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Body Mind Spirit
Journeys
TOUR
ITINERARY
Day 1. Wed, Oct 15. Arrive Istanbul
Day 4. Sat, Oct 18. (B/D) Istanbul: Chora Church Ankara: Museum To Pessinus To Konya Day 6. Mon, Oct 20.
(B/D)
Day 7. Tues, Oct 21.
(B/D)
Day 8. Wed, Oct 22.
(B/D)
Day 9. Thurs, Oct 23.
(B/D)
Day 10. Fri, Oct 24.
(B/D)
Day 11. Sat, Oct 25.
(B/D)
Day 12. Sun, Oct 26.
(B/D)
Day 13. Mon, Oct 27.
(B/D)
Day 14. Tues, Oct 28.
(B)
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and is filling!
Visit temples of Athena,
Aphrodite, Cybele, Mary and Isis. Stand in
the temples of Artemis, including outside Gift yourself
with this journey KAREN TATE
To view a slide show on Karen
Tate's Voices of the Sacred Feminine radio page, click here.
Together, with Karen, they have both founded the Iseum of Isis
Navigatum and the not-for profit educational organization, The Isis
Ancient Cultures Society.
POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FACILITATED by KAREN TATE:
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
TOUR ITINERARY Photo Credit (left): Martin Gray
This
is a Land and International Air Tour Package. ** Bonus! SAVE! You will receive a 5% discount if ALL payments are made by check or money order. Prices in red below reflect this discount. Per
Person, double occupancy, with air from New York City: $2,899 payments via check or money order $3,049 payments via credit card Plus: Pre-paid Gratuities: $130 payments via check or money order $139 payments via credit card Air
Taxes & Fuel Surcharges |
talents and travel
experience throughout the world
Arrive in Istanbul, local time. The
city, a huge metropolis divided into two continents by the Bosporus, is home to eleven
million people and is one of the greatest business and cultural center of the region. A
city of wonders, Istanbul far exceeds the words that can be used to describe it!
You'll see! Arrive in Istanbul. Proceed through Immigration, Baggage Claim, and Customs
and meet our local tour representative. Transfer to our hotel. Time to rest and relax,
before our "Welcome to Turkey" Dinner at the hotel. Overnight
Istanbul. 
Our morning begins with a visit
to the famous Blue Mosque, with its mighty dome, and the only mosque in
Istanbul with minarets, and built on the site of the Great Palace of Byzantium, in the
early 17th century. Today it is a working mosque and is therefore closed to
non-worshippers during the five daily prayers. The interior, with its lightness, spatial
effect and color, is one of the finest creations of Turkish architecture.
Next is the St. Sophia
Museum, formerly known as the Hagia Sofia (Holy Wisdom), a
former Greek Orthodox church that was converted to a mosque in 1453 by the Ottoman Empire
and today is a museum. The supreme achievement of Byzantine architecture, it is the
city's most celebrated monument. Large numbers of columns were brought to
Constantinople from temples in Asia Minor, Lebanon, Greece and Italy, and the finest
marbles and noblest metals were used. 
After breakfast we check out
of the hotel, and we're off to visit the Chora Church before leaving
Istanbul. Chora has mosaics from the 12th century depicting the role of Virgin
Mary as the Mother of God, with the emphasis on Her being Mother rather
than Jesus being the God, a profound thought to ponder as you take time to meditate in Her
presence!
Civilizations Museum, situated below the citadel. With its crown of
ten domes it was once a covered bazaar where cloth made from angora wool that was traded.
In 1951 it was converted into the now world-famous museum, also known as the Hittite
Museum. The collection, divided into 10 departments, comprises an enormous number of
exceptionally impressive archeological finds from the Paleolithic period to classical
times. There are many artifacts from Çatal Hoyuk. Return to hotel and
check out. Lunch on your own. 
We depart Ankara and drive to
Pessinus, where we visit the Temple of Cybele, the 
Phrygian
Mother Goddess who was also venerated by the Greeks and Romans. Discovered by
Belgian archaeologists in 1967, it is surprisingly small, though it was once the most
important temple in the area. Next to the sanctuary was a theater, which also served as
the stairs leading to the temple, a combination that was unique in the ancient world.
