druid world was dedicated to Alchemy
and the Divine Feminine since Celtic times.
It's one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals in all of Europe. Some researchers propose
that it's located on a leyline linking Glastonbury and Stonehenge in England,
as well as the the pyramids of the Giza Plateau in Egypt. Built by masons trained by the
Knights Templar using the principles of sacred geometry. On their old pilgrimage route it
was the center that was the Sun Oracle, the Male sulphur
energy that balances the moon energies at St. James de Compostela, Spain and is associated
with the color green and the 4th Chakra energies (heart
center of love and devotion).
During
our time here you can use the audio guide to explore the site on your own
Two of the Black Madonnas located here are The Black Madonna of the
Pillar, who stands in the main church radiating waves of Unconditional Love,
has oak leaves entwined around the base of the statue. Local legend says that the
wouivre, the ancient female earth power rises up through her from the ancient
well in the crypt.
The Black Madonna of the Crypt (if access is
available), Notre Dame Sous Terre (Our Lady Underground) is made
of pear wood,
with a crown of Druidic oak leaves. She was one of the major prayer and offering shrines
on the medieval pilgrimages.
She is a replica of an old Black Madonna that was destroyed during the French Revolution
when the statue was burned on an execution pyre. Some researchers say that this destroyed
statue was itself an 11th or 12th century one. There are earlier references to a small
black image
of pagan origin - the Virgin whom it was predicted by the Druids would give birth to a
saviour. What has happened to this is not known.
Today you can walk as pilgrims have for hundreds of years through the crypt to visit the
Black Madonna and past the Druidic healing well.
Time for individual meditation/reflection
The famous Chartres Labyrinth, an ancient
goddess tool for transformation, is laid out on the floor of the cathedral. Unlike a maze,
the labyrinth has only one path in and out of it. The axis mundi of the Cathedral passes
over the Labyrinth, symbolizing the way to God/Goddess here on earth. NOTE:
Unfortunately the labyrinth is only uncovered and open to the public on Fridays, we won't
be able to walk it.
PM: Lunch on your own
Free time in the Cathedral and nearby area
Check in at hotel
Group dinner
Overnight Chartres. Hotel Ibis Centre.
Day 4. Tuesday, May 3. To Rocamadour; Visit Black Madonna; Free
Time (B/D)
 
Left to Right: Village of Rocamadour, Black Madonna
Breakfast
AM: Group Meeting - Presentation by Mark Pinkham: The Mystery of the Black
Madonnas
Depart via private van/motorcoach to Rocamadour
Lunch on your own with the group
Arrive Rocamadour, an ancient site
that was dedicated to Cybele and to later to Venus, the
Roman love and fertility goddesses. Today it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose name
translated in local Occitan dialect means "he who loves the Roc", owes its
origin to St Amadour, who, according to tradition, chose the place as a
hermitage for his devotions to the Virgin Mary. Legends
say that Rocamadour began with the arrival of Zacchaeus, husband of St Veronica,
who fled to France to escape religious persecution, and lived
out his life here as a hermit. When a perfectly preserved body was found in a grave high
up on the rock in 1166, it was declared to be Zacchaeus, who became St Amadour,
the village's namesake.
Some researchers contend that Rocamadour is the second
most-visited historical pilgrimage site in France, after Mont St. Michel in
Normandy. This famous place of pilgrimage is most strikingly situated, with its buildings
that rise in stages up the side of a cliff in a gorge above a tributary of the River
Dordogne which runs between rocky walls 400 ft. high. Flights of steps ascend from the
lower town to the church of Notre Dame, built in 1479, which contains the wooden figure of
the Black Madonna reputed to have been carved by St Amadour. An older
chapel was crushed by rock fall. Denys de Bar, Bishop of Tulle, commissioned the
rebuilding of the present structure; his coat of arms are above the doorway. The authors
of Holy Blood and Holy Grail contend that the de Bar family had close ties to the
Priory of Sion, the controversial organization made famous by the best seller The Da
Vinci Code. Iolande de Bar, daughter of Rene de Anjou, was grand master
of the organization. Her son, also named Rene, studied in the same alchemical and hermetic
circles as Leonardo da Vinci.
