If there could be any doubt that Julie Loar was a woman of swagger, it would be erased with one look at Julie holding not one – but two – cobras on our recent trip to Egypt! If you’ve read some of the previous pieces about my recent trip to Egypt, you know that Julie organized the trip – it was her 11th visit to Egypt. While visiting the temple of Kom Ombo on our Nile Cruise – Julie felt drawn to the cobras being shown by a man on the sidewalk. Our group went over with her. Even though I don’t really mind snakes, I have to admit that I was not anxious to have one or two on me. But Julie was! She later described the experience, saying she felt at ease with the snakes and the snakes felt at ease with her. But when a man approached too quickly, she felt the snakes get nervous.  She was surprised how intelligent and sensitive they seemed.

I first heard of Julie’s work when I read an article she had written about goddesses. It was an excerpt from her book Goddesses for Everyday. I tracked Julie down in Pagosa Springs and interviewed her for the swagger book- chapter three -spiritual swagger. If you read Julie’s book (which I highly recommend), you will see that she has found 366 role models for women. Each goddess she describes carries her own power and shows us how to tap into our inner strength and capacities. Click on the link for more info or to order.   http://www.newworldlibrary.com/BooksProducts/ProductDetails/tabid/64/SKU/19504/Default.aspx

It was a privilege to travel with Julie through Egypt – from Cairo’s Giza Plateau down the Nile -visiting pyramids and temples and hearing her experiences and knowledge on the goddesses of Egypt. On more than one occasion she stepped up to rescue me from packs of vendors selling souvenirs. In one of my favorites, we were at the Great Pyramid – an overwhelming experience – and an unusually persistent young man kept hassling me to pose for a picture with a young boy. He even put a headdress on my head -without my permission and against my protests. I said “enough” in Arabic – which is Hel-ass quite forcefully, but when he wouldn’t go away, she said the more severe Im’ shee – which means “get lost.” He Im’shee’d her back, but he did go away.  As a woman of swagger, I am not used to being rescued by someone – but I was really grateful for Julie’s assistance and better Arabic!

Currently, Julie is the Director of Operations at the Archuleta County Education Center in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  The Education Center is a private non-profit that provides educational programs that are not duplicated in the community such as business and computer classes, GED, ESL, after-school tutoring, an alternative high school, and community college courses through Pueblo Community College.

After an amazing two weeks, I am back from Egypt.  I went looking for the divine feminine and I found it – along with a beautiful country and friendly people – excited about the recent revolution and happy to see Americans beginning to return as tourists.

Egypt has more than 5,000 years of recorded history and the people there have a long term perspective that most of us can’t begin to imagine.  At the crossroads of the eastern and western worlds, Egypt has been powerful and has also been conquered many times.  The revolution of February 2011 is seen in the context of the long history of the people.

We began our visit by staying at the Mena House – at the foot of the pyramids, but we didn’t actually visit the Great Pyramid and the Spinx until the end of our trip.  In between, we saw earlier pyramids and temples – some in ruins, some almost as if they had been in use recently. In everything we saw, I was struck by the balance between masculine and feminine – gods and goddesses; kings and queens.  The kind of balance of energy that is so sorely missing in our world today.

I had the privilege of traveling with Julie Loar – tour leader and author of Goddesses for Everyday – this was her 11th trip to Egypt http://www.julieloar.com/ .  Our group was small – just four of us – we called ourselves the four queens. Guardian Travel of Egypt http://www.guardiantravel.com/ was our host and I can’t say enough about our experience with Guardian.  Our Cairo host Abdullah met us at the airport – helped us with our bags and with getting checked in at the hotel. Later in the trip, he shared some of his insights into modern Egyptian life. Our tour guide was Sabray – he had such a deep knowledge of Egyptian history and a great sense of humor.  Sabray made the ancient temples come alive for us. Ratiba Elgabry is the owner of Guardian Travel and she invited us to her home for dinner and always made us feel welcome. Our drivers kept us safe under some of the wildest driving situations I have ever seen. In Egypt, everything is regarding as a guideline – rather than a rule.  Drivers don’t feel confined by lane line markings on the road and the cars often travel five abreast, in a street with only three painted lanes.

During the trip, I had the chance to learn about girls and women in Egypt.  I saw many groups of girls wearing brightly colored clothes – usually including head scarves and also some women totally covered from head to foot in black – including head pieces that covered their eyes.  Egypt is a Muslim country and there are no easy conclusions about the status of women there.  We saw only a few women driving – although it is allowed.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing about the journey – modern day and ancient Egypt and also my own inner spiritual pilgrimage. Stay tuned!

Salaam (Peace)

Cindy

At The Girl’s Guide to Swagger, I and guest columnists have given our advice through Swagger Up advice columns.  Now I need your advice!

I have a chance to go on a trip of a life time to Egypt.  Julie Loar, author of Goddesses for Everyday, is guiding this trip in March 2012. Julie’s website is www.QueenOfCups.com.  The 12 day trip will begin in Cairo and include visits to the Pyramids, Spinx, the Egyptian Museum, as well as a cruise on the Nile.  The trip will be focused on sacred history and the divine feminine.

I recently finished reading the wonderful new biography of Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff; book review at http://www.girlsguidetoswagger.com/?p=1316 .  Cleopatra is a woman of swagger and there are so many legendary goddess stories that originated in Egypt.  In her book Goddesses for Everyday, Julie describes Isis as “the great Egyptian goddess of magic .”I have always been fascinated by the archeology and the mystic nature of the country and it has long been on the top of my list of places to visit.

So what is the issue? Of course I should go!  I think so, but the trip is not inexpensive andwhile there has been much positive change in Egypt in the last year – that change has come with civil unrest and some violence.

So – please give me your advice – should I go? How should I decide? Thank you!  Cindy

From Julie -

Though I cannot remember my birth, and shall forget my death, I live in the midst of wonder.

Egyptian Book of the Dead