Sacred Journeys - England
Holy Grail Pilgrimage & Conference
July 6-13, 2007
Post-Tour Extension to Wales
July 13-16, 2007
Past Tour
For 2007, our annual Holy Grail Pilgrimage to England will be a Pilgrimage AND
Conference, with our home base in Glastonbury. We are busy putting together a
wonderful line-up of speakers for our conference. After the Holy Grail
Pilgrimage & Conference we will be offering a short post tour extension to
Wales. Please join us! Stay tuned for details.
Tour Leader: Mark Amaru Pinkham, author of Guardians of the Holy Grail, researcher, teacher, and Templar Knight; he is the Grand Prior of The International Order of Gnostic Templars, and Director of its affiliated schools, The Mysteries of the Goddess Wisdom School and The Seven Rays of Healing School. His Scottish ancestry dates back to Prince Henry St. Clair, and his family who built Rosslyn Chapel. Learn more about Mark on our About Your Tour Leaders page.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tour Description
Join Mark Amaru Pinkham as he returns again with another group of travelers for more unique experiences of inner exploration and outer adventure in the land of the Druids and the Knights of the Holy Grail.Journey to some of the most powerful and magical places on earth! The esoteric significance of the mysterious stone circles and other holy sites will come alive as we walk the ancient pathways and connect with the rich legacy of magic and Grail wisdom once preserved by the mysterious Druids, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, Merlin, Joseph of Arimathea and the Knights Templar. Discover and Experience the Secrets of the Holy Grail.
Special
Offering:
Private Entrance at Stonehenge for sacred ceremony and
meditation.
Glastonbury: Explore the magical energies of Avalon
at Glastonbury Tor, the Chalice Well, Glastonbury
Abbey and more.
Salisbury: Soak in the peaceful energies at
Salisbury Cathedral
Winchester: Visit famous Winchester Cathedral
and the
Great Hall of King Arthur,
with its beautiful replica of the legendary Round
Table.
London: Visit Temple Church, one of the
oldest of the Knights Templar churches, Westminster
Cathedral and other world-famous landmarks. Special
Farewell Dinner Cruise on the Thames River.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tour Leaders
Mark Amaru Pinkham, is a noted author, researcher, teacher, and Templar Knight; he is the Grand Prior of The International Order of Gnostic Templars, and Director of its affiliated schools, The Mysteries of the Goddess Wisdom School and The Seven Rays of Healing School. He has a special affinity to both the Druids and the Knights Templar. His Scottish ancestry dates back to Prince Henry St. Clair, and his family who built Rosslyn Chapel.
Throughout the Sacred Journey, Mark will share cutting-edge
information from his fourth book, Guardians of
the Holy Grail: The Knights Templar, John the Baptist,
and the Water of Life, as well as fascinating
esoteric teachings from his other books, The
Return of the Serpents of Wisdom, Conversations with the
Goddess, and The Truth Behind the Christ
Myth. He will include a presentation of the
history, practices, and teachings of the Druids,
the Knights Templar, the Holy Grail, and
the secret lineage of Jesus Christ and John
the Baptist. At the various sacred sites of Mark
will share newly discovered information regarding
King Arthur, Merlin, Joseph of Arimathea, the Knights
Templar and the Holy Grail. He will also lead
special ceremonies and meditations at those
places where the Grail is reputed to exist, such as
Glastonbury, to help connect with its divine
essence, as well as the powerfully transformative
energies that cover the land of Britain.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tour Summary
Day 1 Depart your home city
Day 2 Arrive London, to Glastonbury
Day 3 Winchester/Stonehenge
Day 4 Avebury/Silbury Hill
Day 5 Glastonbury
Day 6 Glastonbury/The Abbey
Day 7 London/Temple Church
Day 8 London/Westminster Abbey
Day 9 Return to your home city
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Tue, Jul 11: Depart your home city
Depart your home
city on your international flight to London. In flight overnight.
