Eye on Thoth is an E-zine for people who are interested in tours to Egypt and in the history and culture of Egypt. Check out the E-Zine while you wait for your tour to Egypt
Eye o Eye o Eye o Eye on Thoth Thoth Thoth Thoth Spiritual Egypt Tours Ezine Jun/Jul 2012 Excerpts from Carla & John’s Spiritual Awakening Travel Diary – visiting Dendera & the Temples at Abydos Must See Places to Visit in Egypt – White Desert National Park Latest News for the Journey to Spiritual Awakening Tour Dec 2012 Egyptian Gods & Goddesses – Thoth – God of Wisdom, Communication and Learning Egyptian Magic Symbols Egyptian Cuisine -
Transcript
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Spiritual Egypt Tours Ezine Jun/Jul 2012
� Excerpts from Carla & John’s Spiritual Awakening
Travel Diary – visiting Dendera & the Temples at
Abydos
� Must See Places to Visit in Egypt – White Desert
Latest Tour News How quickly the days are flying. Here we are nearly through June which means we are now less than 6 months away from departing on the tour of a lifetime. Bookings for this fabulous tour close on the 1st of August which is actually only a few weeks away. We still have a few places available so if you are intending to come with us please contact me to register your interest asap. All the earlybird specials have now closed. I have had a couple of people contact me with regards to security and the safety of tourists while in Egypt particularly in light of the events surrounding the Presidential Elections, the imprisonment of Mubarak and now the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood led parliament. Every care is taken to ensure your safety while travelling with us through Egypt. I work with Quest Travel Egypt one of the best tour companies in Egypt and in fact during the revolution in the Egyptian Spring of 2011 they were the only tour company still hosting tour groups on tours throughout Egypt. Even though the Army had closed the sites their tour groups were still gaining access to the sites. Quest Travel takes the security of their guests very seriously and unfolding events within Egypt are closely monitored to ensure that their guests are not exposed to anything that raises security concerns. It is for this reason that the itinerary remains flexible so that we can avoid any trouble spots should they have a potential impact on the tour. The reality is that the unrest is only evident in major cities and only in certain parts of those cities. For instance Cairo is the 3rd largest city in the world and it takes at least 3-4 hours to cross from one side of the city to the next. There are around 22 million people in Cairo alone. Apart from the Cairo Museum, other places that we visit in Cairo are well away from any known trouble spots and we visit the Museum at night on a week day so the potential for trouble is low. You should be aware that even during the revolution when millions were in Tahrir Square, people were still visiting the Cairo Museum on Quest Travel tours without incident. Most of your time in Cairo is spent out at Giza. So to put that into perspective... it takes around 1.5 – 2 hours to drive from Tahrir Square to the pyramids at Giza which is about the same time that it takes to drive from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast or to drive from Canberra to Sydney. During the height of the revolution if you didn’t turn on CNN you weren’t aware that anything was going on in downtown Cairo just as you don’t become aware of what’s happening 2 hours away from you in Australia unless you turn on the news.
I was in Egypt in Cairo in November 2011 during the elections that sparked the revolution. I was reading about incidents in the paper and on TV but saw none of it. My husband called me because he was concerned that there had been a dispute between Muslims and Copts over the building of a church in Giza that he had heard about on the news over here in Australia. I was completely unaware of it and it was virtually around the corner from me. You are only in Cairo for a few days and the rest of the time is spent between Aswan and Luxor and these areas have been trouble free. If security has been a reason for you not going ahead and booking your place on the tour, please be assured that your safety is well taken care of. I am already organising the tours for 2013 and while they are really special with great itineraries, they are not going to be as grand as this December 2012 Tour. My business partners in Egypt have really gone all out to make this tour extra special and have arranged almost 100% private access to all the sites we are visiting. This means that we will be the only people at the site which is magical. Imagine chugging up the Nile River in a river boat leaving your luxury cruise boat before Dawn and arriving at the Island of Philae and the magical Temple of Isis. The temple is outlined against the night sky as you walk through the silent site into the inner sanctuary for your blessings from the Goddess Isis. We will join with the energy of Isis in a meditation before going down to the water to greet the Dawn as the Sun rises over the water. Then we explore the site with our highly knowledgeable Egyptologist. We will be at the site for a few hours before going back to our cruise boat for breakfast while we continue our journey down the Nile River to Kom Ombo. This is only one experience we have planned for you. One other very special experience I have planned for you is exploring the Cairo Museum when it is closed to the public. There is a brand new museum being built under the sands at Giza out near the pyramids which will house the bulk of the collection. This means that once that museum opens which is supposed to be sometime in 2013/2014, we won’t be visiting this wonderful old building and enjoying the energy that currently exists within it. The energy is chaotic and is due to the number of artefacts stored here that should never have been put together. Strange things have occurred in this building and I’ve personally encountered a couple of eerie experiences when visiting the museum when it was closed. This will be the last time that I will be offering this private visit to the Museum. Therefore, if you want to see the artefacts and exhibits in the Cairo Museum without having to wait for the crowds to get out of your way and without having to rush, then this will be your only opportunity to do so. Come and join us in Egypt this year because it truly will be a journey of a lifetime that will create memories that will last you forever.
