A Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage: The Flowering of the Golden Rose – An Alchemical Path of Renewal
A 13-day pilgrimage through Southern France for those ready to embody divine union, awaken soul memory, and be held in the holy breath of Mary Magdalene’s path.
This is a living pilgrimage.
A return to sacred sites, soul memory, and your own inner sanctuary.
Limited to 8 pilgrims.
You’ve done the inner work.
The books, the healing, the rituals.
But something still aches.
The sacred feels far away. Your feminine essence feels fragmented.
You miss the intimacy with the Divine that used to pulse through you as a child..
When you feel the Magdalene’s whisper in your body but your modern life feels too noisy to hear her.
When you long for something more than spiritual concepts—you crave communion.
When you ache to be held, fully, by the land, by Spirit, by your own sacred self…
It’s not that you need more knowledge.
You need remembrance.
Introducing the Flowering of the Golden Rose – An Alchemical Path of Renewal
A Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage of Embodied Union
A 13-day embodied spiritual journey through the South of France
23 May – 4 June, 2026
This is a living temple. A walking gospel. A rebirth.
Follow us through the sacred lands and sites where Mary Magdalene and her followers, the Essenes, once walked.
As we weave in the teachings and Herstories of Mary Magdalene and her Myrrophores, we embrace the themes of descent and renewal as embodied by the Black Madonna. This will be woven into our pilgrimage and healing journey through practises, meditations and rituals of renewal.
These themes are unique to this May Pilgrimage, and within this flowering season of aliveness, we invite in our own ascent through our container of renewal, inviting our flourishing and embodiment as the alchemy of the Golden Rose.
You’ll be guided by Sophia Magdalena, Tamsin Ford, Alec Slater and Sarah Cain – a Sacred Facilitator Circle – through the lands where Mary Magdalene walked, wept, prayed, and taught.
Through breath, ritual, and divine ceremony, you will come to embody the teachings of Mary Magdalene and Yeshua.
Let the teachings rise within you.
Let the breath carry you back to the Divine.
Sophia Magdalena
Love’s Breath & Guide
Tamsin Ford
Meditation & Music
Alec Slater
Ceremony & Sound
Sarah Cain
Sacred Oils & Ritual
Are You Feeling the Call?
The energy of Mary Magdalene is very strong right now as she is supporting the evolution of our planet through the Divine Sophia energy to bring back the core teachings of Yeshua to assist in healing our beautiful world.
As for those of us who strongly feel our connection to the Essene, Cathar and Magdalene energy, we gather in the south of France to explore the sacred sites and embody this energy, enriching our spiritual connection with the Divine within us, and the opening of our hearts.
Her Teachings are the essence of divine feminine wisdom. They emphasise love, compassion, and spiritual empowerment, guiding us to uncover our inner truths, embrace our unique paths and drop deeper into the heart.
This journey is a return to the sacred sanctuaries where Mary Magdalene walked, wept, prayed and taught.
They are imbued with Her memory, and those who followed in Her footsteps – the Essenes, the Cathars and the seekers of the Grail.These places activate ancient memories and ignite our soul. We will walk these ancient pathways, climb potent mountains and find sanctity in Her womb-like caves.
A Mary Magdalene pilgrimage is a calling of the heart and a remembrance of the soul. Perhaps you are feeling it is time to listen, to surrender and take this profound journey.
This is for you if:
✓ You feel the Magdalene’s call in your body
✓ You’re ready to embody—not just intellectualize—your spirituality
✓ You long to experience sacred union in yourself and your life
✓ You’re prepared for real inner alchemy through breath, embodiment, and spiritual practice
This is not for you if:
✗ You’re looking for a spa retreat or surface-level healing
✗ You’re uncomfortable with embodiment, sacred sensuality, or breathwork
✗ You’re not ready to step into full remembrance and reclamation of your feminine power.
When you join the Magdalene Pilgrimage, you’ll experience:
✓ A connection to Mary Magdalene and her ancient and living teachings.
✓ A healing journey on the Path of the Golden Rose through descent and ascent.
