december Initiation Pilgrimage
Dec 7 - Dec 23, 2023
We are very excited to announce that Isis Indriya and Bianca Kempe will be co-facilitating the December Pilgrimage 2023. This will include a variety of classes on the Neteru Divine Ones, Egyptian Plant Rituals, Tantra Yoga, a Song Circle, and a special live concert on the banks of the Nile .
This vision was seeded last year when we were together in Khemet/ Egypt and it feels so special to see the seeds watered grow and blossom into this one of a kind journey.
Thank you for feeling the call. It is our greatest honor to be of service in this way of offering in communion with a Sacred Way of Life.
To travel the journey of the Initiate is to choose to bring all parts of self into wholeness again.
Dec 7 : Day 1
JOURNEY BEGINS
Initiate your journey to Cairo, Egypt unless you choose to come earlier.
Dec 8 : Day 2
ARRIVAL
If you arrive in Cairo on the 8th, it is ideal to plan for your flight to arrive in the late afternoon or early evening (at the latest) of Dec 8th so you have some time to settle in, shower, and eat. We will begin this expedition with a Welcome Gathering and Opening Circle at the hotel in the evening.
*Dinner is not included however all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) will be provided from Dec 9th, Day 3 throughout the entire trip.
Dec 9 : Day 3
ABYDOS + Osirieon
After an early breakfast and check out, we take a one-hour flight to Sohag or Luxor (TBD).
We will drive to Abydos to visit the Seti I temple and one of the most unique sites with the megalithic temple stones, the Osirieon (private visit). These temples are located in the Theban Necropolis of Upper Egypt and off the regular path.
Abydos (Egyptian Adgju) is one of the oldest and most important archeological sites of Ancient Egypt. The site was both a necropolis and later a pilgrimage and cult center for the worship of Ausar/Osiris. People would travel from all over to come for healing and to get answers for important questions in their life. This is where we will begin our initiation journey.
We will stay overnight at the House of Life Hotel and Healing Center and commune with the local musicians for the Rite of Lamentation in their home Temple.
We will then rest for the evening and rise the next day for an optional private sunrise visit at the Abydos Temple again.
Ritual Adornment Colors: Black, Green, and Cream
Dec 10 : Day 4
abydos & DENDERA
After breakfast and check out, we will visit the elegant monumental Ramses II Temple, built in the 13th century BCE, which was the original home of the Ausar/Osiris Cult. This place was known for the study and practice of ancient Egyptian healing techniques among the many rites and rituals of the God Osiris/ Ausar.
After lunch, we continue to Dendera, one of the best-preserved temple sites from ancient Upper Egypt. Dendera is known as the “Castle of the Sistrum” or “Pr Hathor”— House of Het-Hert/Hathor, goddess of fertility. This is situated in the modern Arab town built on the ancient site of Ta-ynt-netert, which means 'She of the Divine Pillar.'
We will have a private visit to this incredible temple for 2 hours from 5-7 pm where we revel in the heart of this Dream Temple known to be a place for sound and heart healing.
We will then drive 60 km to Luxor.
We will finish our day for rest at the beautiful and unique boutique hotel Al Moudira in Luxor on the west bank of the Nile River.
Ritual Adornment Colors: Blue and White
Dec 11 : Day 5
MUT + LUXOR
We begin our morning with a leisurely fresh breakfast to share and connect.
In the afternoon, we will travel to the east bank and visit the great temple of MUT, a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River that once housed 365 Sekhmet statues. The largest Sekhmet found thus far is here in this temple.
This is in the famous city of Thebes (Waset in ancient Egyptian), the great capital of Upper Egypt during the New Kingdom and the “City of a Hundred Gates”; most well-known for the avenue of human-headed sphinxes of over 1.5 miles connecting Luxor and Karnak.
We will walk the row of the Sphinxes from the Temple of Mut towards the Temple of Luxor as the priests and priestesses did in ancient times.
We will then complete our procession at the Temple of Man, Luxor for a tour into the body of a Temple mapped in the form of a Human.
In the evening, we gather for story sharing and dinner with an early to rest evening so we may prepare for the next early morning.
Overnight at the Al Moudira in Luxor. (B.L.D)
Daytime Ritual Adornment Colors: White, Red, and Black
Dec 12: Day 6
KARNAK & SEKHMET CHAPEL
We begin our day before sunrise for a special private visit to the world-renowned Karnak Temple.