Visit the shrine of the Black Madonna who protects
infants, calms storms at sea, frees captives, and promotes fertility. The original statue
stands on a Druid stone that was once sacred to Sulivea, Goddess of the
Alders. Her sanctuary was a place where miracles
were reported to occur and its fame spread rapidly along the pilgrimage route. King Henry
Plantagenet was one of the first pilgrims to come to Rocamadour to find a miraculous cure.
St. Louis IX of France followed in the next century, and Rocamadour became as important as
Mont St. Michel as a pilgrimage destination. During our visit we'll avoid the traditional
activity of climbing up the 216 stone steps on our knees to Her shrine! Instead, we'll
walk to several of the medieval chapels built into the rock hillside, one of which
contains the mysterious Black Madonna, who has been venerated for over a
thousand years. The Miraculous Bell that hangs here is said to ring itself when a miracle
occurs at sea. Above the altar the Black Virgin carved from walnut wood sits in residence.
According to some modern guide books, the statue could date back as early to the 9th
century. Time for individual meditation/reflection in
the chapel with the Vierge Noire (Black Virgin). Take time to sit with
Her and receive
Her powerful Divine Feminine energies. Offer Her your prayers for a peaceful and healing
pilgrimage for yourself and our group.
NOTE: Any entrance fees to other parts of the site are at your expense.
Check in at hotel. Free time
Group dinner
Overnight Rocamadour. Grand Hotel Beau Site.
Day 5. Wednesday, May 4. To Rennes-Le-Chateau area; Limoux –
Black Madonna (B/D)
Black Madonna, Notre Dame de Marceille
Breakfast
Free time in Rocamdour
Later morning depart via private van/motorcoach to the Rennes-le-Chateau area
Lunch on your own with the group
Once in the Rennes-Le-Chateau area we stop to visit the Black Madonna, Notre Dame de
Marceille, whose veneration here is very old. Some researchers
believe that the statue was originally located at the nearby miraculous spring, while
others say it was in an underground chapel. Tradition has it that this wooden statue was
created to replace another statue, which was much older and was made of carved stone,
and that is was venerated in the megalithic complex that originally stood on the site.
She displays some remarkable details. The most striking aspect is Her
face, with an enigmatic smile and eyes that are wide open,
with dark pupils; they seem to look right at you! According to an old
inscription, it stated that he “who sees the statue smiling at him, is certain to
obtain the grace which he came to beseech”.
Another oddity about Her that has symbolic layers of meaning is that although She
black, the child Jesus is not; it is white. One theory is that this
difference expresses how the Black Madonna – whose darkness symbolizes the obscure,
the underground – was the source of a light, solar child. Darkness gives birth to
light. This is a well-known pagan symbol that is found in various places where gods or
goddesses were believed to have been born in a cave. Or in megalithic passage tombs, such
as Newgrange in Ireland, where the sun penetrates the darkness on the winter solstice, the
longest night of the year. With the presence of an ancient megalithic complex on this
site, perhaps the light and dark of the two elements of the statue is a subtle hint of
that same message.
Today the Black Madonna is in the basilica, waiting for you to receive
Her blessings. Take time for individual meditation/reflection with
Her.
Arrive in Limoux in the Rennes-Le-Chateau area & check in at the hotel.
Free time. Group dinner at the hotel.
Overnight Limoux. Grand
Hotel Moderne et Pigeon.
Day 6. Thursday, May 5. Rennes-Le-Chateau: Museum, Magdalene
Church, Tour Magdala;
Free Time (B/D)
  
Left to Right: Rennes le Chateau - Aerial View, Tour Magdala, Entrance to
Church of Mary Magdalene
 
Left to Right: Church of Mary Magdalene - Statue of Mary Magdalene, Front
of Altar; Berenger Sauniere
Breakfast
After breakfast we gather for our Group Meeting - Presentation by Mark Pinkham: The
Mysteries of Rennes-Le-Chateau and the Holy Bloodline
Depart via private motorcoach to Rennes Le Chateau,
the small hilltop village in the Eastern Pyrenees that is shrouded in mystery and linked
with the Knight Templars, Cathars, Merovingian Kings and the secrets of Mary Magdalene.
