#ancient egyptian wisdom

[galgannet]

O Djehuty, fair of face, sharp of mind, and swift of pen, I pray you to inspire me in word.

Inspire in me creativity in word, both verbal and written, O you of the sacred pen.

Hearer of prayers, mighty in heka, strong in compassion, I ask you to ever watch over me Djehuty.

Wise of spirit, sharp of mind, patron of fairness, I ask you to ever watch over me Djehuty.

Dua Djehuty!

[wayti-blog]

By living a life based on wisdom and truth, one can discover the divinity of the soul, its union to the universe, the supreme peace and contentment which comes from satisfying the inner drive for self discovery.

Ancient Egyptian Proverbs

[antiquitiesandlabyrinths]

Kemeticism Under the Advice of Ptah-Hotep: Maxim 1

In my first post I discussed the importance of listening, and the value of Ptah-Hotep's lessons. While this is a paramount lesson, it is also just a precursor to understanding and comprehending the actual maxims of Ptah-Hotep, which we will now read.

Translation of Maxim 1

Don’t be conceited about your own knowledge. Take advice from the ignorant as well as from the wise, since there is no single person who embodies perfection nor any craftsman who has reached the limits of excellence. The perfect word is as rare as an emerald yet it may be found among the maidservants working at the millstone.

Breakdown:

Lesson

Jacq’s translation

Direct translation

Do not be prideful over your knowledge and it’s sources.

“Don’t be conceited about your own knowledge… take advice from the ignorant as well as from the wise.”

“May your heart not be filled with vanity* because of what you know… take counsel with both the ignorant and the sage.”

There is not one person who can be perfect

“… there is no single person who embodies perfection nor any craftsman who has reached the limits of excellence.”

“No one attains perfection in the art**…”

Good advice (the perfect word) and wisdom is rare yet can be found among the common workers and strange places

“The perfect word is as rare as an emerald yet it may be found among the maidservants working at the millstone.”

“A perfect word is more hidden than the green stone*** yet one can find it with the serving women who work the millstone****.”

* - Vanity here means large, or great of heart. Ptah-Hotep has two variants of this expression which both translate literally as large or great of heart; one in a negative sense, i.e a self-inflated ego or sense of importance, and the other in a positive sense meaning generous and magnanimous. Here he is using the negative term, âa-ib.

** - Art is something which goes beyond the reaches of simply craftsmanship in Egyptian culture. It indicates the ability to make matter beautiful and harmonious in its’ symbology. It allows celestial energy to manifest itself in physical matter; to incarnate itself through a craftsman’s work.

*** - Green stone could refer to either emeralds, turquoises, or amazonites. Either way, the word used here, oudjat, had a root meaning of growth and blossoming.

**** - Millstone here is referred to as a benout in the original Egyptian. The root of the word, ben, can also be translated as the primordial stone on which creation was first manifested. On this first stone the benou bird first took flight.

This maxim, while uncomplicated, does deal with a couple subjects, the most pertinent of which is pride. Pride is the centerpiece of discussion for this lesson, and just the same, pride is a centerpiece of suffering and failure within one’s life. Pride about our knowledge — both individually and as a species — is something very ingrained in our society, but it has not benefited us in any way. In fact, it has closed our minds to the possibility of gaining knowledge from sources we deem inappropriate.

Our minds are shaped by our society and our surrounding culture, and that culture decides where it is appropriate to learn and where it is not. For example, in many cultures, school is an appropriate place to learn; spending time with homeless people or drug addicts is not. However, as Ptah-Hotep says, the perfect word — and thus the perfect wisdom — can be found in very strange places, even among common workers, servants, and slaves. And in fact there are many people who are homeless or are/were drug users who have a great deal of wisdom to give to the world; they are part of the undesirables class, but this does not make them different from other humans as a whole. Even the pride or joy you may have that you are different or more fortunate than these people is misplaced; what one thinks of as guaranteed can be taken away in an instant. The goal of realizing this is not to be constantly vigilant in making sure nothing is taken from you, but to instead accept the natural order, and not to judge others based on preconceived notions about whether or not they are valuable as a person.