✓ A sacred reweaving of your feminine and masculine energies
✓ A deep spiritual embodiment rooted in breath, somatic practices, movement and ceremony
✓ Activation of soul memory through direct contact with ancient portals
✓ Healing of unconscious patterns of separation, scarcity, and shame
✓ Intimacy with the Divine that lives in your body, not just your mind
✓ A devotional community of sisters (and brothers) on the same path
Each day on this journey offers a sacred initiation.
- Walk the land where Mary Magdalene lived – caves, basilicas, sacred springs, and holy mountains
- Receive breathwork, anointings & transmissions that bring the Gospel of Love into your body
- Experience initiations into divine union – feminine and masculine integration through somatic and tantric practice
- Embody the teachings of Mary Magdalene, The Black Madonna and the Marys through ritual, remembrance, and sacred community
- Be held by a sacred masculine-feminine container that honours your soul’s unfolding
- Have time and space for your own inner journey, your own inspirations and insights to drop in, whether it be whilst walking on the land, in group healing sessions or in private.
These are not teachings to be learned.
They are codes to be embodied.
“I went on the pilgrimage to heal something in my masculine… I am really noticing the difference in my life in terms of ease in achieving things as well as experiencing with joy who I am being during that process. I’ve wanted that for a long, long time.”
“How thrilling to walk in the footsteps of the Divine Feminine, to be present in Sacred places that are imbued with the essence of Mary Magdalene and Yeshua. I had an Amazing time, an Amazing journey! I felt a deep connection with the Cathar Souls, with the Land, the Sacred Caves and Holy Mountains..We travelled together with a great sense of purpose and reverence. Thank you to Sophia for holding the Vision, for weaving in The Gospel of Mary Magdalene!
Enjoy Some Moments from our 2024 Pilgrimage
Our Themes of Descent & Renewal
A container for healing, deepening and transformation
We start our pilgrimage in St Maries de la Mer where the Black Madonna is revered as Sara-la-Kali who pulled in the boat carrying Mary Magdalene and her Essene family where they landed in France. We arrive at the time of the Gypsy festival when the Black Madonna (the patron saint of gypsies) is carried to the sea.
The Black Madonna, often referred to as the Virgin Mother, represents for us the Wisdom of the Divine Feminine, Her Unconditional Love, and her power for Healing. For the Gypsies, she is their Queen, the one who represents them, the outsiders.
Through our journey of descent and renewal, we meet ourselves and our challenges and our fears and misbeliefs. We meet them with our breath, in our feelings, in our body and in Presence in the sacred sanctuaries, to transmute all through our heart, through the heart of Mary Magdalene of unconditional love, into the blossoming of our golden rose.
We drop beyond the story and defences and deeper into the truth in our hearts and spoken by our bodies, clearer and more able to be guided by our soul. This is the process of healing and of renewal.
This Mary Magdalene healing container aims to support you in meeting with yourself, however that needs to be. Descent means coming into our bodies and into our humanity, acknowledging our humanness. Through meeting our humanness, we open, we accept and release shame, and we make space for the Divine and the Flowering of our Authentic Truth.
As we walk upon the land, we drop in and deepen our connection to the Earth, we drop down into our bodies and we ‘ground’, we regulate and we rebalance. This descent is renewing and rebuilding in body, mind and soul.
On the land we meet and work with the alchemy of the elements, bringing ceremony and rituals of renewal, meeting the inner with the outer and drawing on ancient practises from the Priestess lineages connected to Mary Magdalene and the Marys.
At the time of our pilgrimage in May, the energy within the land will be flourishing with the fertility and aliveness of the Beltane season. Polarity becomes union as plants pollinate and flower; it is fertile ground to renew the love within our hearts.
The solar energy is rising at this time, through the land and in our beings, towards its peak at Summer Solstice. Here we invite this energy, as the Goddess manifest within the land, to support us on our rising.
The Golden Rose is the metaphor for the embodiment of renewal and rebirth, for the aligned integration of body, heart and soul, for the gold gained from the journey of descent.
At this time of year, the Earth’s energy is rising. May we also rise from within our depths, and live the alchemy of the Golden Rose.
What is in our Healing Container:
Our healing is firstly from the activation of the land, the sacred sites and the ancient teachings. Alongside this, we will have a physical and intentional healing container of morning practices and teachings, as well as ritual, ceremony, meditations and activations at the sites.
