Morocco has been performing and teaching in the US and worldwide for 50 years and she is still going strong, with her raucous humor and razor sharp wit. After a long day of teaching two choreographies, Morocco then returned an hour later in full glorious attire to delight us with two performances which included Raqs Aseyya and Oriental, and of course her masterful zagat playing.

Thank you Za-Beth for all your organizing work and Happy Birthday to Morocco and Freddie!

You are great inspirations to all of us who love this dance and the rich heritage from which it has evolved.Similar Posts:

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Luxor Temple at Night

Back from another, my 36th!, group to Egypt. Each of us returned gradually during this week, floating and swirling like leaves back down to earth. The sense of comraderie and caring amongst the group was evident from the first gathering at Logan to begin our long flight. This was a harmonious gathering of old souls, each being a strong individual and yet able to work in co operation with others. There were no big egos or reincarnated Ramses or Nefertitis, no spiritual snobbery or elitism. Just a kind and compassionate group of seekers and adventurers, open to the moment.

Egypt was wondrous as always, and the only unpleasant weather was the day we toured Giza Plateau. There was a fierce wind and sandstorm, most unusual for this time of year. It made the pyramids look as if they were fading into another dimension and caused us to rush the startled vendors in search of cotton scarves to protect our faces.

Oddly,  only a few were up for climbing inside to the King’s Chamber, but those who did were blessed with a special gift. As we ascended to the top of the Grand Gallery, we heard the most beautiful, etherial chanting echoing from the granite walls. Inside there were three women and one man, eyes closed and in deep meditative state. A few of us silently took places seated on the floor and we were bathed in this heavenly sound and vibration. Their voices were magnificent and when the chanting ended, all bowed to one another and departed without a word. It was one of those magical synchronistic moments that doesn’t call for words, only an open heart and deep sense of gratitude. I have no idea who these lovely people were or what country they came from, but I thank them for sharing those sacred moments with strangers. It is so true that there are no strangers, only friends we have not yet met…

The above photo revealed literally hundreds of energy orbs, as did every photo taken in the temple that night. We were also thrilled by an enormous golden/orange shooting star as we entered the temple; this spectacular site passed too quickly for anyone to catch a photo.

The next tour is already forming, to take place in late January 2010. It will be my last for some time, as I am involved in other projects. If your heart calls you to come home to Egypt, you are most welcome to join me.

See website for all details.

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photo credit: Mohd Tarmizi

Here is the rather lengthy list of suggested reading for those who are joining me on the trip to Egypt soon. While I do not endorse fully every word written by these authors, there is sufficient wisdom in each to warrant your exploration. As always, accept what resonates as true for you and leave the rest. Perhaps it will come back to you again later and you can reconsider it. None have the final word on the infinite mysteries of the Universe or the teachings of the Ancients, but these are topics that fascinate and intrigue all who seek a higher understanding of our existence.

Begin where you are drawn and enjoy the journey. By clicking on any title, you will be taken to it instantly.

There will not be a quiz. However, the more you explore the greater and richer will be your experience when you are standing on the sacred ground of Egypt.

SOME SUGGESTED READING FOR EGYPT TRAVELERS

General Egypt Guidebook

Knopf Guide: Egypt (Knopf Guides)

SYMBOLIST EGYPT / ESOTERIC PHILOSOPHY

THE TRAVELER’S KEY TO ANCIENT EGYPT & SERPENT IN THE SKY : (Quest Books), John Anthony West

The Temple in Man: Sacred Architecture and the Perfect Man Schwaller de Lubicz. Inner Traditions

Sacred Geometry: Philosophy & Practice (Art and Imagination)  Robert Lawlor. Crossroad

Connections: The Geometric Bridge Between Art and Science  Jay Kappraff, McGraw Hill

Egyptian Mysteries: New Light on Ancient Knowledge (Art & Imagination) Lucie Lamy Inner Traditions International

The Goddess Sekhmet: Psycho-Spiritual Exercises of the Fifth Way  Robert Masters. Amity House

Temple of the Cosmos: The Ancient Egyptian Experience of the Sacred  Jeremy Naydler, Inner Traditions International

The Message of the Sphinx: A Quest for the Hidden Legacy of Mankind (in UK, KEEPER OF GENESIS), Graham Hancock & Robert Bauval, Crown

