Of all the grand colonial cities in Mexico, Oaxaca is certainly the shining jewel. On this amazing week long journey, we’ll celebrate one of the most beloved Mexican holidays – The Day of the Dead – in Mexico’s most beautiful culinary and artisan center. Here we will practice the old shamanistic technique of Dreaming, using the energies here to stir the flow of creative juices within us!

Downloadable trip summary!

Artists of the Spirit

It’s commonly thought that the greatest fear humans experience is that of death. The way that Mexico embraces both life and death reminds us of the truth: the biggest fear humans possess is the fear of living life boldly and audaciously, free of judgment and pain. During our week together we’ll learn how to enjoy life as it is – to cultivate our joy and vitality and explore our manifestation as true “Artists of the Spirit.”

Indeed, becoming a supreme artist of the spirit involves creating from the heart, not from a mind filled with fear-based beliefs about what we can and cannot do. Here we learn how to connect with the feeling of joy deep in our souls and to use that feeling to guide us in our lives. By the end of this spiritual journey with Sheri Rosenthal you’ll have the tools to re-create your reality and to face your greatest fear – expressing your life with integrity, honesty, fearlessness and joy.

El Día de los Muertos

We are truly blessed to have lodging in Oaxaca for the very special holiday of The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls’ Day). The city buzzes with energy as family and friends together to pray for and remember those beloved friends and family members who have passed away. For the Mexicans this is a time of great celebration and joy. On Day of the Dead, families build private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, along with a festive visit to their graves!

Build your Altar

Fun and sacred ceremony are the order of the day on this journey! This week we’ll have the opportunity to join a local family, celebrate in the Xoxocotlan graveyard and create your own altar to those you love (or even an old version of yourself, a relationship that has ended, or to someone you would like to forgive). For many people the process of building their altar is a profound, deeply moving experience. And – we’ll also visit the sacred ruins of Monte Alban and much, much more! Many of the power places of the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples were built over by the Spanish who were attempting to eliminate old traditions, but you can still feel the energy of old in these beautiful churches and sacred sites!

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”
~ Henry Miller

Join author Susan Gregg for a truly transformational spiritual journey to the ancient home of Quetzalcoatl – The Feathered Serpent God. Tepoztlán is about 1,700 meters (5,500 ft) above sea level and at a distance of some 18 kilometers from Cuernavaca. Tepoztlán has become a meeting ground for different religions and practices such as New Age, Hare Krishna, traditional local shamanic healing practices, and Catholicism. It’s also well known for being a spiritual center where energy and mysticism converge. Because of this, the energy here is perfect to support our personal work and transformation.

Printable quick trip summary!

Pyramids & Pulque!

Our home base in Tepoztlán is the very romantic Posada De Tepozteco. From here we’ll visit the sacred sites of the Tepozteco and Xochicalco Pyramids. To the north of Tepoztlán, is Tepozteco mountain and on this mountain is the pyramid of the same name. The pyramid is named after Tepoztecatl, the principal god of Pulque (an alcoholic beverage made from the sap of the agave) and important ceremonial drink.

A Sacred Pilgrimage

Tepozteco Pyramid has always been a sacred place with pilgrims traveling from as far as Chiapas and Guatemala. The pyramid can only be reached by a long and narrow flight of steps located on the south side of the temple. Tepozteco is about a five hour round-trip climb from town, but is a powerful pilgrimage and hike. (You climb around 1,300 feet in 1.2 miles!) But once you reach the summit, you will be glad you did since the views from the top are simply breathtaking.

Culture, Caves & Ruins

In addition we’ll have the opportunity to visit the Cavernas de Cacahamilpa which contain fascinating natural formations and have wonderful energy. Taking advantage of the cultural events: exploring the local market, enjoying the town’s incredible gourmet food, and dining at one of the oldest Haciendas in Mexico – are highlights of this magical spiritual journey!

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.”
~Hilaire Belloc

On this spiritual journey to Egypt we’ll have the opportunity to be in the presence of sacred space designed for the purpose of spiritual alignment and for remembering and exploring the ancient mysteries of Egypt. Truly these temples serve a special function, to stir and encourage the divine to awaken within us – to illuminate the way to enlightenment. During this heart-opening journey with facilitator Samvedam Randles, we’ll dream our own spiritual transcendence just as the ancient mystery school initiates did thousands of years ago through ceremony, meditation and group process.

