Sacred Sites Journeys

Since 1994 ...Spiritual Pilgrimages
to the world's most important Sacred Sites
to enliven your Body, Mind and Spirit



TURKEY

Spiritual Pilgrimage to Sacred Sites of the Goddess
April 15 – 26, 2012

Optional Extension to 12,000 Year-Old Site of Gobekli Tepe
April 25 – 29, 2012


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Why Travel to Sacred Sites Now & Why With Sacred Sites Journeys

TOUR DESCRIPTION



Journey with other like-minded sacred travelers to powerful Goddess sites in Turkey!
The image of the divine as female is as old as humanity.
The Goddess was prevalent in all known cultures in prehistoric times.
Archaeologists have unearthed artifacts related to Goddess religion that are 30,000 years old!
Here in ancient Anatolia, you'll explore Her sacred sites and be enfolded by the loving arms
of this timeless “Nourishing Mother". 

This awesome gem of a sacred travel destination offers you the unique opportunity to visit
many ancient sites of the Sacred Feminine!
Uncovered from the sands of time, these potent Goddess sites will bring the Divine Feminine alive for you!
Her traces are not only present here for you today,
but are as vital and compelling as they were in the past!

Her Temples You'll Visit:


TROY: Temple of Athena

PERGAMON: Temples to Athena, Isis and Serapis

SARDIS: Artemis Temple, Temples of Cybele and Diana


EPHESUS: Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World;
St. Mary's Cottage and Sacred Well

APHRODISIAS: Temple of Aphrodite


ÇATAL HOYUK: Neolithic site where the Mother Goddess was revered and venerated

OTHER IMPORTANT HISTORICAL SITES:


EPHESUS: Concert Hall, Fountains, the Temples, Temple of the Sacred Prostitutes, the Celsus Library,
the Agoras, the Roman Baths, Gymnasiums, Celsus Library, Museum of Ephesus


PAMUKKALE: Travertine Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site
We'll have a free day here to rest, relax and enjoy the hot springs!


KONYA: Tomb of Jalal al-Din Rumi, poet, mystic and founder of the Mevlevi, or whirling dervish sect
Mevlana Museum, former monastery of the whirling dervishes


SPECIAL OFFERINGS FOR YOU!
During our sacred journey you'll be able to focus on the feminine faces of the Divine through: 
ritual, meditation, guided visualizations, dream incubation, channelings, divinations & sounding/toning
to facilitate a deepening relationship with and understanding of the Goddess.

And, our evening dinners will present you with lively opportunities for group sharing.

EXTENSION TO GOBEKLI TEPE

Explore this vast archaeological site with its compelling implications for re-writing history!
One of the oldest place of worship yet discovered; it was settled before Çatal Hoyuk.
Your time there will allow you to connect with the great mystery about the history of Anatolia
and the development of human societies,
especially with regards to the matriarchal Mother Goddess influences that the site reveals.

Gift yourself with this life-altering spiritual journey that will transport your psyche
back to the time when the Goddess was alive in the hearts, minds and souls of the world!

Connect with the ancient Goddess at Her powerful sacred sites
and nourish your own Inner Divine Feminine!

TOUR PERSONNEL

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

Andrea Mikana-Pinkham has been leading spiritual pilgrimages around the world since 1994. She is a longtime avid practitioner of the Goddess Path.  During this spiritual journey she will facilitate meditations, guided visualizations and rituals  to assist you to connect with the powerful energies of the Goddess at Her sacred sites and temples. (Note: All of these opportunities are optional and no one is asked to go beyond their comfort level.)

Andrea is the Grand Prioress of The International Order of Gnostic Templars , a contemporary spiritual Knights Templar Order that is dedicated to the revival of the Goddess Tradition and Gnostic Wisdom on the planet.

She is also a trained Shamanic Practitioner, the creator and Reiki Master Teacher of Ichi Sekai (One World) Reiki, a Spiritual Counselor, and a Teacher in The Seven Rays of Healing School.

An Invitation from Andrea: I invite you to join our diverse group of spiritual seekers on this awesome spiritual pilgrimage in Turkey. I've designed our exceptional itinerary in order to give you the optimum experience in both ancient Anatolia and the modern country. Our time at the ancient Goddess sites will support you to connect with Her timeless Wisdom, as well as Her energies of love, compassion and nurturing. As we explore the historical aspects of these sites you'll gain an insight into how Her influence has continued to flow in these important areas throughout time, influencing "Her-story" and thus our culture and civilization of today. You will experience that the Goddess is still Alive, without and within! I'll be honored to be with you to help facilitate your sacred travel experience and to support you to have the transformation you seek. Blessings to you!

For more information about Andrea and her work, visit Click Here

Special Guest Speaker: Mark Amaru Pinkham
Co-Founder of Sacred Sites Journeys

Mark Amaru Pinkham is a spiritual teacher, a researcher and historian of the Earth's Esoteric History and the Goddess Tradition, and the author of five popular books.

Mark is the Grand Prior of The International Order of Gnostic Templars, a modern-day spiritual Knights Templar Order dedicated to the revival of the Path of the Divine Feminine and Gnostic Wisdom, descended from the early Order of Knights Templar in Scotland.

A practicing Astrologer for over 25 years, Mark is offering readings before the tour to enhance your sacred travel experience. He is also the Founder/Director of The Seven Rays of Healing School.