Day
2 - Wed, Jul 12: Arrive London,
to Glastonbury (D)
Upon our morning arrival in London, we proceed through Immigration, Baggage
Claim & Customs, and meet Mark and our local tour guide. We board our coach for
a scenic drive through the English countryside
to historic Salisbury, for a visit to beautiful 1000-year old Salisbury
Cathedral, one of the finest medieval cathedrals in Britain, with the
loftiest spire in all of England. Housed in the cathedral is the oldest working
medieval clock in the world, made in 1386 and originally installed in the
detached Bell Tower.
We continue to mystical, spiritual and historical Glastonbury, the region steeped in Arthurian legend - fabled Avalon, the heart of the Grail myths and the “Eden” of the Druids. For centuries it has been the gathering place for priests and priestesses of the ancient Druid and Celtic traditions, as well as one of the holiest places in Christendom. It has been a megalithic center, a place of the Goddess, and was the inspiration for The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, as well as the television movie of the same name. We may well experience that Avalon is still looked over by the ancient Priestesses! The small town of Glastonbury still preserves its long history and rich traditions, along with a uniquely blended atmosphere of modern times. People are pulled here from all over the world by a special something...just like you have been. Upon our arrival we check into our local hotel in the heart of the small town, a former retreat for monks, nuns and pilgrims at The Abbey. Time for a short rest, then we meet for an Introductory Meeting, followed by our “Welcome to England” dinner at our hotel. Overnight Glastonbury.
Day
3 - Thu, Jul 13: Winchester, Old Sarum & Stonehenge Private Entrance!
(B/L)
Have a leisurely breakfast before our later morning departure to the
quintessential English city of Winchester, capital of England during Saxon
times. Our explorations will take us to the Norman Winchester Cathedral,
including the legendary Great Hall, the only visible remaining part of
the castle established by William the Conqueror, and a beautiful replica of the
legendary Round Table of King Arthur.
We enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant and are then off to the fascinating site of Old Sarum, the site of the Norman Cathedral and castle, just outside Salisbury. Powerful impressions of the past still linger here and in a strange way seem to be amplified by the incredible beauty of the natural environment. In the late afternoon we head for the world-famous ancient stone circle of Stonehenge on the nearby Salisbury Plain, the world's best-known stone monument from the Megalithic Age, for our private sunset meditation and ceremony. Today it is cared for by the English Heritage, an independent body set up by Parliament in 1984 to protect England's archaeological and architectural heritage of more than 400 ancient and historic monuments.
Stonehenge is a major World Heritage Site, and one of the world's most visited sacred sites in the world. There is much debate as to the age of Stonehenge, as well as who built it. According to many archaeologists, the builders of this magnificent site were the Ancient Britons. History says that the site was begun in the agricultural Neolithic Age and was completed in the Early Bronze Age by Beaker Folk, so called because of beakers, drinking vessels, found in their grave goods. Around 1500 BCE some disaster or systems collapse progressively brought the impressive Megalithic Age to an end, not only here, but throughout the whole of Britain and Ireland. Although we can never know exactly who the architects were who planned Stonehenge, the face sculptured into the side of trilithon stone 54 does give us cause to wonder if he or she was so influential that his/her facial features were placed here to be preserved forever as a representation of the Divine Marriage, the concept of Sacred Marriage between an Earth Mother and Sky Father, that was universal in early or primitive agricultural and Goddess-oriented societies. One of the great trilithon stones has numerous axes carved into it and another has a Mother-Goddess type of image carved in relief.
SACRED CEREMONY and MEDITATION: We enter the sacred and ancient circle for our private meditation time among the ancient and magical stones and their energies. Those who are sensitive to these massive temples claim that the megalithic blocks are constantly radiating tremendous amounts of energy. Some say it is because the ancient Druids turned themselves into the stones, while others assert that they hold the power of innumerable Druid ceremonies. One legend maintains that the massive blocks were brought from Ireland and set into place by the greatest Druid of them all - Merlin! Mark will lead the group in a special sacred ceremony and meditation. The remainder of our powerful sacred ceremony will assist you to connect with the ancient spirits of this magical place. Later return to our hotel. Free time to integrate the powerful energies you’ve taken in this day. Dinner on your own. Overnight Glastonbury.
