Mary Magdalene and the Cathars
~ A legacy of love

Explore the history and lineage of the Cathars in the Languedoc

Over three Sundays
August 25 to Sept 8, 10.30am - 12pm (Sydney AEST time)

In 1321 a prophecy was spoken by the last Cathar leader.
'In 700 years, when the laurel turns green again,
we shall return.'
Guilhem Belibaste

That time is now
We are returning
and we are remembering
the Way of Love

Are you one of the many souls called to Montsegur in the Occitanie region of southern France? Or heart touched by the story of the Cathars?

Come and learn more of their story over these three weeks. These sessions are like a transmission, part information, part journey, tracing the threads of these people and of your own heart.

Legend says the Cathars were descendants of the teachings of Mary Magdalene and the Way of love. They believed they held the true and original Christian faith as passed down by her. Offering a Church of Love, they shared profound practises for awakening to the light and deep union with divine.

The beliefs and practises of the Cathars interweave Gnosticism, ascension practices, the Essenes and energetic healing. They were proponents of reincarnation, vegetarianism, equal rights for women and the poor, and educated the illiterate to read their gospel in the Oc language. They also taught that Yeshua did not die on the cross and that he and Magdalene were married. This all made them a threat to the Catholic church who retaliated in devastating ways, launching a crusade and then the inquisition to ruthlessly suppress them.

Occitanie anchors a long lineage of reverence for the divine feminine

Compassionate, humble, devotional, these bonhommes and bonfemmes, 'good men and women' were part of a way of life unique to this land. The 12th to C14th were a golden age for the Languedoc, of troubadours and the premises of courtly love, mythic legends of the grail, devotion to the feminine, poetry, philosophy, alchemical understanding and a land rich with mining. The concept of 'paratge', of balance and respect for all had been established here for hundreds of years.

Explore the history, lineage and beliefs of the Cathars, their popularity and practises.

Over the centuries, the landscape of Occitanie has been home to many spiritual communities; Druids, Essenes, Cathars, Knights Templar and seers. Their legacy remains, imbued in ancient standing stones, caves, springs, carvings and the ruins of Isis and solar temples. The energies upswell here, flowing like the many rivers snaking across this country, creating powerful convergences.

The wisdom of Sophia and Magdalene still resonates through this land today.

Join me for an online series sharing stories of the Cathars and aspects of the Albigensian crusade. While there was enormous loss, we will highlight particular characters, their sacraments, initiations and places in this potent landscape through facts, legends, stories and meditations to journey deeper into your own wisdom and response.

Ultimately, what the Cathars wanted was for people to live in peace, to ignite the heart and return to divine unity

August 25 Week 1: The Church in the Forest

Explore the link between Mary Magdalene and the Way of Love to the Cathars. Who they were and what they believed. The Golden Age of the Languedoc. The mysticism of the twelfth century and the rise of the troubadours and Grail mysteries.

September 1 Week 2: The Light of the World

The crusade and the cross. The unique Languedoc. Esclarmonde de Foix and other remarkable women. Leading to the seige of Montsegur. 'Our Lady of Light'.

September 8 Week 3: Of Prophecy and Caves

Discovering the Sabarthes and the Cathars of the 1300's. The Bethlehem initiation cave and several others of the Ussat-Ornolac and Lombrives area. Returning to the way of love, the legacy of the 'children of light'.

Time: 10.30am - 12pm (Sydney AEST)

All sessions will be recorded and sent to each registered participants.

Three classes are $AU77

Remember,
At the root of all,
there is only love

YOUR FACILITATOR

Jacqui Bushell has been dancing with the mythic imagination and the sacred feminine for much of her life, through her love of the wisdom held in fairy tales and her work as a spiritual herbalist listening for the voices and stories in the land. As a writer and speaker, she is passionate about encouraging others to explore their own mythology at the borderlands of psyche, body, culture and landscape. She has been facilitating women’s circles, ceremonies, retreats, workshops and courses in Australia and internationally for 30 years.

She has been journeying to and exploring southern France, learning from the Magdalene energies for many years, tracing the energy lines and walking the hidden paths through forests and mountains. Jacqui and sound channel Jane Elworthy have been offering Magdalene Retreats in this area since 2015.