A PILGRIMAGE TO THE ANCIENT TEMPLE OF THE COSMOS,
EGYPT ITINERARY Departs ; 26th October 2012 BONUS ...............3 PRIVATE ACCESSES The Mirror of Eternity.Join Amber St Clare on a pilgrimage to the Ancient Temple of the Cosmos,Eternal Egypt. As we follow the course of the Nile and visit every major sacred site of Ancient Egypt, we will be able to not only walk through these great monuments, but to feel them and understand them, to know them in a way that most travellers to Egypt have never experienced. Every year thousands of tourists visit these incredible places and leave again without ever knowing anything beyond an often brief and sketchy commentary given without any real depth to it. Travel with us and let the majesty and mystery of Ancient Egypt weave its magic around your heart, spirit and soul. DAY 1.. Friday October 26th Tour participants from Qld. Meet at the luggage check in counter of Singapore Airlines at Brisbane International Airport to begin our Egyptian adventure. Tour participants from other states will meet us in Singapore. Tour participants from overseas will meet us in Cairo. DAY 2. Saturday October 27th Arrive Cairo airport where we will be met and assisted through customs and transported to our hotel for some rest, great food and relaxation . Le Meridian Giza or similar. DAY 3 Sunday October 28th After breakfast, we visit the Oldest Synagogue, the Oldest Coptic Christian Church, the Citadel of Salah El Din and Mohammed Ali Mosque. Dinner and Overnight at hotel DAY 4 Monday October 29th Abu Simbel. We leave early to catch our flight to Aswan where we then journey overland to Abu Simbel. Today we visit the magnificent twin temples of Ramesses the Great and his beloved wife Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel. Once doomed to oblivion by the rising waters of Lake Nasser, the temples were saved by an international effort and painstakingly taken apart and relocated where the waters could not touch them. This mammoth undertaking took 4 years to complete at the cost of $40Million US dollars. The main temple is dedicated to Ramesses himself and the Gods Ptah, Ra Horakhty and Amen. As we walk towards this temple we are greeted by four colossal seated statues of Ramesses, each one 20 metres tall and bigger than the Colossi of Memnon. Like all of Egypt's temples, this place was built to interact with light, and, twice a year at the time of the solstice, the dawn sun penetrates the temple, and, with incredible precision, lights 3 of the 4 statues of the Gods, which are 200ft inside the temple, Ptah always staying hidden in the shadows. This temple is a testament to the power and and grandeur of Ancient Egypt and to Ramesses the Great himself, which, of course, is exactly what he intended it to be. Located about 120 metres away is the temple dedicated to Nefertari, the beloved wife of Ramesses. Although this temple is much smaller, it is a testament written in stone to his undying love for her, in this world and the next, and is unique in that the statues of Nefertari on the facade of her temple are almost the same size as those of the Pharaoh himself, showing us how important she was to him. Both temples are exquisitly decorated and for this reason Abu Simbel is one of the most visited sites in Egypt. The temple of Ramesses the Great stands facing the morning sun, bathed in relentless light and solar energy. It reminds us of the energy of the base chakra, that we need to temper our ego, to stand in our own power, but to let the light be the greater part of us. Overnight Seti 1st Hotel or similar. DAY 5 Tuesday 30th October In the morning we travel back to the delightful town of Aswan. In the afternon we visit the Nubian Village with its beautiful lavendar blue houses; the homes are painted with Indigo to keep the mosquitoes away...and it works! Dinner and overnight at Iberotel Aswan or similar. DAY 6 Wednesday 31st October The Temple of Isis. Today we visit the beautiful Temple of Isis at Philae. Isis represents the eternal femine aspect of God which is present in all nature. In Ancient times she was so loved and respected that her worship extended into the lands of the Mediterranean and beyond, there were even temples dedicated to Isis in Britain. She was also regarded as being "The Mistress of Magic", so perhaps this is a very auspicious day for the visit, as today is Halloween. Isis was revered for her wisdom, knowledge of magic and love of her husband Osiris and son Horus. She represents loyalty and a love so true that it is able to transcend the death of the physical and bring new creation into being in a miraculous and magical way. This temple exudes an aura of refined femininity, creativity and quiet beauty, and in its inner sanctuary we will gather around the sacred altar of Isis and ask her to bless us and protect us as we take our journey into the Mirror of Eternity. Afterwards we will have plenty of time to explore the temple on our own, to linger in the shade of the colonnades, to wander across the broad courtyards and into the inner recesses of the temple to meditate, dream, imagine and take photographs. Later in the day we will embark our cruise ship and set off on an exciting trip down one of the worlds greatest rivers, the