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Intuitive Healing Sessions with Helena SACRED JOURNEYS and GODDESS Goddess Tour to Greece & Cyprus PAST TOURS: Goddess Tour to the Black Madonna of France Sacred Journey to Avalon and Cornwall Celtic Mystery Tour of Ireland Goddess Tour to Turkey"Ancient Anatolia" Earth Mysteries of the British Isles Shamanic Initiation in Peru and Bolivia Sacred Journey Along the Silk Road |
Goddess
Tour to Turkey
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On September 16 we will depart from New York for our overnight flight to Istanbul. In the Blue Mosque we will ask the Goddess for blessings for our sacred journey and join in our hearts with all light workers on this planet. We will visit the Byzantine Church Aya Sofia, dedicated to the great mother Sophia or "Holy Wisdom,", enjoy classical music while walking through hundreds of columns, explore old Istanbul and practice the high art of bargaining at the Grand Bazaar. From Istanbul we will fly to Izmir to visit the famous Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Mother Goddess of Anatolia. Here we will visit the Basilica of St. John and the site of his tomb, walk through the marble streets of this ancient sacred site and admire the magnificent amphitheater. On Mt. Pagus, where the mother of Jesus spent the last years of her earthly life and a Black Madonna keeps her memory alive, the Goddess will bless us and give us transmissions of magic and healing. From Ephesus we will drive to Kusadasi, where we will stay in the lovely Kismet hotel on the Turquoise Coast. A beautiful drive through the Meander Valley will bring us to the Temple of Aphrodisias, where excavations unearthed remains of very ancient shrines of the fertility Goddess Ishtar. In her inner sanctuary we will perform an ancient ritual of release and rebirth. |
From Kusadasi we drive back to Izmir, where a short flight will bring us to Ankara. Here we will visit the magnificent Anatolian Civilization Museum which contains a unique collection of Hittite art and treasures excavated from many sites where the Goddess was honored. Our next destination is the ancient city of Hattusas, once the capital of the Hittites, located in the central Anatolian mountains. We will attune ourselves to the wisdom of these people by walking through the huge gate of the lions in Hattusas and the impressive red granite gate of the Sphinxes in Alacahoyuk. In the nearby open air sanctuary and shrine of Yazilikaya, we can still see well-preserved reliefs of ancient "Star-Beings" carved into the rocks. Various figurines of the fertility goddess, Kubaba, found in this area point to the worshipping of the mother goddess Cybele, usually represented with lions. Driving through breathtaking countryside brings us inland to Amasya, the heart of the Amazon region and the shores of the Black Sea. We will pass picturesque maritime towns like Giresun and Ordu en route to Trabzon by the Black Sea, from where we will visit the Sumela Monastery, an ancient Holy Site of the Amazons, high up in the Pontus mountains. Throughout our journey we will meet with local people who will share their unique wisdom and love for their country with us. From Trabzon you can either return to Istanbul by air or continue with our group to the Georgian border where we will be met by our local agent and welcomed into this beautiful country.
If you return to Istanbul by air, you will be met by our local agent
and escorted to your hotel for one overnight before your return flight
to the US.
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Fee: $3,599 based on double occupancy - single supplement upon request Our prices include round trip airfare from New York to Istanbul, domestic flights from Istanbul to Izmir, from Izmir to Ankara, from Trabzon to Istanbul; first-class accommodations in 4-star hotels or best available, breakfasts and dinners daily, except breakfast only in Istanbul, all ground transportation by private motor coach, all transfers, entrance fees, taxes and services of our English-speaking guide traveling with us. |
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in Search of the Golden Fleece and The Mysteries of Colchis
September 26 - October 3, 2000
Day 1: After leaving Trabzon we will drive to Sarphi and cross the border into Georgia where we meet with our local tour leader and guide. We will drive along the Black Sea en route to Batumi, with a stop over at Gonio Fortress, built in the 2nd ct. AD. If time permits, we will enjoy a tour of this lovely old town.
Day 2: After breakfast we begin a long drive to the mountainous village of Mestia, in the Svaneti province. Our road takes us along the Colchida lowlands to the port Poti, known as Pasis in the ancient times - the place where the legendary Argonauts, lead by Jason, started their adventure to find the Golden Fleece in Colchida. Poti was also known as the educational center during the Middle Ages, although not much of this history is left to see since part of the old town is now under the waters of the Black Sea. Next we drive to the town of Zugdidi, change to 4WD minibuses and continue along a huge artificial reservoir of the river Enguri up to Svaneti, one of the picturesque mountainous areas of Georgia. When we reach Mestia, the provincial town of Svaneti, we will stay at a private guesthouse and enjoy the hospitality of its friendly people, good food, relaxation!
