Chartres Pilgrimage 2026: The Assumption, Mary Magdalene & the Cosmic Dance of Astronomica
What if one sacred journey could transform the way you experience the Divine, yourself, and the cosmos?
Step into one of the most spiritually powerful places on Earth and immerse yourself in an extraordinary six-day pilgrimage through sacred feminine wisdom, ancient mysteries, contemplative practices, and the celestial rhythms of the universe.
From August 13–19, 2026, join Banafsheh Sayyad, together with an extraordinary faculty of internationally renowned teachers—including Annine van der Meer, Andrew Harvey, Jim Garrison, HeatherAsh Amara, Tony Khalife, and Victoria Moore—in the sacred city of Chartres, France, for a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage celebrating the completion of a remarkable seven-year cycle of Chartres journeys.
Timed to coincide with the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, one of Christianity’s holiest celebrations, this immersive experience offers a rare opportunity to witness the revered Black Madonna procession, explore the profound legacy of Mary Magdalene, and awaken to the wisdom of Astronomica—the seventh and highest of the Liberal Arts.
What You’ll Experience
- Experience the sacred atmosphere of Chartres during the Feast of the Assumption.
- Witness the rare annual procession of the Black Madonna through the ancient streets of Chartres.
- Explore the rediscovered wisdom and ascension teachings of Mary Magdalene.
- Study Astronomica, the seventh and highest of the Liberal Arts, and discover the profound relationship between the cosmos and the human soul.
- Walk the world-famous Chartres labyrinth as a contemplative spiritual practice.
- Participate in sacred movement, spiritual embodiment, and transformational practices guided by Banafsheh Sayyad.
- Deepen your journey through dreamwork, meditation, reflection, and community.
- Learn from internationally acclaimed author and scholar Annine van der Meer, whose pioneering work has illuminated the history of the Divine Feminine.
A Journey into the Sacred Feminine
Chartres has honored the Divine Feminine for thousands of years. During this pilgrimage, you’ll explore the timeless connection between Mother Mary, the Black Madonna, and Mary Magdalene, discovering how these sacred traditions continue to inspire transformation, compassion, and spiritual awakening.
Together, we’ll honor Mary Magdalene as a radiant embodiment of the Divine Feminine and explore her emerging role as teacher, wisdom keeper, beloved companion of Jesus, and guide on humanity’s path toward wholeness.
Recently uncovered ancient texts, alongside modern scholarship, reveal a richer understanding of Mary Magdalene—one that restores her as one of the great spiritual teachers of the early Christian tradition. Through lectures, contemplative practices, and sacred movement, participants will explore her path of ascension and the enduring wisdom she offers today.
More information here: https://www.ubiquityuniversity.org/chartres-academy-madonna-rising-2026/
Explore the Cosmic Dance of Astronomica
This year’s pilgrimage also celebrates Astronomica, the seventh and highest of the Liberal Arts—a contemplative study of the universe as a living expression of divine beauty.
Through the lens of astrology, sacred geometry, reflective practices, and the teachings of the Chartrian Masters, you’ll discover the profound interconnectedness between the macrocosm of the heavens and the microcosm of the human soul.
As Pythagoras taught, the cosmos is an expression of harmony, beauty, and living intelligence. During this pilgrimage, you’ll be invited to experience that harmony within yourself through movement, contemplation, dreams, and sacred ritual.
By studying Astronomica in the light of the Assumption of Mary and Mary Magdalene’s path of ascension, you’ll begin to contemplate the universe as a sacred work of beauty, where every soul is woven into the rhythms of the cosmos.
Is This Pilgrimage for You?
Whether you’re a spiritual seeker, contemplative, artist, healer, educator, or simply feel called to explore the mysteries of the Divine Feminine, this pilgrimage offers a rare opportunity to:
- Deepen your spiritual practice.
- Experience Chartres during one of its holiest celebrations.
- Witness the sacred Black Madonna procession.
- Connect with the wisdom of Mary Magdalene, Mother Mary, and the Black Madonna.
- Explore the transformative teachings of Astronomica.
- Embody ancient wisdom through sacred movement and contemplative practice.
- Walk the Chartres labyrinth with renewed intention.
