"I have a mother and I'm not supposed to talk to her. Like what? I was so devastated. I felt like I was being ripped in two."
In this powerful episode, Lauren sits down with Melisa Keenan, founder and CEO of Hope Publishing Enterprise, to explore her profound journey from Mormonism to the Magdalene—and how it led to the creation of Remember Your Wild Roots, a sacred pleasure pilgrimage through the South of France.
Melisa shares the extraordinary story of how a simple question—"Do you know about Mary Magdalene? No, like, do you really know?"—set her on a path that would change everything. What began as curiosity became a full awakening when she discovered that her own ancestors were Cathars who died protecting Mary Magdalene's teachings at Montségur, and that France had been calling to her for five years for a reason she didn't yet understand.
In this episode, we dive deep into:
🌹 The moment Melisa discovered she couldn't pray to her Heavenly Mother in the Mormon Church—and how that breaking point led her to the wild, unstructured, deeply felt relationship with the Divine Feminine
🌹 How Mary Magdalene's path intersected with ancient goddess worship sites in France—including 35,000-year-old cave carvings—and why these teachings refuse to be silenced
🌹 The difference between guru-led pilgrimages and this revolutionary approach: bringing your inner guru to sacred sites and allowing your own body to be the authority
🌹 Why pleasure isn't the reward after hard work—it's the strategy for expansion and growth
🌹 The collective awakening happening right now as women step into spiritual authority and co-create the new earth
🌹 What it means to say yes to an initiation like this—and how your transformation ripples out to serve everyone around you
"If something is truly in the service of my highest and greatest good, then I know it is in the service of the highest and greatest good of all around me."
This isn't just another retreat. This is for women who know their inner power is vast and are ready to stop apologizing for it. Women who understand that their wholeness—including the shadow parts—is the medicine the collective needs.
Remember Your Wild Roots: A Magdalene Pleasure Pilgrimage
September 3-10, 2026 | South of France
Limited to 20 women
To connect with Melisa about the retreat or ask questions: mk@melissakeenan.com
Registration and details: www.orionretreats.com/magdalene-codes
"This pilgrimage is for those who know that play and pleasure and joy—all of that is the medicine. It's not the reward after all the hard work. It IS the strategy to expand and grow in all the ways that you want to be in the world."
