Click here to watch the one hour preview of our nine month program
- Mythica's nine month program will involve a deep dive into the texts, traditions and practices of early Christianity associated with Mary Magdalene. We will include a focus on the critical importance of the historical and cultural contexts (both Jewish and Greco- Roman) in encountering both the traditional Canonical texts of the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John and other influential texts of early Christianity that were not ultimately accepted into the Bible: The Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Truth, Round Dance of Jesus and Thunder, Perfect, Mind.
Equally important in our curriculum are the development of tools of contemplation: Visio Divina, Lectio Divina, chanting, psalm writing, Centering Prayer, body prayer and illuminated manuscripts-- practices that were transmitted from the Desert Mothers and Fathers of Egypt to the Celtic Isles by way of Gaul (Southern France) in the third through sixth centuries.
Our nine-month program will be available at two levels of participation: Auditors will be able to attend two courses monthly: one textual/historical study and one "Magdalene Chapel" in which we will share contemplative practice. The Auditor track is an appropriate level for those who are new (or relatively new) to Mary Magdalene/Early Christianity or for those who cannot commit to completing the readings (1-2 books per month) and journal writing assignments (a minimum of 10 minutes a day or 1 hour per week) required for participation in the Cenobium. Both Core Curriculum classes and Chapel Gatherings will be recorded for streaming if you are unable to attend a session live.
Members of the Cenobium will attend (or watch) the same core curriculum course as the Auditors. In addition, they will be placed in small cohort groups that will meet for in-depth discussion sections on prescribed readings and creative practices with Kayleen Asbo and guest teachers. Membership in this tier is limited and requires a more in-depth application. Preference will be given to current members of the Rose Sangha who have either attended one of Mythica's longer online programs (22 Days of Magdalene, Lenten Program of 2022 or 2023) and/or an in-person Mythica pilgrimage to France. This tier is appropriate for those who are emerging in positions of spiritual/community leadership, those who have been on pilgrimage to Magdalene sites in France, those who have been immersed in studies of mystical Christianity for several years or those who feel they have received a strong call to follow Mary Magdalene.
Expectations of Cenobium Participants Completion of assigned readings ( 1-2 books per month, plus supplemental videos and articles) Regular journal practice based on course material Group discussion/check in each week Cultivation of your own unique daily personal contemplative practice Live attendance at both seminars and cohort cell meetings whenever possible
Mother Bees are established spiritual leaders who will be gathering their own small groups to attend the seminars as auditors. They will have a special Cenobium that will address the joys and challenges of leadership and will have an additional individual consultation with Kayleen three times during the program.
Applications for enrollment will be available on November 19 and are due by December 11. Classes will begin as one large colony on Monday, January 15 from 10 am - Noon, and then will split into two "hives" for monthly gatherings, meeting either on Monday mornings or Saturday mornings one day a month from 10 am - Noon (Pacific) for the duration of the year. Cenobium cohort small groups will be formed to meet once a month with Kayleen, and are encouraged ( but not required) to continue to check in with one another via whats app group chat or zoom
Fee Schedule:
Auditors: Nine payments of $75 per month ( a full nine month commitment is required) or a discounted price of $600 if tuition paid in full by first class meeting.
Cenobium Members: Nine installments of $145 per month ( for Rose Sangha members) or $180 per month (non- members)
Mother Bees: Please write to Mythica if you anticipate gathering a group to attend the class with you, as special arrangements will apply.
Scholarships
A small number of work-study scholarships are available for this program, with partial or full tuition waived for those who can provide technical and /or administrative support for Mythica's Magdalene programs in the coming year. If you are interested in applying for a work-study scholarship, write to us with a proposal at mythicafoundation@gmail.com describing in detail what skills you can offer.
Meeting Dates, Topics and Curriculum
Our first two meetings will be all together as a collective on Monday, January 15 ( MLK Jr Holiday) for the Magdalene Chapel and Introduction to Contemplative Practices and Monday, January 22 (President's Day) for The Roots of Wisdom: Hebrew and Greco Roman Traditions Thereafter, we anticipate splitting to add a second "hive" to meet one Saturday morning per month. Magdalene Chapel meetings will occur based on a liturgical calendar (see below) and bring both hives together. The following dates are for the Monday morning hives; Saturday sessions TBA, but anticipated to be 10:30- Noon Pacific.
.A New New Testament , edited by Hal Taussig, is a required text that we will use throughout the program. Please read the introduction before our first meeting
January 22: Hebrew and Greco Roman Traditions Required: Jesus Found in Translation, Lizzie Berne DeGear Also recommended: Revelations of the Aramaic Jesus, Neil Douglas Klotz.
February 19: Synoptic Gospels Required: A New New Testament, ed. Hal Taussig Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Gospel of Luke
March 11: The Johannite Tradition The Gospel of John Listening for the Heartbeat of God, John Philip Newell
April 15: Gospel of Mary While this text is also found in A New New Testament, we will primarily be relying on Jean Yves Leloup’s translation and in depth commentary published by Inner Tradtions.
*May TBA: Early Christianity in the East A New New Testament: Gospel of Thomas Gospel of Philip, Edited and with commentary by Jean Yves Leloup, Inner Tradition
June TBA: French Traditions The Golden Legend (available online)
July 8: The Gnostic Gospels and Traditions Elaine Pagels, Gnostic Gospels
August 12: The Mytho-Poetic Mind and the Myth of Sophia A New New TestamentL Odes of Solomon and Thunder, Perfect Mind The Round Dance of Jesus (available online) Selected writings of Origen ( will be available online and as PDF document)
*September, TBA: Desert Fathers and Mothers Text TBA
* Full core curriculum schedule will be finalized by January 2024
Magdalene Chapel Gatherings: 60- 90 minutes each- also filmed for later streaming Contemplative Practice: Aramaic Prayer of Jesus, Visio Divina and Divine Office (Monday, January 15, 10:00-11:30 am) Ash Wednesday/Valentinus Day (February 14) Tenebrae (Wednesday, March 27, evening service) Feast of Catherine of Sienna and Rosary (Monday, April 29) Pentecost (Sunday, May 19) Gnostic Eucharist ( June, TBA) Preparation for the Feast of Magdalene (July, TBA) Assumption of Sophia (Thursday, August 15) Autumn Equinox and The Inner Bridal Chamber (Saturday, September 21)