The Magic of the Rose Marie Women’s Healing Sanctuary North of Lake Charles

To know the Rose Marie you must first know Renee' Peggy Savant. I first met her while working in New Orleans and at that time she had no idea of her destiny. A Shaman in New Orleans knew though. He foretold her future so closely that it is scarey and it adds to the mystique of the Rose Marie.

One woman wanted to see the Rose Marie so much that she flew into San Antonio and rode her bike from there to the Rose Marie. She did not know why she came but she knew she had to be there, She happened to be there on the anniversary of her mom's passing. She told about how her family never talked about it. After more discussion it was decided there would be a ceremony for her mom and a rose bush would be planted in her honor. Every year on the anniversary of her mom's passing ... Renee takes a picture of the rose plant and sends it to her. Every visitor to the Rose Marie plants a rose bush. Some are for moms, some are for sisters and all of them were planted for someone. All the women receive pictures of their rose bush each year on a special day.

There was a woman who visited and knew she was dying of cancer. before her passing she planted a willow tree. She loved fairies so they were added under the tree to create a fairy garden. She passed away and that winter the whole garden turned brown except the area in front of the willow tree and fairy garden. It was green and lush all winter long and after further inspection there were several herbs growing in the spot. The woman who had planted the willow was a big believer in herbs.

There is one spot on the property where Mistletoe grows on a low hanging oak tree. A flat top rock for sitting has been placed beneath the mistletoe as old lore states that when you are lost sitting under mistletoe helps you find your way.

Then there is the graveyard that a New Orleans Shaman told Renee she would have on the property. Here is what the graveyard is all about told by Renee herself.

Everyone who visits the Rose Marie is ask to leave something behind and do whatever they do with love in their hearts. . You'll see pictures of the Owl garden", the Gnome Home, the flower bed art, the pond, the garden gate, the sidewalk (not completed) .... all little pieces of those who have visited.

The Shaman told Renee that she would be at a healing place. Renee had no idea what he was talking about then. She certainly know now. Renee's mom owned a modest home in a sleepy little nook north of Lake Charles. It is down many winding and turning country roads and it's one of those places that only people who seek can find. It sits on a wooded lot with lots of space between neighbors and woods behind the property. It is a very peaceful place and a very healing place. Renee says it is a place for broken hearts and broken souls ( well that is how they arrive.) This little slice of God's country has been turned into the Rose Marie Statuary for Women.

The idea all started in New Orleans where Renee had a valentine party for broken hearted female friends and tried to help. The girls talked about a lot of things and each wrote down what they most wanted in their lives. After the other girls left Renee read what they had written and was sad because all of the things were feelings and things that most of us take for granted. She decided to have another group in the fall and this time each girl spoke about what they had written. She noticed that a couple of the girls were deeply moved and the gathering had changed their lives by offering some type of healing.

This was about the time that Renee inherited the home and started building the Rose Marie. She needed lots of help but did not have lots of money to create the sanctuary so she enlisted the help of volunteers from around the world. She has been helped on her mission by volunteers from Sweden, Greece, France, the United Kingdom and Australia to name a few countries. They usually stay between to and six weeks and simply work for room and board and a chance to learn about or culture and sometimes to heal themselves.

After all of this Renee happens to be in New Orleans and sees the Shaman on the street and tells him about The Rose Marie Woman's Sanctuary. The Shaman tells her "Rose Marie was my mom's name."