legendary Nile. As we sail slowly towards Luxor our attention is drawn to the riverbanks, where in many places life continues much as it has for thousands of years. We pass farmers still working the land with cattle and donkeys, green fields luxurious with crops and date palms, villages of mud brick homes looking as if time has stood still. Here it is easy to see the thin strip of fertile black land that traditionally fed the people of Egypt and enabled them to become rich and powerful. Beyond that thin strip lies the harsh desert, and sometimes it reaches almost to the edge of the Nile itself, folding into barren rocky cliffs that hug the shoreline. At the end of a long hot day ,as we relax in comfort on the shaded deck of our ship, we see the village boys playing in the water at the edge of the Nile at sunset, much as they have done for centuries. Dinner and overnight on board. DAY 7 Thursday 1st November Kom Ombo. The Temple of Duality. Today we visit the twin temples of Kom Ombo; these temples are side by side and identical in every way except that one was dedicated to the Crocodile God Sobek and the other the the falcon God Horus. Sobek represents what we might call the "ordinary man", the man (or woman) who is living his everyday life, working, playing, caring for his family and being part of his community, but never extending himself to look further than the physical, never looking for knowledge of his own spirituality or of eternity to be revealed to him. Horus represents the "Higher Being", the man or woman who is actively seeking esoteric and metaphysical knowledge and who has a strong desire to move closer to the spiritual and to find the divine. At these fascinating temples we are able to see the inscriptions of ancient medical instrumets, many of which look very much as they do now, the all seeing eyes of God, and the ears that hear all that is said. We can gaze down the well in the Temple of Sobek to see where the peiests fed thier pet crocodiles and view the once hidden rooms below the floors of the temples that allowed the High Priests secret access to both sanctuaries. At these temples we can make our own individual choice as to which path we want to take in this lifetime. The Ancient Egyptian religion promised us eternal life, and we could live eternal life in one of two ways; we could live it through countless reincarnations by following the path of Sobek, or have Eternal Life living with the Gods as godlike beings ourselves,by choosing the Path of Horus. There is no penalty for the choice we make as long as we do not break the laws of fate and destiny.... the laws of Maat, the Goddess of Justice, Balance and Harmony. Later in the day we visit: The Temple of Horus at Edfu, the "green door" to the heart Chakra. The temple of Horus at Edfu is unique in that it is the most intact temple left to us; here we are able to see how each temple was originally constructed, even to the ruins of the mud brick homes of the priests and priestesses that were lustered around its walls. We are drawn in through the courtyard and into the body of the temple itself and on into the most sacred part, the Sanctuary of the God Horus. In ancient times only the High Priest or High Priestess of the temple and Pharaoh were allowed to enter this sacred place, no one else ever saw it, so as travellers in this magical land we are privileged to view it now, to be able to stand so close to the altar and the sacred barque of the God of the temple. Dinner and overnight on board. DAY 8 Friday 2nd November Temple of Sety 1st and the Osirion at Abydos. We leave our ship early in the morning for the drive to Abydos, for here we find the magnificent temple of Sety 1st and the Osirion, the tomb of the God Osiris. Although the tomb is now in ruins, it is easy to see how awe inspiring it once was, it speaks to us of great antiquity and scientific knowledge and we are still able to walk down the steps to view the enigmatic " flower of life" that is still visible on the megalithic slabs of stone from which the Osirion was built. The Temple Sety 1st is dark and mysterious, even the light is different within its ancient walls. When the sunlight penetrates through the light shafts here, it becomes a beautiful electric blue. Within this temple are the secret hieroglyphs, just how much did the Prophets of Sety know, did they see the future, or did they see the remote past? The walls are filled with wonderful pictures, engravings and inscriptions and within the seven chapels, ( the 7 steps to heaven and the 7 chakras) are intricate carvings in exquiste detail, images of Gods and Goddesses and the resurrection of Osiris by his wife Isis. Here in this magical place we are able to ask that something special be resurrected within us, perhaps something from another lifetime, some memory or skill that can help us now,something that will help us to live at a higher level of our destiny. In the evening we visit Luxor Temple. Evening is a lovely time to visit Luxor temple, the air is more cool, the crowds have gone home and the temple is lit to dramatic effect. Luxor temple is called "the temple of man" because of its curious orientation and because there is something about it that seems to be on a more