Day 4 -
Fri, Jul 14: Avebury, Silbury Hill & West Kennett Longbarrow and possible Crop
Circles (B/D)
After our fortifying English breakfast we journey through the picturesque
countryside to explore the ancient stone circles and sites that were
sacred to the Goddess and Her tradition in this part of ancient Britain. Her
energies are still powerfully present at each of the sites, so as you focus
inwardly and listen in silence, perhaps you will receive an intuitive message
from Her. Our first stop is The Sanctuary, a remnant from a culture in
the long past that worshipped the Goddess and her earth-based traditions. Once a
delightful pair of concentric stone circles that were destroyed in the 17th
century, the site of the stones are now marked by concrete pillars. Evidence
from excavations suggests that the site was used for feasting and for
some form of mortuary ritual. Dr. William Stuckeley, an antiquarian and a
scholar of sacred history and cabalistic science, believed that the site
represented the head of a great stone serpent, the body of which was
formed by the West Kennet Avenue and the Beckhampton.
Then we continue to Avebury, part of the world's biggest and most complex monument of the Megalithic Age. The National Trust administers this World Heritage site on behalf of the British nation. It is an enormous circular earthwork, with a deep external ditch. Inside the ditch is a circle of immense standing stones, and inside that there are two more stone circles. Two stone avenues of about 100 megaliths run out from Avebury. Altogether there were some 600 megaliths, including those of the Sanctuary (which we will see later). Today its mysteries are still being explored and solved by multi-disciplinary scholars in archaeology, science and ancient religion. Mark will lead the group in a ceremonial walk, down through The Avenue to the main stone circle, for a special ceremony to connect with the powerful ancient energies here.
We then continue to Silbury Hill, a grass-covered chalk mound in the shape of a flat-topped cone, believed by those in the Goddess Tradition to be the Goddess' form on the earth rising forth to bring the energies of Love and nurturance to her children. At 130 feet in height, a base circumference of 1640 feet, and covering 5.5 acres, it is certainly the biggest prehistoric artificial mound in Europe. Evidence from radio-carbon dating indicates that Silbury was built about 4300 years ago, at the end of Avebury's lengthy stone-building period. Further evidence from the remains of plants and insects found at at the time of the Celtic festival of Lammas, the start of the harvest season.
Some astronomers believe that Silbury Hill could have been used as an accurate solar observatory by means of the shadows cast by the mound on the carefully leveled plain to the north, towards Avebury. The meridian line from Silbury runs through Avebury church, which stands on a ley line (earth energy line) running between Stonehenge and the stone circle at Winterbourne Abbas. The same ley line also passes through two churches and the eastern slope of Silbury. Silbury is a center for alignments of straight prehistoric tracks, resurfaced by the Romans, and of standing stones. The Roman road between Marlborough and Bath runs directly towards Silbury Hill before swerving to avoid it, indicating that it followed a pre-existing track or ley line.
Our last stop for the day is West Kennet Longbarrow, a passage grave where the age-old secrets of those who were buried there are locked in time in this ancient finely restored Early Neolithic chambered megalithic monument. The property is cared for by the National Trust. Inside, 5 chambers lead off from a central gallery. All chambers and roof are built from huge sarsen stones. Carbon-dating estimates indicate that it was begun between 3700-3600 BCE and a used for about 1200 years. When the barrow was sealed, a facade of huge sarsens was placed immediately in front of the entrance in the manner of blocking stones. The remains of skeletons and simple grave goods have been found there, including the small skull of an infant that was positioned on the floor in such a way that it would have been lit by the light of the rising sun at the equinoxes. Because of the barrow's alignment with the rising sun at the March equinox, the arrangement has been interpreted as indicating an annual ritual involving a mid-spring lambing festival, when the sun illuminates the sheep-stone, within a rebirth tomb of the dead.
Lunch on your own at a local restaurant. Afterwards we drive through the countryside where we may see crop circle formations, geometric symbols of unknown origin formed in fields of grain, that have appeared in this area over the past 20 years. AND, if we are fortunate we MAY be able to enter one of the formations and have private meditation time to try to connect with and experience the other-dimensional energies that many researchers believe form them. What is the general communication that is being given to us by these circles? What is the particular communication from each circle? Where do they come from? Who/what forms them? Why here? Why now? AND, why have we been lead here to experience them? What does all this mean for our personal and planetary transformation? Late afternoon return to our hotel for our group dinner. Overnight Glastonbury.