Spiritual Egypt Tours is hosting a group of people on a special and amazing 16 day journey to awakening through Egypt in December 2012 culminating in a 2 hour private visit to the Kings Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Giza beginning at sunset. Check out the websites for more information, full itinerary as well as lots of articles and videos.
I have had a number of enquiries from singles who are interested in the tour who want to avoid paying the single supplement. The good news is if you are a single and are happy to share with someone we will make every endeavour to provide you with a roommate. Just let us know at the time you make your booking and we will see what we can do for you.
Summary of the Tour
Highlights:
• Be pampered like a Pharaoh in Exclusive 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 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 and one that is not going to be available for much longer because a modern museum is being built in Giza
• Discover Islamic and Coptic Cairo and explore the famous Khan il Khalili Markets
• Most meals are included • All transport including air travel within
Egypt is included • Discover an Egypt that most tourists
Thoth the God of Wisdom, Communication, Writing and Learning
Thoth is one of the major players when it comes to Egyptian Gods. Thoth was worshipped as early as the 4th Millennium BCE. He was worshipped throughout Ancient Egypt but his main cult base was at Hermopolis.
Thoth was among other things, a God of the Moon and is aid to have ruled the night. Thoth became associated with the Moon, due to the Ancient Egyptians observation that Baboons (sacred to Thoth) 'sang' to the moon at night.
The Moon not only provides light at night, allowing the time to still be measured without the sun, but its phases and prominence gave it a significant importance in early astrology/astronomy. The cycles of the moon also organized much of Egyptian society's civil, and religious, rituals, and events. Consequently, Thoth gradually became seen as a god of wisdom, magic, and the measurement, and regulation, of events, and of time. He was thus said to be the secretary and counsellor of Ra, and with Ma'at (truth/order) stood next to Ra on the nightly voyage across the sky, Ra being a sun god.
He was the God of thunder and rain and the God of Justice. He invented writing and temple and tomb texts often show him announcing and writing down the judgements of the dead during the weighing of the heart ceremony. Thoth wrote all the ancient texts, including the most esoteric ones, including The Book of Breathings, which taught humans how to become gods. Thoth is said to convey knowledge of the Underworld, of ethics, of Egyptian geography and of the mysteries.
Thoth Recording the Details at the Weighing of the Heart Ceremony with Set
Thoth was the patron of scribes and is the Egyptian Messenger God giving him also a link to the planet Mercury.
Thoth played a part in many of the myths of Pharaonic Egypt: he played a role in the creation myth and was the recorder for the gods, Thoth was also the teacher and helper of the ancient Egyptian trinity of Isis, Osiris, and Horus. Osiris was murdered by his brother Seth and his body parts were scattered throughout Egypt. Isis searched for all his body parts and through the instructions of Thoth, Isis worked her sacred love magic and with the help of Anubis brought the slain Osiris back to life. Thoth is given the credit for bringing a young Horus back to life after a fatal sting from a scorpion and he also later helps Horus by finding his eye. Thoth was also on hand for Isis to reattach her head when Horus decapitated her.
Thoth later acted as an emissary between the contending armies of Horus and Seth and eventually came to negotiate the peace treaty between these two gods. His role as a mediator between the opposites is thus made evident, perhaps prefiguring the role of the alchemical Mercury as the “medium of the conjunction.” Thoth is usually shown with the head of an ibis bird and the body of a man. He can also be found depicted simply as an ibis or as a baboon. In yet another depiction you will find Thoth as a baboon with the head of a dog. Thoth is also often seen with the crescent Moon and Sun disk on his head, the atef-crown or the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt on his head. You often see Thoth depicted carrying a palette and a pen.
The ancient Egyptians regarded Thoth as One, self-begotten, and self-produced. He was the master of both physical and moral (ie. Divine) law, making proper use of Ma'at. He is credited with making the calculations for the establishment of the heavens, stars, Earth, and everything in them. He is said to direct the motions of the heavenly bodies.
He wrote the story of our reality and then placed it into the grids of the Universe and the Earth for us to experience and learn through the alchemy of time and consciousness. Without his words, the Egyptians believed, the gods would not exist. His power was almost unlimited in the Underworld and rivalled that of Ra and Osiris.
Thoth is given credit for inventing the 365-day calendar. Originally, according to the myth, the year was only 360 days long and Nut the Goddess of the Sky was sterile during these days, unable to bear children. As legend goes he is said to have won the extra 5 days by gambling with the moon, which was then known as Khonsu, in a game of dice, for 1/72nd of its light (5 = 360/72). During these 5 days, Nut gave birth to Kheru-ur (Horus the Elder, Face of Heaven), Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nepthys.
