An Earth-Healing Pilgrimage in Greece

Transcription

1 Balancing Masculine and Feminine An Earth-Healing Pilgrimage in Greece With Brad Laughlin June 28 July 11, 2018 Discover the mystery and magic of the Archangel Michael-Apollo ley line as we journey to some of Greece s most powerful sacred sites places of ancient goddess worship. As we meditate and pray along the ley line, which is one of the Earth s primary meridians, we experience the tremendous spiritual power of the ancient sacred sites, balance masculine and feminine energies within us and assist with healing the Earth. Just as the body has subtle-physical flows of masculine and feminine energy moving through it, so do the meridians of the Earth. Apollo and Athena are the names given to the masculine and feminine Earth currents that weave around the ley line, spiritually empowering the extraordinary sacred sites. At these sites of ancient goddess worship, we will discover the memories of our pre-patriarchal roots. We rediscover an era which still lives inside of us, a time when men and women lived more in equality, when masculine and feminine, yin and yang energies, were more balanced in the collective consciousness of humanity. As we journey and process as a group, we reawaken this ancient memory, which has been banished for millennia to the far reaches of humanity s collective psyche. We begin to remember our own inner balance between masculine and feminine, and we become more whole inside ourselves. The main pilgrimage is nine days and includes visits to: the famed Acropolis of Athens; the ancient sacred site of Delphi; the historic monastery of Osios Loukas, one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art and a UNESCO World Heritage site; and the beautiful island of Aegina, where we meet with our friends and hosts, the Skrekou family. The optional six-day add-on includes: four nights on the exquisite island of Naxos, a favorite of naturists, which has some of Greece s most beautiful white sand beaches, and a day-visit to the sacred island of Delos, an ancient pilgrimage destination, which remains a center of phenomenal spiritual power.

2 Our Intention for the Journey Over the past decade Brad and his life-partner, Leslie Temple-Thurston, have guided pilgrimages to many ancient, sacred sites and discovered the enormous spiritual power stored in the Earth there. In his manuscript, Discovering Archangel Michael, Brad has written about their extraordinary energetic experiences. Of particular significance is the profound degree of feminine energy trapped in the Earth at Delphi and Delos ancient, sacred sites where Neolithic people worshipped the Great Earth Mother goddess many thousands of years ago, prior to our modern age of Patriarchy. Our pilgrimage is an invitation to come and access that primordial feminine energy, to bring it up from the Earth, into the body and out into the world. The feminine energy is so greatly needed at this time to help balance the extreme level of unbalanced masculine energy in our modern era. Learn more about Brad here. The Greek Connection We are very happy and excited that our dear friend Katia Mavrelli will once again be our tour guide for the pilgrimage and that Vasiliki Skrekou and her family will host us on the island of Aegina. As native Greeks, they open a rare and special door into the heart-centered local culture that would not be opened otherwise, adding an intimate and personal welcome to our experience. The Parthenon, Athens Like innumerable ancient pilgrims before us, we will follow the Sacred Way to the famed Acropolis, a craggy outcrop of rock that rises above the city of Athens, a graceful beacon of inspiration amidst the smoggy, urban sprawl. The crown jewel of the Acropolis is the Parthenon, a masterpiece of Classical Greek architecture. It is the temple dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the patron of warriors. The Athena and Apollo earth currents form a powerful node there. We will meditate along both the feminine and masculine ley lines and experience how they each feel in our bodies. We will stay at the finest boutique hotel in Athens, near the Plaka, which is one of the most attractive parts of the city, with its narrow, winding, oldfashioned streets and alleys, its stucco-fronted homes and occasional gardens of palms, fruit trees and honeysuckle spilling over the high walls. Mostly a pedestrian area, the lack of cars is refreshing, and there are plenty of shops, cafés and green, shaded squares.

3 Delphi The ancient oracular site of Delphi, the center of the Greek universe and its most venerated shrine, is a supercharged, multi-layered vortex of intense spiritual light. The Earth currents are extraordinarily powerful there. Because Delphi has been a pilgrimage destination for millennia, there are many levels of energy that remain as a result of the devotions of countless pilgrims, from the worship of the Earth Mother in Neolithic times to the more surface layer of Apollo s reign during the classical Greek, Hellenistic era. A magical vortex of joy, Delphi has extraordinarily beautiful, mountainous surroundings with a vast, pristine and intensely silent valley below, which seems to whisper its mystical secrets in the forceful, hallowed winds. It is no wonder the ancients chose this site. Such astonishing natural beauty is graced with great spiritual power.

