Egypt-Sphinx-GreatPyramid.jpg (12797 bytes)Sacred Sites Journeys

EGYPT

Sacred Initiatory Journey
to the Land of the Ancient Mysteries
April 1 - 12, 2009

                                                                             With Extension to the Red Sea - Relax and Enjoy!
                                                                   
  April 12 - 15, 2009

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TOUR DESCRIPTION


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Encounter the powerful energies of the sacred sites of Egypt

and receive transformative initiations

from the Neters (the Egyptian Gods & Goddesses)

as you engage the ancient energies on a profound level !

 ankh1.gif (951 bytes)  SPECIAL OFFERINGS!  ankh1.gif (951 bytes)

Travel with other spirit-centered people


SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER: Shahrzad Awyan, Lineage Bearer in the Egyptian Wisdom Keeper Tradition

FEATURED SPEAKER: Andrea Mikana-Pinkham, Director - Sacred Sites Journeys

EGYPTOLOGIST GUIDE: Vivian Zaki, PhD

MEDITATIONS, CEREMONIES & MYSTERY SCHOOL INITIATIONS
at sacred sites facilitated by Shahrzad and Andrea

Commune with
THE SPHINX/TEFNUT for Initiation into Her Deeper Mysteries

Visit ancient
MEMPHIS, ancient Khemtian site & capital of the Old Kingdom

Entrance into MENKAURE'S PYRAMID on the Giza Plateau for a sound healing ceremony

Sound Healing Initiations at the
RED PYRAMID & SAKKARA

Explore the ancient Per-Neter at
ABUSIR

Encounter and examine the mysterious artifacts at the ancient "landing site" of
ABU GHUROB

Visit to the Crypt at DENDERA for Initiation into the Greater Mysteries
& to the Mammisi to Connect with the Divine Feminine Energies of Birth & Creativity

At
SEKHMET'S CHAPEL at KARNAK receive Initiation
as a Priest or Priestess of Her healing tradition

Sunset Camel Ride on the
WEST BANK, followed by dinner at a traditional roof-top restaurant

Enjoy the
SPA FACILITIES at our luxurious hotel on Elephantine Island in Aswan

Visit to a
NUBIAN VILLAGE on the Nile, including a stop on the beach for a swim

Receive an Empowerment Initiation from Khnum on
ELEPHANTINE ISLAND

Private entrance into the
TEMPLE OF ISIS for Initiation into the Divine Feminine Mysteries of Isis

Private Entrance into the King's Chamber of the
GREAT PYRAMID
for our Closing Ceremony & Meditation,
which will include an Initiation into the Mysteries of Thoth and Seshat


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TOUR PERSONNEL

Featured Speaker & Tour Director: Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
Director of Sacred Sites Journeys

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With over 14 years experience in the field of sacred travel, Andrea has been leading spiritual pilgrimages to EGYPT since 2000.
A member of the Fellowship of Isis, she has a deep  connection with Isis, as well as Hathor and Sekhmet.
During our journey she will facilitate sacred ceremonies, meditations and initiation rituals
to assist you to connect with the powerful energies of the Egyptian Neters, for your spiritual growth and healing.

Andrea is an Intuitive Channel, as well as the North American Grand Prioress of The International Order of Gnostic Templars,
a Mesa Carrier and trained Andean Shamanic Practitioner in the Inca Spiritual Tradition,
and the Reiki Grand Master of Ichi Sekai (One World) Reiki System of  Natural Healing.


Featured Speaker: Shahrzad Awyan
Lineage Bearer from the Indigenous Wisdom Keepers Tradition

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Shahrzad is oldest daughter of Egyptian Wisdom Keeper Abd'El Hakim Awyan.
Before he passed from this earth plane in August 2008, Hakim designated Shahrzad as a Lineage Bearer of the tradition.
She grew up in Nazlet el Samman, the little village at the foot of the Sphinx.
At age 6, she was intuitively led to enter the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid,
where she spontaneously started toning ancient sounds.
During our visits to the temples, Shahrzad will use this powerful sound healing tool to assist us
to alter our individual and group consciousness so that we may reach profound states of healing.
As well, she will join Andrea to facilitate sacred ceremonies and rituals in the Khemtian Tradition.
Shahrzad will also be available for private healing sessions using hands-on energy healing techniques
from the ancient Khemtian tradition.

Tour Guide: Vivian Zaki, PhD
Egyptologist

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Vivian has a PhD in Archaeology, with over 16 years experience guiding groups throughout Egypt.
Having worked with Andrea on her spiritual pilgrimages for several years, she has become our Spiritual Sister!
Our groups have found her to be extremely knowledgeable at the sites we visit.
She is the ultimate professional whose connections and experience
will assist us to enter into the sacred places at the temples for our ceremonies and meditations.
As well, Vivian is very warm, friendly and helpful to all of our group members,
exhibiting the qualites of love, compassion and caring.

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BRIEF TOUR ITINERARY
(For a more detailed itinerary, scroll down)
(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

Day 1. Wed, April 1. Depart New York's JFK Airport/In flight overnight to Cairo

Day 2. Thurs, April 2. Arrive Cairo; Transfer to hotel near the Giza Plateau
Group Meeting & Welcome Dinner (D)
Overnight Giza.

Day 3. Fri, April 3. Giza Plateau: Menkaure's Pyramid & Sphinx, Visit to Perfumery (B)
Evening Option: Visit the Awyan home
Overnight Giza.

Day 4. Sat, April 4.  Dashur & Sakkara (B/L)
Evening Option: Visit the Awyan home
Overnight Giza.

Day 5. Sun, April 5. Memphis, Abusir & Abu Ghurob (B/L)
Overnight Giza.

