Message from Finbarr
Dear Fellow Travelers,
This is a time of inner
work, of letting go of old patterns and embracing the new conscious self!
In the cycle up to Spring
Equinox we are being asked to embrace our shadow side. It is necessary to embrace all aspects of
our self in this time of transparency; we can no longer ignore our
shadow side, but acknowledge it, so we can grow in awareness
and wholeness. This is a vital part of our growth in
consciousness.
In
this year of 2010 we are also being asked to pay attention to the wheel of life as
the new energies flow in. We have a vibrational change approximately every 40
days that started with Winter Solstice, December 21st ,
with the Mother resting in the womb of the earth for 3 days before she starts
her journey. She brings us new energies to jump start us for a new year. On February 1st,
St. Brigid'sday, we have Imbolc, which
brings the
first sign of spring and new life.
"Brigid of the sunrise
Rising in the morning. Rising with the
springtime, Greening all the land. See you in the soft
clouds, see you in the raindrop See you in the wind of
change blowing through the land. You the red eared white
cow nourishing the people Nourish now the hunger
souls' longing in our land. Bird that is unfolding Now the time's upon us, Only have we eyes to see
Your Epiphany." -From CD album Brigid's
Kiss.
Spring Equinox, March 21st, is also known as the festival of promise, a time
of sacred union of perfect balance where day equals night.
Beltaine May 1st , stands opposite Samhain in the Celtic year. It is associated with this
world and fertility, a transition point from inward activity to one of outward
activity.
Summer Solstice, June 21st , celebrates high summer with the
blossoming of the seeds sown in the depths of winter and culminates with the
Christ consciousness reaching its peak with the longest day, showering the
energy of sacred union upon the earth (Christ consciousness is not
Christianity).
Lughnasadh, August 1st , is the harvest where we celebrate the
success of the working relationship between people and the land, as crops are
harvested.
Autumn Equinox, September 21st , is once again a time of sacred union where day and night equal. It is a time of thanksgiving for all that has been accomplished, a
time of completion as we start to turn inward again.
Samhain, November 1st , celebrates the mysteries of life,
death and rebirth. It signals the end of outer activity and inward focused. It
is the time of the divine feminine leading us from death to rebirth.
As we follow
this cycle of the year we follow the pattern of life with its changing
vibrations prodding us on our journey of awareness leading us to Unity
consciousness/Oneness.
We are being
asked to be still, listen, and know that we are not lost.
Lost Stand still The trees
ahead and the bushes beside you are not lost Whereever
you are is called here And you must
treat as you would a powerful stranger, Must ask
permission to know it and be known. Listen the
forest breaths. It whispers
I have made this place If you leave
it may come back saying Here No two trees
are the same to raven No two
bushes are the same to wren If what a
tree or a branch does is lost on you Then you are
surely lost Stand still
the forest knows where you are You must let
it find you. -David Wagoner
As
we walk our path each day in conscious awareness we find that life flows with
great ease. if we so desire we may evoke same, holding the balance as we embrace
the gifts of spirit and live intuitively. Peace, Love, and Blessings,
Finbarr
Sacred Temples and Goddesses:
Journey to Turkey
May 14 - May 26
On this journey of a lifetime, visit Istanbul, the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia Museum, Chora Church, Ankara, Cappadocia, and Rumi's Tomb. Marvel at the Temples of Cybele, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, and Ephesus. Experience Pamukkale, St. Mary's House, St. John Basilica, and much, much more.
May 15th - Saturday - Day 1:
Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to our domestic flight to Ankara, where we will be met at the airport by our professional guide.
Transfer to 4-star hotel, have dinner and stay overnight.
May 16th - Sunday - Day 2: After breakfast we visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, founding father of the Turkish Republic and the Anatolian Civilizations Museum,
situated below the citadel. With its crown of ten domes it was once a
covered bazaar where cloth made from angora wool was traded. In 1951 it
was converted into the now world-famous museum, with a great collection
of the Hittite Civilization antiquities with Neolithic statues dating
to the 5th millennium BC. There are many artifacts from �atal Hoyuk.
Lunch on your own.
In the afternoon, depart for Cappadocia via the Salt Lake Road, where we will dine and overnight. May 17th - Monday - Day 3:
Today we experience Zelve Valley, The U�hisar Village, The Pottery Village of Avanos, and the Underground city of Kaymakli.
One of the strangest regions on earth, with its surrealist
landscapes, several thousand years of erosion formed the Fairy Chimneys.
We visit Goreme Valley and some of its famous rock carved churches.
Lunch on your own.
Cappadocia saw the penetration of Christianity into Anatolia.