human scale than the other temples. Inscibed on its walls we se wonderful scenes of the Opet festival, we find more giant staues of Ramesses the great and we are able to walk down the Avenue of Sphinxes and come back again to face the "smiling Pharaoh" and ask that our wishes come true. Whilst we are in Luxor we will also make time to visit the colourful and lively Luxor Souk. Dinner and overnight on board. DAY 9 Saturday 3rd November The Temple of Hathor at Dendera. After an early breakfast we disembark from our ship and drive to Dendera . This temple is dedicated to the Goddess Hathor who is the personification of Gods Love and Beauty. Hathor is also mistress of music and dancing and all the things that give joy to human life on earth. There is a feeling of feminine grace and elegance within these temple walls. The walls themselves, the pillars and ceilings are exquisitly decorated with Hathors special colour, the most beautiful turquoise blue. In this glorious space we are able to explore the secret rooms and view the enigmatic inscriptions hidden there... and make up our own minds about just how much technology was available to the Ancient Egyptians many thousands of years ago. We follow in the footsteps of Hathors priestesses as we make our way up the worn steps of the processional way to the roof of the temple. The view now is of desert, but once all the temples of Egypt were surrounded by lavish gardens and sacred lakes. The Ancient Egyptians were dutiful and gifted astronomers, for thousands of years the priests of old studied the night sky and kept precise notes of all that they observed. They knew the exact movements of the stars and planets, the phases of the moon and the moment of sunrise and sunset. Across the ceilings of Dendera temple we are still able to see some of the astronomical and astrological knowledge of the heavens that they have left for us. For here in the ceiling of one of the chapels is the "Zodiac of Dendera" where we can still see our own astrological sign along with the Gods of the 4 corners of the world and of the seasons , the great circle of the heavens above us, the way the ancients saw it. The exact moment of birth and the first breath that we ever took are moments of supreme significance in anyone's life, for in these first moments our fate and destiny flow into us with our first gasp of air. In this sublime temple we are able to re connect with that moment and ask that we are able to manifest the destiny that heaven had planned for us at our moment of birth. Check into our hotel, Maritime Jolie Ville Luxor,or similar DAY 10 Sunday 4th November Medinet Habu, The Colossi of Memnon and Deir El Medina. In the evening, the First of our PRIVATE ACCESSES in The Tomb of Ramesses 6th. After breakfast we cross the Nile to visit the Temple of Ramesses 3rd, son of Ramesses the Great. In ancient times it was called " the Mansion of Millions of Years". The whole temple complex was originally surrounded by high mud brick walls and was so impenetrable that in times of unrest it was used as a fort. Although part of the temple has fallen into ruin, much of it is still intact and beautifully preserved, with over 75,350sq feet of splendidly decorated surfaces on its walls. The Colossi of Memnon. These 2 giganticc stone statues are all that is left of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep 3rd, each one is 75ft high and weighs 1000 tons. Originally they guarded the entrance to the temple, now they stand alone in the desert as imposing reminders of Pharaoh Amenhotep 3rd, his Great Wife Queen Tiy and his mother Mutemwia. The Workers Village of Deir El Medina. Deir El Medina was the home of the workers and thier families who built the royal tombs in the Valley of The Kings and The Valley of The Queens. As we walk through its silent dusty streets we are able to look into what is left of the homes of the generations of tomb workers who resided here long ago. It must have been a difficult place to live in, all food and water had to be brought to them on a daily basis, yet the best craftsmen and artists of Ancient Egypt came here to build and decorate the many huge and beautiful tombs in the valleys. Much is known of the lives of these men and thier families and it provides a fascinating look into the lives of ordinary workers during the time of the Pharaohs. On a hill overlooking the village itself is the lovely temple of Dier El Medina; it is here that we are able to view a special and curious depiction of the God Anubis that is unique in all Egypt. Evening Visit to the Tomb of Ramesses 6th. PRIVATE ACCSESS As dark ness is falling across the Valley of The Kings we make our way across the desert floor to the splendid tomb of Ramesses 6th. This large and spacious tomb is wonderfully decorated, filled with hieroglyphs and pictures, scenes of the afterlife, spells and prayers that cover every inch of its walls and ceilings. As we walk easily down into the tomb we leave our world behind us and enter the sacred and magical world of the Duat. it is here that we enter the "otherworld" of the Ancient Egptians and in meditation we follow the souls of the Pharaohs into the Hall of Judgement and beyond. This tomb is filled with a special and amazing