The area was a strategic location once inhabited by the Romans, Visigoths and
Merovingians.
During our time here we'll visit the on-site museum, with some of the
ancient artifacts & parchments that were found which spawned a treasure hunt
that has lasted for decades. The small village has become a modern day enigma, beginning
in 1885 with the arrival of a new parish priest named Berenger Sauniere.
While restoring the church he uncovered mysteriously coded documents, as well as some
ancient coins in the basement. No one knows exactly what he uncovered, but he later took
them to Paris, met with some important people at St. Sulpice Church and returned with a
great amount of money. This is still the legend today - that he built the Tour Magdala and
renovated the church using these funds. Since his time there has been a perennial quest
for treasure here, both for hidden coins, elusive monies, and more importantly, for the
spiritual treasure of the Holy Grail, whatever the seeker might perceive that to be.
We'll visit the Magdalene Chapel, where Mark Amaru Pinkham will explain
some of the esoteric symbology of the statues and wall paintings, as well as the secrets
of the Magdalene, John the Baptist and more, as they're depicted here. We'll take time to
sit in meditation; perhaps you'll receive a
blessing from the Divine Feminine, in the form of Mary Magdalene. Or you might receive
psychic impressions relating to information about the hidden treasure!
Afterwards we'll explore the Tour Magdala, or Magdala Tower and more of
the Magdalene Mysteries. What does Magdala mean: a tower, a title, an archetype, or
mystery? There are many answers. For Gnostics, she is a major mystery at the heart of
their faith. Mark Amaru will help us to unravel some of this mystery. Here, at this very
high-energy power spot, Andrea and Mark will facilitate a group
meditation to connect with the mysteries of this ancient place, with its
energy of the Divine Feminine.
 Lunch on your own with the group at local restaurant.
Joining us will be
Val Wineyard, local author/publisher &
researcher of Mary Magdalene. She will share
with us from her research on the Historical Mary Magdalene.
Afterwards, you have
free time to explore on your own. Perhaps visit the Villa
Bethania, Sauniere's home that he shared with his housekeeper Marie Denarnaud, to
whom he is supposed to have imparted the secret of what he uncovered in the church that
led to his fortune. Unfortunately, she suffered a stroke before her death and was not able
to share what she learned with anyone. Or, visit the bookstore or take more time to visit the museum again.
Return to hotel. Free time
Group dinner at the hotel.
Overnight Limoux.
Grand Hotel Moderne et Pigeon.
Day 7. Friday, May 6. Rennes-Le-Chateau area: Rennes Les Bains;
Carcassonne: Walled City
(B/D)
Left to Right: Rennes Les Bains Thermal Waters; Medieval Wall City of Carcassonne
Breakfast
Morning departure via private van/motorcoach to Rennes Les Bains, located in the valley of the River Sals, 29 miles south
from Carcassonne, 12 miles from Limoux, and 1 mile from Rennes-le-Château. It lies in the The Corbières, the
heart of "Cathar country" and is known for its history as a spa town since Roman
times, its role as a sister village of Rennes-le-Chateau, its curé, Abbé Henri Boudet,
its supposed links with Bertrand de Blanchefort, Grand Master of the Knights Templars and
its role in Kate Mosse's 2007 novel Sepulchre.
People have enjoyed the natural hot spring waters here for millennia. The town is sited
next to both hot and cold springs, and also by a saline river. The river Sals takes its
name from the fact that it is naturally salty, an unusual feature for an inland river.
Visit a sacred area at the local waters for a group meditation and ritual
with Andrea and Mark
For lunch today you have the option to order a Box Lunch from the hotel, or make
a light snack from breakfast items. We will not have time to stop anywhere to eat a lunch
at a restaurant, or at a convenience store to buy one, so please prepare accordingly.
Depart to Carcassonne: Visit the medieval Walled City. Known as 'La Cité', it
has 53 towers strung together by two enormous concentric walls, surrounded by a moat, and
punctuated here and there by heavy barbicans, portcullis and draw-bridges. Within these
fairy-tale fortifications sits a castle, a basilica (church), and a small town. You'll
have time to explore on your own. NOTE: Entrance into Le Cite is free;
any entrance fees to other parts of the site are at your expense.