In the end, it is not so hard for someone who is very rich and assured of their position in the world to suddenly lose everything and become part of the undesirables class that they once discriminated against. All of us are prone to change, not just in our souls but in our position in life. As Ptah-Hotep says, no one attains perfection in the art, and one person’s ignorance is another person’s realization, as everyone’s experiences in life are different.

There is a sort of equality that Ptah-Hotep preaches here; in the first note, concerning pride about knowledge, there is another translation that instead states this as, “Do not be proud on account of your knowledge, but discuss with the ignorant as with the wise”. Sometimes there is nothing to gain from conversing with the ignorant, but it is good to do it nonetheless. In this way, you can share your own knowledge, as simply keeping company with the wise can help one grow and learn.

Overall, the main lesson to take away from this maxim is to not be prideful about your knowledge and do not be overly selective over where you attain this knowledge. The second lesson is more simple, which is that no one person is perfect, and the ignorance or failing that a wise person has may be knowledge and wisdom that an ignorant person has. Wisdom and knowledge can come from all places, even from nature and from within the soul. It is good to accept wisdom from all people, as someone’s social standing does not indicate the openness of their heart, nor their closeness to divinity and the perfect word and art.

[mynzah]

Otherworldly...Know Thyself...Self Realization...

King of kings, Lord of lords, Prince of princes, who from the womb of Nut hast ruled the world and Akert. Thy body is of bright and shining metal, thy head is of azure blue, and the brilliance of the turquoise encircleth thee… ~ Egyptian Book of the Dead (Hymn to Osiris Un-nefer…Papyrus of Ani, Brit. Mus. No. 10,470, sheet 2…pg. 19, Penguin…

[pathofregeneration]

Meditation Before the Temple, part I

“The image one has of the temple is usually that of a house constructed by man. Beneath the immense sky, a very small building indeed.

But for man confronting himself, for Ego, the site of his presence is the centre of his world. Yet there is what man looks at, and there is what is looked at in him. What he sees outside of himself is partial; what sees within him is all. What man puts of himself into his work is everything for him; the work in itself is of small account.

Man has searched within himself for his raison d’être, for the cause of his being, and, on his scale, he has surmised an order for the becoming of all things. To his measure. Unable to find an initial, tangible, and definable cause, he calls it God. This having come out of himself, made in his own image, he builds a house for his God. For it is so difficult to pray beneath the starry sky!

This house is always the symbol of the man who has constructed it. It is the house of a god. It is not the temple, as the temple is not in the image of the man who built it but in the image of cosmic man within terrestrial man. The latter image is what the temple explains.

To work creatively means to concretise, to make palpable sensorially what spirit conceives. This is birth, and therefore shall be death as well.”

— R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz, The Egyptian Miracle

* * *

The Great Hypostyle Hall of Karnak (1908) Illustration from Penrose’s Pictorial Annual An Illustrated Review of the Graphic Arts, vol. 14

[artsystudiofinds]

Hand carved Ankh Lapis lazuli and moldavite necklace handmade in 925 silver in bohemian style!

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[sinfullydivination]

Past life regression

Have you ever been inside a body that wasn’t your own but felt so familar? You knew this body, you knew this mind. You could operate it, you being the puppet master. This body still had a mind of it’s own- it wanted to show you something. This was the first past life regression I did. I had spoken to a practitioner who had helped me with this.

I open my eyes to see people around me incredibly sick, some dying. They’re laying in cot-like beds around you, some on the floor, some standing. I look around in anguish to the people around me, wanting to help them, needing to help them. There was no cure for the sick and dying.

Why are there so many? Why can’t I help them? Why aren’t the gods answering my prayers? Somebody please, answer me! Why won’t you answer me? I’m doing my best to tend to all of them, praying to Sekhmet to cure their ills, praying to Bes to fight off the evil entities inside of them that are causing this.