Look out for information on the Gods and Goddesses every month as a regular feature
Thoth was said to have succeeded in understanding the mysteries of the heavens and to have revealed them by inscribing them in sacred books which he then hid here on Earth, intending that they should be searched for by future generations but found by those of the bloodline.
Some of these sacred books are referred to as the 42 Books of Instructions or the 42 Books of Thoth which describe the instructions for achieving immortality plus 2 more books kept separately. The dating of the books is somewhere between the third century BC and the first century AD. Their influence has been tremendous on the development of Western occultism and magic. Neo-pagan witchcraft contains many rituals and much esoteric symbolism based upon Hermetic writings.
Thoth can be found in many tales as the wise counsel and persuader, and his association with learning, and measurement, led him to be connected with Seshat, the earlier deification of wisdom, who was said to be his daughter, or in some versions his wife. She is often seen assisting him during the weighing of the heart ceremonies.
I, Thoth, the Atlantean, master of mysteries,
keeper of records, mighty king, magician, living from generation to generation, being about to pass into the halls of
Amenti, set down for the guidance of those that
are to come after, these records of the mighty wisdom of
Great Atlantis.
In the great city of Keor on the island of Undal,
in a time far past, I began this incarnation.
Not as the little men of the present age did
the mighty ones of Atlantis live and die, but rather from aeon to aeon did they
renew their life in the Halls of Amenti where the
river of life flows eternally onward.
A hundred times ten have I descended the dark way that led into light,
and as many times have I ascended from the
darkness into the light my strength and power renewed.
Now for a time I descend, and the men of Khem (Khem is ancient
Egypt) shall know me no more.
But in a time yet unborn will I rise again, mighty and potent, requiring an
accounting of those left behind me.
Betray not my secrets to the men of the North or the men of the South
lest my curse fall upon ye.
Remember and heed my words, for surely will I return again
and require of thee that which ye guard. Aye, even from beyond time and from beyond death will I return,
rewarding or punishing as ye have requited your truest.
Great were my people in the ancient days,
great beyond the conception of the little people now around me; knowing the wisdom of old,
seeking far within the heart of infinity knowledge that belonged to Earth's
youth.
Wise were we with the wisdom of the Children of Light who dwelt among us. Strong were we with the power drawn
from the eternal fire.
And of all these, greatest among the children of men was my father, Thotme,
keeper of the great temple, link between the Children of Light
who dwelt within the temple and the races of men who inhabited the ten
islands.
Mouthpiece, after the Three, of the Dweller of Unal, speaking to the Kings
with the voice that must be obeyed.
Emerald Tablets of Thoth Tablet No 1 – The History of Thoth the Atlantean
Grew I there from a child into manhood, being taught by my father the elder
mysteries, until in time there grew within the fire of
wisdom, until it burst into a consuming flame.
Naught desired I but the attainment of wisdom.
Until on a great day the command came from the
Dweller of the Temple that I be brought before him.
Few there were among the children of men
who had looked upon that mighty face and lived,
for not as the sons of men are the Children of Light when they are not
incarnate in a physical body.
Chosen was I from the sons of men, taught by the Dweller so that his
purposes might be fulfilled, purposes yet unborn in the womb of time.
Long ages I dwelt in the Temple, learning ever and yet ever more wisdom, until I, too, approached the light emitted
from the great fire.
Taught me he, the path to Amenti, the underworld where the great king sits
upon his throne of might.
Deep I bowed in homage before the Lords of Life
and the Lords of Death, receiving as my gift the Key of Life.
Free was I of the Halls of Amenti, bound not be death to the circle of life.
Far to the stars I journeyed until space and time became as naught.
Then having drunk deep of the cup of wisdom,
I looked into the hearts of men and there found I greater mysteries and was glad.
For only in the Search for Truth could my Soul be stilled and the flame within be
quenched.
Down through the ages I lived, seeing those around me taste of the cup
of death and return again in the light of life.
Gradually from the Kingdoms of Atlantis passed waves
of consciousness that had been one with me,
only to be replaced by spawn of a lower star.
In obedience to the law, the word of the Master grew into flower. Downward into the darkness turned the
thoughts of the Atlanteans, Until at last in this wrath arose from his
Agwanti, the Dweller, (this word has no English
equivalent; it means a state of detachment)
speaking The Word, calling the power.
Deep in Earth's heart, the sons of Amenti heard,
and hearing, directing the changing of the flower of fire
that burns eternally, changing and shifting, using the Logos,
until that great fire changed its direction.
Over the world then broke the great waters, drowning and sinking,
changing Earth's balance until only the Temple of Light was left
standing on the great mountain on Undal still rising out of the water;
some there were who were living, saved from the rush of the fountains.
Called to me then the Master, saying: Gather ye together my people.
