About Us
Our Story
Family of Heart
Somewhere deep in all of our hearts, Egypt is our home. The Egyptian people are warm and welcoming toward the pilgrims returning home because they hold this knowledge in their hearts as well.
The first time I met Shahrazad, we were instantly and certainly sisters. Shahrazad gave me a huge hug and said, “Welcome home sister, what took you so long to get here?”.
When I told Sayed my dream of opening a healing retreat in the Blue Lotus House he said,
“Does this mean you are coming home? The house will be so happy!”.
This kind of welcome is what makes us a family of heart.
I bring with me the rest of my family of heart that I have gathered along my way, the people that bring me joy, wisdom and companionship. When you come to stay with us in Egypt you will be our family too. -Tara
Tara Lee
Tara has a lifelong passion for adventure and travel because she believes the fabric of life is made of relationships and experiences. She has a special purpose to absorb the world through her eyes and heart and revel in the beauty and wonder that can be found in a tiny seashell or a panoramic sunset.
Creating a warm welcoming space where people feel nurtured and loved is her personal expertise. She loves to prepare meals, find the perfect music for a certain mood, and bring joy play and laughter into everything she does.
On her first visit to Egypt in 2020 she stayed in the Blue Lotus Healing House and fell in love with the house and the surrounding village. She returns to Luxor and this special house as often as possible to realize her dream of offering this magical space of balance and beauty as a healing retreat.
Tara is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a licensed acupuncturist in North Carolina. She is an herbalist, bodyworker, and offers nutritional counseling to her clients.
She is a Magdalene High Priestess in the lineage of Nichole Christine and Anyaa McAndrew, as well as a certified Facilitator of the Shamanic Priestess Process to support women with discovering their own personal empowerment and heart centered service. She has completed Advanced Training in Egyptian BioGeometry, founded by Dr. Ibrahim Karim, and is currently pursuing the path to be an associate practitioner with the BioGeometry Environmental Home Solutions training program.
Sayed Ismael
Sayed was born in Luxor and has lived within the dynamic surroundings of the sacred temples his whole life. He went to school everyday beside the Luxor Temple and the rooftop of his family home enjoys a view of the Temple of Hatshepsut. From childhood he was inspired by the creations of the ancient Egyptians and he dreamed of being an Egyptologist. In 1995 he graduated from the University of Cairo with a degree in Egyptology and in 2018 he earned a Master’s degree from South Valley University not far from the Temple of Dendera. Sayed designed and built Blue Lotus Healing House using techniques used by the Ancient Egyptians to build the temples.
Working as an inspector in Egyptian and foreign excavation missions from 1999-2012, he has traveled all over Egypt and witnessed the discovery of sacred sites as they have been carefully uncovered and cataloged. As a tour guide for over 20 years, he uses his specialized knowledge of these sites, his education in Egyptology, and the study of hieroglyphics to enlighten visitors with an authentic version of the story of Ancient Egypt. He feels a special connection with the Ancient Egyptians and attempts to tell their story through his love and appreciation for the magic of these places. He is a bridge between this fascinating history and present day Egypt.
Walking with Sayed through these sacred sites is a unique experience. He is well known and appreciated by the temple guards and staff and it feels as if he is giving you an intimate tour of his own home. His relaxed demeanor, gentle humor, and incomparable knowledge offer an unparalleled experience. As you follow him and listen carefully, you gain remarkable insights into what the ancients communicated on the temple walls.
Shahrazad Awyan
Shahrazad was born and raised in the small village of Nazlet El Saman at the Giza Plateau. She is the daughter of Abdel Hakim Awyan, a wisdom keeper of Ancient Egypt, archaeologist, Egyptologist and founder of Khemetology. Five generations of her family have occupied a home that is situated with the perfect view of the Great Sphinx as well as the Pyramids and the Plateau.
From her balcony at home, she has a panoramic view of the Giza Plateau. Shahrazad is the eyes and ears for all things that occur on the Plateau, seen and unseen….a genuine guardian of the heart of Egypt.
In her youth, she left Egypt for Hawaii. Along her path, she learned a Hawaiian method of healing touch, only to discover from her father that she went to the other side of the world to learn something that was Egyptian. She had learned a healing method of the Ancient Egyptians, using the gentle touch of 2 fingers, as shown on the temple walls. As she teaches BioTouch to students from around the world, she shares stories of treatments and healing.
Shahrazad activates the Neters, or Divine aspects within us, as we experience a tour of Nine Initiations on the Nile. Nine ancient temples, nine living libraries that will facilitate clearing of old patterns, activating genetic codes, and help us to remember our own divine nature.
Our Luxor Family
Farrag
Born and raised on the West Bank of the Nile, he loves the Blue Lotus Luxor House as if it is his own home.
Farrag is trustworthy, kind, and helpful. He lives nearby and is available for anything we or our guests need and he always shows up with a smile on his face.
He loves sharing about his country and culture and learning about other cultures. He worked in restaurants from a very young age and eventually mastered the art of cooking. In 2023 we joined with him to open his own restaurant on the West Bank, The Lighthouse Restaurant, where he is famous for his unique and delicious chicken curry.
Ahmed
We have many friends named Ahmed, so we tag them with their unique contribution to the innerworkings of our daily life in Egypt. We have Ahmed Backroads Taxi, Ahmed My Favorite, Ahmed Visa Office, and many others. Ahmed Motorboat, who captains the Queen Diana motorboat is our preferred local taxi on the Nile in Luxor.
Need to cross the Nile to go to Luxor City, Karnak or go swimming in the Nile on one of the Islands?
Ahmed will be happy to take you and fill you in on the local news.
Antika Coffee Shop
Ahmed is the owner of Antika Coffee Shop.
Located conveniently by the Ferry on The West Bank of The Nile, it is our favorite place for a good cup of coffee.
I would go almost every morning and got to know many of the locals, who come to have their coffee or tea and share the local news with each other.
Ali "Tuk Tuk" Hassan
Ali and his growing family live nearby on the West Bank. Ali is our trusted and favorite Tuk Tuk driver. He always arrives on time and treats everyone with a gracious and genuine warmth.