To support and help you process, our four facilitators hold, assist and guide you with the following: group breathwork (Love’s Breath) and healing practises, meditations, sacred teachings, devotional singing, ceremony and ritual with the elements and Myrrophore oils.
There will also be sharing circles and relaxed connection time, as well as time and space out on the land or when you need to be with yourself, to listen within and let your journey unfold as you are guided.
Reserve your place now – limited to 8 pilgrims.
Early Bird £2,444 ends 31 March
Secure with Deposit of £444
Itinerary
Here we share a brief outline of our pilgrimage:~
We begin our journey at the Gypsy festival at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, where we honour and connect with the place where Mary Magdalene and the three Marys arrived in France. At this festival will be the cleansing water rituals and honouring of the Black Madonna as Sara-la-Kali, the patron saint of Gypsies and marginalised peoples.
We continue our journey in the area of Rennes-le-Chateau, where we will visit various sacred sanctuaries of Mary Magdalene and her Essene community, where they lived and found refuge, as did the Cathars who followed Her teachings into the 12th century.
The last phase of our Pilgrimage will be in the area of St Baume, where Mary Magdalene wrote her Gospel and where lie her remains. This will be a time to drop in and receive the the wisdom, insights and healing offered through the journeys reflections and to integrate your journey.
Your 13-day sacred path includes (days may vary slightly):
Arrive at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
Day 1–3: Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the Gypsy Festival, the ‘Fêtes au Gitans’
— We land where the three Marys landed.
Water ceremony & welcome initiation.
— We will join the festival’s own procession to the water with Sara-la-Kali as the Black Madonna
We will Journey to the area of Rennes-le-Château.
This is the area where Mary Magdalene and her community lived and found refuge. This included the Essenes and the Cathars that followed.
Day 4 – 5: Magdalene Caves Rennes-les-Bains— Pilgrimage to the caves, the Gospel sites, and Essene lands and rituals at the Seat of Isis & Druid Stones.
– Water Initiation & annointing rituals of Renewal in the holy waters of the Source de Sels & the Fountain of Love
Day 6–7: Mount Bugarach & Rennes-le-Chateau
– Climbing to the heavens on the Pic de Bugarach where the Essenes built their community.
– Visit to the chapel, museum and gardens and walls of the Isis Temple in Rennes-le-Chateau.
Day 8–9: Montsegur, Esperaza Market & Gorge de Galamus
– Climb to the citadel of Montsegur that was the last stronghold of the Cathars.
– Shopping and relaxing at the popular Esperaza market
– Powerful connections at the Hermitage Mother Mary Cave & Chapel and exploring the spectacular Gorge de Calamus.
Travel to the area of St Baume
Day 10–13: St Baume Basilica & Caves and Integration
– Visit to the Basilica in St Baume and the tomb of Mary Magdalene
— Pilgrimage to the Magdalene Cave where Mary wrote her gospel, sound activations and rituals in the Egg Cave
— Cacao ceremony and closing transmissions of light & wholeness.
— Integration
Every day includes channeled Magdalene teachings, morning breathwork or other healing practises, meditations or other practises, visits to the sacred sites, which may include ceremony and ritual, and integration support.
Marie Salome et Marie Jacobe
Renne le Chateau
Chilling out
Enjoying the view
Mount Bugarach
Ready for Bugarach
Peak of Mount Bugarach
Xavier and Daniel on Mount Bugarach
Climb to the Magdalene Cave
Magdalene Cave
The Hermitage Mother Mary Cave and Chapel
Montsegur
This 13-day pilgrimage includes:
🔻 Sacred Sites & Initiations
The Cave of Sainte-Baume (where Mary wrote her gospel)
Bugarach Mountain: Earth energy activation + ancestral remembrance
The Fountain of Love: Water initiation + sensual purification ritual
Cathar and Essene strongholds: Gnostic lineage reconnection
🔻 Daily Spiritual Practice
Breathwork (Love’s Breath), tantric embodiment, sacred movement, and sound
Masculine-feminine polarity healing practices
Morning somatic practices and meditations
Ceremony and ritual with water and the sacred Myrrophore oils
Teachings Mary Magdalene’s Gospel and stories of Mary Magdalene, the Marys and their lineages.
