Monthly Archives: November 2026

Tania Marie: What I’m Not Bringing Home

I’ve returned from Egypt with experiences I may never fully explain, encounters I will carry quietly within me, and a growing clarity about what I no longer wish to carry at all.

Woman sitting in desert sand at sunset with dunes on the horizon

It’s an interesting thing to return from a journey of such extraordinary richness and discover that some of its greatest gifts have come through what has fallen away.

Woman standing with arms outstretched on a road between salt flats under a cloudy sky

These three weeks were unlike any of my previous journeys to this land I love so deeply.

Woman in a wide-brimmed hat sitting on a sandy beach at sunset

They brought together extraordinary physical exploration, sacred immersion, unexpected friendships, ancient mysteries, and the profound simplicity of being.

Woman standing on stone steps beside ancient cliff dwellings beneath a rocky hillside

Of all the places I’ve traveled throughout my life, Egypt has consistently offered the most profound personal transformation.

Woman posing beside the Egyptian flag in front of desert ruins under a clear blue sky

There is something about the energy of this land that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. It seems to accelerate whatever is ready to move within me, bringing years of inner exploration into sudden clarity and opening pathways of spiritual growth that might otherwise have taken much longer to unfold. Yet I’ve also learned that the experience itself is only part of the transformation.

Woman standing beside a stone wall with an Egyptian pyramid at sunset

There is an intentionality involved, and sometimes the courage to look honestly at what these energies bring to the surface, what they’re asking us to release, and what we’re ready to change. It’s how consciously we engage with what has been awakened, allowing it to move through us and become embodied in the way we live, that gives these extraordinary openings their lasting power.

Woman in a hat posing in front of the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Egypt

And although I’ve experienced this with every return, this journey seemed to carry that transformative current to an entirely new depth.

Woman sitting outdoors in a desert garden at sunset, illuminated by warm orange light

Somewhere within it all, I found myself becoming increasingly comfortable with allowing life to meet me in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

Woman in a white outfit and hat standing in a stone archway at ancient ruins

My first week was devoted to an unprecedented research expedition exploring Egypt’s pyramids, brought together through the complementary contributions of two remarkable individuals.

Man holding a camera and looking upward inside a rocky canyon

Douglas Rennie, creator and host of History for Granite, a popular YouTube channel devoted to the detailed analysis, architecture, and construction mysteries of Egypt’s Old Kingdom pyramids, drew together a fascinating community of enthusiasts through his extensive following. The participants shared his passion for investigating these ancient structures, bringing a wealth of knowledge, curiosity, and analytical perspectives to the experience.

Two hikers examining a layered sandstone rock wall at a canyon site.

Our expedition leader, Anyextee of Adept Expeditions, was the driving force behind the logistics, coordination, and permissions that made our exceptional access possible.

Man standing in a rocky canyon, looking upward at the textured stone walls

His more esoteric approach brought a complementary dimension to the experience, and I deeply appreciated the energetic balance he helped maintain throughout our explorations.

Two smiling people posing together indoors, with the woman wearing a cowboy hat and the man wearing sunglasses and a beige shirt.

Through his relationships and remarkable efforts, doors opened to places and experiences that had never before been offered to a public group.

Group of tourists posing in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza under a blue sky

What unfolded was a remarkable collection of firsts that could never be duplicated in quite the same way.

Woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat standing in a rocky canyon

Over the course of that week, we explored more than twenty locations, including ten private visits. There were firsthand conversations with archaeological experts, extraordinary discoveries, and even an astonishing sarcophagus that had not previously been publicly revealed. The expedition was so unusual that it even made news in local Egyptian newspapers.

Two people standing in a narrow stone corridor with exposed beams and rough white walls

From the moment I first learned of this opportunity, something within me responded so powerfully that I knew I needed to be there. Although I was entering a world quite different from the spiritual journeys I usually experience, I felt an unmistakable call to be part of it.

Tourists exploring an ancient desert mound beneath a clear blue sky

The exclusivity of these visits means that much of what we witnessed inside these structures cannot yet be shared. Some spaces and discoveries remain in their raw, unrevealed state, and photographs must be held privately until the time is right for them to be seen. Being entrusted with such access carried both extraordinary privilege and a responsibility to honor what had not yet been revealed.

Visitors exploring the ancient stone ruins at the base of a pyramid in Giza under a clear blue sky

Our days began early and often stretched late into the night. We explored pyramids, tombs, and surrounding archaeological sites across Giza, Saqqara, Dahshur, Merenre, Abu Ghorab, Abusir, Meidum, Lisht, Hawara, and Abu Rawash.

Desert landscape with ancient stone pyramids beneath a cloudy blue sky
Ancient stone pyramid with an underground entrance in a barren desert under a bright sun
Ancient stone excavation site in a barren desert landscape
Sunlit rocky desert landscape with a deep rectangular excavation and rock formations in the distance
Arid archaeological site with a large earthen mound, scattered stone slabs, and visitors under a hazy sky
Ancient stone ruins in a sandy desert with a large eroded mound under a clear blue sky
Traveler standing in front of the ancient Meidum Pyramid in Egypt

Along the way, unexpected opportunities for special access opened doors to areas we hadn’t anticipated exploring, including during our time on the Giza Plateau.

Woman wearing a brown hat posing in front of the Great Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt

Of all the pyramids we entered, I’d previously been inside only about five, making the others entirely new experiences of discovery and awakening.

Narrow stone staircase descending through an ancient masonry passage

We even had the opportunity to enter one of the queens’ pyramids I’d never explored before, along with a satellite pyramid near the Bent Pyramid, adding yet more unexpected dimensions to an already extraordinary expedition.

Woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat posing in front of ancient desert ruins under a bright sun

And whenever another opportunity appeared, I said yes.

Smiling woman in a brown hat climbing out of a rocky underground passage.