Day 5 - Sat, Jul 15: In
Glastonbury – The Tor and Chalice Well (B)
After breakfast we walk to the footpath that will take us up the hill to
mystical Glastonbury Tor,
once thought to be a portal to the fairy underworld and to the famed land of The
Mists of Avalon's priestesses. Glastonbury is overlooked by the Tor,
a majestic hill rising enigmatically above the flat surrounding meadows.
However, it's no ordinary hill! It's home to the King of the Fairies,
Gwyn ap Nudd (and he likes visitors!), and is one of the world's prominent
sacred sites. Centuries of legends and folklore have centered around the
Tor, the heart of Glastonbury. They all arrive at the same conclusion - that
the Tor is a place where the veil between the worlds is thin. Strange
experiences and "meetings" here could be interpreted as a fairy, a nature
spirit, or a manifestation of a "spirit" from the other realms. Not everyone has
these experiences, but they have been regularly reported by many visitors, as
well as the locals.
Today it’s believed to be one of the main power
spots in England, having been built on a mystical leyline, or earth energy line.
At the top of The Tor we will gaze in awe at the breath-taking panoramic
views of the surrounding countryside. On the top stands a tower, the remains of
St. Michel’s Church, built in the Middle Ages and dedicated to
Archangel Michael. Here, on hallowed ground, we experience a meditation
and ceremony to connect to the Holy Grail, which some legends
maintain is buried under or in the vicinity of the Tor.
Returning to the foot of the Tor, we visit the famous Chalice Well, a pilgrimage site for many thousands of years for those seeking physical and emotional healing from its iron-red waters, thought to be the blood of Christ emerging from the hidden Grail Chalice. During the Middle Ages Glastonbury gained a great reputation as a place of healing, and the well was one of the centers where pilgrims came to take advantage of its curative powers. Even today the waters of both the Red Spring or Blood Spring at Chalice Well and the adjoining White Spring still have a reputation for their cleansing, healing and transformative qualities. Like pilgrims who have come here since ancient times seeking physical and emotional healing from its iron-red waters blessed by the Goddess, we too may receive our healings! From the wellhead at the top of the garden, the first spot we reach when we enter at the bottom of the garden, we see the vesica pisces-shaped pool that has Chalice Well water flowing into it through a series of flowing steps from the body of the Goddess Herself. The vesica pisces is one of the most fundamental symbols of sacred geometry, symbolizing the Sacred Marriage, the divine union of the male and female energies. While here at this sacred space, we will have time to meditate and reflect on our own divine union of the male and female energies within. Later return walking to our hotel. The afternoon if free for lunch on your own and individual exploration in Glastonbury. Dinner on your own this evening. Overnight Glastonbury.
Day 6 -
Sun, Jul 16: In Glastonbury – The Abbey
(B)
After breakfast we walk to The
Abbey,
a church built in the Middle Ages that is described by some historians as “the
holiest place in all of England” and an early hiding place of the Holy Grail. Graves thought to be those of Arthur and Guinevere
have been unearthed here. St Mary's Chapel marks the site where Joseph
of Arimathea established the first above-ground church in all of
Christendom. The Celts had a deity named Easus who died and was supposed to come
back to life. When the Druids heard about Jesus from Joseph of Arimathea, they
saw the return of Easus in the story, and they gave Ynys Witrin, or
Glastonbury, to him as a site for a church. This was the birthplace of Celtic
Christianity, and grew to be a powerful pilgrimage site for Christians.
On this hallowed ground we will take time for
individual reflection and meditation to connect with these ancient energies.
Later morning return to the hotel. Lunch on your own. Free time to explore more
of Glastonbury on your own, shop, rest, integrate and reflect. Dinner on your
own. Overnight Glastonbury.
Day 7 - Mon, Jul 17: To London – Temple Church (B/D)
We check out of the
hotel after breakfast and depart via private motor coach to London, arriving
later morning and check into our charming hotel in the heart of the city. Lunch
on your own.