Day 6. Mon, April 6. Flight to Luxor; Luxor Museum; Visit to the souk (B)
Evening Option: Luxor by Night in a Horse-Drawn Carriage
Overnight Luxor.


Day 7. Tues, April 7. Dendera, including the Crypt & the Mamisi; Radwan Jewelers (B)
Evening Option: Luxor Temple
Overnight Luxor.


Day 8. Wed, April 8. Luxor: Karnak, including Sekhmet Chapel; West Bank: Sunset Camel Ride & Dinner (B/D)
Overnight Luxor

Day 9.Thurs, April 9. Flight to Aswan; Elephantine Island; Felucca Ride; Dinner/Folklore Show (B/D)
Overnight Aswan.


Day 10. Fri, April 10. Private Entrance - Temple of Isis; Unfinished Obelisk; Nubian Village (B/L)
Overnight Aswan.

Day 11. Sat, April 11. Flight to Cairo; Private Engrance - Great Pyramid; Farewell Dinner (B/D)
Overnight Giza.


Day 12. Sun, April 12. Depart Cairo; Arrive New York City's JFK Airport same day (B)

Extension to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea
April 12 - 15, 2009

Day 12. Sun, April 12.  Flight to Sharm El Sheikh; Free time (B)
Overnight Sharm.

Day 13. Mon, April 13.  Sharm El Sheikh: Free day OR visit St Catherine's Monastery (B)
Overnight Sharm.

Day 14. Tues, April 14.  Flight to Cairo; Free time (B)
Overnight Cairo

Day 15. Wed, April 15. Depart Cairo; Arrive New York City's JFK Airport same day (B)



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TOUR ITINERARY
(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

Day 1. Wed, April 1. Depart USA to Cairo
Connect from your home airport to New York City's JFK airport. Our international flight departs early evening for Cairo. During the overnight flight you can rest, relax, snooze, and perhaps dream about your upcoming sacred initiatory journey. What messages from Spirit will it hold? What gifts will you receive that will assist you to deepen your spirituality?

Day 2. Thurs, April 2. Arrive Cairo; Group Meeting; Welcome Dinner (D)
EgyptMenaHouseGreatPyramid.jpg (25615 bytes)We arrive Cairo International Airport at noon. After passing through Immigration, we claim our luggage, go through Customs, and exit the terminal to meet our Tour Director. We board our private motorcoach for our transfer to our elegant hotel in Giza, within walking distance from the Great Pyramid and Sphinx. Check in. You're here on the Giza Plateau, in the shadow of the Pyramids and Sphinx! Settle into your room to rest and relax. 

In the later afternoon we gather for our group Introductory Meeting and our first meditation. As we beginMaat2.jpg (22583 bytes) connecting with the powerful energies that have drawn us here, we'll spend time exploring the energies of Maat, the Neter of Truth, Justice and Universal Order: Maat is depicted as a woman wearing a crown surmounted by a huge ostrich feather. Her name translates as "that which is straight." it implies anything that is true, ordered, or balanced. A very ancient goddess, together with her consort Thoth (Djehuti), they charted the daily course of the sun god Ra. She is sometimes called the 'Eye of Ra' or the 'Daughter of Ra'. In our meditation, ask Her to bring the balance and order needed so that you can let go of any beliefs holding you back from receiving that which is for your best and highest good during your sacred initiatory journey here in ancient Khemit ("the Black Land"). Afterwards we enjoy our Welcome Dinner, a buffet of traditional Egyptian cuisine, at the hotel. Overnight Giza.

Day 3. Fri, April 3. Giza Plateau: Meditation at Sphinx/Tefnut; Sound Healing Initiation in Menkaure's Pyramid; Free Time; Sharing Circle (B)
EgyptSphinx.jpg (16928 bytes)After breakfast we depart for our morning on the Giza Plateau. First we visit the Valley Temple of the Sphinx.   With its alabaster floor and gigantic block walls, its unique construction makes this amazing structure an absolute wonder of engineering! With its distinctive architectural style, it's among the oldest stone buildings in Egypt, if not the world. The only other known parallels in Egypt are the Sphinx Temple right next to it, and the mysterious Osirion at Abydos, in Upper Egypt. What is so remarkable about its construction is the sheer size of the stones used, as well as the incredible number of them. The square-built temple is built entirely of hundreds of limestone blocks, many of which exceed 200 tons each (the equivalent of nearly 300 family-sized cars). What is also astounding is that the builders lifted these huge stones to heights of over 40 feet - higher than the largest sarsen stones at Stonehenge, which only weigh 50 tons each. Egyptologists have confirmed by rock strata analysis that the huge limestone megaliths used in the construction of the Valley Temple came from the trench excavated from the bedrock by the builders of the Sphinx. Since geologist Dr. Robert Schoch of Boston University has proved that the Sphinx is at least 8,000 years old, the two monuments must have been built at the same time. However, the Wisdom Keeper tradition holds the opinion that both are over 32,000 years old and were built by the ancient Khemitians using ancient machining techniques that are still unknown to engineers today! They also believe that the Valley Temple was used for sound healing. With its alabaster floors and rounded-off stones used in the corners of the building, the acoustics are definitely incredible. We'll investigate this phenomenon.