Following the footsteps of St. Paul, the first Christians came to
settle in the almost inaccessible natural grottoes. They created the
rock carved churches and the underground cities. The churches were
painted with brilliant colors relating the important episodes of the
Bible. The apogee of Byzantine and Christian Cappadocia took place
between the beginning of the 10th Century and the second half of the
11th Century. Its magnificent rock churches and Byzantine paintings
constitute an important part of the Oriental Christian art. Dinner at hotel; overnight in our hotel in Cappadocia. May 18th - Tuesday - Day 4:
After breakfast we depart for Nigde via Tyana
Kemerhisar is to the south of Ni?de and is scattered over three
hills on the site of the ancient town of Tyana. Semiramis, the
legendary queen of Assyria and founder of the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon, is thought to have been instrumental in establishing Tyana,
which dates from 1200 B.C. as a late Hittite principality. Ancient
remains on the site include a Doric marble pillar on the "Hill of Semiramis"
and fifteen linked marble arches of a Roman aqueduct. A path leads from
the south of the site to the Baths of Kemerhisar, which is mentioned in
ancient writings. The warm water was drunk for its healing powers. It is here that we get a feeling of Apollonius, the great
philosopher often referred to as a Greek, but who was actually born at
Tyana. Excavations are now underway in Tyana of a temple that marked
his birthplace.
Lunch on your own.
Depart for Nigde. Lying on a plateau embellished by volcanic peaks
is this city of the Central Anatolian Region, which was called "Nahita"
in the Hittite period. Since its foundation, it has been a major
commercial center, standing on the ancient trade route between Anatolia
and the Mediterranean.
Visit Nigde Archaeological Museum. The museum
rooms contain written documents of the Hittite period, statues,
masonry, lamps, bronze and gold objects from the Roman-Byzantine
periods, coins from the Hellenistic to Ottoman periods, carved wooden
doors from the Seljuk period, and many other artifacts. Dinner and overnight at a four star hotel in Nigde.
May 19th - Wednesday - Day 5:
We drive to Pessinus, where we visit the Temple of Cybele, the Phrygian MotherGoddess
who was also venerated by the Greeks and Romans. Discovered by Belgian
archaeologists in 1967, it is surprisingly small, though it was once
the most important temple in the area. Next to the sanctuary was a
theater, which also served as the stairs leading to the temple, a
combination that was unique in the ancient world. Next we travel to Konya, a green Oasis in the
middle of Anatolia, known for its Seljuk Art and mysticism. In the
antiquity known as Iconium, this was a prosperous city on the way to
the Orient. However the apogee of the city took place after the
conquest of Seljuk Turks. In the 12th Century the city became the
Islamic Cultural Center with a very high spiritual level. Free time to explore.
Dinner at hotel and overnight in Konya at 4-star hotel.
May 20th - Thursday - Day 6: Visit Rumi's Tomb, �atal Hoyuk, Whirling Dervish
After breakfast we explore the Mevlana Museum, with the tombs of Rumi, his family, and outstanding members of the Mevlevi order.
In addition ceremonial musical instruments and materials, handwritten
books, and carpets of the time can be seen at the museum. Take time to meditate near the tomb of this awe-inspiring mystic and see what worlds might open to you. Return to the hotel. Lunch on your own.
This afternoon we have the rare opportunity to visit the 9,000 year old Neolithic site of �atal Hoyuk,
located on a vast prairie beside the active Hasan Dag volcano. The name
means "forked mound" and refers to the site's mounds which formed as
centuries of people tore down and rebuilt the settlement's mud-brick
houses. Here there existed a matriarchal, spiritual and art-loving people who worshipped a Mother Goddess of a fertility cult that could have been the precursor of Artemis, or Cybele as she is known in Anatolia. The room set aside as a shrine for the ancient Mother Goddess had a sculpture of the Great Mother of �atal Hoyuk seated with a tame lion on either side, showing that She was a sacred woman, the Great Mother of Nature,
and the tamer and civilizer of the world as well. There were also
paintings of animals, cryptic symbols, and geometric patterns. During
excavation, it was found that the cult room was frequently rebuilt, and
many religious articles were uncovered. Most were votive statuettes, in
the form of pottery with reliefs of the Mother Goddess, bull's heads
and horns, women's breasts, and leopards. These religious items show a
high degree of skill, and cultural refinement. The site was first
discovered in the late 1950s, excavated between 1961 and 1965, and
became famous internationally due to the large size and dense
occupation of the settlement, as well as the spectacular wall paintings
and other art that was uncovered inside the houses. Since 1993 an
international team of archaeologists has been carrying out new
excavations and research. Return to the hotel. Dinner with the group, followed by a Whirling Dervish performance
by men dressed in white robes, whirling and rotating around the floor.
