Where my Heroine´s Journey started
This is where my Heroine´s Journey started.
Joseph Campbell once wrote about the Hero´s Journey and its iconic phases. I lived that journey and, indeed, "followed my bliss", way before I knew there had been an author, somewhere, who had named the adventure I went through.
Way before I moved to Egypt to start my career; way before I became a professional Oriental Dancer; way before my destiny was forever changed and the actress in me gave place to the dancer which had always been me, I´d already traveled all over Egypt.
The first trip happened by the hand of Shokry Mohamed, my first teacher, a dear supporter, a wizard who sat me down, one day, and whispered in my ear "you´re going to take this dance to the whole world". I fell in love with Egypt - its dark and sunny side - with Shokry. Because of Shokry.
After that first trip, I traveled by myself. Every 3 months, I was on my way to Egypt.
I meditated by the Giza Pyramids before it was cool to do so; I´ve studied "Tahtib" in Luxor, got lost in villages by the Nile, ate fresh fish in "Abou k´ir" in Alexandria, fell in love and out of love in the White Desert, danced with the Bedouins in tents, got drunk with a sugar cane juice overdose, and remembered whom I´d been in Asswan.
No photos or videos on social media to publicize it (there was no such thing at the time).
Just real life, real love. I was interested in knowledge, discovery, merging - I wasn´t interested in fame, or likes, or approval.
On a visit to the Philae Temple, in Upper Egypt, I was temporarily blind, deaf, and shaking. Not knowing how, I was dragged by an invisible hand to one of the walls of the temple so I could touch them. Blind and deaf, I walked, gingerly, up the hill, from the water to dry land, until I found a wall. My hands rested upon that wall and I knew, in a wink, what Egypt was all about.
Years went by. Many more trips. The passion for the Arabic language - still my favorite, still a wonder - , for the music, the people, the dance, the timeless time of Egypt, and breeze of the Nile - so unique, so dangerously seductive -; the Call.
Temple of Philae
I was called by the soul of the country I came to call home - Egypt. Egyptian Dance is a huge part of it.
I was called by the heart of the country - a country with many layers, dimensions, truths and contradictions.
I was called by the promise of returning home.
And I did.
Falling in love with Egyptian Dance was, for me, falling in love with Egypt. Not the fake, plastic, tourist card Egypt so many try to impose upon us but the real, magical, gorgeous, often brutal and destructive, yet always irresistible Egypt.
My Heroine´s Journey started here. And the prophecy was fulfilled - from Egypt to the world.
Grateful for such bounty and open to the blessings arriving 
P.S: Create your own Heroine´s Journey. Everybody has one.
P.S2: In this photo, you can see me, in a "Nubian gallabeya", next to a guard at the Valley of the Kings, on the other side of the river, in Luxor.
I
Interested in authentic Egyptian Dance, Personal Discovery & Empowerment?
- If so, JOIN OUR FREE-&-FABULOUS NEWSLETTER -
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
- Want to create your own Heroine´s Journey and learn
AUTHENTIC EGYPTIAN DANCE, PERSONAL DISCOVERY & EMPOWERMENT FROM THE ABC TILL MASTERY?
If so, consider joining the next Edition of Joana Saahirah´s Signature Course, a Membership Training that´ll change the way you see Egyptian Dance and Life.
In order to join the WAITING LIST for the next edition of the Course, CLICK HERE
Close
50% Complete
Two Step
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.