Shirlie's account from Merkaba in Egypt (May 2009)

MERKABA AND SOUND MEDITATION

The week I spent in Egypt with Tom de Winter’s Merkaba group was without doubt an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I feel as though the cells of my body have been changed. The Merkaba workshop was as usual fascinating and Tom’s warmth and open-heartedness inspired the group. My sound and breathing meditations seemed to slot in well with his teaching and add another perspective to what was already a wonderful experience, but it was really when we reached Cairo that everything moved into a different dimension.

We were truly privileged to have the Cheops pyramid privately for our group for a whole two hours. It was 6pm as we stood outside the vast, towering structure and slowly entered through a passageway that wound deeper and deeper, spiralling ever downwards, sometimes in complete darkness, sometimes so narrow and low-roofed that we were bent almost double. People had warned me that it was claustrophobic and the air was bad, but actually I felt perfectly at home, even with the sweat dripping constantly down my face and off the ends of my hair.

We eventually reached a lower chamber and Tom led us with an activated Merkaba meditation. It was amazing to do it so deep down in the pyramid and we then began to tone sound together, strong and vibrant, filling the whole stone room, resonating the notes through our bodies. Tom asked me to sing, so in the half-light I began with my song ‘Light a candle in your heart – let the flame shine in the dark…..’ and at the end, focussed the whole group into making a sound for peace which we sent out through the top of the pyramid. It was amazingly powerful. I work with spirals of light, and I could feel, see, a huge spiral of light filling the whole of the inside of the structure. Every cell in my body seemed to be vibrating, as though something was coming alive in me again, a memory, an inner wisdom. It was electrifying.

Up the steep passageway then, step after endless step with aching muscles and more dripping sweat as we climbed up inside and into the Queen’s chamber where Tom guided us all to connect with the Divine Feminine energy, backs against the inner pyramid wall, breathing it into our very spinal columns. More sound, more vibration, and I sang ‘Ave Maria’ to honour the Divine Feminine. Two people near me had visions and went into process, shaking and crying. We were all transforming as a group, it seemed. It felt as though my cells were pulsing light.

We climbed further up through the tunnels, scarcely pausing for breath. It was a long journey and my leg muscles were screaming at one point, but I felt exhilarated and just kept going, as did everyone, regardless of age or fitness. There was an empty sarcophagus in the King’s chamber but no-one climbed in it, although I was tempted to. This time, Tom connected us to the Divine Masculine. It was so beautiful to feel that strength and warmth, to feel that inner marriage taking place as we sounded tones, this time feeling the stone might of the pyramid beneath us. I improvised a song about Coming Home into the Heart and then guided the group in a chakra breathing meditation. That was powerful, in the top of the Great Pyramid! Unbelievable. There was an incredible sense of bonding with the group. I could feel that on a soul level, everyone had chosen to be there in that place at that time, together, and I will never forget that feeling of one-ness in the King’s Chamber. Our two hours had flown by, and we just had time for a round of sweaty and joyful group hugs before we began the long journey back to the outside world. How amazing then to step out of the pyramid on to fresh air, the desert with the night sky up above filled with stars and a crescent moon, romantic and peaceful, mysterious and powerful, and behind us as we left, the huge towering structure of Cheops.

Fortunately we had a day off the next day to absorb the whole experience before we travelled to Luxor (without Tom this time who remained in Cairo) visiting the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and finally, for me the most beautiful, the Temple at Karnak where I had a real sense of coming home as we reached the point where, in ancient days, only the priests and initiates had been allowed to pass through. The huge tall pillars were like a forest of stone tree trunks covered in sacred symbols and even so many thousands of years later, the feeling of power was immense, awesome. Once again, our group was privileged to be led away to a private area where tourists were not allowed. Maybe it was because of my newly-activated ‘merkaba’ field, but the day before, I had had a strong thought of how wonderful it would be to lead a sound meditation in the Karnak Temple, and within half an hour, Agnieszka Jurko had come to me on an impulse saying she was trying to arrange that very thing! The Temple guardians led us away from the crowds to a deserted area and into a small dark stone room where they closed the door on us. There were some strands of light filtering in through the ceiling, lighting up a huge, black alabaster statue of a woman with a lion’s head. I was sat on the floor and as I looked up at the towering sculpture, she glared so fiercely I closed my eyes and simply tuned the group into a sound for peace, connecting us to the sacred earth and the wisdom of the ancient civilisations who had lived there. It was wonderful. As our sound filled the room, I felt it connect to the sacred symbols on the pillars in the Temple of Healing. It was as though the stones were singing with us – in some way, our sound helped to activate them and it felt so right to be there, in the middle of the Karnak Temple, with the whole group toning together.

When we left our stone room, the guardians waiting outside bowed their heads to us, hands held in prayer mudras, smiling, with that look in their eyes that they understood what we had been doing. One young girl was so moved, she openly hugged an elderly guardian and they both began to cry. I then discovered the statue was Sekhmet, the Goddess of War! But I felt so deeply at peace, so at one with myself, my body, my spirit, the earth, that I just smiled. I really didn’t want to leave. I could have happily just stayed there.

Now I am back in England, I can feel the depth of the change in me. I have more understanding of who I am, of my work, more realisation that trips like this one which incorporate the spiritual experience alongside the cultural touristic attractions are more valuable than money can buy. Perhaps even our group don’t yet realise what they have received on so very many levels. All I can say is, Egypt has changed my life in a very positive way and for that, I can never say ‘thank you’ deeply enough.

While I was climbing the passageways in the Great Pyramid, this chant came to me:

RA

MA

KA

It seemed to ground and strengthen me. I asked Mohammed our guide afterwards about it. Ra was the sun god – Ka was the soul, I knew, but Ma?

"The power of truth", he smiled at me.

It made sense. The light and warmth of the sun shone the power of truth into my soul.

I can still feel it now.

Shirlie Roden 1^st June 2009