During this moving meditation the dancer focuses on his great love of
God, and can thus attain divine unity.
Dinner at hotel and overnight in Konya at 4-star hotel.
May 21st - Friday - Day 7:
After breakfast we depart for Pamukkale, experiencing Aphrodisias en route.
Its ruins are as impressive as those of Ephesus. The Aphrodite
Temple, the marbled stadium, the Theatre, the Odeon, the Agora and the
Roman Baths are all beautifully preserved.
Lunch on your own.
After lunch we continue to Pamukkale, one of the most interesting places in the world, famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations,
but also for its historical remains. Located above the theater of the
area, the mineral water comes from the thermal springs of Mount Caldag
and is collected in the "Sacred Pool" of ancient times, where we will have the option to swim amidst the Travertine Terraces,
a UNESCO World Heritage site, which are among the remains of Hierapolis
(Holy City). The name Pamukkale means "cotton castle", derived from the
dazzling white calcareous castles which are formed by limestone-laden
thermal springs, creating a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades
and shell-shaped basins. Enjoy meditating in the waters, which change
color according to how the light enters.
Dinner at hotel and overnight in Pamukkale at 4-star hotel.
May 22nd - Saturday - Day 8:
Breakfast at hotel. Depart for Kusadasi via Miletus & Dydma.
At Miletus we explore the Temples of Serapis, Athena and Asclepius. The ancient city of Miletus was the oldest and the most powerful of the twelve Ionian cities in Asia Minor
The Temple of Serapis is from the 3rd century CE. Only the very fine
pediment is visible, the rest of the temple being concealed under dense
vegetation. In the remains of the Temple of Athena, built in the first
half of the 5th century BCE, there are six Ionic columns on each of the
shorter sides and ten on the longer sides.
Before 500 BC, Miletus was the greatest Greek city in the east. It
was the natural outlet for products from the interior of Anatolia and
had a considerable wool trade with Sybaris in southern Italy. Miletus
was important in the founding of the Greek colony of Naukratis in Egypt
and founded more than 60 colonies on the shores of the Black Sea. In the afternoon we drive to Didyma and the Temple/Oracle of Apollo and the Artemis
Temple. The design of the Temple of Apollo was influenced by the Temple
of Artemis at Ephesus and the Temple of Hera at Samos. Originally, 122
enormous Ionic columns surrounded the temple; today only three remain
intact. Dating from the 2nd century BC, the columns are 60 feet tall,
the height of a six-story building, and have a diameter of 6 feet at
the base. Even the stumps of columns that fell are impressive in size
and display beautiful carvings at their base. In the western end of the
roofed chamber three doors lead via a great staircase to the oracle
room, to which only the priests and oracles had access. Within this
room is a small chapel that held the cult statue and the sacred spring.
This is where the priestess of Apollo uttered her oracles.
Didyma was an ancient Ionian city, the modern Didim, Turkey. The
town formed just outside of the sanctuary containing a temple and
oracle of Apollo, the Didymaion. Next to Delphi,
Didyma was the most renowned oracle of the Hellenic world, first
mentioned among the Greeks in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, but preceding
literacy and even the colonization of Ionia. Mythic genealogies of the
origins of the Branchidae line of priests, designed to capture the
origins of Didyma as a Hellenic tradition, date to the Hellenistic
period. Overnight and dinner in Kusadasi at 4-star hotel.
May 23rd - Sunday- Day 9:
Breakfast and depart for Ephesus.
We spend a full day at Ephesus. Ephesus is the greatest Temple City in Asia Minor and was dedicated to the Great Goddess Artemis Diana. The Temple of Artemis Diana, built about 550 BCE, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World,
and one of the most complex temples built in ancient times. The temple
was the last of the Great Goddess temples to remain open, and was the
site of Goddess worship well into the Christian era. When the Temple
was in use, it was brightly painted and inlaid with stone and had a
marble sanctuary and a tile-covered wooden roof. Conceived by architect
Chersiphron and his son, Metagenes, the temple's inner space featured a
double row of at least 106 columns, each believed to be 40 to 60 feet
high. The foundation was approximately 200 feet by 400 feet. The
original temple burned in 356 BCE and was rebuilt on the same
foundation. Fire devastated the second temple in 262 CE, but its
foundation and some debris have survived. Next we explore Mother Mary's House
inside the ruins of Ephesus. In 431 CE it was here the Christian church
declared Mary to be the "the God-bearer" in order to legitimize
Christianity in the eyes of the people of Asia Minor. Prior to that
time, she was not recognized by the Christian church. Many of the Great
Goddess's titles were taken and declared to be the titles of Mary,
including; "Queen of Heaven", "Divine Virgin", "Mother of All". Ephesus
was chosen for Mary's installation to add legitimacy to the church's
claim that Mary, not Diana, was "the Mother of God", the "Mother of
All." Many believe that with the rise of Christianity and papal power,
the Goddess slowly disappeared from western culture and faded into the
mist. But, so great was devotion to the Goddess that She was
resurrected in the hearts of the people by a new Goddess, Mary, Mother
of Jesus.
