We have released a video featuring some of the participants in this intentional gathering discussing their connection to the event, the purpose of the pyramids at Giza, and the power of this unique time in history.

We are also giving away a full scholarship to the 8 day event with roundtrip airfare from anywhere in the world to mark the occasion!
To be considered for the scholarship offer simply follow these steps:

1. Post the video to your timeline on Facebook. link: http://youtu.be/ijnA6SLTCsI
2. In the post, include a brief statement about how you plan to contribute to this intentional gathering as a participant.
3. Tag The Great Convergence (http://www.facebook.com/TheGreatConvergence) in your post. You may have to fan The Great Convergence Facebook page first to be able to tag it. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT. WE WON’T BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR ENTRY UNLESS IT IS TAGGED.

All entries must be posted by November 29th, 2012!

How to tag a fan page on facebook: read here

Check out the video below and good luck!

Valley of the Kings:

Once we arrive in Luxor we will immediately visit the West Bank of the Nile where the Valley of the Kings resides. Here we will get a flavor of the majesty and reverence the ancients held for the journey into the afterlife as we explore at least 3 of the tombs including Tutankhamun and Ramses IV.

Next we will journey to Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramses III, known to be one of the first in the Theban Region to be associated with the worship of Amun, a solar deity embodying the hidden power of the sun.

Temple of Hatshepsut:

We will then continue on to Deir el Bahari, the funerary temple of the female pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut said to be one of the most successful pharaohs reigning longer than any other woman of indigenous Egyptian dynasty. We will even see roots of an ancient myrrh tree brought from the land of Punt thus being one of the first recorded attempts to transplant a foreign tree.

We will complete this journey at the megalithic Colossi Memnon statues, some believe to be a portal to the stars. Legend says…

We will then be delivered to our boat on the Nile initiating our first evening in Luxor.
Here we start our journey along the lush, mystical shores of the Nile.

We begin our morning adventure at 10am heading first to Abydos and later to Denderah with a boxed lunch on the way.

Abydos, in Ancient Egyptian, means “the hill of the symbol or reliquary.” This is one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt. Notable for the memorial temple of Seti I, it houses the world renowned inscription from the 19th dynasty of the chronological cartouched Abydos King ‘s List. We will visit this site which also contains the mysterious inscription of the strange flying objects.

This temple is dedicated to the Deity Osiris who represents the regenerative, cyclical process of death and rebirth as he is the gateway to the Afterlife.

The Osireion:

Thus we will be given a moment to visit the Osireion which is located behind the Temple of Pharoah Seti and is arguably the greatest archeological discovery of the last 100 years. According to John Anthony West, the Egyptologist who proved that the Sphinx is from 8,000 to 10,000 years old suggests the Osireion is 10,000 to 12,000 years old, even older than the great pyramids.

This temple, housing one of greatest mysteries of all, reveals multiple engravings of the Flower of Life on massive pillars. We will get the opportunity to see 2 of the supposed 6.

Denderah:

Continuing on we will get the opportunity to have a private tour and journey at the exquisite temple of Hathor at Denedrah by special permission of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. We will arrive at 5pm and explore this site while the sun is setting for 3 hours, alone without any tourists.

Dedicated to the deity Hathor, goddess of love, music and art, this is one of the very few temples that remains almost completely intact. We will see a massive stone roof, dark chambers, underground passages, and towering columns topped by Hathor-headed capitals. This temple inhabits the recently uncovered First Hypostyle Hall known to show ancient star maps.

We will also get the opportunity to visit more of the temple underground where we will see inscriptions of strange objects looking like large pillar like lightbulbs only known to be seen here at the Hathor Temple.

Denderah is one of the best preserved temples of Egypt thus you will get to experience a touch of an almost full embodiment of what this structure was like in ancient times.

Integrating our transformative adventure, we will feast at our boat followed by discussion, shisha, music, and dancing on the rooftop as we sail around the Nile and eventually dock for the evening.

(Breakfast/Lunch Box/Dinner included)

It is said that part of the technology of some of these temples, is their direct alignment with the rising and setting sun piercing through the central core of the structures. It is also said that there is a certain quality and energy alive and active the moment the sun rays touch the sky at dawn.

For those that are drawn to this, we will begin our morning for sunrise at Ipet-isut, known as the Karnak Temple, perhaps one of the most perfect of palaces by the ancient Egyptians. This site is the largest ancient religious site in the world extending out 61 acres.

Apart from its magnificence in size, Karnak represents a vastness of historical time. The main temple is dedicated to Amun which saw construction over a span of 1300 years. Over these years, by the time this temple was completed, it has enclosed a number of sanctuaries including ones dedicated to Sekhmet, Ptah, and Khonsu. It is even possible we will get to gaze upon a secret ancient statue of Sekhmet in the outer edge of the temple.