I head to a local temple, asking for the priests and priestesses to help. To get the gods attention. I’m not fulfilling my duty if this mass amount of people are sick. They ignore me, i’m just an average healer, there’s nothing special about me. Especially since I cannot get the gods attention by myself. They shrug me off, telling me to find help elsewhere. There’s a local temple that’s open to the public, I must go there.

I bring an offering of water to the gods. I get down on my knees, praying to any god that may hear me. Inpw is the one who answers my prayers. “You have a task before you. If you complete these tasks, I will help your people,” he says to me. His voice is loud, it’s clear- strong but soft. “Go to the river and catch me a fish.”

“I will, Great god.” I pack up my things and head to the Nile.

The vision blurs for a moment and i’m standing in front of a large body of water. The first are upturned, their bellies floating at the surface. Inpw kneels beside me. “There is something within our life force that is affecting everything around you. Speak with Auset and I shall help reverse this curse that has fallen upon our people and revive our life force.”

I am standing inside another temple. This one larger than the first, the floor is sandstone, along with the walls. I kneel upon the floor, in front of the Great Lady’s statue. “Please help me, Great Goddess, please help me save our people- my people. They are sick. They are dying.” Lady Auset materalizes in front of me. Her eyes are heavily kholed, her hair as black as night, her skin golden. She does not wear her headdress but instead a diadem covered in jewels and crystals.

“I shall help you, healer, but you must do a task for me. Help me revive my husband, my love. I have gathered his pieces, I have flown upon the land finding his scattered pieces. Healer, help me bring him back to the land of the living.”

I stand in front of the body of Lord Asar. I tried helping her with the revival of Lord Asar, yet it would not work. His chest would not move- his lungs would not take in oxygen, his heart would not pump. Lady Auset starts crying, she starts pounding on his chest. “Husband, come back to me. Come back” She wails. I start crying next to her, my large body heaving.

“I am sorry, my Lady, I cannot bring him back to the land of the living. I cannot. I have failed you, Goddess Auset, please forgive me.” She wraps her arms around me, drying my tears. “Alas, you cannot bring back what has been taken from me; you cannot bring back what has been taken from you. This is the way it has been and shall always be.

“I know our life force has been tainted. I know it is taking our people away; however, this is the way it must be. Our people are sick but we cannot bring back what is gone. I have accepted my husband’s fate, you must accept the fate of others around you.”

The vision blurs once more. I am standing inside of a temple with the Abydos triad- Lady Auset, Lord Asar, and Lord Heru stand before me.

“We shall help your village,” they say in unison. “You have faced us with courage and vallor. You did not accomplish our challenges but you have learned our wisdom. Understand the necessity of death, you cannot save all of those around you. You cannot bring back those who are gone. Help those who still live and breathe.”

I am back in my village’s medical hut. My patients, my community, my people are starting to heal. They are getting well again.

[somethingnubian]

Reclaiming the Ancestral Power of Kemetic Reiki

Blessings and vibrant energies to all who find themselves here! I am Reiki Ra-ess, your guide on this enlightening journey through the ancient and sacred art known as Kemetic Reiki. Today, we delve deep into the heart of Kemet (ancient Egypt) to rediscover a healing tradition that predates and informs what many know as Reiki today. Join me as we explore its roots, its journey through time, and…

[sharriplaza]

Kemetic Field of Reeds #kemetic #kemeticspirituality #kemet #fieldofreed...

[ultrachoppedpenguinbouquet]

Wisdom lost

[universalambients]

The Library of Alexandria (283 BC) Ambient Music

[wayti-blog]

By living a life based on wisdom and truth, one can discover the divinity of the soul, its union to the universe, the supreme peace and contentment which comes from satisfying the inner drive for self discovery.

Ancient Egyptian Proverbs

[antiquitiesandlabyrinths]

Kemeticism Under the Advice of PtahHotep, the Great One, Vizier of the Pharaoh Isesi

I have mentioned a few times now the teachings of the PtahHotep, the divine father, who lived in the era of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. His teachings are of great influence to me and would be of great use and importance to any practicing Kemeticist who truly desires to know the spirituality of Kemet, of the Netjer, and of the ancient Egyptians. Thus I’ve decided to start a series of posts to share his teachings with those ready to listen, and to explain in greater detail what lessons we can glean from each piece of the great Vizier’s wisdom.