Then we'll view the Sphinx, or Tefnut, as she is known by the Wisdom Keepers. Tefnut was a lunar Neter of moisture, humidity and water. She was also a solar Neter who was connected with the sun and dryness, i.e. as the absence of moisture. Her name is related to water - tf is the root of the words for "spit" and "moist". Her name translates to "She of Moisture". She was the daughter of the creator god Ptah, as was sometimes known as the "Tongue of Ptah", denoting her creative force. She was the mother of the twin sky and the earth deities Nut and Geb, who were in turn the parents of Osiris, Isis, Nepthys, and Set. Tefnut was generally shown as a woman with a lion's head, or as a full lioness. From the causeway beside Her, we'll connect with Tefnut through individual meditation, making our connections and asking Her to guide us on our initiatory journey. Perhaps your "psychic archaeology" will tap into Her and She will whisper HerEgyptMenkaurePyramid.jpg (26994 bytes)messages about Her true purpose in ancient times, as well as the people who carved Her out of the surrounding bedrock!

Afterwards we enter Menkaure's Pyramid, one of the plateau's Per Neters (House of Nature), to experience the frequencies and harmonic resonance during a powerful sound healing ceremony. The Wisdom Keepers believe this ancient structure built entirely of granite was used as an energy-producing device, that it was never the tomb for any king. No body has ever been found in it, or in any of the pyramids! Inside, you'll have the option to participate in a toning experience facilitated by Shahrzad and Andrea to access a range of frequencies that will activate your ancient cellular memory and perhaps connect you with one or more of your past incarnations here in this area. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Trust your intuitive awareness and breathe in the energies!

Afterwards we'll visit a perfumery in nearby Nazlet el Samman, the little village nestled at the foot of Tefnut (the Sphinx). You'll meet the family of aromatherapists who have
have operated this business for several generations, raising many of the plants that produce the essential oils they make. You'll learn about the ancient Egyptian art of aromatherapy, including which oils to use to stimulate your various energy centers (chakras), as well as which to use for healing various physical, emotional, mental and spiritual imbalances. You will be able to choose your essential oils so that you can then take them with you to all the temples (Per Bas) during our trip, to charge them with transformational energies!Egypt-Giza-AwyanArt.jpg (29669 bytes)

Return to the hotel on your own. Lunch and dinner on your own. Or stay in the village and visit the Awyan home and shop with Andrea. You can experience a healing session with Shahrzad or one of the other family members; enjoy the positive transformation that results from receiving energy work from the daughers and sons of Hakim Abd El Awyan of the Wisdom Keepers Tradition. (Suggested donation: $50 per hour.) You can also purchase one-of-a-kind sculptures of the Neters carved from stones from the Giza Plateau by the Awyan sons, artisans of the highest caliber. These powerful initiatory pieces will hold sacred places on your altar for years to come, as they carry both the energy of the Neter of your choice and that of the platueu!

Egypt-Giza-SolarBoat.jpg (13358 bytes)You also have time this afternoon to visit some of the other structures on the Giza Plateau, such as the Solar Boat, rediscovered in 1954 by Kamal el-Mallakh. Undisturbed since it was sealed into a pit carved out of the Giza bedrock over 5,000 years previously, it was built of cedar planking and has been reconstructed from more than 1200 pieces. Other options are the three small pyramids to the east of the Great Pyramid, which traditional Egyptology states were built for the wives and mother of Khufu. There are also excellently preserved tombs in this area, which can be entered and explored by giving a bit of baksheesh (tips) to the local guards. Overnight Giza.

Day 4. Sat, April 4. Dashur & Sakkara: Sound Healing Initiations (B/L)Egypt-Dashur-RedPyramid.jpg (5522 bytes)
Today we spend our day at Dashur and Sakkara to connect with their true purpose. Dashur, located on the southern border of Bu Wizzer, the ancient Khemetian name for this area which means "Land of Osiris", features the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid - Per Neters built out of limestone and granite to function as energy devices. During our time in the Red Pyramid we'll experience the acoustic harmonic resonance of the structure by using our voices to intone the sacred frequencies, as the priests and priestesses did in ancient times. Once it's enlivened, this powerful energy system will support your initiatory journey Egypt-Dashur-BentPyramid.jpg (6570 bytes)to take you to deeper places inside yourself. 

Time allowing, we'll visit the Bent Pyramid (no entrance), built in the distant past from locally quarried limestone. The bend in the construction of the outer surface produces two different sound frequencies, and thus two different energies. Egyptology says it was built by the Pharaoh Sneferu. The Wisdom Keepers believe it was built by the ancient Khemtians, and that the name Sneferu was not the name of any person, but rather that it  translates as "double harmony", thus indicating its purpose as a device to produce energy. As we make our way through this amazing area, focus to receive the ancient energies into your heart, through your mind, in the way of the ancient Khemitians and the later Egyptians who believed the heart was in the mind

Egypt-Sakkara.jpg (11915 bytes)After lunch at one of the local traditional restaurants in the area, we're off for our afternoon visit to Sakkara, named by the Greeks after Sokar, Neter of The West, the direction or path the soul takes when leaving the body at "death" or at its "Westing". Traditional Egyptology sites the area as the earliest necropolis, or burial place, for the Pharaohs and royalty of the Memphis area. With its Old Kingdom pyramids and the famous Step Pyramid, its believed to have been constructed aboutEgyptSakkara1-NSmith.jpg (11018 bytes) 2630 BCE by Imhotep, architect to King Djoser of the 3rd Dynasty. Some experts believe this to be the world's oldest freestanding stone structure. The indigenous tradition teaches that Sakkara was a Khemetian site in prehistory, and one where sound was used for healing and the transformation of consciousness. We'll visit the area known to the Wisdom Keepers as the "Hospital", where we'll experience its ancient and powerful transformational energies during our last sound healing initiation of the day. Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own.

Options for the evening: Visit the Awyan home with Andrea and book a healing session with one of the family members; experience the positive transformation that results from receiving energy work from the daughers and sons of Hakim Abd El Awyan of the Wisdom Keepers Tradition.  (Suggested donation: $50 per hour.) Overnight Giza.