If there was a shaft to descend, a passage to crawl through, a chamber to enter, or another pyramid to explore, I was there.

Woman wearing a cowboy hat posing inside a rocky cave with a group of visitors behind her

I even returned to a subterranean tunnel I hadn’t had time to experience during a previous visit a year earlier.

Dark, narrow stone tunnel with rough textured walls and a low ceiling
Smiling woman in a cowboy hat climbing through a rocky cave opening

We often explored beyond what our itinerary promised, embracing whatever the remaining hours and our collective curiosity could accommodate. Some days held five or six sites, each one revealing something different.

Woman climbing a steep wooden staircase inside a warmly lit cave, with another person behind her

I was all in.

Smiling tattooed woman in a cowboy hat poses inside a narrow, warmly lit stone passage with another person behind her.

The air grew thick and humid as we moved deeper underground, our bodies bending to accommodate narrow passages and ancient spaces.

People exploring a narrow illuminated underground stone passage

The heat and physical exertion brought an extraordinary amount of sweating, which I welcomed as a deep, almost purifying release.

Woman wearing a cowboy hat taking a selfie inside a narrow illuminated cave passage with visitors behind her

There were moments when the visible world disappeared and all that remained was breath, sensation, and the certainty of each next movement.

I felt the physical descent into the earth mirroring something within myself. Each narrow passage asked for trust. Each chamber opened into another layer of discovery. And each climb back toward daylight carried its own sense of emergence.

Woman in a wide-brimmed hat hiking through a rocky canyon with other visitors in the background

One of the most unforgettable experiences came at the end of our biggest pyramid day, when we were granted private access inside the Black Pyramid.

Group of tourists posing in front of a desert rock formation on a paved viewpoint

Entering the Black Pyramid had been a dream of mine for some time, and to finally find myself within its ancient chambers felt deeply significant at this particular time in my life.

Woman in a wide-brimmed hat standing on a rocky volcanic slope beneath a rugged summit

After hours of climbing, descending, exploring, and absorbing so much, I found myself immersed in an experience that brought profound visions and messages whose depth I am still integrating. There are aspects of what unfolded there that I will keep close to my heart, allowing their meaning to reveal itself in its own time.

Rocky volcanic hill rising from a sandy desert landscape under a clear blue sky

Within those ancient chambers, I felt deeply honored by the profound presence of Anubis and Sekhmet during my meditation, an experience whose significance I’m still integrating and whose deeper details I feel called to keep sacred.

And since I can’t share photographs of my journey within, I’ll let these images of the Black Pyramid’s exterior speak for themselves, leaving its inner mysteries undisturbed and offering a quiet invitation to explore the uncharted depths within ourselves with greater courage and curiosity.

Silhouettes of three tourists photographing a pyramid at sunset.

When we finally emerged, an extraordinary sunset was unfolding across the desert, bathing the distant Bent Pyramid in coral, apricot, and amber.

Sunset over a barren desert landscape with rocky hills and a distant pyramid-shaped peak.

We’d explored it earlier that day during our marathon of six pyramids, and now, after such a profound descent into the depths of the Black Pyramid, emerging into that magnificent expanse of light felt like a beautiful rebirth in itself.

Sunset over desert dunes with a pyramid-shaped rock formation silhouetted against the orange sky

After so much time moving through the hidden depths of the earth, standing beneath that immense, glowing sky was a moment I will never forget.

Woman wearing a hat standing in a desert landscape at sunset, with rugged rock formations in the background.

Another extraordinary first was entering all three of the great pyramids on the Giza Plateau during a single journey: Menkaure, Khafre, and Khufu.

Close-up view of an ancient stone pyramid beneath a starry night sky

On previous visits, I’d only been able to enter two, since public access generally alternates between Menkaure and Khafre. Last time it was Menkaure, and this time Khafre, but with private access to two of the three pyramids during our expedition, I was finally able to experience all three at once.

View of the Giza pyramids behind a modern open plaza in Cairo, Egypt

Something about completing that trilogy felt especially significant to me.

Large pyramid silhouetted against the night sky, with scattered stones in the foreground and distant city lights.

We also explored outlying areas of the plateau I’d never visited before, including an area normally closed to the public.

Tourists exploring ancient mud-brick ruins beneath a blue sky

Earlier in the journey, I’d visited the now fully opened Grand Egyptian Museum, where I was able to see Khufu’s magnificent solar boat and the extraordinary treasures of Tutankhamun.

Museum display of ancient Egyptian mummified hands and artifacts

It felt especially meaningful to later stand at the very place where the ancient vessel had been discovered.

Large ancient wooden boat displayed in a modern museum gallery with visitors

During my visit last year, only a small portion of the museum had been accessible, making this another remarkable opportunity to experience so much more of Egypt’s ancient history.

Ornate ancient Egyptian golden throne decorated with deities, hieroglyphs, winged figures, and a lion-shaped leg

Another remarkable culmination came with our private experience inside the Great Pyramid, moving through its chambers before emerging to find the moon rising over the Giza Plateau.

Illuminated pyramid-shaped salt pile under a cloudy night sky, with the moon visible above.

The timing felt exquisite, one of those alignments that seemed to belong to the experience itself.

Bright half moon glowing against a black night sky

Somehow, on every visit to the Great Pyramid, I’ve found myself among the very first to enter the King’s Chamber, usually arriving before anyone else. This time was no exception. In fact, on my last two visits, I’ve had five or more precious minutes entirely alone, or with only one other person, before anyone else arrived.

Woman standing beside a large ancient stone sarcophagus in a dimly lit chamber

There’s something wonderfully strange about this recurring experience, as though a little pocket outside of time is being quietly held open for me. I can’t explain why it keeps happening, but each time it feels less like coincidence and more like an unseen choreography I’m simply finding myself part of.