Take them by the arts ye have learned of far across the waters,
until ye reach the land of the hairy barbarians,
dwelling in caves of the desert. Follow there the plan that yet know of.
Gathered I then my people and entered the great ship of the Master.
Upward we rose into the morning. Dark beneath us lay the Temple. Suddenly over it rose the waters.
Vanished from Earth, until the time appointed, was the great Temple.
Fast we fled toward the sun of the morning, until beneath us lay the land of the children
of Khem. Raging, they came with cudgels and
spears, lifted in anger seeking to slay and utterly
destroy the Sons of Atlantis.
Then raised I my staff and directed a ray of vibration,
striking them still in their tracks as fragments of stone of the mountain.
Then spoke I to them in words calm and peaceful,
telling them of the might of Atlantis, saying we were children of the Sun and its
messengers. Cowed I them by my display of magic-
science, until at my feet they grovelled, when I
released them.
Long dwelt we in the land of Khem, long and yet long again.
Until obeying the commands of the Master, who while sleeping yet lives eternally, I sent from me the Sons of Atlantis,
sent them in many directions, that from the womb of time wisdom
might rise again in her children.
Long time dwelt I in the land of Khem, doing great works by the wisdom within
me. Upward grew into the light of knowledge
the children of Khem, watered by the rains of my wisdom.
Blasted I then a path to Amenti so that I might retain my powers,
living from age to age a Sun of Atlantis, keeping the wisdom, preserving the
records.
Great few the sons of Khem, conquering the people around them,
growing slowly upwards in Soul force.
Now for a time I go from among them into the dark halls of Amenti,
deep in the halls of the Earth, before the Lords of the powers,
face to face once again with the Dweller.
Raised I high over the entrance, a doorway, a gateway leading down to
Amenti.
Few there would be with courage to dare it, few pass the portal to dark Amenti.
Raised over the passage, I, a mighty pyramid,
using the power that overcomes Earth force (gravity).
Deep and yet deeper place I a force-house or chamber;
from it carved I a circular passage reaching almost to the great summit.
There in the apex, set I the crystal, sending the ray into the "Time-Space," drawing the force from out of the ether,
concentrating upon the gateway to Amenti.
Other chambers I built and left vacant to all seeming,
yet hidden within them are the keys to Amenti.
He who in courage would dare the dark realms,
let him be purified first by long fasting.
Lie in the sarcophagus of stone in my chamber.
Then reveal I to him the great mysteries. Soon shall he follow to where I shall meet
him, even in the darkness of Earth shall I meet
him, I, Thoth, Lord of Wisdom, meet him and hold
him and dwell with him always.
Builded I the Great Pyramid, patterned after the pyramid of Earth force,
burning eternally so that it, too, might remain through the ages.
In it, I builded my knowledge of "Magic-Science"
so that I might be here when again I return from Amenti,
Aye, while I sleep in the Halls of Amenti, my Soul roaming free will incarnate,
dwell among men in this form or another. (Hermes, thrice-born.)
Emissary on Earth am I of the Dweller, fulfilling his commands so many might be
lifted. Now return I to the halls of Amenti,
leaving behind me some of my wisdom. Preserve ye and keep ye the command of
the Dweller: Lift ever upwards your eyes toward the light.
Surely in time, ye are one with the Master, surely by right ye are one with the Master, surely by right yet are one with the ALL.
Now, I depart from ye. Know my commandments, keep them and be them,
and I will be with you, helping and guiding you into the Light.
Now before me opens the portal. Go I down in the darkness of night
Lie in the sarcophagus of stone in my chamber.
Then reveal I to him the great mysteries. Soon shall he follow to where I shall meet
him, even in the darkness of Earth shall I meet him, I, Thoth, Lord of Wisdom, meet him
and hold him and dwell with him always.
Regular Feature
This Tour of Egypt is certainly living up to the grandiose claims from the website marketing. Being in the marketing game myself, I'm pretty good at recognising the smoke and mirrors we use to talk up a product. But with this tour of Egypt I'm being hard pressed finding anything that doesn't measure up to what was promised.
The Egyptologist with us certainly seems to know his stuff and is full of information - some of which you won't find in the guide books - and he has no trouble handling the vast number of questions that people in our group are throwing at him. He also has a great personality and if I didn't know better I'd swear that he is Australian because his sense of humour is wicked. Last night a few of us went out on the town in Luxor with him. We certainly met some interesting people and the stories he had to tell about life in Luxor had me fascinated.
But today after a very early morning start (well before sunrise) we headed out into the desert by coach to Dendera and Abydos. Dendera is located about 60 klms North of Luxor and is on the West Bank of the Nile River opposite the East Bank town called Qena.
Dendera dates back to the end of the 1st Dynasty and was the centre for the cult worship of Hathor who is also known as the Cow God. We also saw many depictions of the God Bes who like Hathor is associated with childbirth. It is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt according to our Egyptologist and it was certainly impressive.