Day 5. Sun, April 5. Full Day at ancient Khemetian Sites: Memphis; Abusir; Abu Ghurob, including a Stellar Initiation (B/L)Egypt-Memphis.jpg (21006 bytes)
During our day at the ancient and little-visited sites of Memphis, Abusir and Abu Ghurob, we'll experience more sound healing and initiations! At Memphis, or Men-Nefer ("Fertile Harmony"), the capital of the so-called Old Kingdom Period,  we'll see remnants here of the ancient Khemitian culture. The original name given to the city was inb-hD "the White Wall(s)", because of the white walls that surrounded it. Memphis was the principal place of the cult of the god Ptah, the Neter of Creation that was venerated in this region. The many temples built for him, his wife Sekhmet and their son Nefertum are now in ruins, or have been demolished, destroyed and stripped of their decoration. It's from one of these temples, Hw.t-kA-PtH (Het-Ka-Ptah) "the mansion of the Ka of Ptah" that the Greeks derived the name Aegyptos, from which theEgypt-Abusir.jpg (21408 bytes) modern name of Egypt is derived. 


At Abusir, which features a Per Neter and other structures used by the ancient Khemetians for working with the powerful frequencies of the area, you'll have time to explore the areas of the site that draw you to connect with them. Will it be the granite steps that, though they no longer lead to a doorway existing on this plane, may carry you over the threshold into a higher state of consciousness? Or perhaps you'll reflect and marvel at the ceilings of the ancient temple that are filled with 5-pointed stars, the number of Venus. Abusir holds many secrets, which you can unlock through your private meditation time.Egypt-AbuGhurob.jpg (21032 bytes)

Our last stop for the day is at Abu Ghurob, one of the oldest Khemitian sites that exists in this area. Wisdom Keeper Hakim Awyan described it as "a landing site." There are many ancient structures to be found here, such as the disc-shaped limestone dishes with what appear to be locking devices for gears around their circumference. What were they used for? And by whom? At the main altar of the site, the Hotep (photo at left), the most powerful energetic center at the site, we'll experience a Stellar Iinitiation to connect us with the energies of the ancient ancestors who possibly came here from the stars to bestow knowledge upon the ancient Khemitian civilization.

Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own. Free time to prepare for our departure tomorrow to Upper Egypt. Overnight Giza

Day 6. Mon, April 6. To Luxor: Luxor Museum; Free Time; Option: Luxor by Night in a Horse-Drawn Carriage (B)Egypt-LuxorMuseumHathor.jpg (8934 bytes)
Egypt-LuxorMuseum3.jpg (15134 bytes)After breakfast we check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for our short flight to Luxor, a modern city that stands on the site of the ancient city of Waset, which became known as Thebes in dynastic times. Today it draws millions of visitors yearly, as it's considered to be the largest open-air museum in the world! Arrive and transfer to our hotel. Free time. Lunch on your own.

This afternoon we visit the Luxor Museum, a beautiful newer museum which has many recently found antiquities and statues in its excellent collection.

Afterwards you can visit the local souk (marketplace) with Andrea and Vivian for some excellent bargains and real fun!  Dinner on your own; perhaps you'd like to eat at the hotel's restaurant that's outside on the banks of the Nile. Option: Enjoy the sites of Luxor by Night in a horse-drawn carriage, including a stop at an ancient water wheel that is still in use. Overnight Luxor.

Day 7. Tues, April 7. Dendera: Initiation into the Greater Mysteries; Radwan Jewelers; Free Time; Option: Luxor Temple (B)
Egypt-Dendera-Hathor.jpg (20353 bytes)We leave early morning in our private convoy and head for Dendera, the magnificent temple dedicated to the Neter Hathor. She was venerated in very ancient times and became the Neter of Motherhood, with titles such as "The Great Cow Who Protects Her Child" and "Mistress of the Sanctuary of Women". Her priests and priestesses were oracles who predicted the fate of the newborn; as well, they were also the midwives who delivered them. As the Protectress of Dance, Hathor was associated with percussive music, in particular the sistrum. Her traditional votive offering was two mirrors, the better with which to see both Her beauty and your own. Her head was used to decorate sistrums and mirrors. She was also the Neter of Joy who was deeply loved by the general population. She was very revered by women, who aspired to embody her multifaceted role as wife, mother, and lover. Her worship was so popular that more festivals were dedicated to her honor than any other Egyptian deity, and more children were named after Her than any other.

The name Dendera is a Greek transliteration of the Egyptian Enet-t-neter ("Home of the Goddess"). Hathor's temple was a healing center and sacred place of initiation into the mysteries of male/female balance and sensual love. Her priestesses and priests offered miraculous cures, practicing all types of magical and psychological therapies. During your time at Her temple, in Her role as the great Goddess of Earthly Love and Healing, Hathor will bestow upon you the energies that will take you deeper into the unconditional love in your cosmic heart.
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In the Crypt we'll explore some of the controversial theories about the amazing panels on the walls. Do the light-bulb like objects (Crooke's Tubes) represent an ancient technology of electricity, or some other form of energy known to and utilized by the ancient Khemetians? Or, are they symbols esoteric teachings about spiritual evolution? In ancient times entrance into these underground chambers was limited to only the highest initiates, as the wall panels contain very esoteric information pertaining to alchemy, prehistory, and ancient wisdom. Here, in the transformational energies of this sacred site, we'll experience an Initiation into the Greater Mysteries of the Divine Feminine.

