Origin Gateway of the Mystery School Initiations *
Book your own air or travel on air miles; just give us a call (877) 406-5206 if you need help booking your flight! (please note: airport transfer of $35 will apply if you do not arrive with your fearless host, John Riley)
Accommodations at Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel
Visit Sakkara Temple & Abu Sir...
Vsit the magnificent Old Kingdom site of Sakkara, the home of King Zoser's Step Pyramid. We'll explore some of the Old Kingdom's most important "noble's tombs" with their stunning relief carving that vividly bring to life the everyday world of Egypt, more than 2000 years before the birth of Christ.
At Sakkara we accelerate our spiritual work with a ceremony and initiation to open the third eye chakra. The ancient Egyptians showed the uraeus - the rearing cobra - sitting on the brow of the pharaoh as a symbol of the enlightened consciousness and the awakened perception of the initiate (just as the snake is the symbol of the kundalini energy in the Vedic system of India).
The site at Sakkara is crowned with carvings of rearing cobras - a clear indication of the spiritual energies which are found here and which are amplified and focused by the temple structure. This will be the focus of our initiation at this site: enabling our powers of discernment and clear-sight - critical tools that we'll rely on for the rest of our pilgrimage and a certain sign of the initiate.
Then it's on to Abu Gurab and Abu Sir, deeply spiritual sites usually not on people's itineraries, so yo
u're in luck!
Abu Gurab is a sun temple, excavated by Egyptologists only 100 years ago. It was built to honor the Sun god Ra.
At Abu Sir, we will see the Pyramid of Sahure, and unusual and beautiful ruin,
On the way back, stop at
The Sakkara Carpet Academy for our first opportunity for some serious shopping: magnificent hand-loomed silk and wool rugs.
Visit the Egyptian Museum
Set out for the famous Egyptian Museum, with its staggering collection of relics dating back to 4,000+ BC. Here we will experience first-hand the different periods of ancient Egypt and the individual artistic and architectural styles of each period. The highlight of this museum is the visit to the priceless treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon. You will marvel at the intricate workmanship and the tiniest details of the contents of the luggage packed for this King to accompany him to the next world.
Visit Old Cairo, St. Sergio Church, and Ar Rafaai Mosque...
Cairo has played a pivotal role in the history of the three great Western monotheisms: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Explore these themes while visiting “Old Cairo;” including the oldest synagogue in Egypt, the famed St. Sergio Church and the beautifully peaceful Ar Rafaii Mosque.
Visit Alexandria and Damenhur...
Venture further afield – first we visit the city of Damenhur, then explore Alexandria, the “jewel of the Mediterranean.” Enjoy a day trip as our air-conditioned luxury coach transports us to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea! Long revered as a robust center of learning, culture and spirituality, Alex had a deep influence on the early Christian Church. We’ll also visit the breathtaking new “Bibliotech Alexandria” the stunning, ultramodern rebirth of the greatest library and center of learning in the ancient world. And we'll explore the Alexandria Museum, which features both Egyptian and Greek artifacts, presented in a lovely, intimate style.
We'll have lunch on the water at the fabulous "Fish Market" restaurant, take a short break to touch the Mediterranean Sea, then return to our hotel for dinner or a restful evening.
Fly to Aswan and sail the Nile...
Take a morning flight to Aswan, where we board our PRIVATE cruise ship, the luxurious dahabeya Afandina. This gorgeous ship, with almost a 1:1 ratio of crew to guests, will be our home for the next week. The Afandina, boasting incredible materials, workmanship and design, is a truly world-class experience that harkens back to an earlier era of travel. Nothing can prepare you for the magic of sailing the Nile on the Afandina.
Enjoy a Felluca Ride...
Experience a felluca ride (a small delightful sailboat – peaceful and serene) around the Islands, passing Elephantine Island and the Temple of Khnum.
Visit the Temple of Philae...
One of the most amazing sites in Egypt, the Temple of Philae is the delicate, elegant, quintessentially feminine temple of Isis.
The graceful temple and surrounding buildings of Philae were meticulously moved stone by stone from its ancient site (now submerged) to its new, higher, island home in the middle of the lake. Today it gives us – modern men and women with modern machines and incredible technical knowledge – great insight into what the ancient and intelligent peoples of the world could do with only simple technology and the will to create.
The Nubian Market...
“ The Pearl of Egypt”! With its colorful Nubian bazaar, laid-back atmosphere, warm and wonderful people and a lovely promenade along the Nile, Aswan is a favorite city in Egypt for many visitors. Dinner aboard our ship as we start to sail!
The Temple of Kom Ombo...
We sail to Kom Ombo, the temple dedicated to two deities: the crocodile god, Sobek, and Horus the Elder, the innate potential for enlightenment dormant within each of us. Kom Ombo was a famous healing temple in ancient days and is now both a gloriously picturesque edifice and an energy-filled ruin overlooking a bend in the Nile. After our ceremony here, we continue sailing through the countryside of Egypt on our way to the city of Edfu.
Visit the Temple of Horus...
We have a PRIVATE visit to the best-preserved temple in Egypt, the fabulous Temple of Horus the Avenger – the falcon god. Consecrated to Horus and to Set, it is the embodiment of the principles of self-mastery and resurrection; balancing the forces of dark and light. Our initiation will encompass all these themes as we empower the Horus within us.
Sail to Esna...