In the afternoon we visit Temple Church, one of the oldest of the Knights Templar churches, and one of the few round churches still left standing. It lies 'off street' between Fleet Street and the River Thames, in an 'oasis' of ancient buildings, courtyards and gardens. The Church is in two parts: the Round and the Chancel. The Round Church was consecrated in 1185 by the patriarch of Jerusalem. It was designed to recall the holiest place in the Crusaders' world: the circular Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. We will find the life-size stone effigies of nine knights. Most famous of these knights was William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, the most important mediator between King John and the Barons in 1215. The columns are replicas of the 13th century columns that stood until the War in 1041, when the church was bombed. The Chancel's vault survived; the columns cracked in the heat, and after the War they had to be replaced. The architects wondered whether to build the new columns upright. But if the 'leaning' columns had done good work for seven hundred years, their replacements, it was decided, should lean too - and so they do! Mark will share more exciting information about Templar history.
Later return to the hotel for our group dinner. Overnight London.
In the evening we conclude our journey with an exceptional Farewell to England Dinner Cruise on the Thames River, combining luxury dining, world-class live entertainment, 5-star customer care and undeniably the most breathtaking views of London. We join the vessel at Butler’s Wharf Pier, by Tower Bridge, and sail down river passing a variety of different landscapes; the modern façade of Canary Wharf, the beauty of Greenwich, the architecture of The Millennium Dome and technology of the Thames Flood Barrier. The finale of the cruise is the opening of Tower Bridge, bathed in white light! The trip ends at London Bridge City Pier, where we disembark and return to the hotel. Overnight London.
Day 9 - Wed, Jul 19: Depart London/Arrive home (B)
Transfer to the airport for your return international flight to your home city.
OR, Depart for Scotland Tour
Note: This itinerary is
subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.
(B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tour Inclusions & Price
Tour
Includes:
Roundtrip transfers between airport and hotels
Accommodations in First Class hotels, including daily breakfast
Additional Meals, as per final itinerary (vegetarian always available)
Hotel taxes & service charges
Baggage handling at airport and hotels
Sightseeing tour as per itinerary, including entrance fees
Escorted throughout
Sightseeing tour in London and Edinburgh
Added Features:
Travel with other spirit-centered people
Presentations on England’s esoteric spiritual history by Mark Pinkham
Special Private Entrance at Stonehenge
Ceremonies & meditations at Glastonbury other sacred sites
Visit to Temple Church in London
Special “Farewell to England” Elizabethan Banquet
Tour does not include:
International Airfare/departure taxes (ask us for a quote from your home city)
Cancellation & Medical Insurance (ask us for a quote)
Meals not included, as indicated in the itinerary
Cost to obtain valid passport
Tour Price Per Person (Land Only) Single Supplement Pre-Paid Gratuities
USD $2199.00 England Tour Only USD $495.00 USD $75.00
USD $2499.00 Scotland Tour Only USD $395.00 USD $75.00
USD $3899.00 England & Scotland Tour USD $895.00 USD $150.00
*Note: The England & Scotland Tour Price includes the airfare London/Edinburgh
Note:
Pre-paid gratuities
to cover guides, drivers, waiters, baggage handling, etc. Your Tour Escort will
carry and disburse these funds so that you can relax and enjoy your trip,
knowing that everyone assisting you is being taken care of properly.
Note: The single supplement is ONLY for those who would like to secure a
private room throughout the tour, at the indicated additional price. If you are
not traveling with anyone you know and would like to share a room, we will be
happy to work to find you a suitable roommate. Per our Terms and Conditions,
registration for the tour will be held open until two weeks before the departure
date in order to try to match everyone with a roommate. If by that date we have
not been able to match you with a suitable roommate, you will be responsible to
pay for the single supplement. An early registration will facilitate this
process.
Sacred Earth Journeys, Ste 220 - 133 E. 8th Ave. Vancouver,
B.C. V5T 1R8 Canada
Tel: (604) 874-7922, Toll Free 1-877-874-7922 www.sacredearthjourneys.ca