Egypt-DenderaZodiac.jpg (17649 bytes)In one of the upper rooms we'll view the replica of the famous Dendera Zodiac, the only complete working Zodiac that survives from antiquity! (The original one resides in the Louvre Museum in Paris.) The zodiac is referred to by many researchers who have studied it for years as "intentional art", a work of sacred art deliberately encoded with information. It's one of the most well-known sacred calendric artifacts in the world, on the level of Stonehenge and the Aztec calendar. Showing the positions of the stars and planets as they would have been seen at 50BCE, it nevertheless projects its messages forward to 2216 CE! Egypt-DenderaMamissi-GalenFrysinger.jpg (15743 bytes)

Afterwards we'll visit the Mamisi or Per Sa (House of Breath of Life, or Birth), where women went to give birth, with the Priestesses of Hathor as midwives. Here you can connect with Hathor as the Divine Midwife during private meditation time.

Return to Luxor. Lunch on your own. This afternoon Vivian and Andrea will take the group to visit their friends at Radwan Jewelers. You'll be able to connect with an amulet of "your" Neter or Neters. Will it be Isis, Hathor, Sekhmet, Osiris or Horus who is calling you? You'll also be able to order a traditional Egyptian galabayah measured to fit you, as well as a 100% Egyptian cotton t-shirt with your name stitched on the front in hieroglyphics. A great place to shop for gifts for family and friends too!

Then you have free time to explore Luxor on your own. Option: Guided visit with Vivian to Luxor Temple at night to explore and connect with the ancient energies of this magnificent temple under the stars. Overnight Luxor.

Day 8. Wed, April 8. Luxor: Karnak Temple - Initiation at Sekhmet Chapel, Connect with Amun, Mut & the Great White Brotherhood, Purification at the Sacred Lake; Sunset Camel Ride on the West Bank (B/D)
Egypt-Karnak-Sekhmet.jpg (13650 bytes)After breakfast we begin our time at Karnak with a visit to the incomparable Sekhmet Chapel, located in the Temple of Ptah. Sekhmet is one of the oldest of the Neters. Her name means "Mighty One" or "Powerful One" and is derived from the Egyptian word 'Sekhem', which means "power" or "might". She was the patroness of physicians, surgeons and healers. Because of Her power, She is sometimes portrayed only in a negative way. This could be due to the legends of how She, as the destructive Eye of Ra, was sent forth to punish humanity for its mockery of Her Father, Ra. As the counterpart of the cat goddess Bast, together they represent a duality of good and evil; yet Sekhmet herself is portrayed as having both good and evil sides. Her qualities as Healer, Mother and Protector are often overlooked by traditional Egyptology. Sekhmet's black granite statues show Her standing with a scepter in the shape of the papyrus, heraldic plant of  Lower Egypt. As with the Goddess Isis, Sekhmet seems to have recently been reinvented, and to some people She has become the symbol of the modern woman. She is still approached as a healer, bringer of justice and as a guardian or protector, but the emphasis has shifted so that She has transformed from what was almost a force of chaos into an icon of immanent female power. During our Sacred Ceremony we'll connect with the powerfully protective Unconditional Love of the Mother that Sekhmet embodies, as well as Her transformative energy that destroys the ego to bring you into alignment with your Higher Self. During our meditation She will enfold you in Her loving arms and bless you with an initiation that will gift you with increased empowerment of the Divine Feminine in your Being!Egypt-Karnak-AmunRa.jpg (28265 bytes)

Afterwards, during our guided visit to the main areas of the largest columned temple in the world, we'll explore the Temple of Amun. One of ancient Egypt's most complex theologies was the worship surrounding Amun, and later, Amun-Re. Amun represented absolute holiness, and in this regard, he was different then any other Egyptian deity. He was so holy that He remained independent of the created universe. He was associated with the air as an invisible force, which facilitated His growth as a supreme deity. As the Egyptian creator deity par excellence, He was self-created and was thus hidden from humanity. However, the addition of "Re" to His name revealed Him. Re was the common Egyptian term for the sun, thus making Him visible. Hence, Amun-Re combined within Himself the two opposites of divinity, the hidden and the revealed.

The consort of Amun-Re was Mut, the mother goddess in ancient WasetEgypt-Karnak-TempleOfMut.jpg (27111 bytes). She was originally a local goddess from the delta area, but became a national goddess during the New Kingdom. She was associated with the vulture. This link between vultures and motherhood led to her name being the ancient Egyptian word for mother - mwt. The vulture mother and her child remain closely bonded together. Pairing, bonding, protecting, loving are essential attributes associated with a vulture. Because of its immense size and power and its ability to sore high up in the sky, the vulture is considered to be nearer to God. Thus the qualities of a vulture are Egypt-Karnak-AmunHolyOfHolies.jpg (17235 bytes)associated with Godliness. Also, the wide wingspan of a vulture denotes all-encompassing love and protection for its infants. The vulture will defend her young against all odds, using force if necessary. All these qualities inspired the imagination of the ancient Egyptians, as they adopted what seemed to them at the time to be motherly qualities, the qualities of protecting and nurturing their young, and applied them to the vulture as the symbol of the mother. As Amen became the god of the pharaohs, Mut became their symbolic mother and was identified with the queens. Their adopted son was Khonsu, the moon god, and the three were worshiped as a triad in Thebes at Karnak. In the Holy of Holies,you have the opportunity during meditation to tune into the masculine principle of Amun, the Hidden One, and the feminine principle of Mut, the Mother Goddess, to take them in to your Self for balance and harmony.

EgyptKarnakFestivalHallTuthmosisIII.jpg (14170 bytes)We then visit the Festival Hall of Tuthmosis III, where some Rosacrucians believe their spiritual tradition originated. Some researchers indicate that it was here where Tuthmosis III reorganized the ancient Mystery Schools of Thoth and founded the Royal School of the Master Craftsmen, which came to be known as the Great White Brotherhood. Take a few quiet minutes to invite in the energies of this ancient Order that still exists on the higher planes today, and receive any messages that might be bestowed upon you.