Return to hotel. Free time
Farewell Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight Limoux. Grand
Hotel Moderne et Pigeon.
Day
8. Saturday, May 7. Transfer to Toulouse; Depart France (B)
Breakfast
Morning group transfer via private van/motorcoach with bilingual driver to
airport in Toulouse (TLS) for those not continuing on for the post-tour
extension to more Sacred Sites of the Divine Feminine. (Time to be
announced) Please book your international flight to depart after 2:00PM. (Note: If you schedule your departure before that time,
you will be responsible to make your own way to the airport. Also, there will be no refund
on the group transfer.)
Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.
Post-Tour Extension - Sacred Sites of the Divine Feminine
Stes
Maries de la Mer, Le-Puy-en-Velay, Clermont-Ferrand and Vezelay
May
7 - 11, 2016
Day
8. Saturday, May 7. To Stes Maries de la Mer; Visit Black Madonna; To Arles (B/D)
 
Left
to Right: Les Saintes Maries de La Mer, Black Madonna Sara Kali
Breakfast
Morning departure via private van/motorcoach to Stes Maries de la Mer (The
Saint Marys of the Sea).
Lunch on your own with the group along the way.
Les Saintes Maries de la Mer is a
small fishing village located on the Mediterranean coast, near Marseilles. This region,
the Camargue, is known as the cowboy country of France, where hundreds of white horses
once ran wild, until the Romanys settled here and tamed them.
Some local legends say is the place where Mary Magdalene
arrived by boat from the Holy Land with a small party of people including two other Marys,
Joseph of Arimathea, perhaps Lazarus and Sara, also thought by some researchers to be the
daughter of Magdalene and Jesus.
They were greeted by the local Romany clan.
Other local legends give Black Sara's saint story as this: She had a
dream that the apostles of Christ were in a boat with no oars. She awoke from her dream,
went to the beach & saw the boat. She swam out & took off her dress, so that Mary
Salome & Mary Jacobi could hold on to her dress, while she swam to shore with them. So
Sara was alive as an adult, when the first apostles of Christ arrived at Maries.
Still another legend claims that the gypsies believe that Sarah was a
powerful local queen who welcomed the tired travellers from the Holy Land, while
other sources suggest she may have been an ancient pagan goddess – a Black Madonna?
– or a black Egyptian woman that was the servant of Christ’s mother Mary.
Christians preferred to see her as an unexpected passenger on the boat. The adapted legend
goes that while the Romans set the boat adrift in the Holy Land, Sarah apparently begged
to be taken with them. A miracle enabled her to reach the boat by walking on the water,
using Mary Salome’s cloak as a type of magical carpet to cover the distance.
Les Sainte Maries de la Mer was once an ancient pilgrimage site for the Celts
who came to receive healing from the Goddess. They believed She was present in the holy
spring. Worship to the triple water deity Matres co-existed with and was
later superseded by Roman temples dedicated to Artemis, Cybele, Isis and
Mithras. The Greeks also venerated the Goddess here; they once had a
temple dedicated to Aphrodite.
What is so special about Sara that thousands of gypsies from all over Europe come
to this area? It's unknown when and why the local church became so sacred to the
gypsies, but what is know,n is that it was some time after their arrival in Europe in the
early 1400s. It's possible the devotion occurred after René d’Anjou gave the order
to excavate an oratory in December 1448, where the two Marys were allegedly buried.
Excavations revealed several human heads arranged in the form of a cross and the bodies of
two women, which were assumed to be the two Marys, since a local legend said that the
church had been built upon the site where they had lived and been buried. An altar of
compacted earth was also found, as well as a smooth marble stone that was later to be
called “the Saints’ pillow”, upon which the saints’ heads were said to
have been found.