Spend a day sailing on the Nile, waving at the villagers, farmers and fishermen as we slowly glide through the peaceful waters as we pass through the Esna Locks. Enjoy a relaxing day off as we sail the Nile. Take in the views from one of our private decks, enjoy afternoon tea in the bar, take some time to journal or recapitulate your experiences, or watch a movie in our private living room.
Visit Luxor City and Luxor Temple...
Luxor is home to the greatest concentration of antiquities on the planet. Known as Thebes in the ancient world, Luxor is a friendly and fascinating mixture of the ancient and modern, the metropolitan and the rustic.
One evening, we will have a night visit to the magnificent structure of Luxor Temple. Here is where R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz developed his revolutionary Symbolist Interpretation; science, art, religion and philosophy are fused into one vast, coherent whole. Part of the largest temple complex in the world, Luxor is not to be missed.
Visit Dendera and Abydos Temples, the Osirion and the Flower of Life (B, L, D)
In the early morning, we will drive to Dendera Temple, one of Egypt’s most beautiful temples, which is dedicated to Hathor, Goddess of Love, Music and Joy. Here we meditate in the Chapel of Nut, the birthing room, as well as seeing the world’s oldest sundial, and graffiti from Napoleon’s soldiers.
Then on to Abydos, one of the most spellbinding spots in Egypt. Here at the Temple of Seti I is the birth of the Rameses style. Among the temple’s special features are the Seven Axial Chapels, whose reliefs number among the most beautiful in Egyptian art, and the ancient, enigmatic Osirion, home to the Flower of Life: the most important symbol in sacred geometry. We'll also see the bizarre "future vision" hieroglyphs which seem to show tanks, planes and helicopters.Our ceremony here, in the Chapel of Osiris, is one of our most sacred. No pilgrimage to Egypt is complete without visiting Abydos.
Visit Thebes, the Valley of the Kings
The day is devoted to Thebes as we visit the Valley of the Kings, where the great and mysterious funerary texts (“The Books of the Dead”) are exquisitely painted or carved into walls. We continue our visits to Mednat Habu, called by the Egyptians themselves “the most splendid of all”, and then on to the immense Colossi of Memnon. We will also stop at an alabaster factory in the Valley, where we can buy wonderful pieces for just a fraction of what we would pay at home.
Visit Karnak Temple...
Karnak temple is home to all the energies of the largest spiritual site in the world. Once connected to Luxor Temple, two miles away, by a long avenue of Sphinxes (now almost fully restored), Karnak is dedicated to the Powers of Creation and exhibits profound solar alignments. Karnak is the theater in which humanity plays out its destiny.
After exploring the temple, we'll move to the "Chapel of Sekhmet," to experience one of our most powerful and beautiful initiations.
Fly to Cairo. visit the Khan El Khalili Bazaar / Alley of the Tent Makers
After a late morning flight back to Cairo, we will take in the world-famous Khan El Khalili Bazaar for an afternoon of shopping and bargaining with the street vendors in this thousand year-old market.
Enjoy a set lunch at the Najib Mafouz restaurant, named after Egypt's greatest writer, who sat there each day while writing his Nobel Prize-winning novel.
Then as a special treat, we'll visit the "Alley of the Tentmakers" to truly touch an authentic face of Egypt. You can buy incredible handmade quilts, pillows, and wall hangings here, each design unique and beautiful.
Some of the remarkable hand-sewn quilts found in the Alley of the Tent-Makers
On our way back to the Giza Plateau, we visit the famous Mena Papyrus Gallery Institute, where we will see how handmade copies of old Egyptian art showing the tombs and temples are created, and how papyrus is made.
Accommodations at the Incredible Oberoi Mena House
Relax as we check into the Mena House Oberoi hotel, one of the most spectacular hotels of the world. The former hunting palace of the Khedive Ismael (the last King of Egypt), the Mena House boasts 140 years of history. Join the ranks of former guests such as Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Princess Grace, and royalty from all over the world.
But perhaps best of all will be the view from your hotel room – where the Great Pyramid fills the sky like a mountain.
Visit the Giza Plateau...
Open your heart and listen – feel the energy of the spirits… this morning we experience the most remarkable Wonders of the World: The Sphinx and the Pyramids of the Giza Plateau.
We are blessed with a private visit inside the Great Pyramid and our final initiation in the King’s Chamber. This is the spiritual keystone that will lock all of our work in place: in our psyches, our energy bodies, our hearts, our minds and in the divine matrix of creation on the invisible planes of causality. The spiritual technology of the Great Pyramid is a powerful resonator/amplifier for our intentions, so we will apply our conscious will toward creating profound change in our lives, and in the world.
Then it's on to that most mythical of creatures... As we stand between the paws of the Sphinx for our PRIVATE VISIT our Egyptian guide, who is an encyclopedia of Egyptology, will give us detailed examinations of various controversial theories surrounding these amazing structures. We will also do some special toning here to awaken the energy even further.
Farewell Dinner...
Dine on fabulous local cuisine as we enjoy our farewell dinner on the roof of one of the most spectacular private residences in Cairo. Your view of the Great Pyramids from this rooftop paradise will give you an incredible send-off on your final evening.
Return home...
Breakfast followed by transfer to Cairo International airport for your flight back home,
* Itinerary is subject to change due to reasons beyond our control.
Accommodations:
Le Meridien Pyramids (4 nights) Bed and breakfast
Afandina Private Cruise (8 nights) Full board
Mena House Oberoi Hotel (1 night) Bed and breakfast
