Home » Egyptian Odyssey

Category: Egyptian Odyssey

Part 3b: Experience the Egyptian Odyssey Through My Eyes

The next Egyptian Odyssey in December 2023 is being planned now. Stay tuned for updates and the upcoming Brochure!

As we made our way back to our hotel after our amazing pre-dawn audience with the goddess Sekhmet, it became more and more evident– we were home. We were home in Egypt, we were home with each other, we were home with ourselves.

The rest of our day was packed with great experiences and adventures, each of them in some way, a spiritual ceremony in a temple-like setting.

The first I call “ceremony of the scarves”. One of Rina’s merchant friends, the coat-maker, asked Rina to show us the scarves and tapestries the people of his village had made. I thought that it was a good idea, but I didn’t know how they’d be received by the Odyssey-ites because they were “just scarves”. We met outside Rina’s hotel room where she’d opened the scarf trunk and displayed the colorful, beautifully made scarves and tapestries of all descriptions. What followed next was an intense shopping frenzy!

They weren’t “just scarves”– some were a luxurious 2-color cashmere-blend, and others were magnificent pieces of vibrant, woven art. No matter what the design, each beautiful scarf was a piece of cloth carrying the ages-old energy of Egypt. (For information on where to obtain one of these beauties, please see the note at the end of this article.)

Needless to say, Rina’s supply of scarves soon sold out and we were asking her to call him and get more scarves. Happily, more scarves arrived before day’s end.

Right after the scarves, we checked out of our beautiful Nile island resort, and were taken to the port where we boarded our home for the next four days– the cruise ship that would take us on a soul-recollection sail down the Nile River. The cruise ship was beautiful and each stateroom had windows that gave us our own personal view of an Egypt that you only read about.

We had a much-needed rest which fortified us for an enchanting visit to a generations old papyrus shop and our next “temple” adventure– jewelry shopping! It’s my personal feeling that we, our bodies, are temples housing the soul and we need to celebrate that by adorning our body-temples with objects of beauty, like jewelry. Jewelry is not just for decorative purposes; because it is Astrologically ruled by the planet Venus, which rules self-value, it also functions as an indicator of how much you value yourself. We all chipped in and got our travel agent, Sharon Polidoro of Berkshire Travel Group, a cartouche with her name on it written in hieroglyphics. We agreed that Sharon, whom I call a “travel angel”, worked miracles arranging our travel plans.

 

That afternoon in the jewelry shop, we were paired with an attendant who helped us discover our own personal indicators. If they didn’t have what we wanted in stock, they’d custom alter an existing piece of jewelry for us. One of the things I loved most about our time in the jewelry temple was how we Odyssey-ites helped each other when we were stuck in an old belief pattern that negated our value and tried to convince us that we didn’t deserve to treat ourselves well.

We gave ourselves the power of permission to be, to do, to have as we spotted our treasures, negotiated the prices, assisted each other, and adorned ourselves as the royalty we are. Each of us displayed our now conscious knowledge of our worth by choosing jewelry pieces that regally reflected our true selves. One of Thomas’ acquisitions was a silver band ring with raised gold hieroglyphics– so simple, yet so exquisite. I’m definitely getting one of those band rings on my next Odyssey.

One of the wonderful gifts I received while in the jewelry “temple” was from Ciera. As I sought but didn’t find a Sekhmet pendant design that would commemorate my time with her in her temple, I told Ciera of my search and frustration. She pointed at the Sekhmet cartouche I was wearing and asked, “What about the one you’re wearing?” I explained that it was one I’d bought in the States months before our Odyssey because I was told by the Goddess that I needed to wear her symbol at all times. Ciera then pointed out, “You wore that pendant when we were in Sekhmet’s temple so it’s infused with her energy.” I have no words for the joy I felt at that realization and the gratitude I felt toward Ciera for pointing it out!

At one point, I told Rina I wanted a Sekhmet pendant like the one she was wearing and a Ma’at feather pendant like the one she wore when we’d first met a year ago. She told me that those two pendant designs were from a different vendor, and she promised to get them for me.

