Journey to Egypt

The sands of time are ticking by. I am about two weeks away from finding myself in the deserts of Egypt. It is both thrilling and terrifying! I honestly don't think I'm as ready as I pretend to be when people inquire about my current state of mind!

However, over the last few weeks, people have asked me 100 questions about this trip. So, I figure that I will address some of them!

Why Egypt?

As I said in the previous post, I have been fascinated with Egypt since I was little. Between watching Yu-Gi-Oh on television (yes, I'm an anime fan) and The Mummy Movies, I was hooked on the ancient religion and the culture of the times. I loved reading about the pharaohs and the queens. I enjoyed researching the rituals and social dynamics of the time. It was thrilling to glimpse into the past that is still, in some ways, a mystery. Even now, when a new documentary is released, I am chopping at the bit to watch it as soon as possible or schedule a block of my evening to watch it without interruption. (Unless play time with my kitten needs to take priority, of course.)

As I grew up and did more research into Ancient Egypt, it continued to hold power over me. I looked into the deities and the religion of the time and found a small connection there that I couldn't shake. It was just a seed that only bloomed in February 2016.

I will preface this next section by stating that my parents allowed my siblings and me to forge our religious path regardless of their beliefs. I will always be grateful for that.

So, when I say that my religious beliefs differ from the majority in my community, I am maybe one of the very few whose religion is outside the norm. My parents knew I was on a different religious path and gave me a safe place to practice it without judgment. That means delving into the Egyptian pantheon of gods and goddesses wasn't much of a shock to my parents.

When Sekhmet made herself known in 2016, I was desperate to find anything to connect to her deeper because She had saved me. She gave me something to strive for: my purpose on this planet.

Finally, Amazon came to the rescue. I found my first book on Sekhmet and her associations: Daughter of the Sun: A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Sekhmet by Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Tina Georgitsis.

This book was a game-changer in the best way! The book started it all and led me to Nicki Scully's book mentioned in the first post.

It had everything I had been looking for daily prayers, rituals, Her myths (which are few), fictional short stories to inspire, and first-hand accounts from others Sekhmet had called. It was magical!

Then I took Nicki's "Sekhmet: Transformation in the Belly of the Goddess" course for the first time. The connection grew deeper and deeper. Those classes led me to Zahra Indigo and her "Gifts of Ma'at" course.

In the end, after everything: the study, the devotion, the deep dive into all the different aspects of Ancient Egypt, I now find myself on my way there.

What does my family think of this trip?

Honestly, it depends on who you ask. I have family members who are excited for me to go and others who are worried, and rightfully so.

I am going to a foreign country where the view of women is much different than in the United States. I will be in on location with sandy terrain and unfamiliar weather-mostly sun. I am a fair-skinned young woman. Let me tell you, I am going to burn.

My access to necessities available in the United States could and possibly will be limited: such as feminine products, clean filtered water, medications, etc.

I will be flying over the ocean for the first time and in two foreign countries, France and then Egypt, with no knowledge of the native language to communicate effectively. I do not know all the societal norms for these countries or what is socially acceptable.

The list goes on and on. So, let me tell you a secret: I am scared too.

The upside is that I am not doing any of this alone. Twenty-six other people are going on this journey with me. For some of them, this is their first time too. I will share this journey with them and express my fears without worrying about being judged.

We will have the opportunity to face this experience together and gather strength and support from each other. I will be making new friends and growing current friendships that could last me my whole lifetime.

If I have learned anything over the last couple of years waiting for this trip, it is this: anything worth doing is worth doing now.

What surprised me about myself during this whole process?

What surprised me the most during this process were the internal changes I saw in myself that led me to this moment.

Now, I am not perfect. There is no such thing as perfection. As humans, we are all imperfectly perfect, but there is beauty in imperfection.

I have loved and lost people in my life. I have made friends I thought would last forever. However, they were only part of that particular chapter of my life. I have healed parts of myself and realized that even though I might be a little broken, I am still whole. I have people like Nicki and Indigo to thank for that. I have my friends and family to thank for that.

I have found the courage to stand on my own and stand up for myself without compromising my sense of self or morality. I have realized that my inner truth is mine and belongs to no one else. I have learned that someone else's truth is theirs. I do not have to share in it, but I do have to respect it.

I have come to see that I am flawed. That by acknowledging and accepting those flaws, I can grow. I make mistakes and say things without meaning them. I know words can hurt others. I have learned that words have power and should be used wisely and for good. I can say I'm sorry and accept that the acknowledgment of that apology might never be possible. I know forgiving someone who has wronged me is for myself and no one else.

All of these things have led me to where I am now. I am not the same person I was two years ago or six years ago. However, I am the version of me necessary for the here and now. I am the "me" that is still willing to grow and learn while experiencing something worthwhile.