Spiritual Egypt Tours Newsletter August 2011 1
Must See Places to Visit in Egypt – A Traveller’s Guide to Cairo
Excerpts from Carla & John’s Spiritual Awakening Travel Diary
Highlights from the Journey to Awakening Tour Dec 2012
Egyptian Gods & Goddesses – Isis the Great Mother
Welcome to Spiritual Egypt Tours Newsletter "Hello I'm Rhonnda Fritz and welcome to our Newsletter! This newsletter is for anybody who is on their spiritual path or who has Egypt high on their wish list for places to visit. Each month I will bring you articles about Ancient Egypt and modern day Egypt as well as information about our upcoming tours and events. I will also be including articles and information designed to uplift your spirits. Our Journey to Awakening Spiritual Tour that departs on the 8th of December 2012 and ends in Cairo on the 22nd of December 2012 is attracting a great deal of interest. We already have a number of bookings for this tour which will be a once in a lifetime experience. While many believe that the 21st of December marks the end of the world as we know it, that will not be the case. It is simply a period that marks the alignment of the Sun with the Equator of the Galactic Centre of the Milky Way. This is an ancient timer that goes back several thousand years to the age of Leo around 11,500 years BCE, and even beyond, that has been passed down through the ages through the indigenous tribes of the planet. We are embarking on a new age of enlightenment that brings great energy to the Earth. Many people around the planet are concerned about what this date may bring while others are looking forward to the celebration. Either way, on that day there will be a great deal of energy being generated and the people who choose to be part of the Journey to Awakening 2012 tour with me, will be tapping into that energy by greeting the dawn of the 21st December 2012 between the paws of the mighty Sphinx and later at Sunset through a powerful activation of the Great Pyramid of Giza followed by guided meditations and channelling in the Kings Chamber. That is going to be an experience not to be missed. Check out the early bird savings. Although a little larger than our usual tours to Egypt, numbers for this tour are still limited and places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. In this Newsletter check out the ongoing travel diary and spiritual awakening for Carla and John as they travel on their own journey to awakening through Egypt. In these diary entries they land in Cairo and begin their journey through Egypt. Also in our regular feature of "Must Visit Places in Egypt" we go to the Giza Plateau and discover the secrets of the Great Pyramid. In our regular feature on the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, read about Isis the Great Mother.
I welcome your feedback and if there is anything special you would like me to include in the newsletter please feel free to contact me at Rhonnda.SpiritualEgyptTours@Hotmail.com. Please share the newsletter with your friends.
The Sphinx during the nightly Sound and Light Show at the Giza Plateau
Journey to Awakening Tour December 2012
Summary of the Tour Highlights: • Be pampered like a Pharaoh in 5
star luxury all the way • Enjoy the services of expert
Egyptologists and Guides • Private and exclusive access to
most of the sites we visit • Luxury Nile Cruise visiting the
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On the 21st December 2012 the Sun aligns with the equator of the Galactic Centre of the Milky Way. This is an event that takes place once in 26,500 years. It marks the period when our Solar System moves into the high energy Photon Band within the Milky Way and in particular when the Earth enters this area. We will travel through this Band for approximately 2600 years. It will be a period of high energy and light where great leaps forward in consciousness on the planet will be made. It corresponds to the Age of Leo which is the last time we travelled through this high energy light band. The Age of Leo corresponds with the technological and glorious age for the Ancient Egyptians. It is during this period that many believe the Mighty Sphinx and the Great Pyramid were built although it is not the official line that is supported by the Egyptian Department of Antiquities’ If this date is correct, this alignment will be visible at dawn from only one place on the planet and that is 30 degrees North. This is the exact position of the Giza Plateau in Giza and the mighty Sphinx is pointing the way. The 21st December 2012 (21/12/12) is also a high packed energy number in terms of Numerology. The date reduces to the powerful master number 11. 11 symbolizes the potential to push the limitations of the human experience into the stratosphere of the highest spiritual perception; the link between the mortal and the immortal; between man and spirit; between darkness and light; ignorance and enlightenment. This is the ultimate symbolic power of the 11 and all that energy will be flowing through the energy grid that criss-crosses the planet on that day. All this energy will be channeled through the Great Pyramid of Giza because it stands at the central point of the grid.