Hathor Temple at Dendera and the Temples of Abydos
– Day 5 Spiritual Awakening in Egypt
The Egypt Travel Journal of Carla & John Part 11
The temple is world famous for the Zodiac that is depicted on the ceiling in one of the temples. It's not the original due to the fact that Napolean helped himself to the original and transported it back to France.
On one of the walls is a carving that many believe is an early
electric light globe. I have to agree that it looks a lot like one. You be the judge.
Carla is so soft hearted which is one of the things I love about her and she is a great animal lover. There are a number of dogs roaming around the Dendera complex and Carla made a friend of every one I think. This dog in particular followed her around for ages. She said that it reminded her of one of our dogs who died a couple of years ago.
From Dendera we headed North to the very beautiful temple complex at Abydos. The Abydos complex of temples covers nearly 5 miles and contains ruins from nearly all the periods of ancient Egypt. Abydos has been the centre of worship for Osiris for thousands of years.
One of the features of Abydos is a wall on which a list of all the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt have been recorded in stone. It also has an ancient site known as the Osireion. It contains offering scenes and other scenes from the Book of Gates and the Book of the Dead.
There is also a faint carving of a now famous symbol known as the Flower of Life. The Flower of Life is one of the strongest shapes in sacred geometry. Apparently wearing the Flower of Life as an amulet aids in healing. I think I will surprise Carla with one if she doesn't beat me to it.
I dabble in photography from time to time and I was fascinated by the play of light within the Temple of Seti 1. The walls and columns are still beautifully coloured and shafts of light seem to pour into the temple bathing the ancient stones in an almost ethereal light. Carla joined in a meditation but for me just soaking in this beauty that has survived across the centuries was incredibly uplifting and relaxing.
There was so much to see today. My head is beginning to hit overload with all the information our Egyptologist is passing on to us and we've only just begun our visits to the temples. It was a long drive back to Luxor and to our boat and I think most of us on the tour fell asleep - but what a day.
Tomorrow morning we head off to the West Bank and the Valley of the Kings to visit the tombs of the Pharaohs. We've got another early morning start to visit the funerary temple of Hatshepsut the only female pharaoh.
But for now I've off to enjoy dinner. The food here is really something special. Egyptian food is aromatic with just a hint of spiciness although they tell me that they can make it a lot hotter. The desserts here are spectacular. They are created to first appeal to the eye
because once the eyes send the message that it looks good then the rest is history in the taste buds. But they don't only look good they also taste good. I have to admit that I have somewhat of a sweet tooth but after I get home I am going to have to double the time that I spend in the gym to work off my indulgences on this trip.
I think she would hate me for saying it, but Carla is also putting on a little weight and it is making her look utterly gorgeous - not that she wasn't before but the last couple of years have taken their toll and she had become too thin but now she is blossoming. It is wonderful to see her so full of life and to hear her really laughing again. Egypt certainly does have something magical weaving through it. Anyway dinner awaits!!
Regular Feature
Must See Sites in Egypt
White Desert National Park
The White Desert National Park is situated about 5 hours drive south of Cairo. This is a remote region of Egypt that is the heart land for Egypt’s fast growing eco tourism sector. The White Desert is renowned for its spectacular scenery. The chalk-white landscape is strewn with alien shapes, boulders of brilliant white which thrust up from the surface of the desert, intensified by the clear light of noon, shimmering gold at sunset or blackened and shrunken in a cloud-filled sky.
In the remote past, the White Desert was a sea-bed, the sedimentary layers of rock formed by marine animals when the ocean dried up. These animals lived over 80,000,000 years ago. When the seabed emerged, the deposits were gradually eroded, carved and sculptured for millions of years by atmospheric agents which gave rise to pinnacles (now known as mushrooms) whose shapes sometimes resemble mysterious
animals, camels, sphinxes and human faces. Some of these monoliths are dozens of feet high and soar toward the sky like massive peaks or towers, while others have a rounded shape.
Later a habitat for many roaming herds of elephant, giraffe, gazelle and other animals, the desert would have been a savannah with lush green areas and lakes full of fish, an ideal hunting ground for pre-historic man. The landscape we see today was formed by the plateau breaking down, leaving harder rock shapes standing while the softer parts are eroded away by wind and sand. In some parts the chalk surface still has the appearance of delicate wind-ruffled waves on water.
In the White Desert National Park there are three main springs surrounded by palm trees and luxuriant vegetation which provide water to the fauna of the region (small foxes, gazelles and small rodents).
A natural wonder of Egypt, the White Desert is now a protectorate, known as the White Desert Park, where designated routes must be followed when driving in 4WD vehicles. The outer parts nearest the road are known as the Old Desert and can be reached in a normal vehicle.
The White Desert is one of the most extraordinary and famous regions in the entire Sahara Desert.