Woman wearing a hat and patterned pants posing among ancient stone ruins with desert pyramids in the background

While so many around me were passionately investigating how these ancient structures were built, I was equally immersed in what I could feel within them.

Woman wearing a brown hat and floral pants poses among ancient stone ruins.

I found pockets of solitude in dark chambers and remote corners, following the passageways both within the pyramids and within myself. I felt I was there both to receive and to offer something of my own, quietly honoring and preserving the energies of these sacred places.

Woman standing inside a narrow ancient stone chamber with an arched ceiling and illuminated doorway

In some of the most rarely accessed spaces, I experienced a deep sense of guardianship, as though I was there to help hold and anchor an energetic purity and balance while also receiving what those places offered me.

Woman standing in a historic stone passageway with carved walls and a low doorway

And there was another dimension to this work that felt equally important.

Woman standing in front of massive ancient stone pyramid blocks under a blue sky

I was consciously opening myself as a vessel, allowing the energies I experienced to move in and through me, breathing them into my fully open heart and offering them outward to the collective with the sacred intention that they reach wherever they were needed.

Smiling woman in a wide-brimmed hat forming a heart with her hands in front of the Egyptian pyramids

There is something profoundly simple about this kind of work. It doesn’t always require elaborate ceremony, complicated practices, or even words. Sometimes it asks only for complete presence, purity of heart, and a willingness to participate in the beautiful exchange of giving and receiving.

Woman wearing a brown hat and long skirt standing on a rocky desert overlook

I’ve long experienced these ancient sites as extraordinary energetic amplifiers, conduits within a greater living network connecting the Earth, the cosmos, and our own consciousness.

Great Pyramid of Giza beneath a bright sun and wispy blue sky

To me, they are places where the boundaries of ordinary perception become more permeable, where initiation and transformation can unfold with remarkable intensity, and where our relationship with the greater whole can be felt in ways that are difficult to describe.

Front view of an ancient Egyptian pyramid with exposed stone blocks under a clear blue sky

Within that understanding, every breath becomes part of something larger.

A mound of sand in a desert landscape beneath a blue sky with scattered clouds
Stepped pyramid in Egypt beneath dramatic clouds and blue sky
Ancient stone pyramid ruins beneath a blue sky with scattered clouds
Decorated camel standing before a desert pyramid under a bright blue sky

Every offering and every receiving is intertwined, each contributing its own thread to the continually evolving tapestry of life.

Traveler posing in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt

And I found myself participating in that exchange with an openness and devotion that felt especially profound on this journey.

Tourists exploring a narrow sandstone canyon under a clear blue sky

This was also the largest group I’d ever traveled with in Egypt, bringing an entirely different energetic dynamic for me to navigate.

Large ancient stone block with carved recesses at an archaeological site, surrounded by visitors and desert hills.

Of our forty participants, thirty-four were men and only six were women, with an additional predominantly male staff supporting the expedition.

Tourists gather beside a tour bus in a sandy desert under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

The predominantly masculine energy of our group felt beautifully appropriate to the experience.

Two tourists standing beside a rugged rock wall, looking upward at a historic cave or archaeological site.

There was such peacefulness, generosity, mutual support, and shared enthusiasm among the men, and I felt a quiet harmony in bringing my own presence and perspective into that environment.

Smiling couple taking a selfie in front of an ancient stone pyramid.

What might have felt overwhelming in such a large group instead became an unexpected experience of balance, connection, and ease.

Group of tourists posing in front of the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Egypt

Before arriving, I’d wondered how I might find my place among so many analytical minds whose knowledge and interests were so different from mine. Those concerns dissolved almost immediately.

Three people posing inside a historic stone cave or rock-cut structure.

There was extraordinary richness in listening to their ideas, appreciating their passion, watching their minds work, and enjoying the laughter, kindness, generosity, and humanity that connected us.

Tourists visiting the base of a large Egyptian pyramid under a bright blue sky

The few kindred spirits within the group found one another naturally, but some of the most meaningful connections came through people whose perspectives were entirely different from mine.

Tourists exploring ancient Egyptian ruins beside a pyramid under a hazy sun

I didn’t need to know what everyone else knew, share their understanding, or seek validation for my own. I could simply be myself, genuinely interested in who they were.

Two smiling people wearing cowboy hats pose in a narrow sandstone passageway.

I’ve always loved discovering the connective threads between people whose lives, beliefs, and perspectives differ from my own. It’s one of the things I treasure most about traveling, too.

Tourists exploring ancient stone ruins in a narrow canyon under a bright blue sky

Moving among different cultures, traditions, and religions, experiencing their beauty from within, and allowing another way of seeing the world to expand my appreciation of it.

Group of tourists hiking near ancient stone ruins under a bright sun

The extraordinary gift isn’t that our differences disappear. It’s that they can remain, while something beautiful connects us all the same.

Tour group gathered inside a stone chamber during a guided archaeological site visit

I especially cherished the refreshing companionship of some of the women on the expedition, and deeply honored the unique ways each held space for the feminine within such a predominantly masculine environment.

Two women smiling for a selfie near an ancient stone structure

Another unexpected presence throughout the journey was the remarkable number of bats.

They appeared within the pyramids, sometimes astonishingly close, swept past in sudden flybys, and accompanied evenings around the oases. One particularly enormous bat crossed the night sky while I was watching the pyramids from Cairo.

Colony of bats roosting on a cave wall

I’ve always appreciated the mysterious nature of these creatures, but their repeated appearances throughout a journey so immersed in transformation felt especially meaningful to me.

There was something fitting about these nocturnal beings moving effortlessly through darkness and the hidden spaces around us, navigating worlds that remain largely beyond our own perception.

And then there were the ancient doorways, suggesting mysteries beyond what our imaginations can fathom, realms our hearts and spirits may already have wandered, even as our physical bodies have yet to cross their thresholds.