There are 37 maxims and 9 epilogues, but for this post, we will be starting with the prologue. The translation we will be using will generally be Christian Jacq’s, however we will also analyze the direct translation. Jacq’s translation is used to communicate Ptah-Hotep’s ideas in terms and vernacular more familiar to the English language and to modern times. However, a great deal of the time the two translations are quite similar.

Translation of Prologue:

Here is wisdom taught and set down by the noble one, the leader, the divine father, beloved of God, the one who listens in the six great domains, the one whose word forever brings peace to the whole country, the town’s highest official, the Vizier Ptah-Hotep, the great one, serving under His Majesty the King of Upper Egypt, whose symbol is the Sedge, and the King of Lower Egypt, whose symbol is the Bee, the Pharaoh Isesi. May the King live according to the eternity of cycles and the infinity of the instant.

Here is what the director of the town, the Vizier Ptah-Hotep says:

‘Sovereign, my master, old age is upon me, my great age has drained away, exhaustion and weakness have overcome me and I spend each day sleeping as if back in infancy. My eyesight is failing, my ears are growing deaf. There is no strength in my heart. My mouth is silent, it speaks no longer. Thoughts fade and memory fails. All my bones hurt constantly. What was good is now bad; taste has completely vanished. The effects of old age on humans are detestable in every way. My nose is blocked, it can no longer breathe. It is as painful to stand as to sit down.

‘May it be decreed that Ptah-Hotep, this your servant here present, fashion a stick for his old age in the form of a spiritual son. Let me pass on to him the words of those who know how to listen, the instructions of the ancestors, the guides, who, long ago, listened to the divine powers. May I, Ptah-Hotep, succeed in doing this for you. May conflicts be averted thanks to the spiritually aware and may the two banks of the river of life work in your favour.’

His Divine Majesty, the Pharaoh, said: ‘Ptah-Hotep, teach your disciple the word of the Tradition, and may it be a model for the children of the great ones. Once the perfect thought has been expressed, may they be suffused with understanding, for no one is born a sage.’

Here begin the maxims of the accomplished Word of the noble one, leader, divine father, beloved of God, eldest son of the Pharaoh, partaking of his essence, the town’s highest official, the Vizier Ptah-Hotep, teaching knowledge to the ignorant, and the law of the accomplished Word.

For those who listen there is benefit and enlightenment, but those who let it pass will be the losers.

Breakdown:

The first paragraph is an essential introduction of names and titles honoring both the sender/writer of this message, and the receiver, the Great Pharaoh Isesi. From the last line there is a revealing of an idea commonly related to eastern ideologies, and from then on we can find detailed lessons with close gazes.

Lesson

Jacq’s translation

Direct translation

There is a cycle to the earth and a cycle of life which is unbreakable. As well, within even an instant lay an infinity of understanding and perception.

“May the King live according to the eternity of cycles and the infinity of the instant.”

“May He (King Isesi) live according to the eternity of cycles and the eternity of the instant…”

Youth passes into old age; nothing lasts. Connection to our bodies is worth very little. The cycle of life and aging takes us all.

“My master, old age is upon me… exhaustion and weakness have overcome me and I spend each day sleeping as if back in infancy. My eyesight is failing, my ears are growing deaf… no strength in my heart… thoughts fade and memory fails… what was good is now bad.”

“Sovereign, my master, old age has come, a grand old age has struck, weariness has arrived, weakness occurs again. He* (Ptah-Hotep) spends each day as if he had returned to infancy. The eyes are diminished, the ears** constricted, for the one whose heart is tired feels his strength faltering, the mouth… no longer speaks, the heart… does not remember yesterday anymore. The bones are painful due to the length of existence, what is good becomes bad.”

The guidance of our ancestors is a path to our future. The translated term ‘ancestors’ in this context does not indicate that people have been left behind, but instead that they open our path to knowledge as they lay their lessons before us.