In Search of the Miraculous (Harvest Book)  P.D. Ouspensky

AWAKENING OSIRIS. Normandi Ellis. Phanes

ATLANTIS/COSMOLOGY/REVISIONIST HISTORY

FINGERPRINTS OF THE GODS, HEAVEN’S MIRROR, Graham Hancock. Crown

BEYOND THE BIG BANG: Ancient Cosmology and the Science of Continuous Creation, Paul LaViolette, Inner Traditions International

WHEN THE SKY FELL. Rand & Rose Flem-Ath. St. Martins


BLACK ATHENA (Vol. I), Martin Berna1, Rutgers

THE ANCIENT SECRET OF THE FLOWER OF LIFE (VOL 1 &2 ) Drunvalo Melchizedek

THE KYBALION, THE EMERALD TABLETS, Hermes Trismegistus

BRINGERS OF THE DAWN, EARTH, FAMILY OF LIGHT, Barbara Marciniak

THE HATHOR MATERIAL, Tom Kenyon & Virginia Essene

THE PASSION OF ISIS AND OSIRIS, Jean Houston


PYRAMIDS AND PYRAMIDOLOGY

SECRETS OF THE GREAT PYRAMID, Peter Tompkins, Harper & Row

HOW THE PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT. Peter Hodge, ed. Julian Keeble. Element Books (UK)

THE GREAT PYRAMID DECODED. Peter Lemesurier. Avon



TRAVEL AND PERSONAL ACCOUNTS

IN SEARCH OF SECRET EGYPT .Paul Brunton


LETTERS FROM EGYPT: A Journey on the Nile, 1849-1850; Florence Nightingale. Weidenfeld & Nicholson

FLAUBERT IN EGYPT, translated and edited by Francis Steegmuller, Academy


ONE THOUSAND MILES UP THE NILE. Amelia Edwards, Dover


RIVER IN THE DESERT: Modem Travels in Ancient Egypt, Paul William Roberts. Random House

INITIATION- Elizabeth Haich



HISTORY, AUTOBIOGRAPHY & FICTION

Ramses Series, The Stone of Light, many other titles- Christian Jacq

An Egyptian Woman – Jehan Sadat

Letters from Egypt – Florence Nightengale (Weidenfeld & Nicholson)

The Search for Om Seti (Jonathan Cott)

An Egyptian Joumal – William Golding (Faber & Faber)

Child of the Dawn – Pauline Gedge

Winged Pharaoh – Joan Grant (Ariel Press)

A Woman of Cairo – Noel Barber

Nile – Laurie Divine

Practical Egyptian Magic (Murray Hope)

Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt, Nicki Scully and Linda Star Wolf



GENERAL INTEREST / ACADEMIC EGYPTOLOGY

ETERNAL EGYPT, Pierre Montet, Mentor

ATLAS OF ANCIENT EGYPT, John Baines & Jaromir Malek.

MYTH AND SYMBOL IN ANCIENT EGYPT. R. T .Rundle Clark. Thames & HudsonSimilar Posts:

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photo credit: Martin_Finlayson

I am posting the Fall 2009 schedule for those who visit my blog but are not on my main mailing list. The Soul Journey workshops, which I created and have taught since 1980 covering wide range of topics, are intended to guide and instruct others along the spiritual path.

I have had many of the same students now for over 25 years who come and go, always touching back for a renewal of energy and affirmation of their own inner guidance. Many now have practices and schools of their own throughout the US. Some have become mentoring students who will soon receive certification as Transformational Healers through the Thoth School of Transformational Healing. I do not endorse guru worship or the following of any dogma, but greatly enjoy assisting others in finding their own unique soul path. Enlightenment is available to all, no matter what faith or calling, no matter where you have been or what burdens you carry. I am honored to serve in this process.

In this time of great testing and challenge, we are being called to step fully upon the path and to stand in the light of our own Being. As a world community of Light, we are making a difference in the outcome of this great experiment that is human life on Earth. Yes, you are an essential part of the grid encircling and holding our precious planet and you are greatly needed here to hold your unique vibration.

Stand firmly in what you know to be Truth, be Fully Present, radiate Love. All is unfolding in Divine and Perfect Order.

Peace is at hand.

Fall, 2009 Soul Journey Workshops with Katrina

Transformations Center for Healing, Barnstable Harbor, MA

Aligning with Your Soul Purpose

Sunday, September 13, 2009, 12-5pm

Identify passions, gifts and abilities that you are to share with the world. Celebrate your Heart Song and manifest your ideal work with a powerful intention ceremony.

The Inner World of Dreams 
Sunday,
September 27, 2009, 12-5pm

Learn the language of your subconscious and higher self. Discern precognitive, past life, spirit visitation, healing dreams. You can dream your own guidance clearly and recall in detail!