Ancient Egyptian stone doorway carved with hieroglyphics in a weathered temple wall

After that intensely active week, my journey shifted into an entirely different rhythm.

Palm-lined courtyard with a reflective swimming pool and warmly lit ochre villa

Nine days in Siwa Oasis, a place I had long wanted to experience, followed by three days returning to the familiar beauty of Fayoum Oasis, opened into a spaciousness that felt almost timeless.

Woman in a hat standing in ancient stone ruins with desert mountains in the background

Some mornings found me sitting on mats in the grass and sand, surrounded by sparrows and the gentle humming of bumblebees.

Tattooed woman holding a leafy green branch in front of a rustic wooden building

Other hours were spent lounging beneath palms beside a natural spring pool, watching dragonflies entwined in their delicate mating dances, dipping toward the water to lay their eggs, while butterflies floated so close they seemed to move through the same breath as mine.

Pool surrounded by palm trees, viewed from a sun lounger in a tropical oasis.
Dragonflies skimming across the surface of green water

There was no urgency to leave.

Smiling woman with long hair standing beside a swimming pool surrounded by palm trees

I simply luxuriated in the sensory richness of my surroundings, allowing myself to be held and nourished within what felt like a little sanctuary outside of time that felt like a nurturing womb.

Woman with long hair and tattooed arms reclining on a red-and-white checkered cushion in a sunny palm-lined courtyard
Palm-filled garden courtyard with outdoor seating viewed through a large arched doorway

A private world of gentle restoration and spiritual nourishment, where nothing needed to be accomplished or understood, and the seeds of whatever was unfolding within my heart could receive what they needed simply through my willingness to surrender.

Sunlit oasis garden with palm trees, a swimming pool, and outdoor dining area.
Traditional market stall displaying colorful woven rugs and hanging textiles beneath palm trees
Sunlit courtyard with palm trees, arched ochre buildings, and a paved walkway under a clear blue sky
Palm-filled resort courtyard with wooden lounge chairs, tables, and low buildings under a clear blue sky
Open-air palm-frond seating area with colorful rugs, cushions, and date palm trees

Conversations unfolded without watching the time. Soulful music and the resonance of crystal and chakra bowls mingled with long stretches of silence.

Observing the countless rhythms of existence unfold in harmony around me, the Earth alive with its own ceaseless movement.

Woman in a blue covering walking with a child along an unpaved street lined with unfinished stone buildings

Sometimes I simply sat, watching the smallest movements of life around me, feeling no desire to be anywhere else.

Woman sitting beside a small outdoor fire at night, with a moonlit sky and rustic rooftop garden surroundings

For three consecutive days, I floated in luminous turquoise salt pools beneath the open sky, the mineral-rich waters holding my body so effortlessly that I felt almost without form, as though I were drifting weightlessly through the womb of the cosmos.

Person floating on their back in clear turquoise water

After the heat, humidity, and extraordinary physical exertion of the pyramids, these waters offered another expression of the same deep cleansing, this time through softness rather than effort.

Turquoise lake surrounded by barren rocky desert landscape under a blue sky
Person's feet resting on a rocky shore beside clear turquoise water and distant rugged hills
Person swimming in clear turquoise ocean water
Turquoise lake surrounded by pale rocky terrain under a clear blue sky
Close-up of coarse salt crystals beside turquoise seawater with rocky islands in the distance
Turquoise pool surrounded by barren rocky terrain under a bright blue sky
Turquoise lake reflecting white clouds and rugged pale mountains under a clear blue sky
Calm blue lake with rocky islets, sandy shoreline, and distant low hills under a clear sky

The desert offered an entirely different kind of immersion.

Woman sitting on a towel beside a turquoise lake, surrounded by rocky desert terrain.

Barefoot in the sand, I felt the warmth of the earth beneath me.

Sunset over a vast sandy desert with footprints and a person’s feet in the foreground
Woman walking across sunlit sand dunes under a clear blue sky

And suddenly, I was alive in a way that transcended ordinary perception, every sense heightened to an extraordinary degree, every subtle detail revealing an entire world of its own.

Person walking across sunlit sand dunes with arms outstretched

It was as though I were living inside a waking dream, fully immersed in each unfolding chapter of a story being written through the very act of experiencing it.

And that heightened sense of aliveness only deepened with the adventures of our evenings, when the desert invited an entirely different kind of immersion that awakened another dimension of my senses.

Couple riding a red quad bike across desert sand dunes at sunset

Exhilarating ATV adventures and SUV safaris offered a freedom of unexpected thrills that carried us across immense dunes, through pale limestone landscapes, and into places where the remnants of an ancient sea still rested among the stones.

Close-up of fossil-rich sedimentary rock with numerous embedded shells and marine fossils

After the exhilarating rush of our desert safaris and the thrill of exploring the unknown, I found myself breathing in magnificent sunsets from atop towering dunes and surrendering to the soothing warmth of natural hot springs beneath star-filled skies.

Woman in a hat watching the sunset over the ocean

It was otherwordly to float in these cosmic pools in the heart of the Egyptian Sahara Desert.

Illuminated oasis pool surrounded by desert dunes and palm plants under a starry night sky
Illuminated round pool surrounded by lounge chairs and vegetation under a starry night sky

And the elements of otherworlds didn’t stop there.

There were meteorites (some with natural holes I will turn into pendants) and other remarkable finds, including a couple of rare, translucent honey-colored carnelian agates (also pendant-worthy), salt crystals, flint, white limestone, desert-painted sandstone, fossilized shells, mineral-rich green clay traditionally used in skin and wellness treatments, and heart-shaped stones scattered among the desert’s treasures. Each discovery invited a closer look at the extraordinary history held within these seemingly empty expanses.

Hand holding a translucent piece of ice against an orange sunset over the water

At sunset, the landscape seemed to change its nature.