Beyond this is the ‘New Desert’ which is only accessible by 4WD or camel, the landscape becomes even whiter. The boulders crowd together, and are higher and larger than elsewhere. Everywhere weird shapes appear that might remind you of a chicken or a hawk, a troupe of dancers or an old man wearing a hat. The shapes change constantly as the light changes and you move around them and as the sun begins to set they turn a softly glowing pink.
A night under the stars in the White Desert is an experience never forgotten. As the sky turns pink then deepest fiery orange, the rock-shapes fade and silence is all around. Sitting around a small fire and enjoying the simplest meal of chicken, rice and vegetables, you will feel like nothing has ever tasted so good.
If the moon is near full, the white chalk rock shapes glow eerily, like ghosts in the darkness under a sky still filled with bright stars and there is no need for artificial lights. The silence is immense and there is a feeling of unreality as though walking on the surface of Mars. If it is a New Moon, then the stars will be like a billion diamonds against the dark sky.
You roll out a sleeping bag on the soft sand and either out in the open or in a small tent. You crawl inside your sleeping bag and lie side by side with your companions like a row of mummies gazing at the brilliant stars tracking their path across the skies. A desert fox may drop by to clear up scraps of food, and just as quickly vanish again into the darkness, leaving only paw prints as evidence, along with bird tracks in the sand.
Just before dawn, the wonderful smell of coffee brewing on the fire should bring you out of your sleeping bag. A brisk walk before breakfast soon has the blood flowing again and a whole new desert emerges as the sun appears over the horizon, washed clean by the sparkling clear morning light.
There is so much to see when you visit this magical place but it is also a place that you
experience with your senses. One of the places we visit is Crystal Mountain which is
actually a collapsed caved that is filled with ancient crystals that are mainly calcite. It is a
photographer’s dream to spend a couple days and nights here because there is a photo
opportunity around every corner and the sunrises and sunsets have to be seen to be
believed. This is a pristine wilderness is unfortunately becoming fragile with unrestricted
tourism so now there are designated places that tourists can go to. This area may
decrease in time so now is the time to see this beautiful part of the world.
My tour group will be spending the night in the White Desert sleeping under the stars or in
tents whichever they choose and there will be a new Moon that night so the stars will be
shining in all their magnificent glory. The White Desert National Park is a very special
place to visit and an even harder place to leave.
Magic Practices in Ancient Egypt
By Rhonnda Fritz
Many believe that magic had its origins in the mystery schools of ancient Egypt. However, magic goes much further back than this. The ancient Egyptians had an affinity with the land and the universe. They were part of the whole and as such believed nature and the cosmos influenced their lives. The magic created in Ancient Egypt in fact has its origins in the star systems of the Universe. We have no concrete proof, just an enormous number of unexplained things that clearly suggest that the Ancient Egyptians knew far more than we can possibly comprehend even with our so called advanced technology.
The term the ancient Egyptians used to describe magic is "Heka". Heka was believed to be a natural force that is present throughout the universe. It was used by the creator to create and animate the world. Heka was available for use by both Gods and mortals. The Ancient Egyptians used their magic mainly as a means to ward off the forces of evil. Their religion was also connected into the realm of magic in that their Gods had magical powers for things like healing, for upliftment, for vengeance, for protection as well as for ensuring the soul had a safe journey through the afterlife. The symbolic meaning of the practices was thought to have influenced the Gods and the forces of nature and symbols feature very heavily throughout the ancient world.
The Sun, the Moon, the Stars and the Nile River were all exceedingly important to the Ancient Egyptians and all were considered to have magical properties. The Sun was the manifestation of Ra giving life, warmth and light enabling crops to grow and life in general to exist. The Ancient Egyptians believed that Ra (the Sun) died each evening as he sank below the horizon and entered into the underworld. There he would travel through twelve doors that represented the 12 hours of night then to be reborn in the morning as he rose above the horizon.
The Moon was represented by the Nurturing Mother figure of Isis. The lunar cycle was very closely followed and was attributed to the daily living of the Ancient Egyptian people. Many of the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt were depicted with the full Moon disk above their heads between two horns to denote fertility. Crops were planted, tended and harvested in accordance with the lunar cycles. Children were often conceived in Royal households according to the phase of the Moon.
Ra the Sun safe within her as he travelled through the underworld until he emerged again at Dawn. The ancient Egyptians frequently interpreted these two lights as the eyes of the sky god Horus, whose left eye was the Moon and whose right eye was the Sun. According to myth, the left eye was weaker because it had been damaged. This myth was elaborated upon in various cult centres throughout Ancient Egypt.
The Moon was considered to be the manifestation of the Sun at night (known as Re during the night hours) while the Sun in the form of Ra was travelling through the underworld. The Moon was also considered to be the “the Ruler of the Stars”. The Evening was the realm of Nut the Sky Goddess who held up the sky by arching her body high over the earth. She covered herself with stars and held the solar boat of Ra safely within her body under he emerged safely from the underworld at Dawn.