Intuition to Enhance Your Life 
Sunday,
October 18, 2009 12-5pm

Use your intuitive skills in all levels of decision-making. Become adept at both opening and closing the psychic channels to maintain clear boundaries and good health. Detect and clear unwanted energies and raise your vibration as a clear channel.

Workshop fee, materials included: $75. Your place is held with receipt of registration and full payment. Cancellation with less than 48 hours notice, no refunds. With more that 48 hr notice, credit toward future workshop minus $10

Name_______________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________________
Email____________________________________Phone_______________________
Workshop Title & Date__________________________________Check enc._______

Please send this form and payment to: Katrina Valenzuela/Transformations Center, 275 Mill Way, Box 999, Barnstable, MA 02630 
 Tel: 508-362-7474 transform999@aol.com/ details at www.transformationscenter.com

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Laura A. Cooper

With the wide array of dance DVDs now available, one might not think to choose a book in learning the basics of the dance. After all, a moving art in static form does not seem so inspiring; that is until you open the cover and see the clear and beautiful photos. No effort has been spared in photographing the diverse and beautifully costumed dancers for this book, with each step broken down into photos at differing angles.

Written and originally published in the UK in 2004, conveys warmth, sincerity, and a refreshing lack of ego. Laura’s writing voice is inclusive and caring and I found myself thinking of her as a friend and fellow teacher.

For those of us who have been teaching for many years, it is clear that students absorb and process learning in diverse ways. There are learning channels unique to each individual; visual, auditory, kinesthetic, intuitive. Ideally, as teachers we are skilled at presenting material in various ways to inspire students of every learning type.

One of the advantages of a good instruction book is that one can easily carry it and review each section while visualizing the movements and feeling the effect the on the body. This type of rehearsal through visualization while in an open and relaxed state has been shown to improve physical performance in every sport and performance art. You can be practicing and learning in this way even when it seems you are not ‘doing’ anything.

Laura has thought of everything, from a fine intro to dance history to chapters on the use of veil, wings, candles, cane, sword, and zills. I learned a few veil moves that I had never seen before. There are also three complete routines written in detailed choreography notes, for slow, medium, and fast tempos. Not one to follow choreography too closely, I still found it a nice addition for those who do love to be choreographed. Anyone who has taken on a project of this kind will appreciate the thoroughness and degree of organisation that went into this book.

I particularly enjoyed the final chapter on dance etiquette, written with true British finesse by a woman who obviously possesses self worth and dignity.

I would recommend to students of all levels for practice and review and to teachers who strive to better impart the intricate detail, richness, and beauty of our dance.

The only thing missing is information on how to join in on one of Laura’s classes when we are next in England.Similar Posts:

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Book Review:
By Khadija (Katrina Valenzuela) 9/21/08
Belly Dance – Celebrating the Sacred Feminine

By Martha Elena Burns

Foreword by 
Christiane Northrup, MD
Published 2009

If you are searching for the perfect gift for your favorite dancer, photographer or just a special treat for yourself, stop right there!  This big, lush book is a delight to the senses, a magical journey of breathtaking beauty that will leave you in tears.
The moment I held the book and gazed at the cover, I was mesmerized and transported.  Two hundred and twelve pages glorious pages later; I reluctantly came back to reality.
The beautiful foreword by well known MD and writer, Christiane Northrup leads us into a touching preface from author/photographer Martha Elena Burns describing her personal experiences with the dance.  
Exquisite quotes from Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Alice Walker, Jean Shinoda Bolen and Jalaja Bonheim weave their way through photographs filled with motion, spirit and energy.  Thick vellum overlays slowly reveal shimmering images, like veils being lifted into the secret, sacred world of the dancer. Not instructional, it is instead nourishment for the dancer’s soul.

If you are a practical dancer who does not give much credence to the Divine Feminine, The Goddess, I guarantee you will feel Her awesome presence here.  You may even begin to radiate your own inner Goddess with pride once you realize that as a woman and as a dancer, you are a part of Her great mystery.
From innocent young girl to new mother, to older wise woman, all stages of our lives as women are represented here with dignity, and reverence.  
While you will recognize many dancers that you know and love, the artistic scope of ‘Belly Dance; Celebrating the Sacred Feminine’ is much broader and deeper than personalities.