Sunlit desert landscape with wind-sculpted rocky formations and sand dunes under a clear blue sky
Wind-sculpted sandy desert ridge with rippled dunes, exposed rock, and scattered dark stones
Expansive desert landscape with rocky formations, sand dunes, and a pale moon in a clear blue sky
Sunset over rippled desert sand dunes and a barren horizon
Desert landscape with rolling sand dunes and a rocky hill beneath a clear sky
Desert landscape with wind-sculpted rock formations beneath a pink sky
Sunlit sand dunes with wind-sculpted ripples, footprints, and rocky outcrops beneath a clear blue sky
Rocky desert landscape with eroded stone formations and sand dunes under a clear blue sky
Vast desert landscape with textured sand flats, a distant rocky plateau, and a small conical hill at sunset
Desert dunes and a rocky mound silhouetted against a pastel sunset sky
Rippling desert sand dunes silhouetted against an orange sunset sky

Limestone formations glowed gold, the dunes deepened into shadow, and the moon began its slow ascent over a world that appeared to have no edges.

Woman in a wide-brimmed hat posing among ancient ruins at sunset with a pyramid in the background

There were many evenings atop the ancient ruins of Shali Fortress watching sunset and moonrise.

Sunset over a historic desert town with mud-brick buildings and rocky ruins in the foreground
Ancient earthen ruins with crumbling walls and arched openings beneath a pale sky
Ancient mud-brick ruins with eroded walls and pathways beneath a clear blue sky
Panoramic view of ancient mud-brick ruins overlooking a desert town at sunset
Ancient mud-brick ruins overlooking a desert town, palm grove, and setting moon
Silhouetted ancient mud-brick ruins against an orange sunset sky

Every moonscape was like watching a dreamy painting come to life.

Full moon above palm trees beneath pink-tinted clouds at dusk
Full moon above pink clouds and palm trees at dusk
Bright full moon glowing against a deep blue evening sky

These magickal celestial events were followed by dining beneath Bedouin tents filled with colorful carpets and cushions, on rooftops overlooking the moon and ruins, waterside in tranquil bliss, and nearly always with resident cats and dogs keeping us company.

Interior of a traditional thatched-roof pavilion with patterned rugs, cushions, low seating, and decorative textiles.
Golden dog standing beside a rustic wooden table in a palm-filled lounge with patterned cushions
Gray kitten sitting on a colorful patterned cushion
Seaside resort with colorful boats, lounge cushions, palm trees, and thatched-roof huts at sunset
Colorful kayaks on a sandy beach at sunset, with cushions and woven mats overlooking calm water.
Golden sunset over calm water with the sun reflecting toward a silhouetted rocky island
Sunset over calm rippling water with silhouetted flat-topped islands on the horizon

Nights like these unfolded beneath the moon, lingering over beautiful meals, heartfelt conversations, and a resounding silence that seemed to speak just as deeply, with nowhere else we needed to be and no particular destination in mind.

Night view of traditional mud-brick buildings under a bright moon, seen from a rooftop terrace with a chair in the foreground

I loved watching the sunsets transform the desert, the last golden light washing across the dunes and limestone formations. At times, the setting sun appeared to transform into a flaming Saturn, its fiery glow encircled by delicate bands of clouds, as though another world had briefly revealed itself within our own.

Bright orange sunset over the ocean with the sun half obscured by clouds near the horizon
Bright orange sun setting over a dark horizon beneath wispy clouds

But I was equally captivated by what unfolded on the opposite horizon.

I noticed how naturally people gathered to watch the sun descend, yet so few turned to witness the moon rising behind them. Sometimes rose-gold, sometimes a deep, almost startling red, it emerged enormous above the desert, revealing an entirely different kind of magnificence.

Pink full moon above a palm grove and desert landscape

I found something fascinating in this. Two extraordinary celestial experiences unfolding within moments of one another, yet so much attention given to one while the other passed almost unnoticed.

It made me wonder how many of life’s deepest mysteries remain unexplored, not because they’re hidden from us, but because we haven’t yet thought to turn toward them.

Experiencing the Full Moon in Siwa was especially extraordinary.

On that Full Moon evening, while simply driving through Siwa, we unexpectedly came upon the sacred Siyaha Festival at Dakrour Mountain, also known as Gebel el Dakrur, a sacred hill of healing with ancient ruins, rock-cut tombs, caves, and quarries.

Mud-brick village ruins with a flag tower in a sandy desert landscape at sunset
Narrow passage between ancient stone ruins under a blue sky with the moon visible
View of a desert village through a window opening in an ancient mud-brick structure
Ancient stone building ruins on a barren rocky hillside beneath a clear blue sky

My dear Egyptian friend and guide shared that the gathering hadn’t taken place for several years, and there had been no announcement that it would be happening.

Woman posing at an ancient desert archaeological site with stone ruins and visitors in the background

Yet there it was, beginning just as we happened to pass.

People gathered at dusk around trays of food in a desert village street.

What extraordinary timing to find ourselves not only witnessing the ceremony, but welcomed into the experience, sharing in the communal meal and tea, and absorbing the rhythms of the prayers and incantations.

Men in traditional white clothing gather on patterned rugs inside a rustic stone-walled building at night.

It felt like a sacred honor to be included in something so deeply meaningful to the people of Siwa, and I received the experience with immense gratitude and reverence.

Large group of people gathered on sandy ground at night under bright streetlights, with buildings and a dark hillside in the background

As the sacred rituals moved into the open space beneath the moon, I captured an extended video for myself, wanting to preserve something of the extraordinary energy, rhythm, and atmosphere of a moment I knew would remain with me long after the night had passed.

The chanting moved through me in waves, stirring that same almost weightless sensation I’d experienced floating in the salt pools. Through water and sound, I felt myself carried into a vastness that seemed to dissolve the boundaries of my physical self.

And as though the evening hadn’t already offered enough wonder, the Full Moon appeared surrounded by an extraordinary luminous halo, a magnificent orb of light suspended above the desert.