The Nile River was extremely sacred to the Ancient Egyptians. To them the Nile was an extension of the Milky Way where the Sky Gods lived. The Nile also brought nutrients and water for their crops during the yearly inundation. Whenever I’ve travelled on the Nile River, particularly between Aswan and Luxor, I’ve always felt a deep connection to the Spirit of the river and I always experience a sense of deep relaxation where all my cares and worries simply disappear and I become whole again and connected in mind, body and spirit.
Early Egyptian magic was also used for personal gain to influence others by, for example, casting spells for love or to create wealth, or even to perhaps cause harm to enemies and also bring protection to the door. Most rituals included the incantation of spells. Spells consisted of two parts - the words to be spoken and the actions to be followed. Words and names and especially the secret names of deities had to be pronounced correctly in order for the power of the magic to be effective.
The words might be spoken to activate the power of an amulet, a statue, or even a potion. Some of these potions contained bizarre ingredients such as the blood of a black dog, or the milk of a woman who had born a male child. Music, dance and gestures such as pointing and stamping, would also sometimes form part of a spell.
Only a small percentage of Ancient Egyptians were fully literate, so written magic was the most prestigious kind of all. Private collections of spells were treasured possessions that were handed down within families. Protective or healing spells written on papyrus were sometimes folded up and worn on the body because it was believed that the symbols contained within the hieroglyphs were very powerful magic.
Angry deities, jealous ghosts, foreign demons and sorcerers were thought to cause misfortunes such as illness, accidents, poverty and infertility. Magic provided a defence system against these ills for individuals throughout their lives. Stamping, shouting, and making a loud noise with rattles, drums and tambourines were all thought to drive hostile forces away from vulnerable women, such as those who were pregnant or about to give birth, and from children who were often at risk from dying of childhood diseases. The walls of the temples and tombs are covered with images to deflect evil from causing harm.
The lion-dwarf Bes and the hippopotamus goddess Taweret were often represented on furniture and household items. Their job was to protect the home, especially at night when the forces of chaos were felt to be at their most powerful. Images of the Gods and Goddesses were also used in jewellery in the form of amulets. Ancient Egyptians of all classes wore protective amulets, which could take the form of powerful deities or animals, or use royal names and symbols.
Other amulets were designed to magically endow the wearer with desirable qualities, such as long life, prosperity and good health. Most people who visit Egypt today come home with their name written in hieroglyphics on a rectangular shaped amulet made from gold or silver. This is known as a cartouche. The names of pharaohs are depicted on the walls of the temples and tombs within this same rectangular shape. Your name carries within it great personal magic that is specific to you and wearing your personal cartouche amplifies this magic especially if it is worn on a long chain and the cartouche rests against your heart.
Another popular piece of symbolic jewellery that has come out of Ancient Egypt is the Ankh. The Ankh represents the key of life and was used in the Opening of the Mouth Ceremonies prior to dispatching the dead to the afterlife.
The main practitioners of magic were the temple priests. They had access to magical texts and rituals. It was the temple priests and priestesses who often were the healers because they had access to powerful healing magic and knowledge of healing remedies. In most of the temples there were special healing rooms and birthing rooms. From the temple texts it is very clear that the Ancient Egyptians had very advanced healing practices. In fact some of these ancient techniques are still in use today. When I visit these temples with my tour groups we always enter these healing chambers and settle into a period of quiet meditation and healing. This is something very special to experience because it is often at high energy times of the day or night and always when the temple is closed to the public that we visit so we are able to have complete privacy to raise the energy and use it for self healing.
Magic was not so much an alternative to medical treatment as a complementary therapy. Surviving medical-magical papyri contain spells used by medical healers, Sekhmet priests and scorpion-charmers. The spells were often targeted at demons that were believed to be the ultimate cause of diseases. Knowing the names of these demons gave the magician, healer or priest power to act against them. Since demons were thought to be attracted by foul things, attempts were sometimes made to lure them out of the patient's body with dung; at other times a sweet substance such as honey was used, to repel them. Another technique was for the healer to draw images of deities on the patient's skin. The patient then licked these off, to absorb their healing power. The Ancient Egyptians certainly had a very high degree of understanding for the power of the mind and the mind, body and spirit connection.
Dawn was the most propitious time to perform magic. The priests and priestesses had to be in a state of purity before engaging in any ritual magic or religion rites. This included bathing the body and cleansing and purifying the mind so that there was a clear channel through which the magic could flow. They would also often dress in new or clean clothes to perform the rituals. Metal wands representing the snake goddess were carried by some practitioners of magic. Semi-circular ivory wands - decorated with fearsome deities - were used in the second millennium BC. The wands were symbols of the authority of the magician to summon powerful beings, and to make them obey him or her. It is from these wands that the international symbol for medicine, the caduceus, has been derived.
