Healing with Gaia
Two inspirational retreats with Cynthia Jurs in
Burgundy (France), May 2025
Listening Inspires is proud to be partnering with Alliance for the Earth, and to welcome Dharma Teacher Cynthia Jurs for two inspirational retreats in May, in the sacred lands of the Clunisois, in Burgundy (France).
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Healing for Mother Gaia: Deepening our practice with Earth Treasure Vases - 23rd to 26th May 2025 (recommended for those already familiar with the practice)
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Rediscovering the Sacred Feminine in Nature as a guide to our inner light in times of darkness: Exploring Nature and the Sacred Feminine in the Christian, Buddhist, Yogic and Celtic traditions 30th & 31st May 2025
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Scroll down to meet Cynthia and find out about the retreats
About Cynthia
Cynthia Jurs, author of Summoned by the Earth: Becoming a Holy Vessel for Healing Our World, became a student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in the 1980s and in 1994, received his transmission as Dharmacharya (Dharma Teacher) in the Order of Interbeing. Cynthia has also studied and practiced deeply in the Vajrayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
In 1990, she met Kushok Mangdon (Charok Rinpoche) an old Lama living in a remote cave in Nepal. From him she received the practice of the Earth Treasure Vases when she asked him, what can we do to bring healing and protection to the Earth?
For the last 35 years, Cynthia has traveled around the world to places of need with these holy vessels, and through her dedication, this ancient Tibetan practice has come alive for these times. In 2018, she was recognized as an honorary Lama at Tolu Tharling Monastery in Nepal.
Inspired by her years of pilgrimage into diverse communities and ecosystems, today Cynthia is forging a new path of dharma in service to Gaia—a path deeply rooted in the feminine, honoring indigenous traditions, and teaching an embodied sacred activism devoted to collective awakening.
Cynthia lives at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico where she is often found walking in the wilderness with her dog or gardening with her husband. You can find her offerings and join the global healing community she founded at: www.GaiaMandala.net
Healing for Mother Gaia
Deepening our experience of the Earth Treasure Vase Practice
23rd - 26th May 2025
During this retreat we will hold ceremony to nurture the Gaia Mandala through our practice with Earth Treasure Vases. We will call upon Sublime Mother Gaia and sing her mantra, engage in sitting and waking meditation, and share moments of deep connection with our ourselves, each other and Nature.
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This retreat will be a special opportunity to directly experience the Earth Treasure Vase practice as we work with several Earth Treasure Vases that have been dedicated and are currently in the process of being accomplished. Participants will have the chance to contribute their offerings & prayers, and form their sacred intentions for the healing of our world.
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​Gaia Mandala teacher and facilitator, Rick Jansen will also be joining us to offer his guidance & gifts at this retreat and Charlotte Dufour will be offering daily Ananda Yoga sessions.
Practical information
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Time
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Arrival: Friday 23rd May by 6pm
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Departure: Monday 26th 2:30pm
Price:​
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​Booking by April 15th: 650€
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Booking after 15th April: 695€
Prices all inclusive​:
Accommodation in shared bedrooms (2-3 persons) with en-suite bathroom.
3 vegetarian meals and facilitation.
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More information about the venue, below
Nature and the Sacred Feminine
30th & 31st May
These troubled times in our world invite us to face the shadows challenging us both collectively and in the intimacy of our hearts. As we witness the destruction of Nature and the violence in our world, we are crying for answers.
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In many spiritual traditions, figures representing the Sacred Feminine are those we turn to to accompany us in our journeys through the darkness. They are a source of comfort and a guide back into the light. Known by many names, She is the Madonna, Mary, Tara, Mother Earth, Pacha Mama, Gaia. Each of these names carries the vibration of the Lifeforce and love that moves through all of creation.