Finally, we were done shopping at the jewelry “temple” and we boarded the coach for our return to the cruise ship where, over a delicious lunch, we enjoyed admiring each other’s acquisitions and showing off our newly acquired treasures. As we ate, talked, and admired, it was decided that the visit to the jewelry shop had only been a preliminary visit. One of the Jennifers turned to me and said, “Now that we’ve had time to admire and think about our purchases and experience, we realize there are some other pieces we want to look at and possibly buy. We’ve decided that the jewelry shopping needs to be done in two shifts, so we need to go back later today and complete the process.”

Rarely in life do you encounter true kindred spirits. My soul was overjoyed and my heart sang as I sat at that dining table, realizing again that I’d found my tribe. The first trip to the jewelry shop was considered a reconnaissance trip and we needed to make a second trip to the jewelry shop– yes, these were my kind of people! I spoke with Rina and she assured me that it could be arranged. Life is good!

After lunch we went to check out the “living room” of the ship– the top deck. A swimming pool, comfy deck loungers, a bar, dining tables, a stunning view of the Nile– more beauty and luxury and we were still in port!

Later that evening, just after dark, we returned to Karnak temple. This visit was different than the one we began our day with. For starters, we were different. So much transformation in such a short amount of time– the weight of lifetimes fallen away, the further discovery of our value, the irrefutable knowing of who we were/are– all priceless gifts. This visit was different, too, because the temple complex was crowded with people, some tourists and some Luxor residents. (Imagine what it must be like to live near Karnak temple, where you and your family take your nightly stroll!) This time, instead of having a specific destination in mind, we were given a meeting place and time and then instructed to wander and explore.

Everyone came back with stories of their own wondrous adventure. My favorite was Renata’s. In her wanderings, she came upon a group of Egyptian school kids on a field trip with their teacher. The kids instantly recognized the Light and beauty of her spirit and surrounded her, excitedly asking where she was from and what she did. When she told them she was an Intuitive, they all held their little hands out to her and asked her to read their palms! Can you imagine what that must have been like for the kids and Renata? All of that Light, wonder, joy, and curiosity! Lucky Renata, lucky kids!

We regrouped and boarded the coach for our return to the ship. Those of us who were completing the jewelry temple experience, were dropped off at the jewelry shop. Though late, they’d stayed open for us. They greeted us warmly and commenced to show us treasures we’d missed or hadn’t realized the value of on our first visit. They brought out some back-room treasures, too. Though tempting, I knew I was only accompanying the return group and wasn’t interested in buying any new pieces. So how did I leave there with a lotus ring, an Eye of Horus pendant, and an Anubis pendant? What can I say?– the heart wants what the heart wants.

Our little group returned to the ship in time to join the rest of the Odyssey-ites for a late dinner. We all had a great time talking about our experiences, sharing our insights, and showing off our beautiful new jewelry treasures.

Rina sat next to me and quietly got my attention. In her hand, she held a small, cloth wrapped bundle. She opened it and there were the Sekhmet and Ma’at pendants I wanted! My heart was so full. There was something very special and familiar about those pieces and just knowing that I could have them again (they were mine in a previous incarnation) was almost more than I could bear. I asked her, “How much are they?” as I reached for my purse.

She held my hand open in her hand and placed the pendants in it as she looked into my eyes and answered, “You are my sister and these are my gifts to you”. As I looked into her eyes, I saw again, scenes that confirmed lifetime after lifetime after lifetime that Rina and I are sisters, priestesses, healers, and warriors who’ve been in each other’s lives almost since time began. I don’t have words that describe what I felt. I wish I did, because I would tell you and then you would feel it, too. What I do know is this– everyone deserves to feel like that.

We went up to the top deck once more before we retired for the evening. Underneath the beautiful night sky, someone exclaimed, “Can you believe it, we are on a ship cruising the Nile River!” Doreene responded, “Again!” Yes, life is good.

***Melissa, the owner of Crystal Essence in Great Barrington, MA, has obtained several of these beautiful scarves for sale at her shop. Please contact the store for details and to buy your own piece of Egyptian energy– 413-528-2595 and/or email, CrystalEssence.com

Part 3a: Experience the Egyptian Odyssey Through My Eyes

Divine Love
Divine Love

On a chilly, pre-dawn, Full Moon morning, we gathered together in the lobby of the luxe River Nile island resort we were staying at in Luxor. A combination of sleepy and excited, we milled about wondering out loud and to ourselves how we’d be received by the fierce goddess we were on our way to meet. Everyone had heard me tell of my personal, life-changing meeting with the goddess Sekhmet the previous year. Now, they were on the way to their own personal meeting with her.