“Let me pass on to him the words of those who know how to listen, the instructions of the ancestors, the guides, who, long ago, listened to the divine powers.”

“… would that I could tell him (a spiritual son, i.e a student) the words of those who listen, the directives of those who are in front and who, in times gone by, listened to the divine powers.”

Being spiritually aware avoids conflicts

“May conflicts be averted thanks to the spiritually aware.”

“May the conflicts be rejected, according to those men and women who know***…”

The perfect thought can be expressed but it must be met with perfect understanding. Even with understanding, it must be comprehended fully and enacted within one’s own mind, emotions, and thought process. This is why it is called perfect understanding.

“Once the perfect thought has been expressed, may they be suffused with understanding…”

“May understanding penetrate him (a spiritual son), every correctness of the heart has been said to him…”

No one is born a sage; it something learned and mastered by those capable of opening their minds.

“… for no one is born a sage.”

“… (for) no one is a sage from birth.”

Listening will lead to comprehension, understanding, and enlightenment.

“For those who listen (to the accomplished word) there is benefit and enlightenment; those who let it pass will be the losers.”

“… teaching the ignorant towards knowledge and towards the law of the accomplished word; here is what is luminous**** for whoever listens, but vacuous for whoever bypasses it.”

* - Authors frequently change personal pronoun in Egyptian texts, from ‘he’ to ‘I’ and vice versa.

** - Ears can be translated even more literally to ‘living ones’, as listening is the basic spiritual principle behind Kemetic thought; life penetrates man through the ear. Listening is of utmost importance.

*** - Knowing is to understand and adhere to one’s teachings, and thus sources of conflict can be avoided.

**** - Luminous is translated from the word akhet, meaning useful, luminous, profitable, and enlightening.

So, despite being no more than an introduction, there is a lot to learn from these words, and it is important to dissect and understand what is said here by Ptah-Hotep as much as possible, as they are the only remnants of his wisdom.

When one practices Kemeticism, they have a duty to understand its’ culture and its’ way of thinking. Unlike Christianity, or any of the other Abrahamic religions, there is no greater figure to lead us anymore. No priest leads ceremonies so we may blindly follow, and they do not preach. Even in ancient Egypt there were few ceremonies practiced with common citizens. It is a duty and responsibility—as well as a sign of respect to the Gods—to understand and enact proper knowledge, speech, and most importantly, perfect listening. Kemeticism is most comparable to eastern religions, and in these practices, when one wants to learn the ways of their chosen religion, they choose a spiritual master. Someone to guide them towards enlightenment, the betterment of mind and soul, and the proper way to worship. In the case of Kemeticism the spiritual master is called a sage, and takes on a spiritual son (who is usually not blood related, but instead takes lessons from the sage as a son would from a father). With no surviving strains of the original Egyptian worship, we must look to what remains in texts, which is what makes Ptah-Hotep’s teachings so valuable, and thus why it is so important to study his maxims as intensely and thoroughly as possible. As you can see, even from an introduction one can glean a good deal of information.

Ptah-Hotep’s words are suffused with teachings and understanding of his world, of the eternally present Rule (which is the Rule of Ma’at). The perfectness of his words come from a lifetime of honing the art of perfect listening which, as mentioned before, is a cornerstone of Kemetic thought. The perfect word can be spoken but it is worth little without perfect listening, in turn leading to perfect understanding.

This practice takes time; as is stated clearly, no one is born a sage; no one is born enlightened. Using the guidance of our ancestors as a path to lead us forward is a great aid in this process of gaining understanding, however it is important to note that in this context, ancestors does not necessarily mean our direct predecessors. It more accurately defines the old masters, priests, and sages of the Kemetic faith. Although these people are gone, and the chain link connection of master and spiritual son has been terminated for over a thousand years, we are still connected to our ancestors through listening to the advice which remains, once more highlighting the importance of Ptah-Hotep’s text. By opening our ears—the Living Ones—we can open ourselves to the wisdom, understanding, and enlightenment which stands ever before us.