For more information about Mark and his work, visit Click Here

Day 1. Sunday, April 15. Arrive Istanbul; Welcome Dinner (D)

Day 2. Monday, April 16. Istanbul: City Tour (B/D)

Day 3. Tuesday, April 17. To Troy; Continue to Canakkale (B/D)

Day 4. Wednesday, April 18. To Pergamon; Continue to Izmir (B/D)

Day 5. Thursday, April 19. To Sardis; Continue to Kusadasi (B/D)

Day 6. Friday, April 20. Full Day Visit to Ephesus (B/D)

Day 7. Saturday, April 21. To Aphrodisias; Continue to Hieropolis/Pamukkale (B/D)

Day 8. Sunday, April 22. Pamukkale. Free Day. (B/D)

Day 9. Monday, April 23. To Konya (B/D)

Day 10. Tuesday, April 24. Çatal Hoyuk; Free Time; Whirling Dervish Performance; Farewell Dinner (B/D)

Day 11. Wednesday, April 25. Fly to Istanbul (B)

Day 12. Thursday, April 26. Depart Turkey (B)


Extension to Gobeki Tepe: April 25 - 29, 2012

Day 11. Wednesday, April 25. To Gaziantep (B/D)

Day 12. Thursday, April 26. To Sanliurfa (B/D)

Day 13. Friday, April 27. Gobekli Tepe (B/D)

Day 14. Saturday, April 28. Fly to Istanbul (B/D)

Day 15.  Sunday, April 29. Depart Turkey

(For a more detailed itinerary, scroll down)



We only have 2 places left in this group!
Registration closes March 9, 2012 or sooner if the group fills before that date.
We encourage you to reserve your space soon!

See our Registration Form and complete Terms and Conditions: Click Here

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

Day 1. Sunday, April 15. Arrive Istanbul; Welcome Dinner (D)
Arrive on your own in Istanbul. We suggest you arrange your flight to arrive in the morning, so that you have time to rest today. (For those of you departing from the USA, SSJ can give you a quote for your international air once you register. We are able to offer good rates on Turkish Airlines flights from Los Angeles and New York City to Istanbul.)

Istanbul is a huge metropolis divided into two continents by the Bosporus, is home to eleven million people and is one of the greatest business and cultural center of the region. A city of wonders, Istanbul far exceeds the words that can be used to describe it! You’ll see!

After you clear Immigration, baggage claim and Customs you'll be met in the Arrivals Hall by our local English-speaking SSJ tour representative and transferred to the hotel. (Details to be provided with your final tour itinerary.) Check into your room at our luxurious 4-Star hotel. Take time to rest and relax before our early evening Welcome Meeting/Dinner at the hotel. Overnight Istanbul.

Day 2. Monday, April 16. Istanbul: City Tour; Whirling Dervish Performance (B/D)
Today we enjoy a full day City Tour, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Archaeology Museum, and Chora Church. Our morning begins with a visit to the famous Blue Mosque, with its mighty dome, and the only mosque in Istanbul with minarets, and built on the site of the Great Palace of Byzantium, in the early 17th century. Today it is a working mosque and is therefore closed to non-worshippers during the five daily prayers. The interior, with its lightness, spatial effect and color, is one of the finest creations of Turkish architecture.

Next is the St. Sophia Museum, formerly known as the Hagia Sofia (Holy Wisdom), a former Greek Orthodox church that was converted to a mosque in 1453 by the Ottoman Empire and today is a museum. The supreme achievement of Byzantine architecture, it is the city's most celebrated monument. Large numbers of columns were brought to Constantinople from temples in Asia Minor, Lebanon, Greece and Italy, and the finest marbles and noblest metals were used.

Lunch on your own with the group at the world famous Grand Covered Bazaar. And maybe a bit of time for retail therapy!

We then continue to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and Chora Church. The Archeological Museum contains an important collection of prehistoric Greek, Roman and Byzantine antiquities. In the courtyard is the graceful Tiled Pavilion, one of the oldest surviving Turkish buildings in Istanbul (from 1472). Our last stop for the day is the Chora Church, which has mosaics from the 12th century depicting the role of Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, with the emphasis on Her being Mother rather than Jesus being the God, a profound thought to ponder as you take time to meditate in Her presence!

Return to the hotel. Take a bit of time for rest and integration.

Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant, with an authentic Whirling Dervish performance by men dressed in white robes, whirling and rotating around the floor. During this moving meditation the dancer focuses on his great love of God, and can thus attain divine unity.  Overnight Istanbul.


Day 3. Tuesday, April 17. To Troy; Continue to Canakkale (B/D)
Depart early morning to Troy. Arrive later morning and enjoy lunch on your own with the group at a local restaurant.

After lunch we explore the ruins of Troy, the famous city which existed over 4,000 years ago, and was known as the center of ancient civilizations, and of course is most famous as being the site of the Trojan War. The site has had many incarnations over the centuries. The Archaic Temple of Athena: After a 400 year hiatus at the end of the Late bronze Age, the site was resettled around 700 BCE by Greek colonialists who were possibly from Lesbos or Tenedos. The Early Iron Age city (Troy VIII) was founded with the name Ilion. There is no history to tell us when the Archaic Temple of Athena at Troy was built, but it followed the princile of Greek architecture. Around 546 BCE, following the Persian conquest of all Ionia, Troy fell under Persian domination. In 480 BCE Xerxes halted at Troy to sacrifice a thousand oxen before crossing the Hellespont into Greece. Alexander the Great liberated the city in 334 BCE and went to the Athena Temple to make an offering to the Goddess; he promised to build a new temple and left his armor as a gift to Her.  The Hellenistic Temple of Athena: Following the death of Alexander in 323 BCE, his successor Lysimachus had a new Temple of Athena built. It was partly destroyed in 85 BCE during Fimbria's sack of Troy. The Roman Temple of Athena: In the reign of Augustus (27 BCE - 14 CE) the city and the sanctuary of Athena underwent a large rebuilding program. In the center of the Sacred Square was the large Temple of Athena. The remains of it found by Schliemann prove the temple was Doric.

The city has been excavated in recent times, starting in 1822. We explore the remains of more than 20 limestone altars which surrounded the Temple of Athena, Goddess of wisdom, civilization, warfare, female arts, strength, strategy, crafts, justice and skill. She leaped from the head of Zeus, already adult, dressed with her armor. The Mother is not completely missing from Her miraculous birth however. According to Hesiod's account of the weddings of Zeus, the King of the Gods chose Metis as his first wife. She was of all beings "the most knowing" (as the word metis is interpreted). As she was about to give birth to the Goddess Athena, Zeus deceived his pregnant wife with cunning words and assimilated her into his own body. Mother Earth and Father Sky had advised him to do this in order to prevent any of his descendants from robbing him of his kingly rank. For it was destined that the most brilliant children were to be born to the Goddess Metis: first, the daughter Athena, and later a son, the future King of Gods and men. Here, only the altars and mounds give any indication of the existence of Athena's Temple, but we'll experience Her energy, as we gather to the west and north of the altars for our group meditation.