Though this explains the problem of the Marys, it's clear that there were no bones
of Sara – and it is her statue, not her relics, that is so paramount in the
annual gypsy procession. So why Sara? Perhaps there's a clue in “The Legend of the
Saintes-Maries” written in 1521 by Vincent Philippon. He writes that Sara travelled
through the Camargue to provide for the needs of a small Christian community. Thus, the
practice of begging for alms performed by Sara gave early writers a
reason to make Her into a patron goddess of the gypsies.
After checking in at our hotel, we walk to the local 6th century church for our visit with
Sara-la-Kali, the Black Madonna who is the Patron
Saint of the Romany Clan, whose origin and identity are
still a mystery. She incorporates aspects of Kali, the Hindu Goddess
who serves to assist in destroying the Ego, thus taking the seeker to the
goal of self-realization. Several
thousand years of prayers and healings have taken place here in Her
presence, not only by many thousands of pilgrims who have come for Her blessings,
but especially during the Romany festivals held twice yearly to honor Saint Sara.
Take time for individual meditation/reflection to ask for Her
insight, compassion and wisdom.
Continue to Arles and check in at the hotel.
Group dinner
Overnight Arles. Hotel Jules Cesar.
Day 9. Sunday, May 8. To
Le-Puy-en-Velay; Notre Dame Cathedral and Black Madonna (B/D)
Black
Madonna of Le-Puy-en-Velay
Breakfast
Morning departure via private van/motorcoach to Le Puy-en-Velay
PM:
Lunch on your own with the group
Arrive and visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame, with its
and the Black Madonna whose healing miracles are widely known in the local
area. Time for individual meditation/reflection
Le Puy-en-Velay, located on the summit
of Mount Corneille in the Auvergne region of central France. Tthe
cathedral of Notre Dame in Le Puy is one of Europe's oldest, most famous and most
beautiful pilgrimage shrines. It was visited by thousands of pilgrims during
medieval times to worship its Black Madonna statue.
Mount Corneille's use as a sacred place has its roots in prehistoric times. Prior to the
arrival of Christianity an enormous dolmen, or single standing stone,
stood atop the sacred hill. Nothing is known of the people who erected this stone nor of
the manner in which it was used, yet the mysterious stone was to play a decisive role in
the development of Le Puy as a Christian pilgrimage site.
Sometime between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, a local woman suffering
from an incurable disease had visions of Mary. In her visions she
received instructions to climb Mt. Corneille, where she would be cured by the simple act
of sitting on the great stone. Following this advice, the woman was miraculously
cured of her ailment. Appearing to the woman a second time, Mary gave
instructions that the local bishop should be contacted and told to build a church
on the hill. According to legend, when the bishop climbed the hill, he found the
ground covered in deep snow even though it was the middle of July. A lone deer walked
through the snow, tracing the ground plan of the cathedral that was to be built. Convinced
by these miracles of the authenticity of Mary's wishes, the bishop
completed construction of the church by 430 CE. Despite ecclesiastical pressures, which
sought to combat the survival of pagan religious practices, the great dolmen was
left standing in the center of the Christian sanctuary and was consecrated
as the Throne of Mary. By the eighth century, however, the pagan stone, popularly known as
the "stone of visions," was taken down and broken up.
Its pieces were incorporated into the floor of a particular section of
the church that came to be called the Chambre Angelique, or the "angels
chamber." Most of these early structures disappeared and were replaced by
the current basilica, a composite construction dating from the 5th to 12th centuries AD.
While primarily an example of Romanesque architecture, the massive cathedral of Notre Dame
shows strong Byzantine and Arabic influences in both its construction and decoration.
Check into hotel. Group dinner at the hotel.
Overnight Le Puy-en-Velay. Hotel Regina.