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temples and tombs of Luxor and Aswan Regions Visit the White Desert and camp out overnight under a blanket of a million stars Visit to Abu Simbel Stand between the paws of the mighty Sphinx at Sunrise – a magical experience that is not offered to many who visit Egypt Explore the chambers of the Great Pyramid at Sunset and enjoy a guided meditation and channelling in the Kings Chamber on your 2 hour private access visit Visit the Cairo Museum when it is closed to the public – a truly awe inspiring experience Most meals are included All transport including air travel within Egypt is included Discover an Egypt that most tourists never find Program of optional lectures, guided meditations and discussion groups included Travel with like minded people and spend 15 days sharing this spiritual journey
We will be experiencing another high energy date while we are on our tour of Egypt in December 2012. On the 12th December 2012 (12/12/2012) we will be camping overnight under a million stars in the White Desert. This date also reduces to the power number 11 but also carries the mysteries of the number 12. In Revelations 21:13 it states.... “On the East, three Gates; on the North, Three Gates; on the South, three Gates; on the West, three Gates. And the Wall of the City had 12 foundations, and in them the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.” There are 12 signs of the Zodiac (Aries through Pisces). The Sun travels through these signs in the same time the Moon takes to orbit the Earth 12 times. Jupiter, the biggest planet in our Solar System takes around 12 years to orbit the Sun. All great Spiritual Leaders had 12 followers. The 12 tribes of Israel were founded by the 12 sons of Jacob. In Greek mythology there were 12 Gods. There were 12 princes of Ishmael. The Great Osiris of Egypt had 12 followers and Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs had 12 disciples. There are 12 Gods in the Braham Zodiac. King Arthur had 12 knights of the Round Table. Buddha had 12 disciples as did Jesus Christ. There are 12 altars of St James and 12 Divisions of Solomon’s Temple.
Early Bird Specials for Journey to Awakening Tour 8th to 22nd December 2012 Book Early and Save!!! Book & pay your Deposit of US$2,500 by the following dates • • • •
8th December 2011 - US$9,497 (save US$2,500 per person) 8th January 2012 - US$10,497 (save US$1,500 per person) 8th February 2012 - US$10,997 (save US$1,000 per person) 8th of March 2012 - US$11,497 (save US$500 per person)
Discounts also for Groups of 4 or more people travelling together (Please note prices are quoted in US dollars because our Egyptian Tour Operator uses US dollars as their international currency. When you are ready to book contact us for the Australian exchange rate.)
A Board of Directors is composed of 12 executives and there are usually 12 men or women on a jury. There are 12 basic mineral salts in homeopathic medicine. The Earth’s minerals are ruled by the number 12. For example most diamonds have 12 sides and must be cut along these 12 axes. We have planned a very special experience for the tour group for this date. The Mission Statement and focus for Spiritual Egypt Tours is Inspiring, Transforming and Empowering people to achieve Success in every area of their life and the Journey to Awakening Tour Program fulfills this commitment. To that end, I have partnered with Quest Travel in Egypt to bring you this fabulous opportunity. Quest Travel have won many awards and are the best ground tour operators in Egypt specializing in private, spiritual and metaphysical tours treating their guests like treasured pharaohs. Together we have organized a journey of a lifetime just for you to enjoy. Quest Travel Egypt takes the safety and the welfare of their guests very seriously and when you travel with them you know you are in safe hands, which is why I have chosen them as the tour operator I use in Egypt. As well as private access to the sites we visit and the services of Quest Travel Egypt’s expert Egyptologists and
To Book Your Tour of a Lifetime, Email us or call us on (07) 5450 1597 Rhonnda.SpiritualEgyptTours@Hotmail.com
guides, there is also a program of lectures and guided meditations designed to open your spiritual awareness and to also empower, rejuvenate and enrich your mind body and spirit. Some of Australia’s leading mediums, clairvoyants and astrologers will also be on the tour and will be available for private readings. Check out the websites for more information, full itinerary as well as lots of articles and videos. www.SpiritualEgyptTours.com www.SpiritualEgyptTours2012.com
Regular Feature
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses The Goddess Isis is considered to be the great Mother. Isis is the wife of Osiris, mother of Horus the Younger and Bast and sister of Nepthys and Set. Her name means "seat" or throne, and this is often pictured symbolically as a crown or solar disc between cow’s horns upon her head. This represents the throne of kings, and as such she was regarded as being the kings' symbolic mother. The hieroglyph for her name is the image of a throne. Her best known “cult” centre was on the Island of Philae on the Southern Egyptian Border near Aswan. She was also worshipped at Abydos. Two important manifestations of Isis were the ‘Great White Sow of Heliopolis” and the ‘Isis–Cow’ which gave birth to the sacred Apis Bull of Memphis. Her following eventually spread beyond Egypt to Syria, Palestine, Greece and throughout the whole Roman Empire. She was worshipped well into the Christian Period. The image of her suckling her son Horus who lay in her lap could well have been the blueprint for the Christian Virgin Mary.