🔻 Accommodation + Nourishment + Transport
13 nights in soulful French sanctuaries (double or triple occupancy)
Delicious vegetarian meals prepared with intention (13 breakfasts, 9 dinners)
All local transportation, guided site tours, and spiritual facilitators
Transport from and to Marseille Airport /Central train station
Entrance fees to all group activities described in this itinerary
🔻 Integration + Support
One pre-pilgrimage online initiation circle
One post-pilgrimage integration session
Optional 1:1 support upgrades available (breath & other somatic sessions)
Pilgrimage does NOT INCLUDE
International Airfare and any travel costs to get to Marseille
Travel Insurance
Lunch and any meals outside our venues.
Any costs incurred on the days when you are exploring on your own during free times.
YOUR INVESTMENT
→ Early Bird £2,444 – ends 31 March
Deposit: £444 to secure your place
Spots limited to 8 participants. This journey calls only those ready to truly remember.
The Path of Remembrance, Reconnection and Radiance
This pilgrimage follows The Sacred Footsteps Framework – a 3-part path of Remembrance, Reconnection, and Radiance designed to restore the Feminine-Masculine union at the soul level.
- Remembrance … landing at St Maries de la Mer … takes us into the Remembrance of landing, of being at the beginning of our own journey, of remembering our sacredness and safety in loving support of each other as we follow Mary Magdalene’s journey along the Path of Love.
Remembrance of our legacy as we walk together in community, in ceremony and in sacred sharing circles.
- Reconnecting with the teachings of Oneness, union of Feminine and Masculine at the soul level as we embrace the teachings of the sacred relationship of Yeshua and Mary Magdalene at the Fountain of Love and in our initiation practices of inner union. This feeds into the alchemy of descent into our humanity and ascent though our hearts to the Divine.
- Radiance of our Being in our Sovereign power as we sit upon the Throne of Isis and as we climb to the peak of the holy mountain of Bugarach.
Remembering and reconnecting with our Radiance and Beauty and Light as we resonate with Mary Magdalene, the Beloved Companion and Feminine Christ resonance within us, in the sacred churches and chapels within the caves.
Meet Your Guides & Facilitators
Sophia
Guide to Sacred Sites
Tamsin
Meditation & Music
Alec
Ceremony & Sound
Sarah
Sacred Oils & Ritual
Sophia Magdalena
Support & Offerings During the Pilgrimage
Sophia Magdalena will guide you along the Flowering of the Golden Rose, Alchemical Path of Renewal, as a guide to the Sacred sites, offering Satsangs on the teachings of Mary Magdalene and Yeshua.
She offers Love’s Breath, a Sacred Tantric Breath practice that came through the channelled teachings of Yeshua, of fully allowing the Breath to consciously release emotional ancestral wounds and through compassion and forgiveness to open to a palpable shift of consciousness, as One with the Divine Source of Love, in Union, healing the wounds of Separation of the Divine Feminine and Masculine.
She will also guide you through a Hieros Gamos journey of Light Consciousness as an Eye Gazing Mandala Breathwork as an embodiment of Oneness.
Sophia Magdalena created the itinerary for this pilgrimage drawing from her many years of experiencing Mary Magdalene’s sacred sites and the conscious transmissions they bring. We will be using the main venue and visiting the sites she and her team guided pilgrims through in 2024 and 2025.
Bio
Way of Mastery Breath Therapist, Healer, Priestess and Guide to Sacred Sanctuaries.
Sophia Magdalena has been devoted to the teachings of Mary Magdalene, making her own Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage to France, many times over the past twenty years.
From early in her life, Sophia followed Mary Magdalene’s Footsteps, devoting her life to serve and awaken love and peace in the world.
She came home to her Essene community, through The Way of Mastery channeled teachings of Yeshua, and through making her own inner healing journey of remembrance, of Divine Love within as Source.
Sophia mastered the teachings and practices that she now shares in her Awakening Love 1:1 sessions, workshops, and retreats.
Her knowledge and wisdom of the sacredness of the sites enables her to hold a safe and sacred container in her retreats and Mary Magdalene Pilgrimages, guiding others on their own Sacred Path of Love.