After breakfast we
explore the Mevlana Museum, with the tombs of Rumi, his family,
and outstanding members of the Mevlevi order. In addition ceremonial musical
instruments and materials, handwritten books, and carpets of the time can be seen at the
museum. Take time to meditate near the tomb of this awe-inspiring mystic
and see what worlds might open to you. Return to the hotel. Lunch on your own.
Photo Credit: Martin Gray
Hasan Dag
volcano. The name means "forked mound" and refers to the site's mounds which
formed as centuries of people tore down and rebuilt the settlement's mud-brick houses.
Here there existed a matriarchal, spiritual and art-loving people who worshipped a
Mother Goddess of a fertility cult that could have been the precursor of Artemis,
or Cybele as she is known in Anatolia. The room set aside as a shrine 
for the ancient
Mother Goddess had a sculpture of the Great Mother of Çatal Hoyuk seated
with a tame lion on either side, showing that She was a sacred woman, the Great
Mother of Nature, and the tamer and civilizer of the world as well. There were
also paintings of animals, cryptic symbols, and geometric patterns. During excavation, it
was found that the cult room was frequently rebuilt, and many religious articles were
uncovered. Most were votive statuettes, in the form of pottery with reliefs of the Mother
Goddess, bulls heads and horns, women's breasts, and leopards. These religious items show
a high degree of skill, and cultural refinement. The site was first discovered in the late
1950s, excavated between 1961 and 1965, and became famous internationally due to the large
size and dense occupation of the settlement, as well as the spectacular wall paintings and
other art that was uncovered inside the houses. Since 1993 an international team of
archaeologists has been carrying out new excavations and research.
After
leaving Konya, our first stop this morning is at Perge, a city that has
produced famous personalities such as Varius, the philosopher, Asklepiades, the physician,
the famous mathematician Apollonius and a female roman ruler of the city, Plancia Magna.
Perge, most certainly sacred to Artemis and her predecessor, Cybele,
has yet to reveal her mystery of where the Goddess temple once stood. We can also see the
ruins of the antique theatre, which held 12,000 people, with its stage with marble reliefs
depicting the life of Dionysus. 
After lunch on your own with the group, we're off to the city of Aspendos,
founded by Mopsus in the 13C BCE, to visit the theater and museum. The Aspendos
Theater, one of the largest ancient buildings in Anatolia and
one of the best preserved theaters of antiquity is a three stories high building that was
designed by a local architect in 2CE; an inscription sites it as a gift from two brothers
who dedicated the monument to the gods of the country and to the Imperial House. The
theater's capacity is estimated to have held 20,000 people. Time allowing, we may also
visit the beautiful basilica to the rear of the famous theater. 
Next is the ruins of Phaselis, in a beautiful natural
setting on a peninsula surrounded by three natural harbors and sandy beaches. This ancient
city was founded by colonists from Rhodes Island in 690 BCE. The Acropolis, covered with
thick vegetation, is located above the theatre. Here we will find the ruins of the Temple
of Athena. 
and quiver of Artemis and the Lyre
of Apollo. Legend says that the cult of Apollo was based on an Anatolian god that began at
Patara. As the cult spread, many places were adopted as his birthplace, among them the
most widely accepted being Delos. Some people believe that many of the Greek gods were
imported to Greece from Anatolia, and were developed from the religious culture of the
Hittites. 
tradition was adopted and then perfected by the Selcuk Turks, for whom the
public bath took on an important role. Not merely a place where believers could fulfill
the Islamic precept of cleanliness, it was also a place in which to mingle, socialize and
gossip. Women would proceed from their harem to the hamam with great ceremony, accompanied
by servants heavily-laden with delicacies to tide the ladies over the hours they would
spend lounging in the steam. The young women used this opportunity to show off their
ornately embroidered towels and ivory inlaid slippers, as well as their youthful figures.
Older women would spot potential wives for their sons. Men would discuss the latest court
scandal or talk business and politics.
checked cloth which is wrapped around the waist by men is still in use.
Takunyalar, or wooden clogs, often inlaid or carved, have generally been replaced by
plastic flip-flops. Soap, shampoo and other toiletries were carried in hand crafted copper
or even gold plated tarak kutusu, literally comb boxes, and a copper tas was used to pour
water over the bather. While some of these are no longer used, they are still widely
available to buy, and are guaranteed to add to the pleasure of the hamam experience.
