THE GIRL WHO BAPTIZED HERSELF
How Women Pray When the World is on Fire
KRIPALU CENTER FOR YOGA
Stockbridge, Massachusetts | June 12 - 14th, 2026
Ritual is resistance.
Whether it’s prayer or baptism, secular or religious, ritual draws us closer to what we consider true, and sacred. All throughout history, female saints and mystics have demonstrated to us that there's a power, an ultimate power directly connected to the divine, that exists within every one of us.
Join feminist theologian Meggan Watterson, for a weekend of exploring a riveting first-century scripture about a courageous saint named Thecla. We’ll examine the seven stages of spiritual transformation in Thecla's story in order to embody the authority of knowing our own worth. A worth that allows us to move past the expectations of others and listen to what our soul desires.
Through fiery talks about Thecla, and other forgotten voices of the divine feminine, like Mary Magdalene, we'll illuminate the stories that have been left out of the canon for far too long. And through the practice of the soul-voice meditation, we’ll experience a spiritual path that allows us to release the egoic thoughts that often keep us from what we know is meant for us.
WHAT WE’LL REVEAL
The teachings in Thecla’s gospel are powerfully made for these times. We’ll reveal together the roadmap to knowing our worth that her story offers us, and we’ll practice a form of meditation that the Gospel of Mary refers to as an inner spiritual vision, that allows us to know what’s real, and true for us.
We’ll reveal the history of the earliest form of Christianity, contextualizing the Acts of Paul and Thecla within the 1st century. And all throughout the weekend, we’ll be practicing the soul-voice meditation so that we’ll not just acquire academic knowledge about Thecla but also, we’ll begin to integrate her teachings personally, from a direct experience with the form of love Thecla experienced that asks us to be true to who we are within.
This is an opportunity to reassess and realign, to make certain that the choices we make from here on out are coming straight from the heart, from the soul of who we are.
YOUR FACILITATOR
This retreat will be led by author and feminist theologian Meggan Watterson.
RETREAT SCHEDULE
Friday 2:00PM Check In Begins
7:30PM-9:00PM Workshop
Saturday 9:45AM-11:45AM Workshop
1:30PM- 4:30PM Workshop
Sunday 9:45AM-11:45PM Workshop
11:30AM-1:30PM Lunch & Check Out
PREPARATION
No meditation experience is needed, and there’s no required reading.
IF you are inspired and hungry to take in more before arriving, here are some options:
THE GIRL WHO BAPTIZED HERSELF by Meggan Watterson
THE ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA in A NEW NEW TESTAMENT edited by Hal Taussig
THE GOSPEL OF MARY OF MAGDALA by Karen L. King
BEYOND BELIEF: THE SECRET GOSPEL OF THOMAS by Elaine Pagels
THE GOSPEL OF PHILIP: JESUS, MARY MAGDALENE, AND THE GNOSIS OF SACRED UNION by Jean-Yves Leloup
MARY MAGDALENE REVEALED by Meggan Watterson
For questions about what we’ll cover during the retreat, please email Meggan’s team at questions@megganwatterson.com.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
You can contact Kripalu directly with logistical questions about enrollment and your visit, as they are handling all administration of the retreat.
