The Magic of Egypt

Egypt…..magical, mystical, and a land filled with history, myths, and so many stories of gods & goddesses, kings & queens, and so much more! I recently joined my mother for a Sacred Spaces and Healing tour of Egypt organized by Bindu Maira, who is a healer, spiritual alchemist, and a force of nature! The plan was to meditate in the Pyramids, cruise down the Nile, and visit ancient temples & power spots doing healing sessions along the way. Doesn’t that sound incredible?

I am a true Gemini in the sense that I have a wild and crazy side but I also have a soft & gentle side and recently my soft & gentle side has been more prominent. I have been focusing more on health, wellness, and spirituality and it’s amazing when you open your doors to something, the right opportunities do come your way. This trip came my way at the right time!

The trip was a week-long and was one of my life's best trips. The itinerary was well planned as the organizer has been to Egypt 13 times and has perfected it to the tee.

Ancient Egyptian mythology is rich with a pantheon of gods and goddesses, each possessing special powers. While visiting some of their temples, we meditated on the powers of each of them. It was fascinating and empowering.

I also learned that ancient Egyptian symbols and amulets, such as the ankh (symbol of life), the Eye of Horus (symbol of protection), and the scarab (symbol of rebirth), are believed to possess magical properties and were used for protection and other purposes.

The trip was SO incredibly special not only because of the magical setting of Egypt but also the group of people on this tour. We all bonded deeply and were very well guided by Bindu’s wisdom and experience. I encourage folks to take a leap of faith every once in a while and be delighted with the outcome!

Here are some of the places we visited and the highlights of the trip:

Dendera

We visited the beautiful Temple of Goddess Hathor in Dendera. It is considered a very powerful Temple of Healing and one of the most mysterious temples in Egypt. We did a beautiful meditation on Love and Healing on site here.

Hathor — Representative of fertility, sexuality, intoxication, celebration, music, gemstones, and much more, Hathor is the consummate medicine woman and wise and loving mother, whose primary qualities are love and joy — essential attributes that can change us and the world.

**Temple of Hathor, Dendera**
L -R:Temple from the outside, my mother and me doing a meditation on a power spot, getting powerful energy, gorgeous carvings

Luxor: East bank

Luxor has an East and West bank. We visited two famous temples on the East Bank. One during the day and one at sundown to get a slightly different experience.

Karnak Sun temple, at its peak, is the largest and most important religious complex in ancient Egypt. The most significant structure, and the largest religious building ever built, is the Temple of Amun-Ra, considered to be where that god lived on earth with his wife, Mut, and son, Khonsu, who also have temples at the site. There is a room dedicated to Goddess Sekhmet where we did a meditation on site.

Sekhmet — The lion-headed feminine face of the sun, whose name means “Power” or the “Mighty One.” According to the initial translations of her myth, she nearly slaughtered all humans when she was sent to deal with the “disrespectful humans” and saw how they were treating each other and the planet, and had to be “tricked” to be subdued.

The Luxor Temple was constructed of sandstone blocks from Nubia. The temple is surrounded by mud-brick walls which symbolize the separation between the world and the sacred realm of the gods. The Temple's design during the New Kingdom exhibited a set of common design features in the construction of the temple.

**Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple, Luxor**
L-R: Karnak Temple, Goddess Sekhmet, Mom & me, Power spot in Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple at Sundown

Luxor: West bank

The West Bank of Luxor has the beautiful Valley of the Kings, also known as the Valley of the Gates of the Kings. Initially, it seems like no more than a sun-blasted gorge of generic red rock, but underneath all of its dust lay the tombs of 63 of the most important pharaohs in the history of Ancient Egypt. Used as a burial chamber for nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, the Valley of the Kings was used for royal burials for the Kings, their families, and their possessions. In 1979, it became a World Heritage Site, as well as the rest of the Theban Necropolis.