For me, regardless of whatever else I experienced on the Egyptian Odyssey, spending time with Sekhmet again was what I was looking forward to the most. She is all things– fiercely protective and pure unconditional maternal love, as she heals and guides you through this journey called life. Great Mother energy is a recurring theme for me and I feel privileged to have been called to her.

We boarded the coach and were uncharacteristically silent as we rode through the still, dark streets of Luxor on the way to her private temple in the Karnack temple complex. Once we arrived at Karnack, we were escorted to Sekhmet’s outer temple by the guards who lit the way with their mega-watt flashlights.

There, in her outer temple stands a stone altar. We intuitively knew we were to form a circle around it. I instructed them to put their hands on the altar and told them that I would call them into the temple to meet Sekhmet, one at a time.

Rina and I went into the main temple and were greeted by her temple guardian, a man with a beautiful spirit and of such indeterminant age, you knew he’d been her temple guardian for countless numbers of lifetimes.

I wish I could describe in words what it feels like to be in the space of that inner temple. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more content, more at peace, more ageless and endless than I felt standing in Sekhmet’s inner temple that morning. Rina went to see her first. After a few minutes, it was my turn. She embraced me (how does a stone statue embrace you? I don’t know how; I only know that she did) and my soul felt loved, protected, and filled with an indescribable sense of peaceful joy. She thanked me for bringing her children to her and told me she was ready to meet them again.

As I prepared to leave her presence, she said, “Oh, and take off your hat!” Yes, I was standing in the presence of the goddess and had forgotten to approach her properly! I laughed, removed my beret, and went to get Casy, whom she specifically asked for first.

There was a correct order to the process and Rina, a high priestess of Sekhmet, guided me as I guided Casy and the others through the process before I handed them to the temple guardian who escorted them to Sekhmet. I noticed that he escorted each of them to different positions of closeness to her. He knew where each soul needed to stand on the path and Sekhmet met them the rest of the way. With each meeting, that person’s suffering was lifted from them and replaced by love.

Rina and I worked smoothly together; of course we would– we had overseen this same ceremonial mission over countless lifetimes. After everyone had their private meeting with her, we all held hands and formed a circle with her at one end and her temple guardian at the other. We said a prayer for those who were too ill to join us in person and I spoke and delivered the message Sekhmet wanted us to have before I instructed the Odyssey-ites to form pairs and approach her and hug her.

Melissa was in one of the last pairs to hug her and afterwards, she called me over and told me she had to go again, but this time with Jinan. Again, I wish I had words to describe what I felt as I realized what Melissa’s words meant. I knew then that Melissa and Jinan had a soul bond that was deeper and more beautiful than anything I could have imagined– I knew that these two sisters and temple priestesses had found each other again. I felt awed and humbled to be in the presence of such perfection. (Even now, I’m overcome with emotion as I remember and write about it.)

I found Jinan and took her to Melissa. I watched as they silently approached and embraced Sekhmet. And then my heart almost stopped from witnessing the pure beauty of what happened next. With their eyes closed, while still embracing Sekhmet, Melissa took Jinan’s right hand in her left hand and placed them on the front of Sekhmet’s heart. I had never witnessed so great a demonstration of Divine Love before that moment. Although I don’t remember taking it, there is a photo of that moment on my phone. Did I somehow, have the presence of– what? It couldn’t be presence of mind– I was completely out of my body by then– to take a photo of that moment? What else I didn’t know at the time was that at the very moment Melissa was reaching for Jinan’s right hand with her left and placing it over the front of Sekhmet’s heart, Jinan was simultaneously reaching for Melissa’s right hand with her left hand and placing them over the back of Sekhmet’s heart! Perfection!