Continue to Canakkale. The province of Canakkale lies on both sides of the Dardanelles, which connects two seas and touches both Europe and Asia. Check in at the hotel. Group dinner at the hotel. After dinner maybe you’d like to take a walk around the harbor to experience the local culture. Buy sunflower seeds and look at the sunset, as the locals do. Overnight Cakakkale.

Day 4. Wednesday, April 18. To Pergamon; Continue to Izmir (B/D)
Morning departure after breakfast for the drive to Pergamon. Today, the main sites of ancient Pergamon are to the north and west of the modern city of Bergama. Located on the fertile plains watered by the Selinus River, Pergamon was home to many civilizations in ancient times. Its Greek name means "citadel." The remains of the Roman city are for the most part beneath the modern town, while the Greek city with the imposing ruins of its royal stronghold occupies a magnificently impressive location on the summit and along the terraced slopes of the hill which rises above Bergama to the east. Two of the country's most celebrated archaeological sites are here: the Acropolis and the Asklepion, both listed among the top 100 historical sites on the Mediterranean. Our visit will include both the Isis and Serapis Temple at the bottom of the hill, as well as the area of the site at the top of the hill. Much to explore!

The main function of the Acropolis was social and cultural as much as it was sacred. In the Upper Acropolis we visit the Temple to Athena, who represents the power of the mind, and thus sometimes may appear cold or purely mental, separated from more feminine attributes, such as tenderness and maternal love. But She is not cold. She was not only a warrior Goddess, but also ruled over domestic crafts: the spindle, the loom, the cooking pot, as well as all arts of civilization. She is the Goddess of the City, of community and democracy. With her owl companion, Athena sees far with the gray eyes of perspective and clarity. She does not act rashly, but wisely considers Her strategies. Athena symbolizes the ability to conquer fear with intelligence and vision.

In the Lower Acropolis we visit the Temple of Demeter and the Sanctuary of Hera. Demeter was the Great Mother Goddess of Agriculture and Vegetation,. She presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, and the seasons. She also presided over the sanctity of marriage, the sacred law, and the cycle of life and death.  In the myth with her daughter Persephone, the Goddess of Death and Regeneration, Persephone was abducted into the underworld by Hades. In a rage of grief, Demeter withdrew her energy from the earth, and autumn and winter came to the land. Demeter wandered through the dying earth, searching for her daughter. Eventually, Persephone was restored to her mother for part of each year, and with Demeter's joy, spring came again. Essentially, the rites imitated the agricultural cycles of planting the seed, nurturing its growth, and harvesting the grain. On the esoteric level the drama enacted for the initiates symbolized the odyssey of the human soul, its descent into matter, its earthly sufferings, its terror in the darkness of death, and its rebirth into divine existence.

Hera, wife and one of three sisters of Zeus, was the Goddess of Women and Marriage. Portrayed as majestic and solemn, often enthroned, and crowned with a high cylindrical crown worn by several of the Great Goddesses, Hera often bears a pomegranate in her hand, an ancient emblem of the Great Goddess symbolizing fertile blood and death. Actually Her worship is far older than that of Her husband. It goes back to a time when the creative force we call "God" was conceived of as a woman. The Goddess took many forms, among them that of a bird. The bird that was Hera's symbol was the peacock, symbolizing fertility and the "all-knowing" denoted by the eyes on the peacock's feathers.

During our visit to these ancient temples of the Goddess, we'll take time for a meditation to connect with their powerful energies! What visions will She share with you? What directives for your Life's Path will be come clear? What will be your unique Gift of Spirit from one or more of these aspects of the Great Goddess Herself? 

The ancient Library of Pergamum on the Acropolis is the second best in the ancient Greek civilization. When the Ptolemies stopped exporting papyrus, partly because of competitors and partly because of shortages, the Pergamenes invented a new substance to use in codices, called pergaminus or pergamena (parchment) after the city. Made of fine calfskin, this was a predecessor of vellum. The library at Pergamom was believed to contain 200,000 volumes, which Mark Antony later gave to Cleopatra as a wedding present.

The Asklepion was one of the earliest medical centers on record; it was an ancient healing temple dedicated to Asclepius, the God of Healing.  He is the son of Apollo and the nymph, Coronis. While pregnant with Asclepius, Coronis secretly took a second, mortal lover. When Apollo found out, he sent Artemis to kill her. While burning on the funeral pyre, Apollo felt pity and rescued the unborn child from the corpse. Asclepius was taught about medicine and healing by the wise centaur, Chiron, and became so skilled in it that he succeeded in bringing one of his patients back from the dead. Zeus felt that the immortality of the Gods was threatened and killed the healer with a thunderbolt. At Apollo's request, Asclepius was placed among the stars as Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer.

The Staff of Asclepius is the personification of Medical or healing Art and its ideals. Most medical Associations around the world today use the "correct" and traditional symbol of medicine, the staff of Asclepius with a single serpent encircling a staff, classically a rough-hewn knotty tree limb. Asclepius is traditionally depicted as a bearded man wearing a robe that leaves his chest uncovered and holding a staff with his sacred single serpent coiled around it, (example right) symbolizing renewal of youth as the serpent casts off its skin.

Here at the Asklepion, people would come here to bathe in the water of the sacred spring. It's said that Asclepius would appear in a vision to tell them how to cure their illness. Archeologists have found lots of gifts and dedications that people would make afterwards, such as small terracotta body parts, representing what had been healed.

We'll also visit Pergamon's other notable structure, the monumental Temple of Isis and Serapis, and possibly also Osiris, Harpocrates and other lesser gods, who may have been worshipped in a pair of drum-shaped rotundas, both of which are virtually intact, alongside the main temple. Today it's known as the Red Basilica, Red Hall or Red Courtyard, south of the Acropolis. It consists of a main building and two round towers within an enormous sacred area. The building was originally a vast hall, rather than a basilica, covered by a wooden roof that had no interior support or colonnade. Its walls were built entirely of red bricks that gave the building its modern name. A total of twelve arched niches are embedded in the walls of the western end of the temple; they presumably held statues of deities – perhaps the twelve gods of the zodiac.