With morning starlight above us, we will process in silence to the Ptah Altar and the Sekhmet Chapel for private attunement.
We will then continue forward to the Holy of Holies, the main altar at the Temple of Amun. We will praise and revere the sunrise in the temple as they did in ancient times.
This “fortified village” comprises a vast mix of temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings for approximately 20 Neteru (gods and goddesses) and was known as Ipet-isu—or “most select of places”—by the ancient Egyptians.
We will return to our hotel for breakfast and refreshments.
There will be an optional visit to the Thoth Temple in the afternoon followed by a visit to one of the best jewelry shops in Luxor.
Ritual Adornment Colors: White, Gold, and spot of Red for Sekhmet
Dec 13 : Day 7
Esna Temple & DAHABIYA SAILING
In the morning after breakfast, we continue forward on our journey to Esna to visit the Temple of Khnum.
There are incredible mystical depictions in the Temple found on the ceiling, which is decorated with astronomical symbolism, which includes the sky Goddess Nut, the Dog Star, Orion's belt, and Alpha Draconis. The ancient Egyptians who entered the temple of Esna complied with strict rules regarding ritual purity. The inscriptions carved on the walls of the temple imply the severe rules one had to follow to enter the temple such as cutting their fingernails and toenails, washing their hands with a naturally occurring salt called natron, being dressed in linen, and not having had sexual intercourse for several days.
After this visit, we will embark on our Dahabiya sailing boats referenced as the “The Golden Ladies of Nubia” for our Nile Boat Sailing Expedition.
Enjoy the day sailing the Nile.
Ritual Adornment Colors: Boat Sailing Comfort
Dec 14 : Day 8
DAHABIYA SAILING, EL KAB, EDFU, and “LAST SUPPER” NUBIAN DINNER
Along our Nile River sailing journey, we will stop at special sites that are less accessible to visit when on the larger cruise ships. The first visit is the El Kab tombs (Elkab), an Upper Egyptian site on the east bank of the Nile at the mouth of the Wadi Hillal. The heart of the El Kab consisted of two massive temples; the most important was dedicated to Nekhbet and was erected in sandstone; the second to Sobek and to Thoth. El Kab was called Nekheb in the Egyptian language, a name that refers to Nekhbet, the goddess depicted as a white vulture. She represents protection and is often paired with Wadjet, the cobra goddess. They are known as the “Two Ladies.”
Ritual Adornment Colors: Cream and Blue
We will drive for 30 minutes to stop in the West-Nile Egyptian city of Edfu. We will visit the Temple of Heru aka Horus. Built during the Ptolemaic period by Cleopatra VII, this temple was created in honor of Horus, the Sun God of the Dawn and Keeper of the Secret Wisdom. This falcon-headed God, “the one far above” is the son of Ausar/ Osiris and Auset/ Isis and represents Hope for Humanity.
Edfu was the center of several festivals sacred to Heru/Horus, as well as the hypothesized location of the initiation of the priesthood of Heru/Horus (Shemsu Hor). It is said that each year Hathor would travel south from her temple at Dendera to visit Heru/Horus. This is also the home of the first recorded Ritual Theater Offering Rite.
Ritual Adornment Colors: Gold, White, and Red
The day will conclude with a calm and serene sail on the Nebyt Dahabiya cruise.
In the evening, we will gather on the banks of the Nile for a “Last Supper” Dinner with traditional Egyptian cuisine and traditional Nubian song and dance.
*This evening we will have the opportunity to do a Ritual Theater Offering if we feel prepared*
Dec 15 : Day 9
FARMING VILLAGE, SAIL, and PRIVATE NILE BEACH
In the morning, we will visit a local village and spend the morning exploring its farmland to connect to the land, the local people, and commune with the energy of the Nile. We will then return to our boat to continue sailing.
We will arrive at a private beach to then commune and make offerings to the Holy Water of the Nile River and specifically to the God Hapi. This will be a time of purification and cleansing.
We will return to the boat for dinner and continue our sailing on to Kom Ombo.
Dec 16 : Day 10
KOM OMBO, SAIL
We begin our day at Kom Ombo, once known as “Nubt,” the City of Gold. This temple is unique because of its “double” design. There were courts, halls, sanctuaries, and rooms duplicated for these two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and the northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris (“Horus the Elder”), and Tasenetnofret (a special form of Hathor), as well as Panebtawy (“Lord of Two Lands”).