It was time for us to leave Sekhmet and gather around the alter stone in her outer temple again. Rina placed a bag on the altar stone and told me the bag contained individual bottles of lotus oil, and that lotus oil would consecrate our experience. “You must touch them!” she said as she placed each bottle of oil in my hand, further instructing me to personally hand each of the Odyssey-ites a container of the oil. That was another time-out-of-time instance and I did as instructed, marvelling at how deeply connected to Spirit Rina is.

As we left Sekhmet’s temple, the sun was coming up, and that’s when we could see it– with the exception of the temple priests and the guards, we were the only other people walking through Karnack temple. I wish you could’ve been there with us, a handful of souls bonding with our past, each other, and ourselves as we walked through the vastness of the thousands of years old Karnack temple complex while greeting the dawn of a new day, both literally and metaphorically.

Rina caught up to me and slipped her arm through mine and said, “I know what you are doing.” I looked into her beautiful beaming face and I asked, “Oh, and what am I doing, Rina?” Still beaming, she answered, “You are training me!” I smiled, nodded, and said, “Yes, and you are training me.” My soul was elated– I love it when I see and feel the results of following the Divine’s instructions!

This was an exceptional experience and there is more to this day… Stay tuned!

Lots of Joy,
Sheilaa

Part 2: Experience the Egyptian Odyssey Through My Eyes


Early morning, after breakfast, we boarded the coach for our first day’s adventures. Every morning, I asked a different person in the group to choose a word from a purple velvet drawstring bag.

The chosen word acted as a window or lens through which we experienced the events of the day and/or it described, instructed us, or in some way connected us with our experiences. The word that first day out was WONDER. It was such a perfect descriptor for the start of our great life-changing Egyptian Odyssey adventure!

As we headed toward the Giza Plateau, there was lots of nervous and anticipatory chatter about what the day could bring. Our first stop was a sight that most people have seen in photographs but relatively few people have seen in person– the three pyramids that make up the Great Pyramid Complex.

Damla’s expression says it all!

That’s when it really hits you, “I. Am. Standing. In. Front. Of. The. Great. Pyramid– In. Egypt!” We all gasped in awe and time kind of stood still. Oh, WONDER, indeed! As Rina explained the history of the Great Pyramid to us, it wasn’t lost to anyone in our group that in less than two weeks, we’d be inside that Great Pyramid, making our way to the King’s Chamber.

We had fun taking pictures of the pyramids, of ourselves at the pyramids, of each other at the pyramids. Yep– we were pyramid giddy! Here is where I really began to see the Odyssey-ites, still near strangers to each other, begin to come into conscious awareness of their soul’s rememberance of who and what they were to themselves and each other.

Barbara, Renata, & Wendy– desert explorers!

We moved on from the pyramids to another part of the Giza Plateau where, for those who wanted to, camel rides were being offered. This was an exciting opportunity for most of the Odyssey-ites. Not me, though, or Jinan, another member of the group. We realized we both thought the same way about it– did anyone ask the camels how they felt about the rides? It was fun watching the others, though, as they were guided onto the camel’s backs. For the most part, they were like little kids, giddy with excitement. And I have to admit that when I saw the riders heading for the horizon and back towards the Sphinx and the pyramids, my spirit was having a moment of nostalgic de-ja vu, remembering when I was part of a caravan crossing the desert sands as I headed for the pyramids so many lifetimes ago.

Jinan & me

As we stood watching the riders and their camels, Jinan turned to me and asked if I had something I wanted to say to her because when we’d met the day before, she noticed that I had a reaction at our first in-person meeting. I looked at her and meant to say, “I don’t think so”, but instead, what came out was, “the moment I first heard your voice six years ago on the telephone, these words and feelings fluttered through my heart and mind– ‘My child’.” She threw her arms around me and we held on to each other, both weeping joyously from soul recognition, as she exclaimed, “I knew you were my mother!” I can’t put into words how wonderful it felt after all of these lifetimes to hold my child again.

After a while, Jinan spotted someone she knew and went over to them. That person was an old college classmate of hers. What are the odds that you’re thousands of miles and years of living away from your past associates and you meet up with one of them in the shadow of the pyramids in Egypt! That’s Egypt for you– great for meeting yourself and others from your past in this lifetime and in previous lifetimes.

