Welcome to this special meditation that will take you on a journey back in time to ancient Egypt to the great temple of the pharaoh Ramses II.
You will meet one of the pharaoh's priests along the way and have him as your special escort on your journey.
Let's get started.
Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or reclining.
If you are sitting,
Keep your back as straight as possible.
Take a moment to roll your shoulders to release any tension and let them fall naturally to your sides.
When you are ready,
Gently close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose,
And as you exhale through your mouth,
Feel yourself relaxing deeper into your seat.
With each breath,
Allow yourself to sink further into a state of calm and tranquility.
Take one more deep breath in through your nose and hold it,
And exhale through your mouth.
Once more,
In,
Hold,
And out.
One last time,
This time feeling totally relaxed and ready for travel back in time.
Deep breath in through your nose,
Hold,
And exhale through your mouth.
As you breathe normally,
Imagine yourself standing on warm,
Golden sand.
The warmth on your feet roots you to Mother Earth,
Establishing a connection for you through time and space.
You look around and notice that the sun is high in the sky,
Casting its rays upon the landscape before you.
You look to your left and behold the banks of the majestic Nile River.
You can hear the music made by the warm breeze as it gently blows through the reeds and grasses along the bank.
As you walk slowly and peacefully along the Nile,
Taking in all of the sounds and aromas,
In the distance,
You see a magnificent structure taking shape.
It is the great temple of Abu Simbel,
Being carved out of sandstone as an honor to the pharaoh.
As you continue to approach,
A figure emerges from the bustling activity surrounding the temple.
This is Atulla,
A priest of Pharaoh Ramses II,
Who will be your guide on this journey into antiquity.
Atulla,
A tall,
Bald-headed,
Brown-skinned man with twinkling green eyes,
Greets you and introduces himself with a gentle smile.
He is happy to tell you that you have arrived at Abu Simbel on a most auspicious day and proudly invites you to behold the wonders of his great pharaoh's temple as it is being constructed.
As you walk with him closer to the temple entrance,
You are struck by the sheer scale of the four colossal statues of Ramses II.
Standing nearly 70 feet tall,
They cast long artistic shadows across the warm desert sand.
Take a moment to marvel at their grandeur and detail.
Despite these new surroundings,
You know without question that you are completely safe and feel entirely at peace.
Continue to breathe comfortably and naturally as you walk with your new friend from another time.
Atulla guides you toward the entrance.
Looking up,
You see a magnificent relief depicting Pharaoh Ramses,
Worshipping Ra-Horakhti,
The falcon-headed god.
The colors are vibrant and gold leaf shimmers in the sunlight,
Creating a dazzling display.
Take a moment to appreciate the gift of seeing this jewel of history through your meditative journey.
As you step inside the temple,
Escorted by Atulla,
The air becomes still and much cooler than the desert air outside.
The scent of burning torches fills your nostrils,
Mingling with the earthy smell of stone and sand.
You can also smell sweet frankincense,
Which remains from the many rituals to bless this temple along the way of its construction.
Workers continue their tasks around you,
But their activity seems distant,
As if you are observing with Atulla through a cloak of invisibility.
You are completely free to safely observe,
Unnoticed,
On your own time.
Take a moment to run your hand gently along the sandstone wall and feel its coolness and smooth texture under your touch.
Atulla leads you into the first hall of the temple's triangular layout.
Notice the many side chambers along these walls,
Filled with treasures,
Statues,
Gold and precious gemstones from antiquity.
Take a moment to absorb the opulent artistry surrounding you.
Moving now into the second hall,
Your attention is drawn to four stone-carved pillars.
Each pillar depicts intricate scenes of offerings to the gods.
Observe the detailed carvings showing Pharaoh Ramses and his wife,
Nefertari,
Floating in sacred boats of the gods Amun and Ra.
You are witnessing images,
In real time,
That will become treasured historical artifacts,
And you are seeing them soon after their artisans created them.
Beyond this hall,
You enter a vestibule.
A black wall marks the entrance to the temple's sanctuary.
Atulla turns to you,
His eyes bright with excitement.
Take a deep breath to further relax for what is to come,
And let your shoulders fall to their sides,
In case any tension has built along the way.
Atulla says that you are most fortunate and explains that today,
The day of your very visit,
Is one of only two days each year when the sun aligns perfectly with the temple's entrance.
It penetrates deep into its hallways and illuminates the sanctuary.
He gently directs you to watch closely at what is about to happen.
As if on cue,
You see golden,
Pure rays of sunlight begin to penetrate the chamber.
The beams appear almost solid,
Reflecting off particles in the air stirred up by the workers' fires.
Those statues against the back wall are suddenly bathed in light,
Revealing their exquisite craftsmanship.
All statues except one,
The statue of Ta,
The creator god and one of the gods of darkness,
Which remains in shadow.
You have just witnessed what no one in your lifetime has ever witnessed,
The magnificent abilities of ancient architects and builders.
This is your memory to embrace and to keep and to cherish.
Take a deep breath,
Acknowledging the rarity and beauty of this fleeting moment,
And as you exhale,
You see the sunlight slowly recede,
Leaving only the flickering torch lights to guide your way.
As you make your way back through the temple,
Take one last look at the pictures and hieroglyphs that fill the sandstone walls.
Regard the vibrant colors provided by plants from antiquity,
The gleaming metals mined and forged by the pharaoh's builders,
And the sparkling gemstones,
Many of which were gifts to the pharaoh from his subjects in the ancient kingdom.
Appreciate the dedication and skill of the workers as they create this masterpiece for the ages.
As you continue to breathe peacefully and naturally,
You notice the unusual tranquility that has settled over the halls of Abu Simbel.
As if time itself has paused,
A profound sense of peace envelops you,
Along with a feeling of connection to the vast expanse of history.
You reach the exit,
Passing once more between the four immense statues of Ramses II.
Abdullah turns to you for the last time,
Raising his hand in farewell as you return to the place along the Nile shore where your trip began.
He asks the gods to bless your journey home and prays that you may carry the wonder of this day in your heart always.
As Abdullah's words fade,
You begin to become aware of your surroundings.
Feel the surface supporting you.
Feel the strength of your chair or bed.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes and breathe,
And carry with you the peace and wonder of your journey through time.
As we end,
We give thanks to Abdullah for being a wonderful escort from antiquity,
And we give thanks to the divine for making this and all things possible.
Thank you.