Printable quick trip summary!

The Egyptian Mystery School

Using the mythology, stories and archetypes of the ancients we come to understand who we really are – the limitless consciousness that creates the very fabric of this reality. We’ll experience the powerful energies at these sacred sites – compelling us to transcend rather than being enslaved by the old stories and mythologies of our ego-minds. It is said that during the journey to the afterlife the god Anubis weighs your heart against a feather – and only if your heart is as light as that feather will you have eternal life. By letting go of the stories which weigh heavy on our hearts, we too can be free and embrace our eternal consciousness.

Ancient Stones

Our adventure in Egypt begins in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Giza, where stone meets sky as a testament to one of the greatest civilizations on earth. Here, on the plateau of Giza, 2,300,000 blocks of stone, some weighing as much as 9 tons, were used to build an eternal tomb for a divine king. The art, design and proportion of these structures were truly a testament to their beliefs of resurrection, transformation and divine illuminated consciousness. When these ancient stones speak to us, whispering their mysteries and wonders, we will be ready.

Spiritual Wisdom & Culture

We’re blessed to have a knowledgeable Egyptologist who will accompany us, sharing his enthusiasm and wisdom of this incredible culture. Reading John Anthony West’s book: The Traveler’s Key to Ancient Egypt: A Guide to the Sacred Places of Ancient Egypt (<– Look in our recommended books) is a great way to prepare for this journey! It’s not a typical travel book, but instead focuses on the spiritual intent of these amazing structures.

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.”
~ G. K. Chesterton

There are few places on earth where spirit and terrain have been so intertwined as The Holy Land. For centuries this region has been a portal for transcendence, a place where ordinary lives stumble into mystery. That mystery has spawned not only the great religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but countless offshoots such as the Druze, the Samaritans and the Ba’hai faith.

Printable quick trip summary!

Many Faiths, One Heart

Yet for all the differences of these outward traditions, it is the mystical experience that they hold in common. The story of one person encountering the divine has been the genesis for every religion. It is what Jesus called “The Pearl of Great Price.” That story of personal transcendence is embedded in the scriptures and remains locked in the ambiance and time of this region. But it is also an experience available to ordinary people in the present moment.

A Sacred Path

Join Paul Rademacher (Executive Director of The Monroe Institute & author of A Spiritual Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe) and Sheri Rosenthal (owner of JOTS & author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Toltec Wisdom) for this special exploration of personal transformation. During our spiritual journey to Israel we’ll travel through time and immerse ourselves in the footsteps of the great spiritual masters. By connecting to these sacred and holy spaces we’ll find our own kingdom of heaven. Your heart will open as you move through these places of prayer and devotion.

The Divine Mystery

This is not your typical trip to Israel and Jordan. Through meditation, teaching, hiking the land and connecting to the culture and mysticism of the people, you will merge with the energy of the holy land and touch it’s spirit. And in the process you will engage the Divine Mystery that you are.

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.” ~ Rudyard Kipling

Turkey possesses one of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes of Middle East/Asia with a multitude of cultural influences criss-crossing the country creating a truly unusual and rich history. On this spiritual journey we’ll explore the incredible architecture – from the Byzantine Haghia Sofia (Church of the Divine Wisdom), to the phantasmagoric rock formations of Capadoccia. And we’ll experience the powerful spiritual traditions from the Whirling Dervishes and the Sufis in Konya, to the Goddess site of Artemis at Ephesus.

Mysticism & Power

We’ll reconnect with the Mother Goddess worshiped from around 9000 BC to 2000 BC and explore early Christian Mysticism in the steps of St. Paul and St. John. From there we’ll deepen our understanding of the Sufi tradition and the mystical heritage of the Whirling Dervishes. Watching these dancers enter spiritual bliss is an amazing experience. In addition we’ll visit an *Alevite Moslem Temple where a man and woman perform a ritual round dance in the name of God, and also experience Turkish Music Therapy through a Bakshi Dance. (Central Asian shamans “Bakshi,” used music and dance to cure patients.) It will be possible for us to speak to these dancers and learn about their powerful traditions! *(Alevism, a liberal sect of Islam, has distinct differences to the practices of Turkey’s Sunni majority. The Alevi house of worship is called a cemevi, while Sunnis worship in a mosque.)