Still on the vast Giza Plateau, those of us who weren’t traveling to the next destination on camelback, rode there in our luxury coach. At the “jewel in the crown” of the days outing, The Great Sphinx– we gathered for our own private visit to that grand symbol of the solar deity, protection, and wisdom. Larger and more majestic than you expect, with paws higher than most of us are tall, the Sphinx is everything you’ve imagined it to be. Though it’s visible from a distance, you have to have a special permit to walk around it and stand within its outstretched front legs.

Rina and the Goddess Ma’at had a vision of how our time there was to be, so we followed Ma’at’s instructions and let each Odyssey-ite choose a white feather symbolizing balance, truth, and harmony and a brass Ankh, symbolizing eternal life, that was to be worn on a ribbon around their necks.

The energy of the Sphinx is incredible! I could feel and hear his heart beating as we walked around it and stood in the shelter of his towering form. I gathered everyone together and we took a journey into the heart of the Sphinx via a Guided Meditation that revealed the first of many of each individual soul’s treasures. I felt that this wondrous symbol of ancient and modern Egypt was telling us that he held us safely in his heart and would be one of our protector-guides on our Odyssey.

The guided meditation over, we nestled next to his heart as we gathered for a group photo in the arms of the Sphinx. As soon as the picture was taken, Rina looked to her left, pointed to an ancient temple ruin, and exhorted us with the cry, “Yalla bina!”, which is Arabic for “let’s go”.

Wow– just wow!

Rina has many wonderful talents, one of them being, having an eye for what will make a great photo. We followed her over to the ruin, which still had an intact framed entryway. As we entered the temple ruin, she took a photo of each of us with the Great Sphinx behind us– magnificent! She then read the hieroglyphic inscriptions which told us who the temple was dedicated to.

Rina, channeling her inner goddess!

Finally, our private time with the Sphinx was up and we boarded the coach for our next stop– an Egyptian essential oils shop. Informative, entertaining, and a delight to our senses! Everyone, no matter what they’d promised themselves, allowed themselves the gift of purchasing these exquisite oils that were made from formulas and ingredients that were thousands of years old. I still had oils from my previous trip to Egypt, so I knew I wouldn’t let the seduction of my olfactory senses convince me to get any additional oils. Well, so much for what I thought I knew– I left there with three new blends! It was beautiful to see that whatever awkwardness anyone might have felt before we entered the oils shop, was dissipated in the beautiful energy of the “olfactory delights temple”, aka the essential oils shop.

After a delicious lunch, we headed back to the hotel to relax and prepare for the next day’s adventures. What energies would we encounter? What new-old aspects of ourselves would we discover?

Stay tuned for Part 3 of The Egyptian Odyssey Through My Eyes…

Part 1: Experience the Egyptian Odyssey Through My Eyes

Rina & me sailing on the Nile

A few days ago, I returned from leading a phenomenal group of souls on a Grand Reunion Odyssey in Egypt. It was powerfully unique and I’ve never experienced anything like it. We were all at the same time here in the 21st century and fully realized in a time thousands of years ago.

I’ll begin with a bit of a back story. Though Egypt had once been on my list of hip things to do many years ago, I’d “gotten over it” and though I was still intrigued by the thought of Egypt, I no longer had the desire to travel there. Fast forward to one day in April of ’21 when I was told in a 12&1/2-hour period by two people who have no knowledge of each other that I’d be going and who I was to contact to make it happen.

Experience has taught me that when that type of instruction comes in, I need to listen and comply. Which I did. So, in December of ’21, I went to Egypt, completing an eleven + day journey back in time in only 5 days. On my arrival, I met my sister, Rina (who was disguised as my guide), and at my departure, I met my brother, Mahmoud (who posed as my airport departure escort).

In that 5-day period and between meeting those two people, I traveled all over Egypt, visited many familiar temples, met with holy men, had a life-changing audience with the goddess, Sekhmet, was anointed by her high priest, downloaded messages and the itinerary for what was to become the December ’22 Egyptian Odyssey from the goddesses and gods at their altars, knew soul recognition and unconditional love and acceptance, and experienced in real time what it’s like to live life without the restrictions of time, mortality, and physical limitations.