This retreat is an invitation to nourish this connection to the sacred feminine and explore how the teachings about Her from different spiritual traditions come to life, echo, complement and enrich each other—especially when experienced through the land. We invite you to come and be nourished by the sacred lands of the Clunisois, in Southern Burgundy, where sacred sites connected to the divine feminine and the Earth are still alive with an ancient spiritual connection. We will explore how Christian, Celtic and Buddhist traditions can guide us in connecting to a spiritual refuge in Nature and in ourselves.
This retreat will be co-facilitated by Cynthia Jurs, Charlotte Dufour and Judith Tripp (see bio below)
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Programme​
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Friday May 30th - in Cluny
11:00 Visit of Cluny Abbey for teachings on the symbolism of Nature and its relation to the Sacred Feminine
12:30 Picnic in the parc of the Abbey
14:30 Meditative walk in the Abbey
Dinner in Cluny
20:20 Evening prayer at Taizé (optional)
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Saturday May 31st in Chiddes (Les Marions) and Suin
8:00 Ananda Yoga Practice guided by Charlotte Dufour for connecting to Nature in our bodies
9:30 Introduction to Gaian Buddhism & Perspectives on the Sacred Feminine presented by Cynthia Jurs – inspired by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn and a Tibetan Buddhist practice of global healing that took her on pilgrimages around the world, Cynthia will share stories and meditations from her journey into the heart Tara and Gaia.
13: 00 Lunch
14:30 Connecting to our Lady through pre-Christian Celtic Traditions of the Land with commentary by Judith Tripp – to include walking meditation to a nearby stone circle, a guided meditation and introduction to the significance of these circles & sites; visiting the site of Suin to experience the holy statue of the Virgin Mary and the presence of other ancient sacred stone structures there; and a sharing circle on the land.
18:30 Closing Circle Ceremony to share our prayers for the Earth and all life at Les Marions
20:00 Dinner at Les Marions for those who can stay overnight.
Practical information​​
Time
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Arrival: Friday 30th May by 10:45 am
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Departure: Saturday 31st May evening or Sunday 1st June morning
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Price:​
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Teachings:
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2 days: 150€
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1/2 day: 55€ ​
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Lodging and meals
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95€/day accommodation & meals in shared room, 120€ in single ​room
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15€/meal
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Accommodation in shared bedrooms (2 persons) with en-suite bathroom.
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More information about the venue, below
Your host:
Charlotte Dufour (Co-founder, Listening Inspires)
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The retreat will take place in Les Marions (see below), a retreat center created by Charlotte and her husband Rainer. She will offer Ananda Yoga sessions during both retreats.
Charlotte started her journey as a nutritionist working in Afghanistan and sub-Saharan African and has been passionately engaged in global and local efforts to transform food systems to make them more nutritious, respectful of Nature and of people since 25 years.
This journey has also been one of personal transformation, drawing her to seek nourishment in the practice and transmission of Ananda Yoga, meditation and Nature connection. She co-founded the Listening to the Earth Movement and Listening Inspires, and presently works as Strategic Advisor and Facilitator for the Conscious Food Systems Alliance.
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Your co-facilitator on Nature and the Sacred Feminine :
Judith Tripp (Circle Way)
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Judith Tripp, MA. MFT is a transpersonal psychotherapist, pilgrimage leader and musician. She leads the Women's Dream Quest at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, California and teaches for Veriditas, the Worldwide Labyrinth Project. She is a pilgrim to Celtic sacred sites in England, Scotland and Portugal as well as Marian sites throughout Europe and the Americas. She loves making connections between the deep roots of traditions and cultures.
About the venue: Les Marions (71220 Chiddes)
Arriving to Les Marions from abroad
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Nearest airports:
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Lyon: From Lyon airport, take the shuttle to Lyon center and the train to Macon Ville, we can arrange a pick-up in Macon (40 mins drive to Les Marions)
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Geneva: we can arrange car-share if several participants come from the Geneva area. It's also possible to take a train from Geneva to Bourg en Bresse where we can arrange pick-up. (1 hour drive to Les Marions)
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Participants from the UK can also take a Eurostar to Paris and TGV to Macon Lôché.