Ancient Ruins

Some of the other wonderful sacred sites we will be visiting are the famous Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, and the ancient cities of Konya and Pamukkale. By boat we’ll explore some of the lesser known sites of Lydae, Caunos, Loryma and Knidos.

Our land journey is (coming soon) and the Gulet extension along the Turquoise Coast is (coming soon).

Sailing into the Past

In addition to a wonderful exploration by land, we’ll also explore the quiet coves and isolated ruins along the Turquoise coast by gulet – our private sailing boat. Here we will relax and slow our pace and connect with the energy of this beautiful land. We will look forward to morning strolls amongst the ruins of past civilizations while back on board the crew prepares our lunch. The table, under the shade of an awning, is laden with Turkish specialties; tempting vegetable dishes, colorful salads and freshly caught fish. The bread, baked in a stone oven, arrives by row boat from a village ashore. Then while we rest in the sun, our boat will set sail for our next harbor.

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“He who does not travel does not know the value of men.”
~ Moorish proverb

Go back in time

Here we’ll explore the remains of the Olmecs at La Venta and the incredible pyramids of the Maya at Palenque and Tonina. The most striking aspect of these ruins are their connection with the underworld which had a profound significance to the Mayans. During our week together we’ll be preparing for the 2012 Mayan prophecies by using these sacred underworld sites to birth a new dream of world peace and abundance into the light.

San Juan Chamula

One of the special highlights of this week will be a visit to San Juan Chamula. This town is home to an amazing church which the people took back from the clergy and converted to a place of traditional shamanism and prayer. The energy here is very powerful and we will participate in a prayer circle for healing, compassion and unconditional love for the time leading up to 2012.  In addition, we’ll have the opportunity to meet with a Mayan elder to talk more about what the 2012 prophecies hold for them.

Mythology of the Underworld

We’ll immerse ourselves in the mythology of the underworld exploring the aspects of ourselves long abandoned or forgotten, leading to the rebirth of our integrity and oneness for ourselves and for the world.  Utilizing the energy and intent of these structures we’ll delve into our own underworld and then burst forth to merge with the sun and the light that we are.

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
~ Maya Angelou

Connecting with the energy and wildlife of the motherland of all humanity is the focus of this amazing spiritual journey to Kenya, Africa. Here we will have the opportunity to witness some of the most powerful animals on our planet; lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and gazelles, befriend members of the Masai warrior tribe, and give deeply of ourselves at the Kids Alive Children’s Home and the Kamatongu Primary School.

Downloadable trip summary!

The Masai Mara

The Masai are a strongly independent people who still value tradition and ritual as an integral part of their everyday lives. They regard themselves not just as residents of this area but that they are as much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their lives. Traditionally, the Masai rarely hunt and living alongside wildlife in harmony is an important part of their beliefs. Lions and Wildebeest play as important a role in their cultural beliefs as their own herds of cattle. This unique co-existence of man and wildlife makes this Masai land one of the world’s most unique wilderness regions.

At the heart of these lands is the Masai Mara Game Reserve, widely considered to be Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve. The Mara comprises 200 sq miles of open plains, woodlands and riverine forest. Contiguous with the plains of the Serengeti, the Mara is home to a breathtaking array of life. Each year the Mara plays host to the world’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti. From July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single massive herd. They pour across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon.

Giving of Ourselves

Although Kenya is one of the more stable countries in Africa, poverty and deprivation are rife across the land. HIV AIDS has resulted in over one million children being left as orphans with no visible means of support or care. Life expectancy rates have fallen and thousands of families struggle to survive on a day-to-day basis. With children suffering from the ravages of malnutrition, malaria, HIV AIDS and diarrhea, the result is an ever-increasing child mortality rate.

On this journey we are going to visit both Kids Alive Children’s Home (a Christian organization) and the Kamatongu Primary School a government supported school that is in dire need of a permanent source of drinking water. We are going to donate funds to the school to help them achieve some of their most dire goals.

Heart & Soul

This will be a powerful journey for us, an opportunity to open our hearts to nature and to those in need.  There is no doubt that we will not come home the same people as when we departed.