Bright moon surrounded by a halo above palm trees and a traditional building at night

After the profound vibrations of the chants and the amplified energy I’d felt moving through me, the sight was almost otherworldly. I stood beneath that immense glowing presence, feeling the extraordinary alignment of everything that had unfolded, with no desire to explain or interpret any of it.

Woman in a white outfit and wide-brimmed hat standing among ancient mud-brick ruins with mountains in the background

Siwa’s ancient sacred places held their own extraordinary presence.

Ancient mud-brick desert ruins built into a rocky hillside beneath a bright blue sky
Ancient desert stone ruins with weathered walls and steps beneath a bright blue sky
Ancient desert ruins with a tall mud-brick tower beneath a blue, cloud-filled sky
Ancient sandstone ruins with a doorway and passage under a bright blue sky
Woman in a wide-brimmed hat standing among ancient desert ruins beneath a partly cloudy sky

The Oracle Temple, which became a particular favorite and where I felt guided to return for a second visit, the Temple of Amun, and the Mountain of the Dead each offered another dimension of this remarkable oasis, where ancient mysteries remain woven into the surrounding landscape and the rhythms of everyday life.

Woman in a hat standing among ancient sandstone ruins beneath a clear blue sky
Ancient mud-brick ruins and a weathered stone structure in a sunlit desert oasis surrounded by palm trees.
Ancient rock-cut tombs carved into a barren desert hillside, with palm trees and mountains in the background.
Ancient mud-brick ruins on a barren desert hill beneath a clear blue sky
Ancient adobe ruin on a barren desert landscape beneath a bright blue sky
Ancient Egyptian mural depicting boats, figures, and star-shaped decorations above stylized waves
Ancient Egyptian-style mural depicting a boat carrying figures beneath rows of starfish-like celestial symbols
Ancient Egyptian ceiling mural depicting a winged scarab and colorful protective symbols
Sunlit ancient mud-brick ruins with multiple openings beneath a clear blue sky
Ancient Egyptian rock-cut tomb chamber with painted wall inscriptions and burial recess.
Interior of an ancient Egyptian rock-cut tomb with hieroglyphic inscriptions and wall paintings.

Yet what I loved equally were the connections that arrived without invitation or expectation.

The German-Egyptian hotel manager whose conversations became a lovely part of my mornings. Two young American women living in Cairo who we invited to join us for an afternoon of exploration. A little boy who sought me out beside the pool each day, whose mother later shared that our friendship had been among the highlights of his stay.

And the continuing gift of a dear friendship that grows richer with every journey, through shared adventures, meaningful conversations, and the ease of simply being together.

Some encounters have already blossomed into new friendships I know will continue to enrich my life, while others deepened bonds that have been growing through years of shared experiences. And then there are those extraordinary connections with soul family, the people whose presence touches something so deep within me that ordinary descriptions of friendship seem insufficient.

Beyond the places I explore and the extraordinary experiences I receive, there is something immeasurably precious about the souls with whom I share them. The depth of recognition, affection, trust, and mutual enrichment becomes part of what I carry home, continuing to live and grow long after we’ve gone our separate ways.

There was another beautiful layer of connection weaving through these weeks as well.

Before leaving, I learned that my dear friend Kate Magic would be in Egypt during the final couple of weeks of my journey, pursuing her own explorations before leading the annual retreat she has been offering there for the past three years.

Although our schedules never allowed us to meet in person, we remained in contact before and during our travels, connecting at moments that felt especially significant to us both.

There was something meaningful about knowing our paths had brought us to the same land at the same time, even as we moved through entirely different experiences.

I’ve long felt that certain connections carry a resonance that doesn’t depend upon physical proximity. Sometimes simply finding ourselves in the same place, sharing a moment in time, feels like a form of energetic collaboration, as though the presence of kindred souls contributes to something larger than any one of us can fully perceive.

For those who have followed my journeys over the years, you might remember that Kate and I last traveled together in Iceland for my birthday back in 2015.

To find our paths weaving together again, eleven years later, in a land so deeply significant to me, felt like another intriguing thread in a much larger story.

I’m curious to see where our journeys will intertwine next.

The desert offered its own unexpected encounters. One night, a fox appeared, running across the darkness of the open desert. And during an exhilarating ATV adventure, a wild desert hare suddenly raced across the sand.

Of all the creatures I might have encountered, this one left me almost speechless. My friend and guide, who knows these landscapes so intimately, could hardly believe I’d seen one. He’d never encountered a wild hare there himself.

Given the extraordinary relationship rabbits have held throughout my life, the appearance felt almost divinely orchestrated. There, in the immense openness of the desert, a creature so deeply woven into my heart had crossed my path in the most unexpected way.

I didn’t need to make anything more of it. The encounter itself was enough.

Herd of camels walking across a barren desert landscape under a cloudy sky
A herd of camels crossing a rocky desert landscape
Herd of camels walking across a rocky desert landscape

And on the long drive between Siwa and Cairo, we encountered free-roaming camels belonging to the Bedouins, their unhurried presence seeming to belong as naturally to the landscape as the dunes themselves.

Three camels in a barren desert landscape, with one lying down and two standing in the background
A herd of camels walking across a rocky desert landscape with sparse shrubs
Camels walking across a dry desert landscape with sparse shrubs under a cloudy sky
Camel walking across a dry desert landscape under a partly cloudy sky

There was something wonderful about seeing these magnificent animals moving freely through such an immense and timeless expanse.

Woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat holding a tabby cat on a cushioned boat seat

And then there were the cats, who seemed to find me wherever I went.

Orange tabby cat lying on a colorful woven blanket

I never sought them out; they always came to me.

Striped cat lying on a person's lap over a colorful woven rug

On three separate occasions, one climbed directly into my lap and nestled against me with such complete trust that I began to think of them as little protective sentinels accompanying my journey.

