A 7 day in-person retreat to the heart of the Black Madonna in Chartres with depth work in the mythopoetic, walking the Chartrean labyrinth, collective dreamwork and embodied practices with the Mundus Imaginalis.

"In the Labyrinth of the World Soul”

This retreat will be a culmination of a body of work of 7 years at the Anima Mundi School. We will sit within community with some of the mysteries and questions that have risen along this journey, carrying myths of the divine feminine and collective dreaming work. We will reflect on the power of the dark feminine, the mystery of the Black Madonna, what it means to retrieve her from forgetfulness and ponder on what her arrival means at this time of transition?

And centrally the questions we ask, what does it mean to live with dark feminine? What are the consequences of the powers released from her eruption? How do we start walking the labyrinth of our lives with the power and presence of the dark feminine?

We will do this in community, while communing on the sacred hill of Chartres, next  to the Chartres Cathedral. It is the home of the Black Madonna - the place called by Joseph Campbell as the ‘womb of the world’; a site of pilgrimage and mystery from the times of ancient Celts to Christian esoteric traditions, and where druids to templars for many hundreds of years have gathered in pilgrimage and incubation.    

Dates: September 8th - 14th 2024 in Chartres, France. (1 hour from Paris).

The retreat program includes:

-       Anima Mundi Dreaming // Collective dreamwork sessions (every morning).
-       Storywork // Storytelling & embodied story-work practices: one of the cornerstones of the work the Anima Mundi School developed is being rooted in fairytales and myth. During this week we will be diving deep into this ancient oral tradition through storytelling and embodied story-work. (fairytale(s)/myth to be announced)
-       Mythopoetic art sessions //  a total of 4 sessions where we work with different modalities (clay, mask-work and more) to integrate the story and emerging motifs from the depths.
-       Lecture and discussion evenings // during 2 evenings, we will explore the theoretical frame of our topics through a talk and later group-discussion.
-       Labyrinth and Crypt rituals // a private tour in the crypt of Chartres Cathedral with the Black Madonna and a walk through the famous Labyrinth of Chartres as part of our opening and closing ceremonies.
and a celebratory ceilidh evening on the last day of the retreat. 

Fees: 

-       Course fees (excl. accommodation and food): 650,- euro 
-       Accommodation options: There are many (Air)bnb’s available in Chartres from around 50,- euro/night, we recommend booking on time.  

You can also stay in Hotellerie Saint-Yves, where our main meetings will be held. Limited availability: Double Room (for 2 people, separate single beds): 520,- euro (including tourist taxes) for 6 nights. If you are sharing the room, you will pay 270,- per person for 6 nights.

Pre-register below. (Place secured after payment of deposit of 250,- euros)