France Program

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Spiritual Travel to Southern France:

Sourcing the Ways of Love and Light

May 20-29, 2022

Immersion in Sacred Sites, Devotion, Art and Culture…

A Pilgrimage for Women in the Languedoc and Provence.

Registration full.

Nature is not on the surface. It is in the depths. Colors are an expression of these depths on the surface. They rise from the
roots of the world. 
⏤ Paul Cézanne

What was it that drew Mary Magdalene to the shores of what was then known as Gaul? That bred and spread the Cathar practices of equality and love throughout Southern France? That attracted important progressive artists? And continues to pull those who can sense what is inherent in the wilds of the Languedoc and very earth of Provence, those who recognize what is reflected in the incredible light that floods these regions?

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Our pilgrimage traces a line between the Cathars, Mary Magdalene and what’s known as the Rex Deus bloodline, telling the story from the Languedoc to the Camargue to Provence.

Join us in this unique program that melds sacred historical sites, the energy of the land, with a hearty taste of Languedoc and old Provençal culture — and the influential art that was born of it. Witness terroir, a closely held value of living with respect toward nature, responsible for producing foods and wines fit for gourmands. This special way of life may soon be gone, threatened by technology and those wanting to dispense with old ways.

Sarah imageWe begin in the medieval walled city of Carcassonne and move into Cathar Country to experience their strongholds and learn of their esoteric beliefs. Then on to the coast, through the beautiful Camargue with its famous white horses and flamingos, bringing us to the place where “The Marys” landed. Our journey is explicitly timed so that we may participate in a time-honored tradition. For, at this time, Roma people gather from all over the world for a two-day festival – sometimes reaching fevered pitch – and processionals to the sea honoring Saint Sarah, patron saint of the Roma, and Saints Mary Jacobi and Mary Salome, starting from Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer where countless healings have been documented.

Our travels take us to the picturesque village of St. Maximum, visiting the basilica whose crypt contains an important relic of Mary Magdalene. Then, a short distance away, we come to the most hallowed of sites, La Sainte-Baume, the grotto where The Magdalene lived and taught during her remaining years. Here we will immerse ourselves in the energy, so prevalent and strong that the last king forbade the villagers to embrace the trees in the surrounding forest, and it will inform the rest of our journey.

Stirring in the artistic component, we experience places that inspired famous painters, especially Van Gogh and Cézanne. We visit the village of St. Remy and the asylum where Van Gogh voluntarily committed himself, remaining until shortly before his death. In this poignant place, we can get a real sense of this tragic master and appreciate the beauty in which he sought to surrender himself. We gain a full appreciation of Cézanne by entering his atelier and walk the very paths he did to his refuge, a natural studio, on Mont Sainte Victoire.

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Pleasurable surprises are peppered throughout, leading to an immersion in local flavor and encounters with colorful characters. Look forward to a natural wine tasting, art immersion… ancient villages, traditional markets and more…

… We invite you to enter into a deep appreciation of beauty and the natural rhythms of connection to place, an opportunity to step outside time — and into the legendary mystique of the Languedoc and Provence.

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See complete itinerary.


Program Guides

Carla Woody, MA, CHT…author of Standing Stark and Calling Our Spirits Home… is the founder of Kenosis LLC, an organization based in Prescott, Arizona, supporting human potential through life enhancement coaching programs and spiritual travel opportunities. She leads retreats internationally sharing an integration of NLP, energy medicine and sacred world traditions. Carla is the developer of “The Re-Membering Process”, a model for spiritual growth, and works with individuals and groups in areas of transition, relationships, spirituality and whole health. She has a distinct reputation for weaving together the elements needed for creating a sense of place and people to ensure a meaningful journey. In this program she combines her work in spirituality with a love for art and France — well-nurtured since her early years when she lived there.

 

Claire Silhouette imageClaire Turquin Silhouette, originally from France, has lived in the US, Mexico and Senegal, and now calls Provence her home. She invites you on a genuine experience rooted in ancestral traditions through the rhythms of the seasons. Her background includes counseling, event planning, development aid and tourism. Claire delights in sharing Provence, a land she calls “embroidered with knowledge and passion that my grandmother’s stories would sing to me as a child.”

 
 
 
 

Ani WilliamsAni Williams is a long-time guide passionate for the wisdom of Indigenous cultures in story and song. In France, her specialty is sharing sites of the Cathars, Mary Magdalene and Knights Templar, and is currently writing a book featuring her knowledge and experiences. She is a contributor to the books The Cathar View, The Templar Papers and numerous magazines. Ani is an internationally acclaimed harpist and vocalist with more than two dozen albums of original music inspired by ancient cultures. She founded Songaia Sound in 1992 and also teaches seminars on healing through sound. She resides in Cathar Country and Northern Arizona.


Tuition

Total tuition: $4335 by check or money order. If by credit card: $4465.

Includes: 10 nights in 2-star (Saintes Maries) and 3-star (Carcassonne and Aix) hotels, transportation during group program, all guides, lodging in double rooms, all breakfasts, two lunches, 2 dinners, wine tasting, all entrance fees, airport transfer Marseille at end of program.

Single supplement: $1035.

Tuition does NOT include airfare or other transportation to arrival/departure points (Carcassonne/Aix-en-Provence) or transfer to arrival lodging (with exception of Marseille airport transfer at departure noted above). Neither does it include travel insurance (minimum emergency medical/evacuation required), beverages, snacks, meals not mentioned above, tips, or personal expenses incurred at lodging or elsewhere.

Also includes a pre- or post-trip Lifepath Design session — complimentary — with Carla Woody regarding intent or re-entry.

Important: Group size limited to seven travelers to provide a truly intimate opportunity to immerse deeply in the gifts of the Languedoc and Provence and to further the intent of your own spiritual journey.

For complete details, contact us. Detailed logistics document sent upon registration.


Deposit

Non-refundable deposit of $1500 by check or money order to hold your place. If by credit card: $1545.

Next payment due by October 25, 2021: $1500 by check or money order. If by credit card: $1545.

Final payment by February 21, 2022: $1335 by check or money order. If by credit card: $1375.

Checks or money orders made out to: Kenosis, PO Box 10441, Prescott, AZ 86304. To pay by credit card or PayPal go here.

See complete itinerary.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 21, 2022.
 


Cancellation Policy

Up to 90 days prior to the trip start: full refund (less non-refundable deposit). Between 89-70 days prior: 50% (less non-refundable deposit). Less than 70 days: no refund.

Please note: Cancellation policy strictly enforced. We suggest travelers obtain travel insurance that covers trip cancellation for any reason.

Cancellations impact the viability of the group. This program involves costly upfront expenses incurred by Kenosis in order to secure arrangements, which are passed on to travelers should cancellation occur as shown above.