In the first century CE, the Christian Church at Pergamon inside the main building of the Red Basilica was one of the Seven Churches to which the Book of Revelation was addressed in Revelation. The forecourt is still supported by the Pergamon Bridge, the largest bridge substruction of antiquity. The 643 ft wide structure was designed during Hadrian's reign (117–138 CE) to form a passageway underneath a large court in front of the  "Red Basilica" temple complex. The two intact tubes, which consist of supporting walls covered with barrel vaults, still serve their purpose to this day.

After lunch on your own with the group in the town of Bergama, we continue to Izmir, the ancient and medieval city known as Smyrna, a large metropolis in western Anatolia and the capital of the Izmir Province, located along the outlying waters of the Gulf of Izmir on the eastern shoreline of the Aegean Sea. It’s Turkey's third most populous city and the country's second largest port city after Istanbul. Izmir has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters.

Arrive and check in at the hotel. Free time. Perhaps you’d like to explore a bit on your own. Some options are: The Clock Tower in Konak Square is probably Izmir's best-known landmark. The Asansor is the city's famous public elevator, and a symbol of Izmir. This elevator links Mithatpasa Street below with Halil Rifat Pasa Street at the summit of the precipitous hill. It was built in 1907 and restored by the municipality in 1993. The upper terrace has a breathtaking view over the city and the bay.

Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Izmir.

Day 5. Thursday, April 19. To Sardis; Continue to Kusadasi (B/D)
Depart after breakfast to Sardis, the capital of ancient Lydia, where we visit the Artemis Temple, one of the most interesting ruins in all of Turkey, with its monumental buildings and location. Built in the 6^th century BCE, it was destroyed by the Greeks in 498 and later rebuilt in the reign of Alexander the Great. The city is divided into two by the highway. The monumental road is in the north and behind it there is a gymnasium and synagogue is a Roman bath. Down the road there are the Hellenistic theater and the stadium. As we follow the side road, we reach the 3^rd century BCE Artemis Temple, one the most beautiful temples with its Ionian style. We also visit the Temple of Cybele and Diana, which later became a church. We also see the golden river Pactalos and the Royal Road. Then visit the reconstructed Synagogue, the Gymnasium and the new excavation area.

Lunch on your own with the group with the group. Continue to Kusadasi, situated on the west coast of Turkey, and reputed to be one of the most attractive cities of the Aegean. Kusadasi has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters and is bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year.

Arrive and check in at the hotel. Free time. Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Kusadasi.

Day 6. Friday, April 20. Full Day Visit to Ephesus (B/D)
Depart after breakfast for Ephesus, the greatest Temple City in Asia Minor, dedicated to the Great Goddess Artemis Diana. The Temple of Artemis Diana, built about 550 BCE, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and one of the most complex temples built in ancient times. The temple was the last of the Great Goddess temples to remain open, and was the site of Goddess worship well into the Christian era. When the Temple was in use, it was brightly painted and inlaid with stone and had a marble sanctuary and a tile-covered wooden roof. Conceived by architect Chersiphron and his son, Metagenes, the temple's inner space featured a double row of at least 106 columns, each believed to be 40 to 60 feet high. The foundation was approximately 200 feet by 400 feet. The original temple burned in 356 BCE and was rebuilt on the same foundation. Fire devastated the second temple in 262 CE, but its foundation and some debris have survived.

The discovery of the Temple of Artemis is considered one of the greatest detective stories of world of archaeology. In his search to find the ancient temple in the 19th century, the British engineer T.J. Wood searched the site of Ephesus for seven years and finally discovered an important inscription in the Theater. The inscription in Latin told of the last will of a Roman citizen who wanted his relatives and friends to carry the statues of Artemis from Her temple to the theater, walking through the major streets of Ephesus and through the Magnesia Gate and then back to the Her temple. This incription made it clear that the temple was outside the major ruins of Ephesus, and that the sacred road from it to the city made a circle around Mount Pion. Wood found the Magnesia Gate and the pavement of the sacred road, and by following it he finally reached the deeply buried Temple of Artemis.

We then visit and explore St. Mary's Cottage inside the ruins of Ephesus. In 431 CE Here the Christian church declared Mary to be the "the God-bearer" in order to legitimize Christianity in the eyes of the people of Asia Minor. Prior to that time, she was not recognized by the Christian church. Many of the Great Goddess's titles were taken and declared to be the titles of Mary, including; "Queen of Heaven", "Divine Virgin", "Mother of All". Ephesus was chosen for Mary's installation to add legitimacy to the church's claim that Mary, not Diana, was "the Mother of God", the "Mother of All." Many believe that with the rise of Christianity and papal power, the Goddess slowly disappeared from western culture and faded into the mists. But, so great was devotion to the Goddess that She was resurrected in the hearts of the people by a new Goddess, Mary, Mother of Jesus. We visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary, the little house where she supposedly spent her later days.

The story about the discovery of Mary's House started with the visions of Catherine Emmerich, a German nun who had visions about the site and described them in a book she wrote; in it she mentions that Mary and John the Apostle come to Ephesus and lived in a small Roman Village, located on the mountain. She even adds that when Mary died, she was buried by John and his close friends. Nearly 20 years after her death, a group of Lazarist priests from Izmir came to Ephesus and visited the ancient ruins of Ephesus. They had a copy of her book in their hands as the climbed the hill. It was as the nun had described it from her visions.  When they got thirsty, they were guided to a fountain by a local shepherd. Near the fountain, they discovered the remains of a small cross shaped church and the fountain with the sacred water with healing powers. Archaeologists then excavated underneath the remains of the Byzantine church and discovered the remains of a Roman house going back o the time of Christ and Mary.

We'll take some free time for quiet contemplation and meditation in this area to connect with the energies of Mary, the reincarnation of the Great Mother Goddess in this area. If you like, you can write out a prayer and/or affirmation on a piece of paper and leave it in the Prayer Wall.