Sophia has devoted herself for the past 20 years to the clearing and transmuting of conditioned misbeliefs, empowering both the Feminine and Masculine in connecting consciously in Union, in trust, in intimacy, in returning to the Sacredness of our true Divine Essence.
Tamsin Ford
Support & Offerings During the Pilgrimage
Tamsin will be assisting on the pilgrimage in space-holding, offering somatic meditations, wisdom teachings, devotional singing and Cacao ceremony.
Bio
Tamsin is a holistic healer and bodyworker, who weaves the modalities of Energy Work (VortexHealing), Rebirthing and Breathwork practises, Somatic and release practices, Regression techniques, meditative enquiry, massage bodywork and sound healing.
She has been on a healing and spiritual path for over 20 years, which has included assisting in Shamanic work as well as working with the nervous system, stress and trauma after her own experience with burn out and passage through grief. Tamsin has held a long term practise in meditation and Bhakti yoga along with immersive periods in Hatha Yoga and spiritual enquiry. She regularly leads Kirtan and devotional singing with groups.
In recent years her passion has been in exploring mythological threads, archetypes and the wisdom of the solar year, lunar phases and the Venus cycle, which influences many of the teachings of the Feminine Mystery Schools. She has felt an awakening experience in re-membering these suppressed Her-Stories of the Feminine and the mystical teachings of the Left Hand Path, and in particular the initiatory teachings of Descent and Ascent. Inspired by this, Tamsin has been following her own inner thread in creating ceremonial healing journeys on the seasonal junctures of the solar wheel, inviting understanding of their changing energies and themes, and utilising them for healing and inner wisdom.
Alec Slater
Support & Offerings During the Pilgrimage
Alec will be holding Rose Ceremonies and meditations in some of the Magdalene and Cathar caves with prayers, song and sound, invoking the Christic energy of the Essenes and Cathar traditions.
Bio
Alec is trained in and teaches Hatha yoga and meditation.
He follows a devotional path, aligned to the Divine Mother and the Rose lineage, which inspires his devotional singing of kirtan and Aramaic chants.
Alec is a ‘Rose Brother’ launching the Masculine path within the Heart of the Rose events, and regularly holds men’s sharing circles and ceremony.
He also regularly holds and organises well-being events involving yoga, meditation and devotional singing.
Alec is trained in Earth Energy Alignment and, as an adventurous pilgrim, loves to spend time on sacred lands, inviting connection and healing through them.
Sarah Cain
Support & Offerings During the Pilgrimage
Sarah has a deep, compassionate and empathic heart and will be supporting our group in their heart-healing and soul remembrance. She will be a space holder, working with the Myrrophore sacred oils and her Sacred Conch Shell through ritual and ceremony.
She is a natural intuitive and will offer spiritual insights and wisdom to balance, heal and support you.
Bio
Sarah is a Medicine Woman and Shamanic intuitive healer, trained in the Myrrophore practises with the sacred oils used by the Magdalene Priestesses, as well as in Shamanic Womb Healing. She has spent time deepening in her feminine healing through what is held in the womb and healing through remembrance and gifts of many past lives.
Sarah has felt a call from her heart to walk the path of Mary Magdalene, and the Myrrophore, which was an ancient role of the Magdalene Priestesses to anoint and support healing and transitions with sacred oils. The Myrrophore would particularly support during times of grief, descent, death and rebirth, in helping bring both people and souls through their healing processes or transitions, to ‘midwife’ them safely and lovingly through those veils.
Connect with Sarah on Facebook
“The Mary Magdalene pilgrimage with Sophia Magdalene was truly amazing.. I felt well supported by Sophia, Xavier, Kerry Ann and Daniel for the entire pilgrimage. Xavier and Daniel held the Divine Masculine space for ceremony very well. Daniel’s singing was incredible. At the castle at Carcassonne we stood in the towers and sang in harmony with Daniel. The sound lifted the oppressive energies of the castle. The energy of the towers changed from darkness to a triumph of the Divine Light. We were untouchable by anything untoward and I felt safe with Daniel.
“The places we stayed at were rural and lovely. The food was excellent.
