Here at Newpark Country house we recently had a visit from my friend Antoinette who was home in Ireland visiting her family and sourcing places for her Celtic workshops that she will be working on during the Summer when it is too hot for travellers in Luxor.

I was really pleased with their success and recognization that is beginning to develope for them, and to read a good article in the Tribune about Antoinette and her family who left Ireland to Live in Egypt, which is where I met this really amazing family when I was also living over there, Together they have had the courage to move to another country and the dedication & determination to create their own holiday center in Luxor near Howard Carters House on the Edge of the Valley of the Kings. A task that can prove as difficult as trying to build your own pyramid!!!

I created a series of videos for Antoinette on youtube, which you can see if you click onto these links:

‘Flower of light Holidays in Luxor’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1NxY3iF

‘ The flower of Life’ video on youtube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pt-5LLP6dM

‘The Emerald Tablets of Thoth’ on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gsZKDYU4bA

The article offers advice about Buying property abroad and the pitfalls, and the success story of this amazing Irish family

‘THE PYRAMID SCHEME OF THEIR DREAMS’ – written by Claire O’Malley of the Tribune

Undaunted by language and cultural barriers, an Irish family have built their own resort on the banks of the Nile, writes Claire O'Mahony

Dylan, Antoinette and Donal Lyons-Glynn: the family's Flower of Light Centre welcomes visitors who wish to encounter traditional Egyptian village life

During the boom, many Irish people became enamoured with the idea of owning a property abroad. Apartments in Turkey, farmhouses in France and villas in Spain became the norm. Antoinette and Donal Lyons-Glynn and their son Dylan were no different except that their dream lay slightly further afield and was that bit more ambitious.

The couple's goal was to build their own traditional village on the banks of the Nile by the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. That was in 2006. Some three years later, this ambition has been fulfilled and the Lyons-Glynn's Flower of Light Centre welcomes visitors who wish to encounter traditional Egyptian village life, as opposed to the usual tourist experience of a poolside bar in a Luxor hotel.

The centre, which sits on 3,000sqm, has 15 rooms and accommodates 30 people on a twin-share basis. There's a poolside eating area, meditation and relaxation areas, and the centre offers facilities such as free wireless internet access and a laundry service. All food is organic, with mainly vegetarian and vegan fare served daily. Some of the centre's main draws for visitors are the workshops, retreats and sacred journeys offered, based on the mystery school teachings (a predominantly oral wisdom encoded in symbols, music, stories, architecture and sacred texts) of ancient Egypt and other civilizations.

What was the lure of Egypt? Antoinette, who studied electronic engineering and has a diploma in ki energy therapy and massage, says her interest stemmed from her father, who had visited the country. As a child, she had spent hours listening to him speak of the mysteries of Egypt.

Donal is a jewellery designer and they are currently working on establishing an adjoining craft centre with real Nubian-made crafts.

Nightly rates here, which are charged per chalet and not per person, start at approximately €20.

The next retreat, meanwhile, is the September Equinox journey, which begins in Cairo and includes entrance into the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid on the day of the equinox (22 September) before going to Luxor, where the rest of the retreat will be held at the centre.

The cost for one week (which doesn't include flights but does include accommodation, food, site-entrance fees, transportation, workshop etc) is €995.

For more information visit www.floweroflight.com

Newpark Country House - the creation of our stone circle - The Seven Hathors

Phoenix Qi: The Magical, Mystical Number 7 Seven
I came across your site, and I will study it with interest some more, as I am trying to learn about the significance of seven in mystical and religeous terms because I have just created a large stone circle at the bottom of the garden, and chose the number seven for the stones, I dont know why I chose seven it just seemed the right thing. I have decided to call the stones 'The Seven Hathors' as I am an oracle myself, and it felt it would be good to honour my stone circle in honour of the Seven hathors, these ladies had a room in denderah temple in egypt and were known as the oracle of the goddess hathor, each lady had her own name and they gave the oracle on the birth of a child in the temple of denderah.

The first evening the circle was finished I was so amazed, because as the sun was setting, a line ran across the fields straight down to the stones and circled the stones in light, while the rest of the garden was in shadow it was amazing and a very good experience for me, I think the circle will bring amazing energy and life back to this garden. I am following my own heart and feelings with the garden, and trying to embrace the belief of the ancient Celts.

there is a stone circle in Gilf Kabir in the Libyian desert .................... yes amazing but true.

Stone circles are not just found in europe, amazingly, my friend Antoinette told me of a stone circle that is in the Libyian desert near the gilf kibir, the circle is called Bagnolds circle after the man who found it, he noted that this structure itself is quite unique in the whole expanse of the Libyan Desert, even though other circles have been found in the libyian desert in the Gilf Kibir area.

for anyone interested to read more about this stone circle you can follow this link :http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2160254/posts