Sail to Edfu

Our 4-day Nile Cruise started in Luxor and ended in Aswan. It was my first-ever river cruise and I absolutely loved it. It’s a great way to explore Egypt's historical treasures and enjoy the stunning scenery along the riverbanks. It allows for a unique perspective of the country and offers an opportunity to visit multiple ancient sites and temples that are not easily accessible by land.

We experienced going through the Esna loch while sailing to Edfu and did a beautiful Meditation session while sailing.

Upon arrival in Edfu, we visited the Temple of Horus which is one the best-preserved temple in Egypt.

Horus - was the god of the sky, war, and protection. He was the son of Osiris and Isis, and was often depicted as a falcon-headed man or as a man with a falcon's head on his head. Horus was also believed to be the protector of the pharaohs and the symbol of divine kingship.

**Edfu**
L -R: Nile Cruise, Granite statue of Horus as a Falcon, Outside Facade of the Temple of Horus, Horse Carriage ride through Edfu

Sail to Kom Ombo

After Edfu, we continued sailing on to Kom Ombo where we visited the Temple of Kom Ombo which is unique in that it is a double temple shared by two gods, Sobek and Horus, and it has a beautiful setting right on the Nile River.

Sail to Aswan

From Kom Ombu, we set sail towards Aswan, our final destination. Once we reached Aswan, we drove almost 3 hours each way through the Iconic Sahara Dessert to visit the most spectacular Temple in Egypt, Abu Simbel.

Abu Simbel was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as to the deified Ramesses himself. It is considered the grandest and most beautiful of the temples commissioned during the reign of Ramesses II, and one of the most beautiful in Egypt. We did a Meditation on site here.

Amun Ra -Ra was the sun god and one of the most important deities in ancient Egyptian mythology. He was believed to be the creator of the world and the ruler of the heavens, and was often depicted as a falcon-headed man or as a man with a sun disk on his head.

**Abu Simbel**
L-R: Facade of the temple, Sahara Desert, Inside the temple, By the dam

Aswan

We visited the Temple of Isis at Philae which is dedicated to Isis, Osiris, and Horus. The temple walls contain scenes from Egyptian mythology of Isis bringing Osiris back to life, giving birth to Horus, and mummifying Osiris after his death. We did a beautiful meditation on the water in a Felucca.

The temple was in danger of being submerged forever with the construction of the new Aswan dam (1960-1970), which flooded the area. Fortunately, the Egyptian government and UNESCO worked together to pump the area dry and relocate the entire temple, stone by stone (50,000 stones!), to a nearby island called Agilka, where it stands today.

Isis — The alchemist whose love and compassion, along with the spells she received from Thoth and her twin sister, Nephthys, were strong enough to raise her husband, Osiris, from the dead and conceive their son, Horus. Isis is the great Mother Goddess who loves her children unconditionally and will always be there for you, regardless of your behavior.

Cairo

From Aswan, we took a flight to Cairo, which was the last stop on our trip. Cairo, the capital and largest city, is a metropolis with a mix of ancient and modern architecture, bustling markets, and a vibrant street life. There is much to do and see in Cairo; however, we only had two days so we visited the vibrant Khan - E-Khalili market, which is bustling with life and all kinds of beautiful Egyptian wares.

Our group had a private meditation setup at the Pyramids of Giza at 5:15 am which was quite a spectacular experience. After which, we ventured to the Giza Plateau to explore the mysterious Sphinx, and temples in the area.

We also managed to do a quick visit to the Egyptian Museum, home to the priceless antiquities Including statues, reliefs, sarcophagi, and King Tutankhamun’s Treasures. In the evening, we did a Dinner cruise on the Nile with Live Music, Dervishes, and Bellydancers.

The next day, some of us went to see the Pyramids of Saqqara and Dashur, which are some of the oldest pyramids in Egypt.

**Cairo**
L-R: The Great Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx

And that was the end of our soul-filling, spiritual, magical, and beautiful trip to Egypt. Visiting Egypt was a fascinating and enriching experience, offering a glimpse into one of the world's oldest civilizations, unique cultural heritage, and natural beauty. Plus doing so with my dear mother and an amazing group led by someone as insightful as Bindu was my gift from the universe.