Once back in the States, I worked for a year with phenomenal travel agents on the physical structure and with Rina on the physical and spiritual content of the Egyptian Odyssey – The Grand Reunion.

I created the brochure, sent it out, and one-by-one, those who heeded the call, signed on. Finally, the day arrived and we all met in Cairo to partake of the adventure we’d waited so many lifetimes for. Though almost everyone was a stranger to each other, immediately after meeting, the soul recognitions began to take place and we recognized who we were to each other, past and present, and why we were with each other now. (One person hurt her back badly and couldn’t join us in person. We could feel her energy and knew we were to include her in our prayers at each of the temples we visited.)

I’d hurt my back, too, just enough to make life difficult while getting ready for the Odyssey, which made traveling more of an ordeal and I arrived in Cairo, tired, listless, and in pain, a day before the Odyssey was to begin. My brother, Mahmoud, who had seen me off a year before, met me at the airport and was very concerned as he escorted me through customs and immigration, and made sure I was settled at my hotel.

Arriving early gave me a chance to meet with Rina and go over the plans for the Odyssey. The next day, pain-free and feeling rested, I met Rina (and her husband, Sharif) in the hotel lobby and the “reality” of having spent a year apart vanished and all that was left was the power of the moment. We ran into each other’s arms and I’d never felt more unconditionally loved and loving. Feeling unconditionally loved and loving– this was to be a recurring theme and energy of the Odyssey.

They took me to lunch at Sharif’s favorite Cairo restaurant and there, I discovered that unconditional love and soul memories can be reawakened by food, too. If Egypt was trying to tell me it was happy to see me again, it was doing a very good job!

After lunch, Sharif dropped us off at the hotel and I held my right hand out and said, “I know we just met…” Without hesitation, he opened his arms and gave me a big hug! (Egypt is a conservative and Muslim country and hugging a woman or man you don’t know well just isn’t done.) With that, I knew he was happy I was in Rina’s life. Rina later told me that Sharif doesn’t hug her other friends unless he’s known them a long time.

Later that night, I was waiting in the lobby for my friend, Doreene, to arrive. Mahmoud was her airport escort and as soon as we saw each other, I told him, “I’m feeling so much better now, I just needed to get some rest.” He said, “I was so worried about you!”, as he threw his arms around me and gave me a big hug! I assured him I was back to my old self and thanked him for bringing Doreene to the hotel.

Doreene’s room wouldn’t be ready until later the next day so she was staying in my room her first night in Cairo. The hour was late and we were both tired and expected to sleep until the next morning. But that didn’t happen. It’d been years since she and I had spent time together and we wound up catching up on each other’s lives. As the sun came up, I showed her my view of the pyramids from my balcony and she was beyond suitably awed. (Seeing the pyramids in person is a sight that never gets old!)

After breakfast, her room was ready and she went on her own personal exploration of Cairo while Rina and I met again and ran a few important errands. Upon our return to the hotel, several more of the Odyssey-ites had just arrived and were waiting in the lobby to be checked into their rooms. Although we’d all met on Zoom, this was the first time many of us were meeting in person and noisy, joyous introductions abounded as we greeted each other.

After dinner that night, all eighteen of us met in one of the hotel’s conference rooms and Rina and I went over the itinerary and explained how the Odyssey would go. I had each person choose their Odyssey quotes, their journals, and a few other Egyptian Odyssey talismans. During the meeting, each person introduced themselves and told us why they’d come along on the Egyptian Odyssey.

Interestingly enough, three of the people on the Odyssey were named Jennifer! How does that happen!? One of the other Odyssey-ites, Damla, who is from Turkey told us that it’s a Turkish custom that whenever two people have the same name, you can stand between them and make a wish! Someone else pointed out that with three Jennifer’s, they too, could avail themselves of the benefits of that powerful wish-making custom.

We then did a brief round-table reading for everyone present using my treasured Clive Barrett’s Ancient Egyptian Tarot deck. It was amazing to see how all of the quotes and Tarot cards matched their stated reasons for being there.

At the end of the meeting, we said our good night’s, retired to our rooms, and prepared for the next day’s adventures of pyramids, Sphinxes, camel rides, past life recognitions, and more!

The 3 Jennifer’s & me at Seti, the 1st’s temple