At the Sacred Lake, walk slowly around it, in a silent meditation to invite in the energies of purification. What do you need to purify? Give it symbolically to the waters, knowing that it will be taken in and transmuted.

We return later morning to our hotel. Lunch on your own and some free time to relax. We leave in the later afternoon and cross to the West Bank for a sunset camel ride, followed by dinner at a traditional rooftop Egyptian restaurant, with an excellent view of the stars!  Later evening return to the hotel. Overnight Luxor.

Day 9. Thurs, April 9. To Aswan: Elephantine Island, Initiation at the Temple of Khnum; Sunset Felucca Ride; Dinner & Folklore Show at Nubian Restaurant (B)Egypt-Elephantine-Shrine.jpg (28755 bytes)
We transfer this morning to the airport for our flight to peaceful Aswan, where we'll stay for two relaxing days. On our arrival, we transfer to our elegant spa hotel located on Elephantine Island, in the middle of the Nile. All rooms have excellent views, so enjoy watching the feluccas (sailboats) as they sail by. Lunch on your own.

Egypt-Elephantine-Khumun.jpg (14568 bytes)In the afternoon we visit ancient Elephantine Island, The name is
Greek for elephant. In ancient times, the Island, as well as the town, was called Abu, or Yabu, which also meant elephant. The town was also called Kom, after Khnum, the principle Neter of the island, which dates back to the pre-dynastic period. There is evidence that there was a temple here dedicated to Khnum and his consort Satet as early as 2700 BCE, during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty. There are several excellent examples of worked granite that date back to ancient Khemit which could be over 10,000 old. These huge granite shrines (photo on left) could only have been constructed using advanced machining techniques!

The island was the main cult center of the ram-headed creator Neter Khnum, the Divine Potter who created children
Egypt-Aswan-TempleOfKhnum.jpg (13906 bytes) and their ka at their conception. (The ka was the double that lingered on in the tomb inhabiting the body or even statues of the deceased, but was also independent of the body and could move, eat and drink at will.) Khnum is believed by some experts to have been a pre-dynastic god. As such He was the guardian of the source of the Nile and later became a helper of Hapi, now known as the Neter of the Nile. His role changed from the river god to the one who made sure that the right amount of silt was released into the water during the Nile's annual inundation. He worked with the silt, the soil that the ancient potters used, and thus became the great potter who not only molded men and women, but who molded the gods themselves and even the world.

We'll visit the ruins of the Temple of Satet, Khnum's female counterpart, the Neter of the Inundation of the Nile who was depicted as a  woman wearing a star on her head and carrying water jars. She poured out the water into the Nile, thus causing the inundation each year. She was associated with the star Sirius A (the "Dog Star") because the inundation coincided each year with the rising of that star. The ancients knew the inundation as the Night of the Teardrop. TheyEgypt-Aswan-NileFeluccas.jpg (21147 bytes) believed that every year Isis would shed a single tear, which would be caught by Satet in her jars, then poured into the Nile. We'll take time for meditation to connect with both Khnum's and Satet's creative energies. Time allowing, we'll also visit the new museum which is full of many interesting artifacts, including a mummified ram, the symbol of Khnum.

Afterwards we enjoy one of the great joys of Aswan, a sunset felucca ride to a nearby Nubian restaurant for dinner, including a folklore show with Nubian musicians and dancers. Later return to the hotel.
Overnight Aswan.

Day 10. Fri, April 10. Aswan: Temple of Isis - Initiation into Her Divine Mysteries; Unfinished Obelisk; Visit to Nubian Village (B/L)
Egypt-Aswan-TempleOfIsis.jpg (22201 bytes)This morning is one of the highlights of our initiatory journey. We depart before dawn to the Island of Agilkia, the small island where the temples that were on the Island of Philae were moved to when the Aswan High Dam was completed in 1970. The name Philae comes from the ancient Egyptian word Pilak, meaning “the remote place.” This southernmost site in Egypt was the last outpost of the 4,000 year-old ancient Egyptian spiritual tradition that venerated Isis, the Neter of Healing and Magic, wife/sister of Osiris, and mother of Horus.

Isis may be the oldest deity in Egypt, and certainly the oldest to survive in much the same form as in theIsis.jpg (34996 bytes) ancient times. She may also be the most important, as She was worshipped almost universally by all Egyptians. As the major Goddess of the Egyptian pantheon, with many of the same attributes of other Mother Goddesses found all over the world, She was revered as the great protector, prayed to for guidance, and beseeched for peace in the world. Her Egyptian name was Auset, which meant "female of throne", i.e. Queen of the Throne. In the matriarchal and matrilineal Khemetian culture, the woman was the power behind the throne. During the Greco-Roman period, this sacred island was the main cult center of Isis. Her worship lasted here until the 6th century CE, when it was outlawed by the Emperor Justinian. Though it died out here, Her influence spread to Greece and Rome and on throughout Europe. Some researchers believe that the Black Madonnas  were representations of Isis and Her son Horus. Egypt-Aswan-TempleofIsis2.jpg (12458 bytes)
In the pre-dawn silence, we'll enter the Temple of Isis (private entrance), where we'll welcome Her into Her shrine in the Holy of Holies. As Her priestesses and priests did in ancient times, we'll tie cords in knots to call in Her powerful magic! Then as the sun comes up, we'll offer our heartfelt requests for healing and transformation. She will bestow upon us a sacred Initiation into Her Divine Mysteries, supporting you to develop your healing powers for any new projects that you're bringing into manifestation, as well as to connect with Her Unconditional Love of the Divine Feminine. You will be forever connected with Her! Afterwards we'll explore the various temples during our guided tour, followed by free time to explore on your own. Egypt-Aswan-UnfinishedObelisk.jpg (20519 bytes)


We return to the mainland, stopping for a brief visit at the Unfinished Obelisk for a gander at this gigantic block of Aswan granite. Was it shaped by hand with copper chisels, as traditional Egyptology tells us? Or was it machined in the distant past by the ancient Khemitians, and NOT carved by hand? Your eyes and intution will tell  you the truth!