FYI: Several of the pictures above are gifts from Timothy Jackson owner of Vintage Destinations

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”
~ Pat Conroy

On this spiritual journey, we will be using the energies of this amazing country to assist us in experiencing the divine within. There will be time for ceremony and deep personal exploration on this sacred retreat. Using the three levels of the Inca’s mythology of transcendence, we move from the dark underworld of our own minds to the clarity of spiritual consciousness. The snake, puma and condor will be the symbols we use to represent our spiritual ascension for these 9 sacred days together.

Unsolved Mysteries

Of all the sacred sites, Machu Picchu is amongst the most mysterious. Truly there are more questions asked than answered regarding its purpose and ultimate demise. Five square miles of astrological perfection sits majestically on top of a misty mountain in the Andes (8000 feet). Located two thousand feet above the rumbling Urubamba river, the city remained untouched and undiscovered until Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham explored it in 1911. Experience healing and transformation at the site of one of the earth’s most powerful and sacred vortexes of energy where Inti the sun god unites with Pachamama, the Andean mother earth.

Consciousness of Light

You will be joined on this journey by Carol Rydell, and our guide, Romulo Castilla a Peruvian Shaman, and great source of the ancient Inca teachings and traditions. There is a story of a long-foretold alignment of the Earth with the axis of the Milky Way galaxy announcing a new dawn. In Peru, descendants of the Inca call this time the Pachakuti, “the return of the light” after 500 years of darkness. Peru is said to be the “morning of the new sun” – the portal through which rays of the new light will begin to awaken humanity to a new consciousness.

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.”
~ Samuel Johnson

Mystic Lands, Sacred Ruins

From a lovely rowboat ride along a narrow but extremely poetic stream to the Perfume Pagoda, to the phenomenal Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the mystery and mystical nature of this glorious expanse of paradise, with its stunning array of fascinating history, will encourage you to delve deeper into the recesses of your own inner beauty. You will be motivated and inspired to shift from a life, complex and involved, to the simplicity and enchantment of living as play.

Divine Inspiration

On this hallowed journey, you’ll experience a sacred balance between the wonder of the temples and pagodas, and the astonishing splendor of nature. Fall in love with the Lover of all Lovers, as you woo and court yourself among the most holy and heavenly perfection – that of Yourself and of our Mother Nature. Allow the flawless mercy of The Extraordinary to cushion you, as you begin to accept yourself as an expression of Sacred Creation.

Details Coming Soon!

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Join us for an amazing adventure to the remote jungles of the south-eastern aspect of the Mayan Yucatan. We’ll be exploring newly opened and recently uncovered ruins in this mysterious and rarely visited part of the Yucatan. It’s not unusual to spot howler and spider monkeys here or large cats – like jaguars! Visitors to this area of the jungle are far and few and we’ll have the opportunity to explore places that are lost in time as this area is still pristine.

Akal•ki Holistic Spa

You will experience the quietude of this area and have the opportunity to merge with the jungle and the sweet energy here. At Akal•Ki Holistic Spa in Bacalar, we’ll spend our time in cabins at the edge of a crystal clear sand bottom lake. We can walk out of our rooms and go directly in the lake for a swim, have a healing massage, or treat ourselves to the deluxe spa treatments. Weather permitting, we may spend one night on the grounds of the ruins atop the pyramid for a very powerful all night meditation ceremony.

Into the Jungle

Exploring the undiscovered places in the jungle of our own minds allows us to live our truth and make our life choices with clarity and grace. Journeying inward using ceremony and ritual, we’ll illuminate the world we’ve created from the beliefs in our own minds. Engaging the Toltec-Mayan practices of Dreaming and Mastery of Awareness training, we’ll learn to recover our personal power and how to set boundaries in life with kindness and love.

Rarely Visited Sacred Sites

Calakmul, Kohunlich, Dzbanche, Xpujil, Chicanna and Becan are the sacred sites that we’ll be visiting. We would be honored if you would join on this unusual journey!

Want to join us?

If you’re interested in knowing more about the trip pricing, itinerary, inclusions and more – please use the navigation under “TELL ME MORE!” on the left side of the page. Questions? Give us a ring at 727-421-0849 – we can’t wait to hear from you!

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.”
~ Bill Bryson