This book is obviously an act of love, ten years in the making, and is not just for dancers.  Anyone with a passion for art, beauty, color, design, and spectacular photography will be inspired and uplifted. 
This is a book to be savored slowly, kept in a special place and revisited often.
I was allowed to review the galley copy, but the completed, hard cover, gold-foiled version can be ordered now at a prepublication discount through www.BellyDanceBook.Net.Similar Posts:

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photo credit: Rebecca L. Daily

I just returned from three exciting and information filled days at the annual NGH (National Guild of Hypnotists) It was held in Marlborough, MA this year and so very well organized and orderly especially considering there were 1200+ attendees. The NGH convention is a must for alternative healers and anyone in the field of hypnotherapy.

Many new studies of the effects of hypnosis were presented, my favorites this year being Metaphor Mind with Peter Blum, Hypnosis and Intuition with Michael Hathaway and Weight Management with Tom Nicoli. I am so inspired to move into the next level of my practice. I will write more about these new techniques later.

Peace and Healing to All,

KatrinaSimilar Posts:

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Sacred Dance of the Goddess

by

Katrina Valenzuela

“We come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars…the stars form a circle, and in the center we dance.”                 Rumi, 13^th century

My first contact with Middle Eastern culture and dance was in my early teen years, when due to a series of unfortunate family events, I went to live with an Egyptian relative.  As fate would have it, he became not only my guardian, but also my guide for a lifelong journey into ancient cultures and spiritual practices.

I quickly learned that every occasion in Egyptian culture presents an opportunity for dance and music. As the women spontaneously tied scarves around their hips and moved with obvious pride in their rounded femininity, I began to feel included in a sort of secret community, one of a shared power and presence requiring no words.

Dance had been a source of great joy all my life, but it was in experiencing Middle Eastern dance that I became thoroughly immersed in the magic. The enchantment was complete upon my first trip to Egypt when I saw a professional dance performance.  From the moment the dancer entered, her regal elegance and powerful presence transformed the atmosphere, her joyous smile hinting at the mysteries of The Goddess expressing through her.  The image of this dancer stayed with me for many years, as I attempted to find my place in the often-alien world of Western culture.

Upon giving birth, I glimpsed it again, this awesome power of the feminine experience that was so frequently feared and diminished.  In the difficult years of a brief marriage, divorce and then raising my son alone, I would take refuge in playing the few Egyptian records from my teenage years, dancing alone into the night.  As he grew, my son delightedly joined me in this ritual, as we cavorted laughing and spinning like dervishes through our small apartment.  It was a free passage into another world, one that was rich and warm and beyond all the mundane chores and concerns of our lives.

In the ensuing 20+ years as a counselor, healer, medium and teacher, I was often questioned as to how I remained grounded while doing such esoteric and intense work.  Most often, my honest answer was that raising a child requires my full presence.

I found that revealing the Egyptian dancer self brought reactions ranging from embarrassment to outright judgement.  Surprisingly, the most severe judgement came from other women, who seemed to view the dance as a personal threat and definitely not ‘spiritual’.

I was accustomed to not quite fitting in with the status quo, but it was another thing to become almost mainstream and I was being invited to address organizations that once would have scorned my work.  Why risk what had taken so long to realize?  Yet, how could I hide this wondrous spiritual practice from my clients and friends who could benefit so much from it?

I began teaching Egyptian dance based on my own spiritual and cultural perspective, including firsthand experiences from years of living in Egypt.  I also teach my students the spoken and written language as it pertains to the dance.  Both students and audience members have commented on the insights gained into an often-misunderstood culture as well as the role of Egyptian women, which is unlike that of women in Arab countries.  I am often invited to teach in conjunction with lectures on topics ranging from eating disorders to intercultural understanding.

The rewards of my teaching the dance are many as I observe the transformations in women of all ages and body types.  Recently, I watched one of my tiny preteens whose coin hip belt had repeatedly crashed to the floor during hip shimmies.  She exclaimed loudly, “Oh, I can’t wait to have hips!” How often is this heard in our society?  Why not rejoice as little girls become divine representatives of The Goddess, encouraging pride and respect in their developing bodies?

Middle Eastern dance in its pure form expresses the wide range of experiences in a woman’s life; the longer and more fully she lives, the richer and more interesting her story and her dance.  It is a tradition kept alive for centuries by and for women.

In my groups, I strive to maintain a sense of community, of sisters supporting and encouraging one another to express their individual life stories. Long before the building of great temples and cathedrals, there was the original sacred space: the womb, where all life miraculously manifests itself from nothingness.