Isis is sometimes pictured on coffins or in texts as a bird with outstretched wings in the role of protector of the deceased. Isis also stands for love, magic, medicine and peace and despite her very feminine energy has a strong and fierce side. Isis brings the message that to show ones feminine side does not indicate lack of strength. Isis is also known as the mistress of magic, patron of mothers, the eye of Ra and Lady of Heaven, and her star and home source is said to be Sothis (Sirius). All magical and occult arts fall under her rulership, as does love, compassion, caring and perseverance. She was associated with the Ancient Egyptian mystery schools, and had her own temples and priestesses. The temple and school of Isis was thought to be concerned with understanding what were regarded as the "lesser" mysteries, and was to do with the search for the meaning of life; the search for the Self; and thus the search for the greater Whole. This search represented the first stages of the archetypal spiritual journey. Her mysteries awakened the subconscious mind through meditation and going within, and the keyword of this first stage is "seeking". When setting out on a spiritual path, we need to strive to attain balance and to learn the art of going within in order to seek out and work with our intuition. This sense of and connection with our higher selves and other spiritual sources of guidance supports and directs our understanding. As we acquire knowledge (which is the first step) we need to gain clear understanding of what we have learned (the second step) in order to have true wisdom.
Look out for information on the Gods and Goddesses every month as a regular feature of the Newsletter. Regular Feature
The Spiritual Awakening Travel Diary for John & Carla Part 4 – The Journey Begins One weekend, John and I went for a sail on the harbour. I just love the feel of the wind in my hair and the sea spray against my face. It makes me feel alive. We weighed anchor in an inlet around sunset to settle in for the night. Together we watched the last whispers of the Sun sinking over the backdrop of Sydney in a glorious sunset. John then dropped a bombshell that if I hadn't been sitting down would have knocked me over. He filled my ear with sweet nothings and then informed me with a devilish grin that the next day he was whisking me away on an overseas holiday. He'd arranged everything including the packing. Apparently the whole family was in on it and I was the last to know. He told me that I would know where we were going at the check-in counter but it was somewhere special. Well special it certainly was. I could hardly contain my excitement when I discovered that we were going to Egypt. All my life I've been fascinated by the pyramids and the Sphinx and the mysteries of Ancient Egypt. He gave me the tour itinerary to read on the plane. As I read it, my excitement level grew to fever pitch and tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. John sat there watching me, grinning like a naughty school boy. We landed in Cairo close to sunset and to my surprise we had to disembark down the stairs of the plane. We got our first breath of the dusty air of Cairo. We were then transported in modern buses to the terminal. I don't really know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't the modern terminal building that greeted us when we disembarked at immigration. John headed straight for one of the bank kiosks in the immigration hall which was where he said we had to purchase our visas. The whole immigration and customs process was so simple and straight forward. Our Egyptian tour manager was waiting for us and took charge of our luggage. We boarded a new and sparkling clean mini bus that was very comfortable and blissfully air conditioned and headed to our hotel in Giza. Our tour manager explained that it was about a 2 hour drive to Giza from the airport. The first thing I noticed was the number of cars on the roads. Peak hour in Sydney had nothing on this. But our driver seemed to be cool calm and collected and expertly manoeuvred his way through the traffic. I was surprised by how modern Cairo is. I wasn't expecting flyovers and tunnels in their road system. But mixed with the modern buildings were very old buildings that looked to me to be only half finished. But in this first glimpse of Cairo I sensed a magical vibrancy waiting to be explored. By the time we arrived at our hotel in Giza - the Mena House Oberoi - it was dark. But to the left of the hotel you could see the giant dark shape of the great pyramid silhouetted against the night sky. I was finally here but I would have to wait until the morning to see it.