4 Osios Loukas Monastery Picturesque countryside with rolling hills and grassy fields lead to this mountaintop spiritual oasis, Osios Loukas Monastery, Greece s most famous and well-preserved Byzantine church and monastery. It was built in the 11th century on the site of an older hermitage of Saint Luke the Styriote, who was born and raised at nearby Delphi. Like the oracular priestesses of Delphi, he was a prophet. After his death, his miracles and healings continued as countless pilgrims visited his tomb to be cured of their ailments. Now Osios Loukas is a working monastery and includes a church and some of Saint Luke s relics. The spiritual power and exquisite beauty of the place is immediately apparent as soon as you enter the grounds. The Apollo earth current passes through, and we will have time to meditate, pray and enjoy the holy aura that permeates this silent and sublime refuge. It is easy to drop into a still, tranquil, inner space, feeling the sincere and loving devotion generated by the handful of monks who tend the shrine and by the pilgrims who have venerated it for over a thousand years. The Island of Aegina A luminous treasure just an hour by boat from Athens, the island of Aegina has an ethos of timelessness and a rich, fascinating history. The ancient mysteries have survived here through the interpretation of myths, which makes it an ideal destination for our pilgrimage. As we visit the temple of the goddess Aphea-Athena, who represents a bridge between the previous age of Mother-goddess worship and our modern age of Patriarchy, we will explore archetypal alchemy a synthesis of masculine and feminine energies, both personally and collectively, the balance we so need at this pivotal time in our evolution into the next phase of our Being. One of the highlights of our adventure is being hosted at Aegina in true Greek style with generosity and open hearts by our loving friends, Vasiliki Skrekou and her family. Here we will visit powerful energetic temple sites, gather in ceremony and experience the lost art of ancient sacred Greek dance, performed by Vasiliki. We are very happy to collaborate with the Skrekous, who offer their beautiful leisure estate, Amforeas, which includes a pool, organic garden and orchard of pistachios, figs, pomegranates and olives.

5 Optional Add-On to Naxos and Delos Naxos and Delos are part of the Cycladic island group, the most popular destination of tourists and usually thought of as the Greek island ideal. Naxos is known for its unique mix of ancient ruins and exquisite nature, including high mountains, fertile valleys and some of Greece s most beautiful white-sand beaches (where we ll have time to relax). While on Naxos, we will visit the ancient ruins of the temple of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest. In a remote, pristine, verdant valley, this powerful sacred site offers pilgrims peace and quietude in a setting that feels like a place out of time, as though it has not changed for thousands of years. With breathtaking, pastoral vistas, the energy of the Mother is palpable beautifully rich, deeply inward, powerfully silent, full of latent potential, saturated with love, and permeated with an earthy aliveness. From Naxos we take our own private boat for a day-visit to the nearby, uninhabited island of Delos, the sacred birthplace of the Sun God Apollo and his twin sister Artemis, the goddess of nature and animals, two of the most important deities in the Greek pantheon. The tiny, rocky island of Delos is only about three miles long. Originally believed to be an ancient Neolithic goddessworship site, it later became a religious center of the Cycladic civilization. As the myth goes, Leto, the consort of Zeus (master of the heavens), gave birth there to Apollo and Artemis. First a place of pilgrimage with its dedication to Apollo and a host of gods and goddesses, it later became a major commercial port, full of luxurious homes (including Cleopatra s) and trading sites. Now, Delos is an island only of ruins, an open-air archaeological museum with mosaics, marble statuary and an abundance of wildflowers. There is a rare energetic phenomenon on the island of Delos three nodes or crossings of the Apollo and Athena lines. The only other place in all of Europe that there are three crossings of the masculine and feminine Earth currents in close proximity is in Avebury in England, the great Neolithic serpent temple. Here we will have time for exploring the sacred ruins and meditating and praying at the many places of great spiritual power on the island. Please note that the Delos day-trip is conditional upon the weather. If the seas are too rough, boats cannot sail. We trust that fair weather will prevail!