Lunch on your own with the group. Afterwards we continue to Ephesus and see the spectacular ruins from the period of St. Paul, some of which have only recently been excavated: the Odeon/ Bouleterion, Fountains, the Temples, the Brothel, the Celsus Library, the Agoras, the Roman Baths, and the Gymnasiums. According to its inscription, the Odeon/ Bouleterion was built by one of the rich citizens of Ephesus in the 2nd century CE and presented to the Gods and People of Ephesus. This small hall which could hold 1500 people was used for concerts, lectures, poetry reading competitions and also for the meeting of city council.

Throughout the site we'll see carvings to various Goddesses:
In the Temple of Hadrian there are reliefs of Medusa, symbolically keeping evil spirits away. In Greek mythology Medusa was a guardian or protectress of the Underworld. In the mists of time Medusa was worshiped as one of the Triple Aspects of the ancient Goddess Anatha. She was the Dark Moon Goddess, one of the Serpent Goddesses of female wisdom. She ruled over the regenerative mysteries of sex and death, and protected these magical rites from being discovered and abused by the uninitiated. Her wise message was about the inevitability of death. As an Ocean Goddess of the West, She guarded the gateway of death and granted safe passing to all souls entering the oceanic entrance to the underworld. In Greek mythology, the patriarchy, in their fear of the wise woman of death, and of the magical sexual power of the menstruating feminine, demonized Medusa into a monstrous figure of the devouring, castrating mother. In this tale, Medusa was one of three Gorgon sisters born from ancient sea deities. Two sisters were born immortal and ageless, Medusa was born mortal. They lived near the border of life and death at the ocean's edge near the edge of the world. Tales of their beauty was told all over the world and many suitors called upon the sisters. From the many suitors it was Poseidon that Medusa took as Her lover one day in the temple of Athena.  When they lay together, the enraged Athena transformed Medusa's beautiful hair to serpents and made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn onlookers to stone. Take some time to meditate on these aspects of the Goddess that Medusa represents in your life. What is Her gift to you today?

We'll see a stunning relief of Nike, the Goddess of Victory, Strength and Speed. The Greek word 'Nike' (pronounced 'nee kay') is synonymous with the word 'Victory'. Its origins are rooted in proto-Indo-European languages to mean 'first', 'victor' and 'afore' from 'Nikh' (pronounced 'neekh'). She was the daughter of the giant Pallas and the river Styx. Nike was originally an attribute of both Athena and Zeus, represented as a small figure carried in their hand. She gradually came to be recognized as a mediator between gods and mortals, and was frequently shown carrying a palm branch, wreath, or staff as the messenger of victory. Nike is a winged Goddess because she gives us the ability to soar and fly to our highest highs! She is generally considered a warrior Goddess because she has the power to decide the outcome of battles and wars by conferring Victory to one and condemning to defeat the other. However, Victory is applicable in all fields, not just the battlefield. Victory applies to any field where success and failure are outcomes. Take some time to contemplate how the attributes of Nike are useful to you in your life today. What are your "battle" and what is "victory"?

Next we visit the amazing Celsus Library. One of the most beautifully reconstructed buildings in Ephesus, it has become an icon of the ancient city. According to its inscription, it was built between 110 and 135 CE by the Consul Julius Aquila as a mausoleum for his father, Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, Roman governor of the Asian Provinces, a former Roman senator and major mason of Emperor Trajan. Situated by the south gate of the Commercial Agora, the library draws our attention because of its fascinating two-storied restored facade with six windows. Flight of steps, flanked by two statue bases with inscriptions lead to the main reading room. The inscriptions gives information about Celsus and his official career. At the end of his career he  moved to Ephesus, died there and was buried in a niche on the right side of the back wall. A few centuries after its construction a fire destroyed the reading room and the library fell into disuse. Around 400 CE, the courtyard below the exterior steps was converted into a pool. The facade collapsed in an earthquake in the 10th century. Between 1970 and 1978 the Austrian Archaeological Institute excavated here and restored the magnificent building to its present state.

On a low wall in front of the Celsus Library we'll find an exquisite carving of a garlanded Bull Head. The bull was the symbol of the solar masculine principle. Interesting that it's located across from the remains of the temple of the sacred prostitutes, or what archaeologists and modern-day historians call the Brothel. In the ancient communities women enjoyed a status in the culture which is unknown today. Sexuality was regarded as a sacred activity, as opposed to a physical or romantic function, and had a public as well as private role. Every New Year, the king had public sexual intercourse with a priestess who embodied the goddess. This act of sacred sexuality—the hieros gamos, or sacred marriage, insured prosperity and abundance for the entire kingdom throughout the coming year. And in the private sphere of the community, the same act was carried out by the people. This spiritual rite continued for many centuries. At Ephesus, as part of the worship of Artemis / Diana, men could visit the temple to have intercourse with a hierodule (sacred prostitute) who was believed to embody the Goddess.  The building consisted of two floors. On the ground floor were a hall, the reception area with a mosaic floor of the four seasons. of which the figures of Winter and Autumn are still well preserved, and a bath. There were rooms on the second floor where the sacred prostitutes entertained their clients.

Time allowing, we’ll also visit the Museum of Ephesus, or the Selcuk Museum, in the district of Selcuk, which displays works of art found in the excavations in Ephesus since 1964. The museum was enlarged in 1976 with new buildings. 

Return to the hotel later afternoon. Free time. Dinner with the group at the hotel. Overnight Kusadasi.

Day 7. Saturday, April 21. To Aphrodisias; Continue to Hieropolis/Pamukkale (B/D)
Morning departure to Aphrodisias, the city of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. Aphrodisias is one of the oldest sacred sites in Turkey. The name of the city is derived from Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, nature, beauty and abundance. She was married to Hephaestus, but he was the lover of Ares, Hermes, Dionysus and Adonis.