Visit St. John Basilica built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I in the 6th century AD with the belief that it was the site of the tomb of St John.
Ephesus was one the biggest and most famous sites in the ancient
world. Towards the 3rd Century BCE, Ephesus was located naturally on
the crossing point of the commercial road and so gathered all the
richness of the Orient. This city offers us its witnessing to the
splendor of Asia Minor during the Roman Era. Among its numerous
monuments, you will see its famous Arcadian Street, large Hellenistic
Theatre, the Celsius Library, and the magnificent fa�ade of the Hadrian
Temple (2nd Century Corinthian style). Overnight and dinner in Kusadasi, at 4-star hotel.
May 24th - Monday- Day 10:
After breakfast we depart for Izmir for an early flight to Istanbul.
Situated on two continents (Europe and Asia) and inheritor of a
great history where we can still witness the remnants of five
civilizations, Istanbul is one of the most
fascinating capitals of the Orient. The antique Constantinople became
Byzantium in the 4th Century. In 1453, the city passed from
Christianity to Islam with the rule of Ottoman Sultans and a new name,
Istanbul. Its urban profile has since then been symbolized by the
minarets of its mosques. You will plunge to the heart of the history of
the old Istanbul and discover its principal Byzantine and Ottoman
monuments. Chora Church Upon arrival in Istanbul we're off to visit Chora Church. Chora has mosaics from the 12th century depicting the role of Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, with the emphasis on Her being Mother rather than Jesus being the God, a profound thought to ponder as you take time to meditate in Her presence!
Lunch on your own.
In the afternoon we explore the Topkapi Palace, the
ancient residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Built by Mehmet the Conqueror
on the ancient location of the Byzantine Acropolis, the palace is now
used as a museum and has a wonderful view of the Marmara Sea.
Dinner and overnight in our four star hotel in Istanbul
May 25th - Tuesday - Day 11: Explore Istanbul continues.
Blue Mosque, St. Sophia Museum and much more. Today, we visit the famous Blue Mosque,
with its mighty dome, and the only mosque in Istanbul with minarets,
and built on the site of the Great Palace of Byzantium in the early
17th century. Today it is a working mosque and is therefore closed to
non-worshippers during the five daily prayers. The interior, with its
lightness, spatial effect and color, is one of the finest creations of
Turkish architecture. Next is the St. Sophia Museum, formerly known as the Hagia Sofia
(Holy Wisdom), a former Greek Orthodox Church that was converted to a
mosque in 1453 by the Ottoman Empire and today is a museum. The supreme
achievement of Byzantine architecture, it is the city's most celebrated monument.
Large numbers of columns were brought to Constantinople from temples in
Asia Minor, Lebanon, Greece and Italy, and the finest marbles and
noblest metals were used.
Next we visit the At Meydani, the Ancient Hippodrome of Septime
Severius (2nd Century), the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine
Column and the Column of Constantine.
Lunch on your own. Afternoon
shopping tour at the famous Grand Bazaar, the largest of its kind with
17 gates, 65 streets and 4000 shops in addition to its historical
importance. Barter for colorful kilims, leather goods, pottery and
jewelry.
The market was constructed in the 1660's as part of the imperial
mosque complex, with its shop rents supporting the upkeep of the mosque
as well as its schools, hospitals, baths and public fountains.
Merchants sold such things as cinnamon, gunpowder, rabbit fat, pine
gum, peach pit powder and many folk remedy ingredients.
May 26th - Wednesday- Day 12:
We say our farewells and depart for Istanbul
International Airport grateful for all that we encountered and
experienced on this sacred journey in Turkey. For more information or to book this tour, click below:
New for 2010!
We have a full calendar of tours for 2010 and offer a new payment option. You are welcome to make monthly payments with the last payment due 7 days before departure! We look forward to seeing you on one of our spiritual, sacred sites' tours or new special interest tours. Please visit our website for a complete list.
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Introducing Special Friends in Co-Creating:
Lorrie's
Angels
Lorrie is a
spiritual artist born in Ireland whose journey has taken her many places.
Visit her website, meditate with the angels, and allow yourself a mystical
experience!
Visit Angel Art Sanctuary
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