Egypt-AswanNubianVillage.jpg (30137 bytes)We then depart via our private boat to a Nubian Village located downriver on the Nile, out of Aswan and away from the city. We first stop at a peaceful beach where we can swim and enjoy our box lunch. Then we'll visit some of the homes in the village, where we'll meet the very friendly and extremely interesting people from this culture that has been in this area since antiquity. We'll enjoy their warm hospitality as we learn of some of the unique aspects of their culture. The women offer henna tattoos. As well you can buy a momento of your visit: woven baskets, handmade beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings and much more.


Upon our return to the hotel, you have free time to take advantage of the hotel's excellent spa facilities. Enjoy dinner on your own.
Overnight Aswan.

Day 11. Sat, April 11. To Cairo; Private Entry into the Great Pyramid; Farewell Dinner (B/D)
After breakfast we transfer to the airport and board our return flight to Cairo. Upon arrival we transfer back to our hotel near the Giza Plateau and check in. Lunch on your own. Time to relax and prepare for one of the highlights of your sacred initiatory journey.

Egypt-GreatPyramid-GrandGalleryOrbs.jpg (16374 bytes)In the late afternoon we enter the Great Pyramid (private entrance!) and climb up through the Ascending Passage and the GrandEgypt-GreatPyramid-ResonantBox.jpg (17822 bytes) Gallery. Watch out for Orbs - a sure sign that Light Beings are with us! We enter the King's Chamber for our Closing Ceremony, a powerful experience that will energize you on all levels and propel your consciousness to higher frequencies and aide your Ascension process. Focus on taking in these transformational energies and you'll automatically raise your frequency at least one level! Depending on the group size and our allotted time, each person will be able to lie in the resonant box for private meditation. To end our time in this ancient Per Neter, we'll focus as a group on harnessing these incredibly powerful transformative energies to send peace, love and healing to all people on our planet, as well as to all beings in all worlds!

We return to the hotel, where we'll share our experiences during our Farewell Dinner. Overnight Giza.

Day 12. Sun, April 12. Depart Cairo; Arrive New York City's JFK Airport same day (B)
After an early breakfast, we check out and transfer to the airport to check in for our international flight. Our departure from Cairo is mid-morning; we arrive at JFK Airport in New York City mid afternoon, the same day. After clearing Immigration, claim your luggage and go through Customs. You're home. Or, connect with flight to your home city if necessary.

Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.


Extension to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea
April 12 - 15, 2009
If you'd like to stay on in Egypt and take some time to unwind and further integrate
the energies you've engaged on our spiritual pilgrimage, then come to the Red Sea!
Chill out! Relax! Swim, snorkel, dive and/or just lie in the sun!
Option to visit St. Catherine's Monastery, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Day 12. Sun, April 12.  To Sharm El Sheikh (B)
Egypt-SharmElSheikh.jpg (23310 bytes)After breakfast we check out, transfer to the airport, and check in for our flight to Sharm El Sheikh, on the Sinai peninsula, for relaxation, rejuvenation and fun at the Red Sea! Arrive and transfer to our hotel. Lunch on your own. Then you have the afternoon free for some world class diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and other water sports. Or your can go horseback riding or camel riding. And of course, as always, there's time for a bit of retail therapy to soothe you! Or take some time to sit on the beach and meditate; the energies here are very powerful and supportive! Dinner on your own. Overnight Sharm El Sheikh.

Day 13. Mon, April 13.  Sharm El Sheikh: Free day; Or St. Catherine's Monastery (B) Egypt-StCatherinesMonastery-RBeck.jpg (29775 bytes)
Your second day at Sharm, another day with plenty of relaxing time for meditation, and integration. And enjoying the area's water sports, shopping at the local market/stores, or just wandering along the beach. Lunch and dinner on your own

Option: Full day tour to UNESCO World Heritage Site of St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai. Associated with the 3rd-century martyr St. Catherine of Alexandria, this is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world. Lunch on your own with the group. Later afternoon return to Sharm. Free time and dinner on your own. Overnight Sharm El Sheikh.

Day 14. Tues, April 14. Return to Cairo; Free time (B)
We check out after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Cairo. Arrive and transfer to a nearby airport hotel. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight Cairo

Day 15. Wed, April 15. Depart Cairo; Arrive New York City's JFK Airport same day (B)
After an early breakfast, we check out, transfer to the airport, and check in for our international flight. We depart Cairo mid-morning and arrive JFK Airport in New York City mid afternoon, the same day. After clearing Immigration, claim your luggage and go through Customs. You're home. Or, connect with flight to your home city if necessary.

Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.