The origins of the city could go back to the late Neolithic times, when the first temple was dedicated to the ancient Mother Goddess. The similarities of the goddess Aphrodite to Artemis of Ephesus and other Anatolian mother goddesses are evident in cult statues found in the ruins. Built in about 100 BCE over an earlier shrine from 3^rd century BCE, Aphrodisias was the site of a magnificent Temple of Aphrodite and the home of a renowned school of marble sculpture. The temple boasted a huge statue of Aphrodite, more than 10ft tall, of which parts have been recovered. During the Roman period from the 1st to the 6th centuries CE, Aphrodisias became a thriving commercial center, due to the excellence of its school of sculptors in marble. Despite the arrival of Christianity and the establishment of a bishop in the city, paganism still remained for several centuries in Aphrodisias, due to the popularity of Aphrodite's cult worship. When Christianity became the official religion of the Byzantine Empire, the pilgrimage shrine of Aphrodite gradually declined in importance, so much so that the names Aphrodite and Aphrodisias were erased from all inscriptions and sculptures. Today, the temple is well-preserved and partially restored. Aphrodisias also offers ruins of a large theater, a stadium and other structures, as well as an on-site museum displaying artifacts.

Lunch On your own with the group. Continue to Hieropolis/Pamukkale. Check in at the hotel. You have free time until our group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Pamukkale.

Day 8. Sunday, April 22. Pamukkale: Free Day. (B/D)
After several days of travel, today is a free day at leisure in Pamukkale, one of the most interesting places in the world, famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations, but also for its historical remains. Located above the theater of the area, the mineral water comes from the thermal springs of Mount Caldag and is collected in the "Sacred Pool" of ancient times, where we will have the option to swim amidst the Travertine Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which are among the remains of Hierapolis (Holy City). The name Pamukkale means "cotton castle" is derived from the dazzling white calcareous castles which are formed by limestone-laden thermal springs, which create a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. People have gathered at these pools for its health benefits for centuries. The spa has soothed many ailments from heart diseases, atherosclerosis, blood pressure, rheumatism, eye and skin diseases, rickets, nervous disorders, nervous and physical exhaustion to circulatory problems. Today we'll have our timeto enjoy relaxing and meditating in the waters, which change color according to how the light enters. You can still walk through some of the pools barefoot (no shoes or sandles allowed to protect the pools.

Lunch on your own at your leisure. Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Pamukkale.

Day 9. Monday, April 23. To Konya (B/D)
Depart after breakfast for Konya. Arrive later morning in Konya, one of the world's oldest cities, with excavations revealing settlement from as early as the 3rd millennium BCE. The city is famous for its hand woven carpets, the monastery of the mystical sect known as the Mevlevi, or whirling dervishes, and the tomb of the sect's founder, the poet and mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi, a Sufi mystic also known as Mevlana or Rumi. His poetic message of peace, love of God and one's fellow creatures, resounds to a far wider audience today than it did over 700 years ago when he preached and taught in Konya, and whirled in ecstasy through its streets.

Rumi was born in Afghanistan in 1207. His father was a brilliant Islamic scholar. When Rumi was twelve, his family fled the Mongol invasion. By 1228 they lived in Rum, where his father’s pupil Burhan al-Din initiated Rumi into Sufism, and taught him the various teachings of the Sufi tradition. After his father's death in 1231, Rumi came to Konya in 1240. Here he became a Sufi teacher and within a few years he had a group of disciples.

Rumi established the Sufi brotherhood, with the Sema, a distinctive whirling and circling dance practiced by the Dervishes. The seven-part ceremonial dance represents the mystical journey of the ascent through mind and love to union with the divine. It mirrors the revolving nature of existence and all living things. As the Sufi dervish turns toward the truth, he grows through love, abandons ego, and embraces perfection. Having reached this exalted state, he returns from this spiritual journey and is full of love and service to all of creation. The dervishes long white gowns symbolize the burial shroud of the ego. The tall cone-shaped hats symbolize the ego's tombstone. The dervishes dance for hours at a time, with arms held high, the right hand lifted upward to receive blessings and energy from heaven, the left hand turned downward to bestow these blessing on the earth. Turning their body, they spin from right to left, revolving around their heart to embrace all of creation with love.

Check in at the hotel. Lunch on your own at your leisure.

In the afternoon we visit the Mevlana Museum, the former dervish hall, was converted into the museum in 1927. Inside are the tombs of Rumi, his family, and outstanding members of the Mevlevi order. In the main room, we see the tomb of Rumî himself, resplendent in gold decoration and covered in cloth-of-gold. (What you see is a cenotaph. Rumî's actual tomb is beneath it.) Adjacent to Rumi's burial is that of his father, Baha al-Din Valed. His sarcophagus stands upright. Legends say that when Rumi was buried, his father's tomb "rose and bowed in reverence." There are also tombs of Rumi's son and other Sufi sheikhs are clustered about the shrine. The burials of Rumi, his father and several others are capped with huge turbans, these being symbolic of the spiritual authority of Sufi teachers. Take time to meditate near the tomb of this awe-inspiring mystic and see what worlds might open to you.

Return to the hotel. Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Konya.

Day 10. Tuesday, April 24. Çatal Hoyuk; Free Time; Farewell Dinner (B/D)
This morning we have the rare opportunity to visit the 9,000 year old Neolithic site of Çatal Höyük, located on a vast prairie beside the active Hasan Dag volcano. The name means “forked mound” and refers to the site's mounds which formed as centuries of people tore down and rebuilt the settlement's mud-brick houses from approximately 7500 BCE to 5700 BCE. Until the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, which we'll visit during our post-tour extension, it was the largest and best preserved Neolithic site found. The site was first discovered in the late 1950s, excavated between 1961 and 1965, and became famous internationally due to the large size and dense occupation of the settlement, as well as the spectacular wall paintings and other art that was uncovered inside the houses. Since 1993 an international team of archaeologists has been carrying out new excavations and research.