- Connect with a supportive international community on a profound journey of awakening.
Join Us for an Extraordinary Pilgrimage
More information here: https://www.ubiquityuniversity.org/chartres-academy-madonna-rising-2026/
This is far more than a pilgrimage—it is an invitation to remember who you truly are, awaken the sacred within, and experience the timeless wisdom of Chartres through movement, contemplation, and the living presence of the Divine Feminine.
As this pilgrimage marks the completion of a seven-year cycle of journeys to Chartres, it offers a rare opportunity to honor a profound spiritual milestone while celebrating the Feast of the Assumption in one of the world’s most sacred destinations.
Join us in August 2026 for an unforgettable journey into the heart of the Divine Feminine, the mysteries of Mary Magdalene, and the Cosmic Dance of Astronomica.
Continue the Journey Through Sacred France
For those who wish to continue beyond Chartres, the pilgrimage naturally leads into a deeper immersion of Mary Magdalene’s sacred journey through France from August 19–28, 2026 (offered separately and requiring a separate registration and fee). This optional continuation follows in the footsteps of Mary Magdalene through the sacred landscapes of southern France, offering an even more profound exploration of her life, teachings, and enduring spiritual legacy.
Together, these two experiences create a remarkable opportunity to journey from the sacred mysteries of Chartres into the heart of the Magdalene tradition—deepening your understanding of the Divine Feminine while walking some of Christianity’s most revered and transformative sacred sites.
More information here: https://www.ubiquityuniversity.org/courses/mary-magdalenes-path-in-provence-august-20-28-2026/
Member
Banafsheh - Dance of OnenessEvent MemberIranian-born master dance artist and transformational teacher, Banafsheh communicates the universal message of Sufi mysticism and Divine Feminine wisdom in a passionate yet serenely meditative way. Her dance is an interplay between trance and directed movement, precise yet abandoned and unrestrained. Her explosive yet fluid movement is sensual and ritualistic, uniting the feminine and masculine energies, body and soul, light and dark in a marriage of opposites. She invokes the ancient roots of dance as devotion, prayer and adoration while blazing an original trail in contemporary dance with her masterly fusion of high level dance technique and spirituality.
Her mesmerizing offering of the timeless Divine Feminine inside a contemporary gypsy dervish beckons all to engage, serve, exalt and honor our sexuality as sacred. She is one of the few bearers of authentic Persian dance in the world, an innovator of Sufi dance previously only performed by men and a pioneer in contemporary Persian dance, all of which characterize the form she has created called Dance of Oneness® geared towards empowering women and men through sacred embodiment.
Internationally known for her innovative movement vocabulary and high artistic and educational standards, she draws from her extensive background in Sufism, Persian dance and ritual, Tai Chi and flamenco to present a new form, rooted in tradition yet universal.
Banafsheh’s movement is comprised in part by the Persian alphabet translated into gestures and movement, which when put together dances out words and poetic stanzas, mostly taken from the works of the great mystic poet, Rumi, whom she has studied extensively, resonating with his fierce yet gentle essence that beckons each and everyone to break through conformity and limitation to find their individual glory.
Banafsheh comes from a long lineage of pioneering performing artists. Her father, the legendary Iranian filmmaker, theater director and actor, Parviz Sayyad, hailed as the Charlie Chaplin of Iran, is the most famous Iranian of his time. Banafsheh is a recipient of the prestigious James Irvine Foundation grant in Dance. She holds an MFA in Dance from UCLA where she taught Persian dance. She has studied with some of the great masters in dance and choreography including Antonia Rojos, Victoria Marks, David Rousseve and Donna Uchizono. Also an acupuncturist, she draws from the Taoist view of the internal functioning of the body to uncover the healing, rejuvenating aspects of movement. Banafsheh’s solo and ensemble work with her dance company, NAMAH has been presented extensively in festivals and by dance presenters in North America, Europe and Australia where she has gained tremendous audience and critical acclaim. She recently performed at the closing night of the Festival of Sacred Arts in Madrid at Teatros del Canal. Her 2011 dance film In the Fire of Grace with author and scholar, Andrew Harvey traces Rumi’s journey of the Soul in dance.
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