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TESTIMONIALS

"Egypt was the most magical and enlightening trip I have been on in the last several years. Andrea's expertise in calling in the energies of the Neters at each site with sacred ceremony made it very easy to accept the healing powers that were offered. The Grand Finale of being in the Great Pyramid for our private closing ceremony is an experience beyond words!"    S. Polanco - NC

"Andrea Mikana-Pinkham, our Speaker and Tour Conductor, is the best!" N. Freeman - AK

" I fail completely with words in attempting to describe the profound and life changing circumstances that occurred in Egypt, and as an aftermath of Egypt. I am still processing and feeling the healing energies of our journey. The journey granted me clarity, courage, release of past wounds, an ability to receive love with a heightened ease and grace, and an expansion of spirit that can only be achieved via real experience."    L. McManus - CA

"Andrea is an excellent tour director and our Egyptologist was an exceptional guide!"  M. Boruch - CA

"Our Speaker & Ceremonialist Andrea Pinkham led us successfully through many powerful ceremonies. As our Tour Director she was also very well informed about the different sacred sites we visited. I consider her to be a wonderful friend and enjoyed sharing the experiences with her throughout the tour. Our Egyptologist/Guide Vivian was delightful and informative and very accessible to our constant questioning. Our group coordinator Ashraf was charming and fun and maintained an amazing energy level to keep all of us informed and on track. I'm so happy I met Hakim Awyan and his family, especially Shahrzad."   P. Lehman - Albuquerque, NM

"What a wonderful sacred journey it was to Egypt - even more than what I expected! It's truly one I will never forget.  Andrea, you did a phenomenal job!" D. Colona - MO

"I recently joined Andrea Mikana-Pinkham on a spiritual tour to Egypt. The journey was a beautiful experience, capturing the wonders of ancient Egypt, the hospitality and kindness of the Egyptian people, and the essences of what one can only possibly perceive as ancient Egyptian spirituality and esotericism. Andrea held space for all the tour participants to experience Egypt on many levels - from visits to the temples and sites to a deeper appreciation of our own inner temples. Our Egyptian guide captured the beauty of ancient Egypt and remained enthusiastically supportive of each of our individual journeys. My life continues to transform as a result of the many gifts I received during that pilgrimage." S. Smith - CA

To read "Egypt: Sacred, Secret and Mysterious" by Marilyn, one of Andrea's former tour group members,
Click here
Note: This is a pdf file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open it. You can download it FREE at http://www.Adobe.com

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TOUR INCLUSIONS

Your Sacred Sites Journey to EGYPT Includes:
Roundtrip international air from New York City to Cairo
All transfers in Egypt
5* hotel accommodations: 5 nights in Giza, 3 nights in Luxor; 2 nights in Aswan, including service charges, taxes & daily breakfast
Sightseeing as per itinerary, including all entrance fees
Daily breakfast, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, including special Welcome and Farewell
Flights in Egypt (Cairo/Luxor, Luxor/Aswan, Aswan/Cairo)

Your Extension to Sharm El Sheikh Includes:
Roundtrip airfare from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh
4* hotel accommodations: 2 nights in Sharm El Sheikh, 1 night in Cairo, including service charges, taxes & daily breakfast
Hotel/airport transfer for international departure
Optional Tour: St Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai in air-conditioned motorcoach

NOT INCLUDED:
- Meals not included, as indicated in the itinerary
- Cost to obtain valid passport
- Any items of a personal nature such as laundry, drinks and telephone calls. Any item not specifically detailed on the SSJ website or the final trip itinerary


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TOUR PRICING

redball.gif (144 bytes) DISCOUNT! Make ALL of your payments by check or money order and receive a 3% discount! This discount is INCLUDED in the prices below listed for this payment option.

MAIN TOUR (April 1 - 12, 2009): Per Person, double occupancy, land/international air from New York City
$4,049.00 for payments via check or money order
OR $4,175.00 for payments via credit card

NOTE: You can book the journey as a land only package if you will not be traveling from New York City and would like to book your own international air. If you're interested in this option, please request the LAND ONLY pricing by emailing Andrea at
info@SacredSitesJourneys.com


Plus:
Pre-paid Gratuities:
$120.00
for payments via check or money order
OR $124.00 for payments via credit card

International Air Taxes & Fuel Surcharges:
$250.00
for payments via check or money order
OR $258.00 for payments via credit card

Egypt Tourist Visa:
$25.00
for payments via check or money order
OR $26.00 for payments via credit card

Optional Single Room Supplement:
NOTE:  This is the additional amount you will pay if you choose to have your own private room throughout the tour.

$630.00
for payments via check or money order
OR $649.00 for payments via credit card


ROOMMATES: Would you like to meet and make a new friend on your journey? If you're not traveling with anyone you know, and would like for SSJ to try to match you up with a suitable roommate, we'll be happy to try to do so
.

Per our Terms and Conditions, we will hold the registration for the trip open until 30 days before the departure date (or later if possible) in order to try to match you with someone. If by that date we have not been able to do so, you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement. If you would like to be matched with a roommate, please register early.


EXTENSION to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea (April 12 - 15, 2009): Per Person, double occupancy
$540.00 for payments via check or money order
OR $557.00 for payments via credit card

Plus:
Pre-paid Gratuities:

$40.00
for payments via check or money order
OR $42.00 for payments via credit card


Optional Full Day Tour to St. Catherine's Monastery:
$99.00 for payments via check or money order
OR $102.00 for payments via credit card

Optional Single Room Supplement:
NOTE:  This is the additional amount you will pay if you choose to have your own private room throughout the tour.

$180.00 for payments via check or money order
OR $186.00 for payments via credit card

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TOUR REGISTRATION

To request a registration form for this Sacred Sites Journey to EGYPT,
email Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
at info@SacredSitesJourneys.com or SSJourneys@aol.com

at 888 501-3853 (Toll free in the US) or 928 284-2384

Participation is limited to the first 20 people who register.
The group is already filling!
We encourage you to reserve your space NOW!

Registration closes March 16, 2009,
or sooner if the group fills before that date.

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