Egyptian Cuisine
EGYPTIAN KOSHARY PASTA
This meatless dish layers common grains, such as rice, lentils and pasta with a tomato-cinnamon flavoured sauce. I first tasted it in a restaurant in downtown Cairo with 2 of my local friends when I was in Egypt recently. The restaurant was only a stones throw from Tahrir Square. I was a little dubious at first about eating out where the locals eat but I needn’t have been concerned. This dish is absolutely heavenly. I ordered a small bowl of it because I wasn’t sure what I was letting myself in for but I was certainly wishing that I had ordered the large size by the last mouthful. It is surprisingly light and extremely tasty.
EGYPTIAN KOSHARY PASTA
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 2 cups raw white rice 3 cups water 1 (16 ounce) package raw elbow macaroni 1 cup beluga lentils, rinsed in water 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 5 onions, chopped 1/2 cup tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 4 ripe tomatoes, diced 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions:
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan on medium-high flame. Mix in rice; go on stirring
until rice is covered with oil, for almost minutes. Include 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Simmer; reduce flame to low, put lid on, and boil until the rice is soft and water has been
soaked, for almost 30 minutes.
Fill a big pot with slightly salted water and simmer, give it a rolling boil over high flame. Mix in
the macaroni, and it needs a second boil. Cook the macaroni without cover, stirring
infrequently until it has cooked throughout but is still hard to the bite, for almost 10 minutes.
Drain well in a strainer. Put back macaroni to cooking pan, cover and keep hot.
Immerse lentils for almost half hour. Drain and wash, then drain again. Simmer 2 cups of
water in a pan and mix in lentils. Simmer; cover and trim down heat to low. Boil until lentils
are soft for 25 minutes. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a big skillet over medium-high flame. Stir the onions in the
oil, stirring frequently, until they start to caramelize, for 20 minutes. Onions should be a fine
caramelized coffee color. Put in garlic and stir another minute. Take away from pan, drain on
a kitchen towel lined plate.
Put half of the onion batter into a pan. Stir in the vinegar. Include the chopped tomatoes with
tomato paste, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Simmer
then reduce flame to medium-low and boil for another 15 minutes.
Serve by putting a full spoon of rice, then macaroni, and after that the lentils on serving dish.
Garnish with some of the caramelized onions, and then top with tomato sauce
3 cups semolina 1 cup flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup sugar 1 cup oil 1 cup milk
BASBOUSA - SEMOLINA CAKE WITH HONEY AND LEMON
Instructions:
1. To make the syrup: Peel the lemon with a potato peeler to get flat strips of peel.
2. Juice the lemon.
3. Bring the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil.
4. Throw in the rind of the lemon.
5. Boil until the lemon rind is hard or the mixture is a runny syrup consistency.
6. Add the honey.
7. Set aside while you make the basbousa.
8. Mix the semolina, flour, sugar, and baking powder.
9. Add the oil and mix until all the batter is well blended.
10. Grease a large cookie sheet tray (10 x 16 inches).
11. Add the milk just before you are about to bake.
12. Dot the mixture into the greased pan by spoonfuls.
13. Level the mixture with your hand (dipped in milk).
14. Shake the tray to level.
15. Bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.
16. Cut into squares and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.
17. Pour the syrup over the basbousa immediately after you remove it from the oven the last time
Kibbeh (Stuffed Cracked Wheat Shells)
WHEAT SHELLS 250 g (8 oz) burghul (cracked wheat) 500 g (1 lb) minced beef 1 onion, coarsely chopped salt and pepper STUFFING
1 onion, finely chopped 2 Tbs. sunflower oil 2 Tbs. pine-nuts 500 g (1 lb) minced beef salt and pepper sunflower oil for deep-frying
Instructions:
To make the shells, soak the cracked wheat for about 20 minutes in water, then drain. Blend the meat, onion, salt and pepper in a food processor. Then process again, in batches, with the cracked wheat and continue until the mixture is soft enough to work like a dough. Knead well by hand
For the stuffing, fry the onion in oil till soft, then add the pine-nuts and fry till golden. Add the meat, salt and pepper and stir until the meat changes colour.
Wet your hands. Take a small egg-sized portion of the shell mixture and roll into a ball. Make a hole in the centre with your finger and shape into a thin-walled pot with a pointed bottom by turning and pressing it in your palm. Place some stuffing into the hole and pinch the top of the pot together to seal it. Shape the top into a point. Repeat with the rest of the mixtures, wetting your hands frequently.
Heat the oil. Deep-fry 4 or 5 kibbeh at a time until golden brown and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot. Makes 20.
““““How You Choose To Live Your Life Lies Within YHow You Choose To Live Your Life Lies Within YHow You Choose To Live Your Life Lies Within YHow You Choose To Live Your Life Lies Within Your Own Handsour Own Handsour Own Handsour Own Hands””””
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