We will stay on a pretty French town on the coast…perfect place to adjust to these Beautiful energies before we embark on our Divine embrace.

We continue to Camargue on the coast, where sky meets sea.

 Magdalene’s legend expands. Persecuted by the Jews of Jerusalem, she and a group of other disciples are cast off in a boat without sails or oars. In this group, we also find Mary, mother of James, another Mary, mother of James Major, and John, Maximinus, Lazarus and Sarah, an Egyptian servant. Miraculously they survive the perilous voyage and safely land on the shores of southern Provence, what is now known as the Camargue. Soon afterward, the group splits up. Sara has been revered and became the patron Saint of the area. A yearly pilgrimage is made by 1000’s of Gypsies.

The 10th-century church in Saintes Maries claims to possess the relics of Sainte Marie Jacobe and Saint Mary Salome discovered in the crypt in 1448.

 It is appropriate we also make our Pilgrimage here prior to our entrance to the Cave of Magdalene.

We will drive to St. Maximum to absorb the energies of this Sacred place of Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene travels north to the region of Ste. Baume. The two other Mary’s stay behind in the Camargue, together with Sara the place of pilgrimage to honor the arrival of the three Mary’s, and the burial of two.

Mary Magdalene, in the meantime, travels throughout Provence, teaching, she then retires to a cave near Ste. Baume for a life of retreat and contemplation. After 33 years she dies, having received the last rites from Maximinus (the later St. Maximin), who buries her in the grotto. Her resting place becomes a center of pilgrimage.  

Today, visitors and pilgrims continue to flock to the Basilica and the relics of Mary Magdalene. Not in the droves of medieval times but substantial all the same, particularly on the day when her relics are carried through the town. This procession takes place on the Sunday closest to Mary Magdalene saints’ day (July 22).  The Skull is covered by a golden mask, its visage almost androgynous.

After we visit the Basilica we make our way to the Cave at St Baume immersed in the energies of the Fall Equinox.

In Alet de Baines we visit Rennes le Chateau, which is a castle in a small hilltop village in Southern France that is at the center of many conspiracy theories. Some say that priest Bérenger Saunière discovered buried treasure in the 19^th century, but there are many conflicting theories and stories about what exactly transpired in this area filled with beautiful scenery etched with deep river canyons.

The stories told about Rennes-le-Château and Bérenger Saunière consist of many theories, revolving around all matters of conspiracies involving the Blanche of Castile, the Merovingians, the Knights Templar, the Cathars, and later, the Priory of Sion, the Holy Grail, Mary Magdalene, and the remains of Jesus Christ. 

The word Cathar comes from the Greek katharos, meaning white/pure they were skilled healers and practiced herbalism. Cathar women could be perfecti, i.e., initiated ones (as Mary Magdalene). They also believed in reincarnation, and how the soul could be reborn to learn all that was necessary to become fully enlightened. All this is what modern Gnostic Christians still teach today.  

The difference with Gnostic Christians and Christians is that with Gnostic Christians, there is no need for a single Divine teacher, such as Jesus. One can become a Christ themselves.
The Catholic church needed the belief in the one Divine Man of Jesus.

The Cathars were said to have the treasure of Solomon, from the temple of Jerusalem. There is a well in the ancient city of Carcassonne, a Cathar fortified city and stronghold, where legend says the Cathars hid the treasure for safekeeping. This may be purely a way of remembering that the Cathars knew the true wisdom of Solomon and that during this crusade, all memory of it was lost and remains “in the well” – out of sight, lost in Carcassonne.
The white/shining ones could be used to describe these people who understood the spiritual alchemy of the ancients, as well as the practical alchemy as mentioned above.

Carcassonne a 10th-century fortified walled city, now a UNESCO World Heritage site was a start and end for the Templars to Jerusalem, caretaking the Pilgrims. So much history and unsolved mysteries in this breathtaking city.

Montsegur a Cathar stronghold. exuding potent energy, The Château de Montségur is probably the best known of all Cathar Castles. It is famous as the last Cathar stronghold, which fell after a 10-month siege in 1244. A field below the hilltop castle is reputed to be the site where over 200 Cathars were burned alive, having refused to renounce their faith.

We depart after breakfast for our first stop at Queribus the last Cathar site a wonder to behold!     

This is sometimes regarded as the last Cathar stronghold.   In a sense it was. After the fall of the Château of Montségur in 1244,  surviving Cathars gathered together in the Corbières in another mountain-top stronghold on the border of Aragon. Quéribus is high and isolated. It stands on top of the highest peak for miles around. From a distance, it can be seen on the horizon, almost ethereal sticking up into the sky.