Woman in a wide-brimmed hat relaxing on a patterned cushion seat beside a palm-fringed pool in a desert oasis

What especially touched me was how extraordinarily gentle and peaceful they were, snuggling close and carefully keeping their claws tucked away. Having encountered many Egyptian cats who were more independent, cautious, or protective of their space, I found this unexpected tenderness particularly endearing.

Woman wearing a hat holding a cat in a wicker chair among palm trees

One tiny kitten especially touched my heart. While several women were trying to coax her toward them, she made her way directly to me, climbed up my chair, and settled into my lap as though she’d already decided exactly where she belonged.

Woman wearing a brown hat and blue shirt holding a calico kitten among palm trees

There was something beautifully familiar about these encounters, an unspoken connection that needed nothing from either of us beyond the simple pleasure of being together. There was something especially touching about being met with such unguarded trust and affection.

And in their own gentle way, they reflected something I had been experiencing throughout the journey. That same unquestioned sense of belonging, of finding myself exactly where I was meant to be, without needing to become anything other than who I am.

Smiling woman in a wide-brimmed hat holding a small animal outdoors among palm trees

A continuous feeling of homecoming, even while moving through places I had never been before.

And that feeling continued at the conclusion of this journey.

Sunlit courtyard with arched adobe buildings, lush plants, and decorative wall accents

Returning to Fayoum felt like a familiar and welcome homecoming, with an even greater sense of spaciousness that allowed me to settle into the rhythms of the place as though I were living there rather than simply visiting.

Barren desert landscape with three flat-topped sand and rock formations beneath a blue sky with scattered clouds
Desert road curving through sandy terrain with layered mesas beneath a blue, cloud-dotted sky

The days unfolded slowly and without urgency, filled with meditation, quiet moments sitting in the desert, intention setting, healing, and the simple pleasure of having nowhere else I needed to be.

Sunlit desert landscape with unusual wind-carved rock formations beneath a bright blue sky
Sunlit desert landscape with eroded sandstone cliffs and sandy dunes under a blue sky

Long evenings stretched from sunset into moonlight at the White Desert Camp I’d come to know on a previous visit, where familiar faces and the comforting ease of returning added another layer of belonging.

Desert village with mud-brick buildings and sand dunes overlooking the sea at sunset
Sunset over a sandy beach with a wooden tripod structure casting long shadows

There was no need to fill the days with more experiences.

Expansive desert landscape with eroded white sand formations and tire tracks at sunset

After all that had unfolded throughout these extraordinary weeks, Fayoum offered the space to simply be, allowing everything I’d encountered and received to find its own place within me, and the journey to come to a natural and gentle close.

Portrait of a smiling woman wearing a brown wide-brimmed hat and gray shawl at sunset

Egypt’s magnificent temples and pyramids continue to offer me opportunities for transformation unlike anything I’ve experienced elsewhere. Each return brings new depths of connection, experiences that reach into places within me I hadn’t known were waiting to be touched.

Woman wearing a hat posing in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt

And alongside these sacred spaces, I find myself increasingly drawn to the quieter, more remote landscapes where ancient depth lives within the simplicity of everyday life. The oases, the deserts, the intimate encounters with people and nature all offer their own profound expressions of the same living relationship I feel with this land.

Woman standing barefoot in a desert at sunset with sand dunes in the background

The farther I wander into these desert landscapes, the more loudly the silence of being speaks.

Woman walking through sunlit sand dunes under a clear blue sky

And within that silence, something has become unmistakably clear.

I don’t need to bring everything home.

Woman wearing sunglasses and an orange shirt standing in a desert landscape

Not the expectations that ask me to direct how life unfolds. Not the subtle concern about whether others will understand my choices or experiences. Not the obligations or ways of giving my energy that no longer feel aligned with what matters most.

And certainly not the idea that meaningful connection requires people to see the world as I do.

Woman standing in a desert landscape beneath a pale moon

Much of this has fallen away without effort. Not through struggle or a conscious attempt to change myself, but through the simple experience of living more completely from what feels true.

The physical intensity of the pyramids and the softness of the oases were both part of that process.

Woman wearing a hat standing between rocky cliffs

One invited me into extraordinary depths of endurance, trust, and inner exploration.

The other gave me room to inhabit the spaciousness that followed.

Smiling woman taking a selfie at sunset in a sandy desert landscape

Both allowed more of what isn’t mine to fall away.

Leaving Egypt is never easy.I always feel that a piece of myself remains there, woven into the land, its people, and the extraordinary relationship that continues to deepen with every return.

But I don’t want my love for one place to diminish my capacity to love the life unfolding wherever I find myself.

Even the journey home held one final, unexpected moment of beauty. On my last flight, once again seated in row 22, a number that had accompanied me through nearly all of my flights, I discovered a Tibetan monk sitting across the aisle from me.

I smiled at the quiet poetry of it.

Small broken clay pot fragment on sandy ground amid ancient mud-brick ruins

After weeks immersed in ancient sacred spaces, extraordinary encounters, and the beautiful presence of so many men whose curiosity, kindness, and perspectives had enriched my journey, here was this gentle image of spiritual devotion accompanying me home.

There was nothing to interpret or explain. Just another of those exquisite alignments that seemed to complete a circle without closing it.

And home offered its own quiet welcome.

Rainbow over a tree-lined parking lot with cars and blue accessible parking spaces

On the morning I left home for Egypt, a magnificent double rainbow appeared across the sky, an extraordinary beginning to a journey that would hold so many unexpected gifts. I learned that snow also arrived in the mountains that day, marking the changing season as I prepared to exchange the alpine landscape I love for the ancient deserts of another land I call home.

And while I was away, more snow had settled across the higher peaks. On my first day back, another brief flurry drifted through, disappearing before it could take hold.