energy and is a favorite experience with many of the groups that I have brought here. Emerging from its doors into the silky darkness of the silent valley and walking under an entrancing night sky filled with stars is an experience not to be missed. DAY 11 Monday 5th November Karnak Temple and The SECOND OF OUR PRIVATE ACCESSES In The Sanctuary of Sekhmet In the morning we drive to the magnificent Temple of Karnak; in all of Egypt no site is more impressive than this stupendous monument to the Ancient Egyptians all consuming love for their Gods. Karnak covers 247 acres of land and is a vast complex of pylons, chapels and temples, and is the largest temple ever built by man. For 1300 years successive Pharaohs kept adding to its magnificence and many generations of superb artisans were kept busy decorating and maintaining its many different areas. The ancient name of Karnak was " ipet-isut", meaning " the most select or most sacred of places" and "heaven upon earth". The towering columns of the great Hypostyle Hall are considered to be one of the world's greatest architectural masterpieces and as we walk through them it is easy to feel dwarfed and overawed by the majesty of this sacred buildng. The Hall ceiling was 82ft high and was supported by 12 papyrus columns, symbolizing the first moments of creation when the One Great Unknowable God spoke the words that brought everything into manifestation........ and the first of these things was Light. Still visible are some of the stone lattice work windows that would have allowed sunlight to penetrate into the interior of the temple, and, in ancient times when the temple floor was covered in silver and its walls covered with gold, this would have recreated the effect of the first dazzling light that flowed across the Cosmos as Ra the God of the Sun rose over the horizon for the very first time. We are able to spend the morning here wandering through the vast ruins, exploring the sanctuaries and chapels and walking around the sacred lake. " The Rite of Purification". Karnak Temple and the Sanctuary of Sekhmet. The name Sekhmet means "Power", and of all the Gods Sekhmet was considered to be the most powerful. Sekhmet is the personification of the power that activated the universe and caused the first words of creation to become manifest. She is the Goddess of the implacable energy of Karmic retribution, yet also of healing and protection and her priests and priestesses where the doctors of ancient Egypt. The emblem chosen to represent her was the lioness, renowned for her ferocity and yet gentle, kind and loving to her cubs. Sekhmet also holds the power to unlock the spiritual energy that lays coiled at the base of the spine, as it surges upwards it opens the 3rd eye and the crown chakra. Our Private Access takes place in darkness and as we approach the temple we are greeted by the breathtaking spectacle of Karnak lit up by spotlights. As we walk into the now silent and empty Hypostyle Hall, the energy of this "most sacred of places" swirls around us, and as we make our way to the Temple of Ptah and its secret sanctuary, the atmosphere is charged with the electricity of anticipation, for here in this ancient sanctuary stands the statue of the Goddess Sekhmet, and still, even after millenia have passed, an energy of power and magnificence stll radiates from its volcanic depths. It is here, under a radiant night sky that we will stand around the altar and make our sacrifice to this ancient Deity, and perform the Rite of Purification. Afterwards, one by one we will take a small light and enter her sanctuary and have a few moments alone with "She who is the Most Powerful". For many people this is an almost overwhelming, and life changing moment that is never forgotten, and brings them back to Egypt with me again and again. Dinner and overnight in hotel DAY 12 Tuesday 6th November After breakfast we say goodbye to the lovely town of Luxor and transfer to the airport for our flight to the exciting city of Cairo. For millenia the worlds' prophets and spiritual messengers had to visit Egypt for initiation in the Great Pyramid before their divine missions could become fulfilled. Cairo is an exciting city, a wonderful assault on the senses, a thriving, teeming metropolis that is on the go day and night, its cars and pedestrians mixing seamlessly with camels and donkey carts, tourist buses and street vendors. In this intriguing city can be found an abubdance of all the goods that Egypt has long been famous for; fragrances and gorgeously perfumed oils, gold and silver jewellery inlaid with precious gems and the first "paper" the world ever knew, papyrus. Today we visit the amazing Egyptian Museum of Antiquities which contains a vast treasure trove of important peices from Egypts long history Encased within these walls are a staggering amount of artifacts, over 120,000 items are housed here, from the large and heavy statues and sarcophagi of the first floor to the mummies and golden wonders that were found buried with Egypt's most famous Pharaoh, Tutankhamen; which are housed on the second floor of the building. To enter this part of the museum and gaze at Tutankhamen's magnificent earthly possessions makes us wonder; if all this was