In this episode, I take you with me on my live pilgrimage to Lourdes, the sanctuary of Mother Mary in France. Lourdes is a place where millions travel for healing, hope, and miracles but what I discovered here went far beyond holy water and candlelight.
I share what it felt like to walk into the energy of the grotto, the lessons I learned waiting for hours in line (yes, including a bathroom incident that turned into a teaching on forgiveness), and the raw emotions that surfaced after bathing in the sacred waters.
Resources from today's episode
Work with Phi
*
Learn more about 1:1 Coaching with Phi here.
*
Apply for 1:1 Coaching with Phi here.
*
Radiance Bali Retreat (September 29 - October 4, 2025) - Details + Secure Your Spot
*
Book a Human Design Reading with Phi here.
*
Phi's book; The Great Unlearning: Awakening to Living an Aligned and Authentic Life.
*
Message Phi on Instagram
*
Email Phi
Pilgrimage to Lourdes & the Divine Mother
Hello my love. I’m coming to you live, raw, still in the thick of my spiritual pilgrimage to Lourdes, the sanctuary of Mother Mary in France. It’s a very personal journey for me that’s still unfolding in the present day as I’m recording live here in France. I wanted to bring you along and have a sacred heart to heart. Honestly sounds like a personal diary rather than poddy ep!
If you haven’t heard of Lourdes in 1858, a young peasant girl named Bernadette had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary. Since then, millions of pilgrims have come each year, seeking healing, peace and connection with the divine. You see people from every corner of the world — some arriving in wheelchairs, some carrying heavy burdens and some simply searching for a quiet moment of faith.
What struck me most about Lourdes is that it’s not just about Catholicism. Yes, it is deeply Catholic in its roots and traditions, and very much like an adult Catholic Disneyland where old ladies go crazy for (a story about that later on). But when you are there, what you feel goes beyond religion. It feels like a universal mother energy. It feels like the presence of unconditional love itself, waiting to embrace you.
The Energy of Sacred Places
I’ve always believed there are certain places on Earth that simply hold energy. You step into them, and you know something is different. Sometimes it’s in nature, like a mountain or a forest, and sometimes it’s in sanctuaries like Lourdes.
When I arrived, I could feel it immediately. The air was thick with prayer and it happens the year I’ve gone in 2025 is the Jubilee year marking the universal theme of hope. There were candles flickering everywhere. It was extremely busy, and what’s so powerful is that this energy isn’t just historical — it’s alive. You can feel the devotion of millions of people here.
For me, being there wasn’t about worshiping a figure from my childhood faith. It was about standing in a place where the Divine Mother energy is so tangible, so present.
Returning to My Roots
I should share a little background. I grew up Roman Catholic. Mary was always present in my childhood — her statues in churches, rosaries in the hands of family members, prayers before bed.
In fact, I had a memory flashback to being in kindergarten or year one. My first school play, I randomly got chosen to play Mother Mary in a Christmas play.