Part 5 – Day 1 The Mena House Oberoi Hotel I awoke to sunlight pouring in through the open curtains on my first day in Egypt and as my eyes adjusted to the light, they opened wide in wonderment. There through the window loomed the great pyramid of Giza. I sat up and squealed with delight. I then realised John was standing watching me with an extremely satisfied grin. It was clear that he had planned that extraordinary awakening just for me.
I couldn't wait to get out of bed and begin our adventure. We were to meet up with the rest of our group in the evening so we had a whole day to enjoy the 40 acres of gardens around the Mena House Oberoi. The hotel is simply breathtaking and gorgeous. It is decorated in opulent Ottoman style with crystal chandeliers, richly coloured carpets, beautifully carved furniture, marble everywhere and the most beautiful floral arrangements on every available surface. The gardens are lush and well manicured and the swimming pool was way too inviting for me to resist. John was very tempted to check out the Mena House golf course but he resisted and spent the day with me instead. But if he had given in to the temptation he would have played golf with the pyramids as a magnificent backdrop.
That night we joined up with the rest of our tour group. There were 16 of us in all and they seemed like an interesting group of people. Meeting our tour guides was very exciting. They were really friendly and appeared to have a great sense of humour. The trip that they outlined to us had me almost jumping through my skin with anticipation particularly when they talked about some of the spiritual aspects of the tour. I noticed that at that point John kind of tuned out. I know it really isn't his kind of thing but even though I've spent a lot of time reading and meditating and tapping into my spirituality, what the guides were describing was something very different to what I was imagining a spiritual tour would be. We were going to be experiencing the spirituality of ancient Egypt and that was completely new to me. We spent a few hours getting to know our new friends over dinner at the Mena House and I can really feel myself relaxing. Even John seemed to be at last in holiday mode. So tomorrow we are off to Dashur and Sakkara to visit the pyramids of the old Kingdom from around 2630 BC. In the next Newsletter we will continue with excerpts from the Travel Diary of Carla and John where they talk about their journey through Egypt and about their personal Journey to Spiritual Awakening. Next month, read about their trip to Dashur and Sakkara
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Must See Sites in Egypt
A Traveller’s Guide to Cairo Travelling to Egypt and seeing the Great Pyramids, the last remaining of the 7 ancient wonders of the world, is a once in a lifetime trip for many people. Because of the travel distances involved for most tourists who go to Egypt, advance planning is definitely required and you are advised to go with a tour group that specialises in Egypt Travel. We can assist you in planning your once in a lifetime visit because we know Egypt and are partnered with Egypt's leading Travel Agency Quest Travel to bring you the absolute best tour experience that will create memories for a lifetime. When you visit the capital city of Egypt which is Cairo, you should be prepared as it is a very large city of 83 square miles with 19 million inhabitants. It is not a picturesque city for tourists but instead it is noisy, dusty, crowded and very chaotic but with a magic and charm that has been handed down through the millennia. But it is also a modern city with a good road system and many beautiful buildings even if they are covered in dust from the surrounding desert. However, this is the entry point for most travellers to Egypt and the base for some famous sights such as the Great Pyramids, the mighty Sphinx and the famous Cairo Museum the home of Tutankhamun's treasures.