“The churches, caves and Basilicas we visited were peaceful and very powerful for prayer. All of these spiritual experiences deepened my faith in Saint Mary Magdalene and Christ. I couldn’t have asked for more from a pilgrimage. I feel fulfilled and grateful to Sophia for hosting such an amazing pilgrimage.”
“I decided to join the Mary Magdalene pilgrimage partly because Mother Mary and Yeshua had been appearing to me in guided meditations asking for connection with spirit guides. Later, when I was reading books recommended by Sophia Magdalena – “Anna, Grandmother of Jesus” and “Mary Magdalene Revealed” I became fascinated and deeply moved by Mary Magdalene’s story and teachings. I found many of the truths I had discovered in Eastern Mysticism were in the early Christian teachings – but in the hidden gospels rather than in what I had been taught in my Catholic upbringing.
“Visiting and being able to meditate in Mary Magdalene’s sacred sites and Cathar places of initiation and persecution was extremely powerful. I experienced a deep sense of peace and love at many of the sites and found it very profound and moving as we toned in others to help heal the energy of persecution. Probably the most powerful experience for me was in the Yoni Cave where I found myself spread-eagled on the rock at the narrowest point invoking Goddess Isis.
“Parts of the pilgrimage were challenging – but that’s part of the point of being on a pilgrimage – arriving at the top of Mount Bugurach was one of those moments. One of the things that stood out to me most was the deep intimacy and friendship we developed – whether it was holding space for each other in deep sharings following some of the morning workshops; cuddling up on the sofa in the evening listening to Xavier read from Mary Magdalene and Yeshua’s tantric teachings; sharing confidences as we walked through some of the spectacularly beautiful French countryside or meeting up after the pilgrimage to share our ongoing journeys.
“I also found the morning workshops – breathwork with Sophia, somatic practices with KerryAnn, Inner masculine and inner feminine teachings with Xavier and sound activations with Daniel – provided a powerful extra dimension to my experiences of visiting the sacred sites. Highly recommended and excellent value!”
“I am so grateful I took the opportunity to join the Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage to the very beautiful South of France, not really knowing why! It is unique in having 2 male facilitators, both carrying their strengths, humour and safe driving; and 2 female facilitators carrying their skills, led by dear Sophia Magdalena carrying the essence of unconditional love.
“I was brought up in the Catholic faith which until 2016 said unkind things about Mary Magdalene. No one on the pilgrimage ever questioned our personal beliefs, and some had little knowledge of churches, sacred sites or Mary Magdalene. This was all about following our own sacred paths of love which was palpable wherever we went. I was able to open my heart and heal many unknown wounds. I was able to enjoy the sacred sites and loved the countryside and caves, gorge and beach ceremonies. I was able to pay homage to the Cathars at Chateaux de Montségur.
“I loved sharing meals, walking, talking, the variety of the early morning sessions led by the facilitators. A magical moment was sharing some stargazing one dark morning and the cosmos beaming back at me. I loved sharing singing, companionship, deep experiences, many hugs and support. I came home with my heart filled with love and new special friendships continuing to blossom.”
“This is a journey of a lifetime. One that changes you completely & demands you empty yourself of everything that is not You, that is not of Pure Love. Something that Mary Magdalene & Jeshua embodied so beautifully so that we could learn from them.
This land in France is so alive & radiant – and still vividly holds the essence of Magdalene & Jeshua & their lives in every tree, rock, pool of clear water and sacred mountain. The land inspired my heart to sing- to leave my thankyou in sacred sound as a blessing to this special & unique place of beauty, mystery & miracles. I hope you can come to experience these miracles of healing for yourselves.
P.S. And just to add, if you, like me, happen to be in your 60s or even 70s, like me & Sophia, we both managed to scramble up Mount Bugarach and Montsegur without any problems. The land seems to give you more energy & getting to the top is a real thrill!”
“I intuitively felt the call to go on the retreat due to a series of events that unfolded a couple of days prior to the Magdalene Feast. I just went with my intuition to go on my first ever pilgrimage and long retreat, not really knowing anything about Mary Magdalene or what might unfold,or anything much about Sophia or the other facilitators, I got a good feeling from the zoom call and I am so blown away that I was right to follow my intuition!