Enlightenment breaks us from a cycle of suffering. It allows us to live in accordance with Ma’at—a Rule of harmony, balance, and truth. Ma’at personified is a Goddess who symbolizes this Rule.

“The Rule of Ma’at is simultaneously the precision, the truth, the harmony and the coherence of the universe. From this flows civilizations and society’s equilibrium, provided there exists a pharaoh (leader, ruler) willing and able to apply Ma’at in every sphere, from the most abstract to the most concrete… in the absence of Ma’at reign disorder, injustice, violence, and the realm of darkness. Therefore, come what may, the sage must follow the path of Ma’at, let Ma’at be the inspiration of his words and deeds.” (The Wisdom of Ptah-Hotep, Christian Jacq, p. xv)

By listening well to Ptah-Hotep’s words we can better understand the Rule, and thus comprehend the natural flow of the universe. As we move forward in reading the lessons and maxims of Ptah-Hotep, this Rule is better explained as more than just cohesion of the universe. Its’ effect is overarching on all things great and small, and it cannot be changed by any human endeavors. Indeed our choice is only to flow with the universe or attempt in vain to fight against Ma’at, which only leads to suffering, for only what the Gods ordain comes to pass. Ma’at lives on past us, and despite all the vanity of humans, has not been disturbed since the beginning. Understanding this essence of Kemetic thought is paramount to understanding the universe of the Netjer, and to achieving peace and oneness with the universe and the Gods.

In my next post we will discuss the first maxim and break it down in the same way we have done with the prologue in this post.

For those who listen there is benefit and enlightenment, but those who let it pass will be the losers.

[mynzah]

Know Thyself...Self Realization...Within...

The Word is in thee. That in thee which hears, sees, and acts is the Word itself, the sacred fire, the creative utterance… ~ Osiris (The Vision of Hermes…Poimandres…First tractate in the Corpus Hermeticum) http://www.mynzahosiris.wordpress.comhttp://www.twitter.com/MYNZAHhttp://www.instagram.com/mynzah/http://www.facebook.com/Mynzah/

[pathofregeneration]

David Roberts, Abu Simbel

* * *

Meditation Before the Temple, part II

“There is something fearful in the fact of creative labor. The Kabbalah speaks of the infidel angel who falls into earth, the Ptah of Memphis. Yet mortal man places all his joy, all his glory, in the fact of labouring creatively. It will be the Great Work, the Magnum Opus, if the aim is to recognise the cause of the fall; it will be fixation in earth, damnation, if the aim is confined to the maintenance of the Opus on earth. Choosing the aim is for each of us as tragic as it is for the archangel the choice between ‘same and other’.

We are in a desert when we question ourselves; when in our interrogation we oppose ourselves to the universe, the desert becomes the parvis in front of and outside the temple and then takes on the aspect of an obstacle. The dialectics between Ego and Self is the enclosing wall that separates unitary paradise from the universe of creation.

This enclosure repels and is insurmountable for whatever is not made definitively whole through complementation. That is the reason why the angel with the fiery sword is planted at the eastern and not at the southern gate. He is what separates opposites:  the poles, the contraries, the complements, the night from the day of appearances, Adam from Eve. Choice opens or closes the door of the temple where Light without shadow reveals the cause of the binary world, the world of antinomies.

Whoever manages to cross the threshold recognises that the material, the feminine, the passive, and the aquatic in him is moon, and that the active, the warm, the ardent, and the formless is sun. He will know that in the world fo duality, he projected this moon and sun into the sky: He had forgotten that they were inside him and saw them outside of himself only. This is the site, or moment, known as the ‘reversal of the lights,’ when intelligence comes to the heart.

This entrance to the temple is also the place where the neophyte is to encounter the priest, the elder, the sage. If grace has illumined the disciple, the sage will be within him and will speak to him; otherwise, he must seek outside of himself, as it is very difficult to guide oneself alone through the temple labyrinth.”

— R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, The Egyptian Miracle

[artsystudiofinds]

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