6 Tentative Itinerary Details may change, depending on the weather and prevailing energies in the moment Day 1: June 28 ~ Individual arrivals in Athens and settle into the Hera Hotel. Dinner at rooftop garden with beautiful Acropolis view. Overnight Athens. Day 2: June 29 ~ Morning visit to the famed Acropolis. Experience the Athena and Apollo ley lines at the Parthenon. Journey by bus to the ancient sacred site of Delphi. Overnight Delphi. Days 3-4: June 30-July 1 ~ Activities at Delphi include visits to: the Temple of Apollo, where the famed oracular priestesses prophesied, and the ancient Athena Pronaia (the ley lines exhibit extraordinary activity at these two sites); the Castalian Spring and the Delphi archaeological museum; and group circles/ceremonies at a private setting in the Delphi countryside with unparalleled panoramas of the peaceful, silent valley and the majestic Gulf of Corinth. Overnight Delphi. Day 5: July 2 ~ Depart Delphi for Aegina. On the way we enjoy the peace and enchantment of Osios Loukas Monastery and meditate on the Apollo ley line. Drive to Piraeus Port for short ferry ride to Aegina, where we are greeted by our hosts the Skrekou family. Days 6-7: July 3-4 ~ Activities on Aegina include: visit to Temple of Athena- Aphea; integration and leisure time at pool or beach; ancient, traditional, sacred Greek dance with our host Vasiliki; group circles in the shade of the pistachio grove. Day 8: July 5 ~ Closing circle and delicious lunch on Aegina and ferry back to Athens. Hera Hotel rooftop dining with Acropolis view. Overnight Athens. Day 9: July 6 ~ Departures.

7 Optional Add-On Day 9: July 6 ~ Ferry from Piraeus Port to Naxos. Overnight Naxos Days 10-12: July 7-9 ~ Activities on Naxos include: journey through time to ancient ruins of Temple of Demeter with breathtaking pastoral vistas; excursion to sacred island of Delos (weather dependent), where we meditate on three nodes/crossings of Athena and Apollo ley lines; integration and leisure time at beautiful white-sand beaches; group circles/ceremonies. Day 13: July 10 ~ Ferry from Naxos to Athens. Hera Hotel rooftop dining with Acropolis view. Overnight Athens. Day 14: July 11 ~ Departures.

8 Logistics The cost of the main retreat (June 28 July 6) is $4,850. The cost of the add-on (July 6 11) is $2,750. Early-bird special: If you register by March 15, 2018, the main retreat is $4,450, and the add-on is $2,450 (a savings of $700 total). The trip includes: all meals (except 3 lunches in the add-on), lodging and domestic transportation in Greece (except airport transfers). The trip does not include: Airfare, transfers to/from Athens airport and items such as laundry, 3 lunches in the add-on, phone calls, snacks and alcoholic beverages. For single occupancy, please add $850 to the cost of the main retreat, and add $600 to the cost of the add-on. A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of $950 is required to reserve your space. Half the balance is due on April 15, The final balance is due on May 15, Please plan to arrive no later than June 28, as we will depart for our first destination the morning of June 29. If you would like to arrive a day or more early, this can easily be arranged via our dear friend and tour guide, Katia Mavrelli. She is also available to help arrange tour packages following our retreat for those who would like to stay longer. After we receive your application and deposit, we will send you further information about what to bring, etc. To attend the retreat you will be required to purchase travel medical insurance, including medical evacuation insurance with a minimum deductible of $100,000 USD. (This can typically be purchased for approximately $100 USD.) Refund Policy To register for the trip, please contact Dhari Gray at the CoreLight office. dhari@corelight.org or (505) , extension 2. We will refund your balance, excluding the deposit, 60 days prior to your departure. Reservations canceled between 30 and 59 days prior to the departure date will forfeit 50 per cent of the trip total. Reservations canceled less than 29 days prior to departure are non-refundable. If we are forced to cancel due to what we reasonably perceive are conditions that would jeopardize the health or safety of our travelers, all money will be refunded or applied to a later journey. Our experience has been that we have never had to cancel for these reasons at any time in our 25-year history.