We check out
of the hotel and depart to Aphrodisias one of the oldest sacred sites in
Turkey, to visit Temple of Aphrodite, dedicated to the ancient Mother
Goddess and then to the
Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Built in about 100 BCE over an earlier shrine from 3rd century BCE, it was the site of a
magnificent Temple of Aphrodite and the home of a renowned school of marble sculpture. The
temple boasted a huge statue of Aphrodite, more than 10ft tall, of which parts have been
recovered. Today, the temple is well-preserved and partially restored. Aphrodisias also
offers ruins of a large theater, a stadium and other structures, as well as an on-site
museum displaying artifacts.
Lunch on your own with the
group. Then we continue to Pamukkale, one of the most interesting places
in the world, famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological
formations, but also for its historical remains. Located above the theater of the
area, the mineral water comes from the thermal springs of Mount Caldag and is collected in
the "Sacred Pool" of ancient times, where we will have the
option to swim amidst the Travertine Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage
site, which are among the remains of Hierapolis (Holy City). The name Pamukkale means
"cotton castle" is derived from the dazzling white calcareous castles which are
formed by limestone-laden thermal springs, which create a fairyland of bizarre solidified
cascades and shell-shaped basins. Enjoy meditating in the waters, which change color
according to how the light enters. 
We leave Pamukkale and our hotel. The highlight of our morning is the visit
to 
Lagina and the ancient ruins of the sanctuary to Hecate,
the Anatolian goddess who reigns over air, land and sea. In works of art she is
represented as a single body, but generally with three heads. She is empowered to open the
door of Hades of the underworld, as She is the mistress of the dead. She is present at
funerals and takes delivery of the dead spirits. She is the sender of bad dreams
(nightmares), ghosts and specters, but, as sender, can also defend man against them. At
the same time, Hecate rules over oracles, magic and spells.
today only three remain
intact. Dating from the 2nd century BC, the columns are 60 feet tall, the height of a
six-story building, and have a diameter of 6 feet at the base. Even the stumps of columns
that fell are impressive in size and display beautiful carvings at their base. In the
western end of the roofed chamber three doors lead to a great staircase to the oracle
room, to which only the priests and oracles had access. Within this room is a small chapel
that held the cult statue and the sacred spring. This is where the priestess of Apollo
uttered her oracles. 
At Miletus we explore the Temples of Serapis, Athena
and Asclepius. The ancient city of Miletus was the oldest and the most
powerful of the twelve Ionian cities in Asia Minor. It also founded over ten colonies on
the shores of the Marmara and the Black Sea, while its commercial activities
extended as far as Egypt. Its schools made a very great contribution to the
intellectual and scholarly development of the Mediterranean world. It was here that
Thales, one of the greatest scholars produced by the city made his great contributions to
geometry and science. The Temple of Serapis is from the 3rd century CE. Only the very fine
pediment is visible, the rest of the temple being concealed under dense vegetation. In the
remains of the Temple of Athena, built in the first half of the 5th century BCE, there are
six Ionic columns on each of the shorter sides and ten on the longer sides. 
We spend a full day today at Ephesus. Ephesus is
the greatest Temple City in Asia Minor and was dedicated to the Great
Goddess Artemis Diana. The Temple of Artemis Diana, built about 550 BCE,
is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and one of the most complex
temples built in ancient times. The temple was the last of the Great Goddess temples to
remain open, and was the site of Goddess worship well into the Christian era. When the
Temple was in use, it was brightly painted and inlaid with stone and had a marble
sanctuary and a tile-covered wooden roof. Conceived by architect Chersiphron and his son,
Metagenes, the temple's inner space featured a double row of at least 106 columns, each
believed to be 40 to 60 feet high. The foundation was approximately 200 feet by 400 feet.
The original temple burned in 356 BCE and was rebuilt on the same foundation. Fire
devastated the second temple in 262 CE, but its foundation and some debris have survived. 
declared Mary to be
the "the God-bearer" in order to legitimize Christianity in the eyes of the
people of Asia Minor. Prior to that time, she was not recognized by the Christian church.
