I have been looking through this all day. It is the most thorough reference material for Egyptian (and affiliated) deities. It’s perfect for so many types of people! High recommended! #kemetic#pagan#polytheist#paganism#deities
Excited to share!
I worked on this book! A lot of love and care went into this. It has a lot to give! Anyone who is interested in the ancient Egyptian deities, this is for you. A life long reference. buy here: https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738770796
O Khnum, creator of all that exists,
Be adored by your creation,
Your name sung in every heart,
It is your hands at the beginning,
That cradle us at the time of our conception.
After almost a year of work, the Sisters have been placed in their new shrine! I feel refreshed and invigorated to begin this exciting new chapter of my devotion to my gods. Dua Nebt-het, Dua Aset, Dua Djehuty, Dua Het-heru! Dua Netjeru!
Statuary by the magnificently talented shadowofthesphinx on Etsy, paintings by the wonderful @teagarden.
She moves through life in waxes and wanes. She permeates all of creation. It is her hand that cups the bud as it struggles to bloom. She touches every leaf on its way to winter. There is nothing beyond her care, protection, and embrace.
@caribouslim Thank you, it is quite a lot of work. And thank you for your question. No, we don't actually share Aquino's belief about the nature of consciousness or his mind/body dualism. For us, this is more of a Gnostic influence that has little to do with anything the ancient Egyptians actually believed or practiced. They had an incredibly complex eschatology (their beliefs about what happens to us when we die), but it all hinges more on our behaviors than it does on our intelligence. During the Weighing of the Heart, we are not judged for how smart or powerful we are, we are judged for how well we uphold Ma'at (truth, justice, compassion, reciprocation, etc.) in all of our affairs. To put it another way, we think following "the Golden Rule" is a much higher priority.
One reason we take issue with Aquino's worldview is that there seems to be very little room for the cognitively disabled. We each have people in our families who are cognitively disabled, so we take this rather personally. There is nothing in Egyptian lore to suggest that someone with dementia or a brain injury can't have a good, happy afterlife. But reading Aquino can give you the impression that if you are ever diagnosed with Alzheimer's, you're doomed. The Temple of Set's culture is very elitist, and to the best of my knowledge, they have never provided any kind of internal guidance or support for members who develop cognitive or emotional difficulties. Such members seem to be expected to resolve their problems by themselves, or they are simply dismissed - which hardly seems worthy of a "Temple" in my opinion, at least.
That being said, we in LV-426 do believe it is important to try and sharpen one's mind as much as one can. We are called to discern Ma'at from isfet with the same precision Set employs while spearing the isfet serpent each night. But this isn't about becoming a Nietzschean superman; it's about learning better ways to take care of ourselves and support each other and our families. We believe a sharp mind isn't much good without a well-balanced heart to go with it.
@gbmarian I'm very familiar with the Gnostics and have studied the Nag Hamadi in great depth - I can see the parallels in your philosophy. As someone who comes from and cares for a line of people who have unusual sensitivities (often classified as disabilities), I appreciate the distinction you make from the narrow-minded attitudes of the Temple of Set.
One of those who I care for has the mind of a five year old, but the heart (and body) of a giant, and it's been amazing to watch him use that heart to bring joy to those around him - he has more friends than I ever will. Another is trapped in a constant battle with a tulpa born of her trauma, but when she lays down the sword and picks up the pen, magick flows out onto the page... and when she sings, she can break your heart into splinters and weave them into stars.
Caring for them has made me a far better person than I'd ever be on my own, and the process of learning to understand them has provided far more spiritual guidance than any religious text I've studied.
"During the Weighing of the Heart, we are not judged for how smart or powerful we are, we are judged for how well we uphold Ma'at (truth, justice, compassion, reciprocation, etc.) in all of our affairs."
Agreed - I believe that intelligence is a tool, but the heart holds the true path for the soul.
Thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail, you've giving me a much richer sense of your traditions and practice.
Nooormally I put all the epag beads directly to the God of the Year's statue, and dress my Wepwawet statues appropriately (dark blue is this year's color), but two things happened: 1) I had to buy a proper statue for Nefertem, so that's still not here yet, and 2) I went to make my bead dressings and -did not have the beads I thought I did-.
The fun thing about the Kemetic #NewYear is that it happens not at midnight, but at dawn, so you can't just pass off a quick "3-2-1- Happy New Year" at 12am and go to bed, no no... RA or bust, bitches. 🤣
(no one has to stay up all night to be clear, but some people do -- I doubt I will be one of them with my level of perpetual tiredness)
We're almost there, and as usual PST is one of the loneliest timezones headed into the New Year, be that Kemetic, or secular.
O Set, Rebel coming in the night.
Bones of iron before Whom the sky does shake,
Who sends the storm above.
They say “He Who doesn’t care about the law”,
yet righteous swords do glint and arrows fly.
He Who fells isfet, poised atop the Barque of Ra,
outstretched hands fend off A/p/e/p upon the hour.
Heru takes the Shield and You the Sword, ensure our victory!
That which torn apart can fight as One against a common goal.
Abhorrent or Beloved, each in its stride,
a time for all, a place to rest, a day to be.
And be this day indeed, take up the mantle,
You of Thunderous Sky and Shifting Sand.
Be sharp as flint and swift as bird,
stealth of fish yet strong as raging bull.
He Who loves the fight, Who holds his head on high,
Who welcomes dissonance abroad yet beats the drum
compelling, every sound yields on His might.
I stand with You, Lord of Blades and Power,
my bonds undone, I will not bow to evil.
Brief intro: I'm G.B., and I've been worshiping the Egyptian God Set since I was 14 years old. I've published some podcasts about Setianism, which can be accessed on my website at DesertOfSet.com, and I enjoy writing music and telling fictional stories that are intended for a polytheist audience.
Here is a link to my full discography on DesertOfSet.com: