MAY 2004
"Contacting the Sacred Feminine"
A Goddess Site Tour of France
and
Black Madonna Pilgrimage Extension

This was an odyssey designed to enhance and celebrate a deeply spiritual connection to the Earth Mother, Gaia, through visits to powerful goddess sites in France. The phenomenal bestseller, The DaVinci Code, served as an inspiration for site visits and discussions throughout the tour.

In Paris, Arielle gave an overview of the goddess myths, with a brief discussion of the researched #1 best-seller, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Arielle guided the group through some of the Louvre's amazing treasures. The group accompanied Joseph on a scenic walking tour to Notre Dame Cathedral to examine sacred geometry (also at Chartres).

We visited Clos du Luc in Amboise where Da Vinci spent his last years in the Loire Valley. As we went back in time with Mother Earth's (Gaia 's) ancient myths and sites we experienced the magnificent 17,000 year-old caves of our ancestors at Lascaux. We also visited the sacred Black Madonna pilgrimage site at Rocamadour, a stunning village clinging to the side of a cliff, and the Goddess of Laussel in Bordeaux.

Arielle Guttman is an author, lecturer, mythologist and astrologer. She has co-authored two volumes of mythic astrology: Mythic Astrology (1993) and Mythic Astrology Applied (2004). These two volumes will serve as the basis for much of the discussion on this tour, along with The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. Accompanying Arielle was Joseph Amormino, former Roman Catholic priest and teacher of sacred geometry. He addressed this subject throughout the tour as we visited some of the stunning architectural marvels throughout France.

A highlight of this portion of the trip was attending the Black Madonna Pilgrimage held in Ste. Maries de la Mer on the southern coast of France.