Many of the Great Goddess's titles were taken and declared to be the titles of Mary,
including; "Queen of Heaven", "Divine Virgin", "Mother of
All". Ephesus was chosen for Mary's installation to add legitimacy to the church's
claim that Mary, not Diana, was "the Mother of God", the "Mother of
All." Many believe that with the rise of Christianity and papal power, the Goddess
slowly disappeared from western culture and faded into the mists. But, so great was
devotion to the Goddess that She was resurrected in the hearts of the people by a new
Goddess, Mary, Mother of Jesus.
the Maeander River
upstream from Ephesus. It was founded by colonists from Magnetes in Greece, who provided
its name. Here we visit the Artemis Temple, the fourth largest
Hellenistic temple in Asia Minor. Built in the 3rd 
century BCE, it was first
discovered in the 19th century, when important reliefs and some other pieces belonging to
it were removed to museums in Berlin, Paris, and Istanbul. The temple has been excavated,
together with its surrounding public areas, connecting roads, other public buildings, and
colonnades. The city also boasts the remains of a Temple of Zeus and
Temple of Athena, a circular structure, located on top of the theatre
hill which has yet to be excavated. Magnesia was also the source for the mysterious stones
that could attract or repel each other, and thus its name came to be used for the
phenomenon known as magnetism.
Temple at Sardis,
one of the most interesting ruins in all of Turkey, with its monumental buildings and
location. Built in the 6th century BCE, it was destroyed by the Greeks in 498 and later
rebuilt in the reign of Alexander the Great. The city is divided into two by the highway.
The monumental road is in the north and behind it there is a gymnasium and synagogue is a
Roman bath. Down the road there are the Hellenistic theater and the stadium. As we follow
the side road, we reach the 3rd century BCE Artemis Temple, one the most
beautiful temples with its Ionian style. 
Our next stop is Pergamon
to visit the ancient Temples to Athena, Isis and Serapis.
Our visit here will include both the Isis and Serapis Temple at the bottom of the hill, as
well as the area of the site at the top of the hill. Much to explore! Located on the
fertile plains watered by the Selinus River, Pergamon was home to many civilizations in
ancient times. Its Greek name means "citadel." The modern city of Bergama
is the successor of ancient Pergamon. The remains of the Roman city are for the most part
beneath the modern town, while the Greek city with the imposing ruins of its royal
stronghold occupies a magnificently impressive location on the summit and along the
terraced slopes of the hill which rises above Bergama to the east. Bergama is well worth a
stop, as it is home to two of the country's most celebrated archaeological sites: the
Acropolis and the Asklepion, both listed among the top 100 historical sites on the
Mediterranean. The main function of the Acropolis was social and cultural as much as it
was sacred. The Asklepion was one of the earliest medical centers on record.
Temple. The ruins of Assos
stand on the northern shore of a gulf, facing the Greek island of Lesbos. Built on the
terraced slopes and summit of a not easily accessible escarpment between the sea and the
land, this ancient Greek city was once considered the most beautifully situated of any in
Europe or Asia. Excavation has revealed remains of buildings spanning more than 12
centuries, including the 2 miles of city walls, mainly 4th century BCE, which are among
the finest examples of Greek military architecture. On the highest point of the Acropolis
are the foundations of a pre-Hellenistic Temple of Athena.
Trojan War. The city
has been excavated in recent times, starting in 1822. We explore the remains of more than
20 limestone altars which surrounded the Temple of Athena. Only the
altars and mounds give any indication of the existence of the temple, but we know it's
there energetically! It has been imagined lying to the west and north of the altars. 
we visit the Grand
Bazaar, the largest oriental bazaar in the world for some serious retail
therapy! This is not simply a building, nor a market, nor even a district, but is
in truth a city, a separate urban area with its own alleys, thoroughfares and streets, a
labyrinth of shops that are fascinating to explore. There are shops with windows teaming
with gold and diamonds in the jewelers section of the Bazaar, where you will find jewelry
in gold, silver platinum, cut diamonds, and other gems and precious stones. In
one place you will see a shop in the form of a small kiosk, which was formerly the counter
of a dairy; take the little spiral staircase to the upper floor and take a look at the
market spreading immediately below you. Then down the stairs and to the left you will
arrive at the antiquities section of the Bazaar, where you will find objects in copper and
bronze, with every sort of souvenir you can imagine to tempt you! Stoves,
braziers, weapons, armor, statues, carpets, embroideries, rings, ancient coins, porcelain
vases, objects fashioned in silver - all kinds of treasures!