Ritual Adornment Colors: White and Green
After our Temple visit, we will continue sailing to the Nubian lands of Aswan, which has been a gateway for trade for thousands of years.
We will have our final dinner of the sail on the boat.
We then continue sailing and suggest stargazing into our final night on the boat.
Dec 17 : Day 11
ELEPHANTINE ISLAND
We check out of our boats in the morning and then visit the trade center and Temple at Elephantine Island between Egypt and Nubia. This was/is the dwelling place of Khnum, Satet, and Anoukhet. We will make offerings at the banks of the Nile where offerings were made for centuries.
Ritual Adornment Colors: White and Blue
We will then take small boats to travel across to our new abode the Old Cataract Hotel. We will rest for lunch, check-in, and have our first night in one of the top 10 hotels in the world.
This hotel has a spa and sauna to cleanse, purify, rest, rejuvenate, and prepare for the Philae Temple.
For those that feel called, we will connect in the Art of Divination to see what offerings want to be made at the Temple the next morning.
Dec 18: Day 12
AUSET/ ISIS TEMPLE: PHILAE, NUBIAN MARKET
We wake before sunrise to be at the Auset/Isis Temple for a private 2 hr sunrise experience. Daughter of the Earth God Geb and Sky Goddess Nut, Auset/Isis, “Goddess of Ten Thousand Names” is the Keeper of the Mysteries, Magic and Eternal Life. She is the Fertility Mother and was believed to start the Mystery Schools.
We will spend a few extra hours at the Temple in the morning and then continue forward back to the Old Cataract Hotel.
We will have an optional afternoon stroll through Nubia: “Land of Gold,” aka Aswan visiting the local market and spending time where some believe to be the home of the Ancient Egyptians.
We then head back to our hotel and gather to share stories and discuss the technology of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx in preparation for the next part of the journey.
Ritual Adornment Colors: Lapis Blue, Red, White, and Black
Dec 19 : Day 13
FREE MORNING and TO GIZA we go
We will check out this morning after early breakfast to travel to the airport to fly to Cairo. Upon arrival, we will take our bus for a short ride through the city to visit the Egyptian Museum (or the GEM if opens). After lunch, we drive to our hotel at the Mena House located at the feet of the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau. We will be in the field of the complex in preparation.
Dec 20 : Day 14
ABU GHURAB, SAQQARA, SERAPEUM
We will do a private visit to Abu Ghurab, “the Egyptian place of the Gods” best known for the solar temple of King Nyuserre. This was known as “the Stronghold of Ra” or the “Delight of Re” and houses some of the most unique ruins including the 6 ft in diameter, perfectly cut alabaster offering table.
After lunch, we will visit Saqqara, a vast and ancient burial ground that served as a necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. Saqqara features numerous pyramids including the world-famous Step Pyramid of Djoser. We will venture into a very special initiation chamber(Private Visit) one by one.
Finally, we will visit one of the most unique sites on the plateau, the Serapeum.
We will then go back to the Mena House for dinner and prepare for our next stage of initiation.
(B.L.D)
Ritual Adornment Colors: Desert Sands
Dec 21 : Day 15
great pyramid
We then come to the moment of the final initiation of the journey on the Giza Plateau. We will experience a private two-hour visit in the Great Pyramid and one by one be initiated into the Mysteries of the Pyramid.
We will then have breakfast at the hotel and integrate our experience.
We will then have lunch at the Pyramids Lounge and travel about the Giza Complex to commune with the energy, study more with the ancient megalithic stones, and enjoy our time of integration of the activation.
Ritual Adornment Colors: All White
Dec 22 : Day 16
THE SPHINX
The final step of the journey is between the paws of the Sphinx for a private Oracle Ritual to bring forward messages for our lives and the path moving forward.
Ritual Adornment Colors: White and Gold
We complete our journey with a special Farewell Celebration dinner at the Sultan’s Palace, the Mena House that will conclude in our Closing Circle
Dec 23 : Day 17
DEPARTURE
We give our final hugs at check out and continue into whatever magic awaits us moving forward. (B)
As we move closer to the date, it is possible there may be slight changes as we get closer. Surprises and miracles pop up at every corner.
“This is what I was born to do: to love, to know, to change, and to embrace the Infinite. I shall not forget my becoming.”
- Becoming the Falcon God: Awakening Osiris: Normandy Ellis