“It just felt totally right and I loved the fact that there were both men and women facilitating, I liked the idea of there being a number of different facilitators covering various practices, breath-work, tantra, sound activation and yoga and somatic breath-work, all things I am interested in bringing more into my life as practices.
I felt totally supported and held throughout the entire retreat by the facilitators, through their practices, their guidance and their love and continual support. I also learnt so much about myself, the beliefs and feelings I had around intimacy through the various practices we experienced.
“I could hardly believe that I was carried by my intuition to a number of places, a chapel, a well, a water spring, a deserted chapel, the cathar cave and the yoni cave,as well as a sacred Cathar initiation rock deep in the valley in the river below the Hermitage,, This has helped me to validate my own belief in my intuition and my connection to the land and to trust myself fully.
“Since arriving back I feel softer, more connected to self and others, and a greater awareness of self and belief in my inner guidance and intuition. I would definitely recommend this pilgrimage to anyone called to the sacred Magdalene energies who wants to look deeper into self, experience the magic and divine beauty of the pilgrimage… I loved being supported by the masculine with unconditional love and honour, I always felt, seen, heard, loved and held and have never felt as well supported, honoured and held by the divine masculine as a woman.
“I wanted to address my limiting beliefs around intimacy and relationship which have shifted totally and I also feel that I learnt a lot about letting go of any need to control and of not projecting anything on others or seeing myself as having to help others thus disempowering them and avoiding myself, I have been able to observe even more my thoughts and observations. Thank you all for such a beautiful, illuminating, fun and expansive 12 days 🙂 See you soon.”
“I’m so pleased that I said yes to the call to join Sophia on her Mary Magdalene pilgrimage in 2024. I didn’t know very much about Mary Magdalene or her teachings, but felt a strong pull to explore the South of France and the places that she is known to have been. Sophia seemed to me the ideal guide, with her wisdom and knowledge, and I appreciated her team being a balance of masculine and feminine with a grounded and embodied approach.
I enjoyed the flow of the journey, the initiations in beautiful places, and the joy on getting to know the rest of the group of like-minded seekers whilst eating together, travelling together, walking and creating ceremony together.
The beauty and power of some of the sites we visited will stay with me always, and I felt that I came to a place of deeper peace and love, for myself and others. It feels like a beginning in embodying the teachings of Mary Magdalene and Yeshua. I also had a lot of fun and made real friendships. I would whole heartedly recommend the experience to others.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be well-versed in Magdalene teachings?
No, although some knowledge, or a deep sense of connection, a book you might have read, would be beneficial.
You are welcome in your curiosity.
Do I need prior experience in breathwork or spiritual practice?
No. This is for all levels. All practices are guided with reverence and safety. Come as you are.
Is this for women only?
No. This pilgrimage honors the union of feminine and masculine energies. All genders are welcome.
What if I’ve done other Magdalene retreats?
This isn’t just another circle. It’s an initiation into an embodied inner union led by multidimensional guides and activations at the most sacred sites of the Magdalene path.
How fit do I need to be?
So long as you are able to walk with sufficient breaks, there is no other fitness requirement.
How much walking is involved?
Most days we will be walking for 2- 3 hrs in total, with time for devotion, transmissions, journaling and integration at the Sacred Sanctuaries.
Climbing Bugarch and coming down can take 5-6 hrs. This day can be an optional choice for those who feel this might be challenging physically.
There are alternative shorter walks from the venue and time in which to relax.
Is this retreat accessible for those with restricted mobility?
It does require walking therefore if you have restricted mobility it would not be possible to make this Pilgrimage..
Are solo travellers safe / welcome?
Yes, you are very welcome and you are safely held in the energy of the group. Shared spiritual experiences can create a bonding and sense of belonging, along with the past memories of being part of the Essene community.
What is the average age range?
We are open to all who feel the call to join us. Last year’s pilgrims were mainly in their 50’s and 60’s.
How many people will be on the pilgrimage?
Is food and lodging included?
13 days of sacred lodging in rural retreat venues, most meals, and ground transport are included. 13 breakfasts and 9 dinners are included – vegetarian or sometimes with a fish option. The remaining dinners which are eaten out and the daily packed lunches are both purchased at your own expense.