This mountainous region was for many centuries isolated and is still untouched by the modern world. Our aim is to discover well-preserved myths and cultures of ancient Colchis. People in Svaneti still use the fleece of lamb to get gold from rivers! The folklore, dances, songs, rituals, art works and their traditions are a blend of quite ancient religions. We will not miss the chance to listen to "Lileo", a song devoted to the Goddess of the Sun. Researchers have proven that this song as well as other myths have a close relationship with the Sumerian myth of "Enlil". All the mountains in Svaneti are associated with old legends, carry names of Goddesses, and are still worshipped as the "invisible kingdom".
Day 3: Today we will explore Mestia, the town with dozens of original medieval towers; visit an interesting museum and walk around the area to get the best views of the Caucasus summits. Our gracious tour leader will organize an opportunity to listen to the Svanetian songs and watch dances which have been practiced more than 2000 years ago, usually followed by dancing and feasts of special dishes, lots of wine and locally brewed beer - a big treat!
Day 4: In the early morning we will leave Svaneti, drive along the Enguri valley to the Colchida lowlands to the east into the town of Kutaisi, where we have dinner and relax. On the road to Kutaisi we will visit Nokalakevi, one of the main towns in the ancient kingdom of Colchis. This is now an uninhabited place with a large architectural complex and a fortress from the 4th ct. BC.
Day 5: After a short city tour in this ancient capital of old Kolkhida (which dates back to the Argonaut - times 13th - 12th ct. BC) and a visit to the Bagrati Temple and Gelati Monastery, we will continue our journey to the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. En route we will visit the Uplistsikhe cave town, built in the 7th ct. BC - "Uplistsikhe" means "The Citadel of the Lord".
Day 6: Tbilisi city tour. Tbilisi has a long and fascinating history. It was founded in the 5th ct. AD, and became one of the most important political and cultural centers of the Caucasus and the Middle East - on the route of the Great Silk Road. The Old Town, the ancient part of the city, is famous for its numerous churches, historical monuments, museums, sulfur bathhouses, Oriental markets, mosques, synagogues, and fascinating houses. After a good lunch in the old town we will drive to Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, situated 20 kms from the center of Tbilisi. According to the legend, Jesus Christ's Chiton (his tunic) was buried in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and this place is therefore considered as one of the holy places in Georgia.
Day 7: Transfer to Tbilisi airport and return flight to Istanbul, via Trabzon. At the time of this mailing the exact information of our return flight to Istanbul is not available and will be sent to you at a later date, upon request.
Fee: $ 1660 based on double occupany ~ single supplement upon request
Our prices include: accommodations in comfortable 3 star hotels and Guesthouse in Svaneti province, most meals (at times 3 meals daily), all ground transportation by private bus and minibuses, all transfers, entrance fees, taxes and services of our English speaking guide traveling with us.
Not included: return flight from Georgia to Turkey (Istanbul) - prices are not available at this time.
What Ann Black, Ph.D., had to say about her GODDESS TOUR TO TURKEY
"Group tours are not generally my style. I tend to be a solo or tandem explorer at best. So why did I choose to accompany twelve fiery women on a sacred journey through Turkey this past October? I kept asking myself that very question. All I know is that I was "called" and I knew that I was to celebrate the completion of my years of academic work in an extraordinary way. During the past decade, moving into the unknown has always lead to the raising of my consciousness - so I stepped out on faith. Helena orchestrated the tour with many different tempos and although the agenda was ambitious, the individual was always honored and respected. Unhealed stuff comes up in a group, and when it did, each journeywoman was loved and supported. I witnessed many personal transformations and significant healings in the group as the days passed. Helena's commitment to exposing us to the spiritual roots of Turkey's history and heritage awakened each of us to ancient parts of ourselves. As a guide, Helena's deep respect of the sacred profoundly affected not only each participant but others who were invited to share in the ceremonies and rituals with us.""I would highly recommend Helena A. Shik and Purple Mountain Tours to anyone interested in simultaneously experiencing both an interior journey and an exterior one."
Anne Black, Ph.D.