9 Name Phone The total price of the main retreat is: $4,850 (double-occupancy). Total price of the add-on: $2,750 (double-occupancy). Early-bird special: If you register by March 15, 2018, the main retreat is $4,450, and the add-on is $2,450 (a savings of $700 total). Included in the retreat package: all accommodation, all meals except 3 lunches in the addon, transportation in Greece (except airport shuttle), tips and entrance fees. Not included in the retreat package: Airfare, transfers to/from airports, 3 lunches in the add-on, alcoholic beverages and personal items such as laundry and phone calls. Roommate Selection Name of preferred roommate: (I have made a confirmed agreement with this person.) I do not have a preferred roommate; please choose one for me. I would like a single room for the main retreat (which is $850 extra). I would like a single room for the add-on retreat (which is $600 extra). PAYMENT SCHEDULE Balancing Masculine and Feminine An Earth-Healing Pilgrimage in Greece With Brad Laughlin June 28-July 11, 2018 Please charge the nonrefundable deposit of $950 (USD) to my credit card below. Or contact Dhari Gray at dhari@corelight.org or (505) ext. 2. Please charge half the balance due to my credit card below on April 15, Please charge the final balance due to my credit card below on May 15, Name on card: Your CC #: Expiration Date: Billing Address (City, State, Zip): Signature Date: APPLICATION ESSAY Please write a short essay answering the following questions: What are your intentions for coming to the retreat? Please explain what you hope to receive from the experience and what you hope to give. How would you respond if for some unexpected reason, there arose the need to change the itinerary of the pilgrimage? How would you feel and how would you act? Please return this form to: CoreLight, 223 North Guadalupe Street # 275, Santa Fe, NM Phone: (505) ext. 2 / Fax: (505) / dhari@corelight.org

10 Balancing Masculine and Feminine, an Earth-Healing Pilgrimage in Greece Registration & Release Form Please read and sign: I, do hereby release CoreLight, Brad Laughlin and the CoreLight staff from any injury or damage which I may sustain during the Balancing Masculine and Feminine Retreat in Greece, June 28 July 11, The right is reserved to alter the itinerary or to cancel the tour prior to departure. In the event that this trip is cancelled, liability will be limited to a refund of all payments received. The right is reserved to decline to accept or retain any person at any time should such person s health, mental condition, physical infirmity or general deportment impede the welfare and enjoyment of other participants. Any physical disability requiring special attention or treatment must be reported when this application is presented. We recommend the purchase of travel accident insurance, baggage insurance and trip cancellation insurance. This pilgrimage involves hiking and walking. The Acropolis requires walking up steps, and there are two optional hikes in Delphi up paved mountain paths about 120 meters. On Delos there is also an optional hike up Mount Cynthos about 110 meters. We will take a ferry between Athens and the island of Aegina, which is about a one-hour ride each way, and between Naxos and Delos, which is about a 1 hour & 15 minute ride each way. I have physical issues that may prevent me from being able to cope with the walking, hiking and/or boat rides. (Please describe on a separate page.) I am in good physical shape; will have no trouble walking and hiking, and I am okay with a 1 hr & 15 min. boat ride. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF INTENTION OF PILGRIMAGE By signing below, I acknowledge that this trip is a pilgrimage and not a party. Although we will have fun and although our experiences may bring great joy and relaxation, the purpose of the journey is not to indulge in having a party. I am attending this pilgrimage in the spirit of service to the Earth, to higher consciousness and to my own spiritual growth. I am taking this journey not only to drink in and appreciate the exquisite beauty and spiritual power of the sacred sites of Greece, but also to serve and to give something back. I have read the above and agree to the terms and conditions as stated. Signed: Dated: In case of emergency, please give us a contact person: Contact Name: Relationship: Phone numbers: Physician: Physician s Ph. #: Are there any health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, etc.) that we should know about? If yes, please describe: Do you have any dietary restrictions? If yes, please describe: Please return this form to: CoreLight, 223 North Guadalupe Street # 275, Santa Fe, NM Phone: (505) ext. 2 / Fax: (505) / dhari@corelight.org