buried with a young boy King, just how much more would the tombs of long lived Pharaohs, like Ramesses the Great, have contained? This museum is filled to bursting with the most intriguing assortment of artifacts from every stage of Ancient Egypts' history. The astonishingly life like crystal eyes of Ka statues gaze into our own as we pass them, looking for all the world as if they might suddenly burst into life and step forward to accompany us as we walk through the halls of the museum and up the stairs to the Mummy room. After our tour director has guided us through some of the most famous exhibits we will have time to explore on our own. PLEASE NOTE that entrance to the Mummy room requires a separate ticket that will have to be purchased separately by those who wish to see them. Check into Le Meridien Pyramids or similar. DAY 13 Wednesday 7th November The Step Pyramid at Sakkara and the Pyramids of Dashur. Today we visit the impressive Step Pyramid at Sakkara, the momument of the 3rd Dynasty Pharaoh Djoser that was designed and built by the legendary architect Imhotep who was so greatly respected for his wisdom and learning that he was later deified himself. Beneath the pyramid are a maze of underground galleries, rooms and stairwells, many of them beautifully decorated with blue green faience tiles, and within the store rooms were found hundreds of plates, cups and swan neck vases made of fine alabaster and rose quartz. Originally a life size statue of Pharaoh Djoser sat hidden in a secret room that had two holes bored into its walls at eye height, so that Djoser could watch the heavens with his crystal eyes. The whole complex was enclosed by a 30ft wall and included courtyards and temples that covered nearly 40 acres, the size of a town in ancient times Dinner and overnight at hotel. DAY 14 Thursday 8th November PRIVATE ACCESS 3 THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA. ASCENSION. First we pay a visit to the Valley Temple and the enigmatic Sphinx. From an antiquity too great for many to even imagine, the Sphinx has gazed eastward towards the rising sun. It was erected in the Zodiac Age of Leo, to the Ancient Egyptian this marked the beginning of time, when the Gods came to earth and lived beside humans. If only we knew what the Sphinx has seen we would know far more about our own evolution and the destiny of humankind on earth. What face was here originally before it was re carved into the face of a Pharaoh? That lost information could tell us so much. The Great Pyramid of Giza . To stand before it is truly amazing, but to be inside it, well, that is something else that is even more spectacular. Inside the Great Pyramid we follow in the footsteps of the Pharaohs and High Adepts of the ancient world, for here they came to pass the challenges it would take for them to be "born again", to become the "Horus", the higher being, the intermediary between ordinary mortals and the Gods. They were only admitted after many years of study and learning, so we are truly blessed to be able to enter this sacred space and climb through the interior of the Pyramid to the Queens Chamber abd then on to the Kings Chamber. The Kings Chamber is toatlly bare except for the lidless sarcophagus at one end, the lidless sarcophagus bears testament to what was said of the Adepts, "death cannot hold them". It is in this room that we begin our meditation and ask that we will be enabled to pass to our next level of Destiny without having to physically die first and trust that whatever happens is the right thing for us and will lift us to a higher level of being. For most people the private time inside the Great Pyramid is the highlight of the tour, a thrilling experience like no other and one that has the potential to be life changing for some of the participants who are ready to take the next step in thier own esoteric, spiritual and personal development. Dinner and overnight at hotel. DAY 15 Friday 9th November A free day in Cairo! On this day you are able to have a well deserved sleep in, you may wish to meditate or write in your journal or just lie around the pool soaking up the sunshine. Or perhaps you may wish to go back to the Cairo Museum, see the Solar Barque, ride a camel or shop for gifts and souvenirs to take back home for family and friends. Please speak to our tour guide for help and information, he will be happy to assist you with your requests. These extra activities are at the tour participants own expense and are not included in the price of the tour. In the evening we have our farewell dinner. DAY 16 Saturday 10th November DEPART CAIRO We transfer to Cairo International Airport for our flight back home. Day 17 Arrive AUSTRALIA ABOUT PRIVATE ACCSESS. We obtain special permits to enter these locations out of the usual public opening times. This affords us unique opportunities to aquire knowledge and meditate undisturbed by others and to feel the intense energy that has built up over thousands of years inside the tombs, temples and pyramids. However, these visits are subject to the Egyptian Government and on very rare occaisions may be changed. There may be on some occaisions slight alterations to the itinerary...go with it...it always ends up being better! | 