The population of the eastern mound has been estimated at up to 10,000 people, but population totals likely varied over the community’s history. An average population of between 5,000 to 8,000 is a reasonable estimate. The people who lived here were a matriarchal, spiritual and art-loving people who worshipped a Mother Goddess of a fertility cult that could have been the precursor of Cybele, as Artemis is known in Anatolia. From the excavations carried out here in the early 1960’s, it's clear that the women of Çatal Höyük created the religion and carried out all-important religious functions. They gained authority in the community and became predominant in the priestly caste. From this base they created the community’s religion, a religion devoted to the conservation of life in all forms, devoted to the mysteries of birth and nourishment and life after death. The room set aside as a shrine for the ancient Mother Goddess had a sculpture of the Great Mother of Çatal Höyük seated with a tame lion on either side, showing that She was a sacred woman, the Great Mother of Nature, and the tamer and civilizer of the world as well. There were also paintings of animals, cryptic symbols, and geometric patterns.

Excavations revealed that the cult room was frequently rebuilt, and many artifacts were uncovered. Most were votive statuettes, in the form of pottery with reliefs of the Mother Goddess, bulls heads and horns, women’s breasts, and leopards. These religious items show a high degree of skill, and cultural refinement.

The inhabitants lived in mud-brick houses which were crammed together in a honeycomb-like maze, with no footpaths or streets between them. They were accessed by holes in the ceiling, which were reached by interior and exterior ladders and stairs. The rooftops were used as streets. Houses had plaster interiors characterized by squared off timber ladders or steep stairs, usually placed on the south wall of the room, as were cooking hearths and ovens. Each main room served as an area for cooking and daily activities. The main rooms contained raised platforms that may have been used for a range of domestic activities. All interior walls and platforms were plastered to a smooth finish. The homes were kept scrupulously clean. Archaeologists identified very little trash or rubbish within the buildings. Vivid murals and figurines are found throughout the settlement, on interior and exterior walls. Heads of animals, especially of cattle, were mounted on walls.

At some point during our visit, we'll take time for a meditation to connect with the Ancient Ones who inhabited this sacred site. Our psychic impressions from the mystical past will present us with an opportunity to perhaps re-activate cellular memory of a time when the Great Mother Goddess was center stage in the lives of the people who lived here. Perhaps that connection will support us to reclaim more of the Sacred Feminine within ourselves.

Return to Konya. Lunch on your own, at your leisure. Free time in the afternoon. Farewell Dinner at the hotel. Overnight Konya.

Day 11. Wednesday, April 25. Fly to Istanbul (B)
After breakfast we have our group transfer to the airport for those who are leaving the tour. With assistance from our local SSJ tour representaive, check in for your flight to Istanbul.Arrive and meet our local SSJ tour representaive. Transfer to the hotel. Lunch on your own. Free time. Dinner on your own at the hotel. Overnight Istanbul.

Day 12. Thursday, April 26. Depart Turkey (B)
Morning group transfer to the airport. Service ends with arrival at the airport.
NOTE: We suggest that you do not book your flight to depart before noon. For those of you departing from the USA, SSJ can give you a quote for your international air once you register. We are able to offer good rates on Turkish Airlines flights from Los Angeles and New York City to Istanbul
(Private transfers can be arranged at additional cost after you register).

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

Extension to Gobeki Tepe
Possibly the World's Oldest Stone Temple!
April 25 - 29, 2012

To listen to an interview with German archeologist Dr. Klaus Schmidt, from the German Archaeological Institute visit, Göbekli Tepe-The Worlds Oldest Temple?  Hear the classical archaeological explanation of the site. Did people of a hunter/gatherer society really build this site? You decide!

To read an article about Gobekli Tepe entitled "The Birth of Religion" and see some excellent photos from the June 2011 issue of National Geographic magazine, click on this link: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/gobekli-tepe/mann-text

Day 11. Wednesday, April 25. To Gaziantep (B/D)
We depart Konya after an early breakfast for our full day’s drive through the picturesque Turkish countryside to Gaziantep. Lunch on your own with the group along the way. We arrive late afternoon in Gaziantep and check into the hotel. Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Gaziantep.

Day 12. Thursday, April 26. To Sanliurfa (B/D)
We depart this morning to Sanliurfa, the city of the prophets. Arrive later morning in the capital of Sanliurfa Province, often simply known as Urfa. In ancient times it was Edessa. Today it's a city with almost half a million inhabitants in south-eastern Turkey and is situated on a plain under big open skies, about eighty kilometres east of the Euphrates River. The climate features extremely hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters.

Check into the hotel. Lunch on your own at the hotel.

Modern Sanliurfa presents stark contrasts between its old and new quarters. The old town is one of the most evocative and romantic in Turkey, with an ancient bazaar still visited by local people to buy fruit and vegetables, where traditionally dressed and scarfed Arab and Turkish villagers arrive in the early morning to sell their produce. Much of the old town consists of traditional Middle Eastern houses built around courtyards, invisible from the dusty streets, many of which are impassable to motor vehicles. In the narrow streets of the bazaar people scurry to and fro carrying trays of food, which is eaten on newspapers spread on low tables in a corner of the little shops, many people drinking water from the same cup. This very oriental atmosphere is bewitching but below the surface parts of the old city are very poor indeed, with people still living in cave houses (built into the side of the rock).

Old Testament prophets such as Jethro, Job, Elijah and Abraham lived in this city, which in ancient times was known as Edessa. Moses lived in the region for seven years working as a shepherd before returning to Egypt with his staff. It was in Sanliurfa that early Christians were first permitted to worship freely, and where the first churches were constructed openly. Pagan Goddess temples were converted to synagogues, synagogues to churches and churches to mosques, resulting in a uniquely eclectic architecture.

This afternoon we’ll enjoy a City Tour, including the mosque complex surrounding Abraham's Cave and the Pool of Sacred Fish around it, and the Urfa Museum in preparation for our visit to Gobekli Tepe tomorrow.

Return to the hotel. Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Sanliurfa.

Day 13. Friday, April 27. Gobekli Tepe (B/D)
We depart this morning for a full day visit to Göbekli Tepe. In Turkish the name means "the Hill with a belly". Located about 10 miles northeast of Sanliurfa province, it was first discovered in 1963 by American and Turkish anthropologists; excavations began in 1995 by Dr. Klaus Schmidt of the German Archaeological Institute, and continued til 2005.