From desert sands to alpine snow, the contrast was almost startling. Yet there was something tender about it, too. The snow seemed to mirror the strange mingling of nostalgia, celebration, and mourning that can accompany profound change. A quiet acknowledgment of what has been lived, what is passing, and what is still finding its way into being.

The following mornings brought two familiar visitors.

Brown hawk perched on a branch against a clear blue sky

First, my resident red-tailed hawk appeared just beyond the back deck, and the next morning, my wild rabbit friend returned to visit the potted plants.

After weeks of extraordinary intensity, there was something deeply comforting about these gentle homecomings. The familiar presence of these beings softened the transition, as though the life I had left behind was quietly welcoming me into whatever was now unfolding.

I’m home now, carrying the effects of an extraordinary amount of energy moving through these three weeks, much of it in ways I cannot begin to describe.

The marathon of physical exploration and spiritual excavation within Egypt’s ancient pyramids reached far beyond the demands placed upon my body. What I encountered in those sacred spaces continues to move through me in ways I have neither the words nor the desire to fully explain.

Woman in a sun hat posing beside the pyramids of Giza in Egypt

And the desert oases were no less profound. What appeared outwardly as days of spaciousness, beauty, and freedom became deep devotions to the experience of being fully alive.

Vibrant orange sunset over palm trees reflected in a calm canal

Through movement and stillness, laughter and silence, sacred encounters and spontaneous adventures, I felt myself inhabiting life with an openness that reached into every part of me.

There was something about those immense desert landscapes that stirred a sense of destiny I couldn’t have articulated beforehand. As though something long written in the sands had found its way into my veins, becoming inseparable from the life moving through me now.

Woman wearing a wide-brimmed brown hat and white dress, posing outdoors with a blurred landscape background

My body is profoundly exhausted, but in the most satisfying way. During the final days of my journey, I began experiencing a level of physical and energetic exhaustion unlike anything I’ve felt in quite some time. I feel as though I’ve traveled through an immense inner landscape as surely as I’ve traveled through Egypt itself.

And there is something more happening that I can feel quite literally within my body. A kind of rebirthing, accompanied by very real growing pains, as though something within me is stretching beyond the familiar boundaries of who I’ve been. I’ve even experienced a persistent throbbing sensation around my crown, something I’ve personally associated with periods of particularly intense inner transformation.

During one particularly powerful meditation inside a pyramid, I received a message about rising again. At the time, its significance moved through me with extraordinary force. Now, as I navigate the sensations and changes accompanying this experience, those words have taken on an even deeper meaning.

Woman standing inside ancient sandstone ruins in bright sunlight

There is a tenderness to this process, even within its discomfort. And within it, an invitation to greater lightness, to joyful receiving, and to recognizing what an extraordinary blessing it is to be human, with the privilege of feeling, discovering, growing, and experiencing life in all its beautiful complexity.

I don’t feel called to resist these growing pains or hurry beyond them, but to meet them with care, recognizing that meaningful change can ask something of us as we learn to inhabit what is emerging.

I’ve learned through many years of personal practice that surrender is often the most supportive way for me to move through these periods. Not surrender as resignation, but as a conscious willingness to stop directing every movement of the process and allow what has been set in motion to find its natural rhythm.

And this, too, is part of the work.

Because receiving an experience, however profound, is only one part of its journey through us. The deeper invitation is to integrate what we’ve received into the way we actually live. To anchor it within the body, ground it within our everyday choices and relationships, and allow the different aspects of ourselves to come into greater alignment.

Woman in a sun hat standing in an ancient stone doorway with desert mountains in the background

For me, embodiment has always been essential. It isn’t enough to touch something extraordinary within a sacred space and leave it there. I want whatever has opened within me to become part of how I breathe, move, love, create, and meet the world around me.

Now something in me is asking for stillness.

I feel a deep call to surrender to a period of restoration, to give myself the spaciousness for all that has moved through me to settle and anchor more fully within my being.

Woman holding a sun hat while standing under a yellow archway at a palm-lined resort.

Not to rush toward what comes next, but to honor what is still unfolding, allowing the energies and experiences of these weeks to become an integrated part of how I live and move through the world.

There is a metamorphosis taking place that doesn’t need my interference. Only rest, nourishment, and the willingness to trust its own rhythm.

Some seeds were newly planted. Others, I sense, have been waiting a very long time for these particular conditions.

I don’t need to hurry either of them into bloom.

I want to bring this openness into every encounter, this willingness to discover connection where differences appear, and this greater clarity about what deserves my time, attention, and energy.

And knowing I’ll return in April to help guide a deeply personal spiritual pilgrimage brings me tremendous joy. There is so much from these weeks that will continue to deepen and enrich what I have to offer.

Woman in a wide-brimmed hat stands beside an ancient inscribed stone in a desert archaeological site.

Yet I find myself strangely uninterested in trying to understand everything that happened.

There are experiences from these weeks that will never appear in photographs. Encounters I won’t attempt to describe. Moments whose significance belongs to a language I have no desire to translate.

I carry the energy of that experience within me still, as though the ancient world I moved through and the inner landscapes it awakened became mirror reflections of one another, merging so profoundly that the boundary between what I encountered and what I experienced within myself seemed to dissolve.

Close-up of a geometric purple and gold ring held in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza

And there are things I arrived carrying that seem to have quietly disappeared somewhere along the way.

I couldn’t tell you exactly where I left them.

Somewhere in the darkness beneath a pyramid. In the salt waters of an oasis. Beneath a desert moon. Or in the unexpected kindness of someone whose world was entirely different from mine.

I only know that I no longer feel their weight.

And I have no intention of going back to look for them.

Woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat posing near Egyptian pyramids at sunset

On this Scorpio New Moon, may we welcome the sacred alchemy of transformation, release what has completed its place in our lives, and make room for the extraordinary new life stirring within us. New Moon blessings to all.