Day 10. Monday, May 9. To Clermont-Ferrand: Cathedral and Black Madonna;
Continue to Vezelay (B/D)
Black Madonna
of Clermont-Ferrand
Breakfast
Morning departure via private van/motorcoach to Clermont-Ferrand,
located in the Auvergne. The Cathedral is Gothic,
another one built by the masons of the Knights Templar. A French national monument, it's
built entirely in black lava stone, which makes it highly distinctive, and visible from a
great distance, with its twin spires towering above the town's rooftops. Clermont-Ferrand
is located in the Auvergne. The Cathedral is Gothic, another one built by the masons of
the Knights Templar. The first cathedral was built in the 5th century CE. Destroyed in 760
and reconstructed and destroyed again, it was rebuilt by the Normans in 915 CE. A Roman
cathedral was built and consecrated in 946. Unsurpassed, this building probably served as
the model and prototype for many churches in the Auvergne. The present crypt (made up of
an ambulatory and radiating chapels) dates back to this 10th century church, which
included a 4th-century white marble sarcophagus. In 1248, inspired by a visit on
Sainte-Chapelle on a trip to Paris, bishop Hugues de la Tour decided to launch work on a
new cathedral in the Northern Gothic style. The mainly blue rose window, a symbol of the
Divine Feminine, over the north door and the mainly orange one overlooking the south door
were made in the 14th century.
Visit the Black Madonna of motherly love, mercy and boundless
concern for her children. She blesses the infertile with children and heals unhappy
marriages. Also known as The Lost Madonna,
She was rediscovered during cathedral renovations in 1974. She was sealed
up in the walls, hidden away and protected from some long forgotten danger. She is in
symbol and in fact an example of reclaiming the Sacred Feminine. In the Middle Ages, She
was highly celebrated with her own pilgrimage and festival here. Take time for individual
meditation & reflection with Her.
Afternoon lunch on your own with the group.
Continue to Vezelay. Arrive and check into hotel. Free time. Group dinner at the hotel.
Overnight Vezelay. Hotel Compostelle.
Day 11. Tuesday, May 10. Vezelay: Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene;
Mary Magdalene Relics;
To Paris; Farewell Dinner (B/D)
Left
to Right: Vezelay - Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene; Relics of Mary Magdalene
Breakfast
Morning departure via private van/motorcoach to Vezelay, one of
the most visited pilgrimage sites of the Medieval Age, located in a significant
pre-Christian area. Though the date of the area’s original settlement is
unknown, its Les Fontaines Salées mineral springs have been favored for
their therapeutic qualities since at least the 3rd millennium BC. Celtic presence
is evident from the 6th century BC and by the 2nd century BC the Romans
had constructed temples and thermal baths.
Vézelay's Christian history began in 860 CE when the site was donated by
the Carolingian count, Gerard of Roussillon for the purpose of building a Benedictine
monastery. Shortly after its foundation, a monk named Baudillon brought relics
(said to be the bones) of Mary Magdalene to Vézelay from
Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. In 1058 the Pope declared the relics to be authentic and a
cult of Mary Magdalene began to develop at Vézelay. The presence of a Black
Madonna statue contributed to this cult development. Soon thereafter it became an
important place of pilgrimage.
The beginning of the decline of Vézelay coincided with the
well-publicized discovery in 1279 of a body which was claimed to be that of Mary Magdalene
at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in Provence, given regal patronage by Charles II, the
Angevine king of Sicily. When Charles erected a Dominican convent at La Sainte-Baume, the
shrine was marvelously found intact, even with an explanatory inscription stating why the
relics had been hidden. The local Dominican monks soon compiled an account of miracles
supposedly caused by the relics. This discovery seriously undermined Vézelay's position
as the main shrine of Magdalene in Europe.
The Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene is one of the most outstanding
masterpieces of Burgundian Romanesque art and architecture in France. It was added to the
UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979. The site is also called Vézelay Abbey
(Basilique Ste-Madeleine); Basilique Ste-Madeleine; La Madeleine; Basilique de Vézelay;
Vézelay Basilica; and Vézelay Abbey.
Visit the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene and relics that are
purported to be those of Mary Magdalene. Take time for individual
meditation and reflection
Continue to Paris, with lunch on your own with the group along the
way.
Arrive and check into hotel. Free time. Farewell Dinner
Overnight Paris. Hotel Relais Monceau.
Day 12. Wednesday, May 11. Tour Ends; Depart Paris (B)
Breakfast.
Morning group transfer via private van/motorcoach with bilingual driver to Charles De
Gaulle International Airport (CDG). Time to be announced. Please book your international
flight to depart after 2:00PM. (Note: If you schedule your departure
before that time, you will be responsible to make your own way to the airport. Also, there
will be no refund on the group transfer.)
Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.
For Pricing and a Registration Form, scroll down to the
Tour Pricing and Tour Registration
sections below.
A Few Words from Sacred Sites Journeys Pilgrims to France
I enjoyed the
sacred journey to France. Everything was set up for us so well, making it very easy to
just relax and really enjoy the experience. I particularly liked the time we had for
meditation at sacred sites! - R. Bartley, NV
Thank you for putting together such a wonderful trip to France! I enjoyed
every day! I especially enjoyed our visit to Rennes-Le-Chateau and exploring the mysteries
associated with it. - S. Patrick, AZ
The journey to France was so well planned. Each day flowed like clockwork.
Your team and your local people in France are a wonderful group of travel professionals!
Thank you for this great adventure! It was very exciting; I really really enjoyed it!
- K. Sheffeld, Canada
Great group of people and great trip! You took care of all the details
superbly! This was a trip FULL of highlights!
- S. Smith - Phoenix, AZ
You've done it again! You took care of all the details so perfectly! I love
traveling with you; you make it SO easy! One of my favorites this time was
Rennes-Le-Chateau, an amazing sacred place! And, as always, your speaker Mark Pinkham
added that extra dimension to the tour by sharing superb knowledge about the sites and the
esoteric and spiritual aspects of them. Thanks also for sending me to Stes. Maries de la
Mer - fantastic! - A. Leaf, AZ
You helped me realize one of my life-long dreams to visit the sacred sites in
France that you included on this remarkable journey. I will never forget it! Thank you so
much for making it so easy and enjoyable for me! I couldn't have asked for more. -
D. Todd, SC
I enjoyed the sacred journey to France so much! Your speaker Mark Pinkham was
excellent, the hotels were great, the food superb, and the sacred sites were the best!
Thank you for this powerfully transformative journey! - D. Geitenbeek, AZ
TOUR INCLUSIONS
Your Sacred Sites Journey to FRANCE Includes:
- Roundtrip
transfers between Charles De Gaulle Airport and hotel
- Accommodations in First Class Bed & Breakfasts and hotels, including daily breakfast
- Main Tour: No lunches and six (6) dinners, which includes the Welcome and Farewell
Dinners (vegetarian always available); Post-Tour Excursion: No lunches, four (4) dinners
- Sightseeing tours as per itinerary, including entrance fees
- Escorted on arrival in at hotel in Paris by SSJ's Director Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
- Pre-Paid Gratuities for driver and waiters at group meals
Special
Added Features - Main Tour
- Travel with Sacred Sites Journeys Director Andrea Mikana-Pinkham, author Mark Amaru
Pinkham and other spirit-centered people
- Featured Speaker: author and Gnostic Knight Templar Mark Amaru Pinkham
- Optional ceremonies, initiations & meditations at sacred sites facilitated by Andrea
Mikana-Pinkham
- Paris: Notre Dame Cathedral; St Sulpice Cathedral
- Chartres: Chartres Cathedral with the Black Madonna of the Pillar, the Black Madonna of
the Crypt, and the famous Chartres Labyrinth
- Rocamadour: Black Madonna
- Sacred sites in and around Rennes-le-Chateau area, including the Black Madonna at
Limoux; the Magdalene Church, Magdalene Tower and museum at RLC; Rennes les Bains and the
Seat of Isis, and the Medieval Walled City in Carcassonne
- Free time to explore on your own
- Welcome and Farewell Dinners
Special Added Features - Extension
- Travel with Sacred Sites Journeys Director Andrea Mikana-Pinkham, author Mark Amaru
Pinkham and other spirit-centered people
- Featured Speaker: author and Gnostic Knight Templar Mark Amaru Pinkham
- Optional ceremonies, initiations & meditations at sacred sites facilitated by Andrea
Mikana-Pinkham
- Black Madonnas in Les Saintes Maries de La Mer, Le Puy-en-Velay & Clermont-Ferrand
- Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene & Mary Magdalene Relics in Vezelay
- Free time to explore on your own
- Farewell Dinner
NOT
INCLUDED
- International airfare (For those taking the Main Tour
Only: Arrive in Paris (CDG) / Depart Toulouse (TLS); For those taking the Post-Tour
Extension: Arrive and depart from Paris (CDG)
- Luggage handling at airport and hotels
- Meals not included, as indicated in the itinerary
- Cost to obtain valid passport
- Any items of a personal nature such as laundry, drinks, internet service and telephone
calls. Any item that is not specifically detailed on the SSJ website or the final trip
itinerary
TOUR PRICING
This
tour is LAND ONLY. You are responsible to book your international flights to and from FRANCE.