Driving yourself through Cairo is definitely not recommended as the traffic is just crazy. It is best to take organized tours, metered taxis or private hire cars with a driver and leave the driving to the locals. Don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry. For instance it is a good 1.5 hour journey from the airport to Giza where the pyramids are located and at least an hour from downtown Cairo to the pyramids - not because they are a long way away but because of the heavy traffic. I actually learned Arabic numbers from observing the number plates on cars and getting guidance from my Egyptian driver - that is how slow the traffic usually moves in Cairo. Surprisingly, Cairo drivers are very courteous particularly when it comes to allowing people to cross the road.
Many 5 star hotels are available in Cairo including many of the worldwide chains like Sonesta, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Le Meridian, Oberoi, Radisson, Hilton, Inter Continental, Marriott, Sofitel, Concorde, Sheraton, Movenpick to name a few of the major hotels in Cairo. Most of the hotels offer several restaurants to choose from, day spas, pools, gyms, in house movies - in fact everything you could want to fill in your time when you are not out enjoying the sites. The Great Pyramids and the Sphinx of course are the main attractions here in Cairo. They are located in the Giza plateau which is just outside the city. There are actually six pyramids with the largest being the Great Pyramid which was supposedly built by King Cheops in 2650 BC. The second pyramid was built by King Chephren, Cheops' son and the third by King Mycerinus, son of Chephren. Of course the photo opportunities at the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx are just wonderful. A visit inside the Great Pyramid is highly recommended for an extra admission charge but this is not recommended if you are remotely claustrophobic. The tunnel leading to the Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid is not comfortable at all. You have to walk in a semi crouching position all the way because the tunnel is quite long and not very high. The insides of the pyramids are obviously also not air conditioned so temperatures are hot but at least the entire path is now electrically lit. Outside on site, there are numerous people offering camel rides. They are a real novelty since there are not many opportunities to ride a camel in the desert with the Great Pyramids in the background. But be warned that some of these camel owners will try and get as much out of the unsuspecting tourist as possible. Negotiate with a few of them before hand. One such story from an unsuspecting tourist tells how a camel ride was bargained for the equivalent of $7 US which is quite reasonable. After the ride was paid for, the camel owner passed over the actual duties of working the ride to his teenage son. During the ride, his son kept hinting that he expected a tip which is normal practice by everybody offering services to tourists. At the end, a $2 US tip was offered but the son was expecting a ridiculous amount of $30 US and got angry when he realized that amount wasn't going to happen. The tour bus driver who was watching the entire incident had to come over to 'rescue' the tourist. I've always found that a little charm and humour goes a long way when negotiating prices in Egypt. Prices are usually much lower than back home anyway and the locals are paid a pittance compared to the wages back home in Western countries. A must see attraction is the Cairo Museum where some of the most important and priceless ancient Egyptian attractions are housed. The treasures of King Tutankhamun including the famous gold mask are at the Egyptian Museum. The treasures are extremely impressive as each object was made with such
fine detail. It is interesting to note that although Tutankhamun's treasures are impressive, the boy king was not one of the major pharaohs. So one can just imagine what the treasures of the other pharaohs would have been like. The other antiquities at the museum are also quite impressive so one can easily spend a good portion of the day here. The building is grand so roaming through the halls you can have a real "Night at the Museum" (ref the movie) experience. There are many artefacts together that were not designed to be housed together so the energy in the museum is really quite extraordinary. This really becomes apparent if you see the Museum after hours as you will when you join the Journey to Awakening Tour of Egypt in December 2012. This is when the Museum really comes to life. Our guide has many stories to tell of unusual and unexplained occurrences that have happened in the Museum over the years. They are building a new modern Museum in Giza and is shaping up to be very beautiful. But I'm rather fond of the energy that has been created in the current Museum.
Egypt's population is 94% Muslim and 6% Coptic Christian. As expected, there are some marvellous looking mosques in Cairo that are worth seeing and they would usually be in the agenda of most organized tours. Certainly you should not leave Cairo without doing an organised tour of Old Cairo.