The miracles and mystery of birth is the basis of all mysteries; in ancient times, we venerated The Goddess as the source of all life.  She is inextricably linked to dance, sacred dance being the principal form of Goddess worship in every ancient culture.

The rhythm of the primal female, the heartbeat, is basic to all rhythms just as the divine feminine is basic to all life in the Universe.  The heartbeat is the first rhythm each of us hears and moves to in utero.  If we do not lose this rhythm, it can comfort and guide us through our lives.

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Search for the Zar

In this excerpt from a soon-to-be published book by Katrina Valenzuela (Khadija), we learn about the Zar, an Egyptian ritual performed to appease spirits (the Jinn) and relieve the stresses of life.

Khadija describes her first clandestine experience in a Zar ceremony, arranged after considerable searching and effort, as the secret ritual is illegal in Egypt.  She is accompanied by her friend Mostafa, who had initially discouraged her determination to participate.

The story begins as they meet a tall, gaunt figure under a bridge, who guides them to a private home where the Zar takes place.

The mysterious stranger greets us in solemn monosyllables and we follow him in silence over unpaved roads, dodging muddy trenches and stray dogs, through the poorest section of Old Cairo to a small stucco house. My clothes are mud – spattered and dusty, but the sound of drumming and the wafting myrrh and frankincense cause my heart to leap with anticipation. A woman answers the door and takes us in with her wide dark eyes, assessing us in a suspicious manner as she adjusts her hijab in a modest gesture, covering the front of her hair. After extensive, huddled discussion among the group, the mood shifts entirely and we are suddenly welcomed in and embraced.  We are told we are the first newcomers to the group in years and so they were uneasy.

Because I speak Arabic, the women consider me one of their own; they become overprotective and feel free to ask direct questions about my marital status and personal life, which I answer as briefly as possible. “Yes, Mostafa and I are only friends. No, I am not presently married or engaged. No, my father does not know where I am.” Shaking their heads in astonishment, their eyes reveal both envy and disapproval. Still, I am taken under their wing with motherly concern and I feel completely safe.

Bathed in candle light, the living room of the small house is a sea of movement, heads swaying, eyes flickering in ecstatic trance, each lost in their own inner world.  Women who are more inhibited drape large black cotton scarves over their heads and their swaying creates a mysterious silhouette. The power of the experience overcomes me within moments and I join in, allowing the rhythm to move my body. Mostafa takes a doumbek and joins the small group of men on percussion, whose task is to keep the ayoub rhythm flowing unbroken for the duration of the ceremony.

There are no steps to learn, only to surrender to the hypnotic repetition of drums and chanting. Once inside the experience, I am beyond all thinking or self-consciousness and move in a way that is deeply familiar, instinctual, and primal.  To move from a trance state is as easy as breathing and I lose myself completely in the experience.

Suddenly a large, middle aged woman in a long, flower print dress drops to the floor writhing and shaking, the sheikha loudly calling out incantations to the Jinn that possesses her. Others rush to surround her while continuing their movements around the convulsing woman. They are entirely unperturbed by the situation as they offer support and a circle of safely for whatever she needs to go through.

The Jinn is finally appeased and the frenzied expression subsides. It is obvious that some part of the Zar experience is an outlet for the repressed lives of very poor women, a chance to act out some of the frustrations and anger at conditions that never change through generations. This is a powerful sisterhood of support and I am fortunate to have been allowed entry.  When the first muezzin call goes out over the city, all activity suddenly ceases and we silently file out into the hazy early morning, each going their way without a word. I leave Mostafa at Ramses Station to catch his train back to Upper Egypt. “Let’s go again in two weeks; maybe it will cure these headaches I have had for years,” he says. We agree to talk once we have integrated all that occurred in this long and strange night.

Back in Zemalek, I fall into my bed exhausted and dizzy, the hypnotic sound of the drums still echoing in my head as it leads me into a hallucinatory sleep… Suspended in a place between waking and dreaming, I am unable to move and yet so deeply relaxed that it does not frighten me. I am carried on this journey until the mid-morning muezzin intrudes, calling me to full wakefulness. I feel a lightness and joy in spite of my lack of deep sleep, as if a burden has been lifted.  My deep heartache over my recent life changes has dissolved and in its place is a sense of gratitude and rightness about this new phase of my life. Wherever I am led next in this mosaic of adventures, I feel open and prepared for the journey.

Khadija’s book is scheduled for publication in 2009. Khadija lived in Egypt and leads spiritual tours to Egypt and surrounding countries. Visit the website to learn more about her:

http://transformationscenter.com/

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