Do you cater for food allergies and special diets?
Yes. If your diet is very restrictive, please contact me to discuss before booking.
How is the accommodation arranged?
Rooms are mainly double occupancy at our main retreat venue near Rennes Le Chateau and some of the rooms are triple. If you are not booking with someone, you will be matched up during the trip – women with women and men with men.
Do I need to attend all the workshops?
Our workshops at the venues are optional.
Is the program flexible? Do I have to join all of the visits to sites?
Yes the program is flexible and should you need time for integration, the option to stay at the venue is always there.
What is the deposit and refund policy?
A £444 non-refundable deposit secures your spot. The balance of payment should be paid by the 21st April, 2026. Payments are non-refundable after 21st April, 2026, so we advise you to take out travel insurance early to cover you in case you need to cancel.
Prior to 21st April 2026, you will be refunded 50% (excludes non-refundable deposit).
Keeping warm
Venue
Group room
Cuddle puddle
Imagine this…
You’re standing in the cave where Mary Magdalene wrote her gospel.
The air is thick with presence.
Your feet are bare.
The breath rises in your chest.
Tears come – unbidden but welcome.
You are no longer looking for the Divine.
You are remembering you’ve never been separate.
And from this place…
you begin again.
But this time, whole.
This isn’t just a retreat in beautiful locations.
This is a living, breathing initiatory path anchored in the Magdalene codes, Gnostic wisdom, and sacred breathwork.
It’s not about escaping your life.
It’s about returning to it—with sacred remembrance, inner union, and love as your compass.
You are the Temple. You are the Magdalene. You are the Breath of Union.
This is more than a spiritual trip. It is the path of return.
To your feminine wisdom. To your embodied truth. To sacred love.
If you’ve read this far, you’ve already been called.
The Magdalene has stirred something in your heart.
It is the time to follow it.
Join us for 13 days of sacred remembering, from the shores of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer to the holy cave at La Sainte-Baume.
Let every footstep awaken you. Let the breath return you to love.
BOOK YOUR PLACE
23 May – 4 June 2026
South of France
Early Bird £2,444 ends 31 March
Secure with Deposit of £444
Spaces limited to 8
Booking & Payment
We look forward to welcoming you
YOUR INVESTMENT for the 13 DAYS
Early Bird £2,444 ends 31st March
(Full price £2,888)
A reservation requires a non-refundable deposit of £444 to secure your space.
The balance of payment should be paid by the 21st April, 2026.
Please register your interest in joining our pilgrimage and ask any questions by emailing us at breathe@sophia-magdalena.com
There are a limited number of spaces (8 participants), so please contact us soon to secure your place.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Payments are non-refundable after 21st April, 2026, so we advise you to take out travel insurance early to cover you in case you need to cancel.
Prior to 21st April 2026, you will be refunded 50% (excludes non-refundable deposit).
PAYMENT DETAILS
Email: breathe@sophia-magdalena.com
Sophia Magdalena Whatsapp. +44 7942145696
Payments can be made as Bank Transfers, through wise.com or Credit Card Payments through STRIPE account – see below.
Bank account details:
Ms Verena Joan Elizabeth Mostyn
Sort 20-25-69
Acct No 63305317
SWIFTBIC BARCG822
IBAN GB29 BARC 2025 6963 3053 17
STRIPE (CREDIT CARD) PAYMENTS
Pay £444 non-refundable Deposit to secure your place and to register.
Pay £2,000 remaining balance before 21 April, 2026
Or pay £2,444 in full. PAY IN FULL
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU BOOK
You will receive confirmation of your booking within 48 hours.
Shortly after, you will receive a booking form and questionnaire where you will be invited to provide practical information including contact information, your flight details, food preferences, any health issues etc. You are very welcome to contact Sophia Magdalena for help with your travel arrangements.
Closer to the pilgrimage we will invite you to chat group where you can share information with other participants.
We will also be scheduling one or more pre-pilgrimage online initiation circles on Zoom where you can meet fellow participants and we will be sharing some preparatory practices.
Please contact Sophia Magdalena with any queries:
Email: breathe@sophia-magdalena.com
Sophia Magdalena Whatsapp. +44 7942145696