One of the oldest structures ever found, it's forcing a complete re-write in early human history! The archaeological site had revealed a great mystery about the history of Anatolia and the development of human societies. What makes this site unique is not just the size or the beauty of the monuments, but the date when they were built. Evidence shows that they are approximately 12,000 years old, dating back to the Mesolithic Age and the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Age (Mid Stone ages). In traditional history this would be 10,000 years before the founding of the Roman Empire, 8,000 years before the Hittites, 7,000 years before Stonehenge.

Göbekli Tepe is the oldest place of worship yet discovered; it was settled 2,000 years before Çatal Hoyuk. Archaeological evidence points to the fact that it was not used for hunting and shelter, but was a cult center used for religious and spiritual purposes. And that the people who lived there began agriculture. Some researchers believe this could be the "Garden of Eden" of Adam and Eve.

The artwork found throughout the site is very different than later cultures. It appears to be entirely totemic, without any evidence of war or violence, indicating that the people who lived there were most likely worshippers of the Great Mother Goddess. The site was continuously used for thousands of years, until something happened in the region around 6000 BCE. At that time site completely abandoned - it was deliberately buried under the desert sands! Why? This is one of the great mysteries that we'll explore at this timeless sacred power place.

We’ll explore the six buildings with elaborately carved T-shaped megalithic pillars, the largest weighing about 25 tons, with their reliefs of wild boar, bulls, foxes, lions, birds, snakes, scorpions, ants, spiders and insects. Some of the obelisks have been worn down over time, but many of them are in excellent shape. Some of them show signs resembling the letters "H" or "O". Is it possible that the builders of Gobekli Tepe also invented writing? Or are these sacred symbols, rather than Latin letters?

Archaeologists believe these monoliths were quarried from the area around the site, at an time when metal chisels or hammers were still unknown. They also believe that the best cutting tools available were made of flintstone, and that the builders used these to cut 25-ton obelisks out of the bedrock, carve the beautiful animal figures on them, dragged them to the site and lifted them upright. Comparable statues have been discovered in Nevali Çori and Nahal Hemar. The quarries for these statues are located on the plateau itself. Some unfinished pillars have been found there in situ. Building this massive complex would have been quite the task with only flint tools!

The houses or temples we’ll see are mostly independent round megalithic buildings. There are several circular structures with a diameter ranging from 30 to 100 ft, rectangular stone walls about 6 ft high. The limestone pillars most likely supported the roofs, which are about 9 ft tall. We’ll also see several rectangular rooms with floors made of burnt lime and clay. 

Only a few of human figures have been recovered so far. The man is the world's oldest statue, the 13,500 year old Balikligöl Statue. The woman is a smaller figurine.

And last of all, the enigmatic question of why the site was manually buried remains to be answered. We'll take time for meditation among these powerful stones to seek our own impressions.

To listen to an interview with German archeologist Dr. Klaus Schmidt, from the German Archaeological Institute visit, Göbekli Tepe-The Worlds Oldest Temple?  Hear the classical archaeological explanation of the site. Did people of a hunter/gatherer society really build this site? You decide!

To read an article about Gobekli Tepe entitled "The Birth of Religion" and see some excellent photos from the June 2011 issue of National Geographic magazine, click on this link: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/gobekli-tepe/mann-text

Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Time for a bit of rest before our group dinner at the hotel. We'll certainly have much to discuss tonight!  Overnight Sanliurfa.

Day 14. Saturday, April 28. Fly to Istanbul (B/D)
Check out of the hotel after breakfast and transfer to nearby Güney Anadolu Airport. Board the return flight to Istanbul. Arrive and transfer to the hotel. Lunch on your own. Free time to explore a bit of Istanbul on your own. Farewell dinner at hotel. Overnight Istanbul.

Day 15. Sunday, April 29. Depart Turkey
Morning group transfer to the airport. Service ends with arrival at the airport.
NOTE: We suggest that you do not book your flight to depart before noon. For those of you departing from the USA, SSJ can give you a quote for your international air once you register. We are able to offer good rates on Turkish Airlines flights from Los Angeles and New York City to Istanbul
(Private transfers can be arranged at additional cost after you register).

Your Sacred Sites Journey to TURKEY Includes:
- Journey with Sacred Sites Journeys Founder/Director Andrea Mikana-Pinkham and other spirit-centered travelers
- Experience the powerful energies at ancient Goddess sites
- Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Archaeology Museum, Chora Church, Grand Bazaar
- Troy – Temple of Athena
- Pergamon - Temples to Athena, Isis and Serapis
- Sardis - Artemis Temple
- Ephesus - Artemis Temple, Temple of Isis, Mary's House, Selcuk Museum
- Aphrodisias - Temple of Aphrodite
- Pamukkale - swimming in pools among ancient ruins
- Konya - Rumi's Tomb, Whirling Dervish Museum and Whirling Dervish Performance
- Çatal Höyük - 9,000 year old Neolithic site of the Mother Goddess
- Göbekli Tepe - 12,000 year old Mesolithic and Pre-Neolithic site of the Mother Goddess
- Accommodations in 4* hotels, including daily breakfast and dinner
- Special Welcome and Farewell Dinners
- Pre-Paid Gratuities
- Airfare in Turkey (price subject to change until ticketed)

NOT INCLUDED:
- Roundtrip international airfare to Istanbul, Turkey
- Turkish Tourist Visa (Easily obtainable at the airport when you arrive in Istanbul; cost currently $20.00 US; one passport photo required; details to be provided with your final itinerary)
- Meals not included, as indicated in the itinerary
- Drinks during meals
- Cost to obtain valid passport
- Any items of a personal nature such as laundry, drinks, internet access and telephone calls. Any item that is not specifically detailed on the SSJ website or final trip itinerary

TOUR PRICING

EXTENSION DEPARTURE - Sunday, April 29, 2012: Please book your international return flight from ISTANBUL to depart after NOON. (If you depart after April 29th, we can offer you a quote for post-tour services, such as extra nights at the hotel we will be using for the journey. This quote will be made after your register.)

TOUR REGISTRATION
March 12, 2012: Our group is full and registration is closed.
Tour begins April 15, 2012.

For a REGISTRATION FORM and our Terms and Conditions: Click Here


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