You will witness 325 ton granite obelisks of Hatshepsut, a double avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, pylons, shrines, texts by a few of histories great pharaohs, and so much more impossible to translate here.The Great Hypostyle Hall alone contains 134 columns.

The chief deity of this temple is Amen or Amun of which the completion prayer word Amen comes from.
This is an extremely rare and early private opportunity of this sacred landscape. Highly, highly recommended as to miss this would be to miss perhaps one of the most important sites in Egyptian history.

Luxor Temple:

Our journey continues to the Luxor Temple for an afternoon excursion.

In ancient Egyptian this temple is referred to as Ipet-Resyt, meaning “the southern sanctuary”. Luxor is most known to be the Temple of Man. Situated on what was called the “southern Harem” of ancient Thebes, this was the capital of the Egyptian empire.
Built of Nubian sandstone, this temple began under the reign of Amonhotep III, dedicated to the divine triad of Amun, a solar deity, Mut, the vulture mother, and their son Khonsu, the moon god. It is believed that this temple was built by Amenophis III on the site of an even more ancient sanctuary.

A key and magnificent feature is the intact avenue of 2000 Sphinxes spanning 3 kilometers. This double row, currently under restoration, starts from Luxor and continues all the way to Karnak creating a direct alignment.

Sail to Esna:

After a full morning and afternoon of exploration, we will return to our boat and set sail to Esna, a 3 hour relaxing ride of integration, discussions and definitely mingling while on the boat.. Here we will dock for the evening and gather for feasting, performance, and a full dance session in the boat.

(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner included)

We begin our morning with a 6 hour daytime sail from Esna to Edfu. We will spend the morning and the afternoon aboard the boat lounging on the sundeck and watching the banks of the Nile pass by. Upon our arrival we will dock in Edfu.

Temple of Horus:

In the early evening, as the sun is setting, we will be picked up by horse carriages for a ride to the Temple of Edfu dedicated to the falcon god Horus, son of Isis and Osiris. We will be arrive to a candle lit temple for a 2 hour private experience in the temple.

The Temple of Horus is one of the best preserved temples of its time, built during the Ptolemaic rule. This temple honors and celebrates the legendary battle between Horus and Set, Osiris and Isis’ brother. Here you will find important scenes and inscriptions of this Sacred Drama.

This temple also preserves information about the mythical interpretation and other temples as this being the Island of Creation.

After this special and mystical journey, we will head back to the boat for an overnight dock in Edfu.

(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner included)

Kom Ombo:

Kom Ombo is the only temple known in Egypt to be dedicated to two gods, Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon. There are courts, halls, sanctuaries, and rooms duplicated for both of these Gods. The southern half of the temple (right side) is dedicated to Sobek, god of fertility and creator with his wife Hathor and son Khonsu. The northern half of the temple (left side) is dedicated to Horus known as both the healer and the elder. In ancient times, pilgrims came to Horus, the healer to be treated for their infirmities.

What makes this temple unique is that everything is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis.
It is said that this temple was particularly for priest and priestess training and initiations. A unique feature sits at the main altar, situated in the court’s center of the Temple. There are two small basins sunk into the ground at each side of the respective Gods. These basins were for libation offerings as part of the initiations. There is even a secret chamber beneath them which was used by priests to overhear petitions or deliver oracles on behalf of the deities. Here we will have the pleasure to view beautiful scenes of offerings and blessings granted by the Gods.

Elephantine:

Mid afternoon we then board our boat again for a sail to Elephantine. We will have a brief stop at this magnificent island in northern Nubia, dedicated to the creator God Khnum.
It is suggested that this island was given its name because of its elephant tusk like shape or because it was a trading center for ivory.

According to Egyptian mythology, this dwelling place of Khnum, the ram headed God, controlled the waters of the Nile from caves beneath the island. The island also was a home for the deities Satis, the war goddess and protector of the region, and her daughter Anuket, the deity who personified the annual flooding of the Nile.

Philae Temple of Isis:

Our journey along the Nile will culminate in a private sunrise gathering at the Philae Temple. We will travel by a small boat to Agilika Island. This island is where the temple was moved in the 60′s when threatened by potential underwater submersion with the building of the High Aswan Dam.

There are 2 temples dedicated to the Goddess Isis, mother, guardian and magician and to the Goddess Hathor. The oldest buildings were initially dedicated to Isis and thus Philae is considered to be the sacred isle of Isis.
Philae was also supposedly one of the burial places of the God Osiris and was held in high reverence both by the Egyptians to the north and the Nubians (or Ethiopians) of the south.

(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner included)

Here we conclude our magical and adventurous 5 day 4 night Nile cruise expedition. Honoring and thus being honored by the Goddess Isis, we give our offerings and continue onward in our lives making our way back to Cairo for our journey home.

(Breakfast included)