ARRIVAL:
Please arrive in Paris at Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) on
Saturday, April 30, 2016 by 10:00AM in order to connect with the later
morning group transfer booked by Sacred Sites Journeys.
DEPARTURES:
Main Tour Only: Please book your international return flight from Toulouse
(TLS) to depart after 2:00PM on Saturday, May 7, 2016.
Post-Tour Extension: Please book your international return flight from
Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG) to depart after 1:00PM on Wednesday,
May 11, 2016.
DISCOUNT!
Make ALL of your payments by check, money order or bank wire and receive a 5%
discount! This discount is INCLUDED in the price below listed for these payment options.
NOTE
Regarding Credit Card Payments: We are able to take credit cards for
payment until February 4, 2016. After that you can pay with a credit card
check, bank cashier's check, money order, or bank wire transfer. (An additional $25.00 fee
applies for wires originating from outside the USA).
MAIN TOUR: April 30 - May 7, 2016 - Per Person, double occupancy, land only
$2,599.00 for payments via check, money order or bank wire*
$2,736.00 for payments via credit card
Single Room Supplement: There are only a limited number of single rooms available at the
hotels we'll be using for the group. So if this option is important for you to have, we
highly encourage you to register as soon as possible.
$489.00 for payments via check, money order or bank wire*
$515.00 for payments via credit card
NOTE: This is the additional amount you will pay if you choose to have
your own private room throughout the tour. The number of single rooms available is
limited, so please register early if you would like to have this option.
ROOMMATES: Would you like to meet and make a
new friend on your journey? If you're not traveling on the journey with anyone you know,
and would like for SSJ to try to match you up with a suitable roommate, we'll be happy to
try to do so.
Per our Terms and Conditions, we will hold the registration for the trip open until 30
days before the departure date (or later if possible) in order to try to match you with
someone. If by that date we have not been able to do so, you will be responsible to pay
for the single supplement. If you would like to be matched with a roommate, please
register early.
POST-TOUR
EXTENSION: May 7 - 11, 2016 - Per Person, double occupancy, land only
$1,549.00 for payments via check, money order or bank wire*
$1,631.00 for payments via credit card
Single Room Supplement: There are only a limited number of single rooms available at the
hotels we'll be using for the group. So if this option is important for you to have, we
highly encourage you to register as soon as possible.
$429.00 for payments via check, money order or bank wire*
$452.00 for payments via credit card
* An additional $25.00 fee applies for wires originating from
outside the USA.
To Register,
scroll down to the Tour Registration section directly below.
TOUR REGISTRATION
IMPORTANT!
As
of March 2, 2016 we only have 2 places left in this group.
This is a one-time offering for this unique spiritual journey,
so if the sacred places we'll visit are calling you, we invite you to join us on this
pilgrimage!
Tour
Registration closes on March 25, 2016, or sooner if the group fills before that date.
Also, please visit our When to Register page
for more information
about why
registering early is of benefit to you. Thanks!
To access our Tour Registration Form, Click here
IMPORTANT! The link above contains our current and
correct P.O. box address.
Sacred Sites Journeys; P.O. Box 3591; Sedona, AZ 86340
If you've downloaded a previous copy of the registration form with a different address
(P.O. Box 20548),
this is our old address. Please download the revised form. Thanks!
Questions?
Email Andrea Mikana-Pinkham at info@SacredSitesJourneys.com
Or call our office at 888
501-3853 (Toll free in the US) or 928 284-1429
If you'd like to receive our Monthly
Sacred Sites Journeys E-Newsletters, please Sign Up Here!
Newsletters are sent out about once a month.
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