The markets such as the Khan El-Khalili bazaar are interesting experiences too. At these markets, one can shop for spices, perfumes, jewellery, brass, copperware, ceramics, fabrics including Egyptian cotton and many more souvenir items including replicas of ancient Egyptian treasures. Be prepared to shop around and bargain though. Prices for the same items can vary greatly at different shops. Many shop owners are welcoming to customers and will often offer a soft drink or a cup of tea. It is advisable to accept their hospitality if you are intending to shop at their store as this is part of the shopping process in Egypt. But Egyptians are hard sellers and will put on the pressure to buy so don't be intimidated because they respect someone who matches them at the bargaining table. Most prices can be brought down even if the sellers appear irritated - in fact; this is part of the process. Some will even follow customers out the door still trying to get the sale. So be warned that the Egyptian markets are not relaxed places to shop but they can be a lot of fun. The main thing is not to get upset by their hard sell tactics. It is just part of the adventure of shopping in a foreign land such as Egypt and just like back
home, these traders are simply trying to make some money to feed their family and keep a roof over their heads. Many of them are solely reliant on the passing tourist trade for their income.
To get a change of pace in Cairo, you can take a ride on the river Nile on local sailboats called feluccas. However, if you are going to travel to other parts of Egypt like for instance Aswan, be sure to enjoy the experience of sailing in a felucca in the Aswan area because the scenery is more beautiful than around Cairo, and the river is quieter and more peaceful. There are some restaurants located in Cairo with surprisingly pleasant outdoor terraces overlooking the city and the Great Pyramids in the distance. One thing you will need to get used to as a tourist in Egypt is the sight of many uniformed security personnel armed with machine guns. They are stationed at all the tourist sites, airports, major hotels, shopping centres and the Egyptian Museum. At these locations you can expect to have your bags put through a scanner and you will need to walk through a scanner as well before entry is allowed but it really isn't a big deal. Tourism is the life blood for Egypt so they take protecting tourists very seriously and all this is for your protection not to intimidate you. A trip to Egypt is an adventure of a lifetime. Travelling through Egypt is usually very safe and the Egyptian people are very friendly and accommodating. Travel to Egypt with SpiritualEgyptTours.com and visit the sites of Ancient Egypt with private and exclusive access to many of the sites without the crush of other tourists. Experience Egypt through the eyes of locals. Travel in 5 star comfort staying at luxury hotels and experience an Egypt that many tourists do not have the opportunity to see. Travel to Egypt and experience the magic and mystery of this ancient land on a Spiritual Tour to Egypt and discover not only Egypt but also a part of yourself that you didn't know existed before your tour to Egypt.
“Take Your Life to the Next Level With the Journey to Spiritual Awakening Weekend Workshop”
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“The Journey to Spiritual Awakening Weekend Workshop is about you. It’s about you tapping into the energy of your Unconscious Mind and using it to empower yourself to create a successful and fulfilling life. It’s about clearing blockages and giving your wellbeing a kick start so come and join me.” Learn about the power within you to create a successful life Learn about the three minds and how they are connected. Learn how to communicate effectively with the Unconscious Mind and the Higher Mind Experience several powerful and uplifting meditation journeys where your awareness and connections to the Higher Mind will be strengthened Learn about the Chakra System and Kundalini Energy Activate and empower your Kundalini Energy during one of our many meditation journeys over the course of the weekend. Align, balance and activate your Chakras through our unique and powerful guided journeys Clear blockages from the past that have been holding you back Journey into the Light of your future and create opportunities for success in whatever area you choose. Be prepared to be highly relaxed and enlightened by the conclusion of your weekend.
This workshop can provide you with some ideas for achieving the exact life you want.
Take a weekend for yourself to mingle with like minded friends – activate your inner energies to enhance your wellbeing
24th & 25th September 2011 Sunshine Coast - Buderim
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(07) 5450 1597 $97 deposit secures your booking Payment plans on credit card available Just ask us!
www.TheCoachingMuse.com.au Bookings Are Essential
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